Growing up in a family of seven, I have always had a passion for people! My parents brought me up in a pretty special home that believed in adoption and that has been on my heart ever since. Our house was always full of friends and neighborhood kids that needed a place to go.
Having the opportunity to spend 3 months traveling and sharing life with the Daraja Children’s Choir was more than a blessing, it was a season of life change and surrender.
After being accepted as an intern we received a package that was full of autobiographies of the 2010 Daraja Children’s Choir, that included their pictures and what they wanted to be when they grew up. All of the kids captured my heart and I just started praying for them and the relationships that were to come, but one child, Violet stole my heart. I instantly felt a connection with her and a part of my heart has never been the same. Violet was accepted to the choir in2009 but was denied her Visa, so she was patiently waiting, praying, and hoping to join the choir later if she could receiver her Visa. Sadly, that didn’t happen during the 2009 tours so the wait and prayers continued.
In 2010 I traveled with the other interns to Kenya to meet the children, and I finally got to meet this beautiful, strong, child of God whom I have been waiting to meet for what seemed like years. She was full of joy and had so much trust in God’s plans for her life that I knew God was using her to confirm His promises to me. I too, tried not to have favorites but this relationship was a love gift from God. Let me tell you what, God continually uses these children to speak to me and it is really hard to ignore God when He is whispering through his beautiful children from Kenya. The last night we were in Kenya the intern family got in a circle, holding hands, and we began praying. The other interns were praying to accept God’s will if Violet didn’t get to come to the USA for the 2010 choir, however that was not my prayer that night. Selfishly my prayer was asking God to break down walls and to allow the government to grant Violet her visa to come and share her joy across the world.
The prayers of several 410Bridge/Daraja Children’s Choir supporters continued and finally in June Violet was able to come to use USA! God being the great Father He is had this plan! June 9 ,I went to the Atlanta airport to pick her and Dan up so that she could meet up with the rest of the choir in Florida! I really do not have words to express that hug, that moment, the entire story is just an attribute to God’s goodness and favor. It was until September when the fall tour, that I was interning with began that I really got to build this amazing relationship with Violet. After picking the children up from the airport in New York we were told what children would be staying with us the first night, and of course, I had Violet! My heart was ecstatic! The first night we just prayed with the other girls and her prayers of thankfulness were precious and so pure.
My husband and I were praying about sponsoring a child through Bright Point and found out about leadership sponsorships that were available, so we immediately decided to sponsor Violet! It wasn’t a decision that had to be weighed out, we already knew in our hearts that God would provide us with what we needed to help sponsor her and He has not failed us in that. This beautiful child is growing into a young strong-committed follower of God. I have not been able to see Violet since we began sponsoring her, but another 2010 intern went on the Daraja retreat this past winter and was able to tell Violet face to face. We have received letters from Violet telling us she is doing great in school and how thankful she is for being sponsored. Her letters are full of pure joy and just remind us of the joy we bring to God by loving His daughter through our sponsorship. She challenges our faith and pushes us grow in our walks too! To be used for God is an honor and investing in a sponsorship is doing exactly that. These sponsorships are important and I challenge you to step out in faith and let God use you to enhance the lives of these children.
