orphan sunday

i realized i had jotted the following down and never posted. maybe waiting for me to rearrange words or whatever. but reading now...one month later...i think it is beautiful in its own random, 'all-over-the-place' thoughts. celebrate....

i read this last week-http://debraparker.blogspot.com/2011/11/orphan-sunday.html

my thought after i read it and watched the video was 'how will we celebrate orphan sunday?'. we are in a season of thanking. and as i am writing my thankfuls, i become overwhelmed with all that i am thankful for and in turn just want to give out of our overflowing cup.

so last night we celebrated. celebrated all we have been given, by giving some away. we sponsored our first compassion child. marilu. sweet marilu. a part of our love story now.

and my kara michelle has been such an inspiration to me in all of this. ever since she saw me watching the video she has wanted to know more about orphan sunday. her heart is global love. i don't want to quench that. i want to grow that. she is passionate about this. maybe more than me. yes. more than me.

i know for sure...she is less scared than me. i read that marilu lived with her grandfather and grandmother...no mommy or daddy. i read marilu's chores included carrying water...how far does she have to walk for that? how clean is it? (kara knows a little about carrying water because we have supported advent conspiracy/living water international for the past few christmases). but my fear, as i hit the 'sponsor now' button was, i want to protect my little girl from seeing poverty. how sad poverty really looks. i. i am scared of seeing poverty. i am scared to see how sad it really is.

kara stood behind me waiting for me to hit the button and add marilu to our love story. without kara with me...im pretty sure i wouldve clicked out of compassions website and said i'll do it later. knowing. really knowing that my fear was keeping me from loving global.

she wants to give her $ to a compassion child. she wanted the girl to be 9 just like her. i wanted a child that has been waiting 6 months or longer. and a child that didn't have a mommy or daddy or both. we found her. kara, im pretty sure loved her in the first second. and has only grown more excited. 'i wonder how excited marilu will be when she finds out we are sponsoring her'. she prayed for marilu at bedtime and dinner again tonite.

one small step in our walk in the way of love.

how will you celebrate?

follow ann's (compassin blogger) ecuador story here:
http://www.aholyexperience.com/category/ecuador/
my favorite quote in this series:

'because of jesus.' translated word for word is...
'gratitude is born in the heart. and it leads you to action.'

sponsor a compassion child here:
http://www.compassion.com/

is your passion more local and hands on?:

big brothers big sisters:
http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.9iILI3NGKhK6F/b.5962335/k.BE16/Home.htm

foster a child:
through your local children's services.