Giving Instead of Getting

One of the grace-gifts I listed yesterday on my Multitudes on Mondays post was this:

:: Shopping for items to pack into hygiene kits for homeless youth.

This past Saturday, our kids got together with their cousins and "almost-cousins" for our annual Christmas party. First, let me explain the "almost-cousins." :-) This group actually started 23 years ago with five teenage girls --- myself, my two sisters and our two friends who are also sisters --- us five, we're just like blood sisters! Hence, our kids are "almost-cousins."

Here we were... 20+ years ago!

So... the 14 "almost-cousins" aren't getting presents from the aunties this year. Instead, those of us who are here in the Greater Toronto Area used the money to purchase hygiene items for homeless youth who are ministered to by Yonge Street Mission! Our one "sister" who lives in the nation's capital is going to make a delivery to the local food bank!

So... Saturday was party time! What a fun afternoon we all had packing the hygiene kits!!! Here are some photos...

God can enter into me, even me, and use these hands, these feet, to be His love, a love that goes on and on and on forever, endless cycle of grace.

~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

Unwrapping more of His love in this world.

Act justly.  Love mercy.  Walk humbly with God!

Giving Hope

One of the grace-gifts I listed yesterday on my Multitudes on Mondays post was this:

:: Another Compassion child sponsored!

Our family's journey of sponsoring a child with and advocating for Compassion International has truly been a life-changing experience! It has brought us to places we never dreamed we'd go... broken our hearts for things we never thought we'd care about... grown us in a way that we never thought was even possible!

To paraphrase Ann Voskamp, from her book One Thousand Gifts...

God is truly always good...

And, we are truly always loved!

God, in His grace... has brought about, through our family's advocacy... the sponsorship of 10 Compassion children in just 5 short months... truly beyond my wildest dreams... more than all we ask or imagine!

10 more children released from poverty in Jesus' name!

Today... would YOU add just one more to that total and give just one more child HOPE this Christmas season?

Let me introduce you to Lourence. He is 8 years old and lives in the coastal community of Poblacion (southeast of Dipolog City, Philippines). Most adults in Poblacion work as subsistence farmers and earn the equivalent of $100 per month.

Here is Lourence!

{Please click on the image for a larger preview.}

Wouldn't it be great for Lourence to find out at Christmas that he has been sponsored? You can make that happen! Lourence is waiting to call you "friend"!

If you are interested to sponsor Lourence, please contact me and I will promptly get his child pack off to you!!!

*Thank YOU* so much for loving on children who live in extreme poverty... you are a channel of God's love to a hurting and needy world.

Unwrapping more of His love in this world.

Act justly.  Love mercy.  Walk humbly with God!