Up from the Muck Podcast
Up from the Muck Podcast seeks to provide encouraging interviews of Christian believers, showcasing their “stories of the middle”, the mucky moments where God steps in, highlighting the gritty middle and not just the polished end.
Up from the Muck Podcast
Beyond Letters: When Sponsorship Becomes Family
The distance between West Monroe, Louisiana and Guatemala may be measured in miles, but for Abby Wood and her teenage son Gavin, that gap closed into something far more meaningful during their recent mission trip. What began fifteen years ago with a simple $43 monthly commitment to sponsor a child has blossomed into relationships that transcend borders, languages, and cultural differences.
When the Woods first connected with Compassion International, they simply wanted to sponsor a child sharing their newborn son's birthday. That initial connection with a Ugandan boy named Xavier has lasted nearly two decades. More recently, they added Guatemalan Ellie to their sponsorship family after their church helped establish a Compassion center in her community.
The true magic happened when Abby and Gavin stepped off the bus in Guatemala to an unexpected welcome—community members with phones and even a drone capturing their arrival, children holding welcome banners, and celebratory fireworks lighting their path. The abstract concept of sponsorship suddenly had faces, personalities, and embraces attached to it.
Walking into Ellie's home where eight family members live together revealed details no letter could convey. Her father leaves at 4 AM six days a week for a 12-hour factory workday. Her mother rises at 3 AM to prepare his meals. Despite modest surroundings, they proudly displayed their collection of letters from the Woods, kept securely in a locked drawer like precious jewels.
Most touching was discovering Ellie's true personality—not the shy girl from photographs, but a playful, competitive spirit who couldn't wait to play games with her American friends. These moments of connection transcended language barriers (requiring both Spanish and Mayan Kekchi translators) and revealed the human bonds at the heart of global ministry.
The impact wasn't one-sided. At another home visit, a skeptical father finally approached after observing from a distance. "I just really didn't know this was real," he admitted. "Today I know there's really someone out there who cares about us." His words captured why showing up matters as much as financial support.
Ready to make a difference that ripples through generations? Visit compassion.com to discover how a modest monthly commitment can transform lives across the globe—including your own.
Click HERE for access to extra content through my Patreon Account.
Today I'm talking with the pastor's wife of First West, my first lady and mama for Abby Wood. Hey, today she'll be sharing about her recent mission trip to Guatemala and I just can't wait to hear all about it. So thank you, abby, for making this work. You know, we've actually been trying to make this work for a long time. I actually reached out to her about a year ago and we were going to talk about whatever something different then, but schedules just couldn't align. But now we're finally here and I'm so glad we're able to do this.
Speaker 2:So glad to be here and that we can talk about this trip. It was awesome.
Speaker 1:So what made you want to go on a mission trip to Guatemala, like, how did that come about?
Speaker 2:So the idea initially came from my husband, michael. He said they he liked me to consider going with our oldest son, gavin, which I thought sounded like a great opportunity. But I'm the one of the bunch that has a hard time just making the commitment and saying, yes, let's plan it. You know he has to help me with making decisions and like that. So I said you know I'll pray about it, and I just felt like the Lord was leading us to go, and so we started making plans.
Speaker 1:All right, and this mission trip was kind of connected with Compassion International. Yes, yeah, so how did you get connected with them and how is that connected with Guatemala and all the things?
Speaker 2:Sure. So our first connection with Compassion was 15 years ago. We knew that you could sponsor a child and we had just had our oldest. He was a baby. So we want to start sponsoring a child, and with Compassion you can pick a country or you can pick a child with a certain birth date. They have ways you can kind of search for certain things like that, and so we thought it'd be fun to have a child with his birth date. So we searched that on their site and found a little boy named Xavier who lives in Uganda. He was four at the time and now he is 19, which is crazy?
Speaker 2:That is pretty crazy. So he's in Uganda. He is 19, which is crazy. That is pretty crazy. So he's in Uganda. But as far as the connection to Guatemala, a couple years ago our church helped to fund the start of a compassion center in Guatemala and they wanted a place where we could easily travel to and that people would be able to get to more easily. So that was one of the reasons for that country, and so we were starting the center, and the church had a compassion day and they had these packets lying in the hallway and we said you know, we wanted to sponsor a child from this center as well, and we let our daughter choose that we were going to get a little girl this time, and so she chose a little girl named Ellie. She liked Ellie's pink dress in her picture and also that it said that Ellie liked to to dance. So, yeah, because your daughter's a dancer too, right, yeah, yes.
Speaker 1:So we ended up with ellie as well in guatemala all right, and so do you still sponsor the other one as well? Yeah, he's 19. I asked that because, like you know, I'm a part of world vision and they kind of aged them out around 14 or 15 because I've had several children through the program now. So I was like like, ok, is that still?
Speaker 2:Yes, still happening, yes, and I had started to wonder wow, he's 19. Like, I wonder you know when we'll be not being able to sponsor him anymore? And I found out that it just depends on the country, but we do still get to sponsor him. He's probably nearing the end of that time, but he is still in school.
Speaker 1:And so, yes, you're in the end of that time, but he is still in school. Yeah, okay, okay. So what has that experience been like? Yeah, anything you didn't expect, or.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been great. I think there probably are not as many things that you could have such a great return on investment than sponsoring a child through Compassion. The cost is really doable and you know that with that you're making a huge difference in their lives. So just the benefit that they get. You know the schooling, the health care, food and water and just the difference it makes in their family as well. So I actually learned from our mission trip leader on this trip that one sponsorship actually helps 12 people in the family, so it's a benefit to a lot of people.
