It was a year ago last weekend that I learned about World Vision. I didn’t act immediately upon the call during the Women of Faith conference to sponsor a child. I wanted to go home and allow the kids to help choose our sponsored child.

If you read this post, you will know that didn’t happen. It took a nudge from God to make it happen. We finally did it and haven’t noticed anything missing from our budget . at . all. As you have also read, we have actually paid off our debt too. My point is that this little bit going towards child sponsorship per month was not affecting our budget.

As I found out that T and I were coming on this trip, we thought about sponsoring another child. I knew that there was a possibility that we could meet our sponsored child. And, c’mon…how amazing would it be to get to meet the child you are praying for? It’s rare! So we went on our search to find another child.

We wanted to find a child around Andon’s age since we have two other sponsored children whom are T and Caleb’s age. I was thinking a boy would be great to match Andon’s personality – he’s all boy! But, as Michael (our World Vision contact) sent us two options, I just started praying. We had a girl and a boy to choose from.

Each night for about two weeks, I kept asking Paul, “Did you pray about which child we should choose? I want to make sure you are praying because I can’t make this decision alone.” Paul then was all like, “Well, are YOU praying.” That Paul, he always tries to keep me prayed up :) (I was praying by the way, a lot. It just wasn’t an easy decision to make which is why we let God show us.)

Thursday we met the answer to our prayers. Her name is Ashlie, she is 3 years old and the most beautiful girl!!

T was so excited to get to meet her. She was a little late as all of the sponsored children arrived and he kept saying, “Is she here yet. What if she doesn’t show up.” Have I ever mentioned that T is a total “what if” kid. Always wanting a Plan B to be in place. HA! I simply reassured him that Ashlie and her momma would come or she wouldn’t. Either way, she would get our package we brought for her. I think he exhausted himself thinking about it because he was soooo tired by the time of the day when we met Ashlie and her mom.

I realize that this is a very unique experience we had. However, correspondence through email and letters are an amazing way to build a relationship with your sponsored child (you remember the US Mail letters, those are actually quite the treasure here). As a matter of fact, during Women of Faith this year we heard a story of a woman who sponsored a child, then that grew to an entire family. Her sponsorship has lasted 8 years and the relationship has grown through letters and pictures. What an AMAZING story! I need to find that video and share with you. It has been giving me chills whenever I mention it!!

If you feel led to sponsor a child, you can find one on the World Vision site now. Maybe you are like we were and want to search together as a family. You can search for specific birth dates, a different country (my BFF searched for a child in Korea) or other criteria. The awesome “Faith, Hope, Amor” Lisa Leonard necklaces are available when you sponsor a child too!

The child sponsorship is about helping these families. But, in the past several months we have sponsored children, it is more than that. We want our boys to grow up as givers. We all know that tithing and giving is important. One major component is about relationships. I mean, we are in relationship with Christ why not be in similar relationship with others…even the least of these?

Sponsor a child and being a life-changing relationship today!

T and Ashlie playing with my iPhone games. I think he’d make a great big bro to a little sister! And, he has one a few thousand miles away :)

Photos thanks to Jessica and Briana

Throughout our months sponsoring our World Vision children, we have come to understand that the program is not just about the kids – it also helps the community. Over these past several days, we have seen this circle of community continues in times of need. It truly does take a village to encourage, survive and thrive.

Meet Sylvia. She lives near the slums and wanted to help within her community so she got involved. Sylvia began teaching and after many years was sent to college with help from World Vision. She now has a degree and is a certified teacher in her community.

Sylvia’s daughters were sponsored children. Her grandson is now a sponsored child.

This group of ladies work at the goat farm. It is their hope to provide cheese and milk to those in their community. They were so selfless and passionate about providing for their community.

This group of ladies are entrepreneurs but only by the passing on the knowledge from their mentors. They had beautiful items that they sew. They are the benefit from World Vision’s Micro-Loan program. The Micro-Loan program is separate from the child sponsorship program that many of their children are a part of. However, it is because of having an ADP (in their area) that supports children that women can get these loans.

Women sharing knowledge = Helping other women learn a trade = Women helping other women provide a better future for their kids. I also loved that they are work at home mommas! They balance kids and work at home the same way we do in the US too (squeeze it in during naps and at bedtime)!

