When researching the different World Race courses, I immediately felt a connection to Route Three because five of the eleven months will be spent in Latin America. I have had a passion for the Spanish language and culture that started early and has continued to today. One of the experiences that has spurred my passion for the Latin culture has been getting to know a girl named Leslye through a program called Compassion International.
According to their website, Compassion is “a child-advocacy ministry that pairs compassionate people with those who are suffering from poverty.” It continues stating that its goals are to free kids from “spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty.” When each of the kids in my family was born, my parents sponsored a child from Ecuador, South America. My parents paid a monthly fee to help with practical and spiritual needs, and we got to write letters to our “assigned” child. Through letters, Leslye and I formed a friendship as we shared about our lives. Our mutual interests of music, art and family drew us together. On the back of the letters, she would always draw beautiful pictures and notes.
My parents, especially my dad, encouraged this relationship throughout my life. He would always remind me during our bedtime routine to pray for my “special friend”. When I didn’t want to eat something on my dinner plate, he would mention that Leslye would be more than grateful to have the food we were eating. Reminders like this throughout my childhood helped broaden my perspective and become more aware of the world and my position in it.
In 2009, my dad took my siblings and I on a trip to Ecuador to meet our sponsored children. It was an unforgettable experience. I remember finally getting to see Leslye in person and hug her. She was so adorable, smart and talkative! I was so proud of her and excited to make the connection that couldn’t be created simply through letters. With a combination of my broken Spanish and the help of an interpreter, we chatted in the van ride to an amusement park. When we arrived, we did activities like rock-climbing, bumper cars, water rides, and more. It was such a blast! I felt like a mini-parent, so proud of her and anything she did.
The most emotional part of the experience was when we sat down to eat lunch. My dad told Leslye and her family the story of how we got involved in Compassion International and the way we felt drawn to choose Leslye as our sponsored child. After he finished the story, Leslye pulled out a battered purse. She unzipped it, revealing all of the letters I had ever written her. I immediately started crying. I couldn’t believe she had stored all of them away. They were well-worn and had clearly been read multiple times. It was such a precious moment.
Later, we were able to visit her school and home. The staff and her family were so hospitable and generous. We felt so blessed to meet them. Since that experience, I was able to travel to Ecuador again in 2013. Leslye, her mom, and I met at a mall to shop and watch a movie. She had grown up so much. I am happy to say that she just graduated high school and is graduating the Compassion program as well! Although we just wrote each other our last letters, we will continue to keep in touch through the internet. I am so thankful for her friendship and hope to visit her again one day!
Us in 2009 Us in 2013
