Compassion

This drawing was made with a special girl in mind.  A girl we have sort of adopted into our family, or at least into our hearts.

This is my five-year-old's depiction of herself holding balloons outside our house.  She loves rainbows and unicorns, mermaids and seahorses right now.  I so remember loving those things too when I was young.  It's fun watching her draw with abandon.  She doesn't think or process too hard, she just keeps moving forward.

Ava will wake in the morning and literally say, "I need to draw."  Before even eating she gets her paper and colored pencils.  Which by the way, you must check these Smencils out.  Each color has its own 'gourmet' smell.  It reminds me of childhood and takes me back to those simple days when scratch n sniff stickers delighted me.

That was a side note.  Back to the point, this picture was drawn by Ava for our Compassion International child from Guatemala.  We've finally committed to helping in this way.  It's something I had been wanting to do for awhile.

This last group of bloggers who went and wrote about their journey to Guatemala made me tell my husband we've just got to do this.  No more wanting to and then forgetting to follow through.  

Read through their journey from those links.  

It will break your heart. 

I especially wanted to do this as our children started getting older.  I wanted it to be something we'd do as a family.  So that they can see how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus for others in so many different ways.  So that they will grow in their compassion.

So they can see how hard it is for some and how blessed we are to be in America.  I don't want them to take things for granted.  I want their hearts to ache for others to the point of action.

I let my five-year-old pick out the girl we 'adopted' from the pictures of girls around her age.  She chose her because of the traditional dress she was wearing.  I showed her all the pictures of the girls in her age range.  But she was positive right from the beginning.  This girl named Jennifer was the one.

They listed that she lives only with her mom, who only sometimes has work.  I believe the Lord knew Jennifer and her mom needed help more than the others in that moment and He used my daughter to guide us to her.

If you feel led to look into Compassion International, don't let the moment pass.  Follow through.  These children need you and me.  And even if we haven't walked their streets, those blog posts with the pictures and stories, give us a glimpse into how badly they need hope.  If we can be that hope, how can we hold back.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, 

much more will be asked.     

Luke 12:48