These ladies (and men) worked in the local garden to help provide for their community. They saw a need to have healthy foods to feed their families. They also saw this as an opportunity to provide an income. They work in this garden around 4 hours each day. In the sweltering sun and heat. They were so proud of their work, and rightly so. The dish of veggies they prepared for us were delicious. The seasoning of olive oil, lemon and salt tasted so fresh. I will be trying this at home!

We have seen Lydia at work these past few days. She has passion that is contagious. We couldn’t understand her words, but we understood the authority in her words. We felt her love for the kids and parents affected by HIV/Aids. Lydia also shares this same virus, but she is not sitting down and feeling sorrow. NO WAY! She is standing up for others affected, empowering them with information and providing emotional support. Everyone who referenced Lydia called her friend, not a World Vision employee.

I can’t help but translate this “village” mentality to how I feel led to show God’s love. I am called to be a light in the darkness. That’s not always easy. As a matter of fact, I find it quite challenging on most days. But, my challenges aren’t the same as these:

How will I find work to provide for my family?
How will I feed my children?
How will I raise my children as a single mother?
Where will I go when my house has been overtaken by water?
How will society treat me when they learn that my children or I am infected with HIV/Aids?

While these Dominican families have acknowledged having these questions, they have been very firm in their praise for God. It’s easy for me to sing praises when my life is going great. It’s not fun to praise Him when trials come. No trial I have been through is anywhere near as tragic as those we have heard this week.

World Vision offers so much through Child Sponsorship. This monthly donation offers financial support, emotional encouragement and information for a child and their family. However, the community also reaps the rewards. The entire community is impacted when a new school is built. And, guess what? There is now a teacher to teach in that school because someone like Sylvia gave her time.

It’s a circle with World Vision in the center of all of it: see a need, find a resource, foster development and build a better world for children. It’s not just fancy words in a tag line. It’s the truth! We have witnessed this with our very eyes. I am inspired to do more. My first step started with sponsoring a child…what will yours be?

This sweet little girl. Wearing just underwear. Her bubbly zest made me want to squeeze her. And, of course…I went ahead and did just that!

She was wearing an orange rope necklace around her delicate little neck. The necklace had a simple key hanging. I wondered, “What could this key possibly be for?” In these communities, it is known that your house is “your” house. You don’t need to lock it. I don’t even think there were locks on the homes. But, this necklace, it was hers. It meant something to her. I wanted to know more.

As she said,”Querer,” and pointed to her necklace, I thought, “Maybe she is asking me if I love her necklace like she does.” Again, I’m really bad with Spanish and I knew quiero was love. I did love her necklace so I said pointing to her necklace then her, “Si, Si, bonita. Tu es bonita.” I wanted her to know that she was beautiful and if her necklace was important to her, that it indeed was beautiful too! As I gestured to her necklace to affirm that, “Yes, I do love it..and you..and I’ll take you home today if I am allowed to please,” this little girl did the unexpected.

She took the necklace off of her neck…

and went to put it onto mine!

I saw selflessness expressed in a tiny amazing package. She clearly has nothing. I didn’t even give her anything except a smile and a few squeezes. That didn’t matter. She was being selfless and offering me what was surely the only thing that she could call her own. I praised God for this generous heart thousands of miles away. A life lived so much different than my own.

I want my kids to have hearts like this, Lord!

There are hundreds of kids just like this sweet angel. There are hundreds of stories with similar history. This precious little girl offered me her treasure. How much do you think her gesture of sacrifice was worth? It’s one of those things that I believe are truly priceless.

I want to help this little girl, her friends, her family, HER COMMUNITY!! World Vision can allow you to do all of these things being thousands of miles away. Child sponsorship can change a life. Sponsorship can create a generous giver – so completely necessary in poverty such as this. Providing a monthly sponsorship can teach communities about Jesus Christ. The one who truly gave it all away for love!

Please consider sponsoring a child today.
I know there is one who will steal your heart!

A huge thank you to Jessica for being right there at the right time and capturing all of these great pictures.

T watching the exchange between Jill as she meets her sponsored son
(she has sponsored him for 10 years – I get chills just typing this!!).

As I mentioned, I would ask T if he wanted to share. This is his brief experience so far. He says he’ll get “all emotional” when closer to the end of our visit. I don’t get that. He’s a boy. I’m guessing boys are the same everywhere too. At least so far, they definitely are with the little guys we have seen!

Here is a few thoughts from T:

At the DR we have seen just kids walking around like they didn’t have a mom our dad .We went to a goat farm and we saw a little boy named Romey. He was Andon’s age. We gave him gum and bracelets and when we were about to leave. Romey laughed at me.

