Project Letter: EC-160

Here's a letter from Jessika's project in Ecuador! All the photos came from Compassion's website.

My name is Rigoberto G. I am the project director of (EC-160) attended by your sponsored child. We work along with the Baptist Church in the community of San Francisco de Oyacoto, located in the province of Pichincha, in the Andean Highlands of Ecuador. Thank you for sponsoring Jessika. We feel strengthened by your prayers and constant support for the growth of this ministry, which is transforming lives and families, not only in the community of Oyacoto but also in different parts of our country.

An example is an eight year old girl who was recently sponsored. Her family has suffered big problems since she was a little girl. Now her father is in jail, so she lives with her mother and her four brothers. Psychologically she wasn't good because of everything she had been through. She was very troublesome and she didn't want to continue with her studies. Thanks to the center she received therapy with a psychologist and she has changed her behavior and way of thinking Now she studies a lot, smiles, plays and enjoys attending the center with her friends and to learn more about Jesus. She dreams of becoming a teacher.

A 17 year old teenager had a difficult childhood, because his father abandoned him. He lives alone with his mother because he is an only child. The Biblical teaching of the center has encouraged him to keep overcoming his problems. Soon, he will be graduating from high school and he wishes to enter college. He also receives guitar lessons to enter the worship ministry in our church. God has touched his heart and he started to assist in church services, Bible study, and youth meetings. He has decided to get baptized.

Our Lord has always been faithful to us and Compassion International has always supported us when we needed the most and the church has also participated. For a year we have been receiving an emergency help fund in order to build bathrooms because ours weren't enough. Thanks to this fund, we built more spacious bathrooms with a division and each one has four toilets, two showers, and two sinks.

I am a former sponsored and graduated child of the leadership program. I know the joy and the excitement produced in the children when they receive letters or pictures from their sponsors. Letters from sponsors encourage children to continue attending the center. To see these children brings me a lot of memories from my childhood. I am grateful for my sponsors and inspired to continue spending my time, my gifts, and my profession in the service of God and to this community. Thanks to the center we have 60 people attending church, 14 of them have been baptized and 4 are about to do so. 90% of the congregation is formed by sponsored or former sponsored children who are now involved in the different activities we are implementing.

We now know and understand the great opportunity Compassion provides tot he church through sponsorship. We are being supported by Compassion in order to reach families for Christ and expand the Kingdom of Heaven. Please continue praying for our center and for the church. Thanks again for sponsoring Jessika!




If you are interested in sponsoring a girl in Ecuador, please consider sweet little Evelyn! She lives in the highlands like Jessika, with her parents and four siblings. Read more about her here.

Mary P needs a sponsor!

I got a phone call from Compassion this afternoon informing me that our lovely Mary Paola in Ecuador has lost her financial sponsor. Unfortunately we are unable to pick her up at this time, but I have her on hold for a couple of weeks, in the hopes that I can find her a new sponsor among my family and friends. :)

We've only heard from Mary P, as I like to call her, once or twice, because letters can be a bit slow going to and from her project. Instead of being based out of a single church, like most Compassion projects, EC-261 is situated in the middle of the jungle, and is community based. Missionaries deliver the letters and pick them up in a little airplane, as I understand it. It really is a neat program, very unique, and very special. There is also a facebook group where sponsors who have visited this project share photos and videos. It's pretty amazing!

Mary P.'s birthday was just on February 1, and she turned 15. She recently had a photo update, so we have three photos of her, all of which I can send to her new sponsor. Her photos are below, starting with the newest one. If you are interested in sponsoring Mary P., please let me know. They are holding her for me until April 3! You can comment on this post or email me at hellojessi01(at)gmail.com.

Compassion Bloggers in Ecuador

The Compassion bloggers are in Ecuador right now! I always love reading their posts, no matter which country they're visiting, but Ecuador has some fond memories for our family in particular. During a previous trip to the South American country, the bloggers shared about a young man who had been abandoned by his family. I remember being very moved by his story, praying for him as we learned that his sponsors were being contacted to make sure that they were aware of his situation, and overwhelmed as so many members of the Compassion community stepped forward, saying that they were willing and able to adopt this young man if someone would just tell them how. It was during that trip that my mom sponsored Jessika, whom we love deeply and I now write to, who faces her own special set of challenges in her life. Blogger trips always lead us to browse Compassion's website and coo over the children waiting for sponsors, but I think we probably got the most out of that particular trip and the posts that came with it. I thought of that trip specifically in Tanzania as I heard of a young man my fellow travelers visited, who had also been abandoned by his family, just like that child in Ecuador. I still pray for him, even though I don't remember his name.

