This is the email sent out by Shaun Groves about Compassion's Global Food Crisis Day last week:
On March 11th almost 500 of you bloggers and almost 1,000 radio stations partnered with Compassion International to raise awareness and funds to benefit those currently affected by the global food crisis. The one day event was dubbed Global Food Crisis Day and it was a success due in no small part to you.
Compassion International's financial goal for Global Food Crisis Day was to raise $1 million. Instead, over 27,000 donors gave more than $3.1 million! And the number continues to grow as donations continue to be processed!
In addition to donations to Compassion International's Global Food Crisis Fund, more than 2,000 children were also sponsored as a result of the many radio broadcasts and your inspiring words on-line.
I couldn't be more please personally with the many articulate and heartfelt posts you all wrote about the global food crisis. And I'm not the only one who's pleased.
"On behalf of all the children and their families around the world who will be blessed by these funds, ‘thank you.' With the cost of many food staples doubling and tripling in value, you have truly answered a huge need for many." - Mark Hanlon, senior vice president for Compassion International-USA.
Great job! Thank you for using your on-line voice this month to mobilize your readers toward life-changing generosity.
-Shaun Groves
CompassionBloggers.com
If any of my readers donated or sponsored a child, let me give you a cyber hug and a great big thank you!
And if you need more information about Compassion International, there's a link in my left sidebar under "notions and tools", and each day a child whose birthday is that day and is currently unsponsored appears at the top of the left sidebar. What better birthday gift could that child have than to find someone he or she has never met cares about him or her?
Showing posts with label Compassion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Compassion. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Global Food Crisis Day
Around blogland, I've been reading posts about others who are finding new ways to be thrifty and how the economy has affected them. There are so many resourceful wives and moms out there, and so many dedicated to helping their children understand and participate in thrifty measures. I see moms teaching children to make the most of what they have, while shielding them from the negative spin the media puts on everything. I see recycling increasing, new gardens being planned, families learning what they can really do without, yet drawing closer together. I am so encouraged by the positive mindsets I see in so many places.
And then I read stories like this one. And this one. I realize, if I have food in a pantry, a refrigerator, a freezer, I am considered wealthy by 1/3 of the world's population. And my efforts to be thrifty seem so inadequate.
Today is Global Food Crisis Day, an effort by Compassion International to partner with radio stations, the media, churches and bloggers to educate everyone on the "silent tsunami" affecting so many families around the world. With the prices of staples such as beans, rice, wheat doubling this past year, so many families who were barely surviving on $1.00/day are finding that 80 cents of that dollar must go to food, leaving the other 20 cents to cover housing, clothing, medicines, etc. Droughts have affected the crops. Even something as laudable as our efforts to find another source of fuel--biofuels--is affecting the tummies of children around the world.
I won't ask you to give up your daily Starbucks--most of you have already done that, as well as omitting meals out, eliminating cable TV, shopping thrift stores. But what can you do? Can you give $13? Thirteen dollars will help a child for a month. Can you tell friends and family members about Compassion? Can you find 5 more people to give just $13.00 this month? That's 6 more children who might live because of you. Every 7 seconds a child somewhere dies from hunger-related causes.
Please give.
And then I read stories like this one. And this one. I realize, if I have food in a pantry, a refrigerator, a freezer, I am considered wealthy by 1/3 of the world's population. And my efforts to be thrifty seem so inadequate.
Today is Global Food Crisis Day, an effort by Compassion International to partner with radio stations, the media, churches and bloggers to educate everyone on the "silent tsunami" affecting so many families around the world. With the prices of staples such as beans, rice, wheat doubling this past year, so many families who were barely surviving on $1.00/day are finding that 80 cents of that dollar must go to food, leaving the other 20 cents to cover housing, clothing, medicines, etc. Droughts have affected the crops. Even something as laudable as our efforts to find another source of fuel--biofuels--is affecting the tummies of children around the world.
I won't ask you to give up your daily Starbucks--most of you have already done that, as well as omitting meals out, eliminating cable TV, shopping thrift stores. But what can you do? Can you give $13? Thirteen dollars will help a child for a month. Can you tell friends and family members about Compassion? Can you find 5 more people to give just $13.00 this month? That's 6 more children who might live because of you. Every 7 seconds a child somewhere dies from hunger-related causes.
Please give.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Grateful
If you've been following my blog for even a little while, you know that I am blessed to be the Compassion sponsor of two precious girls, 15-year-old Dalia in El Salvador, and 9-yr-old Aduri in Bangladesh. Besides sending $32.00/mo to support them, we can also send up to $25.00 for birthday gifts and one other gift during the year as well as a Christmas gift, and up to a $300.00/yr family gift.
Aduri's birthday was in October, so I sent $10.00 for her, and I sent a $50.00 family gift about the same time, probably early September. Today I received these two letters from her, and they brought tears to my eyes. I want to share them with you just as they are written.
"Dear Sponsor Stephanie D_________-,
My love to you. Thank's God that he give me a sponsor like you. Thank you very much for sponsoring me. Thank you for your birthday gift. Our project staff bought for me dress, shoe with your gift money. Now I have many dress. I am very happy with your gifts. Now I go to the project with new shoe. I have 3 siblings. It is very difficult to my father to lead our family. My parents are very happy and thanked to you. I go to the project regularly and my study is going well. I like to study. I like to go the project. Please pray for me so that I may study well and be healthy. May God bless you. Your beloved Aduri."
"Dear Sponsor Stephanie D__________,
My greetings to you. I pray that you are well with God's grace with your family. Me and my family are well with your prayer. Thank you very much for praying for me and my family. Thank you very much for your gift. We are benefited a lot and very happy. Me, my dad M___, my mom F___, brother J___, and two sisters R____ and R____ live in a small house in a village name J_____. It is very difficult to stay in a small house. Beside the roof of house is made of straw so when it rains, rain water enter in the house. My father is a day labour so he can't bought tins for house. Our project staff bought for us 15 tins for our house with your gift money. My family thanked to you. We made our roof. We pray for you and your family. Please pray for me so that I may stay well. Your beloved Aduri."