We also went to this village that people ran away from Haiti after the Earthquake. Amanda brought us bracelets to pass out to kids. We were passing out bracelets and they kind of like attacked us because they wanted them. It was so bad once we stopped passing them out, me, Jake and Hannah had to get in the van because they kept asking us for some. When we were leaving, this one girl stuck her tongue out at me because she didn’t get one.

There are lots of little kids running around naked. Andon would fit right in here except he’s not tannish.

The thing that struck me with what T wrote is about the kids wandering as if they have no parents. Some of them are orphaned, while others are with their mother in a single-family house with all of their siblings. It hit me because my son “gets” wandering as without parents. Without someone to look to for security. That breaks my heart because T is 10 and he understands that. These children we have seen also have to feel that lack of security as well.

$35 is my weekly 4Bucks coffee habit. $35 is about 5 times as much as some of us save at the store each week. Is security for a child worth $35 to you?

Pray about it. These kids will be here waiting for you.

Oh, and I totally get the naked kids comment too. But, our family is immune to seeing little bare bottoms since our boys “air out” at home whenever they can :)

So, it’s muy clearo that my Spanish needs some refreshing! Can you believe I forgot how to count to twenty?? I got a quick refresher from Jessica and Amanda, mis amigas :) But, all is well because the one thing I realized immediately is this:

Smiles are UNIVERSAL!

I’m not talking about the half smile, or the “acknowledgment” smile. I mean the REAL smile. That smile like “Oh my soul” (as Matthew has been sayin’), “I am SO excited to see your face!” Those are the smiles I’m giving because I am so excited to be experiencing all of this along with T. These are also the smiles we are receiving from the beautiful people we have met so far.

Let me show you…

We got to visit a women’s project site on organophonic gardening. This is one of the women working at the garden. We gave them all a Lisa Leonard, “Faith, Hope, Amor” necklace that we are also wearing (and those who sponsor children during our trip also receive while supplies last).

We stopped near the local school and the kids were being dismissed. They go half days and have two sessions so more kids can attend. The kids just love having their pictures taken! After this shot I asked them if they wanted to see the picture in my view finder, they swarmed around to find their face in the picture. I thought it was interesting to learn that World Vision teaches local women how to sew these uniforms. They are then donated to the school children. Talk about community effort!

We stopped in a housing area and met with a family from Haiti who fled after the Earthquake. These four cuties were just buzzing around everyone with cameras. The little one in the tank top grabbed my camera for a second and she changed a setting. I had no idea how she did that either! I eventually figured it out, but seriously I had no clue! Aren’t they just adorable??!!

This young lady was sitting back for a while allowing the younger children to play with us and our cameras. As we were getting ready to leave, she said “American, photo” pointing to herself. So I took her picture. She is beautiful!

Again, with broken Spanish and the help of translation (shout out to Alejandro), I was able to communicate directly with this woman and ask about her family. She has 6 boys, two of which were with her at the Goat Farm we visited (they were 6 and 2). The two boys are in the World Vision Child Sponsorship program and have sponsors (thank you whoever you are in the world that sponsor those two cute kids!!).

T, really took a liking to this adorable 3-year old named Romey (actually everyone did – he was so sweet). Romey is in the World Vision Sponsorship program and he does not have a sponsor yet. This precious boy is as cute as he looks ornery. I love boys who are a little rotten..in a good way :)

These smiles are completely contagious! The kids and the DR need help of all kinds. Can you help? It’s hard to say no to a smile, huh?

Follow all blog posts in the #WVinDR stream over here

We finally made it! We have had quite the experience. Notice my outfit in the video. It’s a brand new one from the Dominican. I shall share more on that later tonight, and about our running through the airport adventure (I’m so glad that T can run!!!) :)

Most of all, I am blessed to be here with these fab people – whose hearts are amazing!!

Briana from Bargain Briana
Jessica from The Mom Creative
Jill of Diaper Diaries
Amanda from Oh Amanda

Check us out below!

I will share more later! You can sponsor a child today here.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day that I have been looking forward to for the past several months. Actually, this is a prayer that has been years in the making.

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

You see, it has been a strong desire of mine to get to see poverty. To get to hold babies. To get to do my part in God’s will and help make this world better. Going to the Dominican Republic with World Vision is an answer to prayers. And, to get to experience this with our 10-year old son, T. Well, God just threw that one in as an extra blessing now didn’t he??!!

