So Many Letters to Write Today!
Edit: It is now almost 6 p.m and I haven't written a single letter. Good thing there's always tomorrow...
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Thankful
I am thankful for so many things in my life.
More than anything I am thankful for 12 wonderful children: Abu-Bakarr, Xhuliano, Eric, Kalpesh, Florenc, Celeste, Yonas, Sagitaria, Sadiya, Sagar, Kwizera, and Sandesh.
I am especially thankful for the wonderful community of Compassion sponsors that I am part of. I am thankful that in less than one day, they helped me raise enough money for Sandesh's sponsorship so I don't have to pay until May of 2013.
I'm just in shock. Check it out, "Sandesh's next payment is due in May 2013". Wow. Just Wow.
As if that wasn't amazing enough, God keeps providing!
On Sunday, I went to church, and a wonderful young woman and a friend of mine, Sarah, handed me an envelope of money to "use for my kids."
Amazing.
I combined her money with a check I got for recycling some of my DVDs with Zumu and I was able to send Sandesh's family $100 to spend on anything they need.
God is truly providing for this little boy.
I'm just so thankful.
More than anything I am thankful for 12 wonderful children: Abu-Bakarr, Xhuliano, Eric, Kalpesh, Florenc, Celeste, Yonas, Sagitaria, Sadiya, Sagar, Kwizera, and Sandesh.
I am especially thankful for the wonderful community of Compassion sponsors that I am part of. I am thankful that in less than one day, they helped me raise enough money for Sandesh's sponsorship so I don't have to pay until May of 2013.
I'm just in shock. Check it out, "Sandesh's next payment is due in May 2013". Wow. Just Wow.
As if that wasn't amazing enough, God keeps providing!
On Sunday, I went to church, and a wonderful young woman and a friend of mine, Sarah, handed me an envelope of money to "use for my kids."
Amazing.
I combined her money with a check I got for recycling some of my DVDs with Zumu and I was able to send Sandesh's family $100 to spend on anything they need.
God is truly providing for this little boy.
I'm just so thankful.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Touching Thursday
Every Thursday I post children who are waiting for sponsors and who I would love to see sponsored. I am currently advocating for four children from India. Each of these kids lives a hard life in a slum in India, riddled with sex workers and drug lords.
If you are interested in sponsoring any of these kids, please email me at Groth.Kayla@mail.ic.edu . These packets expire at the beginning of November.
Beautiful Yashmin has been sponsored! Praise God!
This tiny cutie is Manasi. She is 4 years old. Her birthday is January 1st, 2008.
Manasi lives with her father, mother, and one sibling. Her father is sometimes employed as a laborer and her mother maintains the home. Manasi helps at home by carrying water.
Art, running, and playing group games are Manasi's favorite activities. In preschool her performance is average and she also regularly attends church activities.
This super cute boy is Aslam. He looks so sad and dirty. He's also 4 years old with his birthday on January 1st, 2008.
Aslam lives with his father, mother, and two siblings. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home. Carrying water is Aslam's household duty.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Aslam partcipates in church activities. He is also in preschool, where his performance is average. Hide-and-seek is his favorite activitiy.
This handsome boy is Kaushal. His birthday is April 25th and he's 7 years old.
He makes his home with his father, mother, and two siblings. His father is sometimes employed as a day laborer and his mother maintains the home. Buying/selling in the market is Kaushal's household duty.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Kaushal participates in church activities. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Playing group games is his favorite activity.
If you are interested in sponsoring any of these kids, please email me at Groth.Kayla@mail.ic.edu . These packets expire at the beginning of November.
Beautiful Yashmin has been sponsored! Praise God!
This tiny cutie is Manasi. She is 4 years old. Her birthday is January 1st, 2008.
Manasi lives with her father, mother, and one sibling. Her father is sometimes employed as a laborer and her mother maintains the home. Manasi helps at home by carrying water.
Art, running, and playing group games are Manasi's favorite activities. In preschool her performance is average and she also regularly attends church activities.
This super cute boy is Aslam. He looks so sad and dirty. He's also 4 years old with his birthday on January 1st, 2008.
Aslam lives with his father, mother, and two siblings. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home. Carrying water is Aslam's household duty.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Aslam partcipates in church activities. He is also in preschool, where his performance is average. Hide-and-seek is his favorite activitiy.
This handsome boy is Kaushal. His birthday is April 25th and he's 7 years old.
He makes his home with his father, mother, and two siblings. His father is sometimes employed as a day laborer and his mother maintains the home. Buying/selling in the market is Kaushal's household duty.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Kaushal participates in church activities. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Playing group games is his favorite activity.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
We Did It, Guys!
