Hi Guys.
Happy anniversary to you all.
So lovely to have met you and shared some time with you. Perhaps we will met up at the confrence in June (I'll be going to the one on 27 June God willing). If you can't make it, take care and God bless. I think about you often. Al.

Voices of the least. That's us!

Hi All.

Maria's blog about the CD, Voices of the Least, has set me thinking. The children we met had beautiful voices, singing, cheering, with hearts full of love for us. But they have no physical voice over here. That's where we come in. We are their voices and we are required to use our voices for those children (and the others around the world) in the same way that we are God's hands, and bodies here on earth.
I'm getting to the point where I feel people around me have heard all there is to hear about my time in Peru. Every so often a particular memory crops up and I live it through again and share it with whomever is with me. But the problem is, I want them to see what I'm sharing with them about.

That's why I am creating a Windows Movie of the trip through pictures and music from the CD, because if I give folk a copy they can see what I am talking about with the added benefit of a relevant song.

Talk soon.

Al.

Voices of the Least

Hey guys just an idea, but have you got the Compassion audio cd 'Voices of the least'? Its a really good one to listen to after what we have seen, it kinda gets you thinking. You can even have a good cry if you feel like that!
Maria

Finding the Words

Hey Guys,

I am glad to see that people are still blogging!! I have been checking in now and again but havent written anything...i think i am still trying to find the words to describe how i feel since coming back. Its weird but i find it really difficult to talk about the experience we had in Peru, all i can manage to tell people is, it was an eye opening experience and remind them to write to their children. I can think of no other words to say.
My heart was impacted in such an amazing way, i just think my brain isnt able to translate it quite yet. Praise God though, i have managed to get 3 children sponsors since i came back...maybe thats not alot compared to others (my social circle is limited right now) but i am so happy for those kids!! and i am sure you share in my joy.
I'm getting back to normality now, looking for a job and i think i have found a church that i would like to get to know a bit better, which is great, knowing no christians in this country has been a little suffocating for me..but things can only get better!! Plus once i have establish myself i will bombard them all with compassion and make sure we get those sponsor numbers up :)

Al, if your making CD's of ur photos cud u pop one my way!! Wud greatly appreciate it, if it is not too much trouble.

As for everyone else, God bless, i am praying for you and please do keep in contact.

All the Best
Caz

Life is taking over

Hi All.

Life is taking over. At least that's how it seems to me. What about you? It's amazing how quickly one can get back into the swing of things, the routine, the (in some cases) unimportant things compared to what we were privileged to be a part of.
Without wanting to focus on the hardship and poverty too much tonight, I want to remember, too, the joy we witnessed, the happiness, the hope and the optimism. There was plenty of that, too. I certainly don't think any of us felt like "heroes", there to alleviate the dire situations we saw, but on the project visits I have to be honest because I often did feel a sense of... what's the word...? I don't know what the word is but if you're on the same wave-length as me you'll know what I mean. The people of the projects couldn't have made us feel any more special than they already did. Maybe that's the word, special!

The love and joy and hope and the transformations in young lives that we saw have convinced me (if ever I needed convincing, anyway) that what we, as advocates, are doing has real value. And even though everyday life may be taking over, for all of us, I guess, it'll never erase what's etched in my heart. Here's another picture for you to ponder. Tell all your contacts to keep writing to their sponsored children - we have to keep those translators busy! Keep writing!
Al.

Three thousand words

Hi all. If a picture paints a thousand words these should save me from blogging for a while.
Al.









Girl with an apple


Promise of new life in Peru thanks to Compassion.



A reminder of the bitter reality, just look how steep those steps are!

Girl with the amazing eyes

Hi guys - and guyettes. Look at this picture. I have posted it before but I want to re-visit it with a thought that has only just struck me.

When I took this picture I was standing snapping pictures all around me, looking for something that caught my eye that might be poignant. I suddenly just felt aware of something close by, so I looked down and this is what I saw... a beautiful little girl with the most amazing eyes. She was just standing there looking up at me, looking exactly as she does in the picture. She never spoke or sought any attention.
But what has just struck me is this: we often spend a lot of valuable time in our lives looking around us for things that seem important to us, that are of interest to us, but in so doing we miss the really wonderful and important things that are often right under our noses.

Do you get my meaning?

Al.