We made our roof. This sentence just grabbed at my heart. For the price of a couple of meals out, we bought a roof for a family of 6!
We pray for you and your family.
The Compassion newsletters always say it makes such a difference to a child to know that someone across the world cares for them. What they couldn't impart is how much it would mean to me that a little girl I may never meet, and her family in a country so foreign to me that their writing is underneath the line, are praying for my family and me.
I am so humbled, and so grateful.
Aduri's birthday was in October, so I sent $10.00 for her, and I sent a $50.00 family gift about the same time, probably early September. Today I received these two letters from her, and they brought tears to my eyes. I want to share them with you just as they are written.
"Dear Sponsor Stephanie D_________-,
My love to you. Thank's God that he give me a sponsor like you. Thank you very much for sponsoring me. Thank you for your birthday gift. Our project staff bought for me dress, shoe with your gift money. Now I have many dress. I am very happy with your gifts. Now I go to the project with new shoe. I have 3 siblings. It is very difficult to my father to lead our family. My parents are very happy and thanked to you. I go to the project regularly and my study is going well. I like to study. I like to go the project. Please pray for me so that I may study well and be healthy. May God bless you. Your beloved Aduri."
"Dear Sponsor Stephanie D__________,
My greetings to you. I pray that you are well with God's grace with your family. Me and my family are well with your prayer. Thank you very much for praying for me and my family. Thank you very much for your gift. We are benefited a lot and very happy. Me, my dad M___, my mom F___, brother J___, and two sisters R____ and R____ live in a small house in a village name J_____. It is very difficult to stay in a small house. Beside the roof of house is made of straw so when it rains, rain water enter in the house. My father is a day labour so he can't bought tins for house. Our project staff bought for us 15 tins for our house with your gift money. My family thanked to you. We made our roof. We pray for you and your family. Please pray for me so that I may stay well. Your beloved Aduri."
We made our roof. This sentence just grabbed at my heart. For the price of a couple of meals out, we bought a roof for a family of 6!
We pray for you and your family.
The Compassion newsletters always say it makes such a difference to a child to know that someone across the world cares for them. What they couldn't impart is how much it would mean to me that a little girl I may never meet, and her family in a country so foreign to me that their writing is underneath the line, are praying for my family and me.
I am so humbled, and so grateful.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Compassion and the Dominican Republic
If you've followed my blog for more than a couple of months, you know I have two sponsored "daughters" from Compassion International--one in El Salvador and one in Bangladesh. What you might not know is that I signed up to be a Compassion blogger, which means I will post at least once a month about Compassion International and the work they do. It's a cause I believe in and support enthusiastically.
Yesterday, a group of bloggers left for the Dominican Republic to spend a week learning about the program, meeting the people, sharing their experiences with the rest of us through their blogs. Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer and Sophie at BooMama did this last winter, when they went to Uganda. Those were incredibly moving accounts and photos, and are actually what spurred me on to adding a second child.
This trip there will be children along, too, and I'm looking forward to reading from a child's perspective. You can follow along with me here: http://compassionbloggers.com/trips/2008-dominican-republic. They've already started their accounts and you don't want to miss a word of it!
Yesterday, a group of bloggers left for the Dominican Republic to spend a week learning about the program, meeting the people, sharing their experiences with the rest of us through their blogs. Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer and Sophie at BooMama did this last winter, when they went to Uganda. Those were incredibly moving accounts and photos, and are actually what spurred me on to adding a second child.
This trip there will be children along, too, and I'm looking forward to reading from a child's perspective. You can follow along with me here: http://compassionbloggers.com/trips/2008-dominican-republic. They've already started their accounts and you don't want to miss a word of it!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Mothers and Daughters
Jenny, one of the nurses on day shift, is pregnant with her second child, a little girl. She has a 2-year-old son, and this baby is due Oct. 8, though no one believes she'll go that long. She hasn't worked with us long--only 4 or 5 months--and though I don't know her well, working the night shift as I do, I decided to go through my patterns and stash and see if I could whip up a baby quilt for her.
As I've been choosing fabrics and layouts, I found myself thinking about my own baby shower (30 years ago, how can that BE?) and remembering how excited I was and how everything was in blue, because I was sure it was a boy, and how having a daughter was not part of "my plan", but was right in line with God's plan for us.
And then my thoughts wandered to my two "other daughters" and their mothers. The four of us mother/daughter pairs span a wide range of ages: Jenny's soon-to-be newborn, Aduri in Bangladesh will be 9 next month, Dalia in El Salvador is 15, and my daughter is 30. And yet, those of you who are moms know we never stop worrying about our daughters. We want them to be healthy and happy, to love and be loved, to feel their own self-worth, to have opportunities we never had.
My biological daughter and Jenny's daughter are blessed to be born in the greatest country in the world. Don't get me wrong, I am not among the die-hard feminist ranks, but think about this past year: we've had a woman run for president and one run for vice-president. It's amazing. There are female CEOs and surgeons and judges and engineers and professors and scientists everywhere, and no one thinks anything about it anymore. My daughter is an attorney. These opportunities weren't available 50 years ago. Now, in our country, and increasingly in other countries, women can make even more of a difference every day in their lives and the lives of those around them.
But what about Dalia's mom? Dalia's dad never married her, and she has 3 sons who may follow his example. Drugs are a big problem in El Salvador, and street gangs. Dalia is a teenager, that wonderful period in which parents are dismissed as being out of touch, behind the times, only interested in holding their children back. Teendom, that age of insecurity, of wanting to be like everyone else, yet wanting to be your own person, making your own decisions.
And Aduri's mom? She has 3 other children, also--one a teenage son, and the other 2 are younger daughters. She worries about putting food in their tummies. Aduri tells me her favorite foods are fish and rice. The information packet Compassion sent me tells me those are the ONLY foods most people in her region have to eat. She's probably never tasted an orange, never had a chunk of cheese, and who knows if she will ever taste chocolate? How do you feed a family of 6 on $18.00/month? In Bangladesh, children are in danger of being sold into slavery, and I have to wonder if sometimes the parents are the sellers.
