Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Excited My Columbian Boy

I looked at my kids on OC and noticed a new face from compassion. I am very excited to introduce to you all my new correspondent 14 year old Alexander from Columbia. He has the name one of my cousins foster kids I came to love very much wanted to change his name too. :)

Monday, August 26, 2013

Happy Birthday to my sweetheart

I want to give a great big shout out from here in the USA all the way to Nicaragua to one of the sweetest little girls I know. To my correspondent baby who is turning five today.... I have been her correspondent since May 7th 2013

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY  DAFNER!!!! I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!! I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!! LOTS OF HUGS AND KISSES TO YOU!!!
 

Friday, August 23, 2013

An exciting bunch of photos.

I am excited to show these off. My two boys with LMU had visitors to the orphanage. I have so far gotten pictures of my youngest turning seven in September. Here's what I have so far. I just can't quit looking at these photos. Gotta love those dimples. And the smiles are just to much especially now that he's missing a few front teeth. :)
This is Philip (found out he wasn't a Philipe) and his mommy with banana's that he got that day from all of us sponsors pitching together to buy fruit for all of the kids.
Philip is making a bag he even wrote his name even if it is it seems written upside down from the handles.
Look at those missing front teeth. Too cute.
Philip is the one on the left of the girl in the pink shirt with the marker in or around his mouth.
See the littlest one in the front middle. Look to the right. The second child is my Philip with his bag.
 
Love the photos so far. I cannot wait to get more and one's of my other Philip my orphan boy here.
 
 
 
 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

My hero's

God placed me where he wanted me. He made me in his image, but made me unique. I have told my own children the same. Not to let them be told any differently. Their beautiful in their own ways.  I grew up in a very low income family. One that at for a long time did good putting food on the table and keeping the bills paid. Extra activities were a luxury that we couldn't have until I was in around 7th grade. I was always the person even as a little bitty one that people could trample all over. The one they could make cry or feel the lowest about myself. I always continued to love them and others. Always forgave with out being asked for forgiveness. The one who smiled no matter what. I am still working on breaking myself from constantly being trampled on. My boyfriend and I myself are what we call trying to teach the word NO...
I see myself in my kids. I pray they and their family's have never been trampled all over, but in all actuality it is most likely they have some time or the other.
 

I see the sweetness in them all. Whether it's sharing, smiling against all odds, and just possibly asking what they  want with no fear. It may not be sharing sucking fingers with a cow, but instead maybe food with a family member or better yet a complete stranger.
 
Guatemala: 
My 4 year old Maylin always smiling through all odds. Always sharing money gifts I send to buy food and home items for her family. She bought herself shoes once all other gifts have been food and home items.
My 5 year old Juan that loves unconditionally even if he just met you. Such a sweet heart in him.
My 16 year old Hesler he's so open and truthful. Both great qualities.
 
Indonesia:
My sweet 4 year old Angeli. So shy and reserved at first now so sweet and open. Always wanting to become smarter.
My 9 year old Marcella. So informative on her country and herself. So thankful to God for her and others life and safety.
 
Uganda:
My 6 year old Philipe. He lost his father and he and his mother live at an orphanage. He continues to laugh and smile. To love.
My sweet beautiful 14 year old Amollo. She's so eager to please. She's learning to write English better so she can write me herself. So she could make me happy.
My 16 year old Philip. A complete orphan. Living in an orphanage. He maintains hope to forget the loss of his parents. Hope to be adopted.
 
Nicaragua:
My 4 year old Dafner. I have not heard from her, but her beauty shines through.
 
Ethiopia:
My 12 year old Haile. My man that keeps going up in his clothing in pictures. He can only go up from here. I haven't heard from him yet, but have gotten a photo update.
 
Dominican Republic:
My 13 year old Fernando. We share a love for baseball. He shows his love for something so easily. It reflects.
 
Peru:
My 4 year old Jairo. He shares my grandmothers name, but also is not afraid to ask anything he wants.
 
Zambia:
My 1st grader Bibilically she is such a little angel. Haven't heard from her yet.
My 1st grader Caritus  my cutie. Haven't heard from him yet.
My 3rd grader Rachael. I have feeling there's a story behind those eyes. Haven't heard from her yet.
 
Honduras:
My sweet 11 year old Mario. He's my strong little man. Through not so good odds he still holds his head up high. 
 
United States:
My sweet 5 year old Brianna. She's my prayer child and find joy in all things even as a foster child.
 
These children have made it through so many things in life, but still keep happiness and a smile. They continue to smile. They are my hero's... Who I admire...
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Compassion sponsorship link

For those of you that may be considering sponsorship and want to check the children out here's a link to lead you straight to children needing sponsors. Have a specific country of the 26 they have you want to sponsor in? You can search it. Have a specific gender? You can search it. A certain age? You can search it. The children love you so much for what you do for them in bettering theirs and their families lives. I encourage writing it makes a big difference for your child. If you can't, but have someone willing to write for you... Call compassion at the number on the website and tell them who you have writing to them. If you don't have anyone. You can call compassion and ask them to pair your child with a correspondent that will write them. Letters are a big thing these sweethearts look forward to even more than the money. Will you make a difference for a child today? Thanks so much for taking the time to read. 
http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=131923

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Sadness and discouragement to comfort a compassion sponsorship story

I want to tell you a story...
A story close to my heart...
My story of sponsoring 4 year old Jairo Jean Pier Hurtado Godoy from Peru...

