17 posts tagged “compassion”

Evaline!

Evaline 06-09

Go read this.  You won't regret it.  I promise.

Remember way back when... I posted I had applied to go on a trip for Compassion?  Well, they left today for the Domincan Republic.  It was the trip to Uganda in February that led me to sponsoring Upendo.  So I'll be reading every last post this week.  Why don't you read as well?

We figured out what the denial from Social Security was – only a denial for SSI, which is temporary support while they process your claim.  I can see that benefit being denied.  We’ve had yet MORE paperwork to fill out on the disability process.

Our Disciple bible study talked about wonder last night.  There are now five of us taking the class.  We read parts of Genesis, Job, and a lot of Psalms this week.  A good portion of our discussion was around free-will vs. pre-determination, observation of the Sabbath, and our relationship to God.  I’m starting to feel more comfortable with the conversations, and to feel like I have something to contribute.  We had quite the chuckle as a group over Job telling God to “… gird your loins like a man…”  I am moved by some of my personal reflections, about being both a speck of dust but also God’s amazing creation in his likeness.  I was not totally prepared for this week’s lesson and briefly pondered not going last night.  I decided that nothing had changed from my original thought that I needed to make time for this class, and that I would go, prepared or not.  I can say that I got more out of this week than last, so that supports my instinct to go no matter what.  Next week’s lesson has the keyword “sin”.

I’m back on my “part time job” of being a frugal deal hunter.  I’ve been rolling register rewards like everyone else at Walgreens, stocking up on cold medicine and oral hygiene stuff.  I had two pretty great moments in the past two weeks.  For the first one, I got a loaf of bread, Food Lion’s On-the-go-Bistro Mac & Cheese, FL Crisp Crunch cereal, and a 2 liter of Mountain Dew… for a total of $0.03 out-of-pocket.  I used several free item coupons to make that happen.  The 2 liter was a filler to keep them from owing me.  Tuesday’s success involved a gift card I won by attending our United Way presentation at work.  It was a $10 Papa John’s card.  I combined that with a B1G1F coupon out of my 2009 Entertainment Book, and got two large one topping pizzas for $2.81, including tax!   I’m also restocking air fresheners, Gatorade, and deodorants.  I need to catch a toilet paper deal, so if anyone knows of one…  The Entertainment book has been very helpful so far; I already used the “get a $25 gift card…” one for CVS, and mentioned trading some of my sporting goods stores c/o to someone who wasn’t going to use her CVS one.  I brought my book to fellowship last night.  She didn’t bring me the one in her book (she says that will be next week), but brought me a $25 g.c. mailer from CVS.  Free $$!  I read blogs like Crystal’s, and others, when they talk about knowing the Lord will provide.  I can honestly say as I’ve started the Disciple class, and tried to center myself on doing the right thing now, and worry about tomorrow tomorrow, I am seeing HIM provide for my needs.  Wachovia has started an enhanced prescription drug benefit program for diabetics, which will take many of our Rx co-pays down, some to $0, for diabetes related medication.

Speaking of HIM, I received a ray of sunshine in my mailbox last week in the form of a letter from Upendo.  She is doing well.  I know now she has an older brother, and she attends church every Sunday afternoon.  I had started to worry a little bit about the letters slowing down, but this one was dated 7/30, so I think simply it’s taking longer for letters to come and go.  This letter responded to one I wrote in May.  She still has letters from 6/20, 7/7, 7/10, 8/4, 8/29, and 9/17 to receive.    I am still waiting for my first response from Birri.   My very first letter to her was on 7/14.   I’ve written three more times to her.  I found a deal for free photo printing that I will take advantage of to print some photos to send to both girls.   Some of the postings on Compassion’s blog talk about a pecking order for the children in the centers – kids who gets letters AND photos are viewed as more lucky/blessed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25757291/ ... it makes me so very sad.

Connor continues to enjoy soccer camp, although he came home early today due to a bit of dehydration – he forgot his water bottle and didn’t drink enough from the coolers they have.  He only missed an hour of camp but I feel bad. 

Our “kittens” celebrated their first birthday this past weekend.  Morgan has had a remarkable change of heart recently and has become something of a lap cat.  He even lets me pet his belly, which is amazing for him.  I’ve woken up several nights with one large purry lump on my side, and the other large purry lump on my feet. 

Compassion has added a picture of Birri to my account online – it was so nice to see her face, although she looks sad.  I was sharing with my mother about Birri and my dilemma about what to write.  Mom immediately starts rattling off what would have been the PERFECT first letter… talking about what an exciting time it is in her life to be about to be a grown woman and all the possibilities… and I sat there open mouthed at the discovery of how much I still have to learn about parenting mentoring.   Of course I don’t have teenagers of my own either.  Yet.  Even though my involvement with Compassion is supposed to about Upendo and Birri, I am still amazed at how much *I* am getting from it.  Now to remember the first lesson when I started writing to Upendo… these are not pen pals, and my letters matter whether I get one back from them or not.  But I must say I’m just about to BUST to hear from Birri.  Those are my favorite stories that Compassion posts, the ones about the kids and their letters.  I hope getting a sponsor letter will put a small smile on that pretty-but-sad face.  If she’s like Upendo, it will be early September before I hear from her at the earliest.  And it could be November/December. 