During the month of September, Compassion International had a Blog Month with the goal of seeing 3,108 children find loving sponsors and get rescued from poverty in Jesus's name.
Having many, many people blog a special assignment each week of September, the word of Compassion spread like wildfire on the internet. If you're not aware, the internet is probably the best way to spread awareness about something, haha.
Well, you guys, we did it!
3,159 children were sponsored in September! We beat the goal by 51 children! And before you start thinking about this as a number, remember that these are children, real children from all over the world. 3,159 children now have a loving sponsor, they have hope, food, water, and will be taught how much they are loved and how important they are in this world.
3,159 children will now know that poverty does not control them.
Along with Compassion's Blog Month, the author of the blog that had the most children sponsored through it, was given a free trip with the Compassion Bloggers in 2013. A fellow blogger, and I would say, a friend of mine (because anybody who loves child sponsorship as much as I do is a friend of mine!), won the trip! So exciting!
Having many, many people blog a special assignment each week of September, the word of Compassion spread like wildfire on the internet. If you're not aware, the internet is probably the best way to spread awareness about something, haha.
Well, you guys, we did it!
3,159 children were sponsored in September! We beat the goal by 51 children! And before you start thinking about this as a number, remember that these are children, real children from all over the world. 3,159 children now have a loving sponsor, they have hope, food, water, and will be taught how much they are loved and how important they are in this world.
3,159 children will now know that poverty does not control them.
Along with Compassion's Blog Month, the author of the blog that had the most children sponsored through it, was given a free trip with the Compassion Bloggers in 2013. A fellow blogger, and I would say, a friend of mine (because anybody who loves child sponsorship as much as I do is a friend of mine!), won the trip! So exciting!
Check Out Her Blog Here: Blogging from the Boonies
I also won a prize from one of the weeks. I won $100 to send to my handsome Sagar in India for his family to spend on whatever they need. I can't wait until he receives the money and I get to find out what he bought!
To all of you who sponsored a child in September, or who have sponsored a child. ever, thank you very much. You are changing the lives of children living in poverty everywhere and you're making this world more like God wants it to be.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Give Me My Daily Bread
I've recently aquired a copy of the book Hope Lives: A Journey of Restoration. It's basically amazing. It's a book of 25 days worth of reading showing what our lives are supposed to look like when it comes to money and supporting the poor.
I've had the book for over a week and I'm only on Day 2, haha. What can I say, I read something and think about it for a long time. Day 2 focused on Proverbs 30: 8-9. It reads:
"Keep falsehood and lies from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?', or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God"
Of course, I think about this verse in relationship to child sponsorship (as I do with most things I hear or read).
I'll be the first to admit that when I receive money, the first thing I think of is what I could buy with this money. Things that I like to do and want to do like: a dinner out at Flattop, that awesome new pair of converse shoes I saw at Journeys, copious amounts of ice cream, or some kind of weekend trip. You know, things a typical young woman likes to buy and do.
But then I always try to take a break, pray, and ask God what he wants me to with the money. After his answers to pay my bills, of course (haha), my mind and heart always shift to what I can do for the kids I sponsor. Can I pay off some months early (very rare occurance), does one or more of my kids need an extra gift due to a hard situation, can I sponsor another child completely?
My prayer after reading this verse is that God will simply give me what I need day to day. I pray that I am responsible enough to know when I should not be spending money and I pray that I am open to God's will enough that I do not attempt to save more than I need to.
The world has tried to teach me that in order to be successful in life, I need to be rich. I need to hide away my money and save it up. Save it up for what? I don't really know. What's the point of gaining more and more money if nothing is ever going to be done with it, except passing it on to family after I die? Keep those falsehoods and lies away from. I will not believe that God wants me to use the money he has provided me like that.
God gives me enough resources for me to survive and thrive. I am rich (whether I want to believe it or not). I have three meals a day (plus snacks if I want to), clothing, a home, heat, air conditioning, access to quality healthcare, TV, interent access, and tons of other things that kids in 3rd world countries can only dream about.
Why should I not give my extras to those that have nothing at all?
Give us this day our daily bread.
EDIT!
Since I couldn't seem to make a complete thought while writing this entry, I'm going to quote my friend Amanda, who wrote exactly how I'm feeling in her blog:
I have so much more to accomplish for you. More changes to make. More people to love. You give me hope in my kids; the beautiful children you've put in my life, who face so much adversity. There is something about each and every one of them that has called out to me and drawn me to them, and I can't thank you enough for that."
