Step Into My World: Western Uganda

Today, we travel back to Uganda, this time to Compassion's western region. This region includes the cities that are very near the Rwandan border. Many of the children that Compassion's serves in this area are  related to the horrible Rwandan genocide that happened in 1994. While all of the children in Compassion's program are too young to have been directly involved, several of their family members were. There is a good chance that parents and grandparents in this region of Uganda, especially in the city of Kisoro, fled from Rwanda to Uganda's border during the genocide crisis and then gave birth to children in Uganda.

I have two children in this region, both who live in Kisoro:

Eric & Brenda 

Here is a map of Uganda. You can see the city of Kisoro in red writing. There are other cities in this region that Compassion works in, but they are not labeled on this map. 

Villages in this region are very rural and often their city center is made up of a couple of buildings. Transportation like cars, buses, or motorcycles are rare. Most people travel by walking or by bicycle. 

Families in this region are devastatingly poor. In the communities where my two children live, families earn $6 and $7 A MONTH. I don't know about you, but I cant even wrap my head around that. That is something that we in the United States can't even fathom. We couldn't even raise our families on $7 a day, let alone an entire month. Obviously, with these meager incomes, families can't afford even the most basic of necessities. Homes are shacks in shambles, families rely on gardens to completely feed them, running water and electricity are not even close to possible. Proper clothing, well-fitting shoes, good education, even furniture is well beyond the dreams of the families living here. 

Due to lack of running water, women often spend hours a day walking back and forth to a water source to gather water for their families, often miles away. One trip is made, the water is used, another trip is made, the water is used, etc, etc, everyday. Also, this water is unclean and causes many waterborne diseases in the people living here. 

I cannot be more happy that Compassion is intervening on behalf of the children in Uganda's western region. Compassion creates a safe place for children to play, learn, have their needs met, and learn about God. It's truly a light in the darkness for these children. Look at those happy kids! 

Every child gets one-on-one attention from a tutor, to meet their specific needs. This goes from the oldest young men and women to the tiniest little peanuts just learning to hold their pencils. 

Due to low wages, one of this area's biggest problems is malnutrition, most families living on only rice and vegetables. Compassion registered children receive a healthy meal every time they attend the project. 

Compassion is truly changing lives in Uganda. Through my two children, I have seen them go from uninterested students, to young people with goals and aspirations for their future. I have seen them go from shy preteens to confident teenagers who have a solid identity in Christ. It's truly been miraculous. 

The projects in this region have the following prayer requests: 

- Pray that children will grow in their knowledge of Christ and in their desire to serve him. 

- Pray that children will embrace the life lessons they learn from Compassion and make good decisions for their healthy development. 

- Pray for the families of assisted children, that they may be empowered in parenting skills and income-generation activities so that their children can thrive. 

- Pray for Compassion center workers, that they will maintain their dedication to serving the children in their care. 

I have two boys to share with you, one little one and one big one. They both live in Western Uganda and they are both waiting for a sponsor. 

Junior has been sponsored! 

Meet Abiyola. He is 17 years old. He lives with his parents and 3 siblings. His chores at home include carrying water, gathering firewood, and teaching others. For fun, he enjoys soccer, singing, and telling stories. He is in high school and has average performance. 

You can sponsor Abiyola here.

3 Letters from 3 Guys

I have another three letters to share with you today. I find myself with quite a few letters stacking up that I haven't had the time or energy to answer. I need to get busy because I know that these responses aren't going to write themselves. I seem to be in that letter-writing slump, temporarily.

Anyway, I'll share the letters now.

First up, a letter from Fongwin. His financial sponsor sent him a money gift (they do that a lot). Fongwin is never descriptive in what he buys. It's usually just "stuff" or "household stuff." He did the same thing in today's letter, but I got some pictures! Fongwin and his parents!

Fongwin is 12 years old and lives in Thailand. His letter is dated May 11th, 2015.

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Dear Kayla,

Hello sponsor. I'm very happy to write a letter to you again. Thank you so much that you still remember me and send me nice stickers. Thank you for the family gift. I bought some toiletries. We are doing well. How is everyone over there? During school break, I attended a camp. I have friends and I really enjoy myself with my friends. We had sports day and games and performances. Did you like to attend camp when you were a child? The new term will be starting soon. I will be in a higher level. I got meet new teachers and new friends. I will get to learn new things. It's getting hard. I will study hard. It starts to rain now. People here are farmers so they have to prepare to grow rice. Please pray for my studies. Finally, may God protect you and bless you. 

