Touching Thursday (First Advocacy Edition!)

As the title says, this will be a different type of Touching Thursday. I will still be sharing children with you. But, as I told you last week, I am officially now an advocate with Compassion. This means that Compassion will be mailing me packets of children that are waiting for sponsors. It will be my job to pray for them and to help them find a loving sponsor.

If you wish to sponsor any of the children you see here, PLEASE email me at Groth.Kayla@mail.ic.edu . You are not able to sponsor these children on the website. Right now, I have their only information. After you email, I will send you more information about how to sign up to sponsor these children.

This week, I'm actually going to share four children with you. I can't narrow it down to just three. All four of these little girls desperately needs a sponsor.

These first three girls' packets expire August 24th. Then I will have to send them back to Compassion. Please pray and let me know as soon as you can if you want to sponsor them.

This precious girl is Faidatou from Burkina Faso. She is 3 years old and her birthay is February 3rd. Faidatou lives with her mother, father and 4 siblings. Her parents are both sometimes employed as farmers. At home, Faidatou helps out by cleaning. Faidatou is not currently attending school because she is too young. Her favorite activities are playing with dolls and playing group games. She attends bible class regularly.

The reginal diet consists of maize, fish, and potatoes. The average income is only $20 a month.

This precious little girl is Brenda Rose. I've been praying extra hard for her lately. She is from the Philippines, which has the highest rate of young girls being sex trafficked in the world. Brenda Rose is 8 years old and her birthday is January 6th. She lives with her mother, father, and 5 siblings. Such a big family, makes me fearful for her. Her father is employed as a laborer and her mother maintains the home. Singing, telling stories, and playing house are Brenda Rose's favorite things to do. In primary school her performance is average and she also regularly attends church activities.

The reginal diet consists of maize, bananas, fish, bread, and cassava. The average monthly income per family is equivalent to $50.

This girl has me heartbroken. Her broken spirit just shines through her eyes. I would love to find her a loving sponsor!

This is Aklima. She will be 7 years old on August 31st. What a wonderful birthday present a sponsor would be! Aklima lives with both of her parents and 1 sibling. Her father works as a laborer and her mother maintains the home. Aklima helps at home by carrying water. Fun fun, Aklima enjoys playing with dolls and playing group games. She attends bible class and in primary school her performance is average.

The reginal diet consists of fish, rice, and lentils. The average monthly income is $36.

Lastly, this precious girl is Ungkhana. She is 8 years old and she's from Thailand. Her birthday is May 16th. She lives her her parents and 3 siblings. Her parents are both sometimes employed as farmers. Ungkhana helps at home by carrying water, gathering firewood, and buying/selling in the market (so much work for a little one!). Singing, telling stories, and playing house are Ungkhana's favorite activities. In primary school, her performance is below average. She could use a sponsor who is going to encourage her in school and let her know that education is important.

The regional diet consists of chicken, pork, fish, rice, and vegetables. Working adults make, on average, $29 a month.

To sponsor any of these girls, please email me at Groth.Kayla@mail.ic.edu . I would love to set you up!



Mail Call From My Boys!

After being in Texas for a week, I came home to a full mailbox and I was hoping to have a letter or two in the stack when I carried in all of the mail. There were three letters! One from Florenc and two from Kalpesh, including a very special surprise, a family picture! Awhile ago I asked each of my children to send a family picture if they had them and I've received two so far. So worth it to ask!

The first letter is from my boy Florenc in Albania. This letter didn't really tell me too much that I didn't know. I'm guessing he was answering questions that I asked in a past letter, which he received after he had already told me most of the answers already. It's good to hear again anyway.

Dear Kayla,

I was very happy to receive your letter and to know that you are well. I am enjoying good health too. My brother is younger than I am and is very friendly. His name is Esati. He likes football. I try to do my best at school and work hard. My favorite subject is history.

My mother is an invalid. She has had three operations in her kidneys and she needs to do another one, maybe a kidney transplant. She is 33. I help her with the housework.

When I grow up, I would like to become a mechanic. My favorite color is blue.

I was very happy to get the photo of your family and you. You are all wonderful.

At home, I have a cow, some hens, and a dog.

I am very grateful to you for everything.

With much respect,

Florenc.

