Look at this face!
I want to introduce you to Miguel. He was our first sponsored child with World Vision. Yesterday we received this great letter from him with an additional photo. I can’t help but smile each time I look at his precious face.
Not only does he make me smile, he melts my heart. Do you know what he answered when he was asked what he was most thankful for? “Mi patrocinador.” (My sponsor.)
So, I’m packing my suitcase and preparing to leave this weekend. Clothes are in, plus one hundred packets which include two crayons, a lollipop, a sticker, and note-card that were packaged by one of the Sunday School Classes at our church.
Helping the children
So many children in Bolivia need sponsors. Children whose lives we can change. Families we can help to have clean water, healthy food, and medical care. Communities we can improve through nutrition, health care, and education. Changes which World Vision implements that will make a difference for generations to come.
Will you consider sponsoring a child through World Vision?
When you sponsor a child you will receive a welcome packet that is filled with helpful information. You will also receive several copies of your child’s photo.
Rev and I keep one on the refrigerator and another with our prayer journal.
I can’t wait to meet the other Bolivia Bloggers and the representatives from World Vision. We have already enjoyed a couple of fun, energized phone calls. (Speakers/writers are never lacking for things to talk about!) What a great group of compassionate people!
Bloggers give back
A huge thank you to World Vision for taking this team to Bolivia. I know that from this time forward my life will be forever changed. My family has been blessed to have all of our needs met over the years. It’s time for us to help meet the needs of those who struggle without the many blessings we enjoyed. If we each help just one child, think of the difference we can make.
Please join me each day next week as I will do my best to share this journey with you. I’ve been told we may be given guinea pig to eat. I can’t wait to tell you about that!
Will you please leave a comment to let me know you’re joining me? Just knowing you are joining with me will be a huge blessing!
You can also follow a little more about the trip from my perspective at Counting My Blessings, and follow the entire team at Bolivia Bloggers.
Bye bye por ahora!
Written by Deb, wife, mom, “gram,” and busy blogger at Counting my Blessings. Deb is also a contributing editor at 5 Minutes for Faith.
Many thanks to you all. So very excited to leave in the morning. My bags really are packed now. Spending the evening at home with Rev, then a nap, and off to the airport. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement. They bless me!
I am so unbelievable PROUD of you Mom!!
I pray you have a wonderful trip; and, come back to us safe with lots of stories to tell.
I know you will be amazing in Bolivia, you bless everyone around you.
I will be following you throughout the week.
I love you, be safe; and, by all means HAVE FUN!
Awww…. how wonderful that you started you sponsoring a child! It is truly a rewarding experience. I sponsor 1 child through Compassion International and 4 children through World Vision…. and I’ve had the opportunity to see the impact of the work Compassion International is doing in person, but I’ve never had the opportunity to see the impact of World Vision in person. So please be the eyes and ears for all of us!
(”Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act.”- Proverbs 24:12)
I hope that bloggers will provide insight into the nitty-gritty details regarding how money is used but also give a personal face/story to the work World Vision is doing in Bolivia.
People need to realize that the faces on those welcome packets and World Vision’s website are real…. The wonderful thing about World Vision is it gives global poverty- a name, a face, and a story. Once there is a face attached to global poverty- it becomes less easy to ignore even from the comforts of your Western world living room.
Will you be able meet you your sponsored child? (That would be a wonderful blog). I’m also hoping that World Vision will not only show the actions of their World Vision ADP’s in Bolivia- but also what life is like for those not living in World Vision’s ADP’s in Bolivia.
I’ll be praying for the blogging team! I know that some of you may have your heartbroken… Although God heals the hearts of those of us- who have our heartbroken for the poor.But you may come to realize that you may never want your healed again.
We wish you well and can’t tell you enough, how brave we think you are! Not just because of the trip to Bolivia, but how you deal with all of life’s challenges with faith, love, and a desire to make”somethingh good come out of something bad!” Deb, good luck and God Bless!!!
Have an awesome trip! I look forward to reading the posts!
Deb, what an adventure awaits you. I have a feeling that eating guinea pig won’t be the most noteworthy. I look forward to sponsoring a child through World Vision. What a great addition learning about our Bolivian sponsored child will be to our world geography unit. Thanks for sharing the trip with us!
I’m so excited to “follow” you on this journey! My family sponsors a child from Bolivia–Rene from Casilla, La Paz. He shares his birthday with our oldest son, and they will be 8 years old on August 6. We hope that we can somehow meet him someday! I will be praying for you and the others throughout your trip. 🙂
Oh Deb, I am over the top excited for you. I’ve been praying and will definately be following along on this amazing journey with you!
Deb, you are so blessed to be going on this journey and experiencing what is it to whole heartedly give your compassion as a gift to these people. I’m such a sap already, but I can’t help but tear up when I read everything you’re excited to encounter with these people. I feel like everything happens for a reason, as cliche as that may sound, but this journey definitely is going to change your life. Good luck and God bless!
We sponsor a child from Bolivia- Gladis and are trying to get to sposor one of her 3 brothers also..waiting for a response- i just received a new picture and letter from her also (same as yours pictured above)- Not sure who youwillget to meet there, but if yousee Gladis (8 yrs old) please tell her her sponsors love her and hope to one day meet her.
Steve and Courtney M.
Have a great time!
Awww, Deb… you’re so kind. And our team wouldn’t be complete without you and 5 minutes for mom. Can’t wait to meet you, too. (And I’m seriously crossing my fingers the guinea pig thing doesn’t happen)