Things are Changing! _– Nicaragua Day Two

 

 

“We believe that Jesus’ word changes people and it is powerful,” said the pastor of the church that works hand-in-hand with Compassion’s center NI-186.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

I shook my head in agreement with him and almost let out a loud “AMEN!”  For I know that God’s word IS powerful, and it has changed me.

 

He continued saying in is beautiful native language and with a smile on his face, “This community looks totally different from two years ago.  Things are changing.”

“Families are being restored.”

“Children are dreaming of becoming someone.”

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

Pointing his finger to his temple he said, “Their minds are beginning to change.  They are beginning to understand that God loves them and has a plan for their lives.”

Man!  I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as I listened to him.

kmsd  762

He said that the work of God through Compassion is not only changing the lives of children, but changing entire families!

Don’t you yearn to be a part of that kind of change?  To work hard at something and see it make a difference?  How exciting it is when we see the fruits of our labor!

I saw the fruits of Compassion’s labor today.

I saw it in this young man.

Meet my sponsored child, Cesar.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

Oh goodness gracious, y’all!!! I wish you could have been here with me and met this sweet boy.  He is 10 years old, and we share the same birthday!

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

I don’t know how to explain it, but I instantly fell in love with this young man.  His smile melted my heart.  {And you know this mama has a thing for boys.} Smile

 

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

He is such a loving young man, and he blessed my heart as we walked hand in hand to his home.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

As soon as we arrived at his home, he went inside and began bringing out stacks of plastic chairs and placing them around for all of us to have a seat.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

I immediately thought, “What a respectful young man!”  He certainly impressed this mama of boys.  Smile

I shared with him the backpack I got him that contained items like this soccer ball…

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

And a t-shirt that his “Kentucky Brothers” helped me make him.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

I wanted Cesar to “see” that he is part of our family, so I traced his hand in the middle of our circle of hands, and he wrote his name on it.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

I hope this shirt is a reminder to Cesar of how much we love him, and how we are committed to pray for him…Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

and his family…

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

His father was at work, but I had the chance to meet his beautiful mother and sister.

His mother taught us how to make ice cream out of mamon berries.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

Cesar and I worked side by side as we cracked open the mamon berries and dropped them in the bucket.   It was so cool to “do life” with them.  But my favorite part was the many hugs that I kept getting from Cesar as we worked together.  He would look up at me with a big smile on his face and then squeeze my waist with a side hug.

I kind of thought I was there to make Cesar feel loved, but honestly y’all, he made me feel loved.

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

We asked Maria, Cesar’s mother, how Compassion has changed Cesar’s life, and she said that it has helped him with his health, like his teeth.  I couldn’t have agree more!  Look at this beautiful smile!

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

She also said that Compassion has helped him with school supplies for his education.  When I asked Cesar what he likes most about going to the Compassion center, he said it was drawing and making crafts.  Cesar said he wants to be an architect someday.

And friends, he could totally do that!  Before Compassion, this may have not have been a possibility for Cesar…but things are changing!

I was so impressed by this young man and so encouraged.  I kept thinking as I watched him today, that God is going to do great big things in his life.

But it doesn’t really matter if I think that.

What matters is that Cesar thinks that.

And it is because of Compassion that he does.

Why?

Because things are changing.

Through Compassion, God is changing lives.

I am so grateful to be a small part of that change.

When you sponsor a child through Compassion, you will be a part of that change too.

Your sponsorship helps to provide the very basic of needs for these children.

Even something as simple as a snack at school…

Compassion Bloggers Nicaragua 2013 - Project 186 - Day 2

About which one of the leaders told us today that they pray for their sponsors before they eat their food.

“Thank you God for my sponsor. 

It is because of them that I have this food.”

kmsd  770

Could anything be more precious?!!

There were 31 children at the center we visited today that still needs sponsors.  It is my prayer that God would provide sponsors for these children through this post on this day.

Yep!  I’m praying that!

Click on the banner below to sponsor YOUR child today.  And may the Lord bless you as much as you will be blessing that child.  Amen and Amen!

 

27 Comments

  1. God is indeed a life changer. What a beautiful post! I loved reading about you meeting your sweet Cesar. And I love the shirt you made him. Such a sweet & loving idea. Praying for you and the rest of the team as you continue your journey.

