I returned from Guatemala two weeks ago. Wow…two weeks…14 days…336 hours. In some ways it seems like just yesterday, in other ways it seems like a lifetime ago.
On Friday, Shaun Groves sent an email to the Compasssion Bloggers Guatemala team.
I’ve been laying low, reading your posts, praying for you from a distance but now I’m gonna put my nose back in your bid’ness and pry a little: How’s everybody doing?
It took my two days to respond to his not so subtle nudging. And still my response was stilted.
It is not that I felt uncomfortable exposing my thoughts…or feelings. It is just that I don’t know quite know what I am thinking…or feeling. Ugh.
How. Am. I. Doing?
I can’t quite say.
But I can say this.
Today I witnessed the incredible effects of the work Compassion does. Again.
I had the opportunity to hang out with two Leadership Development Program students, Ben (27) from Kenya and Richmond (30) from Uganda. They are seemingly ordinary young men that were unleashed from poverty through Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program. And then taught to chase extraordinary dreams through Compassion’s Leadership Development Program.
It was an incredible couple of hours.
We laughed about college football. Unfortunately Ben is a misguided A&M fan.
We compared fruit. I guess there are some crazy bananas in Uganda that will get you on-the-floor drunk?
We talked about dreams. In the spring, Richmond will return home to get married to Sheila, pastor his community, and equip other pastors all over Africa. This fall, Ben will go on tour with with Amy Grant to share first-hand the importance of the LDP program.
And we marveled at the lives changed by generous men and women who provide for hundreds of thousands of Compassion children. Generous men and women who are playing a critical role in unleashing children from poverty and unlocking their dreams.
I hope that I never forget the stories of these young men. I hope that I never forget the opportunity we have to love on our neighbors around the world.
So…How’s everybody doing?
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