In Review & What Now

The Compassion bloggers have been home from their trip to Uganda for about a week now.  However, I am sure they are struggling with how to not forget Uganda and all they saw their and how to live in the US as well.

In review, here are some of my favorite posts from the amazing bloggers.....

What We Need When We Are Uncertain - chatting at the sky - this post by Emily I thought was especially touching.  I really connected with the sister relationship and thought it was just beautifully written.

Why Today Was Spectacular in an Ordinary Way - this post echoes Emily's in the fact that her sister Myquillyn wrote it.  There is nothing ordinary about the story she shares.

Joy the Baker – This Place We Share - Joy blogs about food.  In this post, she talks about how she decided to say yes and go to Uganda.

What Good Dads Do | Shaun Groves - beautiful post with amazing photos.  Shaun leads the Compassion Bloggers' trips and does a wonderful job sharing all about that in his posts.

Letting Go of the Right Dream - in this post, Bri shares about what it is to let go of a dream....one that perhaps doesn't line up with the plan God has for your life.  Love this.

in which we are all under the same sky - chatting at the sky - Emily reminds us that we all see the same sky, and she challenges us to remember others who see this sky who are not as fortunate as us.


I believe that these last two posts show us exactly what do now.....

The Worst Mistake You Don't Know You're Making | Goins, Writer

Choosing the One You Least Expect - chatting at the sky


This time the Compassion Bloggers' had a goal of seeing 400 children sponsored through this trip.  Right now, they are just 5 children away from that.

Will you take a leap of faith and sponsor one child from Uganda today?

Sponsor a Child in Uganda

Compassion Bloggers in Uganda!

This week, some Compassion bloggers are in Uganda!  I look forward to reading all their posts as they put into words the things they see and feel.  And what do they see?

They see poverty being shattered with hope through Compassion.

Follow the bloggers' trip in Uganda at compassionbloggers.com/trips/uganda-2014/

Sponsor a child in Uganda (using this link will link the sponsorship back to the bloggers' trip and my blog!) - http://www.compassion.com/child-sponsorship/sponsor-a-child-in-uganda.htm?referer=126401

A Changed Life: Harriet

Just last week, I wrote a post about Julian, a sweet girl from Uganda and a graduate from Compassion's program. (you can read that here - Love is an Action: A Changed Life)  I walked through her story at the Compassion Mobile Experience.

Today, I read a story of a sweet girl from Uganda, who is a graduate of Compassion's program.  She is Harriet.  I hope you will read her story over here Harriet Mutumba.  It is a beautiful slideshow telling her story through captions on the photos.

Change a life!

(photo taken from Harriet Mutumba Slideshow)

A Changed Life

The room's dark.  Two old, wooden chairs are all the furniture in the tiny house.  At night, one chair is shoved against the door to keep the drunk, dangerous alley men out.  They take turns sleeping in the other one.

Their life is rough.  Her mom works hard, but she doesn't get much in return.  Young Julian hears her relatives' negative comments.  Maybe life will never be good for her, but she can help her family.

They say she's sitting on a gold mine.  She has us, her daughters.  Soon, I will tell my mom to sell me in marriage.  At least then my sisters can go to school.  They will have a good life.

Her mom takes her to a Compassion project.  A friend told her that they would help her.  Julian doesn't believe it though - someone would help her for nothing?  Her mom and her check it out to find out what the catch is.  Nothing can be found, so she is enrolled.  Soon, to her surprise, she gets a sponsor.  An even bigger surprise comes a little bit later.

My sponsors sent me a birthday card!  No one in Uganda sends cards.  They say that cards take too much time and money.  I carried that card everywhere with me for weeks.  I felt so special.

Julian is succeeding at school and goes to a boarding school for more education.  She is thankful that there is a Compassion project near her.  Even though she is far from her home and family, there is a project with people who love her.

Then it is the beginning of the 4th semester, and Julian is at the top of her class.  Yet, the school master yells at her.  He tells her that until she pays for all four semesters in full, she must leave.  She goes back home.  She forgot how scary it was to live in the alley.  She still goes to school, but now she feels no hope.  She can't pay for boarding school, so she decides to make a sacrifice for her family.

I'll be worth less, now that I am 14.  It'll still be enough for my mom and sisters to have a good life.  I will tell my mom to sell me in marriage soon.

Before she tells her mom, Compassion comes to her home.  They say that they will pay for her school in full!  She studies hard and graduates.  Through her hard work, she was accepted into the Leadership Development Program with Compassion.  Before she leaves for university, she makes enough money to buy her mom a new home where it is safe.

