After following the Compassion Bloggers to the Philippines and reading every word each one of them wrote, I’m feeling especially excited about writing our sponsored kids. I just love the idea that those kids can receive some affirmation and love by simply getting a card and stickers from us. I pray our letters and gifts are a small piece of the great plan God is putting together for our kids.

I started a (you guessed it) Pinterest board about Flat Crafts for Sponsored Kids. So far I don’t have much to choose from but the whole board started when I found this great idea:

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Isn’t that beautiful? I thought it would be cool to make this into a card and put 2 hearts on it–one map of where we live and one where they live. I printed off some pictures of Burkina Faso and the Dominican Republic and of the southeast United States! I have tried to teach Lydia how to cut hearts before (remember our Valentine’s Day heart?) but cutting is not her forte. So we tried again. Eventually I realized it would be better if I cut and she glued.

After it was all glued on I tried to think of a good scripture or saying to put on the bottom. I’m still waiting to decide because I want to laminate it and my new laminator is coming in the mail this week! So, it’s not a complete project, but what do you think? Cute huh?

Now, I’ve got something fun for you! World Vision has just released a picture book called African Heartbeat. It’s the story of an American girl who sponsors a girl from Africa. She finds that as she learns more about her and connects with her more that Africa doesn’t seem as far away as she thought. The two girls grow to love each other like family. And you get to see the affect a sponsorship has on a child. It’s a really fantastic book that will remind your kids how your sponsored children are just like them AND are really a part of your family. I cried every single time I read it!

World Vision is giving away THREE copies of African Heartbeat today! If you’d like to win a copy simply leave me a comment about your sponsored child.

If you’d like an additional entry (leave a comment for each):

1. Tweet: Trying to impress my SPONSORED kids today. Hoping to win “African Heartbeat” book from @worldvision & @impressyourkids. http://bit.ly/luqiM6
2. Facebook: share this by clicking LIKE below–you can even add a status update with it!
3. Link up a post below (see details…)

But wait! There’s more! If you decide to sponsor a child through World Vision today, you will also receive this book! Just let me know in the comments if you do so!

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Now, it’s time to link up! If you’ve written your kids, made a flat craft for them (or just a flat craft on your blog that would be appropriate), had a fun conversation about sponsorship with your own children write about it on your blog and link up below! Old posts welcome! And please link back to this post so others can join in & be encouraged to write their children! (button in the sidebar—>)

ps: I feel like I should add a little disclaimer/clarification regarding World Vision versus Compassion. I sponsor two children through Compassion (I did so as a result of the Ugandan Bloggers trip). Then I went on a blogging trip with World Vision and began sponsoring a girl with them. I believe in both organizations because they are both child-focused and both help children and families live. There are some key differences between the two which I think Shaun Groves (and his comment-ers) clear up nicely. I trust both of these organizations implicitly and both receive high ratings of responsibility with their money. The point is not the organization. The point is the child. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments, I’ll try to help. {But the book is coming from World Vision, so if you want that, you gotta sponsor through them! They did send me the book for free and asked if I’d like to giveaway some to you.}

A few posts from the Compassion Bloggers while in the Philippines this week…

How Stickers Can Change the World by Emily at Chatting at the Sky {please watch the video! it will make your heart ache!}

The Opulent Ability to Give by Tsh at Simple Mom {puts everything in perspective!}

My Bathroom is a Portal to the 1980′s by Kat at Inspired to Action {this is powerful, folks!}

The Power of a Letter from Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking {wait till you read some of the stats in this one!}

Of Rubber Boots, Self Pity & Ladders from Stephanie at Keeper of the Home {i love the visual of the ladder!}

The Prayer of a Mother at Jones Bones {so beautiful}

Meeting the Neighbors Next Door from Shaun Groves {oh. man.}

And now a few more Compassion links from other bloggers…

Mary from Giving Up on Perfect consolidated all the Compassion Bloggers posts for you!

I Ammmmm Worldly, Okay? from 4 Buckaroos Blog {a really great idea for helping your kids understand your sponsored children.}

Which leads me to…

Impress Your SPONSORED Kids challenge is THIS FRIDAY, June 8th! If you have a sponsored child, please write them this week (and maybe even make a fun, flat craft for them) and then link up to inspire and encourage everyone else!

photo by Keely Scott

linked to Saturday Stumbles at Simply Staci

This week I have been glued to twitter, anxiously awaiting updates from Emily, Tsh, Kat, Shaun, Lindsay and Stephanie about their trip to the Philippines with Compassion.

Yesterday, Kat visited a mother and son who are sponsored in the Child Survival Program. The mother receives support and education about being a mom and raising her child to be healthy and thrive in other ways. Their house was smaller than my bathroom. Probably about the same as my laundry room. Equal to any of four of my walk-in closets. Kat took a video of that room house.

And I showed the video to Lydia and Asa.

I want my children to know about the world around them. We live in a huge house with lots of toys, clothes, books and food. I know they think this is normal. But it’s not normal. We live an abnormal life. My children are abnormally surrounded by STUFF. I want them to know it’s abnormal.

It’s why we sponsor two children through Compassion and one through World Vision. I want our kids to see our abnormal amount of stuff as tools to give and do more for others. Not to fill up their desires and wants.

Please follow along with the bloggers in the Philippines. Show your kids the pictures of the kids’ faces. Kids like them. Just without the abnormal amount of stuff. Pray together. And sponsor a child. Combine your family (and your stuff!) with another family across the world. It will change your life. And loosen the hold your stuff has on you.

And stay tuned this week, I’ve got another Summer Challenge for you and your kids this year. And a fun giveaway from World Vision! Just a few things that will help you talk to your children about poverty and love those living in it!