Incredible.
Hey Ladies,
Love to you!
Melissa
Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.
posted by Melissa @ 1:52 PM
57 Comments
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Previous Posts
- Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 20!
- A Big Birthday and a Grand Giveaway!
- Living Proof Live - Memphis
- Looking Back at One Decade and Forward to Another
- Persecuted But Not Abandoned
- Memphis Ten Ticket Giveaway
- Let's Pretend
- What I Learned from Twitter
- The Coffee Shop Hop
- Siesta Scripture Memory Team Verse 19!
57 Comments:
I had not seen that yet...you were right. Incredible.
I just want you to know that you sharing the experiences of your Compassion trip was such a blessing and a wake up call. My family became sponsors of two little girls. One in India and the other in Ethiopia.
I cannot even describe the experience of receiving the first letters from the litte girls we were sponsoring. Before I even had the first letter opened I was crying. It was just so real. To really know that there is really someone over there on the other side of my monthly donation. Such an incredible blessing and super humbling experience.
Many times I have thought about sponsoring, but sadly it wasn't until I read through the blogs during your trip that I finally did.
Praying for you to have a speedy recovery and that Blockbuster has in stock all that you want to watch!
Michelle in VT
I had to run out of my office, sobbing, for a box of Kleenex and come running back in, still sobbing. WOW.
Wow.
Thank you Melissa, this is real.
I'm speechless...
Wow, Melissa, is there any other kind of reaction other than bawling like an idiot? I didn't plan to. Didn't think I had the time to. Wasn't in the environment to. Didn't want to loose composure. So... assumed that I could control it. WRONG!!!! Totally wrong! I should have waited until I got home!
Incredible!!!! What an incredible testimony of the kindness of giving going out and what actually happens with that kindness (unbeknownst to the giver) after he's given. And what a GRATEFUL and GRACIOUS and ADORABLE receiver that precious man is!
For ages I've been praying that God make me SEE as Jesus did (and does!), because when He saw He was always MOVED with compassion!!!!! I soo want to BE a 'passion that comes' like His come-passion does!
Thank you so much for sharing! I plan to be one that does something with what I was shown!
Love you, sweet girl!
sharon
Oh thank you Melissa! We live in Atlanta but my husband was not able to go to Catalyst this year because I was in Memphis with your mom and someone had to keep the children! The other guys on staff at our church came home talking so much about this moment that I almost felt guilty for my husband missing it. Even my middle schooler was so excited to watch it with me...we have 2 Compassion boys and our boys pray for them two or three times a day! I'm so glad you shared this so that I could see it and share it with my family!
I love my little girl in Kenya that I sponsor!!! We just celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada--Let us be thankful that we have--and give to those who don't!!!!
Thank you for posting that video, it gives me hope that lives are changed from sponsoring. I pray that God uses my little girl in a powerful way! and that she will have hope.
Thanks from Maple Leaf
I want to reply just so you'll know that the video hit the mark. I don't know what else to say.
My brother was at this conference! I started sponsoring a child last year, and am a huge supporter of Compassion International and all they stand for. What if we had some sort of contest or something to get ladies that read this blog to consider sponsoring a child? I have no idea what that would look like ha. But I would love to see more children sponsored!
When Travis came to Boone, NC last year I got to help with the Compassion table at his concert- what a blessing that was! This video made me sob hahaha. We never know the extent sometimes of seeds planted or effects of our being obedient to what God has called us. What a neat thing for that man to meet his sponsor, and vice-versa!!! I will definitely be sharing this video!!
Thank you so very much for sharing that with us. Our family sponsors three children - one for each of our own children. We cover Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. I always tell my children how important it is to write their letters, and this testimony just proves how important those little letters are. I can only hope that someday we will get the opportunity to meet these three precious ones.
