Allow me to introduce you to Alexa Marina Garcia Castro.
She lives in Managua, Nicaragua and is 10 years old. I found out about her this weekend through Compassion International, which serves over 1 million children who live in spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty all around the world. If you are unfamiliar with what Compassion International does or why it is important, check out www.compassion.com.
As I was sitting in the Gatlinburg Convention Center this weekend with my youth group, it hit me how many people in the world live in poverty – of every kind. The thing about poverty is, it isn’t the absence of stuff, it is the absence of HOPE. And, so when I saw Alexa’s picture, I knew that my act of worship in that moment was to pick her out of the pile of hundreds of other children around the world and begin to pray for her and support her with vital needs, like clean water, education and a dry home – most importantly, the HOPE of a future.
I don’t expect you to feel anything when you read this story, but I began to FEEL SOMETHING as I sat and stared at Alexa’s face and realized that she is a real person in a real place. I began to FEEL SOMETHING as I wondered if I could really help this little girl. My spirit moved in that moment, and I knew that Jesus wanted me to choose Alexa.
Now here we are, partnered together through Compassion International. I will write my first correspondence to her in the next hour. I am praying for you Alexa, that Jesus lives in your heart and that you already have the hope of the Gospel shining from your life – and that the whole world will see!
Leave a comment
Comments feed for this article