I’m finally home. I’m working on my last post (Day 5) but I wanted to peek in this Monday morning to say that you have touched my life so much this week. I’m just now reading some of your comments and emails and tweets and texts. Your kindness to love and pray for me has completely overwhelmed me. On the way home yesterday, I made a little video for you, that I hope, captures the spirit of the week.
I crawled into bed last night, so grateful for this place I call home.
I held Julissa and Diana in my heart and could see them so clearly. I sat on the cardboard where Diana sleeps and I know that Julissa’s mom wakes up at 5 to make rice for their breakfast. I see everything through their eyes now and I hope that the heartache that crushes me this morning never goes away. I pray that despite the miles and barriers that separate us, they will know the love of Christ that makes us one. Compassion has unlocked that door for them and given them that chance. We are all home, in Him.
Day 5 coming soon!
Love to you, my friends.
I have been on the fence about Compassion Intl…but no longer. Y’alls trip has touched me like no other. The work they are doing is amazing. I now have signed up to sponsor a child. And may do another. Your words “they are home” is so true. They all look so happy!
Dearest Edie,
I have been moved by all of these posts that you have written about your time in Nicaragua. These beautiful children and families with whom you have shared time, love and worship with are so very precious. The thing that I want you to know that I am so grateful to you for saying is that these precious ones are HOME. They are loved and precious to their families and to our heavenly father above. They are poor in material needs but have great riches in love and belonging. Compassion is such a wonderful organization that not only helps to provide basic necessities but also helps us to understand and appreciate the true homes that these people come from. Your eyes filled with love and compassion as well as the love and compassion expressed FOR YOU in the eyes of those you were with is an amazing exchange that comes directly from God’s own heart. You all experienced God’s loving embrace as if he were standing right there with you. May God continue to open your heart and shine his light through you to these precious ones and to all who read your blog.
Well said, Amy.
Thank you so much sharing this with us, I will keep you all in my prayers.
Such a sweet video! The world is a much better place because of people like you!
Welcome home Edie! Thank you for sharing. As hard as it is to begin the days with a full heart, choked up throat and tears runing down my face it is a welcome cleansing of the heart.
It was Nester’s trip last year that prompted us to sponsor two little boys from Tanzania and I am humbled to know much is done for those children and their families for what is so little to us.
Praying for you, for your “re-entry” – and praying for those precious ones that touched your heart back in Nicaragua – for the ministry of Compassion Int’l, all over.
I’m thankful for your posts, for sharing your experiences. God bless you richly.
I love that not only did you share your wonderful trip with all of us, but you brought insight and awareness of the plight of others in doing so. My own kids spent the week at an orphanage in Honduras, and while I have been there many times and know the lay of the land, each trip is so unique. I know I will have many stories to hear from my own kids, but it was awesome reading about your trip to tide me over until they get back! Thanks for highlighting Compassion, a great organization, I am sure they will have many new, and much needed sponsors, thanks to your efforts.
A job well done to a good and faithful servant!
This video says so much! I love it! I just walked in from VBS to share my trip with Compassion to Guatemala. Once you go, you are never the same. God changes your heart in so many ways. It was a pleasure to pray for y’all, and I am so thankful you are home.
Hugs!
Susan
How quickly that week went! Thank you for sharing this beautiful, moving, humbling, inspiring journey.
Thank you , Edie, for sharing your journey with us. It has opened my eyes in a new way to my own sponsor children. Thank you. I am sure those little ones are just as blessed as you are from this experience. God Bless you for touching their lives and giving them hope in Jesus.
Beautiful and heart wrenching all at the same time. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you are home safe and sound!
I love that line from the Brooke Fraser song, Hosanna: ‘…break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause’. When I read through your trip, it brings me back to the essence of my faith. Thank you for reminding us of the lives that we can touch, but in turn, will touch us just as much and probably more!
Oh Edie, what a wonderful week, getting to spend it with you and the other girls! It was life changing, and impacting. Love this video, you did a great job!
Thank you for sharing this video with us Edie. As you are walking in the shoes of our Lord, you are not only touching the lives of these families but truly the lives of our families back home as well. I am currently reading Cold Tangerines and just finished the chapter where Shauna talks about her visit to Africa. It is truly eye opening, heart wrenching and beautiful all in one! I hope to be half as filled with the grace of God as you are! XO
Welcome home, Edie! What a fantastic trip and what a blessing to land in the place where you are loved most. May you soak up all the love of the people that missed you most!!!
Thank you for sharing your trip and all those you met on the way with us. I have been left speechless and teary eyed more than once just reading about your experiences and seeing those little beauties you visited.
Reading about Nester’s trip last year caused the Holy Spirit to speak to me about sponsoring a Compassion child—-time passed, I didn’t do it, I was not “obediente”—your precious words prompted again. A packet for 3 year old Hosmer is on its way to us. All of God’s children are so precious. Forgive us when our privileged lives make us comfortable or complacent or cold, or even worse, that we (even in a tiny way) believe we deserve our blessings. Thank you, Edie. I pray God will multiply the power of your words.
Welcome back, Edie!! I truly hope that you are enjoying your family today. I know you missed them. What struck me most in your pictures and the video this week is the smiles on the faces of these precious little ones. As I looked through the pictures, so many broke my heart. Where and how they live is beyond words but yet they smile the most genuine smiles. Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I will carry the needs of these precious ones in my heart, and pray for them all.
Hugs
I’m glad I was able to get over here tonight to read and watch the video. This trip has been amazing to behold through your eyes and through the eyes of the children being blessed by God through Compassion.
So beautiful!
Edie, Your pictures and words from this past week’s posts are beautiful. Thank you for your willingness to be an instrument of His Grace.
In Christ, we are all one family that can share His love with more than just our families here, but with those children and their families. Thank you for all that you shared this past week!
Wonderful posts! Would you consider doing a post with ideas for things we can put in our letters to the children i have two boys and one girl I”m sponsering and I really have a hard time thinking of something fun to include in my letters. Yesterday someone told me that they send a musical card for birthdays which I thought sounds fun and something new to think about.
Thanks for sharing your trip.
First, thank you so much for your love for the children.
And yes, I will definitely write about this. It’s SO important to them. The letters are your chance to speak hope and life and love into them. They get so excited about their letters and with the new online letter writing, it’s so easy to stay in touch.
Bless you, Joan!
xoxo,
edie
Thank you Edie. Your journey has inspired my family. We found our Canadian branch of Compassion and are beginning the process. My daughter, whose world is all about spending on herself these days surprised the heck out of me when she declared she was sponsoring her own Compassion child from Honduras! Brought the tears flowing again. My husband and I in the process of praying about which country to sponsor from. Family meeting tonight should resolve that. For your Canadian followers visit http://www.compassion.ca
This is so very exciting, Maureen! THank you for love and compassion for the kids. You are gonna be so blessed.
Much love,
edie
🙂
i love this precious video, i love that image…and i love you
What a beautiful video. Thanks for sharing. . .
the video is the key that unlocked the flood gates. again. 😉
glad you are home safe… would love to come visit you and chew your ear about your experiences! xo
you’ll never be the same…
their faces and the memories of the love they extended to you will never fade.
We traveled to India to meet the little brother and sister that we have sponsored for about 13 years….they write to us often..Andy has been back 3 times….your life is forever changed. forever. you will know God’s grace and love and power and faithfulness in a deeper way…and it multiplies! The work that He did in you this past week will continue to occur in your heart and mind…
overwhelmed with JOY with you….