Share Your Compassion

I was delighted today as I was going through my mail to find a letter from one of our Compassion children, Elias. Elias is a 7 year old boy from Guatemala. My family has committed to sponsoring Elias financially ($38 a month) and we are committed to praying for him and his family daily. I smiled as he wrote that he was enjoying school (he struggled last year and asked us to pray) and was surprised when he said he keeps our picture in the drawer by his bed. We have totally fallen in love with Elias, a little boy we've never met but is a part of the Byler family. My children speak daily of Elias and they NEVER forget to pray for him at dinner (even if mommy and daddy do forget).

If you know me, you know I carry a burden for the poor, the hungry, and the orphaned. I always have. My parents raised me to be aware of the needs around me and the importance of helping others. As I grew into adulthood the burden grew. It was growing because I wasn't doing anything to help those less fortunate than me. I just felt sorry for them. What good does that do anyone?

In addition to sponsoring children, and having the opportunity to go on several missions trips, I've determined to bring awareness to these issues. Wait--I don't like how that sounds--these are not issues, they are human beings. People living and breathing, RIGHT NOW. How can we as fellow human beings NOT do something!? What if you hadn't been born in America? What if you were trying to figure out how you were going to feed your children dinner? What if your only hope was that someone would answer the call of love and sponsor your child?

Let me share a excerpt from Kay Warren's book 'Dangerous Surrender'

"It's very easy for us to remain aloof and untouched by the suffering that defines the existence of the vast majority of people on this planet. I have read that if you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of the people in this world! If you have any money in the bank and some in your wallet and some spare change in a dish somewhere, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy"

Luke 12:48 To whom much is given, much is required.

I know times are 'tough' with the economy but we are STILL more fortunate than most in the world. Consider giving up your daily Starbucks and brewing your coffee at home, or gather your spare change on your dresser and start a "Compassion Jar"...I'm sure if you get creative you can come up with $38 a month.

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish" -Mother Teresa

OUCH.

I pray that each person that reads this will see how blessed you are and I pray that you go straight from this blog to the Compassion website (I'll add a link) and change the life of one child.

http://www.compassion.com/


"If you can't feed one hundred people, then just feed one" - Mother Teresa

Sarah