My story with Compassion International. Consider sponsoring today & be someone's saving grace.

Hello, I'd like to introduce you to, Extranise Orelus. A beautiful, nine year old Haitian. She lives with her mother and two younger siblings. Extranise takes care of her siblings when her mother works. She is also responsible for getting water for the family which includes miles of walking, multiple times day. Extranise has had to grow up fast, as most kids over there do. Justin & I have felt called to sponsor a child over seas for a long time. It seemed to always get put on the back burner. I had recently read a blog post from a blog I follow about Compassion International. Yes, I know, they have been around for ages. We almost get numb to their passion to reach sponsors. As I read this particular post http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/11/when-compassion-becomes-a-gold-rush/ tears streamed down my face, I finally understood. It's not about writing a check and then turning your eye. I never really cared about being a "do good er." It was about entering into their life and staring at their pain. Letting it touch you. It was about.....responding. Thankfully, we answered the call this year. I stayed up late last night scrolling through hundreds of faces of children who were desperately waiting for a sponsor. My heart began to hurt. "God, how do I choose....just one?"  So many cute, yet empty little faces. I eventually came across the picture of this little girl. Her face stood out to me. Most of the kids were little, cute & sometimes smiling. If they were older they braved a smirk for the picture. Extranise's face screamed at me....her face told her story. After clicking through 480 pages of faces I stared out the window. A bright moon shone in. and Extranise's face came to mind. Could God be giving me my answer? I quickly began going through the pages again to find her. It was now past midnight, baby Justin was waking up ready to eat. I quietly put the laptop down and walked away. Once I came back I continued searching for that face that was seared in my mind. Finally, there it was. Extranise had a red heart on her picture which let sponsors know she had been on the waiting list a long time. I instantly loved her. She was the one. Her face was unlike the other faces to me. Had anyone ever told her she was beautiful? Had anyone ever seen her smile? God loves, yes....but does she know this? Who's going to tell her these things? My heart began to overflow...I will tell her! I will tell her she is beautiful. I will tell her about our creator and how He chose her to be sponsored because He loves her! I will tell her how God brought her face to my mind and it never left. I will tell her that across the miles, waters & culture that I am listening. I am not there but I am here to help. I cannot wait to begin writing her. God has things He wants to tell her! I feel she is a part of our family. I cannot wait to frame her picture and begin praying for her every night. Lauren will be making her pictures and writing her letters and we will spill our love on this hard working little soul. Why? Because God has given us a love for her. He has connected us to her. I stand completely grateful for organizations like Compassion International, World Vision, Livefashionable, Toms and others who reach out to these in need and actually give us common people a chance to touch lives over there. We have set out to change a child's life but the truth be known, God is using this to radically change our's.