Hearts at Home 2013

Have I mentioned lately how much I absolutely love volunteering with Compassion?

Well, I have a new favorite. It's volunteering with Compassion at the Hearts at Home conference that happens in my hometown. This is an annual conference that is directed at Christian mothers. While I am not a mother, I will never pass up an opportunity to volunteer with Compassion and help find children sponsors. I worked this event last year too and had so much fun.

You can read about last year's conference/experience here

This year, I got to hang out with the same amazing Compassion rep, Eli, along with two wonderful Compassion employees, Julie and Olivia. It was especially nice to meet Olivia, because she is the one that orgazines all of the volunteer events. I've gotten several emails from her and it's nice to put a face with the name. After spending many hours with these three people, it has confirmed my dreams: I will work for Compassion someday. I hope it's someday soon.

I took my volunteering to a new level this weekend. On Friday night, I volunteered from 6:00-10:30 and on Saturday from 11:00 a.m-5:30 p.m. They were long, very busy days, but I feel absolutely blessed.

One of the first amazing things is that there were large screens set up in the expo/shopping center so I got to see some of the sessions, I got to hear the praise music, and I got to experience an hilarious hour of stand-up with Anite Renfroe. Did I mention that I didn't have to pay the price of the ticket? Plus, as a thank you, Compassion bought all of us volunteers lunch on Saturday. As an early childhood teacher, I never turn down a free meal, haha. Volunteering has some awesome perks!

Here are some pictures of this conference:

 

This busy, busy room is where I spent my hours. Compassion had a booth set up amongst all of the vendors selling t-shirts and amazing fair trade art, jewelry, and bags. You can actually see the big, blue Compassion banner in the far back of the room.

 

 

Anyway, let's move onto the most important detail: Around 200 children found a sponsor over the course of these two days. That blows my mind. God is so good!

 

I love how many mothers chose sponsored children based on the birthdays/ages of their own children. That's love.

 

One woman came to the table and said, "I want an undesirable child." After asking her what she meant, she wanted to sponsor the child who had been waiting the longest. You sponsored a handsome teenage boy from India who had been waiting 13 months for a sponsor.

 

One woman wanted to sponsor two children. She chose a sweet four year old girl who was between the ages of her two children. Then...she chose a 14 year old boy so her daughters "can have a big brother." I love that!

 

Another woman came to the table with her friend. Her friend was the one who was interested in sponsoring and this woman wanted to help her choose a child. The women looked at the table, saw a boy with her son's birthday, and immediately burst into tears and sponsored him. Both women got new family members that day.

 

I am just so blessed that Compassion opens up these events to volunteers. I can't wait to volunteer again!