Love in Christ, 

Fongwin

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Now, another first letter, this time from Sevenson. I love first letters. It's that letter that kick-starts a relationship. Really cements in the love, for me. Looks like Sevenson has a gift giving sponsor, as well! 

Sevenson is 14 years old and lives in Haiti. His letter is dated May 26th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla,

I feel happy to write to you in the name of Jesus Christ. My family and I are well. I hope that you and your family are well too. My school is going well. Experimental science is my favorite subject. I ask you to help me pray so that I will have success on my 4th period exams. My church is doing well. I learned a bible verse, which is Jeremiah 33:3 "Call on me and I will answer you. I will let you know great and mighty things, which you did not know." What is your favorite color? 

Thank you for the gift. I bought a goat with it. Thank you for the letter and your prayers. 

Sevenson

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Last up, a letter from Emanuel. I think that Emanuel is a man of few words. But, it's nice to hear from him and I really enjoying writing to him. He's such a great guy.

Emanuel is 18 years old and lives in Tanzania. He wrote his letter on June 27th, 2015.

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Dear Kayla,

I greet you in Jesus name. My family and I are doing well. I hope you are healthy there. I'm doing well in school. I completed my mock exams. Thank you for the good letters you sent me. You asked about our church. At our church on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have prayer from 10:00 to 11:00, p.m. I want to give you a bible verse from Psalms 95:1. "Come and let's sing to our Lord, the rock of our salvation." Which story do you like in the bible? I wish you a good life to please God. 

Emanuel

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Jose's Photo Update

Aren't new photos great? Check out how much my Jose has grown!

Blessings from Kenya X 4

I have four kids in Kenya and I received letters from all of them today. Kenya certainly has their bulk mailing down to a science!

I know that four letters is a lot to share in one post, I can't help but post all this Kenyan love together.

First, a letter from Mulwa. He wrote on the My Family template.

Mulwa is 8 years old. His letter is dated June 6th, 2015.

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My siblings are 6 in number. In my family, I spend the most time with my brother. Extended family that lives with me are my grandmother and aunt. My family lives in the rural area. My food is prepared by my mother. My favorite thing to do with my family is singing. My favorite way to help in my family is sweeping the house. My family's faith background is Christian. My family's health & special needs are food, water, shelter, and clothes. 

Mulwa is sending warm greetings to you, Kayla, and your family. He is doing well in school and also with his family at home. He says that he and his family are thanking you for your support. Finally, he wishes you good health and God's blessings. 

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Next, a letter from Faith. Her handwriting is really improving. I think she is doing so well! 

Faith is 9 years old. Her letter was written on May 30th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

Hello! First, I salute in the name of Jesus Almighty. How have you been there? How is the climate there? Back in our home, we are doing well and enjoying hot and warm climate in our area. 

I sincerely appreciate you for the letter which you sent to me. Thank you for remembering me. I would also like to tell you that I am doing well at school. I am improving in all subjects. The only subject that I am experiencing some difficulties in is math. I request you to pray for me so that I may get to understand it. 

Give my warm greetings to all your family members and your friends. God bless and protect you. 

Faith

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Now, a letter from Brian. This is actually the very first letter that I'm receiving from Brian, after quite a long wait. I am so happy to hear from him. 

Brian is 13 years old. His letter is dated June 9th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

How are you? I hope you are fine. How is your family? My family is fine. My country is fine and the weather is rainy. 

In my family I have my mother, father, and two brothers. It is not large and also they love God as their personal savior. 

I love going to church on Sunday and I also help my mother to do work at home, especially when we have closed school. I am in class 8, where I look forward to do the final exam to go to a better secondary school and to achieve my goals. 

I have accepted Jesus as my savior. I love God because he protects me and helps me when I'm in danger. My favorite color is red because our school uniform is red. My favorite foods are sweet and they smell good. Thank you for the letter. 

Before I end up, I have a memory verse to share. It comes from the book of Philippians, verse 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Thank you for your support and my God bless you. 

Brian

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Last up, a letter from Lazarus. It's great to hear from him. He will graduate from Compassion next March, so any letters I receive before then are wonderful. 

