Armor of God Series - introduction

It's been a while since I've shared a letter writing post, but I've recently decided to write another series to my Compassion kids and thought I'd share the letters here as well. I share these here so that you can be inspired and encouraged to write to your own sponsored children. Feel free to use as much of this letter as you want when writing to your own kids.

Greetings from Oregon!

     How are you? We are well. Today are enjoying a day of warmer weather and lots of sunshine. Normally during this time of year it rains a lot. We are very happy when the sun decides to come out and warm things up. All the rain allows for all the beautiful flowers to grow and this is one of the most beautiful times of the year. We have trees blooming that have so many blooms they look pink! I'll include a photo for you to see.

     When I was younger and still in school, my brother, mom and I would eat breakfast together every morning. We would do a quick Bible study and pray together. We would our time together each morning by putting on the armor of God, which is found in Ephesians 6:10-18. It didn't take long for me to memorize this passage, and I still remember it to this day. Have you ever read these verses?

     "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. "

     Have you ever thought of your relationship with God as a fight or a battle? Most soldiers wear some sort of armor when they go into battle so that they have protection when the enemy attacks. When we become children of God, we enter into a battle with God's enemy - Satan or the devil. Satan hates God and wants to us to hate God too. We must put on armor - God's armor - to protect ourselves and our relationship with Christ. I'll be talking about each piece of armor mentioned in the passage above in my next few letters, but today I just want you to know that I am praying for you and for your protection against the evil one. Would you also pray for my family and our protection?

Love, Jill ( and Kevin, Sydney and Kayleigh)

Learning About Australia!

We spent some time learning about Australia, with a short visit to New Zealand. Our booklist was inspired by Give Your Child the World:

Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan

Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French

Diary of a Baby Wombat by Jackie French

Over in Australia by Marianne Berkes

Big Rain Coming by Katrina Germein

Possum Magic by Mem Fox

Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox

The Biggest Frog in Australia by Susan Roth

I loved the aboriginal dot paintings in Big Rain Coming, and Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas about New Zealand was really fun! The kids loved Diary of a Wombat and Diary of a Baby Wombat.

Juanito's narration:

The wombat ate grass, and slept, and found the perfect dustbath. And he found new neighbors; the new neighbors had oats and carrots and the perfect scratching posts. And she dug a hole under the ground to be closer to the neighbors.
- Diary of a Wombat

Rosie's narration:

The baby wombat wanted to eat flowers and he wanted to play. He found the baby. They played a game. The baby wombat was trying to get a new hole. They digged a new hole, it goed to the neighbor's house. The new hold was inside, in the baby's room.
- Diary of a Baby Wombat

We made anzac biscuits for co-op!

For co-op activities, we played Mr. Crocodile and then created traditional aboriginal dot paintings, inspired by the artwork in Big Rain Coming.

And that wraps up our school year!

Here are the previous countries in the series:

China

Spain

Tanzania

France

Colombia

Ghana

Italy

Thailand

Peru

India & Pakistan

Mexico

Brazil

Central and Southern Africa

The Middle East

Japan

Central America

Northern Europe

Canada & Arctic

The Caribbean

Russia

West Africa

Argentina

Korea, Indonesia & the Philippines

About Hannah Hinojosa...Hannah is a long time Compassion sponsor and writes about her sponsorship journey at Because of Shamim. In addition to being a wife and mother, she is a part-time math professor and loves to read.

Learning About Korea, Indonesia & the Philippines!

Most of our books were about Korea, but since we have Compassion children in Indonesia and the Philippines, I wanted to also visit them! Our booklist was inspired by Give Your Child the World:

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park

Firekeeper's Son by Linda Sue Park

My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits

Dear Juno by Soyung Pak

Goyangi Means Cat by Christine McDonnell

Jin Woo by Eve Bunting

The Twins' Blanket by Hyewon Yum

Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina Lazo Gilmore

Pan de Sal Saves the Day by Norma Olizon-Chikiamco

A Crocodile's Tale by Jose Aruego

Juanito loved A Crocodile's Tale since the main character had his name (in addition to the story being fun!). He also really enjoyed Firekeeper's Son and Pan de Sal Saves the Day. Rosie loved Cora Cooks Pancit, and the illustrations are just gorgeous, with a recipe in the back! And Bee-Bim Bop! was a favorite with everyone, including José, since the book rhymes; it also includes a recipe, and I want to buy both books now for future reading and reference!

Since we sponsor Jenny in Indonesia and Earl John from the Philippines via Compassion, we wrote to them and spent some time watching Compassion videos!







