I was shocked one night to discover this on YouTube when I was searching for something else–
Meeting Pinki for the first time, the little girl from India I sponsor through Compassion International.
It's was a beautiful, awkward, painful, heart-spinning moment, and I think all of that shows on my face.
I hadn't realized the video existed; maybe I was aware of it at the time, but it didn't register. When I found it…and then played it…I was transported back to Kolkata with my Compassion Blogger team, and my spirit ached for a place that will forever hold slivers of my heart.
There's so much I could say, but I'd rather you spend time ~
- reading accounts by others affected by Compassion's work (and feel free to link your own thoughts at (in)courage)
- looking around Compassion's site and finding a child to sponsor yourself
- and maybe watching my video.
(It's probably helpful to know part of the awkwardness was due to pre-maturely meeting Pinki; the blogging team was "hiding" until the children were settled and she had to use the restroom. But it was kinda magical–when our eyes met as she walked by, we "knew" each other and it was impossible not to meet apart from the other children and their sponsors.)
I am now a blubbering mess. <3
ah! That made me cry!
So neat Robin. :^)
Sooo sweet!!
Ok. Glad to see i’m not the only one who got emotional.. I feel like such a baby when I cry ;). Don’t want my hubby to glance at me and be like oh what’s wrong.. This is so nice. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it.
What a priceless treasure to have captured this moment forever. It made me long, all the more, to meet the sweet little girl we sponsor in India through Praying Friends of the Bridegroom. My girls have a life dream to travel to India to meet her. Your video gave me a glimpse of how special that might be. Thanks for posting it.
So wonderful but I have to be a little bit jealous! I know due to financial constraints I will probably never meet Rosa, my sponsor child, and it would mean the world to me. But how sweet for Pinki to meet her sponsor “mom” – she looks shy but very happy – now I have to get a tissue!
So precious, Robin! Thank-you for sharing and for reminding me again today what really matters in this life: not stuff, not success, not money…but relationships!
Blessings,
Lisa Syler
Franklin, TN.
oh robin… i didn’t realize you are a compassion blogger… what an amazing experience, an amazing gift. {my son just asked if i was crying… what can i say.}
Well… I had to pull a tissue from my bra. Thanks for that. Nevertheless, this was beautiful and amazing in so many words and quite frankly I am a little inspired. Hmm… Me thinks I feel a project coming on this year (as if I don’t have enough going on?… Nah. Too much is NEVER enough…) Thanks for sharing.
This was so great! I loved watching the real-ness of you interacting with this little girl. What a precious moment, and what a precious gift that it was caught on video! What a precious surprise {holy, moly, did I really just use “precious” like 3 times already?!}.
I loved this, and I love your heart for the children of the world. . .
You are so blessed to have traveled there and met her. I have always dreamed of going to India. Someday I also hope to visit Philippines and see the beautiful girl I have sponsored for about 13 years. Sometimes, the magnitude of the need overwhelms me, but I have to ask God what my part is and then follow through. This touches my heart.
http://homestyleworldcook.blogspot.com
This was powerful.
My wife and I sponsored a child through Compassion many years ago after meeting a representative at a music festival in central Minnesota. We kept up with him for several years, and I still have his picture somewhere.
Good times . . .