I spoke with Compassion International this morning to see how many kids have been sponsored as a result of our blogging trip to Kenya.
822. So far.
Most of us had absolutely no idea what to expect. I didn’t know if our trip would yield 50 sponsorships or 500…I just didn’t know what to hope for. I secretly prayed that I would be able to help our team achieve 500+ sponsorships during our trip.
I had no idea that such an outpouring of grace, generosity, and trust would usher in from a bunch of dweebs with laptops. I guess it had something to do with the infusing of the Holy Spirit that was clearly present during our time in Africa. Pretty much everything to do with it.
822 children sponsored.
Let’s break that figure down a little bit:
* $38 per month per child x 822 children
* Guesstimate 5 years of sponsorship commitment per child (hopefully more)
* 822 x $38 x 60 months = $1,874,160
$ One Million, Eight Hundred Seventy Four Thousand, One Hundred Sixty
Together, we raised nearly two million dollars to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Wait…that’s wrong.
Together, we raised nearly two million dollars to give children the opportunity to fight for themselves.
On behalf of them, on behalf of us…
Thank you.
awesome.
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yay God! I love it.
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WOW! Definitely awe struck. Thanks Ryan for listening to the Holy Spirit and being one of those “dweebs” to go to Kenya and blog about this. You and Allison did your part so that others could do their part and sponsor these kids so that they could do their part and have the opportunity to fight for themselves.
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God is good!
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The power of God. It can do mighty things!
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Praise God!
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Great!!
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I have followed other Compassion trips in the past, but this one continues to leave me in awe. I am planning to sponsor a child this weekend. How could I not?
Thank you for letting God open our eyes through yours.
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Hi Ryan
I’m watching this thing blink at me as I try to find the words…to thank you. It is because of you that my husband and I sponsored a child in Kenya. I happended upon your blog from Pioneer Woman’s blog. And I was touched beyond words. I took your website home to my husband … I had been pulled to Compassion before but he just hadn’t felt that tug, yet. Until…until he read YOUR blog. YOUR experiences with the children there and what THEY experienced because of sponsors. He saw it from a man’s point of view and suddenly, he got it. The tug, the light, the hearing of His Father’s voice. We sponsored Samson. He is 7. We have three sons but now I consider us to have 4.
I emailed Samson this morning…we haven’t received our paperwork on him, yet, and I told him we were excited to get his picture. There’s a perfect place on our mantle…Anyway, I told him that his name meant ‘bright as the sun’. And I wanted to cry because now he has a future that can be ‘bright as the sun’, too. We already love this kiddo.
Thank You. Thank you for following your heart with your wife’s and going on this trip and being open to writing about it.
You’ll never know the full impact until we all meet in Heaven.
See you there!
AmberK and Family (this includes Samson)
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UNREAL! I’m so excited to see how many more children will be sponsored because of your blogging trip! God is so good!
I personally know how your posts affected me, and caused me to want to act. NOW! And I did! I hope it has the same effect on others!
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More to come…at least one more from me. I can’t do it now since we’re struggling to pay bills while I’m on maternity leave but when I’m back to work full time we will be sponsoring, I can promise you that! I’ve seen other things on Compassion International as well, but your stories and pictures really sealed it for me. I can’t promise that it will be a child from Kenya but we will be sponsoring…
Thanks Ryan,
Selena
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YAY!!!
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Fran says:
March 19th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
@Fran Cushing, Why did it post my last name?
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Did you HAVE to make me cry?? I’m already having an emotional day as it is!
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You can add another 1 to that count – but I live in the UK so it may not have counted towards your figures. I had previously set up a sponsorship with Compassion but it all went wrong due to some admin errors and I never set it back up as I got very frustrated. Your blog totally convicted me and within 2 days of reading it I started sponsoring a new child in Kenya – a country so close to my heart as that’s were I became a Christian!! Your pictures brought back so many fond memories and I can’t wait to go out there, catch up with old friends and meet my Compassion child!
