Day 4

Dear Friends and Family,

Today was a day filled with hard labor and God moments so let's get to the details.
The group split into 2 team today going to 2 different Compassion Projects. Here are the stories from Christabel's team...

They started the day doing some painting...about 5 classrooms total accomplished today. They then went on to do some home visits where they encountered one family that really left an impression. They went into the mud hut of a single mom who had 4 kids. These homes are one large room where everyone lives, the family was dressed in tattered clothes but the team was welcomed openly. While the team was there, the mother seemed to be looking down at the ground - Christabel described it as a very ashamed demeanor. While watching this Christabel felt impressed to encourage her with Proverbs 31:25, "Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come." When Christabel approached her and told her she has hope in Christ, this mom looked up and smiled.

Their Compassion guides gave them some practical information regarding life for these families: It costs about $60 to build one of these mud huts, schooling costs about $8 per month per child, and the mom works washing clothes for less than $1 per day. If she wanted to send all 4 of her children to school it would cost her $32 per month which is more than she makes washing clothes. That would leave nothing for food, health care, clothing or any other needs they may have. That is where the aid that Compassion gives becomes so vitally important to the family. Quite the lesson the student learned today with this family!

Pastor Mike's team went to another Compassion Project where they made some new friends and did lots of cleaning. Most of these Compassion Project sites have on their property a church, school, and other buildings for general use. So they did a lot to spruce up the buildings on the inside and out. Pastor Mike said that they were able to spend some time with students from the Leadership Development Program (LDP). These students told them that Compassion had changed their lives and their families lives in many different ways. The families of these sponsored children are given groceries and other supplies that they would not have otherwise had. Some of the LDP students were studying to be a doctor, radiologist and one girl was studying nursing.

They then took a horse and buggy ride (a low grade taxi as he described it) to do some home visits of their own. They used 6-7 taxi's becoming a mini caravan to a community with many shack homes. They visited one family of 6 (the dad here worked at the Compassion site as a guard at the gate). They lived in a one room home that was approximately 18x12 feet. The oldest child in the home, a 17 year old boy, had been sponsored by Compassion for 13 years. The family pulled out letters to show the team from their sponsor and spoke of the dreams they now have. The parents commented that when they were growing up the didn't even dare to have dreams, so many were malnourishment and the country was in such a poor state, but they are thankful that their children now have the opportunity to have dreams to help their family, get an education, and better their county. One of the other children (and 11year old girl) said that she wanted to be a medical professor, the other children in the home were 4 and 2 years old.

After dinner some of the team took a moonlight hike to the top a small mountain (or a really big hill) to see some of the country side ~ which was stunning with a 3/4 moon and more stars than they will ever see here. They are being impressed with God's majesty in His creation and His provision for His people!

Tomorrow they will visit the same sites and have a campfire in the evening with some of the students from the Sponsorship program and the LDP.

Blessings,
Heather