Hope's Call

Meeting Ana Maria

There are so many momentous events in our lives. I am sure if we thought about it, all of us could name a bunch...The day we got saved being foremost, and also our first vacation, graduation, marriage, children being born, etc.

I had a momentus occasion in my life recently and it was one I could have never imagined I would get to have! We had the incredible blessing of being on the mission field in Bolvia, South America with an awesome organization that I have talked about alot on our website, Compassion International. In the midst of that eye opening and life changing experience, our family got to meet the precious little girl we sponsor through Compassion, Ana Maria Flores.

WOW...Where do I begin to even express the joy and emotional overwelment I felt to hug 7 year old Ana Maria for the first time? We spent the entire day with her. It was one of the most precious days of my life. I will never forget the love in her eyes as she looked up into mine. I feel I have been given such a privilege to hold Ana Maria in my arms and to see first hand what an impact Compassion has on the lives of children and their families.

Their is so much about this trip that was LIFE ALTERING! I have always heard about 3rd world countries. I have heard about poverty. I have tried to envision what that picture looks like. My mind's eye fell far short. Poverty in Bolivia was so real and so much more than I imagined. Families live with 10 people on a dirt floor in a 10x8 room that they call home. They truly have little to nothing there. But poverty in Bolivia and across the world is more than not having financial means. It is having no HOPE and the greatest thing is that Compassion is giving and giving and giving and working and working and working so that this form of poverty is one that these people in these destitute areas do not have to suffer from. In much of the home visiting we did with these families, there was one very significant common thread that we noticed. The people whose children were in Compassion had HOPE. They did not have to experience poverty to the extent that they had no hope. They were smiling and showing JOY on thier faces. Their children had so many of their physical needs met which brought relief and help to these families, but most of all they are presented the kids with the gospel of Jesus and so many of them have gotten saved. Last year over 100,000 children trusted Christ through Compassion programs across the world. Many of the families have also trusted Christ and are attending the church where the Compassion program is active in their child's life during the week.

I cannot say enough about this ministry or our experience with them. There accountability is impeccable. They truly do what they say with the funds people share to sponsor children and they go well above and beyond even that. They are living out the WORD of God and Jesus' words to each of us. We are so honored to partner with them to help carry out that call.

Matthew 25:35-40 expresses what Jesus shared about reaching out to those in need. It is a WHOA moment when you think about the importance of this kind of ministry in the eyes of our Savior:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit.'Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Whether we can go across the world or in our own neigborhood, we CAN strive to reach out to those in need...especially those in GREAT spiritual need.

Sponsoring a child costs us about one dollar a day. A little sacrifice compared to the blessing we receive back because Ana Maria is in our lives.

I will never forget the day I spent with that precious little girl. Compassion provided an interpreter all day so I could talk to her. We shared alot of conversation, but the most important moment in all our little talks was when I asked Ana Maria if she knew Jesus as her Savior. She looked at me with a beautiful smile and said "YES, OH YES, I do, I do." To that I say, "Compassion, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!"

Donna
http://www.hopescall.com