We have all heard that song once in our lives. "Out God, is an awesome God He reigns from Heaven above with wisdom and power..."

But sometime when we sing it, we just sing the words and don't really think of the meaning of how special that actually is.

I learned that yesterday on how powerful it actually was. :) I am (was) in the process of raising funds for my spotlighted kid, Mark to sponsor him. Well, I had asked on OurCompassion for people to pray that God would lead me to the right decision. And 2 people on OurCompassion stepped forward and said that they wanted to help me. one person wanted to give a small donation. And another gave me 2 months sponsorship for him! I can't express how amazing that is for me. I don't have to worry. I have been praying nonstop for Mark since i lost him on October 16. And I love him too much to see him go to someone else. And my church is raising money for him, and now I have 2 months to get the 3rd and 4th month. And its a process that I am so happy about. In the beginning I didn't know if God was hearing my prayers, and yesterday, He did. and not only did He hear it, but He acted. If God were here standing in front of me right now, I would hug Him and cry. Because it was a burden that I placed on myself because I loved Mark too much. It was easy to give him up to Compassion for another sponsor, but God had other plans. It was something that I went in with, with lots of fears, questions and doubts. But, I knew God would take care of us. And now, he will be mine. And the only way I will loose him is if he were to leave Compassion. I don't have to worry about someone dropping him.

And when i spoke to Compassion yesterday, I explained my story and the lady was like, "That is amazing! Do you mind if i share your story with my supervisor?" and I was like, "No I don't mind!" So now everyone at Compassion knows my story. :)

And now I can become an advocate for Compassion! :) (i already was, but now i can make it official)

Ok, my weekend was AWESOME!! OK, so yesterday I got 4 dollars for Mark. (some people forgot, so I am going to get more next week. I hope. I am going to keep praying.)

And then, i had my audition for singing and tech. Singing was HARD! Well, first I guess he could tell I was extremely nervous, so we just did idol chit chat and spoke about my experiences with technology, school, and my singing background. And he also wanted me to share my testimony. That was long. Its not a short and sweet testimony. And it amazed him. I really like the new guy more than I liked the old pastor. The pastor scared me. He was too strict. And he held us to a higher standard. which is fine, but its a volunteer position. I am doing this for God and because I love what I do. And we actually prayed. And it made me feel better it wasn't like a BOOM! do the audition. It was gradual. Which I liked. And I sang Mighty to Save (I was honest with him. I told him "I was lazy I didn't want to have to learn a new song." he thought it was funny) and he loved it. I also sang Hear I Am to Worship. The melody was easy, but he had me harmonize because i could read music. That was tricky. I got the first verse easily but I kept slipping because he was singing melody. And then he was like, "Ok. now follow me." And we walked into another room with a piano and he made me do vocal warm ups. I have not done vocal warm ups in a year or so. It was interesting. He made me name chords and triads and stuff. More advanced music than just reading music on a paper. Like the fact that he was making me try to reach a 3rd Major Triad Augmented. I told him it was too low. And so we went higher. And I did the vocal warm ups and I can sing so high that he said I could break glass. :D He was like, "You made it. Now I just want to see how high you can sing" and I started singing and he was like "yea your definitely a soprano." The thing was I was nervous so I wasn't singing from my stomach. I was singing from my nose. (big difference, actually. Most artists (mainstream) sing from their nose. That is why it sounds horrible.) Once I sang from my stomach, I realized I could hit much higher notes. Its harder with just your nose. So yea, I am officially a singer! 20 minutes later, and I am awesome! I walked into his office, signed a covenant. Which was really cool. There were some things we had to meet like requirements, which was easy. Like being a believer. :) Got that covered. 5 years ago. Thanksgiving Day. Yea, i am pretty sure I am Saved. :) (not to get cocky) 

Christmas. Ok, so yesterday was my family's annual pre Thanksgiving Dinner. We do it for the extended family that can't be there for the actual Thanksgiving. It was awesome! And its cool outside, and I had Christmas music playing, and Christmas potpourri going and it spelled like Christmas fruit loops. :) (my dad had a potpourri in there before that, that was some cake thing that smelled like fruit loops.) And my mom bought a new christmas cd and it had the traditional ones (the "secular" Christmas songs) and many Christian ones which surprised me allot! :D

I also won a giveaway!!! This giveaway was done by a really great friend of mine, Teresa Dawn. I really would like to read this book and since I just won another giveaway with another book I will have allot of reading to do! And I hope to send the Autumn packet as soon as it arrives in my mailbox!

Last week, I posted about a little boy in the Philippines needing a sponsor, well, I have exciting news! My church's college group ministry is going to do a group sponsorship of him! :D I don't know how this will ultimately work, but with God's hand in it, it will be amazing!

