Compassion at the Orchard

Today

2009-05-31T15:39:00.002-04:00

What a great Compassion Sunday. I hope everyone learned a lot about Compassion International. And I know we all learned a lot about some of the other Compassion Ministries of the Orchard Church (Food Pantry, Outflows, etc.)

We still have some children that need to find sponsors. So please let me know if you are interested. Their child information packets are still at the building. Be sure to check them out next week.

One Million Children

2009-05-30T14:19:00.002-04:00

This month, Compassion International celebrated the sponsorship of their 1 millionth child!!!! To find out more about this child and his sponsor, check out Compassion's blog.

And don't forget about Compassion Sunday tomorrow at 10:30 at the Orchard Church.

Compassion Sunday

2009-05-13T17:38:00.002-04:00

May 31st is Compassion Sunday at the Orchard. Hope to see you there at 10:30am!

Free Stuff

2008-07-26T00:08:00.002-04:00

Everyone loves free stuff. But free stuff that could help save lives...even better. Check out this link for free Compassion promotional stuff and do your part to help wipe out poverty.

How much do you know about HIV & AIDS?

2008-07-14T21:11:00.002-04:00

One of the many things that Compassion International focuses on is education. Not only the education of the children in the program, but also the education of sponsors and potential sponsors. So how much do you know about HIV and AIDS? Take Compassion's HIV/AIDS Quiz and find out. I scored an 80. How about you?

July 2008 Prayer Calendar

2008-07-01T22:57:00.001-04:00

New month...new prayer calendar. Here it is for all you pray-ers out there...

WEEK 1
Tuesday 1
We praise God for the successful HIV/AIDS awareness program held for the parents of children in the Khirpai Child Development Center in eastern India.

Wednesday 2
Pray for 11-year-old Ruth Carmen Rojas Morales and her family in Peru. Their home was destroyed by a fire.

Thursday 3
Please pray for Geeta, who works as a cook at the Anurag Child Development Center in India. She has bone cancer and needs healing.

Friday 4
Pray for the government in Haiti to enact effective and swift measures to address the famine and economic crisis gripping the nation.

Saturday 5
Pray for protection for the children and staff of Compassion partner CDI Vida-Centro de Desenvolvimento Integral Vida in Recife, Brazil. Armed drug suppliers are fighting for territory, sometimes directly in front of the child development center.

WEEK 2
Sunday 6
We thank God for the new staff at the Philippines Country Office: IT Specialist Rafel Mangulabnan and Partnership Facilitators Jesse Calvano, Felipe De Leon Jr. and Ryan Caspe.

Monday 7
Pray for a speedy recovery for 3-month-old Sivabala, at the Rhema Child Survival Program in Vellanguli, India, who had kidney surgery.

Tuesday 8
Pray for God's strength and comfort for the family of Meita Londah, a tutor at the Tunas Kasih Student Center in Indonesia who died of uterine cancer.

Wednesday 9
Please pray God's blessing on the fund Compassion is launching to aid child development center families who are hardest hit by famine and the global food crisis.

Thursday 10
Praise God that LDP students Richmond Wandera from Uganda, Michelle Tolentino from the Philippines, and Antonio Morales of the Dominican Republic were accepted to attend Moody Bible Institute!

Friday 11
Pray for one of the children in a child development center near Sao Paulo, Brazil, who was injured in an assault. Pray for physical and emotional healing.

Saturday 12
Please pray for the spiritual life of all the Asia Regional staff, that they will all have a close relationship with God and stand firm in Him.

WEEK 3
Sunday 13
Pray for the families and friends of Ugandan boy Sam Odudu, 7, who died from malaria.

Monday 14
We praise God for Center Manager Manik Mondol, in Bangladesh, who is feeling much better after a heart ailment.

Tuesday 15
Pray for the mother of Sharon Brillyd Paucar Bolo, 10, whose mother was shot in the leg during a shootout between warring Peruvian gangs.

Wednesday 16
Pray for the Center Manager at the Verchi Child Sponsorship Program in Bangladesh, Nil Armstrong, who was in a motorcycle accident.

Thursday 17
Pray for world leaders to take action against guerrilla groups who use children to fight.

Friday 18
Continue to pray for children in Tanzania who have lost their parents to AIDS.

