Convicted Lame Compassion Sponsor

Day 8 & 9: A Servant’s Heart and Honor #21Days4Sons

If I’m going to be real today, I’m not going to be blogging on the actual topic for today (and yesterday’s) prayers. That’s not what God has stirred in my heart today. Alle did a great job, so jump on over to The MOB Society to read what she had to share.

I’m having trouble getting this started, so let me just jump right into the story:

I was sitting on the couch scrolling through Twitter after Thomas and I finished lunch today. I had noticed in the last few days that a lot of bloggers were talking about this Compassion Bloggers trip to Tanzania. I saw that the bloggers on the trip were having a Twitter chat, so I thought I’d jump over and see what the trip was all about.

I didn’t have much to contribute, so I was just reading the tweets when up pops this (stop now, follow the link, read, then come back):

Don’t be a lame #Compassion sponsor like I was. Seriously bit.ly/9Q1obp

— Lisa-Jo thegypsymama (@thegypsymama) May 9, 2012

We are Compassion sponsors. Our child’s name is Jorge:

He is 7 and a half. He lives in the countryside of the Dominican Republic. He has one sibling. That’s all I know about him. We write to him maybe once or twice a year. I wish I could say I pray for him regularly even though I don’t write to him often.

But I can’t.

I know that makes me a “lame Compassion sponsor”.

So I immediately (after Thomas was asleep) left the Twitter chat and went to write Jorge. Compassion makes it SO easy. You just log into their site and send an e-mail. I was even able to include a recent picture of us at the zoo.

Less than five minutes, and it was done. But that was just step one.

Step Two: When I sat down to pray for Thomas today in the #21Days4Sons Challenge, I prayed for Jorge too.

I hope this continues. I plan to write to Jorge at least once a month and pray for him as often as I pray for Thomas. I plan to print out his picture and post it on the fridge to remind me of this commitment.

It’s about more than money. It’s about a little boy’s heart.

If you don’t already sponsor a child through Compassion or World Vision, I highly encourage you to seek the Lord, check out each organization, and do what you can. If you can’t afford the monthly sponsorship, you may consider committing to writing a child whose sponsor does not write them often as a Compassion Correspondent.

What do you do to connect with your sponsored child? Do you prefer handwritten letters or sending e-mails? Any suggestions on what to send with a letter?

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http://www.thegypsymama.com Lisa-Jo@thegypsymama

Oh I LOVE this! Wow, you’re awesome for taking such immediate action. I am constantly fighting the “lame sponsor” syndrome Thanks for inspiring me!

~Lisa-Jo
- MB@NewLifeSteward
  
  Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I absolutely love your blog.
  
  Mary Beth
http://Www.colortransformedfamily.com Krystle @ Color Tansformed Family

We don’t sponsor through Compassion but do through Living Hope. Up until this past month we have been lame sponsors too. I just recently found out we could send our little boy e-mails whih makes it so much easier. I wa probably equally excited when he e-mailed me back a few days later. I would really love to get to know him better.
Thanks for sharing your conviction. I need to o write Julian an e-mail.
- MB@NewLifeSteward
  
  That is so exciting that you get an e-mail response so quickly! Our e-mails go to the Compassion main hub for translation and then are sent to our child. Then we have to wait for a “snail mail” response. I tended to just wait for a response before I write again, but now I’m committed to writing whether I’ve heard from him or not!
http://www.thewordweaver.com Deb Weaver

Mary Beth,
We seem to be on a similar path! I’ve been including our Compassion child in my 21Days4Sons prayers too. And because of your tweet, I read Lisa Jo’s article and determined to write a letter! Thanks for being real!
- MB@NewLifeSteward
  
  It does seem that way doesn’t it!!
  
  I find that being real and honest here gives me the accountability to actually do what I say. If I put it out here for the world to see, I better be serious about it!!
  
  Mary Beth
Rebecca

We sponsor a little boy in Africa and write him every couple months or so. Sometimes more than others with emails and such. We prayed for him but not near as much as we do now with Adelae! His picture is on our fridge and we will randomly ask her who it is. She knows and says a version of his name and then we pray for him. Having kids certainly helps keep you accountable! Oh, and you can send bookmarks, stickers, coloring pages, and pretty much anything flat in the letter. We’ve sent all three and it’s never been a problem.