Enough is Enough?

Have you been praying?

This week I've had so much to pray for. Of course, I have been praying for my church friends that are currently in Togo, West Africa. I hope you've also been praying for them. I've heard not a peep from them: not a single tweet, Facebook update, or blog post so I'm assuming that all is well and they either have little or no internet access or are just incredibly busy. I've also been praying for the people of Haiti, friends in my church, surgeries, illness, difficulties, etc. This may sound like I'm a "prayer warrior" but I assure you I'm not! Just a normal, everyday Christian.

I think too much; I know I do. I've a million thoughts and questions in my head but the biggest right now is how our sponsor child, Ayoko, is enjoying my friend's visit.

Before they went, my kids and I filled up a pretty sizable "goodie bag" with all sorts of things: bubbles, candy, 2 baby dolls, stickers, balls, hair clips clothes, coloring books, crayons, a magna-doodle, toothpaste and toothbrush, books..... all sorts of things. Katie was the most enthusiastic; drawing picture after picture for her newest best friend. We also tucked away a photo album filled with my 3 kids photos, drawings and notes. It was truly a highlight for them as they carefully wrote out what they wanted to say to Ayoko.

There's a part of me that would love to know if she smiled at the bag that was so lovingly prepared by my kids. If she loved the baby dolls as much as Katie enjoyed selecting them and packaging. them. There's a part of me that wishes I could be a part of it all.

Of course, I'm thrilled that my family sponsors a child in Africa and delights so much in both receiving and writing to her. It has impacted my family and my life, and I hope it is impacting hers as well. I'm sure it is. I do struggle with questions about short term mission trips and it's why I am happy that my church is planning on having a long term relationship with our sponsor children in Togo.

Sometimes I wonder if sending money once a month is "enough"..... enough of a sacrifice, enough of an impact. Yet I so wonder if visiting them for a week also is "enough."


I've no answer in this regard but I do think that doing nothing is way worse than struggling with the questions of what is "enough." So, while I wrestle with my own thoughts on poverty, I'm happy to be involved by sponsoring a child through Compassion International and I encourage you to do so also. Today I've added a Compassion International banner to the right side of my blog. I encourage you to click on it and begin your own journey and delight in sponsoring a child or two.

My friends come back from Togo on Sunday. Please continue to pray for them, pray for Togo..... for the other places in the world that needs your prayers, support and compassion.

(the photo is my darling niece; she's half Cameroonian. I took this photo during Thanksgiving. Isn't she beautiful?)