Also, I found out that I have one a correspondence packet giveaway for one of my kids! Thing is, I have 4 (soon to be 5) kids I write to. Picking one to get this big prize seems almost selfish and unfair on my part. :( Its hard for me since I love all of them and couldn't possibly choose... ugh. I would choose Mekdelawit if its more of a girly packet but, if its a boyish packet, I will do my 3 boys. But, its for more of an older boy I will have to go with Wilson since it just dawned on me that I never sent him anything for Christmas!! But, Abraham is a child after my own heart. If its for a little boy I will pick Brayan. Just deciding is SO hard!!

GRRR.

Will you join in praying over these things with me?

As anyone knows me for any length of time, I love writing to my sponsored kids. I have (sadly) 7 correspondence children. (If you want to know why I am sad, and how you can make my day, go here to look at a boy who needs a sponsor) 4 from Compassion International and 3 from Auntie's Angels. Its unique because Compassion and Auntie's Angels have realized how important letters are to a child. Imagine with me for a minute:

You are 7 years old. Your father died from AIDS and your mother works in the fields trying to make what little money she can to support you and your 2 sisters. You see struggle. Your mom can't afford to send you to school and while your mom works in the fields you are required to watch your 2 sisters. Leaving any hope of a childhood out the window. All you think is "This is my life. I will be working in the fields just like my mother." there is no hope. No dream. You go many nights hungry. But, then a man comes to your village and says to your mom, "We are looking for a child to register at our Compassion project, we want to register your daughter." You get excited. You hear that you are getting a sponsor. That sponsor sends you letters saying "I love you" and "You can do it" and "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and you can dream of one day being a doctor. You have loved taking care of your sisters, and you want to help others as well. And because of your sponsors letters, you have hope. You have had the same sponsor for years now and now its time to graduate the Compassion program. You are saddened by loosing your sponsor, but you can read the letters that your sponsor has written and you know now that poverty was your past, and now it will no longer be your future.

That is a fictional story, but one that can be mirrored by many kids living in poverty. To read a real letter that a former child wrote to her sponsor right before she, herself, graduated from the Compassion program in March 2012, go here.

My beautiful spotlighted child, Mark, needs a sponsor.

Here is all the information i have on him:

Mark is 8 but will be 9 on October 31. His name is Mark Darryl Macas. He is 8 years old. But don't let age fool you! This kid is one smart cookie! He is in 4th grade and very active! Chores he does on a typical day is that he washes clothes, he does the gardening, he runs errands, he cleans, he does the animal care, he carries water, gathers firewood, and helps in the kitchen. And if you thought that slowed him down, think again! In his free time, he loves playing group games, he loves riding his bike, he loves walking, playing with marbles, playing basketball, playing hide-and- seek, playing with cars, he loves to run, draw, jump rope, sing and he loves telling stories.
He loves Batman, the colors orange and yellow, wants to be a soldier when he grows up, is above average, is in 4th grade, has a sister named Gen who turned 10 on July 6. His mom's name is Levilita, she is 44 years old, and his dad's name is Gregorio, he is 46 years old. His mom doesn't work and usually writes his letters and writes in English. His dad works. He knows some English but tends to write in his own language at times. (he has written both languages in one letter... it was confusing). They had recognition day on April 21, 2012 and he received a ribbon and a medal and he always asks that i pray for his studies. His best friend is "Janjie" He likes fried chicken, his favorite song is "God is good to me" he likes riding his bike, playing with toy cars, he likes horses, wants to be a soldier, in April he was 54 pounds (24.6Kg) and 4 feet tall. (124 cm) He lives in a rural village/town, he lives in one of the provinces of Mindanao in the city of Lanao del Norte. He likes to play with his sister and friends. His mom is very funny in the letters. He loves to memorize bible verses and listening to bible stories, He loves to go to the center regularly. He loves to play basketball, and riding his bike. He likes to go to church with his parents and sometimes with his aunt. He likes to play with his cousins. He also loves to listen to music. He likes to ride a scooter with his cousins. He does his household chores such as folding his blanket, and praying before he goes to bed. He pitches water from the faucet for their daily use in drinking. And then he takes a bath and then he will wear his uniform and prepare to go to school. In school they say their pledge of Allegiance to the flag. He likes to play with marbles, his favorite animal is a chicken, He loves Batman, He likes to go to the center to get his vitamins. They have a National Hero's Day (memorial Day), and Independence day.

If you were to sponsor him, I could give you a Step into your child's world brochure, his letters (he loves to draw trees), and anything that you want to know about him!