Jenny's daughter and my daughter will never know these same hardships. They will have their own challenges, but thankfully, neither Jenny nor I worry about them being sold into slavery. We have strong men in our lives who give our daughters positive feedback, who make them feel valuable and loved.
Our heavenly Father can give my sponsored daughters much more, because Compassion is out there in the world, ministering to them and their families, teaching them a better way of living, enveloping them in God's love. I can't be there to hug my girls, but I send hugs and love through the mail. I remind them they are special beings, they are important, they matter in this world.
You can do this, too. You can make a difference in the life of someone you may never meet in this world. Here is a link to children who have been waiting for over 6 months for a sponsor, unable to understand how someone in a faraway land could care what happens to them. This was Aduri's story 9 months ago.
Maybe you just can't afford to be the sole sponsor right now. With gas prices rising, and foreclosures occurring right and left, health care costs skyrocketing, it's not easy to raise a family these days. It isn't always easy to squeeze another $32.00/month out of a tight budget. Maybe you can split the cost of sponsorship with a friend. Maybe your Sunday School class can take it on, or your quilting group. We are creative people--there are ways to get this done.
If you are already someone's sponsor, you know how it feels to get that "message from your sponsored child" envelope in the mail, with its crude drawing of sun and clouds and birds and laboriously written/translated sentences. You know the challenge of sending only paper gifts through the mail, and making the envelope no more than 1/8 " thick, when you want to send a whole box of items to make their lives easier. You know what it means to be more attuned to the name of their country when it's in the news, and wondering what effect that news might have on your child's life.
I'd love for you to tell me about your experiences, your sponsored daughter (or son!) in your comments or your blog. I hope you'll share these with me and whomever happens to wander this way. And if you haven't yet experienced this, please consider taking one of these children under your wings, be their long distance mom. The right words in these childrens' ears can give them hope, can lighten their loads a bit, can make a difference in their futures.
And isn't that what mothers the world over want for their children?
As I've been choosing fabrics and layouts, I found myself thinking about my own baby shower (30 years ago, how can that BE?) and remembering how excited I was and how everything was in blue, because I was sure it was a boy, and how having a daughter was not part of "my plan", but was right in line with God's plan for us.
And then my thoughts wandered to my two "other daughters" and their mothers. The four of us mother/daughter pairs span a wide range of ages: Jenny's soon-to-be newborn, Aduri in Bangladesh will be 9 next month, Dalia in El Salvador is 15, and my daughter is 30. And yet, those of you who are moms know we never stop worrying about our daughters. We want them to be healthy and happy, to love and be loved, to feel their own self-worth, to have opportunities we never had.
My biological daughter and Jenny's daughter are blessed to be born in the greatest country in the world. Don't get me wrong, I am not among the die-hard feminist ranks, but think about this past year: we've had a woman run for president and one run for vice-president. It's amazing. There are female CEOs and surgeons and judges and engineers and professors and scientists everywhere, and no one thinks anything about it anymore. My daughter is an attorney. These opportunities weren't available 50 years ago. Now, in our country, and increasingly in other countries, women can make even more of a difference every day in their lives and the lives of those around them.
But what about Dalia's mom? Dalia's dad never married her, and she has 3 sons who may follow his example. Drugs are a big problem in El Salvador, and street gangs. Dalia is a teenager, that wonderful period in which parents are dismissed as being out of touch, behind the times, only interested in holding their children back. Teendom, that age of insecurity, of wanting to be like everyone else, yet wanting to be your own person, making your own decisions.
And Aduri's mom? She has 3 other children, also--one a teenage son, and the other 2 are younger daughters. She worries about putting food in their tummies. Aduri tells me her favorite foods are fish and rice. The information packet Compassion sent me tells me those are the ONLY foods most people in her region have to eat. She's probably never tasted an orange, never had a chunk of cheese, and who knows if she will ever taste chocolate? How do you feed a family of 6 on $18.00/month? In Bangladesh, children are in danger of being sold into slavery, and I have to wonder if sometimes the parents are the sellers.
Jenny's daughter and my daughter will never know these same hardships. They will have their own challenges, but thankfully, neither Jenny nor I worry about them being sold into slavery. We have strong men in our lives who give our daughters positive feedback, who make them feel valuable and loved.
Our heavenly Father can give my sponsored daughters much more, because Compassion is out there in the world, ministering to them and their families, teaching them a better way of living, enveloping them in God's love. I can't be there to hug my girls, but I send hugs and love through the mail. I remind them they are special beings, they are important, they matter in this world.
You can do this, too. You can make a difference in the life of someone you may never meet in this world. Here is a link to children who have been waiting for over 6 months for a sponsor, unable to understand how someone in a faraway land could care what happens to them. This was Aduri's story 9 months ago.
Maybe you just can't afford to be the sole sponsor right now. With gas prices rising, and foreclosures occurring right and left, health care costs skyrocketing, it's not easy to raise a family these days. It isn't always easy to squeeze another $32.00/month out of a tight budget. Maybe you can split the cost of sponsorship with a friend. Maybe your Sunday School class can take it on, or your quilting group. We are creative people--there are ways to get this done.
If you are already someone's sponsor, you know how it feels to get that "message from your sponsored child" envelope in the mail, with its crude drawing of sun and clouds and birds and laboriously written/translated sentences. You know the challenge of sending only paper gifts through the mail, and making the envelope no more than 1/8 " thick, when you want to send a whole box of items to make their lives easier. You know what it means to be more attuned to the name of their country when it's in the news, and wondering what effect that news might have on your child's life.
I'd love for you to tell me about your experiences, your sponsored daughter (or son!) in your comments or your blog. I hope you'll share these with me and whomever happens to wander this way. And if you haven't yet experienced this, please consider taking one of these children under your wings, be their long distance mom. The right words in these childrens' ears can give them hope, can lighten their loads a bit, can make a difference in their futures.
And isn't that what mothers the world over want for their children?
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Fasting Journal
11:47am
I stayed up til after midnight last night so I could get in a last munchie before the fast started. (Last munchie = Monkey Bites) Then I managed to sleep til almost 9am, thinking the longer I sleep, the less I'll think about food.
