Shaun Groves
She introduced herself to me in the lobby of the Ford Theatre. And then she said, “Meet Juana” and unfolded a small cream colored piece of paper.
Pam told me she’s read Shannon’s blog for a long time and followed along while and the rest of us Compassion bloggers were in Uganda. And she sponsored Juana because of it.
Pam and her family came to the show on Sunday night to introduce me to the newest kid in their brood and to thank me for blogging from Uganda. But I’d like to thank Pam.
It’s not hard for me to think of sponsored kids as real. I’ve pushed them in swings, served them lunch, tickled their ribs and taken their pictures. And I get to meet the people who sponsor kids at my concerts—answer their questions, check their paperwork, encourage them to write a letter to their kid as soon as they get home. I know these people are real.
But the hard thing about blogging in hopes of readers sponsoring a child on-line is that, well, it’s not very real. I don’t get to meet the sponsor, hear why they decided to make the move, see their kids get excited about having a new “sister” to write to in Africa. I get a number e-mailed to me—a statistic—“XXX people have sponsored a child” because of the Uganda bloggers.
But then Pam and her family showed up. Now the number is real. It’s the number of refrigerators with faces on them, people praying for a kid they’ve never met, people who will tell their churches and friends and blog readers about Compassion International, people who will be meeting me in lobbies or e-mailing bloggers to say “thanks.”
More on others stuff I learned from this soon.
pam says:
It was a treat to introduce you to Juana. We’ll actually be writing her in Guatemala, but she is a new member of our family nonetheless.
Thanks for the sacrifices you make to enable more of us to improve our refrigerators with the faces and lives of those in so much need.
God is honoring your obedience, Shaun, and that makes all the difference for these little ones. Thank you!
Shaun Groves says:
Africa was a generic example.
Had to clear that up. Didn’t want you thinking I didn’t listen to you all that well. I am a man but I do listen, cause musicians are gifted remember?
pam says:
No prob! I can only hear out of my left ear right now. Grace abounds and gifts are boundless, even for guy musicians!
anne jackson says:
pam, that is so cool!!
Linda Sue says:
Way cool – Pam and Pam’s good looking family- you are blessed! Sponsorship is the BEST thing – and how typical of someone as thoughtful as you to give Shaun grace about locations- poor fellow – he probably has to look at a newspaper (would a GPS locator help?) to find out his location each day?
David says:
“She introduced herself to me in the lobby of the Ford Theatre. And then she said, “Meet Juana” and unfolded a small cream colored piece of paper.”
Man, my mind went somewhere different there. If “Juana” was rolled up in a piece of paper, I’d have expected her to have a sister named “Mari”.