I am with child.

Okay, I lied.

I am with a child.

I am with a child, in this picture.

Meet Sonali, my sponsor child.

I have been wanting to sponsor a child for a really long time, and I feel like God has placed sponsorship on my heart, for a really long time. But other things; like my pride, selfishness, and greed, have been getting in the way. They have been getting in the way, for a really long time. So please, don't see this post as a 'oh my goodness I'm so great and generous' expression, but quite the opposite. It truly is only the love of Christ that compels and enables me to get past my selfish ways.

But isn't she beautiful? 

I'm really excited. 

She is very welcome.

I pressed the "let Compassion pick for me" button on the website, because just seeing the dozens and dozens of precious faces in need of love and care was too much, and too heart breaking. I wanted to hold, extend my hands to, and love them all. And I have neither the bank account, nor the emotional capacity to sponsor literally thousands of children, and so Sonali came to me, and she is wonderful.

On the top of my 'I-want-to-travel-there' list is India. I have always wanted to go to India, and that is where she is from. She is 10, one of four children, and like so many others around the world, part of a family that struggles to survive.

I am so blessed. In fact, living on more then $10 a day means that I am more blessed (financially and materially) then 80% of the world. I am not just blessed, I am all-capitals BLESSED.

And I love Jesus. And I have a heart, through Him, for the hungry, for the broken, for the poor. 

How then, can I not love others from His love for me?

But if anyone has the worlds goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does Gods love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word, or talk, but in deed and truth.

That is 1 John 3: 17 and 18. And that, is very humbling.

I am very excited to have Sonali as part of my family. I am going to pray for her, write to her and love her, as best as I can. I want to adopt one day, and I feel like child sponsorship is just one way to prepare my heart for that. 

As part of Compassions sponsorship they offer a 31 day prayer guide, to pray for your child. That they will not be one of the 21 000 children under the age of five that die daily from preventable diseases. 

That they will be taught that instead, their life has worth. That they are precious. That that were fearfully and wonderfully made.

 That they will be safe, part of loving families, and part of a caring church community. 

That they will reside in lands and times of peace, that they will value forgiveness, and have the opportunity to receive an education. 

That they will have a safe place to sleep, and a roof over their head. 

That they will safe from abuse, and not join the 1.2 million other children who are still trafficked around the world each year.

 That they will have a childhood, and not join the 215 million child labourers in the world today. 

That they will have safe water to drink, unlike the 884 million others who do not. 

That they will love God, find lasting life in Jesus, be unconditionally loved, have lasting friendships, access to health care and freedom from natural disasters. 

I pray all these things for this one precious child, and for all around the world. 

This world we live in grieves me. I am so many things. So blessed, so selfish, so hardened. 

But aside from that all, I am in Christ. And He loves Sonali. And for some strange reason, He loves me. Next week we celebrate Easter, the ultimate expression of that love.

Our world is so messed up, but we are all created with purpose, and we are never alone. There are things that can be done to fight injustice, and we are asked simply to follow the one that can truly do something about them.

Compassion.

Jesus, help me love.