Trying to stay busy. Watered the plants, harvesting the handful of cherry tomatoes that are ripe today. Usually I eat a couple warm from the sun with a dash of salt, but this time they all go into the bowl in the fridge. The dill is falling over, so I snip the two long stalks so I can hang them upside down to dry. The scent brings pickles to mind and the salivary glands go into overdrive. So I fix a glass of iced tea (with Splenda, not sugar--no nutrients) and crush a couple of mint leaves into it for more flavor. It's not the same.
2:00 pm
Thank goodness it's time to take a nap for work; my stomach is growling loud enough to be heard 3 counties away. I wonder when Aduri's one meal of the day is. Breakfast, so she can get through the day? Lunch, to break the day up a bit? Or supper, so she can sleep well?
5:26 pm
I overslept! J-Man came and woke me up and I had to rush to get ready. I wonder if that is just avoidance or fatigue from not eating? He fixed a glass of tea for me again--I took my blood pressure medicine and my daily vitamin. I know they give the children supplements at the Center in her village--thanks to Compassion. I doubt the adults get them. How do they function?
7:23pm
My hands are shaking slightly, but the headache I woke with is gone. I do feel a little lightweight (!) but not dizzy or anything. I'm counting down the hours til midnight, and hoping I don't make any mistakes here at work.
10:45pm
The headache is back and I'm feeling hollow. It's a little hard to concentrate on what I'm doing because all I can think about is eating something. How do laborers do it on so little? Does it get easier? Do they get used to it?
12:13am
So I just wolfed down an Arby's and some jalapeno poppers and half a diet coke in no time flat. I was getting a tad irritable and woe to the person who would try to get between me and the refrigerator! But I couldn't eat as much as I thought. And I wonder what it would have been like to only eat maybe a half bowl of rice and start the whole process over again. How depressing that must be.
As for the prayers, well, what does one pray for? Good harvest? Low oil prices? More financial aid? Strength and stamina for those afflicted to survive? Softening the hearts of those who are in control the world over? Greater awareness for the masses? All of the above. And in the meantime, do what I can.
If you decide to contribute to the Global Food Crisis Fund or sponsor a child through Compassion, would you let me know? Thanks.
I stayed up til after midnight last night so I could get in a last munchie before the fast started. (Last munchie = Monkey Bites) Then I managed to sleep til almost 9am, thinking the longer I sleep, the less I'll think about food.
Trying to stay busy. Watered the plants, harvesting the handful of cherry tomatoes that are ripe today. Usually I eat a couple warm from the sun with a dash of salt, but this time they all go into the bowl in the fridge. The dill is falling over, so I snip the two long stalks so I can hang them upside down to dry. The scent brings pickles to mind and the salivary glands go into overdrive. So I fix a glass of iced tea (with Splenda, not sugar--no nutrients) and crush a couple of mint leaves into it for more flavor. It's not the same.
2:00 pm
Thank goodness it's time to take a nap for work; my stomach is growling loud enough to be heard 3 counties away. I wonder when Aduri's one meal of the day is. Breakfast, so she can get through the day? Lunch, to break the day up a bit? Or supper, so she can sleep well?
5:26 pm
I overslept! J-Man came and woke me up and I had to rush to get ready. I wonder if that is just avoidance or fatigue from not eating? He fixed a glass of tea for me again--I took my blood pressure medicine and my daily vitamin. I know they give the children supplements at the Center in her village--thanks to Compassion. I doubt the adults get them. How do they function?
7:23pm
My hands are shaking slightly, but the headache I woke with is gone. I do feel a little lightweight (!) but not dizzy or anything. I'm counting down the hours til midnight, and hoping I don't make any mistakes here at work.
10:45pm
The headache is back and I'm feeling hollow. It's a little hard to concentrate on what I'm doing because all I can think about is eating something. How do laborers do it on so little? Does it get easier? Do they get used to it?
12:13am
So I just wolfed down an Arby's and some jalapeno poppers and half a diet coke in no time flat. I was getting a tad irritable and woe to the person who would try to get between me and the refrigerator! But I couldn't eat as much as I thought. And I wonder what it would have been like to only eat maybe a half bowl of rice and start the whole process over again. How depressing that must be.
As for the prayers, well, what does one pray for? Good harvest? Low oil prices? More financial aid? Strength and stamina for those afflicted to survive? Softening the hearts of those who are in control the world over? Greater awareness for the masses? All of the above. And in the meantime, do what I can.
If you decide to contribute to the Global Food Crisis Fund or sponsor a child through Compassion, would you let me know? Thanks.
Monday, June 23, 2008
More Compassion News
I've mentioned before about my efforts to lose weight, although I really look at it more as changing to a healthier lifestyle. It isn't easy for someone who just loves the taste of food. There isn't much I won't eat, and my philosophy has always been if one serving is good, 3 must be better. Diet pills won't work, because I don't eat because I'm hungry, I eat because. Or just, I eat.
That is why it is so difficult for me to imagine the effects of the current global food crisis. I cannot imagine not having food in the house, readily available for me to pop into my mouth anytime I want. I don't think I have ever REALLY been hungry in my life.
I read this on Compassion's site this week: "In Bangladesh more than 90 percent of the 12,179 children we serve in 82 Compassion-assisted centers are affected. Many children are eating only at the church-based center." Folks, my newest sponsored child, Aduri, lives in Bangladesh. This is one of the reasons I chose her--the adults in her community make an AVERAGE of $22/month as day laborers. My $32.00/month, barely more than a dollar a day, is more than most of their incomes. How do you feed a family of 6 on that? In my research on Bangladesh, I found that their hunger months are July, Aug, and Sept--the months we harvest fresh vegetables and fruits from our gardens and orchards. It is so hard for me to wrap my head around this.
You can help. Sponsor one of the many children Compassion has on their waiting list. Go look at those beautiful faces. Some of them smile with hope. Most do not. Compassion chooses one child per family, so they are able to help many families in a community. I have sponsored Dalia in El Salvador since Dec. 2000, and watching her grow in the pictures she sends me, the transition to letters in her own handwriting, learning about her interests and the efforts to teach her a trade so she won't fall prey to teen pregnancy or drugs--these are personal to me. She is not just one of the nameless, faceless many who need help. She prays for me and my family. Her favorite color is pink. She loves pizza.
