Thank you  for life.  Thank you for my family and love.  Thank you for the Children of Compassion. Lord, we lift these children up to you and ask that they would feel your presence.  That they would come to know you at an early age and know you all the days of their lives.  We pray for good health for their families and for your provision in their lives.  We lift up their countries, that they would rise above poverty and that their people would have new hope in industry and opportunity.  That they would be free to worship you and not settle for mediocrity.  I pray their governments would not be corrupt and that they would live to serve you.  I thank you for our beautiful sponsor child and pray that her life is annointed by you and that she is led to a life blessed with an abundance of you.  May she be a leader in her community and a woman of virtuous character.  We pray for her to rise out of poverty and to live a life that is fulfilling and reflective of you.  By your mercy, and grace, and love for us I pray.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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September was blog month for Compassion.  An assignment from Compassion was to write a letter about your sponsored child to God.  Our sponsor child in Nicaragua has been such a blessing to us.  In 2008 we traveled there on a Compassion Sponsor trip to meet her and spend time serving in the Compassion projects.

The projects served us.

They helped us to realize all that we have, and made us aware of how much we take for granted.  The opportunities in some places are so limited, people can’t find work, there is no money to pay for municipal services like trash clean up so there is trash everywhere in the streets.  In Managua the city was devestated by an earthquake in 1972 and decades later we could still see where roads had not been repaired.  The people are so poor (and if there is employment it is underemployment) that their homes are “lean-tos” constructed of sheet metal leaning against a broken building or tree.  There is so much apathy among the people; few vote and many spoke of the corruption in their political system.  Resources are so scarce that without the Compassion projects some children would go without food.

Our world needs prayer…  I once heard a pastor say “diligence is the price of freedom.”  So true.  We have a responsibility to be ever alert and engaged in our world to prevent apathy and mediocrity.  I pray for our nation daily and stay engaged in our political process.  And I am humbled and thankful for all that we have here in the United States.

At the country office.

Dancers from the local area.

Children from a project.

Our view from on-stage at a project.

One of our sponsored children.

Children dressed in local festive costume.