Birthday Buddies

Each week at Classical Conversations the students prepare and give a presentation to their class. The topic this week is to tell a story about a family member or friend. Because it was her birthday week and because she has a birthday buddy, we wrote a story about this experience. I recorded Kayleigh practicing her presentation and thought I'd share it here.

Compassion Mobile Experience

The Compassion Mobile Experience came through Portland last weekend. We were able to go through it in January, but the girls wanted to go again. I had hoped we could work the event, but when we went to sign up, the shifts were five hours long. We decided just to attend, but the day before the event I was still getting emails about needing volunteers. I emailed back to see if they could use us for three hours instead of five and they said yes.

This was a completely different truck than the one we saw in January or the one I saw a couple years ago in Montana. (I think there are 8 trucks now that travel across the country). Before our volunteer shift we were able to go through one story (Kiwi from the Philippines) and then during our shift we went through the other two (Jonathan from Dominican Republic and Olive from Uganda).

It was amazing. You are given an ipod and then you hear the story of each child as you walk through the exhibit. It starts with a glimpse at life before Compassion, how the child got involved and the difference sponsorship made that child and family. At the very end you are prompted to watch the screen and the real person (so Kiwi, Olive or Jonathan) appears on the screen and you hear directly from them and see what they are doing now.

To see if it's coming near you, visit the website HERE.

Nicaragua 2015 ~ Wrapping Up Our Compassion Day

After our lunch at Tip Top, we headed back to the Compassion Project and I got to play my violin for our kids (and several others who happened to hear and come in the room).

After the mini-concert, it was time to take some final pics and say goodbye....

saw this"graffiti" on one of the classroom doors at the project and asked Josseling if it was her (she blushed)

It was a wonderful day!

Nicaragua 2015 ~ Home Visits Part 2

Our next stop was Maria's home. We had already picked Maria up at the Compassion project and were getting to know her in the van. She showed up in a beautiful, green dress and sneakers. It was precious. What we weren't ready for, was the condition of her home. Just thinking back to that moment when we pulled up brings tears to my eyes. We quickly learned that eight people live inside this home.

Maria's mother, Margarita, was the only other family member we met. She is just recovering from a long illness caused by mosquitoes (but not malaria). You could tell she was proud of her daughter.

I am so thankful that my mom sponsored Maria shortly before this trip. And I'm so thankful for all the pretty things my mom brought her.

There were additional buildings in the back, where other family members lived. This was very common in Nicaragua - for homes to include several smaller families within a larger family, all using the same piece of property to live.

After Maria's, we had one more home to visit...Kerlint's. My mom sponsored Kerlint shortly after Kevin's trip to Nicaragua three years ago. He is almost a birthday buddy to Sydney, having been born just two days before her. Kerlint is an only child, like my mom, and has a really bubbly personality (also like my mom). He lives with his parents and grandparents.

Kerlint's grandparents own and operate a small store out of the front room of their home. When we arrived they gave us each a bottle of water from the store.

Kerlint brought our a folder of all the letters and photos my mom has sent him in the past three years. He was so proud of them. Even the stickers she had sent were unused and treasured. It was weird to see photos of Sydney and Kayleigh from a couple years ago in his house.

After the homes visits we went to Tip Top to eat. Tip Top is a very popular restaraunt that serves fried chicken and french fries. All the kids ordered happy meals. We asked the kids if they had been there before and each one had eaten there one other time. Josseling, who is a bit older than the others, had been there a couple times. Kerlint's grandfather, Kendry's mom and another Compassion staff worker were able to join us.

Kerlint and Kendry had fun climbing up the playground and sliding down the slide.

Nicaragua 2015 ~ home visits part 1

After our tour of the Compassion project, we headed out to visit the homes of our sponsored kids. Just as we were leaving, Kendry showed up at the project!

meeting Kendry

Maria had still not come, but we headed out anyway and would stop by the project and pick her up after a couple home visits.

Because of our late start to the morning, and the delay in adding 2 more kids to our visit, we had very little time at each house. Still, it was an honor and privilege to see where our kids live and meet more of their families. We basically had enough time to meet and greet family members, deliver our gifts and pray with the family.

in addition to the backpacks stuffed with goodies for our kids, we did some grocery shopping
and gave each family a bag of basic food - rice, beans, oil, sugar and cookies!!
I found these reusable bags at IKEA and this is how we delivered the groceries.

I sat next to Josseling in the van and we took some selfies to pass the time

Our first stop was Josseling's home. 

At the gate of her home. This Compassion staff worker is the same one who brought Kevin here three years ago.
She remembered him and when I look back at his photos, I recognize her.

Henry (brother), Mercedes (sister), Evelyn (mother)

Josseling is the oldest of five children. There is a fairly new baby (maybe a year old), but he was asleep. I was too nervous and excited and everything else to ask if I could peek at him. I'm not sure where her other brother was. 

Here are a few shots of the houses that surround Josseling's house. I think it's obvious from the dirt street how poor this neighborhood is.

Next we went to Ana's house. Ana's father works for the electric company during the week, and on Sunday's is a barber out of his home. This front room was his barber shop.

We stayed in the front courtyard of Ana's home, but I took a few photos of the living space. I don't know how many people live back here, but I think it's more than one family.

Rosario (Ana's mom) and Josue (baby brother)

I don't remember this girl's name, but she is Ana's cousin

Mom is showing the family photos of Henry and Ana and explaining how we know them. This other woman pictured is Jhemmy, our wonderful translator.

Our next stop was Kendry's home...it was only about an hour earlier that they had even learned we were there and wanted to meet them. I wish I could have seen his expression when they told him his sponsor was at the Compassion project!

for some reason they had toys still in the boxes on display on this wall

Kedry's sister, Nataly, his mom, Norma, and his niece (I don't remember her name)

their home...dirt floors, fabric hung as a door, various building materials pieced together on the walls...

this little girl is the daughter of Kendry's oldest sister

Kendry was explaining what all the photos were

this Kendry when he was much younger...at some sort of play 

Kendry with his bike - which he got through Compassion. 

We asked Kendry's mom what they need...she said they need a new roof.  I'd agree.

I really like this because it shows all the different materials used for this house

the kitchen

Norma was able to join us for the rest of the day, which was lovely!
Before we left the house she had Kendry put on his good shoes and she changed her shirt.