Aduri has just started school. She's eight years old and her favorite color is red and she wants to be a doctor. She is very thin. I wonder if she will survive. I think about her eating rationed portions at the Center with the other children. She doesn't get second, much less third, helpings. Her siblings may not be eating at all. As a mother, I cannot conceive the pain and despair her parents must be feeling.
If you don't feel you can take on a sponsorship right now, there are other ways to help. Consider contributing to their Global Food Crisis Fund. This is what your donation will provide:
• food vouchers to children and families needing immediate relief.
• seeds and agricultural tools so that families can grow their own food as well as earn extra income.
• supplemental nutrition services offered at Compassion-assisted centers around the world.
I'm going to try fasting on Wed. I don't know if I'll be able to complete the whole day.
But then, I have that option.
Aduri doesn't.
That is why it is so difficult for me to imagine the effects of the current global food crisis. I cannot imagine not having food in the house, readily available for me to pop into my mouth anytime I want. I don't think I have ever REALLY been hungry in my life.
I read this on Compassion's site this week: "In Bangladesh more than 90 percent of the 12,179 children we serve in 82 Compassion-assisted centers are affected. Many children are eating only at the church-based center." Folks, my newest sponsored child, Aduri, lives in Bangladesh. This is one of the reasons I chose her--the adults in her community make an AVERAGE of $22/month as day laborers. My $32.00/month, barely more than a dollar a day, is more than most of their incomes. How do you feed a family of 6 on that? In my research on Bangladesh, I found that their hunger months are July, Aug, and Sept--the months we harvest fresh vegetables and fruits from our gardens and orchards. It is so hard for me to wrap my head around this.
You can help. Sponsor one of the many children Compassion has on their waiting list. Go look at those beautiful faces. Some of them smile with hope. Most do not. Compassion chooses one child per family, so they are able to help many families in a community. I have sponsored Dalia in El Salvador since Dec. 2000, and watching her grow in the pictures she sends me, the transition to letters in her own handwriting, learning about her interests and the efforts to teach her a trade so she won't fall prey to teen pregnancy or drugs--these are personal to me. She is not just one of the nameless, faceless many who need help. She prays for me and my family. Her favorite color is pink. She loves pizza.
Aduri has just started school. She's eight years old and her favorite color is red and she wants to be a doctor. She is very thin. I wonder if she will survive. I think about her eating rationed portions at the Center with the other children. She doesn't get second, much less third, helpings. Her siblings may not be eating at all. As a mother, I cannot conceive the pain and despair her parents must be feeling.
If you don't feel you can take on a sponsorship right now, there are other ways to help. Consider contributing to their Global Food Crisis Fund. This is what your donation will provide:
• food vouchers to children and families needing immediate relief.
• seeds and agricultural tools so that families can grow their own food as well as earn extra income.
• supplemental nutrition services offered at Compassion-assisted centers around the world.
I'm going to try fasting on Wed. I don't know if I'll be able to complete the whole day.
But then, I have that option.
Aduri doesn't.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Bite Back
BooMama is participating in a challenge to provide mosquito netting for children and families in Africa--50 in 50 hours. BooMama was one of the bloggers who took the Compassion tour to Uganda a couple of months ago. The link is on my sidebar or you can go directly to her site and contribute there.
If you haven't checked out her blog, you have missed one heck of a treat! The woman cracks me up, and the fact that she is a fellow Alabamian doesn't hurt one bit! I can just hear the accent!
Oh, and guess what? I got my first letter from my newest sponsored child, Aduri from Bangladesh!
She told me the names and ages of her whole family, asks for prayers to "stay healthy and study nicely" because she wants to be a doctor.
Bless her heart--very ambitious for an 8-yr-old who's attending school for the first time ever! And Aduri, hon, I will pray for exactly that!
If you haven't checked out her blog, you have missed one heck of a treat! The woman cracks me up, and the fact that she is a fellow Alabamian doesn't hurt one bit! I can just hear the accent!
Oh, and guess what? I got my first letter from my newest sponsored child, Aduri from Bangladesh!
She told me the names and ages of her whole family, asks for prayers to "stay healthy and study nicely" because she wants to be a doctor.
Bless her heart--very ambitious for an 8-yr-old who's attending school for the first time ever! And Aduri, hon, I will pray for exactly that!
Saturday, March 08, 2008
My Sponsored Daughters
This past week I got my newest sponsorship package. I've just finished filling out the folder for her, with a current photo and our information and tucked in a couple of coloring book pages for her.
So I thought I'd share these photos of my two girls:
On the left is Dalia, now 15 years old, from a family of 6, living in El Salvador. She's learning to do hair, and maybe will learn dressmaking. She's not attending school, since her mother pulled her out (I don't know why), but the Compassion Center is doing their best to teach her a trade, a way to provide for herself.
On the right is Aduri, 8 years old, from Bangladesh, who waited for over 6 months for a sponsor. Workers in her village earn up to $22/month. I can make more than that in an hour. How could I not send $32 each month to help support her and her family of 6?
I am their only sponsor. I send them letters and stickers and photos and postcards, and they send me about 3 letters/year. They know my name, I know theirs. It is a relationship.
If you haven't been over to Compassion's website to look at those beautiful faces, please take some time to do so, and see if you can find it in your heart and in your wallet to make a difference in a family's life. These people don't have access to health care, to free birth control, to food stamps or government assistance. They are fortunate if they have electricity and clean water. And if you can't sponsor a child right now, consider a donation to one of their programs: Their unsponsored child program, which helps care for children waiting to be sponsored, or maybe their Child Survivor Program, which teaches mothers prenatal care, and how to treat dehydration, etc.
THey have a program for AIDS victims, and one to treat/prevent malaria, and a program for assisting victims of the earthquake in Peru.
There are so many ways we can make a difference in this world, that sometimes we can get overwhelmed. This is one of the ways I have chosen to give back some of what I have been given. I also like to donate to USO for our troops, and Habitat for Humanity, because they don't just give houses away, they empower people to change their own lives.
