Débora

Over the weekend, I had the awesome opportunity to be a junior leader at a middle school church event in Austin. When I was there, I saw a booth with a bunch of envelopes lying all over the blue tablecloth and a lady relaxing behind the table with a laptop. I went over to explore, mainly because she looked a little lonely.

When I got to the table, I saw about a hundred pictures of adorable children smiling up sweetly at me through clear plastic Compassion Children envelopes. A picture near my hand caught my eye.

A little girl, maybe 6 or 7 years old, grinned up at me with a gapped-toothed smile. Her little pigtails are lopsided, her jeans are about 6 sizes too big for her toothpick legs, her pink Hello Kitty jacket engulfs her tiny malnourished frame, and her scuffed black boots stand closely together. She's standing in front of a preschool with bars on the doors and windows. And she has the biggest, brightest smile I've ever seen.

Her name is Débora Sofia Palomino Rojas.

Débora got me thinking...what makes her so happy? How can she smile when she lives in a place full of drugs and crime, already has a job running errands for her family daily, and has a house with a floor of dirt? How can a kid smile like that when they are living a hundred times worse than you or me? What makes her so happy?

Hope.

She can't have any certainty in her future. There's no way to ensure that Débora will get an education, raise a family, or even have enough food and water to survive. She puts her hope in God. Her faith is so strong, and I can't wait to write to her and encourage her to grow close to her savior. But it really makes you think-

...Next time you're upset that you failed a test, be thankful you're getting an education.
...Next time you want a new pair of boots, be happy you have even one pair of shoes.
...Next time you're angry that you have to do your chores, be happy that you have things    to take care of.
...Next time you're mad that you don't have your favorite soda in the fridge, be thankful        that you have something clean to drink.

I really encourage everyone to sponsor a child or donate to Compassion International's cause! It really puts a certain perspective on life: $38 a month isn't that much when you consider that you're changing a child's future, allowing them to learn and grow in ways that wouldn't be possible without YOU! :)

Débora, my sponsored child from Peru!
Please pardon the "picture of a picture!" :)

If you want to help, Compassion's website is here!