About two years ago I started sponsoring a little boy from Indonesia. His name is Febrianndika (Febrin for short), and he just turned seven this past month!
And I must say that he is just adorable!
What I think is funny about the sponsorship experience is that it is supposed to bless the child, but so many times I have found that Febrin has blessed me more than I feel that I have blessed him.
One of the things that Febrin does that really blesses me is when he sends me letters. He sends me beautiful, hand-drawn pictures with little notes that keeps me up to date with his life. Things like his favorite color, what pets he has (he has a chicken!), his favorite subject in school, and his favorite toys. These letters are so simple, but they are so heartfelt and full of love.
Even though these letters may be written simply, they have had a tremendous impact on my life. The letters come infrequently, but each of them have come at a time when I needed a little reminder of the life outside of my own.
It has been so easy for me recently to get caught up in my own life and my own problems, with no regard to what is going on outside of my life. When I started sponsoring Febrin I entered into a very hard season in my life. The season itself was definitely hard, but I made it worse by looking only at myself instead of God and others.
One of the things that helped get me out of that mindset were those letters from Febrin. Seeing his beautiful drawings and reading about his life and family continued to bring joy to me. That little letter, full of joy, continued to pull me out of that selfish mindset. It reminded me of how much I really do have. This little boy, who has next to nothing, is so happy and full of life. How can I, who have so much, be so ungrateful and unhappy with my life?
God used Febrin and his letters to change my life. The letters that showed me the importance of loving what you already have, the child that calls me “big sister,” my beautiful little boy that I have never met changed my life so much; and I get the amazing privilege of supporting him through his life!