Juanito's narration:

Juan salva el cocodrilo. El cocodrilo quiere comer Juan. Vieron una canasta, y la canasta dice, "Puede comer Juan." Luego, vieron un sombrero, y el sombrero dice, "Puede comer Juan." Y Juan dice, "¡No! Permíteme a pedir el mono." Y el mono salva Juan. Y Juan dice a su papi, "Sembra arboles de bananas."
- A Crocodile's Tale

Rosie's narration:

Cora lame la cuchara. Cora quiere ayudar la mami cocinar. Cora quien cocinar pancit. Ella come un mordisco de pollo. Las hermanas grandes de Cora fueran afuera. Ella mezcla y se cayeron champiñones. La familia comieron pancit y le gustaban. Cora se siente feliz.
- Cora Cooks Pancit

We made Korean beef bowl, eggplant stir-fry, and chicken curry! All of these were based on recipes I often make. And the for co-op snacks, we bought rice buns filled with meat from the local Filipino market! And litchi jellies!

For co-op activities, we created Filipino Sarimanok birds and Indonesian Batik art! I also found these fun coloring pages of traditional Filipino clothes!

Next we are heading to Australia, the last country for the year! I had originally planned on "visiting" Ethiopia and Egypt, but we'll head there in the fall when we study Ancient Civilizations.

Here are the previous countries in the series:

China

Spain

Tanzania

France

Colombia

Ghana

Italy

Thailand

Peru

India & Pakistan

Mexico

Brazil

Central and Southern Africa

The Middle East

Japan

Central America

Northern Europe

Canada & Arctic

The Caribbean

Russia

West Africa

Argentina

About Hannah Hinojosa...Hannah is a long time Compassion sponsor and writes about her sponsorship journey at Because of Shamim. In addition to being a wife and mother, she is a part-time math professor and loves to read.

Belky in Colombia

Belky Tatiana Ortega

October, 3, 1999

We began sponsoring Belky in February 2018. She lives with her mother, Elediz Viloria, who is not employed.  She also has a brother, Juan David. She attends Estrella Integral Development Center near Cartagena, Colombia. During our sponsorship, we received 13 letters.

Favorites:

• food - meat, rice and tomato juice / fried beef, coconut rice and strawberry juice
• color - black / blue
• subject - science
• animal - cat
• hobby - music and watching tv
• game - cards
• story - Joseph
• friend - Maithe

Belky is a freshman of Foreign Trade Administration, where she is studying to be a Trade Manager. She describes herself as happy, kind, easy going and intelligent. She dreams of traveling. She likes to walk with her friends and watch movies with her brother.

Sept 2018 - receiving medical treatment for skin rash

Her family has all heard the gospel and they are in process...she asks us to continue to pray for her family.

In December 2021, we received the news that Belky had completed the Compassion Program. 

Learning About Argentina!

We took some time in Argentina (with a few books about Chile and Ecuador)! Last year we looked at Colombia and Peru, and it would have made more sense to include Ecuador there, but I hadn't previously discovered certain books. Our booklist was inspired by Give Your Child the World:

On the Pampas by Maria Cristina Brusca

My Mama's Ranch on the Pampas by Maria Cristina Brusca

Gauchada by C Drew Lamm

Me Llamo Gabriela by Monica Brown

The Gullywasher by Rising Moon Editors

Up and Down the Andes by Laurie Krebs

We're Sailing to the Galapagos by Laurie Krebs

The Gullywasher is actually about about Mexican vaqueros (I hadn't read the description carefully enough!). The kids were fascinated by On the Pampas and My Mama's Ranch on the Pampas, and we had a great discussion about how calves are birthed and what cesarian-sections (in cows) are. I thought Gauchada was a beautiful book about Argentine culture and just loved this explanation:

Mate is a tea, and I drink it daily. My kids were surprised to learn that most people in the US don't drink it and that it comes from Argentina.

I spent a summer in Argentina, and it is a country dear to my heart. It was so fun to both take time to pray for my friends there and share some of what I love with my own children. We also took time to write to our Compassion children in Ecuador. We watched some travel videos about Buenos Aires and some of Planet Earth about the Galapagos. And I pulled out old photos to show the kids the Iguazu Falls!

Juanito's narration:

La niña va a visitar su abuelo y abuela y va a las Pampas. Y el abuelo traerlos en su camión a su prima. Y la prima tiene un caballo y después de un tiempo, la otra niña tiene un caballo. Y quiere un cinturón con coins y initials como un gaucho. Toman un huevo de ñandú y cocinarlo para un pastel para su abuela. Tienen una fiesta para su abuela. En la noche, la última noche, el gaucho muestra a las niñas las estrellas del Southern Cross. El último día, ellos le dieron relatos de un caballo y buckle con initials y un cinturón con monedas.
- On the Pampas

Rosie's narration:

Un guacho hace una collar de una luna. El gaucho bebe mate. El gaucho da un collar a la abuela. La abuela dale a la mami. La mami dale a la niña. La luna es para muchos amigos.
- Gauchada

I attempted to make empanadas, and we also had scalloped corn thanks to Extending the Table.