I've had the book for over a week and I'm only on Day 2, haha. What can I say, I read something and think about it for a long time. Day 2 focused on Proverbs 30: 8-9. It reads:
"Keep falsehood and lies from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?', or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God"
Of course, I think about this verse in relationship to child sponsorship (as I do with most things I hear or read).
I'll be the first to admit that when I receive money, the first thing I think of is what I could buy with this money. Things that I like to do and want to do like: a dinner out at Flattop, that awesome new pair of converse shoes I saw at Journeys, copious amounts of ice cream, or some kind of weekend trip. You know, things a typical young woman likes to buy and do.
But then I always try to take a break, pray, and ask God what he wants me to with the money. After his answers to pay my bills, of course (haha), my mind and heart always shift to what I can do for the kids I sponsor. Can I pay off some months early (very rare occurance), does one or more of my kids need an extra gift due to a hard situation, can I sponsor another child completely?
My prayer after reading this verse is that God will simply give me what I need day to day. I pray that I am responsible enough to know when I should not be spending money and I pray that I am open to God's will enough that I do not attempt to save more than I need to.
The world has tried to teach me that in order to be successful in life, I need to be rich. I need to hide away my money and save it up. Save it up for what? I don't really know. What's the point of gaining more and more money if nothing is ever going to be done with it, except passing it on to family after I die? Keep those falsehoods and lies away from. I will not believe that God wants me to use the money he has provided me like that.
God gives me enough resources for me to survive and thrive. I am rich (whether I want to believe it or not). I have three meals a day (plus snacks if I want to), clothing, a home, heat, air conditioning, access to quality healthcare, TV, interent access, and tons of other things that kids in 3rd world countries can only dream about.
Why should I not give my extras to those that have nothing at all?
Give us this day our daily bread.
EDIT!
Since I couldn't seem to make a complete thought while writing this entry, I'm going to quote my friend Amanda, who wrote exactly how I'm feeling in her blog:
"God, I feel a richness of life and self as I
give my money away. How strange of an idea is that? Truly, it's bizarre to me.
The world values money over anything else. But what good is it if you only spend
it on yourself? It's common, pointless, and quickly vanishes. But, oh, using
money that you've given us to glorify you, to love intentionally, to spread the
gospel - that is so blessed and fulfilling!
I have so much more to accomplish for you. More changes to make. More people to love. You give me hope in my kids; the beautiful children you've put in my life, who face so much adversity. There is something about each and every one of them that has called out to me and drawn me to them, and I can't thank you enough for that."
Sunday, October 7, 2012
IN-864 Kids
Before I show you the children, I want to tell you a little bit about this project. IN-864 is located in the Ganpat Patil Nagar slum. This slum, like any other slum in India, is a place that nobody should have to suffer living in. Homes here are made from cardboard, plastic, tin sheets, or bits of scrap wood that is found lying around. This slum has 200,000 people living in it! I can't even imagine that many people in one slum!
This google picture shows just how huge and spread out this slum is. That entire area is the Ganat Patil Nagar slum.
This slum is completely overridden by illegal buisness and drug lords. Many of the people in this community have substance abuse problems. Along with drug addiction, common health problems include HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, jaundice, cholera, and vector bourne diseases.
Most of the adults in this community are unemployed, but those who work as laborers earn about $70 a month. This community needs improved sanitation, paved roads, vocational skills training, and substance abuse programs.
This picture shows a still from a documentary that was filmed in this slum. Makes my heart hurt for these families.
Now, without further ado, here are the two beautiful children that I have from this project. I pray that you have open hearts when you view these pictures.
Nisha has been sponsored by a wonderful woman on the O.C website!
This handsome boy is Kaushal. His birthday is April 25th and he's 7 years old. He makes his home with his father, mother, and two siblings. His father is sometimes employed as a day laborer and his mother maintains the home. Buying/selling in the market is Kaushal's household duty.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Kaushal participates in church activities. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Playing group games is his favorite activity.
To sponsor either of these children, simply send me a message here or email me at Groth.Kayla@mail.ic.edu .
This google picture shows just how huge and spread out this slum is. That entire area is the Ganat Patil Nagar slum.
This slum is completely overridden by illegal buisness and drug lords. Many of the people in this community have substance abuse problems. Along with drug addiction, common health problems include HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, jaundice, cholera, and vector bourne diseases.
Most of the adults in this community are unemployed, but those who work as laborers earn about $70 a month. This community needs improved sanitation, paved roads, vocational skills training, and substance abuse programs.
This picture shows a still from a documentary that was filmed in this slum. Makes my heart hurt for these families.
Now, without further ado, here are the two beautiful children that I have from this project. I pray that you have open hearts when you view these pictures.
Nisha has been sponsored by a wonderful woman on the O.C website!
