I started blogging in the Fall of 2005 after a friend invited me to read hers (I didn't know what a blog was prior); my first post referenced an article that reported the number of blogs to be 30,000 strong.  Today, Mashable author Sam Laird reports there are over 3.9 million "mommy bloggers" alone…though he plays fast and loose with the definition of mommy blogger.  

My blogging life has seen many seasons–ah, those long-ago times when I published at least once a day, commented generously and often, and enjoyed an engaged community where I knew more about my online friends than those new people I was meeting in a new town.

When I noticed the difference between me owning my blog vs. my blog owning me, I walked away from that season.  Plus, there's a lot of NOISE in the blogosphere, and I decided if I wasn't adding something of value, it was better to write less but better.  

But, always ALWAYS I have whole-heartedly believed and declared there is no better reason for writing than to use my voice for those who have none.

I've supported a fair amount of great causes over the past six years, given them my voice and my checkbook.  And though all of them are worthy, there's one that stole my heart:

Compassion International. 

I had the privilege of traveling to India with a group of Compassion bloggers three years ago, and my experience not only changed me then, it continues to affect me deeply and for the good.  

This week, several of my friends (and bloggers new to me) have joined leader Shaun Groves on a trip to Tanzania, to witness the work of Compassion.

They see then they tell a great story of HOPE.

Hundreds, thousands? of children will be sponsored when readers are moved to action by their beautiful words.  

I wish I had a million readers because that would mean I had a pretty big sphere of influence; and if I asked you nicely to sponsor a child, even if only 1% responded to my plea, 1000 kids would be sponsored!  

One thousand children's lives would be saved.

That's not an exaggeration friends.

When you sponsor a child, you're providing for needs, the type of needs we take for granted.  Food, shelter, clothing, education; physical, emotional, spiritual.  

When you sponsor one child, the entire family benefits.  Because you're relieving the financial pressure for one family member, their other limited resources can be used for everyone else.

Please read my favorite accounts from each of this team's bloggers (linked below); then I'm asking you…begging my considerably smaller-than-a-million-readership to sponsor a child–

Their lives and YOUR LIFE will be forever changed for the better.  

• Decorating Truths from a 15-year-old Tanzanian Boy (Warning, it'll tug tears from the crustiest of hardened souls, by my lovie Nester Smith)
• In Defense of Jesus (A great explanation to both believers AND those who aren't professing Christians why Compassion's motive IS Jesus; by Shaun Groves, truly one of my favorite & most-admired writer/artist/Jesus follower/theologian/musician/friends.)
• Hope is slow (Kelli feels deeply and out loud, evident in her writing.  Read this one but scroll through all her posts to see what I mean.)
• Letting your dirty feet rub against the dirty feet of your neighbor (Always enthusiastic and oozing adorable, my creative friend Maggie Whitley takes a fall, bruises her ego…and becomes the one ministered TO.)
• Meeting my sponsored child (There is something uniquely special about meeting a child you sponsor; I chose my friend Amy's account to share with you.)
• In which I cry again (Jolanthe shares the impact of a family gift…and so wonderful to hear the reciprocal impact to her.)
• Where there is no vision, the people perish (Scott Williams has a LOT to say; fantastic perspective.)

YOUR TURN:  Is this the first time you've heard of Compassion International or have you been following the Compassion Bloggers already?  Do you have a child sponsorship story you can link to or share in comments?