SMILES IN KENYA

I started following a blog about an American mom who travels to Kenya with Compassion International.  Now I'm reading the blogs of 2 other people on the same trip.  I can't get enough.  The stories and photos are beautiful and full of joy and hope.  You must visit the links below.

Our family sponsors 3 children through Compassion.  Three years ago there was a ministry fair at our church and we stopped by the Compassion booth. We had our children pick out a picture of a child who needed a sponsor.  They were interested and we thought it would be a good experience to have our children write to them.  We knew that this was a good thing to do and that we would be blessing a family in less fortunate circumstances.  We have dutifully sent our monthly checks and several times a year we write letters and the kids color a picture and send a sheet of stickers to their child.  We include their names in our prayers around the dinner table.  And yet, it was not that personal.
Until I read these:

This Is Reverb » The day of spiritual jealousy…

In the Shoes that Share « Jonesbones5

We Are THAT Family: Day 3: Why I'm in Kenya

Thanks to these lovely writers who have changed my ideas about what it means to sponsor a child.

Here are our children.  I would love to go on a Compassion trip to meet them someday, but even if I cannot,  I want to know their little hearts.