Comments on: Catalyst 2009: It Could Have Been Me

By: Bill van Steenis

Bill van Steenis — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:56:30 +0000

Amber, That has been me, many times as I have visited my compassion children for the first time. It is an extraordinary experience that must be lived out. It simply can’t be explained. I have had the high privilege of seeing many of my children, in south america and the Caribbean. We have had parties for our sponsored children at the hotel we stayed at. They brought the children and their chaperones to the hotel with the Compassion interpreters and we spent the day in the pool and giving them what ever food they wanted. It was always a blast for us. I hope to do it again soon.

By: Faye

Faye — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:39:46 +0000

I was about 30 rows up from the end of that stage where Jimmy shared about his life. I saw his face when he turned and saw his sponsor. I watched him cling to the man who while in college decided to rescue him and I watched him collapse to the stage, unable to stand any longer.

I was one of nearly 13,000 weeping people that day. My husband and I have toyed with the idea of sponsoring a child for years and just never done it. Tonight, we clicked through and now are the sponsors of four-year-old Judine in Haiti.

I realize that the day I get to meet her probably won’t be as dramatic as Jimmy’s day in Atlanta, but then, I don’t believe she’s eating from a dumpster either.

Who knows? God does. As the parents of three sons, we now have a daughter. As God blesses, I’m thinking our family will grow.

By: jenie wilson

jenie wilson — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:16:05 +0000

I sobbed & then sobbed some more. I had a knowing in my heart of the significance of the decision to sponsor a child thru compassion intl 2 yrs ago -how much it means to God,
and to the child who is now forever connected to me.

By: Michelle Nezat

Michelle Nezat — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:38:44 +0000

I was there when Ken Coleman said the words, “Have you ever talked to your sponsor?” In an instant I KNEW (and every other of the 13,000 Americans there knew) that it was going to be a “talk show like” moment where the sponsor was going to come out on stage. It brought back the very real difference I could be/am making in the life of my sponsored child. It is on my bucket list to visit my child in Kenya one day. Although I appreciate Dwight’s comments, I just want to see the precious face of the little girl we consider our own even though we’ve never met her.

By: Jefff Carpenter

Jefff Carpenter — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:35:50 +0000

You think I’d know by now, having walked with Christ for a few years, to not be frustrated when I found myself unable to sleep and wandering around this weblog in the wee hours of last night. To instead be expectant, anxious to see where the Holy Spirit would be taking me this time and what He’s going to teach me…

BUT FRANKLY: I WAS BLIND-SIDED!

This video struck me like a tidal wave, bringing tears flooding, first from Jimmy Wambua obviously– then from ME. I was swept up in a powerful surf of emotion, years of child sponsorship experiences swirling around my mind.

Now, today, I realize that I was given a gift. I’ve been blessed to hear Jimmy’s childhood story at last! A story I’d been denied hearing earlier yesterday by my lousy phone connection to a teleconference that Jimmy was part of. During that call I couldn’t hear who this Kenyan man being introduced was, much less the drama he then described.

Thank You Father for leading me to “ CATALYST 2009”. And you, Ms Van Schooneveld, for facilitating His will that I experience it without preconception. 

By: Dwight

Dwight — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:40:23 +0000

Compassion has a multi million dollar marketing budget. If they want to use the LDP students to promote the ministry why can’t they spend $400 to fly them to meet their sponsors? Fly them and bring a camera….

Doing this video is dramatic TV but it is also a little sad and leves me feeling like compassion is exploiting the LDP students.

This is not a normal visit. I was in the Philippines a few weeks ago on a mission’s trip and I visited the children I sponsor. It was nothing like this. Should I feel discouraged? This type of video sets up an expectation about the child and family that not normal! (I have visited 3 children.) Most Children and families live in very difficult situations and are thankful for the help. The father of one child works 10 hours a day to make $3. Meeting them was emotional in a different way. But if I compared it to this video I would be discouraged.

By: Catherine Leigh

Catherine Leigh — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:05:30 +0000

God’s love is so everlasting, unconditional, and worthy that when the glory of the Lord is revealed all you can do is cry out to God in gratefulness.

Thanks Amber for sharing this moment of blessing. Wow God is so awesome.

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:22:08 +0000

It was pretty amazing. I’ve seen the other videos where the girls meet their sponsors…it hit harder to watch Jimmy, now a grown man, fall to tears and melt into his sponsors arms.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:23:00 +0000

I’m with you Amber. This past summer I had the honor of being present when another Compassion student met her sponsor for the first time. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever seen:

http://www.videorocket.com/creation09/2056008

By: Sara Benson

Sara Benson — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:35:42 +0000

I watched this video a couple of days ago and it made me cry too. What an awesome privilege to be able to watch this first meeting and to see the love between a sponsor and “child.” I hope the fact that Jimmy treasured and kept the original letter that he received will act as a reminder to all sponsors to WRITE to your child!!