THere are so many worthwhile causes out there. How do you choose who gets your assistance? What are your soft spots? Your favorite charities? Maybe some of you are looking for worthy projects or programs to help. I'd love to hear all your input!
So I thought I'd share these photos of my two girls:
On the left is Dalia, now 15 years old, from a family of 6, living in El Salvador. She's learning to do hair, and maybe will learn dressmaking. She's not attending school, since her mother pulled her out (I don't know why), but the Compassion Center is doing their best to teach her a trade, a way to provide for herself.
On the right is Aduri, 8 years old, from Bangladesh, who waited for over 6 months for a sponsor. Workers in her village earn up to $22/month. I can make more than that in an hour. How could I not send $32 each month to help support her and her family of 6?
I am their only sponsor. I send them letters and stickers and photos and postcards, and they send me about 3 letters/year. They know my name, I know theirs. It is a relationship.
If you haven't been over to Compassion's website to look at those beautiful faces, please take some time to do so, and see if you can find it in your heart and in your wallet to make a difference in a family's life. These people don't have access to health care, to free birth control, to food stamps or government assistance. They are fortunate if they have electricity and clean water. And if you can't sponsor a child right now, consider a donation to one of their programs: Their unsponsored child program, which helps care for children waiting to be sponsored, or maybe their Child Survivor Program, which teaches mothers prenatal care, and how to treat dehydration, etc.
THey have a program for AIDS victims, and one to treat/prevent malaria, and a program for assisting victims of the earthquake in Peru.
There are so many ways we can make a difference in this world, that sometimes we can get overwhelmed. This is one of the ways I have chosen to give back some of what I have been given. I also like to donate to USO for our troops, and Habitat for Humanity, because they don't just give houses away, they empower people to change their own lives.
THere are so many worthwhile causes out there. How do you choose who gets your assistance? What are your soft spots? Your favorite charities? Maybe some of you are looking for worthy projects or programs to help. I'd love to hear all your input!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Nutshells
1. I am trying to get caught up on my blog-reading AND commenting so you will know I really, really like you and do visit! (Yes, I watched the Oscars last night!)
2. Tandi is over whatever that was last week, either lingering effects of the anesthesia, or the pain med, not sure which. Thank goodness!
3. DD, a certified cat person, came home for the weekend, bringing her new, rescued chihuahua-mix puppy for us to meet. What a HOOT! We had to separate the two dogs once in a while, but watching them interact was endlessly entertaining. Tandi was surprisingly jealous at times, and would put Isabella in her place. Normal dog behavior, but Tandi has always been so easily startled and shy, it was unexpected.
Did I mention Bella is a "talker"?
4. I am in the middle of 5 nights off and loving it! Trying to work on taxes (boo, hiss) and DD's string quilt (applause).
5. I have been wearing the C-PAP more hours each night than my therapist predicted, and no longer feel the desire to collapse out of exhaustion 5-6 hours after rising! There are some mask issues, but when I report in to my RT (respiratory therapist) on Wed., he will be able to tell if I need a different mask or if it's just the adjustment period.
6. My Compassion family has grown to 2--joined by Aduri, an 8-year-old girl from Bangladesh. My package with info should arrive in about 2 weeks, so I will be heading over to Staples for another 3-ring binder and page protectors in which to keep all her info and letters. DD also had some great ideas this weekend about paper items I could send Dalia, now that she is far past the coloring book pages and stickers phase.
7. It's supposed to rain and sleet again tomorrow night, with a high Wed. of 33F again, but the daylilies and hyacinth are starting to peek above the ground. I need to separate some of the daylilies, as they are way too crowded for that small space, but it's still too cold to work in the yard for very long. Oh, but spring is coming!
Photos later!
2. Tandi is over whatever that was last week, either lingering effects of the anesthesia, or the pain med, not sure which. Thank goodness!
3. DD, a certified cat person, came home for the weekend, bringing her new, rescued chihuahua-mix puppy for us to meet. What a HOOT! We had to separate the two dogs once in a while, but watching them interact was endlessly entertaining. Tandi was surprisingly jealous at times, and would put Isabella in her place. Normal dog behavior, but Tandi has always been so easily startled and shy, it was unexpected.
Did I mention Bella is a "talker"?
4. I am in the middle of 5 nights off and loving it! Trying to work on taxes (boo, hiss) and DD's string quilt (applause).
5. I have been wearing the C-PAP more hours each night than my therapist predicted, and no longer feel the desire to collapse out of exhaustion 5-6 hours after rising! There are some mask issues, but when I report in to my RT (respiratory therapist) on Wed., he will be able to tell if I need a different mask or if it's just the adjustment period.
6. My Compassion family has grown to 2--joined by Aduri, an 8-year-old girl from Bangladesh. My package with info should arrive in about 2 weeks, so I will be heading over to Staples for another 3-ring binder and page protectors in which to keep all her info and letters. DD also had some great ideas this weekend about paper items I could send Dalia, now that she is far past the coloring book pages and stickers phase.
7. It's supposed to rain and sleet again tomorrow night, with a high Wed. of 33F again, but the daylilies and hyacinth are starting to peek above the ground. I need to separate some of the daylilies, as they are way too crowded for that small space, but it's still too cold to work in the yard for very long. Oh, but spring is coming!
Photos later!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Emotions
The last few days have been topsy-turvy on so many levels. I just need to vent a few minutes, so feel free to skip this post if you like!
Disappointment, disgust, and cynicism: Our unit manager threw up her hands and quit after administration performed another butt-chewing over staffing. She really was a good manager and I hate to see her go, but totally understand. Admin announced a staff meeting (with less than 24 hours notice) to address "questions and concerns", but I didn't bother to go. I've been working in hospitals long enough to know they say what you want to hear, then do what they have always planned to do. Don't waste my time, you clueless idiots--just get out of my way and let me do my job.