I just had an amazing weekend with two girlfriends attending Women of Faith. I will share more about the weekend next week (and my interview with the fab Mandisa). If you have been to a Women of Faith event, you know that World Vision is a partner. There are several times during the weekend where they show a World Vision presentation or talk about the organization. It was last year, during this same weekend, at Women of Faith where I learned about World Vision.

Now, I prepare for a trip with World Vision.

I mean, it has been one year nearly down to the day since I learned about World Vision, and I just laugh. ONE YEAR. It started at Women of Faith. There is no such thing as a coincidence – it’s only God! And, His plan is amazing!

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

If you have read my personal section to the site, you see my heart more. I don’t get too raw on here, because I know you want the deals :) But, this week I am writing about my experience on the main section. I will be sharing personal stuff with you as I pray that God will break my heart for what breaks His heart (just like in “Hosanna”). I hope you will read, comment, encourage my son and me, our fellow travelers and friends as we experience all of this together.

I have talked to T and asked him if he will be up to writing or doing video about our trip while we are there. As of now, he says he will. I will be observing him to make sure he’s OK to do it. I mean, he’s 10 and he will see things that he doesn’t really know about beyond textbooks. I am excited to see what he shares. We have already told him that soccer is the main sport there, to which he said, “I don’t know how to play soccer. I guess they can teach me and I’ll teach them how to play basketball.” I think that sounds like a plan. We have a few footballs and basketballs we are packing so the kids going can play with local kids.

While we’re gone, you can also follow the tweets and posts from all of the World Vision Dominican Republic Bloggers using the #WVinDR hash tag. I have a special section I’ve created on my site just for this trip. Click on over here to follow all the tweets. I know some of you don’t use twitter so this is an easier way for you to see all of the tweets together.

That’s all for now…Please be in prayer about how you can be a part of this story. Whether it be through prayer support or even sponsoring a child. The beautiful Lisa Leonard necklaces are still available for you if you sponsor a child through our trip. I have been wearing it and already thinking of the beautiful Ashlie that we sponsor in the DR. I cannot wait to squeeze her and welcome her family into ours.

Things have been so extremely crazy with our schedules lately. I feel like I haven’t had time to reflect about T and my upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic. Two weeks from today, we will take a trip that will change our lives.

I’m overwhelmed.

Yet, when I start to process what is about to happen in our lives. I get emails and talk to people who have been to the DR. I hear about what we will get to experience, and I can’t help but feel so grateful, so undeserving and amazed at how God answered prayers.

I’m overjoyed.

I asked T to share something with you. I want him to truly share his experiences during this trip. I am still amazed that we will get to experience this together so I want him to capture his thoughts. One day, he will look back and praise God that he was given an opportunity (I hope, anyway). Until then, you can read what he has to say:

I felt scared about going to a different country.The reason I felt scared is because I was afraid that they would throw me in jail and torture me. Plus I don’t want to get rabies and malaria and all those other disease’s. I read the book that the people gave us at pass port health and it said that bag snatching is really reasonable for tourists.

I am excited about riding a plane all the to Atlanta then flying to the DR. I’m excited about going on a trip with my mom and her friends. Another reason I’m excited about going is that my mom goes on all these trips without me, so I’m really excited to go with her. We get to see people that are less fortunate then me.

Can I just tell you that the missionary persecution stories really stuck with him! While that is definitely a reality, I have reassured him that we are not going into dangerous territory. But, we will see some stuff that will be new for both of us.

I’m SO excited to share this with you as well. For those who choose to sponsor a child during our trip, you will get a beautiful necklace! Quantities are limited since these are hand crafted by the fabulous Lisa Leonard. We will be receiving one personally, and also have several to give to people we meet on our trip. I love it. I just love it!

Two weeks, just two weeks. We will see all of these beautiful little faces in the Dominican Republic and our lives will be forever changed.

Oh, here is T and I after our vaccinations several weeks ago. I have to go back next week to get another Hep-B shot. He is all done with his! They were kid band-aids…whatareyagonnado?? :)

As a step in the process to travel to the Dominican Republic with World Vision, we have to have updated vaccines. I called my Pediatrician’s Office (where I went {cough} 15 years {cough} ago) to get my vaccination records.

Turns out I didn’t have Hepatitis B as a kid.

