One Year Ago...

One year ago...

I felt this hug

One year ago...

I saw this smile

One year ago...

I had my face painted

One year ago...

I danced on stage

One year ago...

I experienced this snuggle

One year ago...

I fell in love with this beautiful smile

One year ago...

I lost my heart in Ecuador

I can't believe it has already been a year since I visited Ecuador on my first Compassion trip.  I still remember so vividly the time I got to spend with Dayana and Aida.  God has blessed me so much with these beautiful girls.  I hope I will be able to return to visit them some day soon! 

She Had Me at 'Hola'

The anticipation of meeting your sponsored child or children is often enough to drive you nearly crazy.  I should know, I've been through it three times now.  Will I recognize them?  Will they recognize me?  Will they like me? Will we have fun? Will they be shy or out-going?  Will they be cuddly or stand-off-ish?  And the questions go on and on until you have exhausted all possible circumstances.

Last Monday our bus pulled up to the chosen location in Honduras for our "Child-Sponsor Fun Day." We arrived before the children and waited for their buses to pull in.  When the first one pulled up next to ours, we searched frantically for a glimpse of our children-the children were doing the same in search of their sponsors.  Then I saw her.  This ADORABLE dark haired beauty.  I made eye contact and began to wonder if that was my little Laura.  I only had 1 photograph of her with her hair pulled up.  This darling little girl had long curly hair and the smile of an angel.  Just as I was questioning her identity, she held up a sign.  A sign with my name on it.  This certainly was my Laura. I waved and her smile brightened as she waved back.  I blew her a kiss and she returned one of her own. My heart melted.

 From the moment I stepped off the bus, Laura was there. She was the most affectionate little girl.  She loved to hold my hand, walk with me, give me hugs, and cuddle. 

 

We spent the day on the beach building sand castles and swimming in the ocean.  We played in the pool and the girls slid down the slides with great joy.  Her beautiful smile just captured my heart.

 

At the end of the day, when we were walking to the buses, she tugged on our translator's shirt, "Tell her that I love her." Again she tugged on her shirt, "Tell her that I love her very much."  Her insistence that the translator tell me over and over again was one of the most precious gifts a child could give. I simply wished I would never have to let go of this little angel God has brought into my life.