12,000 ft to Sea Level. . .

24 hours in the Amazon. . .

So So thankful for THESE FRIENDS and their hearts!

Join us in Sponsoring a Child!

Join me in sponsoring one of these littles. . .

I am here this week with a great team of artists and speakers that partner with Compassion!

I LOVE being back in this country. It has been 2 years TOO long!

Yesterday we visited a Compassion program right out side Quito . . .

Is that pic above not the sweetest. . .

Today we are headed north to a community on the coast almost bordering Colombia.

They have had very few visitors SO I know we are excited ( and they are too!)

Can’t wait to share this part of our trip on Thursday when we get back to Quito!

(  bátà: n. Filipino child )

Follow the Compassion Bloggers HERE

And join us in Sponsoring a Bátà !

( Eskenita: n. A Filipino alley )

Follow the Bloggers HERE

Sponsor a Child!

Be sure to head over to these two blogs today…

See more about sweet Emily, her home, her community and her story.

Some filled with writing, some with diagrams. . . but every wall was Art.

We walked into a room that had a handful of beautifully painted canvases displayed on the shelves. . .I was in awe and quickly knew someone at the project had talent and sees talent.

Admiring the art I asked one of the project staff members who the art teacher was. . .I had to meet them!

With a big smile they said “Our director Susan, she is an artist”.

I saw Susan in the next room and I had to know more. . .

Susan was a vice president at a large bank in Manila and 7 years ago she left knowing she was called to join her church and become the Compassion Development Center Director.

Soon after arriving she saw that some of the children were suffering, some abused. She began to focus on using simple art to help “get them out of their shells”.

During our conversation she explained how she sought out artists in the community to help her build a program and stock her materials.

She began experimenting with the kids and their moods using music, texture, space and color. Quickly she found that children have so many ”unfinished stories” that need to be expressed and one way she could help was thru art.

Art has been so effective in her center that they just started a Creative Arts Ministry.

A Creative Arts Ministry!

OH . HOW . I . LOVE . THAT!

AND they just had their first student graduate from the Compassion Program and move into the Leadership Development Program. She is now studying Fine Arts at a University in the Philippines.

“Art isolates a Child from the world for a moment. And they are able to express that moment in a way they couldn’t before. . .And like a landscape God is painting THIS center’s stories together”.

There is even a wall full of paintings and open spaces. . .supplies are available where kids can fill “the expression wall” . It is a space where they can go to “express” themselves. . . their emotions . . . their art.

I loved everything Susan said today.

I was

hanging

on

each

word.

And as she ended the story of art at their center she said, “Everybody has stories – community workers, family, children, even bankers and together it is a melody to God”.

Be a part of a Child’s Story thru Sponsorship. . .

What an amazing time in “Xela”!!

How beautiful are these girls. . .and their dresses!

Each Fabric has a story!

Stories of battles, love, culture, strength and more. . .

Loved looking at the little details in each!

LOVED watching the Tenth Ave North guys with kids this week. . . Amazing Time!

And Now I am sitting here in Guatemala!! It’s rare for me to do trips back to back like this but I am

So excited to be back here this week!

This is my 4th time here this year and this trip I am doing something totally different!

We are driving up to the Northern part of the country. . .

Excited to get to travel with new people AND we have a 4 hour bus ride this morning to get acquainted too ( ha!)

But first its off to have a Guatemalan Breakfast. . . One of my favs. . .fried eggs accompanied by refried red or black beans and corn tortillas and some plantains! mmm mmm!

Not sure of internet in our next location but, Hope to update you from 7,000 feet above sea level!

didn’t stop us from playing with kids, walking the streets, baking bread ( wait till you see the oven!) and visiting families!

Loving the sweet faces and colors of Honduras!