From: Erin Hostetler
"A few days ago I set up a small amount to sponsor you thru your blog. It is actually Violet that is sponsoring you. I know she was 3 when we moved but she is now 8 and has a heart for missions. For about 8 months she has wanted to do mission activities. We are always looking for things we can do that is 8 year old "safe". She attends Northwood Academy which is a Christian school affiliated with our church. Her school does a March Mission madness every year. This year she really got into it and earned money to help. Our church also partners with Water Mission International and holds an event every spring. Water Missions also does and annual 5K here in Charleston and our church has a team. This past year Violet, myself, a friend of hers and his mom raised money and walked on our church team in the 5K where you carry a bucket with water. Tough job for a girl who was a week away from turning 8. She has decided that she is old enough to start missions work and wants to continue projects. The funny thing about this is our churches sponsoring water projects is in Uganda. Two of our pastors went there this past Feb. and toured areas where the systems went. They brought back videos of the areas and the people sending messages. The Uganda part clicked with Violet as she has been fascinated by your blog and Facebook posts. She loves to follow what you post. While trying to think of her next mission project we talked about you going there again and what you are trying to do. She decided that she can do chores and earn money to sponsor you as one of her projects. She would like to be pen pals and share your story with her class and school when she goes back in August"
A few days ago I got this sweet message from and 8 year old girls mom. An 8 year old who I knew when she was three. We had no current connection. Except that God had planned it from the beginning. He knew the impact I would one day make and what a blessing an 8 year old could be to me. So often we get focused on the details and just looking at the outcome of the exact thing we are working on at the time and we often miss what is going on around us. Sometimes even failing to recognize the big ripple effect that we are causing through the work that is being accomplished. Praise the Lord for revealing it to me through the eyes of this sweet Violet. When Violet and her family moved away five year ago we had no idea the we would reconnect through something that we could have never imagined on our own. When I first started thinking about Africa I was concerned and excited at the same time which then in turn resulted in confusion. i think. I was reminded of Psalm 31:14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." I knew that God was using me for His glory but I had NO idea why?! Like Violet I wanted to get involved and didn't know quite what I was getting into to be honest. My mom probably would have LOVED if I got involved in sending people overseas on my own when I was 8 for two reasons: a) to get housework completed and b) have time to convince me to stay in America. ;) When we surrender and allow God to use us in His plan we are able to achieve goals that we would have never been able to on our own. I wish there were more people like Violet who feel led to be involved in ministry whether it is missions or holding babies in the nursery on Sunday morning it is so important for us to follow the calling God has placed in our lives. Imagine if we all started to follow those convictions- what a radical difference we could make not only in our churches, but in our communities, and in part the world. okay, that may be a bit extreme. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9. Make a difference. Follow God's calling in your life even if it is out of your comfort zone...especially if it is out of your comfort zone.
Just some food for thought.
Thanks Violet.
