Extending Our Arms

As promised, I am sharing with you some ways to help those who are suffering throughout the world today. This is something that I am very passionate about (as you can probably tell). I believe that God places the responsibility of caring for others upon us and there are two reasons for this. One: These are God's children that He loves deeply. Two: It will teach us to be appreciative and content with what we have, knowing that others are forced to endure much more.

One way that I love to help others is through child sponsorship. There are many different organizations that work with families across the globe, offering support in a variety of ways. I have chosen to go through World Vision. I pay thirty-five dollars a month to provide clean water, nutritious food, health care, education, spiritual nurture, and the building of communities. It seems unbelievable that this amount of money could supply all of these things. However, there are a few sponsors per child, so together a bigger difference is made. This is why it is so important that more people take prayerful consideration of supporting a child.

My sponsor child is a nine-year-old girl who lives in Malawi. We have sent each other letters and she is such a delightful, spirited young lady. She has a father and mother, two sisters, and a brother. She tells me about her school and about her faith. It feels so good to receive letters so that I know that she and her family are well. Simply from the letters I have gotten, I can tell that she is so unique and loves life! It's such a blessing  to offer such a small gift to do so much for someone else.

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17 

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18 

"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9 

"Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:9 

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:18 

Again, I hope that you will consider through thought and prayer how God intends for you to help others. If child sponsorship interests you, here is a link to World Vision:  

http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2DoChildSearch_B.jsp?