I attended Makerere University in Uganda and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies. I just graduated from Baylor University with a Masters’ in Social Work! My goal is to use my social work career to advocate for children and women living with HIV/AIDS and to help those in vulnerable situations realize their dreams and potential. *

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That is the story of Julian Alum, a former Compassion sponsor child.  I walked through her story at the Compassion Mobile Experience, and this is written from my memory of that.  I just missed meeting her, as she joined the tour the stop after mine.  You can read more about her here -  Meet Julian Alum — a Former Sponsored Child From Uganda | Change The Story

To see where the Compassion Mobile Experience is headed, visit Compassion: Change the Story - Events

*quote taken from Meet Julian Alum — a Former Sponsored Child From Uganda | Change The Story

Let's go to Bolivia!

Last September, the Compassion Mobile Experience came to a town about an hour from me.  I was taken to Bolivia and India.  I walked through the streets and saw the hope that the Compassion project brought to Ruben and Brinda.  I touched Ruben's red table that he bought for his family.  He used the skills Compassion taught him to get a job and buy that table.  And I listened as Brinda told her family how the God of the Bible was the one true God.

In the semis holding the stories of three former Compassion children, the homes, projects, and communities of the children are duplicated with such accuracy that you feel like you are actually there.  As you walk through the rooms, you listen to the narration of the child's story.  And at the very end, you watch a video of the former sponsor child taking you to those places.  Then you know that everything is just right and so real.

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I see the e-mail.  It's coming again!  This time it is closer, just 30 minutes away.  And I go to Kingdom Bound and I help out a tiny bit with Compassion.  I realize that there is no way I cannot go again.  But this time, this time, I will work it.  

Then this shows up in the mail-

And I count the weeks.  I don't have much time until September 7, and I know it'll go quicker than I think it possibly can!  I don't have much time to tell everyone that they need to go.  

So I'll call up everyone I know and send out e-mail and hang posters.  

This time, all it costs to go to Bolivia or India or Uganda is the gas to drive to the nearest place it is coming to you.  Compassion: Change the Story - Events  

Currently, it is scheduled to go to NY, OH, GA, FL, MS, LA, and TX.  But check back often, cause the places it goes keeps growing and you don't want to miss this!

Compassion: Change the Story

What does love really mean?

WHAT LOVE REALLY MEANS

words and music by Dave and JJ Heller

He cries in the corner where nobody sees 

He’s the kid with the story no one would believe 

He prays every night,

“Dear God won’t you please, 

Could you send someone here who will love me?”

Who will love me for me 

Not for what I have done or what I will become 

Who will love me for me 

‘Cause nobody has shown me what love 

What love really means

Her office is shrinking a little each day 

She’s the woman whose husband has run away 

She’ll go to the gym after working today 

Maybe if she was thinner 

Then he would’ve stayed And she says...

Who will love me for me 

Not for what I have done or what I will become 

Who will love me for me 

‘Cause nobody has shown me what love 

What love really means

He’s waiting to die as he sits all alone 

He’s a man in a cell who regrets what he’s done 

He utters a cry from the depths of his soul 

“Oh Lord, forgive me, I want to go home”

Then he heard a voice somewhere deep inside 

And it said, “I know you’ve murdered and I know you’ve lied 

I have watched you suffer all of your life 

And now that you’ll listen, I’ll tell you that I...”

I will love you for you 

Not for what you have done or what you will become 

I will love you for you I will give you the love 

The love that you never knew

She sits in the corner of the market each day

She's the girl with the parents who've run away

She'll go home and study after selling all day

Maybe if she was smarter, they would have stayed

And she wonders...

Who will love me for me

Not for what I have done

Or what I will become

Who will love me for me

Cause nobody has shown me what love

What love really means

What love really means...

Will you love her for her?

to sponsor Doreen, please e-mail me at lizzie4compassion@gmail.com

7 Links for a Great Weekend!

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This week, I read so many good posts!  So I thought I would share some with you, just in case the weather isn't so nice near you.  :)

Our Compassion Adventure: My country

Free and Holy: A Pair of Shoes

True Beauty – Nicaragua Day 3 | Beneath My Heart

Nicaragua – Me-ism Never Satisfies | Southern Plate

When a Father Loves His Daughters {Nicaragua, Day 2} - life{in}grace

A Holy Experience – A Letter to the North American Church: Because it is Time

A Holy Experience – Why You Are Where You Are: For Such a Time as Now

Yeah, lots of posts about sponsors meeting children.  So let me tell you a little something- those are my favorite posts!  They take me to another country.  They show Compassion's work at it's best.  And they let me dream about meeting my kiddos.  I know that day will come for me sometime, but for now, thank you to all those who are taking me there now! :)

What were some of your favorites posts this week?

Doreen

Wess Stafford said recently "Older children are at an age when they desperately need someone to believe in them. They are often overlooked and forgotten. Imagine trying to survive those difficult years of growing up and facing extreme poverty — all at the same time."  It indeed must be very difficult.

That is why I am advocating for two girls 10+ (they are considered "older" children).  And this sweet girl is 12.  

