In His Image Update – Oct 8, 2009
This is the weekly update on the In His Image sponsorship initiative. The purpose is to keep you updated on our progress towards our goal of getting 200 children sponsored, and to share stories of the unique opportunities that arise as you are empowered to influence the people around you.
GOAL: get 200 children sponsored
# OF KIDS SPONSORED: 43
UPDATES:
Did you notice the new set last week? There are a total of 200 picture frames displayed in the foyer and on the stage in the auditorium. Each of the frames on the stage contained a photograph of a child, representing one of the kids that has already been sponsored through this initiative.
The blank frames in the foyer represented Malawian kids who are still in need of nutrition, education, and emotional & spiritual care. Watch each week as more frames move from the foyer to the stage, as we move towards our goal of 200 sponsored children.
There are just 6 weeks left until Illumination concludes this initiative on November 21, and we have 157 children left to sponsor!
STORY OF IMPACT:
Check out the video below from Flood’s 2009 Malawi Venture Team. This team partnered with COTN to do outreach in Chilombo village — these are the children you could be sponsoring through this initiative! Then read the story below of how sponsorship can change YOUR life, and the life of a child.
Mother Teresa once said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” This quote epitomizes my two months spent in Malawi this summer. I’ve learned so much about humility, life, pain, hurt, hunger, joy, hope, but mostly, about love. Sometimes it didn’t feel as if I was doing much. But that’s when I’m reminded of this quote. What we see as nothing can be everything to these kids. What we see as small can make a life of an impact to them. So why don’t we put all the love we can possibly pour out, into these little things? Into singing, dancing, playing, hugging, and hand holding.
I remember this one little girl named Tiyajane. Now, I was surprisingly good at remembering all their little Malawian names, but for the life of me, I could never get her’s down. Every time I saw her, she would call my name and come hug me or hold my hand, but I could never call her name back. I would always ask her, and she would always tell me, Tiyajane. One day, while I was doing administrative sponsorship work, I came across her name, Tiyajane. I was so excited to know that she had a sponsor, but, I was even more excited that I finally got her name!
That afternoon, I went into the village, eager to say her name to her. As I walked up the dirt path, I saw her from a distance, and instead of her calling me first, for the very first time, I yelled out, TIYAJANE! When she heard her name, her face immediately lit up, her smile exposed two missing front teeth. She ran to me and hugged me. At that moment, I knew I had made her day. That’s when it dawned on me how appreciative these kids are. They can find so much joy in you just remembering their name, in you just thinking about them. But, I wanted to give her so much more. That’s when God called me to sponsor a child.
Coming back to the United States, I checked the COTN site daily, waiting and praying for not just a familiar face, but the right face to pop up. Finally, Modesta, one of the girls in the family I visited every week showed up. I recently realized that God is using my sponsoring Modesta not only to reach out to her, but also to the 15-20 kids in her neighborhood, those exact kids I wanted to sponsor, but was unable to. Through this connection, I am able to send letters and pictures to her as well as all the other kids I have come to love so much. I’m so thankful that I can continue to pour my heart out into these kids. God knew what I needed.
–Angela Wu, COTN Malawi Intern, Summer 2009
GET INVOLVED:
- TOMORROW (Friday 10/9), update your Twitter/Facebook status with a link to www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/COTN. We will be updating the Flood twitter feed as well (follow us). Let’s do all we can to meet our goal!
- Every one of you has a story of impact to share. Email your story to MawiPatten@DIVEintoFLOOD.com, and share what motivated you to sponsor a child, travel to Malawi, or participate in this initiative.
- If you can work the sponsorship table on a Sunday, email LeslieMurray@DIVEintoFLOOD.com to be added to the schedule. We now want to make this table available every Sunday.
Visit www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/COTN, and consider who you might invite to think about sponsoring a child.
The In His Image Team
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10