I think I'm going to be calling World Vision to do a check on his mother and to see what she needs. I would love to be able to send some money to help her out. I'm not sure I'll be able to afford an entire operation, but I would love to help somehow.

In his progress report, Florenc told me that his favorite class is music and he wants to be a musician. Now it's physics and a mechanic. Kids definitely change their minds a lot!

* * *

Now onto the letters from my Kalpesh. I got two from him (his project seems to bulk mail them out). His letters are always so wonderful. It just seems like this sweet boy and such a young man of God, already.

Dearest Kayla,

Greetings to you in the sweet and loving name of Lord Jesus Christ. First of all, let's give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, He has been keeping us safe in his holy hands and provides us our needs everywhere. Once again, I am praising God for this opportunity to share with you. I received your letter, picture of  your grandmom, mom, stepdad, your sister and her boyfriends, and myself too. I am very happy to receive it. Thank you so much for it. Say hello to your grandmom, mom, stepdad, your sister and her boyfriend, and your friend Crista. With this, I am sending my family picture for you. Once again, I am very grateful to you for your love and prayer for us.

With Love,

Kalpesh

How beautiful is this family?! I am just in love. Kalpesh is the one on the far left. He just has the sweetest face and eyes. Pure love. I can see Jesus in those eyes.

________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Kayla,

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I am very glad to read your letter. Here I am fine by the grace of God and through your prayer. Thank you so much for your love. My elder brother Pravin is 12, Rutik 6, and Sheela 8 years old. I am 2nd in them. You have a brother? My best friend Vishal is 10 years old. We are in the same class. We like to play marbles together. My younger sister is styding in 3rd grade and younger brother will go in 1st grade. Elder brother is helping mother in his work. Right now, that means that my mom and elder and younger brother are staying other place. I and Sheela are staying with our uncle. Thank you for praying for us.

With Love,

Kalpesh

Whew. This was a tough letter for me. I knew that due to his father's death, Kalpesh's mother could not afford to care for all of the children. Kalpesh and his sister, Sheela, are the only children in the family who are enrolled in Compassion. Because of this, they are able to attend school and get an education. I am absolutely heartbroken that because he's the oldest male, 12 year old Pravin has to work to support his mother and family. I'm heartbroken that Pravin cannot be enrolled in Compassion because of the rule that only one, at most two, children can be enrolled. I'm heartbroken that even if I could come up with the money to sponsor Pravin, Compassion probably wouldn't let him enroll.

I decided that I am going to send his family a financial family gift, in the hopes that some of their needs can be met and maybe, just maybe, Pravin could go to school instead of having to work. No 12 year old should have to support his family.

My heart hurts today. 

Six Word Saturday

I like being in Texas, ya'll 

Touching Thursday

Every Thursday I post the pictures and information of three kids from Compassion International that I would love to see find a sponsor. Here are this week's children that I've been praying for.

After waiting 191 days for a sponsor, Sandra's wait has come to an end. Praise God!

 

9-8-12 Boga has been sponsored! His long wait has finally come to an end.

8-28-12. Leticia has been sponsored! I have been thinking about this girl since I post her. I am so happy.

Happy Birthday Eric!

My best friend in Uganda, Eric, is 17 years old today!

Dear Eric,

I know that I only started corresponding with you last December. It's been a wonderful almost 8 months. I have received only two letters from you, but both have been extremely sweet. You are only at a 4th grade level in school and you have told me that you don't do well in school. You should almost ashamed in both of your letters, sadly. I want you to know that none of that matters to me. Because as you said in your last letter, "I don't have a lot of knowledge, but I know Jesus." That really is the most important thing in life, Eric. You know much more than you think you do.

I am very excited to find out how you spend the birthday money I sent you.

I am also beyond excited that my friend, Beverly, is going to be able to bring you a gift from me in January. It's still so far away but I'm already agonizing over what I can fit in a gallon sized bag for you. I want to send you something wonderful because I know that I only have a few more years (or less) with you and I want to show you love in many ways.

Happy Birthday, young man. You're going to do great things!

Love,

Kayla



I'm an Advocate!

As of 10:00 p.m, just tonight, I am officially an Advocate with Compassion International!

I filled out all of the forms and answered all the questions about a week ago. Tonight was my "adovcate orientation."

