No Le Importa

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In addition to the heat and humidity that we’ve battled here in the Dominican Republic, on the first day we also encountered mud and puddles. As a woman invited us into her home, we each hesitated, trying to scrape the sticky clay-like mud from our shoes, before we walked into her small, but immaculate home.

“No le importa; no le importa. Venga. Sientse.” (“It’s not important”, she assured us. “Come in, come in. Sit.”)

She was wearing her best shirt, and her one-year-old son had a short-sleeved button-up shirt. When we arrived it was open, but as he sat on the implementer’s lap, his mom fussed with him, trying to button in that sweet baby belly. “No! Hace calor,” the implementer told her, as she waved her hand away. It was too hot to be buttoned up.

She was willing to sacrifice his comfort for him to look nice for the visitors. She was willing to sacrifice her floor to welcome us — muddy shoes and all. With the muddy paths throughout the neighborhood, I know that she had worked hard to get that floor clean, because I saw no trace of dirt anywhere. After we left, she would probably be on her hands and knees for hours removing the mud from the extra 6 pairs of shoes that crowded into her small home.

But to her — No le importa. It wasn’t important. What was important is that she offered us what she had. The people whom I have met here have modeled hospitality. They have little, but they love much.

People have sent me emails and left comments saying that I am doing an amazing thing. They’ve said that they are proud of me. It did take some sacrifice for me to come, but because of the support of my family and my conviction that this was what God wanted me to do, the choice was easy. Other than that, it’s not so amazing. The sacrifice — no le importa.

I will forever be changed, and I will forever understand that changing one child’s life makes a difference. The real hope is that because of my journey, others will come to understand that too.

If you’ve been moved by the work of Compassion this week, will you also show your support by clicking over right now and sponsoring a child for $32? I know that for some of you it’s a sacrifice On what do you spend $7 a week that “no le importa”? Fast food? Coffee? Shoes?

For some of you it will be a sacrifice. And for some of you God may be asking to sacrifice a little more by taking on another child. Take a chance on what is important, and watch your cares about what is not important fade away.

Sitting here beside my computer is a red construction-paper butterfly. A young girl had made them and passed them out to all of us. They say “Bienvenido (a) nuestros corazones. (Welcome to our hearts.). They don’t know anything about us, except that we are sponsors of Compassion children, and that because of people like us, they get additional help with their education, a nice lunch each day, hope in the form of Jesus’ love, and so much more.

They have already welcomed you into their hearts. Will you welcome one of them into your heart and your family?

Visit my Compassion Trip Page to see all of my posts from my journey and go to CompassionBloggers.com to read posts from all the bloggers on this trip.