BO-521-0382

I wanted to share something that has extremely humbled me today and also brought immense joy! The letters and numbers in the title of this entry are assigned to a little girl named Carolina Humacachu, and she lives in Bolivia, S. America. I began sponsoring her 4 years ago through Compassion International. The only reason I chose her out of a table full of photos of needy children is because she is the same age as my cousin, Karissa; I figured as I watched Karissa age and grow, I could imagine Carolina being in the same sort of developmental range. She's now eight and a half years old and is such a darling, beautiful girl. I have absolutely loved writing her letters, sending her pictures of me and my family, stickers, etc. She's always been too young to write me herself, but her tutor Claudia answered my letters and she colors pictures for me. I haven't received a letter from her in awhile, but I try writing when I can and of course pray for her and her family whenever I think of her. Her Mother is gone, and she moves around between Dad and her Grandparents.

Today I received a letter from her, and it brought tears to my eyes. It was the very first time she wrote a letter to me herself without her tutor 's help. I'm going to share the letter; bear in mind the translation is a bit rough.

Dear Miss Rachel Nieboer:

I greet you with the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and that he always take care of you. I thank you for the gift that you sent me. I feel really happy because I thought that you forgot about me but I know that that didn't happened. I feel really happy. I was not going to the center because I was sad and I didn't want someone to see me, my father left far away to work and I don't see him a lot but to know from you I am still going to the center because I know that you will be with me even that you are far away. Thank you for everything, with the gift I bought a teddy bear and a dress. I feel really happy. I dismiss and our God bless you.

Carolina

This little girl a world away found hope again because God was gracious enough to use my small gift. I love this little girl whom I have never met; I carry her picture with me next to my family. In some way I can't quite name, I feel connected to her in a way that goes beyond the borders of countries, beyond language barriers, beyond an age gap, beyond a way that our finite human mind can describe with our limited words. She longs for her father in a way that I long for my brother. The thought that an eight year old girl is thinking about me and praying for me amidst all the struggles she faces daily is so incredibly humbling. I'm so grateful to God for putting her in my life, and I can't wait to keep writing letters and watching her grow up!!! Perhaps someday God will even provide a way for me to go and meet this small miracle.......oh blessed day!