Letters from Frank

We just received a letter from Frank, our child we sponsor through Compassion. Nothing brightens our day more than seeing that Compassion envelope in our mailbox. We usually rip open the envelope, read the letter, look at the sweet pictures he has drawn us, and then talk about how we miss him. But today was different. Russ opened the envelope and then let me know the bad news.

Frank and his family have been through so much. Their dad left at the beginning of the year leaving Frank, his two siblings, and his sweet mother. They were kicked out of their house. Compassion came to the rescue and provided a room. It was in this one room that the entire family slept. It was outside this room that we met that sweet family. Today, we found out that for whatever reason, they are being kicked out. They asked us to pray for his family a place to live. So, as helpless as we feel, we know that praying is the most important thing that we can do. I ask you to join us in praying for the Donkor family. Pray for a place to live, for his mom a stable job, and for them to know God's love. We are so thankful that they have Compassion and know that they will do all that they can.

Thanks for praying for Frank and his family. Also, if you want to help a child like Frank out...click here to sponsor a child.

Compassion in the Dominican Republic

Compassion International has sent bloggers to the Dominican Republic to visit and blog about their experiences. You can go here and check out all the bloggers and their websites. I have been reading this one and that one and have really enjoyed them!

show some love

Okay, for all of you people who occasionally read this blog (all two of you), I was on compassion international's website and saw this.

Wisdom Mawuko Akrom is a 9 year old boy living in Ghana who has been waiting a long time to get a sponsor. I must tell you that we have seen first-hand what a difference Compassion makes in the life of a child--physically, emotionally, and most importantly spiritually.

It is just $32 a month and you can completely change his life. If you are interested, you can click here. If this doesn't work, you can go to Compassion International and search for him. If you have any questions and would love to talk more about Compassion, please email me at annapolsgrove@gmail.com

Let me know if you sponsor him so I can let everyone know that he is taken care of!!!

Anna

Happy Birthday Frank!

In the midst of Russ' 30th birthday we forgot to write a post about Frank. Frank (our child through Compassion International)turned 7 on August 11th. We love him so much and hope that he had a great birthday!

A piece of my heart.

Tonight I miss Frank. Granted, I only spent 3 hours with him, but my heart longs to see him. On the plane ride home from Ghana, my mind was filled with joyful experiences. One experience was still fresh on my mind. We had just met Frank, spent time with his family, and then boarded our plane back to the states. As the lights were turned out in the plane for sleeping time, tears welled up in my eyes. I would turn to Russ, as he sat a row behind me, searching for encouragement but would only find that he was giving me the same look. The look of "one little 5 year old boy just rocked my world and I am just not sure what to do."

We had been writing and praying for Frank for an entire year before we met him. The day we met him was filled with excitement and anxiety. As we traveled back to Accra from Cape Coast I was at war with my thoughts and emotions. I wanted him to like us. To appreciate us. Then it hit me that I was making this about me. This was not about me...it was about a 5 year old boy who needed to be shown the love of Christ.

When we first met him he was very shy. I wanted to explode with tears because it was not going anything like I had imagined. I quickly learned a few phrases in his language from his teachers. He struggled to understand through my thick accent. But, slowly he started to understand. I spoke his language and his fears seemed to disappear. As we traveled to his school and home, he began to be more affectionate and secure.

As we approached his home, pictures that he and his siblings had colored for us were tacked to the walls. His father left his family six months ago leaving his mother to care for him and his two siblings. They were kicked out of their home but Compassion provided a room for them to live in. The pastor from the local church greeted us and let us know that the church was doing all it could to help share God's love with them. This family had experienced true hurt but yet they welcomed us as if they had always known us.

Russ and I signed up to pray and provide for Frank but in the process we also got his mom, his brother Stephen and his sister Charlotte. We thought we would bless them but in turn, they ended up blessing us way more.

As we left Frank was standing on the street corner waving and smiling. Completely different from when we first arrived. A piece of me was left at that corner as well. Now when I write my check or my letter, I write it differently. I have seen what a difference is being made in their lives. Not just a physical or educational difference, but also a spiritual difference.

If you would like to hear more about our experience meeting Frank or about sponsoring a child from Compassion, please get in touch with us! There are about 50 more kids in Frank's village that need to be sponsored so stay tuned for a way to do that!! If you feel led to sponsor a child click here and ask God to lead you to the child that needs you!

Frank

As many of you know, Russ and I are getting to meet Frank, our child that we sponsor through Compassion International. We have had Frank a little over a year and are so excited to get to meet him in person. I am a little nervous though. I have thoughts of "what if he doesn't care to meet us, or "what if he doesn't even realize who we are." But, I know that it will be such a blessing to put a face with all of the emails we send, birthday and Christmas presents, and the letters that he sends to us. He sends the most beautiful drawings for a 6 year old. (or maybe I am just a little biased!!) Overall, its about sharing Christ's love in an area that we normally wouldn't be able to go to. The ironic thing is that for some reason, God has worked out the opportunity for us to go see him and visit the region where he lives. I am sure that I will have more to say about this when I come back from visiting him, but if any of you are interested in learning about Compassion--please check out their website. If you are interested in sponsoring a child specifically from Ghana--just type Ghana in the country search. So far, it has been a wonderful experience and I know it will be so much sweeter after we get to meet him and his sweet family.

Frank Donkor

There are many words and phrases that come to mind when I think of my husband Russ. Caring, thoughtful, inability to sit still, Star Wars, child-like, provider, good relationally, guitar player, sweet-natured, LOST, camping, Camp Lake Stephens, Camp Ozark, Tennessee Vols, good music, heart for adoption. I never thought that I would have a mate that exhibited all of these qualities yet loved me with a big and mighty love. He just knows me so well. You see, I have prayed since we met that as we grew to know more about our wonderful Savior, we would also grow in our knowledge and love for each other. On February 14, 2007, I thanked God for Russ and his ability to truly know me.

It was Valentine's Day and so I expected flowers, a book, or a nice meal. But Russ' gift truly reflected his heart for me. He gave us Frank. Frank is a child living in Ghana. He has a mom and a dad that love him very much. He is in kindergarten and loves soccer. But, God has called us to show him HIS love through monthly contributions, letters, and most of all prayers. We do all of this through Compassion International. "Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults."

It has been a dream to visit Africa and Frank but now that dream is becoming a reality. We have submitted the papers to be able to visit with Frank and his family towards the end of our trip. Pray that all of the necessary paperwork goes through so that we can love on Frank in person. I try to create this day in my head, the day that we meet him. I try to think of the way that we will feel and what will be going through our heads, what we will say...but, I come up empty because I have no idea what this experience will entail. All of this is so new, exciting, and a bit scary. But this time, unlike the nurse that gave us our shots, scary is good. It is good to be opened up, examined by our Father, and changed forever.