OK, I already know in advance I won’t do this justice, so just bear with me and let’s see what I can do…
There are actually two stories here that line up together. Which to tell first….
OK, I have a lifelong friend named Julie, (I call her Juj, pron. ‘Jooj’.) We have been close friends since we were in 7th grade together. Julie’s sister sadly passed away from a blood clot. The memorial service had been held in Denver, but Julie wanted an additional service for the friends and family in WA state. As the date drew closer, I felt I needed to be up there to support my friend and made plans to visit Seattle.
I decided to make it super short, just one overnighter. I thought about contacting friends and family, but decided otherwise because I wanted to be present and available for Julie.
When I arrived to the memorial service (called the Celebration of Life), I was relieved to see the Julie was covered with support from many friends. I had planned to join her later that evening with her and her other friends, but I ended up throwing my lower back out, with pain radiating down my left leg. I wanted to rest for the flight back the next day since it hurt to sit. Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures with her. Oh, well, next time.
OK, story two…
DH and I sponsor children through Compassion International. One of the children recently graduated out of the program. While under sponsorship, we could only communicate through Compassion, but once she graduated, we were able to communicate directly. She lives in Indonesia. She tracked me down via Facebook, and we have been able to communicate regularly. Her name is Agustina, and she is currently in school to obtain a double degree in teaching AND counseling.
Agustina has 4 other siblings. She told me that one of her sisters (Oni), was awarded a scholarship to come to America for a full year tuition, room and board, at…EDMONDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE in WA state! I always thought that if the opportunity presented itself, I would love to meet her. We also became friends on Facebook and I would answer her questions about Washington, etc.
Well, the opportunity did present itself, and I asked if I could meet her Sunday morning. We would attend church together, then I would take her to brunch. She was so excited, and offered to attend the memorial service with me, and even offered to put me up in her dorm room that night! I stuck with meeting her Sunday morning.
I picked her up and we drove to church. Even though Agustina, Oni, and I had communicated quite a bit via Facebook, it still isn’t the same as face to face. When we communicate, they call me mama Leigh or mom Leigh.
I asked her if she also had had a sponsor, and if her other siblings did as well. She said, no, Agustina was the only one that had a sponsor. When I gave a sad face and said I’m sorry, she said that is turned out all good and shared with me her family’s testimony…
In the USA, public education is free, but in many other countries that’s not the case. All education comes at a price. The funds provided through sponsorship paid for Agustina’s tuition, books, a weekly mentor, and Wednesday evening Christian youth group. Although the whole family attended church, it was more for cultural expectations, and not for relationship with Jesus.
The parents were raised on a small island where the poverty level was high. They committed to making sure their kids would all be educated and break the generations of poverty in their family. They moved to the capital city of Indonesia where the father worked as a fisherman. The mom stayed home, but took in laundry and other odd jobs to have all five kids in school. They would joke that Agustina was special because they did not have to pay for her.
Every week, Agustina would come home to share with her siblings what she was learning about Jesus through the Compassion program. She became a follower of Jesus, and one by one, her siblings did as well. They started to have fellowship at their home, and within two years, both the parents came to Christ as well.
She wanted me to know that it may not seem a big deal for me to send the monthly payment for the sponsorship, but that it makes a huge difference in the homes of the recipients. And not just the individual, but the positive ripple effect through the family.
Their father now owns three pool tables and rents time on them in his front yard. Anyone can rent them any time, 24 hours a day. All of the kids either have a college degree or are working on getting one. Oni has her Bachelors in Education and is working on her Masters. She is also studying Project Management, the program in WA state. Oni and another sister are looking to establish a school on the island were their parents were raised, providing a Christian education where the religion focuses on the ancestors being deities.
This is a picture of Oni and I at church. During the church announcements, the pastor mentioned the the next Sunday was to be Compassion Sunday, and some information about Compassion International was to be shared, along with the opportunity to sponsor. After service, I suggested to Oni that she share with her pastor her unique perspective regarding Compassion and to see if she could give her testimony to the congregation. He wholeheartedly agreed. I have not followed up to see how it went.
After church, I took her to Arnie’s for brunch. I ordered a virgin Bloody Mary and when it arrived, her eyes got all big and she said the name was intense! I asked her if she’d like to try it. She did and said it tasted like she was drinking ketchup.
She ordered the quiche with salad, and asked for a side of rice. She said that a meal without rice is just a snack! So cute!
We walked along the pier in Edmonds for a bit, then I had to take her back so I could fly home.
As we were saying goodbye, she said that Agustina knew my birthday was coming up and wanted to give me a gift. This beautiful woven grass purse. I used to have one almost exactly like it, but it was green. David gave it to me years ago. I used it so much, I wore the bottom out of it and it could not be saved. So incredibly thoughtful and sweet. The she said that in her country, instead of saying goodbye with a hug or a kiss on the cheek, you give a nose kiss (a single swipe of noses). It’s a way of saying your family. So, on behalf of Agustina, she nose-kissed me.. This was a very special weekend on many different levels. I am so grateful.
