Sponsorship

First, the concert was STELLAR. Just amazing. Michael W. plus two former American Idol performers - Melinda Doolittle and George Huff. Melinda was billed as 'touring' with Michael, while George first appeared as a backup singer - then got one solo: Oh Holy Night, my all time favorite Christmas Carol. Melinda has an incredible voice - just amazing. The orchestra was great! and while I really expected the show to be mainly orchestra and Melinda, MWS appeared at the 2nd song and stayed for every song after. Two full hours (20 minute break in the middle). All Christmas music - including a lot of his instrumental pieces which I just love!

During the break, the drummer for MWS did a presentation on Compassion International - the same group that I had been reading about at www.thepioneerwoman.com. Her family traveled to visit the young children they have been sponsoring and the trip sounded just amazing. I have been researching the group and learning about sponsoring a child - and had even started to push the 'sponsor a child' button a couple times - but there was always a question that tripped me up. The brief bios of the kids you can sponsor always include mention of the siblings in the family. For example 'Maria has two siblings also living at home'. So I always hesitate - thinking 'how can I give money to help one child in a family with three kids? How does that work? How is it THIS child in the family that gets a sponsor and not the other two'? Since Compassion Int'l was there last night, with lots of volunteers, I snuck out of the concert for a few minutes (also to use the restroom when there wasn't a tremendously long line) and asked that question. The lady who helped me said she's sponsored through Compassion for years - and her sponsored child has always sent pictures of the things the money was used for. Things that benefit the entire family - extra food, school supplies, etc. She also said that up to 2 children per family are allowed to be sponsored - so it's possible that the home is receiving additional support as well. I felt 'better' about that...I don't want to help just one child in a multi-child home. It never felt 'right' to sponsor a child when the siblings were left out. But I felt confident the money we would donate to sponsor one child would help all those in the family - and help the family. And I read the packet of information I received at the concert this morning and found out we are able to also make 'special' gifts to the child and family throughout the year - to be used to help the family with special needs. Compassion has staff that helps the family define what they most need and what the money will be used for. So that also feels good.

So, I signed up to sponsor two little girls - Any is 4 and Yanci is 3. One is in Honduras and the other in El Salvador. Tomorrow, I'm going to write our 'sponsor' letter to introduce our family to the the girls - Compassion will ensure this communication reaches them and as they grow, they will write back.

This seems like a really good way to help at a grass roots level - helping those living in extreme poverty. Compassion feels it's critically important to help children specifically - the money is for the benefit of the specific child vs. going to the community. The girls will receive food, medical care, clothing, school supplies (when they start attending school), school uniforms, etc.

I'm so excited about this - it's $64 per month for the two of them combined - and that's certainly an amount we can commit to, even in these times of belt tightening and watching our pennies. Heck, as I emailed J. this morning 'I can start buying only one iced tea each day instead of two and that will cover 2/3 of the expense each month'. Not that I 'have to' do that to make that amount feasible. But it really puts into perspective how much I spend without even thinking - and how that money could be a life changing amount for a child who lives in poverty. Wow...what a thought. The parents of Any and Yanci are living on less than $100 per month - supporting a family with multiple children, living in huts, scraping by. What a difference my $1 per day will make for them? Who couldn't find just a dollar a day to help a child?

I have their pictures on the refrigerator - and can't wait to get updated photos as they grow. I will pray for them nightly - that they have what they need and that our sponsorship helps them. I know it will. I believe Compassion works - and as MWS said 'I'm for things that work - and this does work'. I'm really excited about doing this - I feel really called to do it - not to just keep thinking about it - but to do it. It was so cool that they were there last night at the concert - what a great organization!

My friend J. and I were back in Tracy by 10PM - and I'm 48 years old and learned a 'new' way of approaching concert parking. We took the time to cruise the parking lot and figure out where people would be exiting - and we found a space right near the only 'exit' from the parking lot and backed in - so all we had to do was pull right out and head straight out the lot. We were probably one of the first 10 cars out of the parking lot last night - and in all my years of concert going, I've never thought of attempting to strategically park with your easy, speedy departure in mind! What a concept! Worked like a charm...thanks, J. - for finding out about the concert; for your brilliant parking plan and for picking up the tab for our scrumptious dinner! It was a wonderful night! Can't wait to see Third Day and Brandon Heath in April!!