Writing to Brightness

Think back to a time when someone shared words of encouragement with you that changed your life. Was it from your folks, your boss, a dear friend, or a random stranger? Or maybe those words were from a cool quote, a love letter, or from scriptures? Words are powerful, right? Words can be life changing!

Well, I just received an email from Compassion International and it seems there are a couple hundred kids [around about 550 so far] that have not received any letters or positive words of encouragement from their sponsors...in years! The bible teaches me that, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" in Proverbs 13:12. And then the verse goes on to say, "but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." It breaks my heart to think of a sponsored child waiting for a letter that never comes, year after year after year. Well, that's about to change for this young lady.

This is Zuhura. She just turned 17 in August and lives around the Arusha area in Tanzania. I'm told she's not heard from her sponsor in three years. Oh no! So Compassion has 'matched' me with her and I've become her "Correspondent." She is still sponsored by the other person, but Compassion has asked them if I could write to her and encourage her.

I looked up her name because it was so unique to see if I could find what it means and online it says her name means "Brightness." What a great name! Other things I've learned are that she enjoys:

Bicycling

Walking

Reading

Singing

Listening to music

She lives with her mom and is a busy young woman who helps out with washing clothes, gardening/farming, running errands, cleaning, carries water, gathers firewood, teaching others, buying/selling in the marketplace, and helps out in the kitchen. Her mom is sometimes employed as a farmer but can make only about $10 per month. Yikes!

So I'm about to begin writing to Miss Zuhura Adam Mpinga and I'm super excited to be able to encourage her, share my faith with her, and tell her how special she is to me and to God.

Without any doubt, I believe that more important than just sponsoring children with my money is the honor and responsibility of writing them words of encouragement and hope about their life and the amazing God who loves them. She's about to get a feast of letters. haha.