My Precious Filipino Sister

Well, it finally happened. I finally heard back from my Filipino sister Sheena!

If you haven't read about her previously, you can here. I had befriended her on facebook several months back and had sent her a message, with no reply.

Occasionally I'd see she'd added a new photo or two, with an occasional updated status, primarily in Tagalog, primarily in slang. So my communication has basically been nothing, beyond a few new photos.

I had noticed a man in her photo, unsure if he was only a boyfriend, or if they were married. With no reply all I could do was what I had been doing all along; pray.

The other night, after seeing recent activity a with in a few consecutive days, I decided to send a new private message, simple and sweet. Thinking maybe the length of the message was intimidating. Or possibly she wasn't even sure now how to reply to me.

Well the next morning I had a few short sweet replies, that indeed sounded like my Filipino sis! I was so excited to have some contact. I had initiated asking if they were married yet, with a congratulations, thinking maybe she wasn't sure how I would respond know more personal things that were really unspoken before.

She informed they were not married yet, and from what I could decipher from the already mentioned mostly Tagalog, mostly slang status updates, it seems they've been together a year. He seems to be quite a bit older than her, so I do have a few concerns. Please pray with me for her to continue to seek God and his will for her life, where ever that leads her.

She did ask also for continued prayers, it sounds like she's trying to continue with college.

**Side note about continued connections with sponsored children outside of sponsorship graduation.

I will say I'm glad for this connection, but it definitely comes with pros and cons, as laid out by others. I loving knowing where she is, but just as a parent has to let go of their child and watch them make their own choices, however those turn out, it is a bit difficult knowing now there isn't a lot of help I can do for her, beyond encouraging her and praying for her.

The saying "Ignorance is bliss" comes to mind. We know and love our Compassion kids, for who they are, through their struggles and strengths shared in letters. I will say in some cases that may be enough. I know I will not continue correspondence with all my kids after they graduate, but it's definitely something to pray and consider on an individual basis, as your child reaches graduation.

Do you have any connections with your formally sponsored kids? If so, what are your thoughts?

Sheena Update

I logged on the computer tonight, to write some letters to my Compassion kids. I thought I would check one more time and see if maybe I could find Sheena on Facebook. I searched quite a bit yesterday, but no luck.

As I logged on, I noticed I had a friend request...I clicked and discovered it was Sheena. I screamed with excitement. Then ran to tell me sister.

I do understand that there can be possible risks to social network communication, I don't do a ton of things on Facebook. I also did a quick skim through over information, and photos, to make sure I had nothing that could put me at risk (like address/phone number, that sort of thing).

It was nice to go through her photos to see her smiling face, along with friends and family. I did send her an email, sort of brief, telling her of how I did hear her good news, and how proud I am. And I also explained the situation from last year when I did get her friend request and why I didn't respond.

I am a little curious how this relationship with change now. But for now, I'm excited to see her smiling face!

Bittersweet News

There's a certain feeling you get, when you look at your caller ID and it says Compassion. Some days it's almost dread, other days, it welcomes good news, or updates.

I wasn't expecting an update, and I was at work. I had just clocked back it, so I let the phone ring to voice mail. After work I carefully listened to the message, it was in regards to Sheena, my Filipino girl I had recently received the email update, explaining her school situation had changed last year, and the coding for her updated case study had been entered wrong. And she was now almost done completing her second semester as a computer tech student. Last year her family had financial difficulty, and she had to drop out for a while.

I wondered if maybe they didn't realize I had received the email update, so they were following up with a phone call. But in the back of my mind I thought it might not be, as the representative said in her message, I was hoping to talk to you in person.

When I returned the call I was informed she completed the program early. Part of me is extremely happy and proud! She completed all the programs and studies Compassion offered her, and so her aunt had her complete early.

The other half of me is completely heart broken. My hopes were to possibly visit her next year before graduation that year. Our church travels yearly to the Philippines in January. I had high hopes of meeting my dear sister.

She is my same child who sent me a Facebook friend request last year, that I dreadfully had to ignore because of Compassion safety guidelines. I now searched for her today, and was unable to locate a profile for her.

I do considered myself blessed to have the opportunity to have sent a gift with a fellow sponsor who traveled to the Philippines in January. This sponsor also sponsors a teenage girl in Sheena's project.

Just the other day I received a thank you letter in the mail, and you guessed it, I had a photo of her with the bag of goodies I sent! It is priceless, and I'm so thankful for the time God has allowed me to be a part of her life. I pray I may have some minimal contact still with her, possibly via the internet. If not, I know I'll see her someday.

At the end of the conversation I did ask if I would received a new child, since she was my correspondent and I'm over the limit. I was told yes, when the sponsor accepts a new child. So on another bright note, I'm excited to see who else God chooses to bless my life with. Because as much as we bless our sponsor children, I believe the blessings come back ten fold!

Meet My Child-Sheena

I would normally post my child introduction on Thursday, but since my opportunity to post yesterday was from my phone on my break at work, and I didn't have all my pictures I like to share available, I decided I would wait and post today. Because for me, pictures make a difference, especially on this type of post.







So today I'd like to introduce you to a young lady you may have already started to get to know through her many letters I've posted on my Mail Call Mondays. Her name is Sheena, and she is 18 years old, and from the Philippines.

This is Sheena's current photo, taken last year. I have been corresponding with this precious young lady since September 2010. I had requested an older girl, because I had fallen in love with my current older children, plus I know other may not be as excited to be partnered with an older child. I had no experience with the Philippines previous to Sheena, but her correspondence has given me a great love for her country and people, and in turn opened a door, for my nephew to sponsor John from the Philippines, who lives in the same city as Sheena.

Sheena lives with her grandmother and aunt, along with some of her cousins. Her grandmother is older, with poor vision. And her aunt is a teacher. Sheena use to want to be a teacher also, but recently told me she was switching degrees to computer programing.


I do feel I've become quite close to Sheena, and I know her frequent letters have helped. We both refer to each other as sisters. She is a college student, and recently mentioned she was choose as a youth leader in her church.

This is the first photo I have of her, taken prior to my corresponding with her, but I love to look at how much they have grown up.

And this was her current photo when I started corresponding with her. I absolutely love her smile!! Isn't it contagious?!

She is probably by far, my best letter writer. I usually hear from her about once a month. Her letters are always full of so much love, and lately have been full of news, about her schooling, meeting new friends, and and about her church.

The only down side to falling in love with an older child, is you have less time to spend with them. Her purposed graduation date, is 2014. While she will only be 20 at the time and her plans can change, I will be very sad to no long have this special young lady in my life.

On a bright note though, my church on a state level has partnered with several of our churches in the Philippines, as several members from some of our churches are from the Philippines. And they take yearly missions trips over there to do building projects, and I've got an open invite, and I'm praying that maybe next year or even the year after I would be able to travel with them, and in turn get the opportunity to this special young lady. I would love to meet all of my Compassion kids, and while I understand that the reality is I probably won't, I would jump for joy to meet Sheena.

Will you join me in prayer for God's will on going, and when?