Doreen (ug4001119)
Birthday: January 14, 2001
Age: 12
Gender: Female
Region: Africa
Country: Uganda
Program: Ntinda Child Development Center

Personal and Family Information:

Hello! My name is Doreen. I live in the beautiful country of Uganda. I live in the lowlands of Ntinda. It is north of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. I live with my grandma and sibling. My grandma does her best to find work as a laborer, but even when she can find it, $21 a month does not cover the cost of living. When my grandma is gone, I help her by carrying water, buying and selling in the market, and caring for my younger sibling. It is hard work, but I like to help my family. While I work, I sing sometimes. In my free time or at the project, I enjoy playing games like ping pong and jacks. Because of Compassion, I can go to primary school. I am doing well. You would be proud of me. I am above average. I love learning! I want to be a good leader in my community. I share what I learn with others so that they may benefit from my opportunities. Lugandan is spoken by people near me, but I am learning English at school! Compassion also provides me with Bible studies, health screenings, games, birthday celebrations (sometimes sponsored children get cards! No body in Uganda send cards because they are expensive and a waste of money.), home visits, community service opportunities, educational field trips, career guidance, and life skills training. I am glad because Compassion gives me opportunities to overcome poverty! I get a snack at my project. Sometimes it is maize, beans, fish, cassava, matooke (steamed green plantains), bananas, or groundnuts. Malaria, HIV/AIDS, skin rashes, dental decay, eye infections, and candidiasis (fungal infection) are common in my area. But, Compassion helps me stay healthy. Please pray for me. I am waiting for a sponsor. If you sponsor me, I will be soo happy! I might even sing and dance out of joy! Then I will write you letters and pray for you. I will tell my family and friends about you. I live in poverty, but your support will help me overcome poverty. Thank you for reading my story. I love you already. God bless you! If you would like to sponsor her, e-mail me at lizzie4compassion@gmail.com  If you sponsor her, I will send you a free bracelet with a bead from Uganda on it!

Watoto

Last Saturday, I had the privilege of seeing an amazing African children's choir.  My friend shared with me about the Watoto choir.  She told me to go and see it if I could.  I thought that there was no way it would come near me, but sure enough it was going to be not too far away!

Watoto means "children" in Swahili.  These Watoto children are orphans.  When they were young, their parents either died or abandoned them.  There was no one to care for them.  They felt unloved and unwanted.  That is when Watoto took them in.

Watoto is a holistic care program for vulnerable women and children.  The children are welcomed into a home with a house mother and seven other siblings!  They learn skills that will enable them to be leader in Uganda when they are older.

Part of their leadership training includes touring as a choir for six months.  They travel throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas.  Performing dances, singing songs, and sharing their story- the Watoto children bring Africa to you!

I soo enjoyed their performances!  It was incredible to see their smiles and hear their stories.  They worshiped freely as they sang about Jesus.  

My favorite song was the last one, I think.  It was a traditional song.  The boys had white hand-prints on their bellies, and they all wore frilly bands around their clothes.  Some of the boys played the big African drums, and the rest of them with the girls danced.  It was amazing.  I felt like I was in Africa for a moment.  

It isn't quite the same, but here is a video from a couple years back of one of the choirs performing a traditional song-

Here is another song that they performed (again, it was taken like three years ago).  When you remember that they are orphans, this song is just beautiful!

Their music is so much better in person!  The choir will be traveling through Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan this month.  (I don't know where they will be outside of the USA.)  The group of children that I was able to see will be finishing up their last month on tour in June.  

After that, another group will come up from Uganda.  Their tour will start in the USA in December 2013.  It starts out in the west- Arizona, Washington, and California.  I expect that there will be more dates and possibly more groups as it gets nearer.  I really suggest that you go if you can!  These kids are amazing! :)  You can see the tour schedule HERE.  

You can sponsor a Watoto child too.  I really wish I could.  Like I said, these kids are amazing!  Each child has multiple sponsors, but you can still write and receive letters.  Go HERE for more info on that.

How have you seen another culture or people recently?

photo credit

Choir 61 Are Loving Queensland, Australia! | Watoto Choirs Blog

Home - Watoto

Compassion Mobile- Change the Story

Hello!

On Thursday I was able to attend an awesome event!!  Compassion Mobile is so cool.  It tells the stories of three children living in poverty.  It shows their lives before Compassion and how their lives changed because of Compassion. 

Each story is only twenty minutes long.  You get to go through a realistic representation of the child's home, Compassion project, and other places the child goes to often.  The stories are of real children who have graduated from Compassion's sponsorship program.  The best part is- it is probably going to be near you!!

I really recommend you go to Compassion Mobile.  I loved hearing and seeing the lives of children in India and Bolivia (I couldn't see the Uganda one).  My family and I traveled one hour away to see it, and I think it was worth it.  I have heard many stories of lives being changed by Compassion, but actually seeing it is even more awesome!

Change a life!
Lizzie