Meeting Juan

On January 14, 2008 my family and I were in the Dominican Republic on a Compassion International Sponsor Tour. That evening we had the pleasure of meeting Juan David Dominguez.  Juan is a college student in Compassion's Leadership Development Program who is being sponsored by 12 firefighters from Valley Regional Fire Authority.

The Leadership Development Program is offered to students who have graduated from Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program.  Only the top academic students, who have demonstrated excellence in leadership in their schools, churches, and communities are eligible to be in the Leadership Development Program.

Juan entered Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program at the age of 6.  One year earlier his father had died in a construction accident.  Juan and his family were devestated.  Juan's mother worked very hard to keep the family together.  Having Juan in the Compassion development center meant that he received Christian mentoring, education, health care, food, and a safe environment.  After school 3 days a week, Juan received a meal at the development center, and often there was enough leftovers that he could bring food home for his family. This helped his mother maintain the family.

In 1998 Hurricane George struck the Dominican Republic and wiped out their family home.  They did not have much, but lost all of their belongings.  Through the help of Compassion, their house was restored. Juan's mother continued to work hard as a maid, and eventually she managed to save enough for concrete floors and electricity.

Juan's sponsors during these years were in Australia.  Though they were never able to visit him in person, they sent frequent letters of encouragement.  Juan tells me he looked forward to those letters and kept every one of them, reading them over and over.  Juan says without Compassion, his life would be "a disaster".

In October 2007 Juan graduated high school.  This is quite an accomplishment for a child living in extreme poverty.  Not only did he graduate, but he received his school's "Most Excellent Student" award.  After a series of interviews, Juan was accepted in Compassion's Leadership Development Program.  Juan's goal is to become a pediatrician.

Juan's sponsors in the LDP are twelve firefighters from Valley Regional Fire Authority in Washington state.  These sponsors have made a commitment to sponsor Juan for 6 years.  Some have already expressed an interest in attending Juan's graduation.

Juan will attend Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo. Established in 1538, it is the oldest university in the New World.  Juan dreams of becoming a pediatrician so he can care for children in the impoverished communities of his country.

You can read more about Juan at www.compassion.com.

A life changed.

This is Yefredy.  My family learned about her after seeing Amy Grant talking about sponsoring a child through Compassion International.  Since then, Yefredy has become our beloved daughter, and a sister to our children.

My family hadn't been consistent in tithing at church.  We wanted to, but just couldn’t seem to make it happen. I had been working for 12 years as a freelance graphic designer.  My income was like a roller coaster.  Once the bills were paid, there never seemed to be anything left.

After hearing Amy Grant speak about Compassion International, we decided to sponsor a child.  We knew if we made a commitment to a child, we would take care of that first, and budget for our necessities with what was left.  We went on Compassion’s web site, and selected another child, named Yonalda.  After sponsoring Yonalda for a year, we decided we could afford to sponsor a second child.  That’s when we found Yefredy.

One of the great things about Compassion is that they not only allow you to write the child you sponsor, they encourage it.  They even offer sponsor tours for you to visit the child you sponsor.

We wrote letters to the children we sponsor, and sent the check once a month.  For a long time, the letters we received from Yefredy were the simple letters you’d expect from a child.  She told us what she was doing in school, and what games she liked to play.  As time went on, the letters became more personal.  She told she was living with her grandparents, and that her mom and dad worked a long distance away.  They visited when they could.

As Yefredy grew she faced a lot of hard times.  Then one day we got a letter telling us that she was very sad because her dad had died. Within a year we got another letter from her asking that we pray for her grandfather who was having surgery.  By this time, she was asking us in every letter when she would meet us in person.

My wife and I always thought it would be fun to meet her, but always said, ”We can’t afford to go this year. Maybe some day.”  We had three daughters of our own, and were very busy.  We got a bit lazy about writing letters.  Then everything changed.

In February 2005 we got a letter from Yefredy thanking us for the Christmas gift she had received from us.  She also wanted us to know that she was sad because she missed her father.  She was also sad because her grandfather had died.  Lastly, she was sad because she hadn’t gotten a letter from us in a long time. She told us that she thinks of us as her family, and wants us to never forget her. 

That letter hit me like a ton of bricks.  Child sponsorship had been little more than sending a check, and writing an occasional letter.  This child viewed it differently.  We were people who loved her, and cared about her.  She had shared her deepest pain with us, and she wanted to know that we were getting the message.  

That day we made reservations on the next Compassion sponsor tour to the Dominican Republic.  Then we wrote to Yefredy, and told her we were coming to visit her in January 2006. 

Meeting Yefredy was one of the greatest days of my life.  My wife and I were able to hug her, and tell her we love her.  We laughed with her, and cried with her.  The day we saw her in person, she became real.  She became our beloved daughter.

Today, Yefredy is 15.  She's overcoming poverty, and is a year away from high school graduation.  Her dream is to enroll in Compassion's Leadership Development Program, and go to medical school.  

My family went to visit our sponsored children again in January, 2008.  It was the third time I've been able to spend time with them.  We hope to be in the audience when Yefredy graduates medical school.

Thanks to Compassion International, this child born into poverty has overcome great adversity, and is already changing lives.  She started with mine.  I am forever changed by the experience.

Please sponsor a child today.  If you already sponsor one, please consider sponsoring another.

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