Yesterday morning we spent several hours at the Compassion International Office. We learned all the details of how Compassion works, met employees and were greatly encouraged in the Lord. It was fascinating to learn of the needs and culture of this country and it was encouraging to see that we as sponsors are making a difference in the lives of so many!
We then ate a box lunch on the bus and travelled to our church. It is a little over an hour away from the hotel and in a very, very poor community. That is where we were greeted by the children and workers of the Child Development Center. It is at the church, but it is a program funded by Compassion for children to attend three days a week. Here they get a very good meal, Bible teaching, help with homework and a lot of love. For most of the children, it is the only good food they get every week.
While we were there, we shared Bible stories, made salvation bracelets and necklaces, played games, painted A LOT of finger nails and gave hundreds of hugs!
We ended yesterday with dinner in the hotel and had a very precious share and prayer time. Our hearts had literally been ripped out of our chests and many of us have been fighting pretty severe altitude sickness. The day was terrific but difficult.
Today was full and totally different. Today was about mothers connecting with mothers. Today was answered prayers that I have prayed since I became a Child Survivor Program sponsor. It was not enough for me to just give $20 a month-although that is incredibly important. I had to see the faces of these mothers. I had to hug them and tell them that I loved them. I had to hold their babies. I needed with all that is in me to be where they were.
The CSP is doing amazing things in the lives of these mothers! It is saving the lives of their babies! It gives them training in spiritual maturity, cognitive and physical development and they learn skills to support their family.
We wanted to give them a day af pampering! At that my friends, is what we did! The smiles on their faces are worth a million dollars, and I can promise you that my trip companions and I will NEVER forget them. Here are a few!
The ladies made hair accessories, received hand treaments and manicures, sat for their hair to be straightened, curled, braided...you name it and we tried! The also each received a new Mary Kay lip gloss! We took their pictures and will print them for the mothers. On Monday we get to give them the pictures and they will make a frame to put them in their homes. For most of them, it was their first time to get their pictures taken!
As you can see they all had their beautiful children! I have to share a face with you! I have a ton of smiles, but this connection is super slow and I think I am over loading it! You get the idea...precious!
They loved getting hair bows and seeing mommy be beautiful as well!
We all made friends and shared cherished moments. We all were blessed because a mother's heart is the same all over the world. We all want our children to be safe and happy and blessed. We all have days when we want to pull our hair out! We all have cried because we love our babies. We all consider it the most important job in the world. Being a mother is a gift from God and today, we shared that gift with mothers in Ecuador. They are our sisters in Christ. They are our friends. We did not have to speak the same language in order to share tears and hugs and laughter because our hearts are the same.
We ended our day visiting the homes of some of the mothers. The conditions are more than I can describe tonight. Our time was blessed by the Lord and once again as we prepare for bed our hearts are full. This day will be marked as one of the best of my life...I am sure my friends (Ecuadorian and American) would say the same. More tomorrow.....
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