This isn't really a comment but more of a question for both Amanda and Melissa. I know my changes are slim to none that you'll have time to answer, but I thought it was worth a try. :) My group has done your mother's bible studies for the last four years. We love them and her and how she has brought Jesus personally into all of our lives. And now we can say we've seen her live! GO Green Bay! Rarely do we even question what she has to say because it is so apparent that she gets all her knowledge directly from the Word. However, today during "Stepping Up" we got into a very controversial conversation about our "born again" moments with Christ. Your mother (or you Beth if you are reading this) is so passionate about her moment that it makes those of us without moments question if we need one or not. Most of my group was raised in the faith and we like to think that we didn't need a "moment" of accepting. During the 2nd video, though, we think that Beth says you have to have one. And to make a long story short (which I know I already haven't done), we were wondering if Amanda and Melissa have such a strong single moment since they, too, were raised by Christ loving parents. Could is possibly be that if in that situation, you have many small moments? Or no- do you guys think that everyone has to have that one memorable one? And if you do, would you mind sometime sharing your testimony with us.
I confess to wrestling a tad with this...rejoicing in the love, compassion and provision, but also feeling a bit voyeuristic about having something that might have been better served as a private moment rolled out so publicly without Jimmy's foreknowledge. I am choosing to praise God for the hundreds of children that were matched with sponsors as a result, but still...
This was on facebook as well. Awesome! What an amazing story! I do have to tell you that I seem to be getting one virus after the other. I have a sore throat now and seem to be losing my voice, so please pray for me and pray that my immune system gets stronger and somehow I manage not to get any more sickness this year.
That was a very touching video, Melissa. It made me realize that you just don't know what impact you could have on a little life. If we are willing, God can do wonders! We sponsor a little girl from Rwanda. SHE has been the blessing. We feel privileged to be able to hopefully make a difference in her life. Hope you feel better soon!
My heart....
Wow...so moving...left me speechless and crying.
Well now. I'm a mess.
That was amazing. Transparent. Raw. Emotional.
And all from $38 a month.
TOTALLY worth it.
I can't imagine putting my arms around my sponsor child (who looks REMARKABLY like one of the kids in the beginning of the video....hmmmm). One day. Hopefully.
I did see it this morning and stood right here in my kitchen and bawled like a baby! So very grateful for Compassion and our precious Sofia in Uganda.
Hope you feel better soon Melissa.
Love,
Fran
Well, I cried like a baby.
My husband and I have sponsored a little girl together from the Dominican Republic since before we were married, when we were teenagers. She was around 3 when we began our sponsorship. Now she is 14. It blesses our hearts to pray for her each night with our own daughter, who is 3. I pray so much that Godly compassion would be instilled in her being.
Thanks for sharing.
Barb says "I can do all things through Christ who strengths me." Phil 4:13
This is so real...this precious young man, Jimmy, and his sponsor of so many years in the raw emotion of the moment. A life changed. We can all do this. Even if we challenge our Bible study classes with pennies, nickles and dollars to make the difference to just one child. Just one.
Thank you for sharing the heart of the matter Melissa. I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to see this, and had you not of posted it, I wouldn't have heard, felt and experienced the miracle of Jimmy and his sponsor. We have a little Yvonne...who knows? Maybe someday we might meet her. Maybe someday she too will sponsor a child, just like Jimmy does. We can...with Jesus, we can!
Hugs,
Pam H.
Buena Park, CA
WOW what a blessing!!!
Best moment of Catalyst. I was cryin like a baby! Thanks for giving me something to blog about tonight! :) H
Melissa,
Thank you for posting that video! It reinforced my decision to become a sponsor. My husband and son came into the room and watched the video, as well. I got my file out and introduced them to the little girl I am sponsoring.
Praise God for a group like Compassion that connects us to those in need.
I should have grabbed the kleenex from the next room before starting to watch! Then I was so wrapped up in watching Jimmy meet his sponsor, I couldn't tear myself away, and just ended up blubbering into my sweatshirt sleeve. The path that Jesus takes to reach people is beyond amazing, from a man in Canada, to a boy in Africa, now to a child in Haiti.
I love seeing my sponsor child growing up in the pictures I receive. She is such a blessing.
Janet in OR
I just bawled too, a friend was there last week to witness it first-hand and was so moved. So moving!
No words. Just Bawling!!!!!
Oh my.... I was so touched when you were on your trip, sharing about Compassion....but this..this.....dear Jimmy....
I have two "orphans".. ... my daughter from China, and my daughter on her way home, from Ethiopia...hopefully here in Feb or March.
I want to adopt 20! I can't. But this...this I can do....
