Compassion Joys: March

Another month down- it's time to share our Compassion Joys for the month of March!

Letters!

We got lots of letters this month!! I think we will have a bit of a slowdown soon because about a week ago, I asked for a screenshot of the letters that have been processed for me in March, and there weren't that many- which means we will probably be overloaded in April! This month, we heard from Amisha, Benji, Carlos, Elifagason, Elisha, Erick, Estha, Frainelyn, Jaki, Jayid, Jessika, Julian, Kaue, Laura, Marc, Merlyn, Michel, Mishel, Nejat, Patricia, Reine, Sandier, Sithum, Sukumar, Thanakan, and Vandana! And some of those were first letters, and sometimes we received more than one letter from those kids! Neat! 

Birthdays!

For the last several years, we've only had one March birthday. Now we have four! Happy birthday to Medilien (17), Amitie (16), Francisco (7), and Victor, who is now 19! 

New Kids! 

A few new correspondents showed up on our account this month! Welcome to Beatrice and Emmanuel T in Rwanda, and Medilien in Haiti! 

Sponsor-versaries! 

This month we celebrated two years of writing to Sandier in Honduras, and one year of writing to Mjay in the Philippines, Sithum in Sri Lanka and Austin in Kenya!

Photo updates! 

Three of our kids received photo updates this month! Rose in Kenya has grown like a weed, Pitchaya in Thailand is so handsome, and Patricia in Brazil has the most beautiful smile! We have several more kids who are on the cusp of being overdue for photo updates, so I can't wait to see what shows up in April! 

Gifts! 

This month I packed up a couple of gifts for some of our kids! I scored the opportunity to do a baggie swap with Katrina D. who is going to Bolivia this summer, and we packed a bag for Maribel! I was able to find a mini backpack about the same size as a gallon bag (it's actually a bit smaller!) and I am so excited to send these things to our pretty girl! I was able to fit the following: a t-shirt and sparkly leggings, a hat, a small stuffed animal, soap and a washcloth, a new toothbrush, pretty pencils, some fun kids' jewelry, and a Bible! 

I'm also doing a baggie swap with Marissa S., who is going to Peru this summer! I've already received Marissa's gifts for her Honduran kids, and now I need to mail my presents for Milder and Kevin! They are each getting a pencil bag with a shirt, a toy car, some school supplies, and candy! 

Extra Photos! 

This month we got some extra pictures of the kids! We got a picture of Carlos with his birthday gifts, and a picture of Patricia with a bunch of the letters we've sent her! I'll upload the picture of Patricia later when I get it scanned! 

Project Letters! 

Three fat envelopes of project letters have appeared in our mailbox this month, and it's been so neat reading about what's going on with all our kids and their neighbors! I've been posting some on here and will continue to do so over the coming weeks!

Miracles! 

I have the best story to tell! Well, it starts out a little sad. We have lost several correspondents in 2016 so far, and most of them were this month. Sharifa in Bangladesh and Alaiza in the Philippines moved out of the project area. Benji and Kevenel in Haiti and Mary P in Ecuador were all dropped by their financial sponsors, though a friend of mine picked up Benji's sponsorship and I will be able to continue writing to him through graduation. Anyway, I knew when I saw that Compassion called me at work about a week ago that another kid must have been dropped. I was devastated to hear that it was our much loved, very precious Victor in Kenya. We've had him for three and a half years, and I never would have guessed that his sponsor would have dropped him. Without hesitation, but WITH a lot of anxiety, I immediately called back and said that I would pick up his sponsorship. I had no idea where this money was going to come from, but there was no way that I was letting Victor go. He calls us his parents. He signs all his letters as our son. We LOVE him. He is part of us. I was upset and shaking my whole drive home, because I was worried how my husband would take the news that I had made a commitment like this without talking to him first and getting his advice and opinion. I was also worried that I was going to have to drop one of my other kids in order to keep Victor. That would be torturous. I asked my friends to please be praying for some financial provision in this matter, and that this issue wouldn't lead to disagreements between me and my husband. This all happened on Friday evening. The following Monday I was heading home from work after a really rough day, trying to keep it together and freaking out a little because we were so broke. Very out of money. It sucked. And then my phone made a noise telling me that I had an email from Compassion. I was notified that through a wonderful set of circumstances and some anonymous benefactors helping me out, VICTOR'S SPONSORSHIP WAS PAID FOR. All the way through graduation. Three years from now. I don't have to worry about coming up with the money to keep him. And I don't have to worry about anybody else dropping him, either. He is ours for keeps. One hundred percent completely taken care of. I am still shaking just talking about it!!! I am so thankful for this awesome way God has moved in our lives to keep our little family together. And I had so much fun writing a letter to Victor telling him all about it!!!