And then I made alfajores! Since Rosie can't have lactose, I also made coconut dulce-de-leche (it came out a little runny, so I made most of the alfajores with store-bought dulce de leche).

For co-op activities, we played a Chilean sidewalk game from Sidewalk Games Around the World.

Then, in addition to coloring pages (Argentina, Gaucho and dancer), we mimicked the artwork from Cuevas de las Manos.

Next we are heading to Asia!

Here are the previous countries in the series:

China

Spain

Tanzania

France

Colombia

Ghana

Italy

Thailand

Peru

India & Pakistan

Mexico

Brazil

Central and Southern Africa

The Middle East

Japan

Central America

Northern Europe

Canada & Arctic

The Caribbean

Russia

West Africa

About Hannah Hinojosa...Hannah is a long time Compassion sponsor and writes about her sponsorship journey at Because of Shamim. In addition to being a wife and mother, she is a part-time math professor and loves to read.

Learning About West Africa!

We had a great time in West Africa! Last year we looked at Ghana (where we correspond with three Compassion children), so the focus this year was on Burkina Faso and Togo (where we have four more Compassion children!). But we revisited some of our favorite books from our time in Ghana! Our booklist was inspired by Give Your Child the World:

You're Amazing Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Good Luck Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Anasi Does the Impossible by Verna Aardema

Anasi and the Moss Covered Rock by Eric Kimmel

Anasi Goes Fishing by by Eric Kimmel

The Water Princess by Susan Verde

Don't Spill the Milk by Stephen Davies

Two Ways to Count to Ten by Ruby Dee

The Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa by Don Brown

Porque Zumban los Mosquitos en los Oidos de la Gente by Verna Aardema

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul

I really loved The Water Princess, Don't Spill the Milk, and One Plastic Bag, as they show both some great glimpses into the culture and broach issues (like the struggle for water or recycling) but in a kid-friendly manner. And we love Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah about Emmanuel in Ghana! Juanito gets a kick out of Kimmel's Anasi books and José really enjoyed the animals in Two Ways to Count to Ten. And we have fallen in love with the Anna Hibiscus series.

We spent some time watching videos about Compassion's work in Burkina Faso and Togo. And then we wrote letters to our Compassion friends!






Juanito's narration:

Penda's mommy was going to bring the milk to daddy in the grasslands. But Penda wanted to carry the milk to daddy. She want past the desert, and past the dancers, and into a stinky fishing boat. and then she carried it past the giraffes, and up a hill to papa. But then a mango fell and all the milk splashed everywhere and they ate the mango. And then she brought back a piece of the mango for mommy.
- Don't Spill the Milk

Rosie's narration:

Gei Gei looked at the stars, and she said she's a princess. She woke up and she got water. She wanted the water to come to her, it did not come to her. She kicked the dust and she was worried. She walked to the water far away. She walked with her mama. They walked a long time. And they walked a lot and they played with friends. And the mami said come, and they walked home. They ate, they drank and she runned to the papi. She drank water. And then she went to bed. And that's the end.
- The Water Princess

We made gumbo from Burkina Faso, and peanut stew and cookies from Nigeria thanks to my favorite cookbook, Extending the Table. We also had mangoes and pineapple!

For co-op activities, we mimicked traditional adinkra printing, as well as spending time watching some of the Deserts episode of Human Planet.

Next we are heading to Argentina!

Here are the previous countries in the series:

China

Spain

Tanzania

France

Colombia

Ghana

Italy

Thailand

Peru

India & Pakistan

Mexico

Brazil

Central and Southern Africa

The Middle East

Japan

Central America

Northern Europe

Canada & Arctic

The Caribbean

Russia

About Hannah Hinojosa...Hannah is a long time Compassion sponsor and writes about her sponsorship journey at Because of Shamim. In addition to being a wife and mother, she is a part-time math professor and loves to read.

Our Compassion Corner

I recently created a "Compassion corner" in our school room/office. It has been a while since we've had any sort of visual reminder of our Compassion family, and I've gotten so many photo updates recently.

It was fun to create a collage of all the kids we currently sponsor and correspond with. I was tempted to add three more children to balance out the collage, but then had the idea to add a couple of the Compassion churches our kids attend.

I also made a smaller collage of the four kids who have March and April birthdays. This will help us remember to pray for them, and it will be easy to create a new collage for the kids who have May/June birthdays, etc.

Other ideas for the corner display include books that support or encourage the work of sponsoring children around the world, and a basket to collect change. We'll use this change to buy a special gift through Compassion's gift catalog.

It was so easy and fun to create this special display in our home. It has already served its purpose in helping create a visual reminder of our special friends around the world.