I have to admit, I’m not a super-duper emotional lady. Not in a bad way I don’t think, but most people who know me personally, couldn’t tell you the last time they saw me cry (granted, I’m pretty good at hiding while watching movies, like in Prince Caspian when they all have to go home through the tree, or in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader when Reepicheep leaves to go to Aslan’s Country – seriously who didn’t cry at that?).

Anyway, what really got me this week, (and no I didn’t actually cry, but I did choke up for a moment and actually wanted to cry), was my little girl Clara that I sponsor in Ecuador through World Vision.

I’ve been sponsoring Clara for about 8 months or so now, and for Christmas I sent her a little extra for her mom to get her a few gifts. What I just got back, was priceless.

Clara is too young to write to me, so her mom writes to me instead. In response to the Christmas gift I sent, I received a letter thanking me for it and letting me know that Clara has a twin sister! With the gift, she was able to clothe them both and buy blankets for them as well. This wouldn’t have been half as profound if it weren’t for the picture that they sent me of all three of them. I was so moved when I saw the three of them and what I’d given them, that I just couldn’t help but share it with all of you.

See when I decided to sponsor a World Vision child, I only knew that out of all of the similar organizations, World Vision has the highest percent of donated monies that go directly to the child (as opposed to going towards managerial fees and salaries and the like). What I didn’t realize that when someone sponsors a child, it’s not only that child that benefits, it’s their whole family, and sometimes even their whole village as World Vision aims to do bigger projects in the communities of sponsored children like building homes, food, animals and wells, among other things. For less than half of what most people pay for Cable Television in their homes, I’ve been able to affect little Clara, her twin sister, her mom and soon enough I know World Vision will work on helping their town as well.

If you have ever considered sponsoring a child, check out World Vision. One of the greatest things that they offer, aside from all that I mentioned, is the chance to actually go and visit the child that you’re sponsoring, which I most certainly plan on doing!