When you make big plans to go on a Compassion sponsor trip, you expect to be able to meet and visit with the child you sponsor. This is, after all, the main reason that most people go on a trip like this in the first place. You want to see that the child you have been communicating with and investing in is a real person, receiving the benefits of the program you have trusted in.

But on this last trip, there was a very real possibility that I would not be able to see Felix again.

Now, if this had been my first Compassion trip, I most certainly would have been devastated!

But this was my second trip to Mexico with Compassion.

On my first trip, not only did I meet Felix, I met his mom, his big sister, his little brother, and I spent time in his home and at the project he attends. This was a really big deal!

I have to tell you though, the thought of not being able to see Felix on this second trip never crossed my mind until the middle of this last trip when our trip leader said they needed to talk with me the night before the child fun day.

We had plans, Kelsey and I. We were going to play with both boys on the child fun day. That was what we expected, that was what we had planned.

But the way this all played out was better than we expected, even with the unfortunate set of circumstances that surrounded the change of plans.

Very early on Friday morning of our last full day in Mexico, Kelsey and I, along with Gloria from Compassion Mexico, boarded a plane in Veracruz on our way to Mexico City for the day. While the rest of our group spent the day touring historical sites in Veracruz, we were on our way to spend the day with Felix. We really didn't even know all of the details when we boarded that early morning flight, the only thing I was sure of was that we were on our way to see Felix.

Our time with Felix was precious!

We shared a meal together.

He experienced an escalator for the first time.

We played together at a trampoline place.

We had frozen yogurt together.

We had time to ask questions, answer questions, and laugh together.

And I was able to give him a backpack full of gifts and a Bible with his name on it.

There are no words to explain how special this day was. God had a better plan and the day was much better than we expected.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts."

- Isaiah 55:8-9

Ever since my son and I arrived back home from our first Compassion Sponsor Trip in 2014, my daughter has been dreaming about the day she would have an opportunity to travel to meet the little guy she is sponsoring in Mexico.

A couple of weeks ago, Compassion posted the details for the upcoming sponsor trip to Mexico in January 2017. And I have to tell you...I am really excited about this trip! My daughter wrote out a bit about why she wants to go on this trip:

We recently learned about this trip and we had always planned to go with me and my mom. I have a sponsored child down there in Mexico and his name is Alfredo. He is a young boy living with his parents in lower Mexico. I have been sponsoring him for quite a while now and would love the chance to be able to meet him. The first thing I want to be able to do is pull him into my arms, hug him and tell him how much I love him and how much Jesus loves him. I want to be able to share with him the hope that he has in Jesus Christ and the amazing future he can have.

But I won’t be just meeting Alfredo on this trip. During this trip I will be able to go to other centers in the area, meet with the different children that go to these centers, be able to visit a Compassion child’s home and so much more. We will be able to do some sightseeing while we are there but also see the different things that Compassion is doing in Mexico.

I believe that God is calling me to see that work that Compassion is doing in these countries. Though it may scare me, I am trusting in Him that He knows what He is doing. I feel that I can become a better advocate by going on this trip. I can learn so much more so that I can get more children sponsored and can share my story with other people who may be interested in Compassion International. God is doing amazing things through Compassion and I want to be able to see first hand what they are doing while going to see my sponsored child in the process and see how much God has changed his life.

So...we have quite a bit of fundraising to do to make this trip possible for the two of us! Recently, we worked with Fund the Nations to sell shirts they designed for us:

My daughter wrote out 'thank you' notes to everyone who purchased shirts to help with this fundraiser. As of this post, we still have just a few shirts left to sell.

Before our first Compassion trip, I had started a Facebook page, Gifts from Our Little Corner, to sell some of my handmade projects:

You can find many more items like this one on my Facebook page, Gifts from Our Little Corner — You can find many more items like this one on my Facebook page, **Gifts from Our Little Corner**

Just a couple of weeks ago, I started a new Facebook group to sell homemade baked goods to people in our local area:

If you live local, join our Compassion Kitchen Facebook group! — If you live local, join our **Compassion Kitchen Facebook group**!

As a stay at home mom, I have to get a bit creative in how to earn money to go on these sponsor trips. God provided for our last two trips, and I know that if He wants us to join this next trip, He will provide the funds for us to go.

If you are wanting to raise funds for a Compassion Sponsor Trip, get creative! God gifts each one of us with different abilities and skills. Tap into those, whether it be jewelry making, canning, photography, calligraphy, art, etc. You are only limited by your own imagination on how you can raise funds for a Compassion Sponsor Trip!