Experiencing Ecuador-Life on the River

With Compassion Blog month right after I returned from Ecuador, I haven't had much of a chance to post about my trip. So now that I have a chance to get caught up, I thought I'd write a little bit about our visit to the village of Anchayacu in Esmeraldas, Ecuador.  This small village is on the river and only recently has gotten a road that reaches to the outside world. Our group of sponsors was the first group to ever visit this remote Compassion Center (EC399).  

The children loved to have their photos taken and made some of the funniest faces! We spent time with them playing and serving them lunch.  We also had a chance to visit some homes along the river.  We loaded up canoe taxis and learned how these families raise different types of food.  The group I was in planted peanuts.

 We all decided we made the task take WAY longer than it would have without us! 

 Once we returned to the student center we celebrated the graduation of 2 of the young ladies from the project and enjoyed time worshiping with and loving on the kids.

  

Welcome New "Family" Members!

I am very happy to announce the addition of 2 new correspondent children to my Compassion Family! In July, Marinelis joined the crew and just 2 weeks ago Miss Laura joined us!

Marinelis

Marinelis is 10 years old and lives with her mother and 1 sibling in the Dominican Republic. She is above average in school and enjoys playing with dolls, playing house, group games and singing.  Her chores are running errands, making beds, and helping in the kitchen.

Laura

Laura is 5 years old and lives with her mother and 2 siblings in Honduras. She is in kindergarten where her performance is average. She enjoys playing dolls, playing house, and playing hide-n-seek.  Her chores are cleaning and running errands.

***For those of you who are unfamiliar with correspondent sponsorship, they are children who have a financial sponsor who, for some reason, does not write to them.  Compassion finds correspondents to take over this role of sponsorship.  I am very excited to add these two precious girls to my Compassion Family!

Major Mail Day!!!

Today I received 3 beautiful letters from 3 beautiful young ladies! 

Aida, Ecuador, Age 6

I had the privilege of meeting Aida last month in Ecuador.  This letter was written before I met her.

Dear Brandilyn,

I greet you with the love of God hoping you are healthy and doing well.  I thank you for the letter.  This is the first letter I write. (her mother has been writing for her) I am doing great at school.  I am happy and I have new friends and I play a lot with them.  I thank you for your drawings and the stickers.  Please keep praying for me and for my family.  We'll be praying for you and your family.  I say goodbye with the love of God.

Sincerely,

Aida

Daniela, Colombia, age 7

Daniela is the first child I sponsored. She recently began writing her letters on her own. I hope to meet her next November!

Dear Brandilyn,

Hello, God Bless you

My favorite color is: Pink

My favorite friend is: Sofia

My favorite school class is: math

My favorite hero is: God

Question-Answer-Gratefulness:

Madrina, I would like to know: How is your family?  Have you had a beautiful experience with the Lord in these past couple of months?  Madrina, I thank you for writing me, caring for me, and giving me a place in your heart.  I ask God to guard and greatly bless you.

Request and/or something to tell your sponsor/verse:

Madrina, I want you to pray for me and my family.  I want to share this verse with you: Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Philippians 1:3.

With Love,

Daniela

Dayana, Ecuador, age 11

I also had the privilege of meeting Dayana last month in Ecuador.  This letter was written before I met her. She also included 2 new photos of herself for me! (can't get one of them to load)

Dear Brandilyn:

I am grateful for the card you sent me and you came in a good moment because I was sad but now my heart is happy to know we are the best friends.  I appreciate it.  The puppies are also my favorite.  I appreciate your concern for me and I am feeling better thanks to God's blessing.  How is your family?  What sport do you like?  How is the weather out there?  The is the last line and I want to say good bye.  Blessings.

With love,

Dayana

Dayana at a dance celebration for her school's anniversary.

Will You Say 'Yes'?

Hello, my name is Daly.  I live in the beautiful country of Ecuador.  I'm 5 years old and live with my parents and siblings in the mountains near Riobamba.  I guess if you're looking at my picture, you're probably considering becoming my new sponsor.  What can I do to help you say 'yes'?  Can I tell you that my family only makes about $150.00 a month?  Can I tell you that malnutrition and parasites are big health problems where I live?  Can I tell you I like to play with dolls but don't have one of my own?  Will those things help you say 'yes'?  Would it help if I said that I love going to the Hogar Feliz student center?  Would it help if I told you I am getting help with my school work? I am in kindergarten, you know. Would it make a difference if I said I am able to get a good healthy meal at the center?  Would it matter if told you I can get medical screening and help if I need it? Would you say 'yes' if I told you that I am learning a lot about Jesus and what He did for me to save me from my own sin?  What do you need to make that decision?  What do you need to know in order to love me?