Lazarus is 21 years old. His letter is dated June 15th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

Hi! Receive much greetings from me, hoping that you are fine. With me here in Kenya, I am fine. Even my family members are also fine. How about your family members? Thank you for writing to me and for the good questions. 

At school I am going on well with my studies. I'm working hard in order to achieve my goal of being a medical laboratory technician. I am also praying always that God will help me to meet my goals. During the holidays I usually help my parents in carrying out different tasks, like cleaning the compound and looking after the family cow and sheep. 

I thank you for the letters and stickers you send to me. I am glad to hear of you. I would like to inform you that after receiving my diploma, I wish to work in a hospital as a laboratory technician. Some of the classes I am taking are Hematology, Immunology, Blood Transfusion Systems, Histology, and Microbiology. I will also go for further studies for a degree in Medical Laboratory, still. I also wish to inform you that I always pray for peace in the United States and all over the world. 

Lastly, I request you to continue praying for me as I also pray for you and your family members. Thank you. 

Your Loving Son,

Lazarus

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Four Friday Letters

Friday was not a good day for me.

I went into work at church, like I typically do on Fridays, but before my shift was over, I found myself unemployed. My church is restructuring it's children's ministry department, and unfortunately, that included the elimination of my position. My last day is this Friday.

Thankfully, my church job was part time and I still have my full time job. Still, I'll have to find another part time job, if I intend to keep spending my money at the level that I am. P.S, I plan to. 

Anyway, I have to say that I was very happy to return home to four letters in my mailbox. News from my kids is always a great way to get some pep back in my step. 

As usual, in age order: 

First up, a lovely, long letter from my Rujikorn. She is one of my newer children and she has started off as a very chatty girl. I think we're in for a good relationship. 

Rujikorn is 10 years old and lives in Thailand. Her letter is dated May 2nd, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

Hello! My name is Rujikorn. I am very glad to receive your letter and photographs. Thank you for sending them to me. I hope you and your family are doing well. I accepted Jesus as my Savior already. I was very happy when I accepted him. There are 4 members in my family, my parents, my younger sister, and me. My parents are doing the agricultural work, growing rice. They finished growing rice already. My younger sister and I go to school regularly. The bible is the book that I like the most. During the school holiday, I went to the plantations with my parents. It is not long that my school will start teaching for the new school year. I am now learning more about God every week. I am glad that you are my sponsor. You are very kind and always encouraging me throughout these times. I will try my best with my studies. Please pray for me and for the health of my family and me, too. My family and I are always praying for you. 

May God bless you always! 

With Love and Regard to Christ, 

Rujikorn

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Now, another chatty letter from a lovely lady. 

Brenda is 15 years old and lives in Uganda. Her letter is dated April 21st, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla,

I am greeting you in the name of Jesus Christ. How are you and how is your life and family? Back to me, I am studying well. I am writing this letter to inform you that I have received all your letters and stickers you sent to me. Thank you and May God bless you for that because the pictures you have sent to me are very good. 

I have seen the questions you asked me and all are good. I have earned a prize in singing and one of the audience gave me 10,000 shillings (about $3) as a gift. I am the choir leader of my bible class choir and Sunday School choir. I thank God for that. Another question is if I had my own garden, what would I plant. I'd plant maize and irish potatoes. You asked me if I am having a nickname. Yes, I have it and I am called "Praise God." My favorite book to read is Biology, as a subject in our class and in the bible it is Proverbs. 

Yes, I have plans for everything after my graduation from school. I want to become a nurse and if God wishes, I want to attend university. Now I am studying well at school and the books are going well. I thank you. 

Continue praying for me because even I am praying for you everyday. Here, I would like to share this verse from the book of Proverbs. It says, "My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ears to my understanding." It teaches me to obey God and get wisdom from above. 

Thank you and may God bless you. 

From,

Brenda

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Continuing, I now have a letter from Xhuliano. As you know, letters from him are always fantastic. 

Xhuliano is 14 years old and lives in Albania. He never dates his letters, no matter how many times I ask him to. Boys! ;) 

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Hi My Friend Kayla,

I am very happy that I am writing to you today. I am passing well, my friend. Thank you that you pray for me and my family. I feel very well that you take care of two children. I wish C 100 years. I, like G, like cars and balls. I like playing outside with my friends. While my sisters, like C, like dolls and many other things. 

Yes, my friend, you are right. (Mystery?) 