This trip to Ecuador is a bit short- it started on Sunday and the bloggers are headed back home in three days. I know that they have hit a few snags in their itinerary and have had to rearrange things a bit, but they are determined and changed plans are not going to stop them from traveling and loving and ministering and advocating. Here are some of my favorite posts so far:

Coming Alongside Her

"I pointed out pictures of my family and then I pulled out the spoons. I told her how they were made and all the prayers that fell from my lips. I told her how I wanted her to use them and think about how there is a God that loves her and another mom in America that believes in her. I told her I hoped when she saw them she would be reminded she is never alone." (read more at the link) 

Hosanna

"It's Sunday, and I have a better idea of the church I long for.
I want a church of broken people who shimmer with the glow of redemption.
I want a boiled-down, universal language of commonality, a singular thread.
I want an invitation to dance badly and hug strangers.
I want a humble house of God with a curtain for a door, flung over the jamb, covered in roses.
I want a haven, a never-gives-up hope.
But if I really want those things, I have to first be willing to be them.
We have the opportunity to live as though we believe all lives are equally sacred. We get to be part of this. As a Compassion sponsor for over ten years, this gift has never been more clearer than today, squeezed into the home of folks on the far edge of the margins." (read more at the link)

A Step Towards Hope

"When we wait and let life happen to us in our everyday lives, we are really robbing ourselves of the hope for what could be the beginnings of change. It's no different with child sponsorship. When we look away, do nothing, and think that it's all too big, we miss what is waiting for us...what we could be a part of if we just step towards it." (read more at the link) 

I can't wait to see what else the bloggers have to share during their trip! And if you're interested in sponsoring a child from Ecuador, check out little Sara below! She is impossibly cute!! 

Sweet Greetings from Kenya, Uganda, India, Ecuador, and Honduras

Happy Mail Call Monday! And Merry Christmas!

We got a few more letters this week! The first was our first letter from Sukumar in India!

Sukumar's letter was written in English! It's so exciting to know that this young man speaks and writes English- now I know more of what I can send him in the way of little paper presents! I'm very excited. Sukumar wrote that he and his family are fine, and he is studying well in school. His family does agricultural work and he enjoys reading my letters and greeting cards! He said he is praying for me in his devotion time and personal prayer- this sounds like he has a relationship with Jesus, which is such an encouragement! And he said that he is very happy because I am encouraging him and writing to him. What a sweetheart!

We also heard from Sandier in Honduras!

Sandier's letter was about his house. It's orange and pretty and has a sheet metal roof. We also learned a little more about his family situation in this letter- Sandier's grandmother lives with them, because she has health problems, and takes care of the kids. She has a bed of her own, and the other bed is shared by Sandier's mom, Sandier, and his sister Haki. This week I took some money out of my special savings account for my Honduras trip and sent it to Sandier's family so they can buy another bed. I can't wait to see pictures of him (and hopefully the rest of his family!) and I have faith that God will "reimburse" these funds in time.

And another lovely letter from Mary in Kenya came this week!

Mary's letters are always so special- this time she wrote two pages!! She responded directly to many of my stories and prayer requests, including saying that she loved the story of Fanny Crosby and found the lyrics to her hymn to be very inspirational! She always encourages me so much, and I love having her as a member of my family. Mary also shared that recently she was able to take a "police training course" but she is still planning on pursuing her dream of being a party planner and singer. She also shared that her grandfather was able to go to the doctor and they learned that he has fluid surrounding his heart, so we are definitely praying for his medical care and his doctors.

We also got a letter from Caleb in Uganda!

Caleb is so sweet. His family must be farmers because he always writes about what they're planting or harvesting. He said he personally planted cassava and maize this time around, and his family is also planting soybeans. After finishing his school exams, they are now on holiday for three months (the letter was written in November, so I guess he will go back in January or so.) During his break, he helps his parents with domestic work and he plays football with his friends! He wished us a happy Christmas and a good new year.

We heard from Christine in Kenya this week, too!

Christine is so cute! I hadn't heard from her in several months, so it was good to get her letter. Christine said "I feel loved by you when I receive a letter. Thank you for loving me like your child. May God of Heaven always pay back in goodness all that you do for me. My family also thanks and prays for you all the time." She said she was glad that my stomach is feeling better and is very happy that I got a new job! :)

Lastly, we got a special letter from Erick in Ecuador!

Erick's letter didn't say much, other than he received the gift we were able to send him back in April! :) We got a super cute picture of Erick holding some of his gifts! I was especially excited to see that he was wearing the scarf that I made for him!!

