Compassion in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic. It’s a little country in the Caribbean Sea that shares an island home with Haiti. It’s a land of contrasts, of fancy vacation resorts and abject poverty. It’s a land of hard-working people and bright-eyed children.

This week, from February 16-20, several notable bloggers have traveled with Compassion International to experience the DR for themselves. They are keeping a daily record of all that they do and see; the good, the painful, and the hopeful. I’d like to invite you to hop over to the Compassion Blog and check out what they’ve been up to!

http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/blog/adventures/a-mothers-heart

If you’re fascinated by what you read, and you’d like to take the step of sponsoring your own child from the Dominican Republic, please click on the link below:

Sponsor a Child in the Dominican Republic

Sponsorship is only $40 a month ($38 if you live in the States) and for that small amount, you can provide a child with food, education, medical help, Christian teaching, and hope for the future! (The good news is, if you sponsor a child through this link, I earn a family gift for one of my kids! So everyone benefits!)

Music Monday: Kings and Queens

Today's Music Monday features one of my favorite songs ever. I get chills whenever I watch the music video, featuring the band Audio Adrenaline and Haitian children from the Hands and Feet Project. This to me is the quintessential missions songs. Please enjoy and share!

January Joys

January of 2015 was a great month letter-wise! I started out by getting a letter from Ada, which was wonderful since I usually hear from her the least of all my kids.

                                             

She began by greeting me and wishing me peace from God. Then she thanked me for my monthly support and telling her my news. She told me she studies in Primary 4 and got good marks, and she will be entering Primary 5 this year! She also let me know that her family is doing fine. She added, “I pray for you to be with God all the time.” She wished me a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and thanked me for the photos I always send her and the “good letter” I sent her.  I had sent a letter about names and their meanings to all my kids, and asked them what each of their names meant. Ada told me the meaning of her Rwandan name: “Basomingera means to go deep in water.” She also told me that she prays “on seventh day.” Leave it to Ada to give me some interesting tidbits of information!

On January 19, Shakira celebrated her sixteenth birthday! Her sisters and friends planned a surprise birthday party for her, and I was blessed with several pictures of the event!

Then, I got a letter from Isimbi!

She began by greeting me in the name of Jesus Christ. Then she asked me how I and my family are doing, and told me that she and her family are all doing well. She says, “My brother and grandmother love you so much, and so do I.” She then shared some exciting news: She sat for her National Exams that end the Primary classes, and asked me to pray that she would pass them so she can continue on to high school! Wow, my girl is growing up so fast and I am so proud of her! She also said that they have grown beans. She also wished me a Merry Christmas and a “happy prosperous New Year.” And she thanked me for the letter and photos I sent her.

Overall, it was a great month for letters and news from my kids!