Thank you for the two pictures that you sent me. They are very beautiful. Thank you that you told me about G and C. 

Goodbye, my friend Kayla. I am waiting that you send me another letter soon. 

With Love,

Xhuliano

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Now, I'll end with a letter from my young man, Jhon. He is usually pretty chatty in his letters, but it seems like he wanted to write a letter quickly, this time. I bet there was something more exciting going on at his project on this day. 

Jhon is 16 years old and lives in Bolivia. He wrote his letter on June 10th, 2015. 

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Hello Dear Sponsor Kayla, 

I thank you for the photo. I greet you with the peace of the Lord. My family and I are doing well. 

On May 27th at my school, we celebrated Mother's Day with a barbecue and on June 6th, it was Teacher's Day and we did a celebration for them and it was very nice. 

I want to share a bible verse with you: Psalm 23. 

I say goodbye with the peace of the Lord. Blessings for you and your family. I ask prayers for my family. 

With Love, 

Jhon

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Step Into My World: Semi-Urban India

In the past, India was a country of very big cities or very small villages. However, recently (in statistical terms), India has been growing a new type of region, the semi-urban region. I think the best example, in U.S terms, to describe these regions would be a Suburb. These towns typically have between 3,000 and 20,000 people. Not a small village or a big sprawling city. However, these small towns still have many challenges and most people in these towns are living in extreme poverty.

I have three boys in India that live in the semi-urban region:

Aaryan, Solomon, & Sandesh

Compassion India works in nearly every state in India (it has 29 states). But, my boys, in the semi-urban region, live in Maharashtra and Karnataka. 

By India standards, these semi-urban towns and very small, but these towns are quickly become bustling cities, as more businesses open and more people flock to live there. People that live in these towns are typically better well-off, financially, than those living in rural villages or city slums. 

Sadly, in these small towns, India's caste system is extremely prevalent and people take it very seriously. A caste system is something that determines somebody's station in life at the moment of their birth. In India, those from a low caste (the very poor) are judged instantly and are doomed for a life of judgement, a poor education, and good careers. For example, if an uneducated couple, who work as laborers, have a baby, that baby's future is already planned out, according to society. That baby will not receive an education and will follow in their parents' footsteps of being an underpaid laborer. It is very sad system that judges and cuts the opportunities of the poorest in India, essentially keeping them poor. 

Most poor people in this region work as "Coolies". A coolie is, basically, an underpaid laborer who does not own their own land. Coolies have to work hard each day to try to find a person or company to hire them for daily jobs. These coolies typically earn about $1 a day, which is not even close to enough money to provide for their families. 

Homes of the poorest people in the semi-urban region are often made out of mud or concrete blocks, with a thatched roof. These roofs are made out of many layers of thatch and are built at a very wide angle, in an effort to keep out the large amounts of rain that India gets in the rainy season. These roofs are often supported by bamboo poles at the corners, which keep the roofs from collapsing. It is pretty common for homes to have electricity, but most homes do not have running water. Thankfully, these small towns often have several water pumps, so people don't have to walk far to fetch water, which saves families a lot of time each day. 

Due to low wages, families are unable to provide their children with adequate nutrition. Many children only receive 1-2 meals a day and these meals typically consist of rice with assorted spice and sauces. Vegetables, fruits, and protein are rare and are often only eaten during special celebrations or occasions. Thankfully, Compassion provides all of their enrolled children with a healthy meal every time they attend the project. 

Many teenagers in this region drop out of school before they reach secondary school. This happens for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that school fees and the cost of supplies is too much for families living in poverty to pay. Another reason is that many teenagers are expected to find jobs and support their families. In these cases, Compassion India supplements education with important lessons and other education activities. In the picture below, a group of teens is having a good, old-fashioned debate: 

Compassion Semi-Urban India has the following prayer requests: 

- Pray for the many children who are neglected and lack proper care. 

- Pray that caregivers will find steady work so they don't have to constantly migrate in search of jobs. 

- Pray that the children's home environment will be healthy and supportive, so they can grow up strong. 

I have one boy to share with you, from this region. He attends the same project as my boy Sandesh, at project IN-866.  

Meet Aaman. He is 11 years old. His birthday is November 27th, 2003. He lives with both of his parents and 1 sibling. His father does occasional labor work and his mother maintains the home. Aaman is a busy boy and is charge of carrying water, caring for his sibling, and washing clothes. For fun, he likes to ride a bike and read books. He has average performance at school. 