  2. Wow! What a beautiful day you had. What a joy to meet your sweet boy. Love the t-shirt idea!
    Continuing to pray for you as this week continues.

  3. Precious, Traci! We have two kids we sponsor and they are so dear to us!! Praying with you that 31 will find theirs today!

  4. I love the t-shirt!

    Such a sweet post – Cesar seems like a sweet boy. I love it that you share a birthday. I have a birthday buddy in Ghana, and each of my girls has their own birthday buddies we sponsor, too! I dream of the day we get to meet them.

    Compassion does change everything – when I first started sponsoring a child 19 years ago, I had no idea my life would also be changed!!

  5. I have been praying for you & Edie and the others as you encounter Christ on this journey–and as soon as I stop crying for joy and gratitude for the work of your hands and hearts as I read this post, I will see about sponsoring a child. I hope the rest of your journey is safe and productive. Isn’t it funny how when you go somewhere to “do” something for others in the name of God that you find so much is being “done” in your heart and mind~~kind of a switchback of expectations. It is so sweet to follow this trip and this mission through the various blogs and Instagram posts. May you be richly blessed even as you extend your hands and heart in faith and love!!

  6. That shirt is priceless! :) It is so wonderful to see the changes that Compassion is making through sponsors. Individuals and families are being changed – and it will be so much fun for your family to see the changes in Cesar and his family in the years to come.

  7. Oh my goodness! How amazing to meet your sponsored child! And that shirt y’all made for him…what an awesome idea! This is just blessing my socks off reading about the things you are experiencing. It’s such a cool thing to “see” what it’s like there and to have an actual picture of what happens when a child is sponsored. This is really making me want to plan a trip to see our sponsored child there! Thank you to you and to Compassion for this unique perspective. Praying for all those children to get a sponsor!

  8. No words Traci! This is amazing and I am so excited for the work you are doing there. Cesar’s shirt that you made him and the handprint you added…TEARS!! Love you girl and continuing to pray that God works through you!

  9. Ok, I’m sobbing through your entire post! So beautiful to see the hands of God at work!! :) LOVE the t-shirt… Cesar will never forget you all! We sponsor a child too and I hope someday to meet him too!! Yu are in my prayers Traci. God bless :)

  10. You talked about bringing a little girl home. LOL. Well I think the little girl in the yellow top in the last picture is the one to bring home. LOL. They always say, “Close while the people are wanting more.” I was so sorry that your post ended and I wanted more…

    Oh what beautiful faces and they brought tears to my eyes. I just wish all kids in the USA had a chance to see how little these children have and they are still so happy and some of our kids here don’t know how fortunate and they have so much and still aren’t happy, so sad.

    We are praying for all of you and have a safe journey.

  11. I felt like I was in my classroom. I taught children from there, El Salvador , Guatemala , and how wonderful that these children are learning about Jesus too. I pray today, for continued good health of all on the team there in Nicaragua. I thank you Lord that this child was able to see his sponsor and get the tee shirt as a reminder he’s important in his own family and in Gods family. Please help his mother to never feel inadequate in any way because she needs help to provide for her children. She is a humble woman. Teach her she too is precious in Gods eyes. Reach out to her heart tonight as she lies in bed that the evil one be defeated. That no doubt nor feelings of no value enter her mind. Instead fill her with the peace that passes all understanding. Keep our Blogger Sister in Christ strong and able to continue to use the language all understand–smiles–to show Jesus to these people she’s come to minister to about Your love. Keep her boys doing well in her absence. Help her husband to have many accounts and for his business to be a blessing of support to his family and Your Service. In Jesus Name, Amen

  12. Thanks for sharing!! I was so blessed and encouraged by reading your post! Continuing to pray for your trip!

  13. This is absolutely beautiful!!! We also have a correspondent child at project 186…hoping to get a glimpse of her in some photos! Your Cesar seems like a wonderful young man…meeting a sponsored child is an amazing event! <3

  14. Such a sweet post! Loved reading about the tshirt and seeing all the handprints. Continuing to pray for your trip.

  15. I love the T-shirt! What a wonderful idea! And yes, things are changing, because people will be reading these posts and decide they need to make a change in their own lives, so they can make a change for these kid’s lives. I pray many children are sponsored this week!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *