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When we went to a concert last month, there was a video from Compassion International and the opportunity to sponsor a child. We have talked about it before but never did anything about it. JM raised his hand that night and we received a packet about a 7 year old girl in Haiti. I sent a picture and letter to her and we received a letter today written by her mother. She thinks I should gain some weight. She drew some flowers for us.

She's a beautiful little girl, one of 8 children. They live in a house smaller than my bedroom.

It sure brings some perspective to me, as I sit in a very nice home with far too much space for the 4 of us. Makes me wonder what else I could be doing.

...adopting? You could always fill that house!

ETA: What a wonderful thing for you guys to do, sponsoring a child. Truly wonderful.

[This message edited by Want2help at 8:53 PM, April 16th (Tuesday)]

My family is very involved with Haiti. Several members of my family go there at least twice a year to build, build, build.

We raise money all year round for the work they do there. We also know a family that has moved there in order to serve there fulltime.

I have not been there myself but maybe someday.

Big request from the kids they work with for the next trip? Soccer balls!!! Hard to imagine that being put on a wish list when most children I know have everything they need and most of what they really want.

The child my mom sponsors wanted a watch and underwear. Hard to imagine a child wishing for new underwear.

W2h, we have thought about fostering or adoption. It's a little hard for me wrap my mind around because of the baby I gave up. I am afraid of trying to "replace" her in some way. Also really afraid of my drug addiction causing a problem. For now we are going to sponsor Chinaylove (isn't that a beautiful name?) and then see where God leads us.

Edited to correct random misspelling of a 3-letter name that doesn't seem that difficult to get right.

[This message edited by HFSSC at 5:30 AM, April 17th (Wednesday)]

Incredible stories, from both of you. Tremendous love and selflessness.

HFSSC, mostly joking, due to the comment about space. I myself want to adopt, we are just not in a place financially to do it.

If everyone in the world did as much as you two, it would be such a better place.

HFSSC, mostly joking, due to the comment about space.

Yeah, I knew you were, but it really is something we have thought about extensively. We had actually taken steps, back in 2004 or so, to take custody of JM's cousin's little girl when the cousin's drug addiction and outrageous behavior was endangering the little girl. At the last minute, she found a rehab that would allow her to bring her daughter, and we never saw her again. Found the cousin on fb a couple of years ago, and discovered she had lost custody anyway.

Since then, we have felt an empty spot in our family.

Look into fostering instead of adopting. I have a friend in Northern Georgia who fosters and they are in such need of families it's unbelievable.

Or do something for foster families here. She has started a project to collect children's clothes - new and gently used, toys (same), diapers, shoes, toiletries, etc. Other foster families can now contact her to come "shop" in their revamped basement closet - pretty much the whole basement has racks for clothes, shelves and bins, just like you would in an actual closet. Almost all of the time, these kids only leave with the clothes on their backs and NOTHING else. Not a teddy bear, blankie, shoes, just the clothes they are wearing. Foster families need a place to turn to for all of these items for these kids and on top of being a foster family themselves, they are now providing for others.

[This message edited by Mousse242 at 5:32 PM, April 17th (Wednesday)]