January 2014 Update

I am in the middle of preparing for the delightful company of old friends and new. Please pray we are able to minister to their battered hearts while they stay. 

We had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed our company and family very much. Due to time constraints, we did not get to do our annual ride through all of Hampton Roads to look at the lights, but did carve a little time out for our local displays. We had a very full and very special Christmas season!

For New Year's we had a meeting with another couple, followed by a dinner date, and then celebrated at home as a family with a Bible study and prayer. As our tradition, we prayed the New Year in as a family.

On the first, we started out by cooking a breakfast, followed by family time of praise and worship, time with each of our younger children, going with Amanda to look at something for a future goal, and then shopping with Brandon. We ended the first day of the New year with a movie for Clint and I.

There are a few situations in the works which are looking very promising. I can't share about them, but do appreciate prayer for them. Something big and good may happen for one of us on the 9th, so we ask your prayers for the success of that. No matter what happens, this month is going to be an exciting one!

Clint and I have plans to spend time in Kilmarnock to visit with family there. We have a couple of romantic weekends planned over the next few months. It's going to be fun!

This may be the last year we can sponsor Flor de Maria, so please be in prayer for her. She says she is not ready to give her life to Christ. This burdens us for us with what we know of her environment.

A Picture of Flor de Maria

Flor de maria showing us the items she bought with our financial gift.
In the bottom photo, she is shown with her grandmother who is her guardian.


She says in her last letter that she purchased "...milk, cereal, sugar, rice, soups, oil, cookies and a lot more. Also products for personal hygiene, clothes, blouses, skirts, underwear and shoes and sandals too. And a wardrobe to keep my clothes in too. Everything is very pretty. I will be praying for you and you pray for me. I love you. Sincerely, Flor"

Compassion International is a worthy organization to sponsor a child through. When Flor was learning her letters, we did not hear from her as often, but we would get a card or a note from her teacher at least twice a year. As she learned to write, we heard from her more often. Through the mail, we have been able to watch her grow, learn and develop her artistic ability. We have learned about her country's customs as well as the heavy rains and flooding they have had over the years.

Please join us in prayer for Flor de Maria's spiritual, emotional, mental and physical well being.

Our 2nd Letter to Compassion International

The first letter was ignored. This is my second attempt. To read about this story in our blog, click Flor de Maria.

This is the second letter I have written Compassion International in an effort to make sure the child I sponsor (XX-XXX-XXXX) is being cared for properly. She wrote me a letter dated 4/22/2010 stating that she had been in the hospital for a week with herpes. She is 13. I think we can safely draw the conclusion that someone has caused this child harm. I am asking someone to please look into it. If you can't for some reason, then write me back and let me know. But at least take the time to let me know if something can and is being done for her. If we truly have compassion for our neighbors, then we can't just ignore something like this. I have to try and asking Compassion to look into it is the only way I can help her. 757-xxx-xxxx contentmentacres@xxxx.xxx

UPDATE: I received a reply today:

"Thank you for your e-mail and allowing me the pleasure of assisting you today.

I do see that we did receive an e-mail from you on June 8. A compassion representative responded on June 8 by asking you to send us a copy of the child's letter and we will be glad to research your concern further with our El Salvador country staff. I apologize if you did not receive the response. ....(contact info)...."

We Received the Sweetest Condolence

card today from our sponsored child Flor de Maria who lives in El Salvador. Mail is a little slow between us, but she sent her sincere condolences to the entire family and loved ones of Clint's mother Midge Nichols. I imagine that is the only condolence card from out of the country and written in Spanish sent to anyone in the family.

She made a guess that we have lots of trees here. We'll take some pictures and send them to prove her correct.

We have accomplished a lot of school today. After lunch, we will head outside to work in the garden together.

Enjoy your children. They grow so very fast and the work you are doing in their hearts is so important. Teach them to be obedient and respectful. If you teach them properly, you will enjoy their company and they will be a delight to you. If you do not enjoy their company, it is a sign you have work to do in the area of discipline. If you leave them to themselves, they will bring you shame. (Proverbs 29:15)

A Rose From Flor de Maria

This is the latest drawing from Flor de Maria, our sponsored child through Compassion. It's it a pretty drawing? And, see the little flower she made for Emily?

Flor's Drawing

Picture from Flor de Maria

Compassion International

This is Flor de Maria, the child we sponsor through Compassion International. (Some of the information has been removed in the photo to protect our sponsor information, etc.) We have been sponsoring her for 5 or 6 years now. We started it as part of our homeschool experience. We can not say enough good things about how positive an experience this has been for our entire family.

Now that she is older, we hear from her quite often and are able to ask specific questions. In her last letter, she said she'd pray for Wendy and the baby and asked us to send her a picture when Emily was born. She also asked that we kiss Emily for her. She sends us pictures every time she sends a letter. We pray for and love her and her family just as if they were right here in the states.

Sponsorship is $32 a month and includes their school, meals at the school, health care, health education, materials, etc. You can send monetary gifts for the family up to a certain amount and specify how you want that gift spent.

When you pray for our family, please pray for Flor de Maria and her aged grandparents who are raising three children.