Just before our team was called to board the van and leave for our long journey back to the states, I was approached by the Project Director of the Compassion project we had been visiting for the week. With a gentle voice, in broken English, he said to me, "Genet, Yididiya's mother would like to give you something." He directed me to a quiet section of the church courtyard. Yididiya, my sponsored child, stood proudly next to her mom with a big smile. I could tell she was excited about the forthcoming transaction. Her mother presented me with a woven shirt worn by the men of the region. Also, after having seen me in a euphoric state of Ethiopian-coffee bliss during one of our visits, she chose to gift me with a traditional coffee serving set...raw beans and all!
Because it was our "good-bye" morning, we were already emotional. This put my heart over the top. Again, I found my eyes welling up...this time with gratitude. My heart was crushed with humility. I know that the mother had truly sacrificed in order to purchase these gifts. It was one of the greatest honors in my life. If you have even been the recipient of a gift from someone living in extreme poverty, you realize very quickly that the American response of, "Oh, I can't take this", is simply not an option.
In my rather overwhelmed stupor, I probably said "thank you" way too many times. With tears in her eyes, Genet(mom) told me that they could not ever repay or thank me enough for sponsoring Yididiya. Of course I am thinking, "repay?"...dang... I am grateful beyond words to see how a mere $38/mo along with regular letters can turn a child's life...and household, upside-down. I wish I could convey to them, how through this process, Jesus has expanded my heart for the poor...and, in a very real sense, changed the trajectory of my life. I see life at home...especially within the Church community, with new eyes.
Genet went on to share how sponsorship has impacted her daughter's heart and life. She then handed me a letter that stated in greater detail what she was trying to convey through the translation of the Project Director. A friend of hers help write the letter in what I now considered to be "beautiful-broken English". The envelop also contained some drawings that Yididiya made for me.
I want to share a bit of what Genet shared in this letter in hopes that you will see what happens in the heart of a sponsored child...through the eyes of her mother(no grammar corrections).
"...we think, I and Yididiya are thanks to God because you are given from God. Especially for my daughter. Why for my daughter is very happy by you because she takes you like a father and she always names you day to day. This indicates that how much my daughter love you from her heart.
My daughter is not only my daughter. She is also your daughter since she loved you equal to me. Someone is ask her who is your father. She answered that your name and mom is Genet. Therefor her mind is balance because she get a father from God."
I read this on a regular basis as a reminder to persevere in being an advocate for these children...It never ceases to stir my heart. My is that prayer it doesn't stop. I continue to be humbled by the gift of being able to share the love of Jesus with my little Ethiopia buddy.
Her mother made it clear to me that Yididiya knows I am not her biological father, but the impact of knowing a "father figure" loves and cares for her has changed her heart greatly. In the same way that God is "Father to the fatherless", we sometimes have the opportunity to do the same.
Here is one of the drawings given to me by Yididiya. It shows her on the left, myself(baba) in the middle, and mom(mama) on the right.
This is not the experience for just myself and my sponsored child. Today, there are 1.4 million children sponsored through Compassion International. They have a vision to see 4 million children sponsored by 2020. Compassion International successfully provides unprecedented, Christ-centered, holistic child development to those in the greatest need.
To explore sponsorship, contact me directly or go to www.compassion.com
Out of the 12 people on the team going to Ethiopia this August, 10 will have their first experience with Compassion International. Some of them will have a radical transformation of their hearts and lives. I pray for that.
As I mentioned in the first post, I am raising funds to go and co-lead this trip. I am about halfway to my goal. Will you prayerfully consider being a part of this? You can give online at:
www.southbaychurch.org/nextsteps/online_giving/ > CLICK the RED "Give Online" button just below the page photo...follow the simple instructions.
Thanks for joining me!
~Mark
(See the post below this one to read the crazy story of how I met Yididiya before I even sponsored her)
Because it was our "good-bye" morning, we were already emotional. This put my heart over the top. Again, I found my eyes welling up...this time with gratitude. My heart was crushed with humility. I know that the mother had truly sacrificed in order to purchase these gifts. It was one of the greatest honors in my life. If you have even been the recipient of a gift from someone living in extreme poverty, you realize very quickly that the American response of, "Oh, I can't take this", is simply not an option.
In my rather overwhelmed stupor, I probably said "thank you" way too many times. With tears in her eyes, Genet(mom) told me that they could not ever repay or thank me enough for sponsoring Yididiya. Of course I am thinking, "repay?"...dang... I am grateful beyond words to see how a mere $38/mo along with regular letters can turn a child's life...and household, upside-down. I wish I could convey to them, how through this process, Jesus has expanded my heart for the poor...and, in a very real sense, changed the trajectory of my life. I see life at home...especially within the Church community, with new eyes.
Genet went on to share how sponsorship has impacted her daughter's heart and life. She then handed me a letter that stated in greater detail what she was trying to convey through the translation of the Project Director. A friend of hers help write the letter in what I now considered to be "beautiful-broken English". The envelop also contained some drawings that Yididiya made for me.
I want to share a bit of what Genet shared in this letter in hopes that you will see what happens in the heart of a sponsored child...through the eyes of her mother(no grammar corrections).
"...we think, I and Yididiya are thanks to God because you are given from God. Especially for my daughter. Why for my daughter is very happy by you because she takes you like a father and she always names you day to day. This indicates that how much my daughter love you from her heart.
My daughter is not only my daughter. She is also your daughter since she loved you equal to me. Someone is ask her who is your father. She answered that your name and mom is Genet. Therefor her mind is balance because she get a father from God."
I read this on a regular basis as a reminder to persevere in being an advocate for these children...It never ceases to stir my heart. My is that prayer it doesn't stop. I continue to be humbled by the gift of being able to share the love of Jesus with my little Ethiopia buddy.
Her mother made it clear to me that Yididiya knows I am not her biological father, but the impact of knowing a "father figure" loves and cares for her has changed her heart greatly. In the same way that God is "Father to the fatherless", we sometimes have the opportunity to do the same.
Here is one of the drawings given to me by Yididiya. It shows her on the left, myself(baba) in the middle, and mom(mama) on the right.
To explore sponsorship, contact me directly or go to www.compassion.com
Out of the 12 people on the team going to Ethiopia this August, 10 will have their first experience with Compassion International. Some of them will have a radical transformation of their hearts and lives. I pray for that.
As I mentioned in the first post, I am raising funds to go and co-lead this trip. I am about halfway to my goal. Will you prayerfully consider being a part of this? You can give online at:
www.southbaychurch.org/nextsteps/online_giving/ > CLICK the RED "Give Online" button just below the page photo...follow the simple instructions.
Thanks for joining me!
~Mark
(See the post below this one to read the crazy story of how I met Yididiya before I even sponsored her)