Basically, I talked to very nice woman for an hour and she walked me through the website (which I already know all about) and she taught me some things about Compassion that I didn't know. I learned how to order child packets (!!!) and materials and where to go if I have questions and need coaching.

I'm just amazed. A month ago, I was even thinking about becoming an advocate and now I am one!

I think God has some amazing things planned for me. I hope I am able to find many sponsors for many children.

I pray that God shows me the way to the right sponsors for each child.

Now that I'm an official advocate with Compassion, I'm even more excited about working the Willow Creek event on Thursday and Friday! I am just praying that I am able to reach some people and to lead them to sponsor children.

I'm just in love with where my life is going.

Now, it's 10:30 and I need to get my bags packed and get myself to bed because I'm going to Texas tomorrow. It'll only take a bus ride and two airplanes to get there, haha.

See Your Impact Results: July 2012

I totally forgot to share with you my See Your Impact results from last month.

If you don't know, each month I choose a cause on the See Your Impact website to donate to. This website allows for you to donate money to a specific cause (there are many to choose from!) You can choose to donate a gift yourself or you can combine a smaller amount of money with other givers to help out bigger causes. When the gift is given to the person you helped, you are emailed a picture and a story of the exact person you helped. It's amazing!

I have chosen to give a gift each month to help another person somewhere in this world. In July, I chose to donate $10 to give somebody in Uganda a mosquito net to sleep under at night. For just $10, I'm helping this man prevent his grandchildren from getting malaria. It's really quite amazing to think about. $10 can buy a meal out at a cheap restaurant or it can save the lives of three children.

Here's who I helped out:

Dear Kayla,

Ngovi Joseph is a 54 year old father of 5 and grandfather of 3 children who resides in Nabukone Village, Uganda, where UVP has been working for the past two years. Ngovi is a farmer while his wife sells the excess of what they harvest in the local market.

When asked why he bought a net, he says, "I have bought a net for my grandchildren because this area has very many mosquitoes and I want to ensure they do no get malaria. We have had VHTs hold sensitizations on malaria and I know there have been deaths in the village of children due to malaria, so I thought it was best to buy one.  I am very grateful to UVP and their donors for providing me with a  net,  that I can easily afford. Thank you."

On behalf of UVP and Ngovi we say a  big 'thank you' to you Kayla!

Six Word Saturday

Isn't Movie Theater Popcorn Just Great?

Welcome Sagitaria!

A few weeks ago, I asked Compassion for another correspondent child, to fill the void that Meena left when her project graduated from needing Compassion's help.

Since the day I asked for another child, I have been checking my account every afternoon and evening to see if a new child was there.

Today, she finally arrived.

Meet adorable Sagitaria (She's a sagittarius! I'm assuming that's where her name came from)

Isn't she adorable?!

Name: Sagitaria

Age: 8

Birthday: December 2nd 

Country: Indonesia

Grade in School: 3rd

Performance in School: Average

Family Duties: Gathering Firewood, Making Beds, Cleaning

Hobbies: Dolls, Reading, Jumping Rope

Guardians: Mother and Father (They are married) Her father is a fisherman and her mother is unemployed.

Your sponsored child lives in the coastal community of Hessa Air Genting, home to approximately 4,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of cement floors, cardboard walls and tin roofs. The primary ethnic group is Batak Toba.

The regional diet consists of bananas, fish and rice. Common health problems in this area include diarrhea and skin diseases. Most adults in Hessa Air Genting work on plantations and earn the equivalent of $42 per month. This community needs security, libraries and increased incomes.

Your sponsorship allows the staff of Theresia Student Center to provide your sponsored child with Bible studies, medical checkups, nutritious food, sports, character building education, national child day celebrations and reading and writing classes. The center staff will also provide meetings and seminars for the parents or guardians of your sponsored child.



Touching Thursday

Each week, I post pictures of three children from Compassion's website, in hopes of finding them a sponsor. None of the children I posted last week were sponsored. Very sad. I guess it's just not their perfect time yet.

This week, I have three beautiful children to share with you:

Adorable little Stephen has found a sponsor!

Carlos has been sponsored! Praise Jesus! I've been praying for him and thinking about him for months. He waited 184 days, but he now has a sponsor. I hope his sponsor loves on him!

8-27-12 Sonia has been sponsored!