Mavis...the beginning of something wonderful



Look how precious she is!

As promised, I received my Compassion packet in the mail a few weeks after adopting Mavis as my Compassion child. I was so excited to open it up and look at her adorable picture and start communicating with her! I was given a Sponsor Number and lots of information of how to get started. A DVD was even included to watch and then pass on to anyone else that may be interested in sponsoring a child (let me know if you’d like to see it, and I’ll make sure to get it to you!) Jake and I watched it and I can't count how many times the pictures pulled at my heart and made me want to go visit each sweet child. The DVD really shows you how Compassion serves and helps you understand a little more about being a sponsor.

This page told me all about Mavis and where she lives. Her mother and father are married and there are 3 children in the family. She lives in Bubuashi, Ghana- home to about 24,000 people. Half of the adults are unemployed yet I found out that Mavis's parents can sometimes find work and could possibly be traders, making about $48 a month. It breaks me heart to think how often I spend that much money in one day while they provide for their entire family with that amount for a month. Malaria and diarrhea are the most common health problems in the area and improved housing is needed for the community, as most houses are made out of cement and iron. 


English is the primary language (which really was a blessing when I visited 6 years ago) due to Ghana being colonized by the British. The country is rich in natural resources such as gold, diamonds, and rubber, yet 45% of the population makes less than $1 a day. Many refugees from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Togo also come to live in Ghana due to the country's independence which was granted in 1957.

My packet also contained a folder for me to write down my personal information to send to Mavis along with a picture. I can then write her letters and start corresponding with her. I assume that since English is the primary language in Ghana, Compassion will not have to translate my letters but they do this for all sponsors and children when necessary. 

As I understand it, Compassion utilizes programs that are already in existence in the country who choose the children that most need sponsorship out of the community. The program I'll be working with is called Redemption Hour Child Development Center. They will provide Mavis with Bible teaching, health exams, deworming, recreational activities, tuition and educational materials with the money that I give each month. I love most that she will be learning about Jesus and a God that loves her, as well as having her physical needs taken care of.

When I visited Ghana several years ago, teenage girls would walk miles to our school where they were able to learn, take showers, and eat healthy meals every day. Some of these girls had never seen such facilities and were so thankful for a daily shower that I so often take for granted and see as a necessity instead of a privilege. What a blessing it was for me to have my perspective changed.

I'll be sharing with you all my letters to Mavis and the updates I get back about how she is doing. What a privilege it is to join with Compassion in changing a life!