So, I then call my mother and shame her for not getting all my vaccines as a child. Then she proceeds to tell me that it wasn’t required at “my” age back then. I now feel even older! So, I add that to my list of shots. Luckily T already had his. You know, since he’s younger and all :)

We went to the local Passport Health office to get our vaccines. You can see our adventure by the pictures in the Whrrl store above (just click on next to see all of the pictures) just how exciting it was. I was actually so nervous since I don’t like needles. True Story. After I had Andon, I had to get a booster of some vaccine. I asked to be numbed, to which they replied “You just gave birth.”

All joking aside, I am ready. T is getting more excited rather than being nervous as he was initially. I’ll share more on his nerves in a later post. Or, I may ask him to share with all of you :)

We are now one step closer to these beautiful little faces in the Dominican Republic. Go see, they are so darn cute!!

I have been about to burst with this good news!!!!!

I am so excited to finally get to share that I will be going on World Vision’s first blogger trip to the Dominican Republic. I’m excited, humbled, honored, amazed and ecstatic about this opportunity!

As you may recall, we sponsor a child through World Vision. His name is Douglas and he is 10 years old living in El Salvador. The way God laid on our hearts to be involved with child sponsorship was quite loud, so we listened and we are beyond blessed to be giving in this way.

Now, the purpose of this trip for me will be to share my experience about how World Vision is impacting the communities of the Dominican Republic through child sponsorship. I pray that I will present it in the way God wants it shared. We will get to see so many things on our trip in May. I know our lives will be forever changed.

And, by “we” I mean these amazing bloggers going as well:

• Jessica from The Mom Creative
• Briana from Bargain Briana
• Amanda from Oh Amanda
• Jill from Diaper Diaries

Can I just tell you that God clearly hand-picked these bloggers. I know them personally, and I feel so blessed to experience this with each one of them (you can follow us all on twitter with this link). They are amazing – inside and out! Oh, and I can’t forget out ring-leader, Matthew of Jesus Needs New PR (hilarious author). He visited Uganda recently on behalf of World Vision. The stories he shared were amazing and made me weep on several occasions (and crack up too, especially when he was given a Chicken!).

God is helping his people through all of us! WE can make a difference!

For a long time, I have wanted to go on a mission trip. I saw myself in an orphanage holding babies. I hope to hold lots of babies on this trip, including my own son. Yes, the other exciting thing is that I get to take our 10-year old son, T, on this trip as well (no, he’s not a baby, but he is my baby)! I sit and anticipate how my heart will be forever changed and know the privilege is so amazing. But, to know our son will get to experience these same things has me in awe of the Lord’s ways – they are truly better than anything we could dream up of our own!

I’m pretty sure no other blog event will be able to top this experience. In all honesty, my blog has always been for God to use as He saw fit. This is a confirmation that despite what happens in live HE truly is in control.

That is all for now! Would you please be in prayer for all of those who will be experiencing the Dominican Republic on our trip in May. I pray that my heart is open, receptive and articulate as I share what God reveals. I pray that you will leave your heart open as well.

To say we are blessed is an understatement.

As I have watched the news, many times I had to turn the channel because the images were just too much for me to view. The death, despair, hopelessness. The pain they are experience is overwhelming to my soul. I sat last night and thought about how our family could help. I so wish we could go to Haiti and I could hold babies, and cradle mothers who have lost their precious babes too. We can’t so we will choose to make an impact in the way that we can.

I literally woke my husband up at midnight last night (no joke) and told him what I felt called to do. This morning, I saw the email and subsequent post from Crystal at Money Saving Mom encouraging the blogosphere to make our collective efforts turn into something big.

With God all things are possible regardless of circumstances.

We have made great progress on our financial goals. We know the results are only because God has blessed us beyond what we could ever hope for (I tell people that whenever they ask me too) . Because of this, our family will be providing financial support. But, I need your participation. For any comment on this post, or blog link that is shared, we will donate $1 to Haiti Disaster Relief Efforts up to $500. And hey, if I get more comments and links, we will pray more and figure out what we are supposed to do .

We will be splitting our funds between Samaritan’s Purse and World Vision. However, there are so many other organizations who are providing funds directly for the devastation in Haiti. Remember, your donations to many of these organizations are tax deductible as well.