You can sponsor Aaman here

Favorites from my Colombian Boys

Man, I love my little Colombian guys. In the past, I always said that I would never want to have two kids at the same center, but it turns out, I love it! My two boys know that I write to both of them and while they haven't mentioned it before, I hope that they talk to each other and spend time together at their project.

I always receive letters from them on the same day, of course, as they both write on their project's letter writing day. One of my boys is young enough to still write on templates and the other one isn't, but they both write on the same topics. It's interesting to see how that works out. I wonder, as they both get older, if they will be given more freedom in their writing, or if they will still write on a specific topic, set by their tutors.

Anyway, I'll share Jonatan Caleb's first. He is 7 years old. He wrote this letter on May 26th, 2015.

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Dear Kayla, 

Best greetings! 

My Favorite Bible Story: David's 
What I Know to Do Best is: Playing
My Favorite Sport Is: Soccer
My Favorite TV Shows Are: Samson & Delilah, Joseph, Daniel, The Creation (I don't think he understood the question)
The Month of the Year I Like Best Is: April 
Because: It is the children's month, our month. 

Jonatan writes to you and greets you! I am very well! I know you will reach your dream! Someone told me about a child who had an accident and it was so sad. I want to thank you for the clothes that you sent me. I thank you for your letter with the photos. It is so lovely to learn from you and it is something really special! 

I would love you to help me to pray that God blesses my entire family and that God keeps protecting me and helping me. I say goodbye with lots of hugs and kisses. I am fond of you! This is the bible verse I have to share with you, Psalm 128:4. Blessings! 

Jonatan Caleb

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Now, a variation on the same letter from Daniel. He is 10 years old.

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Hello my dear sponsor! I write to you and greet you! 

I want you to know about my preferences. My favorite bible story is Daniel in the lion's den. What I know to do best is singing. My favorite sport to play is soccer. My favorite TV channels are TNT and Animal Planet. The month of the year that I like best is June because it is my birthday month. To answer your question, yes, I accepted the Lord into my heart! It was when they took me to a service in the center. At that time, the pastor was praying for people and called people to give their heart to the Lord and I went in front and since that time, God received me. I want to thank you for such lovely letters that you have sent me and such a lovely present. I send you a verse with great fondness, Psalm 34:7. I say goodbye with lots of fondness and hugs. 

Daniel

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First Letter of the Year from Abu

Mail from Abu has been super slow, recently! But, honestly, that was to be expected. Abu lives in Sierra Leone, which I'm sure you've been hearing about in the news lately. Sierra Leone was the country hit the hardest by the Ebola epidemic. Governments instated curfews that people had to be home by each day and schools were closed, indefinitely. All children in Sierra Leone, essentially, are an entire year behind in their education now. As you can imagine, mail delivery was greatly affected, as well. I have been sending letters to Abu, of course, but with no idea if the letters had been getting to him. After reading Abu's letter, it seems that he wasn't getting all, or even most, of them.

Abu is 13 years old.

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Dear Kayla, 

Abu-Bakarr, with his family, thanks you very much for your support. It's been so long without seeing your letter. Ebola has gone and they are now attending school. All schools have opened again. 

His birthday party was alright and he has good health. They have started classes and he said that you are very special to him and his family. May the Lord bless you, Kayla. 

The 10th of May, 2015 made him 13 years old and his very proud to start Junior Secondary School very soon. Thank you for all your support given. 

Your Child, 

Abu

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Letters from East India

During the last week of July, I have received several letters, but had several other posts scheduled at the time. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on posting, a little bit this week. This week, I got three letters from East India, two of them from my girl Nandini, and the other letter from Swapna. Awhile ago, I asked all of my kids if they had accepted Jesus as their savior. The answers are beginning to trickle in. I'm glad to hear the good news in these letters! I will share them now:

Nandini's letters are written a month apart from each other. Nandini is 9 years old. This first letter is dated April 18th, 2015.

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Dear Kayla, 

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus. I am fine here and I hope and pray that you are also fine over there. Thank you very much for your love, prayers, and support. I am regularly going to school and the child development center. We had an awareness program on swine flu. Thank you very much for the sticker and card. We have three colors in our flag. Our National bird is the peacock. Our capital city is Delhi. August 15th is our independence day. Our house is made of mud and tiles. I sleep in a bed. We have electricity. We have water boring near our house. 

