we have all seen them. the pictures of the children who need water. food. shelter. schooling. we have seen the pictures and passed them by. thinking to ourselves that we just can't be bothered right now. or we just can't stop drinking our starbucks just once a week to support one more mouth. or does the money really go to the child or are they just keeping it all for themselves. or why should i help a child in another country when there are children starving here. (really? you are going to use that excuse? when is the last time you saw an american child running around with no clothes and a distended belly because of malnutrition or a whole city of children crying themselves to sleep at night because all they had was a handful of rice the past three days..., really?)
so we check out our purchases and walk out the door.never thinking twice about sponsoring a child.
my view changed last week.
my view changed forever.
i got to be there when my mentor chrissy met her sponsor child. met her. hugged her. prayed with her. touched her sweet face.
it was the most amazing moment.
she has been sponsoring her for months now. they chose to sponsor through world vision.an amazing organization that has been around for years.
so many thoughts went through my mind. wait until people hear. wait until they hear where the money goes. wait until they hear that hundreds of children in her village still need a sponsor. wait until they hear how joyful this little girl was. just wait.
as we pulled into the village the children started to scream and yell.first because we were in a world vision jeep and second because we stuck out like a sore thumb. they began jumping up an down screaming "puumwee puumwee!!!!!" ( which means white person) .
i love that sound. that sound means joy.that sound means excitement. that sound means hope. hope that we have a chance to love. a chance to have our world changed.
our world was changed that day. we got to see firsthand what the money goes for when you choose to sponsor a child. she was the only child in the village fully clothed. a beautiful white dress with sandals on her feet. my mentor brought her school supplies from her three little girls. pens,pencils.pictures. letters. and a pink soccer ball.
we were presented to the chief of the muslim village and given a chicken to show their gratitude. now i know what you are thinking. a chicken? yep a live chicken. a chicken that is their sustainability. a chicken that means protein for them. and they gave it. gave it all away.
we were brought to the world vision offices a few miles away to spend time alone with her. she was radiant. smiling so brightly. my mentor told her that she was her fourth daughter. that she prayed for her. she prayed for her family. she prayed for her village. she was able to leave an audible bible from faith comes by hearing in the villages language called mendi. it is a bible that is powered by the sun.
the muslim village will have an opportunity to hear the gospel of christ. all because of chrissy. all because of world vision. all because of faith comes by hearing. all because of mamkanie. all because of Christ.
the next time you go to check out or are at a concert or listening to the radio and you have a chance to sponsor a child. put down your starbucks and just do.
a little girls life has been changed for eternity because of someone saying yes. yes to world vision. yes to africa. and yes to Christ.
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