Times are tough. I know. I feel blessed to have this little blog for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because I feel it impacts people at a season in their life when they need it. Whether the help comes by offering information to help save money, prevent a bankruptcy or even providing a small amount of encouragement as I share about the season of our own life. The point is your emails and comments never go unnoticed and encourage me. I pray for each person I hear from. I don’t take this blog and my role lightly whatsoever.

During this time I am asking you to help in some way. That help can be in many forms: prayers, financial giving if you felt called to, or even volunteering time to put packages together at local organizations like the effort my local chapter of A Child’s Hope International/Kids Against Hunger is working to do.

Will you help?

Drop a Comment and share how you are helping (prayer, financial, volunteering – whatever). Tell your Friends to Comment. If you have an organization you are passionate about that is helping support the relief efforts, drop a link in the comments to the donation page. If you blog, drop your link below about your efforts to support the Haiti Disaster Relief Efforts. Again, each comment or link is worth $1 so this is in part a way YOU are helping too!

Most importantly, Pray. Pray Hard. God is the Great I Am. He can part seas. Multiply needs. Provide comfort. Act as the light of the world when devastation makes so many only see the darkness.

Update: Angela commented and shared that by texting the word Haiti to 90999. $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill with all monies donated to the American Red Cross!

Thank you!

One of our visits took us to hear a message that God has been telling us for a while.

This church visit was great! They had a great area for the boys. T went into his classroom and loved it. Caleb, well, he’s Caleb – he cried and finally went into his classroom. Andon hasn’t found a nursery he didn’t like yet – so it was great for him!

We are finding that with summer visits, churches are a little off their regular pastorial schedule. We heard an associate pastor speak, which was fine with us. The message he had was exactly what God wanted us to hear, no doubt.

The message was talking about truly listening to God and acting upon His words. I mean, we all hear Him if we listen, but do we always do something with what He tells us?

I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t. I want to be close with God, but if He is telling me to come out of my comfort zone, then I’ll try to reason with Him. Um…you can’t really reason with the mighty I Am. I know, but I suppose it’s like the boys trying to reason with me when they have been told something – you gotta try :)

Anyhoo, they brought up a young couple who felt led into missionary work. I was blown away at their testimony and story that took them to the place of the calling. Seriously, they are courageous and I am constantly amazed at those who are in missions. It is definitely a special call, and it takes someone who is willing to listen – and obey – God’s Will.

Now, I didn’t get that God wants us to be in missions. But, I did hear the message again that he has been telling me for a while now.

Earlier this year, during Women of Faith, I was introduced to a group called World Vision. They are an organization that seeks sponsors for children in various countries. After that conference, I felt called to support a child. I said I would come home and allow the boys to choose their new sibling that we would sponsor. I wanted it to be a family event.

Well, that didn’t happen.

Then, I saw and read Angie and Robin‘s trip to India for Compassion International. I was moved to support a child, once again. And, once again, I wanted the kids to be involved to choose their new sibling. I really wanted us to be prayerful about the child that we began to support. It’s not about throwing money to a place, it’s about praying – the greatest gift we can truly offer.

And, again…that didn’t happen.

I could share several other circumstances when God called me to move on this. Seriously, a few more have happened and I just wanted it to be a family thing. Honestly, it never seemed to be a priority to get the boys together to choose their new sibling.

Until that message.

After the sermon, I told Paul all of this and he agreed. We needed to listen to God. This was a time that we heard a message and I was going to LISTEN to God! I not only want to listen, I want to do something!!!

And, we finally obeyed and did something!

Since I feel both organizations are just as worthy, our family chose to sponsor one child from each! Now, we have 7 members in our family with the addition of Yhoselyn and Douglas. Yhoselyn is from Peru and she is 4 years old. Douglas is 10 and he is from El Salvador.

When I spoke to T about sponsoring these kids, I shared that he may need to sacrifice something so we can give to them. Or, even better, he could set some of his allowance aside so that can be part of the monies for his new siblings. Although, I really need to get better about actually giving him his allowance now because I want him to see the giving aspect in this. I want him to know that through this giving, God’s work is being done thousands of miles away – so that these kiddos can have a brighter future.

One last thing. I’m not a recruiter for couponing – I’m a helper. I feel called to do this site as a ministry to help others. But,if people never see the value in couponing, I hope they know that my savings not only helps our families, but it can help with missions here, or even thousands of miles for children. Saving money here is allowing them to have a future. I thank God for showing me this way to save.

I will be sharing a few more church visits in the days or weeks ahead. So many more to share.