After returning home, I found myself constantly reflecting on my time in South Africa. There is so much destruction surrounding them, and yet with the help, love, and support of God and their generous sponsors they have a future. One of the little girls at the orphanage will forever be with me. My sweet Muckie. Her smile could brighten any room.

She loved every single moment of everyday. Every single time she would come to me, I would hold her little chunky body in my arms and laugh about anything and everything. It would constantly remind me of my oldest niece Madison. Those of you who follow Joanna’s Blog regularly have heard stories after stories of this strong, sassy, punk of a kid that has her aunt completely wrapped around her finger. She is my best friend in every way and I can’t imagine a single day with out her or Hannah.

I wanted to share this experience with Madison. She is so intelligent and I knew that on some level she could understand what I was going there to do. Madison has this incredible capacity for love. She cares for everyone and feels everything so deeply. I am in awe of her on a daily basis. That sort of love should be shared with the world. I just really didn’t know what I could do to continually involve Madison in being universally aware of others and doing what we can to help.

I was at a Women’s Retreat called “Women of Faith” Where thousands of women were in the American Airlines Center to hear different speakers such as Max Lucado and Pat Smith share their stories with us. At this event World Vision was there to give us women the opportunity to sponsor a child and give hope around the world. To me it seemed a bit sneaky to put 10,000 women in a room, make them cry over and over again with touching stories, then show them pictures of kids that have nothing and push us to sponsor these kids. Haha!

I mean it’s $35 a month. That’s $420 a year. And if you sponsor a kid until they are 16 and out of the World Vision Program it could end up being close to $6,000. I don’t know about you, but I could use $6,000.

But something was tugging hard on my heart, and I went to one of the tables and spoke to a woman who has been sponsoring a young man for his entire life. She talked about how amazing it was to watch her son grow up alongside her “sponsored” son. The older they got, they would write letters back and forth, and her son would help with the monthly cost. She said he would save his own money to send to World Vision rather than for video games, etc. I finally had my answer. Yes, it’s costly. Yes, it takes a long time and is a long commitment. Yes, I may never meet this child. I just knew that this was my way to helpMadisonsee the world through the eyes of someone on the other end of the planet. I wantedMadisonto grow up knowing that she has already changed the life of someone else. I wantMadisonto have a passion for this as I do because her heart is too big to keep to herself.

So Madison Osborne and I are now the PROUD sponsors of Nthati. She is 3 and was born the same year and month a sMadison and lives in a small country called Lesotho located in the middle of South Africa, not far from where I was this past summer.

Madison and I just wrote our first letter to Nthati, telling her we love her and that we are praying for her. After explaining everything to Madison the first time about what we were doing her response to me was this. “Hey Aunt Sam, sometimes my friend Nthati gets sad, but I’m gonna get her food and paints so she can paint a picture for her mommy and be happy.”

Madison is 3, but is changing the world. It’s the most amazing experience and I thank God every day for blessing me with my sweet nieces and that I can share this with them. I cannot wait for all the ways that Madison and I will get to communicate and learn from Nthati. Not to try to guilt anyone into it, but should you be interested in doing this and sponsoring a child simply go to www.worldvision.org. 100% of the money goes towards the child and their communities to help with food, clean water, sanitation, and education.

The power of God amazes me everyday. I am richly and incredibly blessed for all that I have for all who I love and love me. If I have learned anything through these experiences, it is that the blessings that I have, were given to me, so that I may use them for others. Thank you for reading my story and letting me share such a huge part of my heart with you. I don’t know much about the blogging community, but I do know the amazing impact you all have had on my sister Joanna through everything she and her family have gone through and for that I thank you. I pray for you all that life brings you many blessings and that you give thanks by sharing that love with others. May God Bless You All In Every Way! Ngyakuthanda!! (I love you!)  -Samantha Watson

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Tomorrow I will share how Sam’s trip to Africa and sponsoring Nthati have already impacted my family in large ways.

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