Not really anyone knows this story my mom only knows a little of it and how bad I wanted to sponsor Jairo, but not my feelings leading to before I sponsored him. I already sponsored Maylin, Angeli, and Hesler. I also corresponded with three of my children.

Jairo shares something with someone very special to me...
A name...
 
The name he shares is Jean ... He shares it with my grandmother that I love and miss dearly. The names many be pronounced differently due to language, but in my eyes their the same.
Granny with her kitten Cassie's brother

  My granny at thanksgiving in her north face I bought her

To start from the beginning though. My grandmother one of the most independent, hardworking, talented, and loving women I know was diagnosed with something that can not be cured and would change her life dramatically. After she one day caught the house on fire and almost burned it down (she forgot the stove was on). My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This was confirmed the same time she was put in the hospital for catching pheumonia (sorry for the spelling) and then finding out she also had infazeima (sorry for the spelling) also. After her threatening to shove the doctor out of the window or take him to the rooftop and shoot his kneecaps out, got rid of her pheumonia, and got medication for the rest she we brought her home. She did have a pistol at home, but my uncle took it while she was at the hospital so she wouldn't hurt herself or anyone. The challenges would begin not long after. The fights to get her to take medication, trouble getting nurses help while schooling and work was going on, and the phone calls. Yes the phone calls... With time my grandmother had gotten worse. She acted like a child often, we would get calls about her missing different articals of clothing walking down the street and my mom would have leave work to get her.
         My granny playing with her great grand              

Granny at home one of the baby's I bought her

 We checked on her often and couldn't really get a nurses help, but that wasn't enough she was doing worse things. Thank goodness for great neighbors... They helped if able. Something had to change though. My mother nor any of her siblings could miss work or quit their jobs to watch her. My bother was in school. I took on the role of caretaker. My uncle wanted to pay me a little to watch her, but she was my grandmother I couldn't take the money. I worked at a job and went to school at this time so the summer I started watching her I made sure to get my college classes scheduled around her even if it meant online classes. There were some of those. I would schedule them as early as possible hurry up and drive the hour or so to school, hurry though the test I had to take two to three times a semester, then hurry the hour back to be with her. With work I managed to get them to move me to their night shift at the restaurant I was working. Some nights me having to rush to work at like 3 in the afternoon to 11 or 12 at night. That left homework for when I was watching her and late nights. I made it though. We had to even move my dog to her home due to it killing my dads chickens. That was a blessing though. Come to find out she was amazing with my grandmother. She would stay under my grandmothers hand everytime she left the house and lead her back home. The neighbors told us this. Many hilarious dollar general trips, two birthdays, a senior year summer, lots of giving her what she wanted to make her happy, dancing and singing, enduring her temper, digging in the trash for thrown away things, hiding pictures, trying to get her to eat every meal, fear of losing her while in the restroom (sometimes happened), lots of baths, coaxing her into clothes (sometimes see more than I wanted too), lots of gas and milage used, and much more things including: watching a car catch on fire causing a child and man jump out of the car before our eyes then having to answer her questions later and a new decision was made.
Her at dirt cheap before we went in with her doll she had gotten at
a friend of mines store. She named him yucky yucky after her great grand.
She thought he looked like Gavin.

 
There was no other choice she needed to go and be put into the Alzheimer's ward at a local nursing home. My mother and I visited her often there and cried a lot in the change we saw still happening. She got to where she wouldn't eat, wouldn't stand or walk, and wouldn't talk.
My granny with a bear I gave her from our
vacation                                                          
 
Receiving the Christmas gift the last Christmas she was
able
 Some of the memories I hold dearest is the crochet blanket I made for her after teaching myself (She tried teaching me when I was little and wouldn't release this blanket) and the last words she said to me after she had quit talking and that was thank you and Love you when I gave her the blanket her last Christmas.
 