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WOW. This gave me chills. Just … wow. God is good.
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FANTASTIC!!!!
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Woo hoo!!!!!!!
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yay!
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And all God’s people said ‘AMEN! Compassion is like the gospel in that when someone actually finds out the truth in it – they become convicted or harden their hearts – no in between. So happy for your Kenyan blogger trip’s success -
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This makes me smile! Thank you so much for sharing about your trip.
Marla @ http://www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com
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A little bit awesome, huh?
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Thanks for being a DWEEB! Everyday our youngest comes home from school and asks if we received the paper work in the mail about our new family member from Kenya. We all can’t wait!! Thank-you Thank-you!!
Happy Anniversary also to you and Allison!
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Thank you, Ryan and Allison.
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Just too awesome for words.. although you managed to find the perfect ones… and that picture is too much… Amazingly touching.
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Just received my packet this week and I’m so thrilled to be a sponsor of Carlos in Honduras. God Bless You and the work you’re doing.
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Thank you for your heartfelt blogging during your trip. It evoked many tears. I already sponsor 4 kids including one LDP but I am thinking that I need to add Kenya to my list. The living conditions are so heart breaking. These beautiful children need to tangibly feel the love and care of the wonderful God that created them and, also, the hope that can be found in Him.
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Absolutely amazing!
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I sponsored a child too… I’d been meaning to for a while but your blog gave me the necessary push. I sponsored a child from Rwanda, though, because I have a heart for those who lived through the genocide there, and their children.
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Amazingly awesome for everyone involved.
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Holy cow. I love this picture. Thanks so much for sharing. Also, I think I have mentioned it before, but also thanks for sharing your roasted carrot recipe. Makes my hubby happy.
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I am going to Kenya on a similar trip and your posts have me equal parts overwhelmed, excited, anxious and inspired.
Beautiful.
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Incredible and Beautiful – great job!!
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I’ve loved reading about your trip to Kenya. We sponsored a 12 yr. old girl when Ree Drummond’s husband and girls visited the Dominican Republic. I was so moved by their story and yours. Because of your story, we have sponsored an 8 yr. old boy named Daniel from Kenya. We haven’t received his paperwork yet but we can’t wait to start our relationship with him! Thank you for moving us again to help these wonderful children! God bless you!
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3 more children sponsored from me a few minutes ago! I also originally learned of your blog from Ree Drummond’s blog and it’s my favorite to read. Thanks for sharing so much about your recent trip!
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823
Allison and Ryan,
I have been following your posts about Compassion International and Kenya. Each update had me in tears, but it was the post on March 15th that sealed the deal for me. This morning, before we left to go to church, I told my husband about your experiences and my desire to sponsor a child through CI. He was moved as well. We sponsored our child today, and I know without a doubt that we made the right decision. She is a 10 year old little girl from Kenya, and I hope that we can meet her one day, just as both of you were able to meet Kayoo. Thanks for the many ‘nudges.’ I feel that we have been greatly blessed today.
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Incredible. I had to mention it in my blog post tonight. I’m amazed and awed at what God is doing. . .though His servant’s faithful work. . .
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I’ve been following your blog since I stumbled upon it about a month ago. I’d heard of Compassion and always said “when I have more money I will definitely sponsor a child.” And just now I read your post about meeting Kayoo and the part about him wearing shoes for the first time… that caused a huge lump in my throat. No, I don’t have a lot of money, but today I bought my son a pair of 30 dollar converse shoes because they were cute. My son already has shoes, he doesn’t NEED anymore shoes. And I sit here saying that I can’t afford to sponsor a child?! Guilt is mostly what I felt, but that’s not why I decided to sponsor. Why should I wait until I have ‘more money’? God has blessed me with a job and a roof over my head and enough blessings so that I am able to put shoes on my sons feet, something that I take for granted every single say… I need to pay that forward. Thank you so much for allowing God to use you to help get the word out and get these adorable little kiddies sponsored!!! I am officially a Compassion International sponsor (which has so much to do with your blog trip to kenya) and I cannot stop smiling!!!