Saturday 19
Pray for healing and comfort for a sponsored 11-year-old Peruvian boy recently diagnosed with HIV. Pray for strength for his family to help them cope.

WEEK 4
Sunday 20
Please pray for strength and peace for 9-year-old Nicaraguan Luz Maria Valle, who has terminal brain cancer.

Monday 21
Pray for God's strength and protection for Irene Heidy, a field-based facilitator in Indonesia, while she is on her three-month pregnancy leave.

Tuesday 22
Pray for Pastor Ha in Korea to recover quickly from cancer surgery so doctors can proceed with a much-needed kidney transplant.

Wednesday 23
We praise God for two new staff members who joined the Tanzania Country Office: David Mwakipesile and Shiphrah Mwagisa.

Thursday 24
Please pray for Auntara Pal, 5, and her family in Bangladesh. Her father committed suicide over extreme debt.

Friday 25
Pray for a rapid, smooth and problem-free completion of the new office being built for the Compassion staff in Burkina Faso.

Saturday 26
Pray for the family and friends of 6-year-old Sachin Das, who drowned while bathing in a pond in eastern India.

WEEK 5
Sunday 27

Pray for preparations being made for opening eight Child Survival Program centers in Indonesia during the next fiscal year.

Monday 28

Pray for God's provision for the children and families of Bonuan First Baptist Student Center, Malued Student Center, Sta. Barbara Student Center and the GFBC Student Center in the Philippines whose homes were damaged during Typhoon Halong.

Tuesday 29

Pray for Alima Gonza, 14, of Uganda, who is in a hospital intensive care unit after several epileptic seizures and contracting pneumonia.

Wednesday 30

Please pray for healing for Teddy Nakafero, 11, in Uganda, who lost her right leg to bone cancer and is recovering from surgery.

Thursday 31

We praise God that the training camp for program mentors in Bandung, Indonesia, went so well and that lives were affected for Christ!

One More

2008-05-18T17:54:00.002-04:00

We have one more child from our child packets who needs to find a sponsor. Here is her information. As always, if you are interested in sponsoring her, please contact me.

Cindy Faiana Urbano Neira
5 years old
Columbia

Cindy lives with her father and mother. There are 3 children in the family. She enjoys playing house, playing with balls, and playing group games.

The average household income in Cindy's community is $89 per month.

Another Child

2008-05-14T18:12:00.003-04:00

There is another child not on the list below that needs to find a sponsor as well. He was one of the 3 children whose child packet was taken on Compassion Sunday. But the person who took his packet was not able to sponsor him. Please let me know if you are interested in sponsoring him.

Simon Bag
5 years old
India

Simon lives with his father and mother. His favorite activities include walking, listening to music, and hide-and-seek.

The average household income in Simon's community is $27 per month.

Make a Donation Without Spending Money

2008-05-05T18:28:00.002-04:00

This is really cool. Check out this blog for more information on how you can help. It is seriously so easy and something we all use.

Compassion Sunday Recap

2008-05-04T17:05:00.010-04:00

First let me say thanks so some people. Thank you to the leaders of the Orchard Church for allowing me to share this ministry w/ everyone. Thank you to my husband who does all the talking for me. And thank you to all of you who listened and a special thanks to those of you who took child packets home to pray over them and consider sponsoring them. I really appreciate each and every one of you and your part in this extraordinary ministry.

For those of you who were not able to attend this morning, let me give you a lil recap. This year, instead of allowing people to take child packets home to sponsor them, we decided that we wanted you not to make a commitment today...but to take a child packet home for the week, pray over it, and make a decision one way or another as to whether or not you want to sponsor that child. This year we had 8 child packets. Three of them are with people of our church being prayed over as I write. Five of them are still looking for potential sponsors. I am going to list them each here for you with a lil background information. If you are interested in possibly sponsoring one of these children, please email me at ashleyjohnson654@gmail.com. Regardless of whether you choose to sponsor or not, please pray for these children and the thousands of others waiting for sponsors.

Meenatchi Priyanga Muthu
7 years old
India

Meenatchi lives w/ her father and mother. There are 3 children in the family. She enjoys singing, playing house, and playing with dolls.

The average household income in Meenatchi's community is $22 a month.