 

Granny wearing a jacket she made         

A doll dress she made
 
 

    Side of the bridal doll dress             

 The dress I crocheted for Maylin
 


               The blanket I made her

My mom, dad, and I realized her time was becoming very short the beginning of the week that she passed. That week on Sunday we were called being asked to come and that hospice was being called. I went to work the next day for a very short time for CPR and First Aide trading then left on my way back to the hospital 35 minutes away. We sat with her all day. Sister bothers, children, and grandchildren all came. I watched as she stared at the ceiling, helped my mom calm her when she seemed scared, watched her reach toward the ceiling with a few very low spoken words, her breath coming in slower. A breath, stop for a few seconds, breath.... This went on for tormenting hours. So much going though my head. Why? Why her? Then take her don't make her suffer. Then don't take her. Why won't you help her God? Why did you do this to my grandmother God? This isn't fair God. I remember breaking down once and feeling like a fool for crying as I ran out the door, I ran into someone it didn't register, someone grabbed for my shoulder I didn't know who. My mom followed me out and helped me. I went back in and waited. I was watching as she breathed her last counting every second between breathes. She was announced as passing April 16th at 1:14 at night  this year. My mom smelled cigarette smoke right before my grandmother passed no one else did. We wonder what passed family member met her to take her to God.
After her death, the viewing, and the funeral I wanted to do something but didn't know what. A humming bird tattoo because she loved hummingbirds. No terrified of needles... Donate to Alzheimer's. We did that if they couldn't do flowers... Something for eyesight. We donated her glasses all of them. I had a lot to think about on what to do for her preferably in the long run. I was at a loss. I couldn't even listen to the songs that we used for her or any song she listened too. I wasn't interested in music which I love. I was withdrawn  when it came to her. I was in a way depressed.
I decided to one day look at the longest waiting children with compassion. There he was waiting 311 days for a sponsor who had my grandmother's first name Jean in his. Since I have sponsored him my wall of grief has been crack and is slowly falling apart. I have piece of my granny in my beloved Jairo. His sweetness, his joy for life, his absolutely fearless questionings. I can't wait to get to know him even more every letter.
                                                                               Jairo

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Another letter guess who!!!

I was so excited when my mom handed me an envelope that said message from you sponsored child. I contemplated whether I was one of my long awaited letters from Amollo, Haile, or Fernando..... Quite possibly another great letter from one of my other babies.... Hummmm. I then proceed to open the letter and guess who....

Fernando!!! My 13 year old sweetheart from the Dominican Republic.
His letter was so sweet...
They translated his letter as saying...
Hello Dear Amanda Watts
May God's peace be with you and yours, I thank you for sponsoring me . (I am his correspondent) I am working hard at school and I hope I have passed to 6th grade . I ask you to pray God to help me to improve every day. I am playing baseball better, I play infield because it is my favorite position. I like it, thank you and see you soon.
Fernando Jose De Jesus Munoz. Transl. 202

I have trouble making out his words in Spanish due to a lot of the letters and words being muddled together.
Can anybody tell if they missed anything when they translated? My answer was yes. A fellow compassion friend is fluent is Spanish and could read the writing. As I thought there was some missing.
Her translation.....
"Dear Amanda Watts, may the peace of God be with you and yours. Thanks for making me part of your life. I am working hard every day at school and I hope to have passed to the 6th grade. I'm a little bit behind, and for this I ask you to pray that God helps me to become better each day.
In the baseball league, I am playing better each day and I play shortstop, which is the position I like the best. Do you like baseball? This is what I like the best.
Thanks again.  See you soon!
Jose"

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Third letter from Angeli

I just received a third letter from my sweet Angeli. She is so sweet. I glad that my boyfriend niece chose her for us to get to know.

My sweet Angeli's front of her letter is a my friends template.

It says:
Things that I do with my friends are attending the project
My best friend is Naila or Nalla (cannot tell which it says)
My best friend goes to the project with me
I met my best friend at child development center
The Back of Her Letter:
 

This is what her lertter says....
"Greeting in love of Lord Jesus Christ." Hello, Amanda Watts! It's Angeli. She felt so happy when you replied her letter. (my replied matter a lot to her it seems) Thank you. God bless you. Always pray for her, that always be good and smart child, also can be a blessing to many people. (Every letter she asks for prayers to be smart. She's added some. :) ) She and family here always pray for you. (aww. I feel special.) May God always keeps and protects you. See you again in the next letter. ( love she does say goodbye it seems so final, but instead says see you next letter.) God bless you.
Love Angeli
This her drawing... I especially love the middle drawing..... :)

Juan's First Letter.... Boy Was That Quick!

Almost done promise.
I received my first letter from my sweet Juan very quickly. I am his first sponsor so he is quite new to compassion and so loving.

Here is the front of his letter. It's the getting to know me better template.

On the font he sent me a cute photo of himself coloring me the picture he sent me with this letter.

Maylin is the only other young child this has been done with. So I am guessing Guatemala just does this.
He colored his eye color
He gave my a fingerprint of his.
He sent in Spanish his please pray for.
Also in Spanish his a greeting to my sponsor
He  colored me where he lived in Guatemala on a map. At the bottom it says he lives in Alta Verapaz.
(Hesler and Juan. Both of my boys are from the same center.)
On The Back...
On the back he sent his drawing an the translations.
 
The Translation for his please pray for an a greeting to my sponsor.
Here's the translation:
Please pray for Juan Luis's mom, and for him that God will bless them deeply.
A greeting to my sponsor!
Dear sponsor, Juan Luis Alfredo sends you a war greeting, he hopes that you are doing fine, he loves you so much (my heart) and he thanks you for being his sponsor.
Now for his lovely picture. I will say I have no idea what he drew though.