A New Member of the Family

Tanzania Compassion Blogger Team {image courtesy of Keely Marie Scott}
Last week, two of our friends, Nester & Gussy, were in Tanzania along with other bloggers with Compassion International. The purpose of their trip was to visit the Child Development Centers and share their experience on their blog. It was more than just an experience. Read their words for yourself. Watch the videos. Look at all of the pictures.

It was life changing for me even though I stayed on American soil & watched it all unfold from my computer.

Sure, I wanted to support my friends who I knew were both a little apprehensive about international travel. I wanted them to know that I was behind them 100% and praying for them. So, I sat, and glued my blogger butt to my office chair for 9 days, tracking their Twitter updates and Instagram feeds. I was a little obsessive. I was supporting them the best way I knew how with the technology that we have. It was a big deal.

It was a big deal because they said “yes” to something that they first said “no” to – saying “yes” like that, and trusting that God knows what He’s doing, giving Him the steering wheel of your life – is a big deal.

Honestly, it’s something that we should do on a daily basis, isn’t it? To truly trust Him can be scary, but when you do, amazing things can happen.

Amazing things did happen because their big deal of saying “yes” to going on this trip changed me.

My purpose in life was, in Gussy’s words, being “STITCHED” and “MENDED” by Him.

{photo courtesy of Keely Marie Scott}

I saw a new meaning of HOPE through Kelli’s words.

{photo courtesy of Keely Marie Scott}

Each day the images and the words from all of the bloggers were stirring my heart, when Amy met her sponsored child, when Jolanthe was serenaded and when Scott encouraged us to be a part of the Compassion vision.

Then, Nester wrote about a giraffe gift & blue nail polish – both cut right into my heart.

{photo courtesy of Keely Marie Scott}

Finally, the real kicker for a mom with 3 boys just like Nester, when she met her sponsored child, Topiwo.

{photo courtesy of Keely Marie Scott}

I could go on and on. Grab a box of tissues, get comfortable and read all of them. After you read them, come back here and let me introduce you to a newest member of our family:

This is Elizabeth.

I couldn’t sit on my blogger butt and just read about what was going on in Tanzania and shed some tears. All of my excuses of becoming a Compassion sponsor flew out the window and I knew the stirrings in my heart could not go unnoticed anymore. I had to take action.

This was my comment on Nester’s Nail Polish, Bubbles and $38 post:

I chose her because of three reasons:
1) her name is Elizabeth {it is a family name & my first name – I’m one of those oddballs out there that goes by their middle name};
2) she is the same age as my son, Stone;
3) she had been on the sponsor list for 200+ days.

Thank you Nester & Gussy for saying “yes”.

Our family will have an opportunity to bless because we have been blessed. Elizabeth is a part of our family now through Compassion.

Compassion and Sponsors :: Releasing Children From Poverty in Jesus’ Name