Rosa Linda Martinez Matias
6 years old
Mexico

Rosa lives with her father and mother. There are 5 children in her family. She enjoys playing house and playing with dolls.

The average household income in Rosa's community is $106 per month.

Esiayas Alemayehu
5 years old
Ethiopia

Esiayas lives in an AIDS affected area.

Esiayas lives with his father and mother. His favorite thing to do is play soccer.

The average household income in Esiayas's community is $35 a month.

Edual Jose Torres Barralaga
8 years old
Hondoras

Edual lives with his father and mother. There are 2 children in his family. He enjoys playing w/ cars, playing ball games, and running.

The average household income in Edual's community is $136 a month.

Julio Gleyson Pereira Duarte
6 years old
Brazil

Gleyson lives with his father and mother. He enjoys playing soccer, playing with cars, and playing with marbles.

The average household income in Gleyson's community it $54 a month.

Again, thanks to all of you who made today so wonderful! Please keep the children above in your prayers and let me know if you are interested in sponsoring one of them. And please...

Compassion Sunday

2008-05-01T23:25:00.003-04:00

Just a reminder to everyone that this Sunday is Compassion Sunday at the Orchard. We have 8 child packets, and it's our prayer that every one of those children finds a sponsor. Please keep these kids in your prayers. We hope to see you there on Sunday.

to the Compassion sponsors at the Orchard Church...

2008-04-23T00:55:00.000-04:00

This is just a friendly reminder to everyone to wear your Compassion buttons this coming Sunday in preparation for Compassion Sunday on May 4th. I noticed that we all forgot this past Sunday (myself included) and I really want other people at the Orchard to know who is sponsoring in case they have any questions and want to talk to a sponsor first hand. Thank you all so much for the incredible ministry that you have taken part in. And please please please share your experience with others. Encourage others to sponsor a child as well. And please pray for Compassion Sunday. Pray for hearts to be open and for more children living in poverty to find loving sponsors.

Compassion Sunday is coming...

2008-04-17T21:13:00.002-04:00

Hey Orchard family,

Compassion Sunday is only a few weeks away. I hope you are all getting excited about it. I know I am. If you were at the Rain this past Sunday, you probably saw the Compassion table all decked out w/ information about Compassion. You also may have noticed those of us that were wearing our "Join Me" buttons. (Which reminds me...if you are currently sponsoring a Compassion child and you did not get a "Join Me" button, see me on Sunday.)

Last year when we were a church of about 30 people, we found sponsors for 4 children. Now we are a church of nearly 70, and my goal is to find sponsors for 10 children. I ask that you all prayerfully consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International. It is such a wonderful and transparent organization. If you already have one child, consider sponsoring another. You can make such a huge difference in the life of someone that the world has told doesn't matter. And last time I checked, Jesus thinks that someone does matter.

If you have any questions, please ask either Matt or me.

It's Been a Long Time

2008-02-21T23:05:00.003-05:00

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, but I'm getting really excited about Compassion Sunday. The official Compassion Sunday is April 13, but at Orchard, we will be holding our Compassion Sunday event on May 4th. I ordered all of our supplies this past week. And I'm really excited because now that we are a larger congregation, we can do more with Compassion International and hopefully find more sponsors for more kids.

If you have any questions about Compassion Sunday, feel free to contact me.

2008 Compassion Calendar

2007-12-21T00:48:00.000-05:00

Compassion has released a free downloadable 2008 Calendar, complete with captivating photos of Compassion's work around the world, a Bible verse and a prayer challenge. Download it here!

November 2007 Prayer Calendar

2007-10-30T22:48:00.000-04:00

Here is November's prayer calendar. Please keep these children, families, and Compassion staff in your prayers this month.

Thursday 1 Marshul Sangian, a child in Indonesia, suffered a broken leg and kidney damage in an accident. He is receiving medical attention and needs prayer for a quick recovery.

Friday 2Pray for a miracle for 6-year-old Agnesius Hasdak in Bangladesh as he recovers from a coma caused by brain damage and infection.

Saturday 3 Pray for Compassion's efforts in Ghana as the staff works to expand and reach more children. Pray for the workers and church partners to be fully committed.

Sunday 4A program on alcoholism and drug abuse was presented in India for fathers of Compassion-assisted children. We praise God for 10 fathers who started treatment. Pray for their deliverance from addictions.