Anticipation, panic, concern, relief and gratitude:
Friday night I had my second sleep study, this time with a C-PAP, and oh my, what a difference! I was so ALERT Saturday night and I had so much stamina--I've forgotten what it's like to feel GOOD! Since I'm claustrophobic, I had a little trouble with the mask, but was able to get past it that night, and will be working on it. Today I got my own machine, and found out the detailed results of my sleep study: Severe, with 62-75 episodes an hour and changes in my heart rate and rhythm, as well as dangerously low oxygen levels (73%). This is the stuff heart attacks and brain damage are made of. Throw in an absence of stages 4 & 5 sleep cycles (deep sleep) plus mild restless leg syndrome, and there is no where to go but improvement. I am so grateful my PA listened to my whiney-ass complaints and put the puzzle pieces together to treat this potentially life-threatening condition.
More concern, fear, frustration and relief: Tandi, my cocker, had 4 teeth removed by the vet yesterday, and then has had some strange type of reaction to one or both of her meds. We're still trying to figure out which of them it is, but she has been disoriented, possibly hallucinating, and managed to leave the yard despite the invisible wireless fence collar shocking her neck. Two neighbors helped me look for her, and we found her being watched over by another neighbor who recognized her from our walks, but didn't know where we live. Tandi was aimlessly crossing the street, walking around in circles, and finally just laid down in the woods. She almost didn't recognize me when we got there, and now doesn't want me out of her sight. She's really pitiful, with her little heart beating so fast and her body just quivering, and I hope this wears off soon.
Disbelief, sorrow, hope, gratitude, humility and pride:
The Compassion bloggers.
The conditions so many children must endure, IF they live long enough, make me ashamed of my petty complaints about my regular income (okay, I just did that, didn't I?), the neverending piles of laundry and dishes, gas prices, grocery shopping and insurance nincompoops. I am so wealthy--I have a non-leaking roof over my four walls, two working indoor bathrooms with toilet paper, food in my pantry for endless meals per day, ice water, shoes, a C-PAP machine, books to read, headache medication, hobbies. I live in a country where I CAN complain about my employer or my governor without fear of retribution, where I can drive to the store and pick up a variety of foods, where I can drive, period. My daughter always had good health care, went to school, is pursuing a career she has chosen for herself.
I am wealthy.
I am blessed.
Now I think I will spend a few minutes viewing the lunar eclipse, put Tandi in her crate where she will feel safe and secure, and put that C-PAP to good use.
Thanks for listening.
Disappointment, disgust, and cynicism: Our unit manager threw up her hands and quit after administration performed another butt-chewing over staffing. She really was a good manager and I hate to see her go, but totally understand. Admin announced a staff meeting (with less than 24 hours notice) to address "questions and concerns", but I didn't bother to go. I've been working in hospitals long enough to know they say what you want to hear, then do what they have always planned to do. Don't waste my time, you clueless idiots--just get out of my way and let me do my job.
Anticipation, panic, concern, relief and gratitude:
Friday night I had my second sleep study, this time with a C-PAP, and oh my, what a difference! I was so ALERT Saturday night and I had so much stamina--I've forgotten what it's like to feel GOOD! Since I'm claustrophobic, I had a little trouble with the mask, but was able to get past it that night, and will be working on it. Today I got my own machine, and found out the detailed results of my sleep study: Severe, with 62-75 episodes an hour and changes in my heart rate and rhythm, as well as dangerously low oxygen levels (73%). This is the stuff heart attacks and brain damage are made of. Throw in an absence of stages 4 & 5 sleep cycles (deep sleep) plus mild restless leg syndrome, and there is no where to go but improvement. I am so grateful my PA listened to my whiney-ass complaints and put the puzzle pieces together to treat this potentially life-threatening condition.
More concern, fear, frustration and relief: Tandi, my cocker, had 4 teeth removed by the vet yesterday, and then has had some strange type of reaction to one or both of her meds. We're still trying to figure out which of them it is, but she has been disoriented, possibly hallucinating, and managed to leave the yard despite the invisible wireless fence collar shocking her neck. Two neighbors helped me look for her, and we found her being watched over by another neighbor who recognized her from our walks, but didn't know where we live. Tandi was aimlessly crossing the street, walking around in circles, and finally just laid down in the woods. She almost didn't recognize me when we got there, and now doesn't want me out of her sight. She's really pitiful, with her little heart beating so fast and her body just quivering, and I hope this wears off soon.
Disbelief, sorrow, hope, gratitude, humility and pride:
The Compassion bloggers.
The conditions so many children must endure, IF they live long enough, make me ashamed of my petty complaints about my regular income (okay, I just did that, didn't I?), the neverending piles of laundry and dishes, gas prices, grocery shopping and insurance nincompoops. I am so wealthy--I have a non-leaking roof over my four walls, two working indoor bathrooms with toilet paper, food in my pantry for endless meals per day, ice water, shoes, a C-PAP machine, books to read, headache medication, hobbies. I live in a country where I CAN complain about my employer or my governor without fear of retribution, where I can drive to the store and pick up a variety of foods, where I can drive, period. My daughter always had good health care, went to school, is pursuing a career she has chosen for herself.
I am wealthy.
I am blessed.
Now I think I will spend a few minutes viewing the lunar eclipse, put Tandi in her crate where she will feel safe and secure, and put that C-PAP to good use.
Thanks for listening.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Compassion
Valentines. Hearts. Chocolates. Cards. Sweethearts.
All this commercialism pales when you read this last weeks' entries from Shannon of Rocks in My Dryer, and Sophie of BooMama.
I just discovered Rocks in My Dryer within the last month, and had read she was going to Africa, but didn't know why. Yesterday I stopped by her blog--and could hardly pry myself away for an hour or so. You see, she and several others went to Africa to tour some of the Compassion International Projects, and they have told stories and shown photos that will uplift you even as the tears trickle down your cheeks.
Several years ago, while living in New Mexico, I received a brochure in the mail from Compassion, explaining their program, and seeking sponsors for children throughout the world. Now, I have seen lots of commercials on TV for first one organization and then another, and was a bit skeptical about how much of my money would actually go to the children--and how much went to pay the photographers, celebrities, etc. who do these pleas for money. Okay, let's say cynical.
But I researched this organization, a Christian organization, because I had wanted for years to be in a position to sponsor a child from another country, to provide some of the things my child and I took for granted. I was totally blown away by what I read. I won't go into details here, because they do a much better job than I. Suffice it to say I was convinced and I began to surf their site for a child. I could have searched by age, by country, by birthdate, or let them choose a child for me, but I wanted to see the photos and read about the children.
