Having Compassion
I walked to the table and there he was. Amanuel Habtamu. Not smiling exactly, but looking expectant. Or maybe that’s just how I perceived his expression. I felt he looked expectant of me, of anybody, to follow the leading of their heart. His face seemed to say, “I am God’s child. He has great things in store for me. He wants to use you to help me achieve those things and be a part of His plan.”
I was hooked. After years of feeling like we could not commit to yet another monthly debit from our checking account, it became clear to me that this might possibly be one of the most important debits every month.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Matthew 25:40
My kids were excited too. He was the same age as my oldest son, and it became a joy to pray for Amanuel every night. If there was a night when he was inadvertently forgotten, my kids were quick to remind me, “Let’s pray for Amanuel”. There were lots of questions from them about his country, school, and family.
From the beginning it was humbling to know that Amanuel was one among the many Compassion children that Severn Runners supported at a particular facility in Woliso, Ethiopia. When some of the church staff visited the Child Development Center in Woliso, they were able to take packages from Severn Run partners to their Compassion children. Our family sent Amanuel a pair of jeans, 2 shirts, pictures and letters.
Our middle son, Jonas (age 8), sat in church with us the Sunday morning the mission team was away. From the stage, we were reminded to pray for the team and their work in Ethiopia. On the screens before us was displayed a collage of some images of their trip. As we scanned the pictured faces, Jonas said, “Look! There’s Amanuel!” In the upper right corner was Amanuel holding up one of the shirts we had sent with the team. For Jonas, in that moment, Ethiopia didn’t seem so far away. He made the connection between the prayers we say, and the letters we write to a real live boy in another part of the world. Jonas saw the light in his eyes and understood the value of our investment in Amanuel’s life.
We may never have the privilege of meeting Amanuel in person, but we have no doubt about our impact in his life. More than a long-distance PenPal, our resources allow Amanuel access to healthcare, clothing, food, education, and most importantly, opportunities to hear about God’s love.
Pray about how God can use your resources to change the direction of a child’s life through Compassion International.