I have to wait, til Jan, but this I can do! For 9 less latte's a month. Skip 2 or 3 a week. And see what we can do.
Crying. So moving.
Is there anything as awesome as our God?
blessings,
Sister Lynn
wow that was so powerful! I have tears streaming down my face!
I pray one day I can put my arms around my sponsored child!
Thank you for sharing!
Moved beyond words. Only tears and awe of God. May Christ Followers all around the world have that kind of Compassion!
Bless your heart. I pray that you will feel better soon.
I was there! I don't think there was a dry eye in the building and there were 13,000 people in attendance. People had the ugly cry going too. After that they handed out the child packets and they ran out of packets! Praise the Lord!
Rupali is the name of the little girl I was sponsoring. Recently I received a phone call saying she was no longer eligible. She had gotten married. She was 10. The follow-up letter I received from Compassion said she was pressured into getting married by her parents. Compassion did everything possible to change their minds. The little girl that liked to play house and play with dolls is now living with her husband. So sad.
Happy Birthday Amanda!! I don't have the time currently to attend an event, so didn't want to distract from others who do.....hence the reason for leaving the birthday wish here as opposed to the other post.
30 years....being 44, I remember 30....barely. I had been married for 3 years and was still adjusting to the life marriage brings you.
30 is good...you really start seeing life as an adult. You care more about your fellow man (woman), but are more sensitive to the view God has. You have lived 30 years and see things from a different perspective....with some life experiences.
You will have fun in your 30s...don't think of it as getting older, think of it as getting "better"!!
Happy Birthday!!!
Thank you Melissa! Wonderful.
Our little boy, Joel, in Bolivia is amazing. What an opportunity God gave us! We may be blessing Joel each month, but in all honesty, WE are the ones who are blessed. He is PRECIOUS.
Keep talking up Compassion!
My kids were there - this was one of their favorite moments from Catalyst! So amazing!
And Melissa, by the way, I am re-reading The Reason for God with a highlighter since I decided I couldn't part with mine (I don't usually highlight a book if I plan to pass it on) so I had to order three copies for three college students with a passion for ministry and church planting! Thanks again for the recommendation!
Thank you so much for posting this! My friends went to Catalyst and when they came home Saturday they had me crying just "hearing" the story. Now I get to "see" it too! They said it was THE Highlight of Catalyst, and I can see why!
I will be adding you to the long list of prayers for health and healing!
Lisa in Edinburg, TX
I just bawled my eyes out!!
that was so touching!!
What an amazing opportunity to sponsor a child - a true blessing
indeed !!
Thank you for sharing that video!
Hi, Melissa! Thanks for your link.
I'm so blessed by it...you have no idea. My hubby has been sponsoring a Compassion child, since he was in middle school. He would mow lawns to earn the $$.
We've been tight with Compassion ever since. Never think about the impact sponsoring a child makes.
As for the sickness, I pray that you are well soon. I'm on day 11, sad to say, with this darn thing. Love my pajamas, but never wanted to live in them this long.
So ready to get back to normal life, whatever that means :-)
Fighting the good fight.
Susan
Evangelism Chick in Jax, FL
oh i was there and so close to the front. everyone around me was bawling. It was such a sweet blessed moment. I have some live video on my phone and i think i'll keep it forever. I am so thankful I got to see this in person. It gives me chills.
Thank you so much for posting this. What a blessing. I'll never forget it. It confirmed my choice for a scripture memory verse too...James 1:27. WOW!! God is SO AMAZING and I'm so grateful to be His child.
Cindy
Melissa,
Thank you so much for posting that Compassion Video. I was completely overwhelmed with how much God values us. I was also convicted to action.
I have wanted a pug for a long time and was just offered one. When I thought about my willingness to take on the expense of a pug puppy and yet I haven't been willing to take on the expense of an impoverished human being...I was convicted. The Pug has been canceled and I sponsored a precious little 5 yr old girl from the Dominican Republic last night through Compassion. Thank you for sharing this video. It launched me into a position to not only be a blessing but to be blessed. God Bless you.
Bawling, too. Thank you for sharing, Melissa. I have friends in Valdosta, GA, that were so excited to be at Catalyst ... now I know why!