Sweet Greetings from Bolivia, Kenya, Rwanda, the Philippines, Ecuador, Ghana, Tanzania, India, and Honduras!

Happy Mail Call Monday- the first of November! Wow!

What a tremendous blessing to receive so many letters this week!!!

Steph and I got our first letter from Maribel in Bolivia!

She said she was so happy that we sponsored her, and that she likes to talk! :) She listed her best friends, said that she likes to eat watermelon and pique macho, which is like, ground beef, beans, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, and all this random stuff. Bolivians must like it because Juan has written about it, too! She also drew a really pretty picture of a house in the hills.

We got a letter from little Purity in Kenya!

Purity's letter was a form letter about her favorites. Her favorite food is pilau, her favorite sport is skipping, she likes playing, her favorite color is orange, Ann is her best friend, and she likes dogs. And she says her favorite toy is a doll, and her favorite hero is her mum! She filled in all these blanks herself! On the back her project helper wrote that she said “jambo, rafiki” which means hello, friend! She and her family are doing well and she is always praying for us!

We also got a letter from Emmanuel in Kenya!

Emmanuel sent the same letter, since he goes to the same project. He likes chips, football, dancing, white, cats, dolls, and his best friend is Joyce. And he said his mummy is his favorite hero, too! Emmanuel is praying that God always blesses us!

We also heard from Fatuma in Kenya!

Fatuma opened her letter with “hello, my dear dear friend!” She said her family is doing well and she would like to thank me warmly for her letters, and that they really make her feel good! She says “Jessi Jones, I really think of you every day and I do pray for you too.” She asked how my stomach is doing and said she is doing well in school and at the project, and her mom recently had a baby named Abdalla! She also said she enjoyed reading the story of Fanny Crosby and especially liked the song lyrics that were included. :)


Next was a letter from Celestine in Kenya!

She said that her family is fine and she hopes mine is, too. She is learning new skills in the project like bead making and tailoring! She wants to know if I know how to do these things, too. She also is very excited that they started their games. She likes football and volleyball, and wants to know which games I like. She also told me to ask my friends Brandon and Stephanie which games they enjoy, as well. :) Celestine shared a little about Independence Day in her country, and she asked that we pray for her grandma, who has high blood pressure.


Then there’s a letter from Motempa in Kenya.

Motempa said “first of all, receive much greeting from your child.” She says she is doing well in school and she hopes that we are praying for her, and her family members are very happy. She asked about the weather and said they were experiencing a drought. She said she was thankful for our letters and support and she wants me to read Jeremiah 29:11.


We also heard from Nkoyio, who attends the same center.

Nkoyio also talked about the drought and asked how we are doing. She said “thank you so much for your continuous support that you have been sending to me. I lack words to express my happiness to you. I thank God for giving me a wonderful friend like you. Have a good stay up there- we shall meet soon!” How sweet!


And then there was a letter from Gloria, also at the same center!

Gloria’s letter was written by a helper at the project, and she also talked about the drought. She asks that we pray for her to do well in school and that we pray her parents have a peaceful time when she is at school.


We also got our second letter from Jeannette in Rwanda in three weeks!

She says her whole family sends greetings and they are thankful that we care about them! She wished us the peace of Christ and said the story of Malala touched their hearts and they are praying for her!


And then there was a letter from Merlyn in the Philippines!

She addressed her letter to “sister Jessi”, which I love. She and her mom are doing well, and she asked if I like planting flowers. She said “There are lots of things you are busy with. That’s why you get sick. It’s good for you to be in farm to get your body and mind relaxed.” How cute! Merlyn asked about my favorite flower and asked what games I played with my cousins when I was growing up. Merlyn asked that we pray that her mom stays healthy so she can do her work, and she is praying to Jesus to make my tummy better so I can eat my favorite foods. :) She is so cute! She also said that she bought a blouse and groceries with her birthday gift!

We also had a letter from little Erick in Ecuador.

He wrote a form letter about his project, and said that he gets there in 2 minutes by walking. He goes there on Mondays and Sundays! He said his favorite parts of going to the project are singing and playing soccer.


There was also a letter from Angelina in Ghana.

She said that she is learning how to pray at the project, and she is happy about that! She wrote that she would like to learn more about my country, and she drew a very detailed picture of a flower with all the parts labeled- like the stamen and pistil and everything! It looks like something straight out of a biology textbook! I was very impressed!

Later in the week, we got a letter from Said in Tanzania!

Said said that he and his family are doing well, and that his auntie was expecting a baby! The baby would have been born in August. She was going to name it after Said's dad, who passed away 10 years ago. This is the most Said has ever said about his father in his letters- even when I met with him in Tanzania, he just said that he was deceased. Said said that every year,  they have a memorial in honor of his father. He also said that he is praying for me every day, when he goes to sleep and when he wakes up!


