Compassion...

Last week, Shannon and I had a WONDERFUL time working the Compassion booth at the first night of Atlantafest at Stone Mountain. We rode together and enjoyed some time to just catch up together. God had given me an idea to really connect people with sponsor children by wearing our kids photos clipped to our shirts so that people could see our kiddos! It was really neat that we both got to tell our stories with others and encourage them to take a step of faith and show Jesus' love to a child in need.

Since we were the first volunteers of the event...it was just the two of us...and we had NO idea what we were doing:) But, our friend James showed up and we were in charge of getting everything ready. We got to go through all the packets for the kids and arrange them...fall in love with all of them...and set the whole booth up for the rest of the week. We talked to lots of people and even had the privilege to see two of the priority kids find a sponsor.

OK...cool God story! As we were organizing all the kids by their countries, then alphabetizing all the countries, and then making sure that every country was represented on the table...we got a first hand peek at ALL the kids. James told us to make sure that the "priority kids" had a special spot. Neither of us had any idea what a priority kid would be. He told us that they are kids who have been waiting longer than 6 months and some of them over a YEAR for a sponsor!!

Many of them were older kids and many with HIV. Our hearts were just breaking for these kids. And Shannon found a cute little priority fella that she wanted to sponsor and he had been waiting the longest for a sponsor. She couldn't get in touch with her husband in time...so she put him back out on the table. THEN...a couple who had been coming by a few times decided to sponsor him!! God had put that little one on Shannon's heart for a reason!! It was SO cool.

Then, the rains came and we had to shut down the booth (it was almost at the end of the concert anyway!) and headed home. It was an incredible night! I am so thankful I got to share it with my friend Shannon...we laughed (at ourselves!) and had the best time talking to people, sharing our sponsorship stories, and just serving those who need it the most.

If you haven't sponsored a child with Compassion, won't you go to the icon above and check it out? And if you would...could you pray about taking a priority child? You can ask specifically for them. PLEASE pray and see how God might connect your family with another. It's awesome and we are SO blessed by our two kiddos! Go ahead and check it out...