my heart is full
I had the incredible privilege today of meeting Vicky Mwikali, the 9 year-old girl that I sponsor through Compassion International. We have written letters back and forth for the last 3 and a half years, but I never dreamed that I would be able to meet her. I wish I could explain how nervous I was when we drove up... I spotted her in the crowd of children, bent down, and asked, "Vicky?" and she gave me a BIG hug! It was an instant bond. One of the Compassion social workers from her project (Monicah) came with her, so she introduced herself and told me how excited Vicky had been to be here today. I felt completely overwhelmed. Here's a picture right after we met...
We all headed into the Nairobi Safari Walk, which is basically a zoo, except that you can get much closer to the animals here! She held my hand the entire time, and we had so much fun. Vicky is very shy, and doesn't speak much English, but she understood most of what I said and asked, so it all worked out. When either of us got confused, Monicah was right there to translate. Monicah let me know that Vicky's mom sent her blessing, and she even showed me some pictures of Vicky's house on her camera! We took a LOT of pictures today.
While I talked to Monicah, she explained Vicky's home situation. Her father died not long after she was born, and she lives at home with her mother. She has four brothers and sisters still living, and one of her brothers died in December. She lives in a very rural area, and was very malnutritioned when she entered the Compassion program. Monicah explained that Vicky technically lives too far to be a part of the program, but they saw what great need she had and registered her anyway. Vicky lives 7km from the project, and she walks an hour and a half to get there every Saturday. She has a few friends that she walks with, but I can't imagine what that must be like.
Vicky is in class 3 at school, and Monicah said that she has progressed very well since she entered the program. She is much healthier, and her mom now has a job that is helping to provide for them. With some of the money they have received as birthday and Christmas gifts, they have been able to purchase mattresses for their home, goats, clothes, and other important items. Through Compassion, her mother has been able to start her own vegetable kiosk to sell some of what they grow. Monicah said that if it weren't for Compassion, she couldn't imagine Vicky's situation.
I'm writing this to you because YOU can make the difference in the life of a child. Sponsoring a child through Compassion helps to Release Children from Poverty in Jesus' name. Vicky is slowly but surely being released from poverty, and she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. Just $38 a month has changed her life, and it honestly has nothing to do with me. Compared to what we spend frivolously on so much, this amount is hardly anything.
Writing letters back and forth is a huge part of the success of Compassion, and many children are encouraged and inspired by their sponsors. There are so many who don't hear how beautiful they are or that they are loved by anyone, including their parents, so their sponsors are very important to them. It was an incredible privilege to meet and spend time with Vicky today, and to take her some gifts for her and her mom.
I could honestly keep writing for what seems like forever, but I still have a lot more to process. Please let me know if you have any questions about Compassion. I would love to share more with you. My heart is so very full after today, but I realize the great responsibility we have to take care of these children. Won't you consider being a part of what God is doing?
We all headed into the Nairobi Safari Walk, which is basically a zoo, except that you can get much closer to the animals here! She held my hand the entire time, and we had so much fun. Vicky is very shy, and doesn't speak much English, but she understood most of what I said and asked, so it all worked out. When either of us got confused, Monicah was right there to translate. Monicah let me know that Vicky's mom sent her blessing, and she even showed me some pictures of Vicky's house on her camera! We took a LOT of pictures today.
While I talked to Monicah, she explained Vicky's home situation. Her father died not long after she was born, and she lives at home with her mother. She has four brothers and sisters still living, and one of her brothers died in December. She lives in a very rural area, and was very malnutritioned when she entered the Compassion program. Monicah explained that Vicky technically lives too far to be a part of the program, but they saw what great need she had and registered her anyway. Vicky lives 7km from the project, and she walks an hour and a half to get there every Saturday. She has a few friends that she walks with, but I can't imagine what that must be like.
Vicky is in class 3 at school, and Monicah said that she has progressed very well since she entered the program. She is much healthier, and her mom now has a job that is helping to provide for them. With some of the money they have received as birthday and Christmas gifts, they have been able to purchase mattresses for their home, goats, clothes, and other important items. Through Compassion, her mother has been able to start her own vegetable kiosk to sell some of what they grow. Monicah said that if it weren't for Compassion, she couldn't imagine Vicky's situation.
I'm writing this to you because YOU can make the difference in the life of a child. Sponsoring a child through Compassion helps to Release Children from Poverty in Jesus' name. Vicky is slowly but surely being released from poverty, and she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. Just $38 a month has changed her life, and it honestly has nothing to do with me. Compared to what we spend frivolously on so much, this amount is hardly anything.
Writing letters back and forth is a huge part of the success of Compassion, and many children are encouraged and inspired by their sponsors. There are so many who don't hear how beautiful they are or that they are loved by anyone, including their parents, so their sponsors are very important to them. It was an incredible privilege to meet and spend time with Vicky today, and to take her some gifts for her and her mom.
I could honestly keep writing for what seems like forever, but I still have a lot more to process. Please let me know if you have any questions about Compassion. I would love to share more with you. My heart is so very full after today, but I realize the great responsibility we have to take care of these children. Won't you consider being a part of what God is doing?
Comments
We have a child in Kenya too -- what Compassion project does yours attend?
7kms.... unimaginable.