This handsome boy is Kaushal. His birthday is April 25th and he's 7 years old. He makes his home with his father, mother, and two siblings. His father is sometimes employed as a day laborer and his mother maintains the home. Buying/selling in the market is Kaushal's household duty.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Kaushal participates in church activities. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Playing group games is his favorite activity.
To sponsor either of these children, simply send me a message here or email me at Groth.Kayla@mail.ic.edu .
Saturday, October 6, 2012
When Poverty Meets Compassion 2
Loving Sisters in Indonesia
Clean Water in Rwanda
Educated Girls in Bangladesh
Curiousity in Nicaragua
Surprises in Peru
Mother to Baby Love in Ethiopia
Laughter in Ethiopia
Jokesters in Ethiopia
Loving Fathers in Mexico
Fertile Farms in Indonesia
Comfort in Haiti
Heathly Babies in Ethiopia
All Photo Credit goes to the Compassion Pictures of Poverty photo blog.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Touching Thursday
Every Thursday, I like to share three children from the Compassion website that have touched my heart in some way. They have touched my heart enough that I want to reach out for them and find them a sponsor.
If you are reading this post and feel drawn to sponsor one of these children, follow the links I post to their page and click that wonderful yellow button!
10-27-12 Ankit has found his sponsor!
10-28-12 Birki has been sponsored! I hope she can get some shoes for those little feet!
10-17-12 Salmone has been sponsored!
Monday, October 1, 2012
My Life in the Red Lights: An Interview with an Indian Sex Worker
My heart has just grasped onto red light districts in India. I can't stop researching what life is like for girls and women here.
I'm stuck between wanting to know more and feeling sick at what I have learned.
I found an interview with a young woman, just 16 years old, who works in the sex industry. I'm going share the questions that were asked to her and bits of pieces of her answers, the parts of the answers that touched my heart the most. At the end of this entry, I'll post the link to the whole interview so you can read and experience it for yourself.
Can you tell us how you come to be here at such a young age?
"All I remember is that I am from Bangladesh and I came here when I was ten years old...I am sixteen now, but I tell people I am twenty...I have been here for five years and this is my home...Ma (the lady pimp) looks after me and feeds me...but she means business. I have to work."
10 YEARS OLD!
Were you treated nicely in your first brothel?
"The brothel was owned by a fat woman...first she bathed and fed me...then on the third day she put make-up on my face and made me stand along with twenty other girls, for the men to pick their choice...When I understood what was happening, I tried to escape. I was caught, locked in a dark room and beaten with a large, wooden stick...I ran away as fast as I could. I saw a policeman on the road and I told him my story. He promised to help me. Him and his three friends raped me..."
She ws 10 years old, guys.
How many and what kind of clients visit in a day and how does the business work?
"In this brothel, there are 20-24 girls and 10 rooms...We would get around 15 customers a day...In peak time, I would get 3-4 customers a day...My earlier rates were 1000-1500 rupees a day...Now we work on a fixed rate system for all, 500 rupees per client, per hour...At times, police raid the brothels, but aunty slips them some money and offers the best girls to them, then business resumes again..."
Guys, 500 rupees is $9.55 USD. Seriously.
We hear Non Governmental Organizations work on prevention of HIV and AIDS among sex workers in Sonagachi. Are you aware of this?
"They regularly organize shows, gatherings, and events on HIV and AIDS and sex workers' rights. We are also taught to insist on the clients to wear condoms...Even if we insist on condoms, customers pay an extra 25% as a bribe to the aunty..."
Are some of the customers drug users?
"Quite a few are drug users...They are often sluggish when they come to the brothel...They force you to try drugs with them as well...They usually agree to use condoms, but cannot as they find it difficult because of the drugs."
Makes me sick
Don't you want to leave Sonagachi someday and find a good job?
"Ma will never let me go, she is good to me and this is my home...I am here of my own will...Even if I leave this place, where will I go? The society will always label me as a prostitute...Even if I marry a prince tomorrow and wear expensive saris...people will still think I'm a prostitue, I cannot change that...
This breaks my heart. She has no hope at all. She is only 16 years old. She thinks that Ma treats her right. I wish there was a way to save her.
Do you want to make a difference in the lives of girls like this? I sure do. I know there are many ways to do this and many organizations to donate to. One of those organizations is Compassion International. You can sponsor a girl in a Indian Red Light District for only $38 a month. For less than $500 a year, you can give hope to a little girl, give her a good education, and keep her out of the sex trade. Girls as young as 5 years olds (and sometimes even younger) are sold into brothels.
I have the packets of two beautiful girls who are living in a red light district. They are actually living there. I'd say the chances of them growing up to be sex workers are pretty high. Awful to think about.
