52 ways to pray

Compassion has a section on their website where they list 52 ways that we, as sponsors, can pray for our sponsored children. This is so helpful because sometimes, I want to pray for them in a very specific way and I just don't know how. This list helps me to focus. It's a wonderful tool that we can use to pray for our kids! In 2013, I'm going to list one prayer each week. Another blogger (Jill at Compassion Family) posts her's on Sundays. I'm not sure what day I'll be posting mine, just however it works out I guess because I have other regular posts that I'd like to start doing next year.

Thank you, Compassion, for coming up with this list!

In His grace,

Sharon

Antonio needs a sponsor

This is Antonio in Brazil and he's waiting for a sponsor.

Antonio just turned 7 years old in June. He lives with his father and mother. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer. He loves soccer, playing with cars, and playing with marbles!

Little Antonio is a special needs child as he is crippled in both feet. Please consider sponsoring him! If you can't sponsor, please pray for Antonio, that he'll find a sponsor soon.

Would you like to sponsor Antonio?
Click here...
http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/child-biography.htm?needKey=BR4240686

In His grace,

Sharon

Did you know...?

Did you know...

-more than a quarter of the world's 7 billion people are children age 15 and under?
-in developing countries, a thid to almost half of the population are children?
-about 153 million of the world's children are orphans?
-and, more than 100 million (of those 153 million) live and work on the streets?
-more than 100 million children who are school age do not attend school?

Children are our future. They are future parents, teachers, pastors, doctors, nurses, scientists, community leaders. Let's invest in their lives, both locally and globally. Help release them from their spiritual and physical poverty. Let's build them up and help our children to become responsible, healthy and happy Christian adults.

Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!

Click here...
http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=126731

In His grace,

Sharon

Mail Call!

In the mail today was a letter from our Beatriz in Brazil, thanking us for a money gift that we sent. She was able to buy two pairs of sandals, some clothes, and an umbrella. I'm trying to picture the purchase of the umbrella, wondering if the project worker urged her to buy it because she needed it, or if it was a pretty one and Beatriz just wanted it because she had some money left over. She didn't say what color it is, but I hope it's a pretty "girly" color, like pink or yellow or maybe different colors with flowers on it!

Beatriz, enjoy wearing your new sandals and clothes! I hope it rains soon so that you can use your new umbrella!

I'm linking up with Michelle at www.bloggingfromtheboonies.com on her Mail Call Monday!


In His grace,

Sharon

1st letter from Armando!

Today, I was thrilled to receive my first letter from Armando, my most recent correspondent child. Little Armando just turned 7 years old in June and lives in Guatemala.

"Dear Sponsor: Please pray for his family so that God gives them health. A greeting to my sponsor! Armando greets you, he sends hugs to you. Thank you for the sponsorship. God bless you and your beloved ones."

It was one of those form letters, but it thrilled my heart to get it! Armando drew a picture on the back. I just love receiving letters when they draw us a picture! He drew a blue truck with someone riding in it (him?), and the sun shining above.

Armando's drawing

Praying for Armando, that the Lord will watch over him and keep him healthy, happy and safe.

Have you heard from your sponsored children recently?

In His grace,

Sharon

Mail Call with www.bloggingfromtheboonies.com

Creative ideas coming soon

Well, no update on a printer. It's been a busy few weeks! We have family visiting from out of town, I've been busy with other commitments, and I just haven't taken the time to go and get a new printer. And, then, my laptop is doing something wonky and I can't get online. Anyway...I'm going to look at printers sometime this week, get it set up, and then start scanning and uploading some creative ideas for things to send our sponsored children.

I'm also working on a schedule to post certain topics to this blog. I really want to get a handle on scheduling my blog posts...certain topics on certain days, that kind of thing.

Happy Monday!

In His grace,

Sharon

Mail Call Monday!

Mail Call Monday

During the past week, I received two letters from my correspondent child, Hosea, in Tanzania. I'm always reluctant to call him a "child" because he's 20 years old, so he's really a young man. And, from his letters, which of course he writes himself, he's a very polite young man. In both letters, he seems to be so very grateful that someone cared enough to write him. Here are his letters:



Letter 1:

"I greet you in the name of Jesus. We are all doing very fine in here. I believe you are doing fine as well. I really want to thank you for your introduction to me, and how you chose me. It's incredible for sure. I am now in the mid-term holiday and I am helping my parents to do some domestic activities. I am learning masonry and brick laying. I did the first examination and when we open the school we are going to get the results. I would like to get reading in the book of John 9:4-5. Goodbye and God bless you and open the doors of blessings to you."

Letter 2:

"I greet you all in the name of Jesus Christ. I am doing very fine and my parents are doing fine too. I am so happy to hear that you are fine and I feel so special just because you have chosen me. Thank you so much. I normally attend to the project and school as well. We are in the middle of one term and I am expecting to do better in school. We are now in little to long holiday, and I will be back in school in 16 of 07 2012. I am helping my parents to do some home activities. I have a bible scripture for you in the book of Psalm 41:1-2. God bless you."

Mail Call Monday is hosted by www.bloggingfromtheboonies.com. Check it out!


In His grace,


Sharon


I welcome your comments!

Compassion Mobile Experience!

Compassion International has come up with a wonderful and exciting way to share the story of children in poverty. There's no way that I could explain it any better than Compassion does, so I'll just copy and paste their words from the Compassion website.  ( www.compassion.com )

Change the Story...what is it?

It's a traveling, interactive exhibit that allows you to journey through the lives of three real-life children who are affected not only by extreme poverty, but also by the Compassion ministry.

The Experience
What if you could see poverty firsthand? What if, despite age, health or finances, others could experience God's heart for the poor?

Now you can.

Change the Story will bring you as close to another country and culture as you can get without a passport. This interactive, immersive display allows you to step into the life of a child who has suffered under the crippling weight of poverty.

But the journey does not end there.

In the span of less than 30 minutes, you will travel with that child from hardship to hope. And in the midst of hope, you will see that child's story transformed through the support of Compassion and the child's life-giving relationship with a sponsor.

Change the Story is an eye-opening experience that challenges your views of poverty, transforms your understanding of the world, and moves you to be the change for a child who lives in extreme poverty!

Go here to find out where the Compassion Mobile Experience will land near you!

In His grace,


Sharon

I welcome your comments!

Introducing...Armando

Meet my newest correspondent child, Armando from Guatemala! Isn't he just the most precious little boy?!?

Armando just turned 7 years old last month. He lives with his mother. He likes soccer and football, and hide-and-seek! And, he also likes cars (a typical little boy "like"). The information that I received indicates that the family is in extreme poverty, and they don't have money to send Armando to school. That just breaks my heart. I'm going to try to send him not just fun things in my letters, but educational as well.


Armando lives in the mountainous community of Totonicapan. Typical houses are constructed of cement floors, mud walls and tile roofs. The most common language is Quiche. (Note to self: research Quiche. I've never heard of it.)


His little face looks so sad. I hope that through my letters to him, I can bring a smile to that sweet face. Please pray for Armando today.


In His grace,


Sharon

Ker-plooey

Well, I'm not sure I spelled that right, but my printer went ker-plooey on me! I have one of those printer/scanner/copier things and I don't know what happened, but it's acting wonky. So, I can't scan my bookmarks, as I mentioned in my previous post. I guess I'll have to get another one. We do have a smaller color printer but it doesn't have a scanner. In the meantime, I can always take pictures of things and upload the pictures, so that's what I'll do with the bookmarks. Look for those sometime in the next few days (along with some other ideas, coming soon!).


In His grace,


Sharon