This is kinda like Teresa Dawn's post, but I need to hear from your words or words that your sponsored child has written/said to you about how happy they are that you are their sponsor.

I need them to be short. Like a quote. I have to make a brochure on Compassion and I want to make a page all about quotes from sponsored kids and their sponsors (with photos if possible) to help people decide to sponsor a child! :)

Thank you! I'll post a blog post on it so that everyone can see it!

So, I got a new spotlighted kid, Wilson. His full name is Wilson Fernando Sayay Acan. He lives in Ecuador in the jungle. From what i have heard about the Ecuadorian jungle (correct me if I am wrong) the letters are few because of the remoteness of it. But, knowing this, I am OK with that. I just want him to know he is loved. He is below average, so he will need extra encouragement when it comes to school, but I understand that. I struggled with school my whole life. Still do. He speaks Spanish, so its still consistent because Brayan and Abraham also speak Spanish. He is the same age age as Abraham, which is helpful and I want to make a really good relationship with him. Here is his information from Compassion International. I will be making a spotlight page with more information on Wilson.

Child Information

Child Number: EC228
Personal Name: Wilson
Gender: M
Birth date: 8/5/1998
Information last updated: 10/1/2011
Schooling US School Grade Equivalent: 7
School Performance: Below Average
Completion Date: 20161001

Child is attending school

Family Duties

• Washing clothes
• Running errands
• Making beds
• Cleaning
• Child care
• Kitchen help

Hobbies and Sport

• Soccer/Football
• Baseball
• Swimming
• Hide-and-Seek
• Cars
• Ping pong
• Jump rope
• Other ball games
• Story telling

Guardians

• Father
• Mother

Natural Parents Marital status of parents: Now married

• Natural parents are together
• Father is alive
• Father is living with child
• Father is supporting child
• Mother is alive
• Mother is living with child
• Mother is supporting child

Employment

• Father/Male Guardian is employed
• Father/Male Guardian is a farmer
• Mother/Female Guardian is at times employed
• Mother/Female Guardian sells in the market

There is yet again, another giveaway!!! Go to:

http://compassionfamily.blogspot.com/2012/10/ugandan-magazine-bead-necklace-giveaway.html

to learn more!

Starting today, and everyday until November 10 (my walk date) I will be posting facts on Hydrocephalus. Today will be an overview with each day getting more and more in depth. :) And its exactly one month till my WALK so perfect time to do it!

The Stats
How can we, as a community, raise awareness about hydrocephalus? We can begin by getting out
the facts:

Hydrocephalus Is Common
• Hydrocephalus affects hundreds of thousands of Americans, in every stage of life, from infants
to the elderly. It affects people in all walks of life, from every socioeconomic background.
• One to two of every 1,000 babies are born with hydrocephalus, making it as common as Down’s
    syndrome and more common than spina bifida or brain tumors.
• Hydrocephalus is the most common reason for brain surgery in children.

There Is No Cure
• There is no medical therapy to treat hydrocephalus. The only effective treatments are surgical.
• While many people are helped by surgery, many more need further operations to stay well.
Of the over 40,000 hydrocephalus operations performed annually (one every 15 minutes),
    only 30% are the patient’s first surgery to treat hydrocephalus.
• The medical costs of treating hydrocephalus are over $1 billion per year, yet the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) invests less than $1 million per year in hydrocephalus treatment.

There Is a Crisis in Diagnosis
• An estimated 375,000 older Americans have normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
This disorder often goes undiagnosed and untreated.
• Research suggests that treating hydrocephalus in the elderly population would reduce U.S.
    health care expenditures by $25,000 per patient, or $184 million, over five years. Mistaken
placement in an extended care facility or nursing home, for example, costs considerably more
than the minimal extra care someone might need to stay at home after appropriate treatment
for NPH.
• Hydrocephalus also often goes undiagnosed and untreated in younger adults, leading to
substantial workforce losses and health care costs.

There Is a Crisis in Access to Care
• Doctors are sometimes understandably reticent to take on complicated hydrocephalus cases,
particularly in adults, because little is known about the disorder. We don’t always know what
causes it, and we don’t know yet how to make these people well.
• There are fewer than ten centers in the U.S. specializing in treating adults with hydrocephalus.

More Effective Treatment Is Needed Now
•  Over the last 50 years, there has been no significant improvement in hydrocephalus treatment   
and no progress toward prevention or cure.
• Research is essential. At the very least, we need better treatments, with more positive long-term
outcomes, and diagnostic tests that are accurate, cost-effective, and noninvasive.

I recently got a photo from my spotlighted kid Mark, and I wanted to know what you thought of it! :) I like it very much.