I'm stuck between wanting to know more and feeling sick at what I have learned.
I found an interview with a young woman, just 16 years old, who works in the sex industry. I'm going share the questions that were asked to her and bits of pieces of her answers, the parts of the answers that touched my heart the most. At the end of this entry, I'll post the link to the whole interview so you can read and experience it for yourself.
Can you tell us how you come to be here at such a young age?
"All I remember is that I am from Bangladesh and I came here when I was ten years old...I am sixteen now, but I tell people I am twenty...I have been here for five years and this is my home...Ma (the lady pimp) looks after me and feeds me...but she means business. I have to work."
10 YEARS OLD!
Were you treated nicely in your first brothel?
"The brothel was owned by a fat woman...first she bathed and fed me...then on the third day she put make-up on my face and made me stand along with twenty other girls, for the men to pick their choice...When I understood what was happening, I tried to escape. I was caught, locked in a dark room and beaten with a large, wooden stick...I ran away as fast as I could. I saw a policeman on the road and I told him my story. He promised to help me. Him and his three friends raped me..."
She ws 10 years old, guys.
How many and what kind of clients visit in a day and how does the business work?
"In this brothel, there are 20-24 girls and 10 rooms...We would get around 15 customers a day...In peak time, I would get 3-4 customers a day...My earlier rates were 1000-1500 rupees a day...Now we work on a fixed rate system for all, 500 rupees per client, per hour...At times, police raid the brothels, but aunty slips them some money and offers the best girls to them, then business resumes again..."
Guys, 500 rupees is $9.55 USD. Seriously.
We hear Non Governmental Organizations work on prevention of HIV and AIDS among sex workers in Sonagachi. Are you aware of this?
"They regularly organize shows, gatherings, and events on HIV and AIDS and sex workers' rights. We are also taught to insist on the clients to wear condoms...Even if we insist on condoms, customers pay an extra 25% as a bribe to the aunty..."
Are some of the customers drug users?
"Quite a few are drug users...They are often sluggish when they come to the brothel...They force you to try drugs with them as well...They usually agree to use condoms, but cannot as they find it difficult because of the drugs."
Makes me sick
Don't you want to leave Sonagachi someday and find a good job?
"Ma will never let me go, she is good to me and this is my home...I am here of my own will...Even if I leave this place, where will I go? The society will always label me as a prostitute...Even if I marry a prince tomorrow and wear expensive saris...people will still think I'm a prostitue, I cannot change that...
This breaks my heart. She has no hope at all. She is only 16 years old. She thinks that Ma treats her right. I wish there was a way to save her.
Do you want to make a difference in the lives of girls like this? I sure do. I know there are many ways to do this and many organizations to donate to. One of those organizations is Compassion International. You can sponsor a girl in a Indian Red Light District for only $38 a month. For less than $500 a year, you can give hope to a little girl, give her a good education, and keep her out of the sex trade. Girls as young as 5 years olds (and sometimes even younger) are sold into brothels.
I have the packets of two beautiful girls who are living in a red light district. They are actually living there. I'd say the chances of them growing up to be sex workers are pretty high. Awful to think about.
Both Girls Have Been Sponsored
Original Story Can be Found Here: My Life in the Red Lights
Kalpesh's 2nd Birthday Gift of the Year
Hahaha. Funny title.
Anyway, I got another thank you letter from Kalpesh today. It appears that his financial sponsor (honestly, sometimes I forget that Kalpesh isn't my sponsored child) also sent him a birthday gift. He was able to buy more things for his birthday. Two birthday gifts! I wish I could talk to his financial sponsor and thank him/her for sending Kalpesh money. It probably makes Kalpesh feel even more loved, which is he definitely is.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Anyway, I got another thank you letter from Kalpesh today. It appears that his financial sponsor (honestly, sometimes I forget that Kalpesh isn't my sponsored child) also sent him a birthday gift. He was able to buy more things for his birthday. Two birthday gifts! I wish I could talk to his financial sponsor and thank him/her for sending Kalpesh money. It probably makes Kalpesh feel even more loved, which is he definitely is.
_________________________________________________________________________________
I bought a raincoat, a bag, cream and body spray as my birthday gift, which you sent to me. I received it in the month of June 2012. I like it because previously I had no raincoat or bag. I was keeping my clothes on a rope and I was keeping my books somewhere. (I'm curious where he kept his books before, haha). But now, I can keep everything neatly in a bag. Very soon monsoon will be start and I can be able to wear raincoat in rainy season. Thank you very much for the gift and your love.
With Love & Regards,
Kalpesh
_________________________________________________________________________________
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