My Compassion Journey



This is only half of the story. About a year after I had
started sponsoring with Compassion I heard about their correspondent program
being run out of the US for children sponsored by companies or people who
didn’t write. They were short of correspondents and were asking if anyone would
be interested in being a correspondent to a child. I loved writing letters and
making various paper crafts for my sponsor children so I asked if an Australian
could be involved. After a bit of paper shuffling my first correspondent child
arrived and my new journey began. By this stage I was corresponding with about
10 children monthly and enjoying every minute of it. That 10 continued to grow
and grow, then Australia also started the correspondent program and I joined
their team of Australian correspondents as well. Soon my 10 had grown to 20 and
it was time to put some systems in place so I could ensure I didn’t miss a
child each month. Over the years I have refined my system, every child has a
journal I put their letters in to cherish and reread. I use a spreadsheet to
track letters as they come in and as I reply to them. I now have around 100
children I wrote to each month, those
who send letters that month I write a hand written letter in return or a
personal reply emailed for the US children, all the other children get a
general emailed each month that is tailored to their age and situation. I love
making collages with photos for the children around whatever their letter is
about, sometimes photos of my family, places we have been or science events
like aruras or super moons. For the younger children I create lap books about
all sorts of things and incorporate Bible verses and explanations. I use the
emails as devotions for the older children and they in turn send me their
devotions back. Such wisdom comes from the most unexpected children at times, I
never cease to learn from them.
If you are not a person who writes easily maybe start with a
post card, just something about where you live or what you do, it doesn’t need
to be something spectacular, all it need to be is a symbol of your love and
care for the child, let God work through your words and I can assure you, you
will be amazed and blessed by the children as they write to you and build a
relationship with you.
Many of my children have written that they keep everything I
send and every letter is a special place or box, many seem to keep them in a
box under their beds and they reread the letters again and again sharing them
with their family and friends. I have heard of children when faced with a
natural disaster will go back for their letters and that may be the only thing
they try to save. Please write to your children it is far more important to
them than the money you send. Your love can change their world forever.
Matthew 25:40
And the king will answer them, 'I tell you the truth, just
as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you
did it for me.'


I was also horrified as we drove through a brothel area in
Manila on our way north at 4 am in the morning to see street after street of
these brothels with their vulgar balloons flying and beautiful little girls no
more than 4-5 years old dressed in silk gowns sitting outside waiting for
customers. It broke my heart I just wanted to stop the bus and kidnap them all.

18-11-17