Introducing... Salif

It has been on my heart to sponsor a child since last summer, when I went on a mission trip and helped run a kids camp for the local children. I saw the need for love and attention, and when I came back home I was fired up to make a difference in the life of a child- right away. 

I wanted to rush into sponsoring a child, but I had absolutely NO money and my parents didn't think it was a good idea at the time. So I waited. Then this past winter, I again felt the urge to sponsor a child- a little girl from Uganda named Eron. I talked with my parents and prayed a lot for God's guidance. At that point my parents finally said "okay", but God did not. After getting the okay from my parents, I had a horrible night sleep and felt sick to my stomach about the decision. Alright God, I get it, not yet. 

Then, I hosted a Compassion Sunday this April. Four children were sponsored by church members and I was ecstatic! However, there was one little boy who was always looked over. He had been waiting an ENTIRE YEAR for a sponsor, and at the age of six that had to be hard! For the two Sundays I had the packets displayed, I always put this little's boy packet front and center. When people came to look, I mentioned this little guy, who had been waiting a long time. But there were no takers. 

The deadline for turning in sponsorship forms was quickly approaching. I was waiting on one church member to turn in their form. While waiting, I prayed to God about this little boy, that someone would sponsor him and end his wait. Then an idea struck... I could sponsor him. I had recently gotten a summer job and had money saved up in the bank. God seemed to be screaming 'yes' this time! I was set on my decision, but had failed to run it past my parents yet. When I told them I wanted to sponsor this boy, they were quick to say no. But God was able to change their minds, and they knew it was something I really wanted to do.

So on Friday, May 18th, I officially sponsored Salif!

I have more than enough

I've started to write this blog post several times and each time I quit after the second sentence. This past week I "fasted with the poor" so to speak. I ate only rice, beans, chicken and bananas.

At first, I was really excited about this venture because I hoped to gain some kind of amazing perspective into the lives of the poor, the lives of children like Luisa, Ulrich and Kendy. I thought, "hey I could even post on my blog about how hard it is to eat the same thing every day for a week."


 But I found guilt instead.

The whole seven days I ate my beans and rice I was counting down the days until I could eat chocolate cake again. I didn't gain perspective on God's love for the poor. Even though I was eating the food most commonly eaten by the poor around the world, I was sleeping every night in my warm bed, showering every morning, wearing clean clothes, and eating three square meals a day- not worrying about when I would eat next.

Maybe I won't ever know what its like to be truly hungry. I may not be able to sympathize with the poor, but I know that I have more than enough, and I could be doing so much more. God calls us to help 'the least of these' not 'eat rice and beans to sympathize with the least of these'. This experience may not have been what I originally thought it would be, but it was definitely a wake-up call to do something.

God bless,
Dionne