Last fall I decided that I would like to sponsor a child and God gave me the insight to involve the daycare children in this decision. Oh what a blessing that has been!
I already knew that I wanted a child from Guatemala as Guatemala was one county that had been weighing on my heart. Since the majority of my daycare children were three years old, I searched for a child to sponsor who was also three. After narrowing our choices down to 5 children, I printed their photos and "introduced" them to my kiddos. For a week we prayed for each one of the children and at the end of the week we voted for which child to sponsor (oh, how I wanted to sponsor all of them!).
As we talked about the children, I shared with the kids in a age appropriate manner the needs of these children. We discussed the way in which we are so fortunate to have parents who love us and care for us so well. We have food and access to clean water. We have abundance, yet these dear children who we prayed for, have very little. As we learned more about the needs in Guatemala, I saw in these young Little Sprouts of mine a compassion for others.
At the end of our week of prayer we chose a new "Little Sprout" and the children where so excited to tell their parents all about Karina and Guatemala. It made my heart sing to hear the kids talk with such love about Karina!
Sponsoring has opened up so many learning opportunities for the daycare children as we learn where Guatemala is, we learn basic Spanish words and we learn to love others. My prayer is that my daycare children will carry these memories forever, that they will live a life of compassion and that they will continue to care for the "least of these" for the rest of their lives.
On Sunday my daughter and I will be traveling to Guatemala with World Help and working at Hope of Life International. We may even get the opportunity to meet Karina! My heart skips a beat and my eyes well with tears as I pray for this chance to shower this sweet girl with love and gifts. The daycare children, although disappointed that this isn't a daycare field trip in which they can join, have been buying gifts for me to bring to Guatemala.
One mom shared with me that her daughter insisted on buying toys and candy for Karina because, although the fact that she may be impoverished in other ways, the most shocking idea to this sweet four year old was that Karina may not have any candy! Oh, the hardship. :)
Katie Davis, in her book "Kisses From Katie", writes, "I have learned that I will not change the world, Jesus will do that. I can however, change the world for one person.....And if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute. In fact, it is worth spending my life for." My prayer is that Christ's love would shine through me to each of my Little Sprouts. Even my Little Sprout who seems to live a world away.
Friends, I'd like to encourage you to prayerfully consider sponsoring a child. Make a difference in the life of just one child!
I already knew that I wanted a child from Guatemala as Guatemala was one county that had been weighing on my heart. Since the majority of my daycare children were three years old, I searched for a child to sponsor who was also three. After narrowing our choices down to 5 children, I printed their photos and "introduced" them to my kiddos. For a week we prayed for each one of the children and at the end of the week we voted for which child to sponsor (oh, how I wanted to sponsor all of them!).
As we talked about the children, I shared with the kids in a age appropriate manner the needs of these children. We discussed the way in which we are so fortunate to have parents who love us and care for us so well. We have food and access to clean water. We have abundance, yet these dear children who we prayed for, have very little. As we learned more about the needs in Guatemala, I saw in these young Little Sprouts of mine a compassion for others.At the end of our week of prayer we chose a new "Little Sprout" and the children where so excited to tell their parents all about Karina and Guatemala. It made my heart sing to hear the kids talk with such love about Karina!
Sponsoring has opened up so many learning opportunities for the daycare children as we learn where Guatemala is, we learn basic Spanish words and we learn to love others. My prayer is that my daycare children will carry these memories forever, that they will live a life of compassion and that they will continue to care for the "least of these" for the rest of their lives.
On Sunday my daughter and I will be traveling to Guatemala with World Help and working at Hope of Life International. We may even get the opportunity to meet Karina! My heart skips a beat and my eyes well with tears as I pray for this chance to shower this sweet girl with love and gifts. The daycare children, although disappointed that this isn't a daycare field trip in which they can join, have been buying gifts for me to bring to Guatemala.
One mom shared with me that her daughter insisted on buying toys and candy for Karina because, although the fact that she may be impoverished in other ways, the most shocking idea to this sweet four year old was that Karina may not have any candy! Oh, the hardship. :)
Katie Davis, in her book "Kisses From Katie", writes, "I have learned that I will not change the world, Jesus will do that. I can however, change the world for one person.....And if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute. In fact, it is worth spending my life for." My prayer is that Christ's love would shine through me to each of my Little Sprouts. Even my Little Sprout who seems to live a world away.
Friends, I'd like to encourage you to prayerfully consider sponsoring a child. Make a difference in the life of just one child!
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