“Did you know that you are famous in America?” I asked.
She shook her head no.
“Do you know what my job is?” I asked.
“You are a writer?” she guessed through a translator.
“Well, yes,” I said, “but mostly I sing and preach.”
Her eyebrows raised.
“After I visited you four years ago I went back home and started traveling all over America and Canada, to churches and universities, singing and telling people all about the day we spent together.”
She laughed.
“No, I really did!” I said. “I told them how much fun we had together, how beautiful and smart and special you are. I told them all about your family. I showed them your picture.”
Yanci giggled and hid her face behind one hand.
“And then,” I explained, “I asked the people in the audience to sponsor a child. And a lot of people have. All because of you.”
More giggling.
“Sometimes people ask if there are any children as smart and artistic and funny and pretty as you that they can sponsor,” I said with a wink. “And I tell them there’s only one Yanci.”
More giggling.
“I told you. You are very famous.”
If you’ve been a to a concert of mine you’ve probably heard this story. Yanci changed the direction of my life in 2005. I was invited that year to go on a trip with Compassion International, to see if they really were all they claimed to be. Yanci and a translator met me at my hotel, we climbed in a bus and drove to a Compassion project and played for a couple hours.
She laughed at me for butchering the Spanish language. So I retaliated with some vigorous tickling. I pushed her in a swing and spun her around like a top until she got sick and I had to share my Gatorade. She traced my hand in crayon and I traced hers. I walked her around a market with her hand in mine. We shared a rainbow popsicle and I carried her everywhere like she was my own.
A translator told me there was a time when Yanci was hungry but “now she eats every day and her favorite food is chocolate cake.” She told me Yanci wanted to be a teacher and that she did well in school. Yanci sang me a song about Jesus.
Then, on the bus ride back to the hotel, Yanci rested her sweaty head on my chest and arm and fell asleep. There have been few moments in my life in which I’ve been so fully present. I remember looking down at her and knowing I would never be the same. I felt like I was at the top of that first big hill on a giant roller coaster waiting to drop: terrified but fully alive.
This is what I was made for, I thought. Not to make music, but to make life better for children like Yanci.
That’s Yanci’s famous story. It’s the story of one American who was rescued from his poverty by a little girl in El Salvador and given a purpose.
Today I got to say “gracias.”
Steve Jones says:
Big tears. You got me. Well done.
Joyce says:
Absolutely awesome. I’m following the bloggers on this trip and keeping you all in my prayers.
Cindi says:
Absolutely Beautiful! God is so Good!!
Jessica says:
This is incredible. I have goose bumps. Thanks for sharing ๐
Jen~Beautiful Mess says:
Gracias!
Jennie says:
thanks for the thursday morning cry ๐ Beautiful.
Big Mama says:
Love this. Just love it.
Karen F. says:
Thank you, Yanci . . . and thank you LORD!
Jill Foley says:
big tears here, too! So cool that you got to see her again and tell her your story…that is also her story, but most importantly, God’s story!
Jason says:
That’s so awesome!!!
Becky says:
That last picture says it all. I LOVE IT.
Kim says:
Absolutely beautiful. Crying here, too!
Christine says:
Love it! Totally crying at my desk! Love the relationship you have with that little girl – thanks for sharing the journey with us. These blogger trips are such a ttremendous blessing to those of us on the other side of the screen!
Karen Taylor says:
Ahhhh … this totally blessed my heart today Shaun – thanks for sharing your God moment with us!! Please give my love to Rocio and all the staff for me will you?
Sarah says:
I love this.Shawn. The pictures of you and Yanci throughout the years are PRICELESS; especially the one of you hugging each other. I continue to pray God will bless the rest of your trip! : )
Kelli says:
I read the last half of this post with tears in my eyes. Thanks for sharing. What a precious little girl…
Lindsey says:
LOVE this post…it broke my heart and made me smile all over again.
I love where you said she rescued you from your own poverty.
That describes perfectly how I feel about my sponsored girls.
Thank you.
E-Jayjo says:
Loved this post and am enjoying following your journey in El Salvador.
Deidre says:
LOVE the part of how SHE rescued YOU! Wonderful!
pendy says:
Agreed…wonderful.
Nicole @ Here's The Diehl says:
ditto! what a beautiful story.
Dustin says:
Touched, moved, motivated…
NancyTyler says:
I like the smile on her face and the smile in your eyes. I’m sporting both right now. And maybe a little tear too.
Ashley says:
Simply amazing! Oh the tears…
dean says:
shaun… it’s always true, isn’t it… the kids always minister to us more than we can ever minister to them.
Marla Taviano says:
My favorite post of yours ever. So awesome that you got to see her again. Those pictures are incredible. So incredible. You are BEAUTIFUL, Yanci!
And, um, Shaun, are you wearing a wig in that first pic?
oh amanda says:
Every single post puts me in tears. I just imagine my little Alizeta from Burkina Faso…I’d love to hold her!
owlhaven says:
awesome!
Mary
Leslie says:
Man. Good stuff.
Ali says:
Oh man, it’s only 8:15 in the morning and I’m a blubbery mess.
Kim says:
What a beautiful picture of God’s love!
He changes us through the Big things and the little ones!
Thank you for sharing!
I pray I can meet our 2 sponsor boys one day but if not I rest in knowing they are well taken care of!
God bless
Kim
Mary Craig says:
What a wonderful blog and way to start the day! I have tears in my eyes…keep blogging and writing. I cannot wait to see more pictures and read more stories.
Thank you and God bless!
Sonya says:
Great story and those pictures of you getting off the bus are priceless!
Lauren Kelly says:
WOW, I have no words!!!! You couldn’t have captured the moment more beautifully!!!
Lisa says:
Wow, Shaun … BIG crocodile tears are a flowin’. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for opening your heart so willingly and sharing. You’ve been the bright star in my day!
Shannon says:
A pregnant mother should not be reading these posts at work. People are going to think I’m crazy. You’ve got me sobbing this morning. Thank you for sharing.
Hillary @ The Other Mama says:
Love it. Awesome. I hope I can meet my child in Guatemala one day! Just amazing!!
[email protected] says:
Wow. This is awesome.
Alicia says:
I was there…when you met to Yanci and I know it was a great moment, I am so happy to hear your life changed and you are doing a great job as an advocate children now.
Thanks to open your heart and help to others to open it too, thanks to remember me that my purpose is help to these little and beautiful children. Many blessings!
Jenn says:
Beautiful. simply beautiful.
Melissa says:
Wow what an awesome story! I have been following ya’ll all week and so in awe of your experiences! Your hair looks so different too from your first meeting with her! Thanks for all of ya’ll sharing with us this week!
lindsey says:
loved this incredible story you shared with us. i hope that as you go and share with many more people their hearts would be moved as well. and they would be motivated to sponsor a child too. thanks for sharing.
Sarah says:
Amazing! Absolutely the children I’ve sponsored have changed my life… and changed others’ lives… little do they know! I’m so glad you got to tell her… live and in person!
Kelly @ Love Well says:
This might be my favorite post from the ES Bloggers trip. It’s beautiful to see everything come full circle. And that smile on your face, Shaun. It’s incredibly authentic. Really, it says everything.
Tracey says:
Whoa.
jd says:
Beautiful beyond measure…. I can’t even begin to imagine how many children have been sponsored through God’s story about you and Yanci.
Thank you, Shaun, for sharing this special, treasured story.
Eubie McCrary says:
Just beautiful being the hands and feet of Jesus! Your obedience to God the Father is amazing! God bless you! ๐