We also heard from Kajal in India!

Kajal sent a form letter about her dental checkup! She went to the dentist six months ago, and both her parents were able to go with her! She learned that she should brush her teeth twice a day, and she has 30 teeth- meaning she is missing two! How cute! Kajal's helper at the project said that Kajal is doing really well. Her auntie got married recently and she went to the wedding and had fun dancing there. She also talked about her dolly named Munny! She said that it has been raining so there are lots of green plants and saplings growing, and she and her family were happy about my wedding anniversary! She also asked that we pray for her dad, who has tuberculosis. This recurring illness keeps him from working sometimes. 

We also had a much-awaited letter from Anahi!

Anahi's letter was a form letter about her house. She lives in a brick home with cement floors, and sleeps in a bed. They use a well to get their water and they wash their clothes in a basin. I am glad that she has a sturdy house, but I am praying that they get running water soon! Anahi's mom wrote that they were so glad to get the gifts I was able to send this summer! I was so thankful to hear that they arrived safely. I like imagining Anahi's face, opening the baggie with the dress, candies, and toys! And I hope her mama liked the necklace we picked out for her, too. Anahi's mom said "We also want to thank you for the beautiful dress, the chains and the toys, they are spectacular. May God almighty continue to spill blessings over you Jessi, blessing after blessing. God is wonderful and we ask God to keep you and send angels around your life, your house and all of your family. Anahi says she would like to give you many hugs." How very, very sweet! I just can't wait to meet Anahi next year!!

Our last letter of the week came from Elisha in Tanzania!

Elisha wrote a form letter about his friends! His best friends are Ezekia and John, and he knows them from the project! They read and play together, and go to the same school. Elisha said his closest friend is Ezekia, and when asked what makes him special, he said "I love him!" How sweet!

Sweet Greetings from Ecuador, Honduras, India, Thailand and the Philippines

Happy Mail Call Monday!

A few more letters rolled in this week! The first we received was our first letter from Mary Paola in Ecuador! 

Mary P says it's an "honor" for her to send me letters, and she says she's doing very well with her family. She is also very happy in school. She wants to know if there are lots of trees where we live, and told me there are lots of trees and "rich flora" where she lives. She asks that we pray for her studies so she can continue to do a good job, and she wishes us success and she will always be praying for us. On the back page, she drew a really nice scene with trees, mountains, and birds! I am looking forward to hearing more about Mary P's jungle home. I also noticed that she has really nice handwriting, that looks a bit like my own! 

Next up, a letter from Thanakan in Thailand!

Thanakan is such a sweetheart. I was so happy to hear from her! She wrote a form letter about her family. She doesn't list any siblings in the space provided and says she lives in the mountainous region. She likes to help her family by cooking and cleaning, and her family has a Christian background! Thanakan had help writing her letter, because she's still pretty small. Her helper said she wants to hear from me often! She asked how our family is doing and said that she is living with her older sister right now because her dad had an accident and lost his leg. :( So her dad and mom are staying in another village. I hope that they are reunited soon. I am thinking about doing an inquiry as to why exactly she can't be with her parents right now, but I am assuming that they are just staying closer to the hospital or a rehabilitation center. Regardless, I am going to try to send a small family gift to Thanakan soon, so she can maybe use it to buy food for her family while her parents are away. The project helper was sure to tell me that Thanakan is a very good girl, and she is always thinking of me! She also drew a very pretty picture of a river with some flowers.

Next was a letter from Amisha in India!

It was so good to see a letter from Amisha- we haven't heard from her often and her first two letters were written by project staff, in English. This one appeared to be written by Amisha herself, in her native language! Amisha's letter was a form letter about the future. She said that in the future, she wants to learn about computers, and she wants to dance or sing or act. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up, and she wants her community to be alcohol-free. And she called me Aunty!!! Yay!!! I have been waiting forever for an Indian sponsor daughter to call me Aunty. :) I love it. It's so cute. She said that she and her family are fine, and she hopes that uncle Brandon and I are fine, too. She sends her love regards to my whole family, and the people in her village recently celebrated Ramadan. She wanted me to know that her favorite pet is  cat, and there are lots of kinds of people who live in her community and she will tell me more about them in her next letter- but in this letter she did say that when Christian couples get betrothed they exchange rings and a "wedding string." Which sounds fun. She says she is praying for us every day! :) 

We also heard from Eduardo in Honduras! 