One little girl from El Salvador grabbed my heart. I emailed right away and asked for her specifically, if she had not already been sponsored--and she hadn't! Dalia was 7 years old, standing in a little pink top and blue checked shorts, with a smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. That was in December 2000--and an earthquake hit El Salvador in January of 2001. I was on pins and needles, knowing that one of the Compassion children in the area was killed, and praying it wasn't Dalia. God preserved my little girl, who wrote me later about the earthquake and how they all "held hands with each other and their teachers and prayed for mercy".
Dalia just turned 15 this month, and she is growing tall and beautiful. She is no longer in school, though I am not certain why, but still goes to the Project when she can, and still goes to church. There were plans to have her learn to sew and do hair, but the waiting list is long and she is not able to attend that school yet. I do not know what her future holds, but God does, and I will continue to support Dalia and her family as long as I am allowed.
That said, I am a sorry letter-writer, and don't send her letters as often as I could. Because of the danger of items being confiscated by customs, we can only send paper products and the envelope cannot be more than 1/8 inch thick, or it is at risk to be stolen. In the past I have sent her postcards of different places, a couple of photos of me (though I HATE to have my picture taken), pages from coloring and activity books, stickers, bookmarks, etc. Ah, but she is older now, and I must think a little harder.
But what has struck me more than anything from the postings by Sophie and Shannon and the others others is just how much difference a measly $32.00/month makes in the life of these children, these families. And even more than that, is the way their faces light up when they talk about their sponsors! It is very humbling to think that my letters could mean that much to Dalia--and shames me to think how many more letters I could have been sending these last 7 years.
Please go read these blogs and then check out Compassion's website. You can choose from any country, any age, either sex, and please consider those who have been waiting for a sponsor for more than 6 months. How devastating it must be to be approved for the program, and then think that no one in the Wealthy country of America could care about you.
I think I might go find another teenager to sponsor (like most folks, I went for a younger child for my first sponsorship) and give up a few fast food meals a month. There will be a trip to El Salvador in the fall, but I don't know if I can manage it this year. I would really love to go meet "my little girl", the one who prayed "for (my) knees be heal" and who was sorry my other dog died. She has blessed me far more than she will ever know. Pray that if I can't make it this year, that I am able to go before she turns 18.
For now, I'm going to go write my girl and give her a paper hug.
Edited 2/19 to add: Over at Shaun's blog, you can read many more stories of Compassion sponsors!
All this commercialism pales when you read this last weeks' entries from Shannon of Rocks in My Dryer, and Sophie of BooMama.
I just discovered Rocks in My Dryer within the last month, and had read she was going to Africa, but didn't know why. Yesterday I stopped by her blog--and could hardly pry myself away for an hour or so. You see, she and several others went to Africa to tour some of the Compassion International Projects, and they have told stories and shown photos that will uplift you even as the tears trickle down your cheeks.
Several years ago, while living in New Mexico, I received a brochure in the mail from Compassion, explaining their program, and seeking sponsors for children throughout the world. Now, I have seen lots of commercials on TV for first one organization and then another, and was a bit skeptical about how much of my money would actually go to the children--and how much went to pay the photographers, celebrities, etc. who do these pleas for money. Okay, let's say cynical.
But I researched this organization, a Christian organization, because I had wanted for years to be in a position to sponsor a child from another country, to provide some of the things my child and I took for granted. I was totally blown away by what I read. I won't go into details here, because they do a much better job than I. Suffice it to say I was convinced and I began to surf their site for a child. I could have searched by age, by country, by birthdate, or let them choose a child for me, but I wanted to see the photos and read about the children.
One little girl from El Salvador grabbed my heart. I emailed right away and asked for her specifically, if she had not already been sponsored--and she hadn't! Dalia was 7 years old, standing in a little pink top and blue checked shorts, with a smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. That was in December 2000--and an earthquake hit El Salvador in January of 2001. I was on pins and needles, knowing that one of the Compassion children in the area was killed, and praying it wasn't Dalia. God preserved my little girl, who wrote me later about the earthquake and how they all "held hands with each other and their teachers and prayed for mercy".
Dalia just turned 15 this month, and she is growing tall and beautiful. She is no longer in school, though I am not certain why, but still goes to the Project when she can, and still goes to church. There were plans to have her learn to sew and do hair, but the waiting list is long and she is not able to attend that school yet. I do not know what her future holds, but God does, and I will continue to support Dalia and her family as long as I am allowed.
That said, I am a sorry letter-writer, and don't send her letters as often as I could. Because of the danger of items being confiscated by customs, we can only send paper products and the envelope cannot be more than 1/8 inch thick, or it is at risk to be stolen. In the past I have sent her postcards of different places, a couple of photos of me (though I HATE to have my picture taken), pages from coloring and activity books, stickers, bookmarks, etc. Ah, but she is older now, and I must think a little harder.
But what has struck me more than anything from the postings by Sophie and Shannon and the others others is just how much difference a measly $32.00/month makes in the life of these children, these families. And even more than that, is the way their faces light up when they talk about their sponsors! It is very humbling to think that my letters could mean that much to Dalia--and shames me to think how many more letters I could have been sending these last 7 years.
Please go read these blogs and then check out Compassion's website. You can choose from any country, any age, either sex, and please consider those who have been waiting for a sponsor for more than 6 months. How devastating it must be to be approved for the program, and then think that no one in the Wealthy country of America could care about you.
I think I might go find another teenager to sponsor (like most folks, I went for a younger child for my first sponsorship) and give up a few fast food meals a month. There will be a trip to El Salvador in the fall, but I don't know if I can manage it this year. I would really love to go meet "my little girl", the one who prayed "for (my) knees be heal" and who was sorry my other dog died. She has blessed me far more than she will ever know. Pray that if I can't make it this year, that I am able to go before she turns 18.
For now, I'm going to go write my girl and give her a paper hug.
Edited 2/19 to add: Over at Shaun's blog, you can read many more stories of Compassion sponsors!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
