I do this type of post weekly on my other blog, Daily Bread, and thought it might be a good format to introduce you to a bit of my recent experience in Nicaragua. For more (non-Compassion) photos of my trip, feel free to drop by Daily Bread.
taking a moment to find joy in the little things
{pretty}
 |
| the church that hosts NI 111 Compassion child development center |
 |
| all around the project there were desks and bikes |
 |
| one of the vocational training programs is cosmetology ~ we got to see girls practicing their manicure and nail painting skills |
 |
| Maria ~ wearing her prettiest dress to meet us. Maria is my mom's sponsored girl. |
 |
| my beautiful Josseling, whom I've sponsored for 12 years |
 |
| Ana ~ sponsored by my very good friends. We met her on their behalf and she was so sweet. |
{happy}
 |
| Kerlint (my mom's boy) and Kendry (my boy) playing on the slide at Tip Top (think McDonald's playland). They had so much fun climbing to the top and sliding down. |
 |
| Kendry with the bike he got through Compassion |
 |
| These boys were writing letters to their sponsors. I asked them if they enjoyed writing and they all said yes. We talked a bit about their sponsors and it was heart warming to see this other side of letter writing. |
{funny}
 |
| I saw this "graffiti" on the door at the Compassion project. I asked my Josseling if she did it and she sheepishly nodded yes. |
 |
| This is Kendry when he was younger - in some sort of little mermaid play. They had this (and several other funny photos) hanging on their wall. He wanted us to take photos of them. |
{real}
Nicaragua is full of poverty. Every where you look you see the reality of living with so much less. We had the opportunity to visit each child's home and really get an inside look of their lives. These photos were all taken at the homes we visited...these are glimpses into the lives of our sponsored children.
This trip has given me much to think about. I'm so thankful for the lessons God teaches me about life and faith through these experiences. I simply love the work Compassion is doing and came back with the message that Compassion is truly doing what they say they are doing. They are investing in children's lives at the ground level and making a long-term difference through holistic child development. It's not a quick fix, but takes time and will make a difference in years to come. My own sponsored child, Josseling, is 17 now and has just started college. Because of sponsorship and her involvement with Compassion, she has a bright future.
Kassandra and Rodrigo live in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragau...the area where we visited. They need sponsors. Kassandra has been waiting for 7 months. She'll be 13 in April. Rodrigo also has a birthday in April and will be 10. Would you help me in getting these two sponsored?