Your Loving Child, 

Nandini

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Her next letter is dated is dated May 25th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

Greetings to you in the sweet name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am fine with my family. Thank you very much for your love, prayers, and support. I am regularly going to school and to the child development center. We have a singing group in our church. We do celebrate Christmas with a program. Many people join us over there. Thank you for the beautiful Christmas photograph. I got a pass in all my subjects. Thank you for your valuable prayers. I have received Christ as my personal savior. My family members do not know Christ. I believe in Christ and read the bible. Thank you for the beautiful stickers. Please pray for my bright future. 

Your Loving Child, 

Nandini

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Now, onto Swapna's letter. She is 17 years old. Her letter is dated June 23rd, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you are keeping well by the grace of God along with your family. I received your beautiful letters. Thank you so much for your love and care. Now here, it is the rainy season. I liked your story. We also have many popular children's stories. I will write a story in my next letter. Yes, I received Jesus as my personal savior. He saved me from many dangers. I liked the Valentine's Day card and stickers very much. We celebrated Yoga Day on the 21st of June in our country. Now I am getting ready for B.A final exam, which I will start on July 21st. I enjoyed a lot my cousin brother's marriage. I pay for you regularly. Please pray for me and write to me. 

With Thanks, 

Your Sponsored Child, 

Swapna

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Step Into My World: Rural Indonesia

Let's step into rural Indonesia today! From the pictures that I've seen of Indonesia, the rural setting is absolutely beautiful!

I have one child in Indonesia:

Sagitaria

Compassion doesn't work in one or two specific places in Indonesia, but instead, works all over the country, which is made up of 17,000 islands! However, only 6,000 of those islands are inhabited by people. But, that's a lot of space for Compassion to cover.

Homes in rural Indonesia are typically shanty style homes made with thin slats of wood and have iron roofs. These homes are not good at protecting the families from Indonesia's extreme rainy season. Leaking roofs and flooding floors are a normal way of life for families in these areas. These homes, generally, do not have access to running water or adequate sanitation. Some, however, do have electricity, but not all. 

Cooking in these homes is over a wood burning stove. These ovens are not properly ventilated and many people develop respiratory diseases due to constant smoke inhalation. Though, cooking in this country is a very important activity. Family members come together to cook and eat. It's an important family activity. 

The literacy rate in rural Indonesia lags severely behind the literacy rate in the bigger cities. This is due to the fact that schools are few and far between outside of the cities. Many children do not attend school at all. Those that do attend are often in for a long walk into the city to reach the nearest school. These walks can often being dangerous, especially for girls, who are can be seen as targets for abuse and exploitation. Compassion teaches children to walk to school in large groups, for safety. 

In these rural areas, farming is often the only way for families to earn money. Typically, each family has a plot of farmland near their own that they tend themselves. Families rely on their harvested crops for food. Anything extra can be sold in a nearby market. Young children that aren't old enough to attend school either follow their parents into the fields or they are left at home, to entertain themselves. Child neglect is a huge problem in rural Indonesia. 

At their local Compassion project, children are taught that they are valued, loved, important, and have a bright future. Children are taught various skills to help raise a positive self esteem. Some of these activities include: music, speech, handicrafts, art, and sports. In this photo, some girls are rehearsing a praise song together. 

Of course, the Compassion staff at each project also provide the children with tutoring and homework help before and after school. Compassion works very hard to make sure all children enrolled in the program receive a quality education, to help them secure a better future. 

Rural Indonesia has the following prayer requests for their projects and children: 

- Pray for the children who grow up away from their parents, who sometimes leave the community to find work. 

- Pray that the church will be able to teach Christian values to the children. 

- Pray that parents will recognize the value of education and support their children's academic pursuits. 

I will now share two children with you who are waiting for a sponsor. Both of these children live in rural areas of Indonesia. 

This little guy is Putra. He is 4 years old. His birthday is September 29th, 2010. He lives with his father, mother, and 1 sibling. Putra is too young attend school, but will start soon. For fun, he likes to play cars. He also enjoys attending church activities. 

You can sponsor him here

This precious girl is Princess (yes, that's her real name). She is 6 years old. Her birthday is June 24th, 2009. She lives with her parents and 1 sibling. She has average performance in kindergarten. For fun, she enjoys singing and playing with dolls. 

You can sponsor her here