Compassion International

Tamrie Kumsa (age 8) lives on the plains of Obi, Ethiopia with her mother and father and four siblings. Her house has a thatched roof, dirt floors and wood walls. Most adults work as farmers and earn the equivalent of $15 per month.  But Tamrie’s father is not employed and her mother finds work as she can as a laborer. Every day Tamri and her family face malaria, typhoid, and intestinal parasites. Tamri’s home is an area highly affected by HIV/AIDS. (Almost a million people in Ethiopia have HIV/AIDS). Tamri  helps her family by running errands and cleaning.  She likes playing with dolls and does well in kindergarten.  She also regularly attends church.

Tamri wants a sponsor!  Tamri needs a sponsor!  Sponsorship would allow the staff of Obi Kale Heywet Student Center (a Compassion International supported project) to provide her with Bible teaching, choir, health screenings, health and hygiene education, clothing, field trips, sports, tutoring and life skills training. The center staff will also provide opportunities for project involvement for her parents.

I am a sponsor of five Compassion kids.  Because I am considered a “committed sponsor”, Compassion has asked me to find a sponsor for Tamri in the next four weeks.  I am thrilled to help find love and support for one of the least of these that Jesus mentions.

Sponsorship is a delight!  You will have the pleasure of writing letters on-line and attaching photos of you and your family. These letters are translated and sent to Tamri.  In a couple of months you will receive a letter from Tamri and probably a picture she has drawn. This will be the beginning of a real relationship.

However, sponsorship might require a financial sacrifice (it does for me!). Sponsoring Tamri will cost $38 a month.  You will also be asked to contributed $20 for her birthday and at Christmas time. This totals about $400 a year.  That’s not an easy commitment to make for most of us. But just think about what you spend on fast food, specialty coffee, fine dining,  entertainment or other non-essential purchases in a month.  I’m thinking it can add up to $38 quite quickly! Perhaps you and a friend would be willing to share the expense of sponsoring Tamri.  Or your book club or Bible study group or bowling team! One of my sponsored kids was a Christmas gift one year to my entire extended family and friends.  This Christmas Tamri could be a present to your family.

Your financial sacrifice will mean that when you wake up every morning, you will know that this little girl in Africa will be fed, clothed, and cared for today because of you.  When you go to bed at night, you will pray for this child to become all that God intends her to be.

If you are interested in loving and sponsoring a child of God, Tamri Kumsa, please e-mail me at karenjbables@aol.com by Dec.19, 2014.