Daly is a real child in need of a sponsor.  She has been on my heart and while these are only words I believe she would say, they are just that-words. Daly needs action.  She needs someone to love her and give her hope of a brighter future.  I have been to Ecuador and the children there are simply amazing.  Will you pray about becoming a sponsor for Daly or a child like her? You CAN make a difference.

Sponsor a Child

Pinning For Compassion

Ok, so I've never gotten into the whole Pinterest thing...but I'd do just about anything for Compassion. SO when Compassion announced a new contest where my sponsored child could get an extra monetary gift, I signed right up!

Check out my Pinterst Board for Compassion and enjoy some of my favorite photographs with my sponsored girls in Ecuador! If you have a mind, please repin to help out my children!

If you sponsor a child, you can sign up for the contest too! It's quite easy and certainly for a good cause-YOUR sponsored child!

Click HERE for the rules and start pinning for Compassion!

Letters to God

Many of us have seen the movie, or at least the previews of, "Letters to God."  The movie features a child fighting cancer who writes letters to God that leaves the mail man baffled about what to do with them.  Have you ever wondered what a Compassion child would write in a letter to God?  Here are some possible letters that sponsored and unsponsored children might write to God.


Dear God,
Why don't I have a sponsor yet?  It feels like it's taking forever.  My friends didn't have to wait this long! Am I not pretty enough? Not smart enough?  Please give me a sponsor soon!
Love,
Nelida, age 7, Bolivia



Dear God,
Thank you for giving me a sponsor! I'm not really sure what it means, but my parents are VERY excited.  Mom even cried!  I guess I'll be getting letters like my sister does, so that could be neat.
Love,
Aldubi, age 5, Honduras





Dear God,
Thank you for my sponsor.  She writes a lot of letters to me and sends me photos.  It actually snows where she lives!  I'm so happy she writes a lot.  Please bless her and make her as happy as I am!
Love,
Ingrid, age 7, Peru



Dear God,
Why doesn't my sponsor write to me?  I don't understand, my brother gets letters all the time, my friends do too.  I guess I'm not loveable.  Maybe everyone is right, I'm just not worth the trouble.
Love, 
Kakooza, age 16, Uganda





Dear God,
Please help my sponsor's Grandma to get well.  I know my sponsor is sad because her Grandma is sick.  Please make her well so my sponsor will be happy again.
Love, 
Karelia, age 13, Nicaragua 





Dear God, 
Why did my sponsor go away?  I miss her letters.  She was really pretty.  Did I do something that she doesn't love me anymore?
Love,
Angelica, age 6, Philippines 





Dear God,
I am soooooooooooo happy! My sponsor is coming to visit me!  I ACTUALLY get to meet him.  IN PERSON!  This is going to be the best day EVER!  I even get to stay in a hotel! Thank you God!
Love,
Dilan, age 8, Ecuador



Dear God,
Thanks you for the blessing of my sponsor over the years.  He always believed in me and told me I could make a difference.  I hope we can stay in touch even after I graduate.  Maybe I'll even try the LDP program.
Love, 
Uli, age 18, Indonesia



While these letters are fictitious, simply the musings of one sponsor, the faces are not. These are real children waiting for someone just like you to love them and give them a reason to write letters of joy and thankfulness to God.

Sponsor a Child Today

Experiencing Ecuador-A Moment Felt 'Round the World

The most asked question I've gotten about in the past few days, besides "How was your trip?" has been "Did you get to meet the girls you sponsor?"  My obvious answer is "DUH! That's why I went!" But, of course, that's not very polite. So I typically tell the story of my first meeting with my beautiful Dayana.

Isn't that a smile that just melts your heart?  She certainly melts mine!  The night we first met our sponsored children was a dinner party thrown in their honor.  Sponsors were called up to the stage and the children were announced from the side entrance and we met in the middle.  Dayana was the first child to be announced and she came running, full speed toward me and gave me the biggest hug I have ever received.  I spun her around and with tears in her eyes, she simply held on and did not want to let go!  This moment will be forever etched in my memory as one of the greatest moments of my life. The rest of the night she kept squeezing my hand and smiling at me as if she was afraid she would wake up from a dream. Nothing compares to the love of a child!

Do you have room in your heart for the love of a child like Dayana?  There are hundreds of children just like her waiting for someone just like you to show them a little love.  Will you at least take a look at these beautiful children?  Give them, and yourself, a chance for a love of a life time!

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