Monday 5Nine-year-old Lucero, daughter of Juan Carlos Palacios, a program manager in Peru, struggles with bone cancer that did not respond to chemotherapy. She was scheduled for an amputation of her leg and needs prayer.

Tuesday 6Pray for the families of 71 Compassion-assisted children in Uganda whose homes were destroyed by recent floods. They are receiving provisions.

Wednesday 7Pray for 12-year-old Chanderbhan in India who was admitted to the hospital with tuberculosis.

Thursday 8Pray for a quick recovery for 10-year-old Abijuru Beni from Rwanda who was scheduled for heart surgery in India.

Friday 9Pray for Compassion-assisted children in the town of Amatitlan, Guatemala, as their families struggle with gangs and alcohol and drug addictions.

Saturday 10 Continue to pray for the after-school programs organized by staff and volunteers of YouthPartnersNET for children in cities in the United States. Pray for the families as well.

Sunday 11We prayed for 15-year-old Edgar Silva in Ecuador as he struggled with cancer. He gave his heart to Jesus, was baptized on August 30^th and went to be with his Savior the next day. Pray for his family and the Compassion staff as they grieve.

Monday 12 Pray for 8-year-old Merlin Gisselle Cortés Rivera in Honduras as she recovers from a gunshot wound to her leg. It was intended for her father but he escaped injury. Pray for God's protection of the family.

Tuesday 13Our staff in Ghana asks prayer for every child in Compassion's program to receive Jesus as Savior.

Wednesday 14 Pray for correct medical treatment for 10-year-old Mahisha in India, who suffers from chest pain.

Thursday 15Pray for 7-year-old Suvo Rahman in Bangladesh to recover from the hepatitis B virus.

Friday 16 Pray for 12-year-old Stevano Sekeon in Indonesia who was hospitalized with malaria. The virus caused serious damage to his heart and liver, and he required a blood transfusion. He is recovering.

Saturday 17Pray for all our prayer partners who faithfully pray for the children in our calendar every month. Pray for God's blessings to be upon each family.

Sunday 18We praise God for the recovery of 8-year-old Rita Sarkar in eastern India from injuries she received in an accident.

Monday 19Pray for 10-year-old Neethu Raju in India as she grieves the death of her mother due to cancer.

Tuesday 20 Pray for 7-year-old Keydi Rubi Elvir Giron in Honduras as she recovers from broken bones in her hand. She is in rehabilitation therapy.

Wednesday 21 Pray for 6-year-old Keya Sarker in Bangladesh to recover from a serious liver problem.

Thursday 22 HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY. May our loving God bless each one as you gather with family and friends in giving thanks to Him for His blessings.

Friday 23Pray for 11^th grade student, Ramesh Kumar in India, to recover from malaria and typhoid.

Saturday 24 We thank God for His mercy and healing of 7-year-old Nirjon Mallik in Bangladesh from tuberculosis of the bone.

Sunday 25 We praise God for 200 pastors and church leaders who attended a workshop in Thailand. Thirty-nine churches were interested to begin working with Compassion. Pray that each one is committed.

Monday 26Pray for all the children and families in Mexico who were affected by Hurricane Lorenzo recently. Compassion is providing needed supplies.

Tuesday 27 Pray for 8-year-old Lucy Eliana Colindres Aguilera in Honduras who was diagnosed with kidney problems and received treatment. She needs healing.

Wednesday 28Pray for 9-year-old Rahini in India who has tuberculosis.

Thursday 29 We praise God for the successful heart surgeries of two Compassion-assisted children in Uganda: Basasira Cissy and Kibuka Pavio. They are safely home from India and recovering well.

Friday 30 Pray for Jesudas, Daniel, Samson, Pathras and Solomi in eastern India, who are all physically handicapped. They need to know they are valued in God's kingdom.

Got Letters?

2007-10-21T22:46:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted much on here as of late. Life has sort of gotten in the way.

However, right now I am looking for letters. Anyone who has gotten letters from their Compassion children...I'd really like to post these letters for others to read. You can give me the actual letters if you'd like or just type it out and email it to me and I'll add it.

I'm looking forward to hearing what your children are saying.