My kids have six weeks of summer left before school starts.  Where has it gone?  After his strep, Connor rebounded quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the remainder of his week of Cub Scout Day Camp.  We attended the closing ceremonies Friday and enjoyed our ice cream, the Indian dancing, and the skits the kids did.  This week he’s attending soccer camp thru the league he plays in.  Charles says he was very excited to get his new soccer ball (he goes up in size of the ball this year), and I suppose we’ll hear more (much!) tonite.  Before he started playing two years ago I didn’t even know there were different sizes to the balls.

Duncan and I had a scout meeting last night to prepare for resident camp next week.  This included his swim test.  There are nine boys going from Troop 749.  I’m really excited for him as I know they will have a marvelous time.  I just have to get him packed this week so he’s ready to be dropped off on Sunday at 11am. 

On the things-to-waste-your-time-on category, I have been back to visiting Where’s George again since I got a marked bill in March.  It’s a currency tracking project that is quite fun.  It costs nothing except your time in recording all the US currency (bills) that pass through your hands on their website.  I got a hit in Oregon today, my farthest hit so far.  I also got a hit in Gastonia, which is just right down the road.  My other semi-time-waster is the Gas Buddy website.  It helps you find the cheapest gas wherever you are.  I do my part by recording prices for the stations I pass near work every morning.

I discovered a new opportunity through Compassion this week by reading their blog… for kids whose sponsors don’t write to them, they take volunteers to write.  You run the risk that their sponsor will exit the program, and then you’d have to pick it up or let them transition to their new sponsor, but still… have I mentioned how much Compassion stresses the value of the letters, that they are as important as your financial contributions?  I saw this as an opportunity for me to continue to grow in the mentor role, and to let some child reap the return benefits, without taking on something else I can’t afford now.  So I emailed Compassion, and they put me on the waiting list, stating it was as much as three months waiting for a child needing a correspondent.  Imagine my surprise then when I logged onto the site to get their address (I’ve got a math workbook I’m mailing to Upendo) and saw I had been assigned a child to write to!   Her name is Birri, and she’s in Ethiopia.  She’s older (almost 18) and in the 7^th grade.  My first reaction was “Oh, wow, what do you say to a young adult?!”  But then it hit me that I didn’t know what to say to Upendo in the first letter either.  I would never have picked an older child, but I trust that God handed me what I needed.  I also saw in her profile how she likes singing & music – the last letter I wrote to Upendo I spoke about how much I enjoyed music and how often I see God reaching out to me through music.  I called this morning and spoke to a sponsor/donor representative with a few questions about her; she’s been in the program for 11 years.  I wonder if she has ever gotten a letter from the generous people who have sponsored her all this time.  It breaks my heart a bit, but hopefully my time and letters will help.  I mailed my first letter to her this morning.

With the food prices soaring, I know we are all feeling the pinch.  I myself have started hitting Aldi’s to get fruit and snacks.  It’s not in my normal travel pattern but I’m going once a week because of things such as bananas being $0.25/lb cheaper.  Bread is over $1.00 per loaf cheaper.  I spend time on sites like The Grocery Game and Hot Coupon World to find the best deals to keep my bill down.

I read a post on the Compassion blog yesterday that reminded me how lucky we still have it.  It talked about the Global Food Crisis and how much the rising prices and lack of supply are affecting third world countries.   What struck me was a post about a visit to Tanzania, near Arusha, which is where Upendo (the girl I sponsor in Tanzania) lives.  It discusses a mother who was sick and in the hospital, and her children had to choose between bringing her food at the hospital, or buying food for themselves.  What if this was Upendo’s mother?  Even though I know Compassion is doing a lot for her, is it enough?  It’s sobering to be jolted out of your fantasy that you are “doing the right thing” and discover it might not be enough….  When I started sponsoring Upendo in February, it meshed nicely with my personal philosophy of giving a hand up, not hand-outs.   I have reaped the benefits of my $32/month sponsorship in the spiritual growth from the letter writing she and I have done.  On days such as yesterday, God pushes me to grow a little more, as he nudges issues like this into my awareness.

On another note, I have a new goal… to raise $4,000 by November 8^th.  Why you ask?  So I could go visit Upendo in Tanzania.  Compassion regularly offers trips to the countries they serve, and Tanzania is up in February 2009.  ONLY $4,000.  I’m really hoping for a lucky lottery ticket so I could go.  Truthfully, I expect it will be the next trip, or the trip after that for me.  But if anyone has a spare 4K laying around…. I did apply to be considered for the next Compassion Bloggers trip to the Dominican Republic.  It occurs this November.   I don’t expect to be invited to go, but I’m passionate about getting others to reach out and sponsor these kids.  Plus, it makes me work harder to grow my writing skills and my readership.  It’s win-win, whether I get to go or not.  I’ve discovered as I share my journey with my friends that several sponsor children through Compassion and other organizations.  The T. family sponsors a little boy in China.  My friend T.G. sponsors a little girl in Thailand through Compassion.  If you don’t do it to be charitable, do it for yourself.

I'm just not very chatty.  I need to write long LONG posts and tell you about what I gave my DH for father's day, my latest letter from Upendo, where Mom's illness stands (radiation is DONE), and everything else that is going on.  But I'm too tired.  I'll get to it...