Love you,
Shelli Littleton
Fort Worth, Texas
We may never now the joy and life we give to another when we give, but when we give to God in obedience it is absolutely amazing what He does with a life - To HIS GLORY.
I saw the humblest of a man broken to the core of his sole in gratefulness to one that had unselfishly given to him. There are absolutely no words to describe this as we watched him wept from deep within his soul. We are so blessed with all that God has bestowed on us and we take it for granted I am afraid. I will never know what the poverty of this man was like, nor of those around the world but it should move us to give. Praise God for those that give and those that receieve. Heaven will be an amazing place when we see first hand what God has done with the little we have given back to him...I can hardly wait. AMAZING GRACE for ALL. I just had to write even thought this was yesterday's post. May we never be the same for what we witnessed.
Thank you for sharing this...I sponsor children through another organization and this was an encouragement to me that it can make a difference...
Leslie in Utah
Wow! Now if that doesn't remind us/me the importance of the correspondence part of sponsorship and how the children treasure our letters I don't know what will. For19 years he kept that letter! Can't wait to show this to my boys who help us faithfully write and pray for our sponsored children! What an inspiration.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for posting this. When two of my children were small, we sponsored a little boy from Kenya (Mumo). Because of financially hard times we regrettably had to stop. That was close to 20 years ago. Thank you for the reminder of this wonderful ministry. I can't wait to contact Compassion and be a sponsor again.
You and your precious family are in my prayers continually,
Loyce
Deer Park, TX
Melissa,
Thank you so much for sharing this. Like some other siestas, I had to leave my office for a few moments to gain some composure. And then I had to do it again.
Is there anything so amazing as the love of God? Is there anything that can move us so that it nearly kills us? Truly, how great the Father's love that He has absolutely LAVISHED on us!
I immediately wrote my little Compassion girl. I pray that her precious eyes are daily opened to the kind of God who would chase after her - a God who would move the heart of a selfish twentysomething thousands of miles across the globe to be tendered to God's love for a Rwandan child.
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD?!?!
Melissa loved this video. Have an in the theatre movie recommendation for when you get better its called Bright Star very romantic movie about the poet Keats. Get better soon. Oh its an art house movie but sooo beautiful I think you will love it!
Melissa, Thank you for sharing
I had not seen this story.
One person at a time
truly can make a difference.
More and more I sense that as Christians our world is too small and comfortable. We need to reach out and help in whatever way we can. I thought of an old song we sang "Onward Christian Soldiers"
during my growing up years, I am really not sure if that is the title but the verse has always stuck in my head. We are to be Gods army.
Louise
Sacramento,CA
Dear Melissa,
Thank you for the vimeo posting. I had not seen it. It touched my heart. Now I need to write Luis and see how he is doing in Nicaragua. I need to remind him of my love and God's love for him.
Thank you for introducing me to Compassion!
Get well soon.
Ann in Houston
I spoke to Jimmy about this film last night, and asked how it came about that he was sponsored. He said his sponsor had gone to a church where an Advocate was sharing about sponsorship. He went to the table and scanned the 50+ child packets there, and his eyes rested on Jimmy. He felt Jimmy was saying, "I want to live, but I don't know how." He sponsored him and the rest is history. However, Jimmy then said to me -- [It happened] "...at the same time I was roaming the streets eating from dumpsters hoping someone would stop and rescue me from the situation. God in a still voice must have heard my voice and sent for help in Canada." Truly a "miracle story," as Jimmy said!
I'll shall never be the same and I'll never look at my sponsored child in the same way. Powerful beyond words.
we actually got to witness that live. it was one of the most touching moments i've ever seen. we already have one child through world vision and as of that day, we now have two more through compassion! the most awesome thing is that they had about 1200 children's packets to pass out and they were running out!! so cool!
This made me stop and think I may not be able to do everything but I can do something.Made me cry I am so amazed I want to make a difference.
This video is incredible, amazing! Amazing. Made this pregnant woman tear up:) Compassion is such a God blessed organization.
katiegfromtennessee
i was a volunteer at Catalyst this year,and was working on the floor, and this brought me to tears!!! talk about crying while your passing out compassion packets!!!
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