A Journey of Faith

Today, I am going to share the fifth part of My Story of Compassion.

Read part one here - Love is an Action: How God Brought Me to Compassion

Part two here - Love is an Action: "My Angel"

Part three here - Love is an Action: "I want a friend"

Part four here - Love is an Action: Mexico City, Peru, and Bolivia

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February 2012

It is now February 2012, and I am eight months into my Compassion journey.  But, I have yet to financially support a child.  At the beginning of my Compassion journey, I didn't know if it would be just one of those things that I did for a bit and loved but let fade from my life.  By this time, though, I knew that I would be doing this for the rest of my life.

It was time to sponsor a child.

A group of friends and I decided to choose a girl who would graduate from Compassion soon.  I could not find a child with that criteria on Compassion's site.  So I called them.  The rep said that she would look and put a child on my account to consider.

A little later, I saw that an older girl had been put on my account!  I was super excited.  Her name was Mabel, and she was from Bolivia.  Right away, I confirmed that I wanted to sponsor Mabel and she popped up on my account!

I didn't realize then, but that decision to sponsor a child would change my life.  I had no source of income and the majority of the sponsorship rested on me.  Every month, God proved faithful and provided exactly what I needed to continue to support Mabel!  I can't even begin to explain how that helped me grow in my faith and trust in Jesus.  

Mabel successfully completed Compassion's program in December 2013.  I could not be more proud of her!  She is now studying business and gastronomy so that she can prepare "all the delicious food from other countries and help the needy people."  I know that she will do it all to spread Jesus' love!

Mexico City, Peru, and Bolivia

Here is post four of my Compassion stories series!

Read part one here - Love is an Action: How God Brought Me to Compassion

Part two here - Love is an Action: "My Angel"

Part three here - Love is an Action: "I want a friend"

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November 2011

My friend goes to Mexico City on a missions trip every year, so I wanted to write to a child there. Perhaps she could meet him. My church used to go to Peru every spring. And Bolivian kids were were said to write amazing letters. So I decided, I would request three more correspondents. My dad okay-ed it, so I sent the e-mail right away!

The next morning I got an e-mail from Compassion. The rep told me that a person could only have three correspondents. He said that he would put me on the list for a boy from Mexico City. I considered telling Compassion that I would take a child from any of the three areas. But I just decided to write back "thank you."

Surprisingly, I was assigned a child quite quickly. It was a November night. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a Tuesday. And I was on my laptop. I had been checking my account since I put the request in, and then there he was.

I excitedly showed Carlos to my sister and I briefly told my parents about him. Then I wrote him a quick note. It was a mix between a Christmas and intro letter. I was so excited to get to know this little boy. His birthday was April 28, a special day to me.

I told this ten-year-old boy that he was my new friend. I told him to call me "Lizzie" because that is what my friends call me. Then a long time later, I got a first letter from him. I was disappointed. He only told me his name and not much at all.

It was Friday, April 13. I had just gotten back from a friend's house. My mom said Compassion called.  I knew that Compassion didn't call just for fun, and I wondered what had happened.  Compassion said that Carlos had moved. Compassion would do their best to make sure he got all my letters, but he had not sent me any more. I went up to my room and cried. I cried for the boy I didn't get to know. My heart was broken.

For a while, I held onto the hope that I would receive a final letter from him or his tutor. One month passed. Then two. Three. Four. Five. I honestly thought I would never hear from him again. I had become okay with that, but I still missed my boy.

Then that final letter came. And I cried. I cried for the friend I lost. (You can read his final letter here- http://lizzieforcompassion.blogspot.com/2012/10/mail-call-monday-carlos-edition.html)

It is my hope to reconnect with Carlos some day to tell him that I have not stopped praying for him and to hear about all that he has been doing.  But for now, I am just happy that I got to know him a little bit!

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If you would like to sponsor a child from Carlos' center, Mario is currently waiting for a sponsor.  You can view his profile here - Sponsor Mario from The Faithful Friend Club in Mexico, Middle America.

"I want a friend"

Today I am continuing a series I started last autumn that I forgot about!  Anyway, this series is the story of each of my sponsor children.

Read part one here - Love is an Action: How God Brought Me to Compassion

Part two here - Love is an Action: "My Angel"

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September 2011

my first photo of Lucie

After I got the courage to ask my dad for another child, I requested a 13-16 year old girl. I wanted a friend. I checked my account multiple times every day (still do when I request another child!). It was September 8, just three months after I saw my Kartini (Aprila) for the first time. I had just finished school, so I grabbed my laptop, clicked to go to my Compassion account, and saw two names!

Ah, my excitement! She stood looking back at me in a white dress with a red dress shirt under it. She looked so beautiful- the white and bright against her dark skin. I read every word about Lucie, and I waited impatiently for the packet in the mail. Then it came, and I read every word again. I wanted to know my new friend.

Well, she is very precious to me, and she's my friend. It isn't like I would have imagined it. At first, she didn't write much or often, but last year she wrote me 7 times!!  The correspondent program is such a blessing :)

"My Angel"

Missed Part 1?  Read it here - Love is an Action: How God Brought Me to Compassion

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June 2011

my first photo of Aprila

In the response from Compassion, Trisha asked if I would like to become a child correspondent. I asked my mom, and she said yes! I wasted no time e-mailing back and asking for a girl correspondent. Honestly, I think I mostly forgot about it after that.

Thankful to be able to check the mail (I have a couple pen-pals in the US) after coming home from camping, I saw a little package. How could I wait to open it until we unpacked?! So I may have torn into it and left my sister to bring stuff in. ;)

She started back at me. Kartini (she now likes to be called Aprila) from Indonesia was just precious! I fell in love with her then. Once we finally unpacked, I took the packet upstairs to my room. I read every word and wrote my first letter. I didn't quite know what to say, but I wrote anyway!

She was sent to me from God and my life has been changed because of her. Thus I call her my angel. She's just turned ten years old, and I can't imagine life without her!

Well, after her first letter came (surprisingly right after another camping trip!), I was hooked.

Stay tuned for Part 3: I Want a Friend

How God Brought Me to Compassion

May 2011

Over the next little bit, I want to share the story of how I welcomed each of my kiddos into my Compassion family.  For starters, let's begin with how I learned about Compassion.


It was May of 2011. The day started like usual, and little did I know that it would change my life forever. I got an e-mail from Compassion. It told me of children needing sponsors. I asked my mom to click the link to see the children. She told me I could. So, I did.

And there she was on the top right. Hymns was her name. She was four, I think. The Filipino girl in the cute pink dress had me coming back to  ompassion's site day after day. I would just look at her picture all day if I could. She stole my heart, but I did not understand it. I wanted to sponsor her. I had no money and no income, so I did not. A short twelve days later on June 6, she was gone. I took no time e-mailing Compassion to see if she was sponsored. She was.

I can't say I felt bad about her being sponsored. I wanted to sponsor her myself, yes, but I did not think I could. I think that is okay though. I am sure that God has a plan for her life just like He does for mine. None-the-less, I told Compassion that if she is ever in need of a sponsor, I will pick her up and never let her go.

Stay tuned for Part 2: My Angel

But for now, would you find your own Hymns?  And will you do me a favor?  Sponsor her.  It will change your life and hers!