Sweet Swapna

A few years ago, our church began supporting an orphanage in Ongole, India. The young children there came to the WINGS home primarily because they lost their families in the tsunami that ravaged that area. Everyone at our church was given the opportunity to sponsor these precious children and provide financial support to keep the home running. The most important aspect of this endeavor was to also have a personal relationship with each sponsored child. Our family quickly jumped at the opportunity and we selected Swapna, then 8, to be the one that we would personally sponsor.

This is different than what we all see on t.v. because members from our church have visited these children several times a year. So, we "know" our sponsored child as well as we will know her without getting on a plane for India ourselves. (After our nine hour flight from Hawaii to Georgia, I am in no hurry to board another plane!) During the visits from our church, the traveling groups have taken small gifts to the children from their sponsor families and the children usually send back cards and drawings for us. It is so special!

In April, another group is heading to Ongole, so we have put together some special gifts from us for our sweet girl, Swapna. Out of seventy plus children, the similarities between what she likes to draw and things that I have drawn since I was a teen, are very similar. It seems that God had a hand in that plan to "draw" us together across the MANY, MANY miles. I hope to draw something for her so that she too will see the similarities. Swapna, if you get to read this, please know that you are very much loved by our family!!!!