Eduardo says that he and his family are doing really well. He shared that his favorite months are May and December because those are "very beautiful days for me and for my family." He asked about my favorite month, and said baby Lilly is "so beautiful" and he is praying for her and wants to know how she is doing now. He also said that where he lives, it is so hot they can barely stand it, and he remembered from one of my letters that it is cold where I live. Not anymore, buddy! :) He said goodbye with much love. 

Lastly, we got a very exciting letter from Merlyn in the Philippines! 

Merlyn's letter addressed the family gift we crowd-funded for her back in February, because her family lost many belongings in Typhoon Ruby. Merlyn shared that with the gift, she and her mom got rice, groceries, shoes, new clothes, a backpack for school school uniforms, a grooming kit, school supplies- and ice cream! She said they were so happy! Merlyn also asked how Brother Brandon is and what he is up to now, and she said "Thank you very much for not getting tired in writing me. I'm happy every tie I received a letter from you." She also agrees that baby Lilly is so cute, and she is praying for her health! Merlyn said "sister Jessi, my prayer for you is may God keep you and may you have peace. Please also pray me to Jesus to keep me and guide me in going to school and going back home." She also promised to take care of all the new stuff she got. And I got pictures of her and her mom with their gifts! :) :) :) 

Sweet Greetings from Honduras, Thailand, Togo, Ecuador, Tanzania, and Ghana

Happy Mail Call Monday!

I'm very thankful that we received six letters this week. The first was from little Anahi in Honduras.

Anahi filled out a form letter about her dreams. When she is older, she wants to be a doctor. She wants to help her family by giving them money, and she said she wants to meet me because I am very nice with her. :) And when asked what she wants to do, she said "a cake." That sounds good to me! In the open part of the letter, Anahi's mom shared that Anahi gives thanks to God that God chose me as her sponsor!! I'm thankful God chose me, too! :) Sadly, her family also had bad news to share- Anahi's grandfather passed away in April. She shared the names of all her grandparents and asked that we pray for two of them because they don't go to church and she wants them to know Jesus.

Next, we heard from Thanakan in Thailand!

This was our second letter from Thanakan, and she wrote a lot! I had forgotten how much fun it is to correspond with a kid in Thailand. Thanakan filled out her form letter (or a helper did, rather) and another sheet of notebook paper! She sent a form letter about her favorites, which include grilled chicken, the color pink, "chair ball," rabbits, and "Kitty," her favorite cartoon character. In my reply letter I asked her if that meant Hello Kitty, and sent a picture to confirm. We have a lot in common! Thanakan also replied to several of the letters I have sent her. In response to my letter about names, she said that she doesn't know what her name means because where she lives, people just pick names and don't care about the meanings. In response to a letter about new babies, she said that in her village, people will bring a new mother chicken, clothes, and money, but they don't have any traditions for expectant mothers (like baby showers.) She also said that her family has been busy planting corn. In response to a letter about a Compassion graduate who works at an elephant sanctuary in Kenya, she said that her village has an elephant show every year, so she has seen the animals in person- but she doesn't get too close because they are big and could be dangeroous. Thanakan shared her family members with me, and I had to ask if they are all living in the same place: she has her mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, sister, brother-in-law, and some cousins. Thanakan also said that she really loved the little "diary" we sent her (a softcover journal from Michaels) and that she's praying for us!

Then there was a letter from Estha in Togo!

This was our second letter from Estha, as well. Her letter was only written a month ago, so it got here very quickly! Estha wrote a form letter about her hobbies, and says she enjoys choreography with her friend Nathalie. She also said that she doesn't have any pets, because "they are dangerous." Estha said that she was enjoying our letters and the journal we sent to her, and asked that we pray for the "evolution of children" at her center.

We  also heard from Erick in Ecuador again!

Erick's letter said that when he grows up, he wants to be a singer, and to keep studying. He also hopes he can come visit America, and he wants to meet me and talk to me in person!

Then we got another letter from Bonifas!

Bonifas said in his letter that he would really like to be a preacher (I told him in another letter I thought he'd be a great preacher) and that he doesn't just want to be a preacher in Tanzania, but he wants to go all around the world- maybe even come to America and preach here! He also said he wants to be a tour guide in his home country.

And finally, we got a letter from Angelina in Ghana!

Angelina wrote that her favorite animal is the ostrich, and her project has a "cadet" and she is part of it, and she really enjoys it. In my response letter, I asked her what that is, because I have no idea. Maybe something like a color guard? Safety patrol? I don't know. Angelina also asked me to tell her more about the library where I work, and said that she was praying for baby Lilly (my friend Jess's new baby) to have good health. She is also praying for my brother, that God will "comfort him always." She closed her letter by asking that we pray for her to understand God's will.