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Andrea says:
March 22nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@Andrea, Quick testimonial- I listened when God laid it on my heart to sponsor a child, even though I was unsure of the financial responsibility… This was just last night. TODAY I was offered a new job with a RAISE and I took it !!! I feel so beyond blessed to be able to watch my sponsored child grow in the love on Jesus Christ… and now I know for sure that the money won’t be an issue. God’s love is so amazing. the end.
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Does that include sponsorship through Compassion Australia? I did exactly the same as comment No. 33 – heidig. I sponsored a little girl in the Dominican Republic when I read Malbrough Man’s blog and now we have sponsored a ten year old boy in Kenya. We love our growing family!!
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no doubt there will be a few more after hearing your stories at VWS this weekend – thanks for being available, Ryan, and for your commitment to never be the same as you were before your trip. Keep challenging us!
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Make that Eight Hundred and Twenty Three. Just signed up to sponsor Faith in Kenya. Appropriately named don’t you think
Thanks Ryan for being an inspiration.
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I am one of those 822… and I will never be the same! Thanks for sharing your trip through such beautiful pictures and words! I look forward to developing a relationship (from afar) with my little man over there!
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Actually, probably more than that. Although, I’m not sure how Compassion counts which sponsors started as a result of your blogger’s trip. I became a sponsor as a result of this blog – I clicked on your link. BUT, my friend at work became a sponsor because I did. She just went straight to their website. And Friday her sister became a sponsor! I put the widget on my FB page as well. So I’m betting your trip was responsible for far many more than 822 new sponsors.
Thank you for enriching my life. I cannot wait to get to know my little guy from Kenya. <3
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I am a single mom with three little girls. Their dad has nothing to do with them. Doesn’t even call them on Christmas. I have a limited income, one that doesn’t afford all the luxuries my kids wished they could have. But they are fed. They are warm. They go to private school because of an elderly couple in our church that thinks they deserve it. So they help pay their way. I visited your blog last week and God whispered to my heart. Every so softly he told me it was the least I could do. And it is. So I clicked and I chose a child “that has waited the longest”. I should get my packet soon and I can’t wait to share the newest member of our family with my girls. They understand families that aren’t typical. They get it that family just means love. Thank you Ryan for encouraging and leading the way to sharing more. You have blessed us and may you be blessed tenfold for it.
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My husband and I actually started sponsoring two weeks ago after following your blog. The Lord put it on our hearts last year to find a child to sponsor. Our only question was what organization to trust with our funds. I ran across Compassion through another blog I follow and ran across your blog through Compassion. My dad is a missionary in Africa (Moi Bridge–just outside of Sudan) and so experiencing Kenya through your posts really struck a chord with me. I was able to see in greater detail the things he spoke of following several of his trips. Anyways… thought you should know. Thanks for being a willing vessel.
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just thought i should be known that my family signed up to sponsor a child this week also because of the story on your blog so there are probably even more children being helped because of you that havent been counted. thank you.
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Oh, yay! That’s just wonderful. I’m still praying that all of the children in Kenya who don’t have sponsors will get them as a result of the ripple effect of your trip. God is so big–I can’t wait to see how he uses these sponsorships. And I want you to know that God has also been putting adoption on our hearts possibly in the future. And I believe it’s a direct result of sponsoring our Compassion kids, which is a direct result of you going on the trip and blogging about it. So thank you.
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I also came to your blog from Pioneer Woman. I’ve been reading for awhile and though I’d considered child sponsorship before, I never did it. Until last week. And I’ve told everyone that your story is part of why I did it.
Thank you for sharing so openly. And happy anniversary to you and Allison.
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So amazing!! Friend sent me link b/c I do part time missions in Mozambique! Such a great story! God’s plan is always bigger than ours, and so glad:)
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