While you’re reading this, I’m likely on an airplane somewhere between Europe and Africa. I’m sure my contacts have dried out and my teeth are feeling a bit furry…but I digress.

When I went to El Salvador 5 years ago, Debbie followed the trip on my blog.  Several months ago she emailed me and told me that she and her daughter were preparing to go on a Compassion Vision Trip to Guatemala to meet their sponsored child!

I asked Debbie if I could share the letter she sent me a couple of weeks ago after their trip. She graciously said yes.

Dear Jill,

I e-mailed you a few months ago to let you know that my daughter and I were going on a Compassion Intl. Sponsor tour in July.  The Compassion trip you took a few years ago was so impactful to me, especially reading your blog about your experiences each day and what it was like to actually meet your sponsor child.

So now I can completely understand all that you were feeling and experiencing after just completing my first trip with my daughter, Nichole.  Wow!!!!  I cannot even begin to describe what an incredible trip we had to Guatemala.  I have been trying to put into words to my husband, family and friends what it was like and I can’t even scratch the surface in describing it!

We left July 13th for Guatemala and came back on July 20th forever changed by what we saw, felt, smelled, touched and heard!  We left part of our hearts with the Guatemalan people.  As we were sitting in the plane in Guatemala City, waiting to take off, I looked over at my daughter and at the same time we both said, “I don’t want to leave”.  We felt this strong pull to jump out the plane window and run back to our sponsored children!

While on the trip I had the awesome privilege of sponsoring another little girl!  Her name is Norma.  We met her Monday at one of the student centers and Compassion was able to get her to Guatemala City on Friday so we could meet her again along with our original sponsor child, Belsy.  It was one of the most incredible days of both our lives.

So now we are back, telling our story to whoever will listen!  I just wanted you to know that I’m thankful for that blog you did all those years ago which planted the seed in me to go on one of these trips.  I will never, ever be the same!

Trusting in Him,

Debbie Goumas

In a follow up email, Debbie told me, ”  If anything I have to say even gets one person to sponsor a precious child of God, I would be so humbled and blessed!  Did you know that only 1% of all sponsored children ever get to meet their sponsors?  That really surprised me!  God has allowed you to represent Jesus to these kids in Africa just like He did for Nichole & I in Guatemala!  What a awesome God He is!  How humbling for us!”

Any sponsor can take a vision trip with Compassion just like Debbie and her daughter did. That’s one of the things I love about Compassion!  The other thing I LOVE is that you can build a relationship with your child by mail!  For the past seven years the Hearts at Home staff have sponsored a young lady in Tanzania.  We’ve written to her. Prayed for her. Sent her something for her birthday every year. I can’t wait to introduce you to Theresia tomorrow!

Are you praying?