Feeling Compassionate?

Let’s face it. It’s February. Time for mushy, gushy love. Right? Well, yes, of course. February 14th is right around the corner. Like Thursday! But, I have an idea you might like…

I’m not talking about the juicy love for your significant other. I’m sure that will come at another time on another post. I mean what are you compassionate about?

Don’t take a snoozer yet. This is really cool stuff and maybe you will want to share some Compassion like this on February 14th.

Have you ever felt called to do something for others. We were for a long time. Dave and I knew that we wanted to sponsor a child. Why? Well, for many reasons. But, the first reason was answered prayers.

I’m not going to show you pictures of sick children.

I’m not going to show you pictures of unsanitary conditions.

Sure these kids get sick. Yes, they live in shanties. But, they are full of hope and love and have BIG dreams like all of us and want to get out of poverty. In fact, that’s the whole mission of Compassion International. How do I know this?

Getting That First Letter From Your Child

Our two sponsored children from Columbia, both age 13, write to us monthly. We sponsored our boy “O” first at age 8. He is now 13. We felt called again to sponsor another child. This time a girl named “V”, age 13. They tell us about their lives. They thank us personally for things we have sent them. They love on us just as much as we love on them.

It’s all through letters and pictures and sharing their dreams and hopes with us. Our kids go to school every day. Our donations give them their Bible, school materials, and food through their Compassion Church in Columbia.

“Releasing Children From Poverty”

Why Didn’t You Just Have Another Baby? Why Only 1?

Oh, how I love and hate this question at the same time. See, it took us 5 long years to have our boy. We were so full of excitement and love after God gave us Will and answered our prayers. We prayed so hard for him that it hurt. Somehow I knew I was always going to be a mom to a little boy. I just had it in my heart. My body finally cooperated and it was a boy!

Another reason only one baby, well my pregnancy was ROUGH! By the time I was about to give birth I had preeclampsia, which led to a heavy dose of medicines so I wouldn’t have seizures. All of this led me to a beautiful birthing moment which I will never forget. After all of the pushing and wanting to start to walk, I couldn’t feel my legs. For a long, long time.

I Couldn’t Walk. What In The World Was Happening To ME!?

Just imagine wrapping your legs around your head 5 times and sleeping like a pretzel with numbness and tingles. Just imagine having dark moments when all you could do was start punching your legs so hard because you were so mad at them for doing something medically that you just couldn’t understand. Oh sure, trips to the Dr.’s, neurologists, pins being stuck in my thighs. Rebuilding my body. Rebuilding my faith.

I felt unbelievably happy and unbelievably crushed at the same time

Here I was with the love of my life. My newborn baby and all I could do was sit and cry because I couldn’t walk. What a major pity party I had for myself. Regardless, pregnancy was tough and my body just couldn’t do it again. Our families love was full under our roof, but we wanted to give more to the world.

God had other plans.

Life moved on and my legs came back slowly. I was complete with our little one, but we felt driven to help other children who just weren’t as fortunate. We wanted to give back because of the answered prayers from God. So that’s when I went full on Einstein mode and started my research.

I had images of a chain smoker in a dirty undershirt stealing my money.

Yup, this person was draped in gold. Cigarette ashes flying through the air and piled up in the ash tray. Nope, this person didn’t even use an ash tray. But, boy they were the bottom feeders of the Earth. For the record, I have no idea why my mind does this. That’s what I pictured when we were about to do this.

Compassion International totally changed my thinking.

What Steps Helped Us Through All Of This?

1. I found two influential woman who also were involved in the Compassion Program. Lisa Leonard of Lisa Leonard Designs and Myquillyn Smith of The Nester
2. I researched companies that offer this type of program and compared.
3. I looked at the security of the whole process.
4. How will our family be able to connect with a sponsored child?
5. What is the financial amount we could afford to give?
6. Could we be consistent and write every month?
7. Can we sponsor more children if we were called to?
8. How can we involve their lives into our lives?

And for those new baby mama’s whose bodies say no to another baby and your heart feels content with that please know this!

It’s OKAY! Let me scream it again. “IT’S OKAY!” It does not mean that you’re the worst person in the world. Did someone write a rulebook somewhere that says that every woman is supposed to have children, or have more than one child? Let me tell you sister, there isn’t one. It’s what you can handle. It’s what your body can handle.

What it is not. It’s not what your Aunt Fran, or sister Nicole, or brother Tom want. It doesn’t matter what your parents want either. Ask yourself what you can handle.

I remember my mother-in-law saying to me, “You’re only going to give me one?” My response. “Yup.”

Whatever.

It’s not their life to live. It’s not your job to live for other people and raise a family for them. I’m preaching to tell you that you need to raise a family under your own roof. Amen to that!

So, if you feel it in your heart to give some Compassion to change lives for kids, then do it. I’m just sharing our calling. Honestly,maybe this post calls to you, or maybe you are called in a different way. Maybe you can read this post and say, “Oh, Alyssa has it covered.” Girlfriend, I have your back! Whatever it is for you, is for you!

This is not an affiliate link. This is just a true story pouring out of my heart. Link below to Compassion International

Compassion International