About Dominic and Eyouel

Dominic in Kenya                       Eyouel in Ethiopia

Colin and I have been sponsoring Dominic and Eyouel since early this year through Compassion International. There are over 2500 children from all over the world waiting to be sponsored.

In February, I wrote:

Sponsorship allows children opportunities to learn, receive nutritious meals, get regular health screenings and medical treatment when necessary, learn about the love of Jesus, receive personal attention, play with other children in a safe environment, and know that they are loved by adults who care about them.

Sponsorship is all of these things........

............but so much more.

Colin and I have enjoyed growing a relationship with our boys. We receive letters from them every couple of months, and we send them letters even more often. Compassion also sends us information on the boys' countries and more specifically, their villages.

We are beyond excited when we open our mailbox and see that we have received a letter from them! Luckily, we have two boys, so Colin gets to open Dominic's, and I get to open Eyouel's. Otherwise, I am sure there would be some arguing! :)

As much as our hearts love these letters, I imagine our boys must love ours even more.

Especially since we spoil them with coloring pages, pictures, and stickers!

We pray for Dominic, Eyouel, and their families every night before bed. We really feel bonded with these boys.

We had a discussion that if anything were to happen to their families, if no one else in their country could care for them, and they were put up for adoption, we would adopt them immediately. They are like sons to us.

We pray our sponsorship of them will allow them to stay with their families. We hope we may one day get to meet them! Compassion International does sponsor tours, so that sponsors can meet their sponsored children and families!

Children in poverty are susceptible to believing its darkest message: You don't matter. Every time we write Dominic and Eyouel, we let them know we love them, that God loves them, that we pray for them and their families, that we are proud of them, and that they can do anything through God who gives them strength.

Dominic lives with his father, mother, and 3 siblings in Kenya. He is responsible caring for animals. His father is sometimes employed as a farmer and his mother is sometimes employed as a laborer.

Dominic lives on the plains of Olepolos, home to approximately 12,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of earthen floors, mud walls and tin roofs. The regional diet consists of maize and beans. Common health problems in the area include malaria and respiratory infections. Most adults in Olepolos are unemployed but some work as laborers and earn the equivalent of $20 per month.

Dominic attends school and Sunday school. He walks 2 km each way.

Through fill-in-the-blank letters, we know that Dominic's:

best game is: football

best song is: Praise the Lord

best food is: cornbread and vegetables

best school subject is: counting numbers

best Bible story is: little children and Jesus

best color is: white

His prayer request--that we pray for his family.

Eyouel lives with his grandmother. He is responsible for running errands. He has 2 siblings.

He lives in Jimma, home to approximately 290,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of dirt floors, mud walls and tin roofs. The regional diet consists of maize, bananas, and potatoes. Common health problems include asthma, HIV/AIDS, and waterborne diseases. Most adults in Jimma work as day laborers or street vendors and earn the equivalent of $23 per month.

Eyouel's:

best game is: soccer

best food is: fitfit

best school subject is: english

best pet is: sheep

best Bible story is: Moses

best color is: yellow

best song is: ABCD

best holiday is: Christmas

His prayer request--that we pray for his family and his country.

Would you join us in praying for them, their families, and their countries?

We just love the little darlings so much! Yet, it pains our hearts when we consider their living conditions and their health. To know that most people in the areas they live earn less than $300 a year strikes my soul. It leaves a bitter sense of urgency inside of me that I could be doing more. Spending less. Giving abundantly. Loving until I collapse.

Live simply so others may simply live. ~Mother Theresa