Compassion Store

2007-10-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

Compassion has just launched it's own online store. You can purchase t-shirts, hats, mugs, etc. I am super excited about this. I love the idea of supporting a great organization...by shopping!! So check out the store and do some philanthropic shopping.

Our First Letter From Mamuu

2007-10-01T21:53:00.000-04:00

Matt and I received our first letter from our Compassion child, Mamuu today. It wasn't a long letter. In fact, it was sort of a cute little detailed "about your child" letter. We found out he has a 3 and 1/2 year-old brother and a 9 year-old sister. His favorite sport is football, he favorite color is green, and his favorite subject in school is "numbers" (I'm assuming that means "math"). And his favorite song is called "Jesus God of Blessing" or "Yesu Wa Baraka". When Mamuu grows up, he wants to be a business man. He asks that we pray for him to pass well in his exams and strive for excellence. And best I can tell, it seems that he speaks english.

We were so excited to receive this today. It's one of the best feelings ever. If any of you who are sponsoring have received a letter recently and would like to share it with the community, please let me know and I will get it up on the blog.

Happy Birthday Mamuu!

2007-09-27T09:51:00.001-04:00

Today is our Compassion child, Mamuu's, 6th birthday.

Meet Mamuu

2007-09-18T14:33:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in getting Mamuu's information up. We've been on vacation.

So now, it is my pleasure to introduce Mamuu, our newest Compassion child. He is 5 years old and will turn 6 on September 27. He lives in Kenya with his father and mother. There are 2 other children in his family. He is responsible for carrying water. His father is sometimes employed and his mother maintains the home. Playing with cars is Mamuu's favorite activity. He is kindergarten and his performance is average. Mamuu lives in an HIV/AIDS affected area.

Please remember to pray for Mamuu and his family. We will keep you updated as often as we can.

Rescued to Rescue

2007-09-04T19:44:00.000-04:00

I read a story on Compassion's website today that was too wonderful not to share! It brought me to tears. Please read...

Compassion Prayer Calender

2007-09-03T08:56:00.000-04:00

Calling all prayer warriors! Prayer is so important. And sometimes its one of the only tools we have to fight global poverty and suffering. You can sign up to receive Compassion's monthly prayer calendar and pray each day for children around the world. These prayer requests are sent in from Compassion's country offices for very specific children and their specific needs. By signing up, you will be joining over 18,000 people praying for these children. Here is September's calendar...a few days late, but still plenty of month left.

September 2007 Prayer Calendar

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." --Psalm 139:9, 10

Saturday 1 Pray for 12-year-old Sirikwan Suksabai in Thailand who is seriously ill and unable to speak or sit up.

Sunday 2Thirteen-year-old Rejitha Solomon was chosen to represent India in judo in the 2012 Olympics. Pray for her good health and for God's protection as she trains for this special event.

Monday 3 Pray for 6-year-old Kiara Yamilet Sono Benites in Peru as she tries to cope with her father's absence. He left the family for another woman, and now her mother and younger sister are living with her grandmother. Kiara receives psychological help.

Tuesday 4Pray for 14-year-old Luis Antonio Mayen Moro in Guatemala to recover well from cancer surgery.

Wednesday 5Pray for the family of 9-year-old Julia Gracibel Trujillo in Honduras as they recover from a fire that destroyed their home. No one was injured and Compassion is providing their basic needs.

Thursday 6Pray for 12-year-old Juan Pedro Illapa in Ecuador as he battles leukemia.

Friday 7Pray for 6-year-old Jishnue in India who suffers from leukemia. The family has a Hindu background, but they now believe in Jesus.

Saturday 8Pray for the mother of 17-year-old Loida Victoria Campos Olano in Peru. She is in treatment for diabetes and kidney problems and the family is struggling. They are receiving assistance for clothing and food.

Sunday 9We praise God for 16 Leadership Development Program (LDP) students in India who graduated from university. Pray for God's blessings on each one as they serve Him in the future.

Monday 10 Zoundi Abdoul Aziz in Burkina Faso had two throat surgeries and requires a third one. He needs prayer for complete healing.

Tuesday 11Pray for 7-year-old Ana Patricia Rax in Guatemala. Her mother and two brothers were murdered and buried in their yard. Her father was arrested as a suspect. The child is in counseling and needs emotional healing.

