My kids and these kids

I write about our goat kids - they are sheltered, given fresh water, more than adequate food and I sing hymns to them when I'm out in the pens (they may not rate my singing as special care!)

The kids I want you to think about now - are kids who need you, want you to be their friend and will change our world because of your relationship with them. Everybody is sick of hearing about give to this or that because you are a big spoiled American and the rest of the world deserves your help. During hard economic times fewer and fewer people we know can rate themselves as spoiled financially, compared to the rest of the world we are rich. Most of us think about what we want to eat - rarely whether we'll have anything TO eat. I'm playing an old familiar song for you but it isn't any less true because you've heard it before. Our "stuff" isn't given to us on earth to measure our value - it is to be sustenance for us and handled as a good steward. We are to store up treasures in heaven. You'll definitely be paying it forward to store up treasures you'll receive for $38/month -the financial cost of sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Be prepared to pay more - prayers and notes and pictures. You'll be in touch with your sponsored child - not some generic "poor kid" in the country of your choice. With Compassion it is a real child, if you wish a visit can be arranged to meet with your child (or children?) Our two boys are Elius and Bipul - they are both in Bangladesh. We receive far more from sponsoring than a charitable contribution for your taxes and a feel-good-about-yourself pat on your own back. We are blessed and humbled by prayers of our boys - they pray for US - can you imagine? They live in one of the darkest countries spiritually and a a hard impoverished environment and they pray for us.

Please read any of the Compassion Bloggers-Kenya - look at the faces, joy and real poverty. Not tooting our horn because so many others with more with less- but we found we lived better without satellite TV. Almost the exact savings from cancelling satellite service brought us Elius and Bipul as long distance friends. You really can do it -don't feel as if you'll deprive yourself somehow. A dear blogger friend said recently she'd been taught the lesson "you can't outgive God". You can store up treasures where thieves can't steal, rust won't destroy and joy is the interest compounded on deposits.

It sounds as if I'm saying sponsor a child through Compassion for your own benefit - well it is. Yes - your sponsorship will absolutely change a child (and their family) forever - they'll receive education, food, health care and biblically sound teaching. No child has to become a Christian nor does their family - all care is administered by local, well established churches. Try it - you'll never be the same - it is Soul Food without the cholesterol and salt, it is candy without the calories and cavities, it is comfort food which will truly comfort! Bless y'all - every tongue, every nation - let's help write the Love Song born of a grateful choir.