Wednesday 12 Pray for 7-year-old Abhirami in India whose father collapsed on his way home from work and died. Abhirami's mother now must support her and her brother on a maid's wages.

Thursday 13Fourteen-year-old Hugo Orlando Guaman Congacha in Ecuador needs prayer for healing of leukemia.

Friday 14Pray for God's protection and psychological recovery of 9-year-old Jessica in Indonesia. She was molested two years ago and the perpetrator is back in her neighborhood.

Saturday 15Pray for a 13-year-old boy, Madhan, in India who attempted suicide because of a conflict at home.

Sunday 16 Pray for our prayer partners to be blessed with renewal in God's Word and for health and strength in day-to-day life situations. Pray for one another's families to be strong in Jesus.

Monday 17Pray for 11-year-old Rudy Yguaro Surichaqui in Peru to recover well from gastritis, liver infection and problems with his teeth.

Tuesday 18Pray for the 29 children and families who were affected by flooding in Honduras two months ago. They lost all their possessions and Compassion provided the necessities. The children need emotional healing from the traumatic experience.

Wednesday 19Pray for 17-year-old Edens Romain in Haiti as he struggles with brain cancer. He was hospitalized.

Thursday 20 Pray for 15-year-old S. Saravamoorthy in India who accidentally injured his eye and had surgery. Pray for healing and no loss of his eyesight.

Friday 21 Pray for Ilboudo Rodrigue, a Compassion-assisted child in Burkina Faso, who has leukemia and needs healing and strength during treatment.

Saturday 22Pray for Saranya Gopalakrishna, a 10^th grade student in India. Her father committed suicide after an argument with her mother and the family needs God's strength and provision.

Sunday 23V. Manjula in India asks prayer for the salvation of her father.

Monday 24 Eight-year-old Irakoze Annick in Rwanda suffered third-degree burns on her chest, abdomen, arms and legs. She will have cosmetic surgery and needs prayer for healing.

Tuesday 25 Pray for Norma Perez Zepeda, a student center director in Guatemala, who was diagnosed with a herniated disc. Surgery is not an option due to its location. She is in much pain and needs relief as she oversees the student center and the children.

Wednesday 26Pray for 7-year-old Eli Aaron Chocan Sosa in Peru as he awaits heart surgery.

Thursday 27 Pray for healing of the mother of R. Yogeswaran in India. She was seriously burned in a fire and also suffers from jaundice.

Friday 28Pray for 8-year-old Zema Inoussa in Burkina Faso to recover from a heart disorder.

Saturday 29 Pray for 4-year-old Bijoy Roy in eastern India who is undergoing treatment for tuberculosis.

Sunday 30 Six-year-old Anthony Anderson Estrada Hernandez in Peru is struggling with the separation of his parents. He and his mother are receiving psychological counseling and they need prayer for God's protection and intervention.

Orchard Family Photo and more...

2007-09-02T16:39:00.000-04:00

Here it is folks! The official Orchard family photo...minus a few who couldn't be there this morning. We'll get a copy to anyone needing one for your Compassion child.

Also, I found out today that Aaron sponsors a child through Compassion International and just received his first letter. We'll be sharing more about his child later on.

Sad News

2007-09-01T15:12:00.000-04:00

Matt and I received a letter today from Compassion International letting us know that Michelle and her family have moved away and she can no longer be a part of the project. We have been sponsoring her for over 2 years, so this is really hard for Matt and I. However, it seems that this move is a good thing for her family. And we are confident that God will continue to bless them and be an active part of their lives.

The timing of all of this is very interesting, seeing that we just picked up another child less than 2 weeks ago. It's funny how God works sometimes, isn't it? Because of recent job shifts, Matt and I have decided to wait until our finances balance back out before we pick up another child. We want to sponsor another South American girl, possibly a girl from the same project.

Please pray for Michelle and her family. Pray that this move will be a blessing. And pray that their faith will grow. Please pray for Matt and I over the next few months in our decision to sponsor another child. Pray that when we are ready that God will let us know and that we can bless another child's life.

Meet Christine

2007-08-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

This is Christine. She was born on August 21, 2002 and she lives in Burkina Faso. She is now being sponsored by Sam Tumey. Christine lives with her father and her mother. She is responsibile for washing clothes, helping in the kitchen and running errands. Her father and mother are sometimes employed as farmers. There are 2 children in the family. Christine is not attending school because she is too young. Jumping rope, hide-and-seek and playing group games are her favorite activities. She also attends Bible class regularly.

Please keep Christine in your prayers. Pray for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. Pray that Sam's sponsorship will have an amazing impact on her life. And pray that she and her family will come to know Jesus if they don't already.

We will keep you updated on Christine when Sam begins to receive letters.

Found Out Something New

2007-08-26T09:13:00.001-04:00

To those of you who are currently sponsoring children through Compassion International, I found out something new and cool. You can order actual photos of your children. Real photos on photo paper. Not just the images that are scanned in to the info packet that you receive. They have a few different sizes too. Yesterday, we received two 4x6s and 2 wallet prints of our kids. They look really nice. And the best part is that they are FREE!!! So give Compassion a call and tell them that you would like to order photos of your child(ren). The number is 1-800-336-7676. Make sure you have your child's child number ready when you call.

Giving Out of Our "Plenty"

2007-08-23T23:34:00.000-04:00

To catch you up, Matt and I had decided that as soon as God provided him with a job, we would sponsor another child. There were no stipulations as to how much of an income said job would provide, just a job. I have continually prayed and I am still praying that God will provide us with enough money to be able to do this. So on Tuesday, Matt was offered a great job and he started on Wednesday. And he quit Wednesday evening. This "great job" turned out to be nothing like what we had expected. However, not knowing how badly it was going for Matt, I called Compassion and signed us up to sponsor another child. So, in short, we still have 1/3 of our regular income coming in and we have just added another financial responsibility.

We had talked about possibly calling Compassion and canceling our sponsorship before it even started. But then I got to thinking...these kids' families live on anywhere from $12 to $25 to $32 a month. Entire families! Mom, Dad, and multiple children. Not to mention sometimes extended family. That information certainly puts things into perspective, doesn't it? I make more in one day than some families make in an entire month! I realized how truly blessed we are. How much we have. And it was quite humbling.

Matt and I have decided that we are going to follow through with this new sponsored child. We believe that this is what God wanted from us. He has challenged us to give out of our "plenty". So once again, we ask that you, our church family, pray with and for us. Pray that our sponsorship will be a blessing to our new child and his family. Pray that God will provide the funds each month to make this sponsorship possible. And please continue to pray for the other children waiting for sponsors.

As always, if you are interested in sponsoring a child, please click here for more information.

Oh, and our new child's name is Mamuu. He is 5 years old and lives in Kenya. I'll have a photo and more information as soon as I receive it in the mail.

Another Child Finds a Sponsor in the Orchard!!!

2007-08-19T18:49:00.000-04:00

I am excited to let you all know that Sam Tumey is now sponsoring a little girl through Compassion International. I have no other details at this time. However, I will post an update when I get more info. So for right now, let's just praise God that another child will be released from poverty.

Update: Her name is Christine and she lives in Burkina Faso. A photo and life story to come...

Compassion Photo Shoot

2007-08-15T20:25:00.000-04:00

We will be shooting an Orchard Family photo for our Compassion child, Dejene, on Family Sunday, September 2, 2007 directly after the morning Rain. Any questions, please contact Adam or Ashley.

Prayerfully Considering...

2007-08-13T21:32:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, my husband, Matt, just quit his job as a hotel manager at Extended Stay Hotels. We have had a few leads, but nothing solid enough to say with certainty that a new job is on the horizon. However, we are confident that God will provide for all of our needs. With all this in mind, we cannot get the idea of sponsoring another Compassion child out of our heads and our hearts. But losing 2/3 of our income with no guarantee of where that will come from complicates things just a little. Nonetheless we are now dialoguing with God regarding the possibilities of sponsoring another child. Matt really thinks we should do it now. I feel it might be wiser to wait until he is gainfully employed again. But the real question is, when does God want us to take on this new responsibility?

We ask that you, our church family, would pray alongside us. Pray that God would reveal to us when He would like us to sponsor a new child. And also pray that God would provide us the means to be able to do so. We will also be praying for those of you who have also been on the fence about sponsoring (you know who you are.) And we continue to pray that more people will prayerfully consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International. As always, for more information contact Ashley or check out Compassion's website.

Meet Dejene

2007-08-10T10:26:00.000-04:00

Dejene Dosha Bayissa is sponsored corporately by the Orchard Church. He was born on November 1, 2000 and he lives in Ethiopia. He is a part of the Omi Hane Berhane Wongel Church Student Center Project through Compassion International. He lives with his father and mother and siblings. His parents are both sometimes employeed as farmers. His job in the home is to help carry water, gather firewood, and care for the animals. He enjoys soccer, singing, and hide-and-seek.

Dejene also lives in an HIV/AIDS affected area.

We recently received our very first letter from Dejene. Here's what he had to say...

"Dear Orchard Church

Dejene greets you. His family and he are fine. he is very happy by your willingnest to help him. he is 6 years old and a student in kindergarten. He also learns in Sunday school. He lives with his parents. his father's name is Dasho Bayissa and his mother's is Gadisae Jigsa. All are Christians. He has five sisters. He loves Jesus very much. He worships God through the Amharic song "Endante Yale Manenew" (Who Is Like You). He likes to play soccer with his friends. When he is free he collects fire wood and draws water for his family. He said he wants to see you so please send your photograph to him. He also asks that you pray for him to be smart and be able to count letters. He said he loves you. He said bye."

We will be taking a photo of the whole church one Sunday morning coming soon. More details on that to come. Please pray for Dejene, his family, and his development. For more information on Dejene, please contact Corrie Waters. For more information on the ministry of Compassion at the Orchard Church, please contact Ashley Johnson. For more information about Compassion International, please visit their website.

Compassion Goes Interactive

2007-07-30T19:32:00.000-04:00

Compassion International has recently updated their website in order to better educate people about poverty issues facing children around the world. They have added some new interactive features such as videos, quizzes, and free downloadable promotional material.
Check it out!

Welcome to the Orchard Compassion Blog

2007-07-22T16:45:00.000-04:00

I am excited to finally start this project that I have wanted to begin for the past several months. Compassion International is something that my husband, Matt, and I hold very near and dear to our hearts. We have been sponsoring a wondering little girl from Brazil named Michelle for the past 2 years. She has been such a blessing to us. We have seen her grow so much in the short time that we have been sponsoring her. In fact, just this week we received the very first letter that she actually wrote herself.

Through this blog, I want to be able to share with what is going on in the lives of all the children being sponsored by the Orchard. So to start off, let me tell you a little more about Michelle.

Michelle was born on January 18, 1998. She lives in the mountainous community of Cabana do Pai Tomas e Alto Vista Alegre (try saying that 3 times fast...or even just 1.) She lives with her mother, grandmother and grandfather, and her cousin. Some of Michelle's favorite things include playing with dolls and drawing. With every letter she sends, she draws us a picture. Michelle is part of a project called Escola Infantil Pingo D'Agua where she has a chance to hear about Jesus on a regular basis.

Matt and I love to hear about and talk about Michelle. If you would ever like to read some of her letters, just ask!!

It is also my hope that through this blog, the message of Compassion will be spread to more people and that more needy children will find sponsors. If you would like more information about Compassion International, please visit their website. Or you may always talk to Matt or I. We will be happy to help you.

Compassion at the Orchard

Today

One Million Children

Compassion Sunday

Free Stuff

How much do you know about HIV & AIDS?

July 2008 Prayer Calendar

One More

Another Child

Make a Donation Without Spending Money

If you’re going to search, why not Search Kindly?

Compassion Sunday Recap

Compassion Sunday

to the Compassion sponsors at the Orchard Church...

Compassion Sunday is coming...

It's Been a Long Time

2008 Compassion Calendar

November 2007 Prayer Calendar

Got Letters?

Compassion Store

Our First Letter From Mamuu

Happy Birthday Mamuu!

Meet Mamuu

Rescued to Rescue

Compassion Prayer Calender

Orchard Family Photo and more...

Sad News

Meet Christine

Found Out Something New

Giving Out of Our "Plenty"

Another Child Finds a Sponsor in the Orchard!!!

Compassion Photo Shoot

Prayerfully Considering...

Meet Dejene

Compassion Goes Interactive

Welcome to the Orchard Compassion Blog