Speaker 1:So yeah, that's more than just a family, it's like the community. Yes, yes. How much does it cost, like for a month?
Speaker 2:It's $43. So we can spend that easily at Chick-fil-A in one meal you know, yeah, yeah, for mine it's just $35.
Speaker 1:Okay, but you know they're a little bit different programs and that kind of thing, sure.
Speaker 2:But it's also awesome. You get to send letters back and forth to each other, which is fun, and of course, when the kids are little, they'll draw pictures, send you pictures, or the staff will help ask them questions and write a letter with them. But as they get older, it's really neat. I mean they'll start to be able to write them themselves.
Speaker 2:And for Savior, being 19, now he writes his letters and I wanted to share with you something that he had said, because in one of his recent letters, like you know I guess he knows too, he's probably nearing the end of the time and it just really melted my heart what he said. He said Dear my friends, I don't know what I should do to you for what you're doing for me. You have started supporting me and taking care of me since I was young. Up to now you are taking care of me since I was young. Up to now you are taking care of me. May the Lord reward you abundantly. So it was just really a blessing to see, like you know, my gift a month that's not even you know that difficult has just made this huge difference and it's just awesome that the Lord's given us that opportunity. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what has this program like? How has this impacted, like your kids? You know you've been doing this since your oldest was a baby, so I mean, are living life and got all these kids you're taking care of.
Speaker 2:So we've gotten better about it, though, and I will say the Compassion app has been very helpful. Someone told us about that and we downloaded that. That makes it so much easier to send letters. You can just do it right from your phone. You can add pictures and you type it out. You can even set it up to send reminders to you, to write letters and pray for them or whatever. So that's been really helpful and it has helped us to do that. But now, having this connection to Guatemala and having met Ellie in person, it's been fun to be able to show our kids pictures of her and, you know, include them a little more because we've had this more personal connection. So that's been fun.
Speaker 2:My husband, michael, got to meet Ellie and her mom a couple of years ago. Our pastors a few of our pastors took a trip down there as an initial trip, and so he got to meet her and her family, and actually at the time it was really sweet. Our daughter picked out a little stuffed cat for him to give her. Yeah, and she still has it it. So we got to see her with her little cat, I know, yeah, but anyways, so we've been able to include our kids that way and actually, while we were there this time, she of course wanted to know where was michael.
Speaker 2:That was like, yeah, her first question. I'm like, I'm sorry he's, he's home with our other kids, but you know taking care, so gavin I could come, but she did get to see him through FaceTime. So that was fun. Gavin had that idea and I'm like, well, give that a try. And it worked, and so she was actually able, like a couple of our kids were able, to see her on FaceTime and, like you know, got to like wave they're pretty shy but you know to wave to her and anyway. So that was fun, that we'll get to have this extra special friendship.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is really special. So how did gavin get to be the chosen one to go with you?
Speaker 2:yeah, well, he's the oldest, so we started with him and actually I think you have to be 12 to go on that. Okay, yeah, your next in line, son. He's very aware that he's about to turn 12 that's fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I'm the oldest in my little family, so I was like, oh, this is being the oldest. Yes, absolutely the chosen favorite. Now I'm just getting it. But yeah, that's cool. So you know, you went, went to Guatemala, but have you been anywhere else before?
Speaker 2:Not a lot, a couple of times just on family trips. We went to Costa Rica, cozumel. I did spend one day on a choir mission trip. We went down into Mexico, but it's been a long time, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, so nothing quite like this one. Cool, when you first got there, anything you first noticed or had any thoughts oh wow, this is, you know, different yeah, kind of funny.
Speaker 2:But very first initial thing was like, oh my word, they have phones. It was so funny. I I was the official photographer, you'd say, for the trip, which mostly I just meant I brought my phone and was making sure that we got pictures and things like that and I was really concerned that I would have my phone out too much, you know. But when we got there we pulled up and they were all outside and they were in the street and greeting us and they all had their phones out and we're taking pictures and videos. And actually one guy had a drone. We're like, oh my word, there is a drone, and so that was like we were all really surprised by that. And there is a drum, and so that was like we were all really surprised by that, and so that was funny. We did learn later that their experience with phones is not the same as ours. I mean, they don't. Our translator was like you know, they're not iPhones and they don't have like a monthly phone bill, like it's kind of like a calling card. They'll just go and maybe put minutes on it when they need to or something like that. But anyways, I loved it. They had a way to capture our trip and to remember us as well. And one time when, actually when I was visiting Ellie's home, I looked down and I was like, oh my word, this kid he'd been videoing. He was like going strong on a 17 minute video of our visit there. So it was funny.
Speaker 2:But on a more serious note, the first impression of the Compassion Center and the children just pure joy. They had the biggest smiles, they gave the best hugs. You know they don't smile in their pictures, so when you get your new picture of your child, each time they sit you over there they're not smiling, but in person they are very joyful. You know, the children were so precious and they're just really excited that we came. When you first get there, they're all the children are all out in the street. They have a banner in front of them, like you'd see at a parade, the parents were lining the street and Wow, that is some kind of welcome it was.
Speaker 2:Also, they did have some fireworks and so you know, gavin was helping do video for the trip and I was taking pictures. So we were right there up at the front and it was like a line of, I guess, black cats, I don't know. Oh, and so, um, I mean, as it kept going, gavin and I were like, oh, back up, back up, you know, like, yes, it was quite a welcome. So then we walked through and as we passed the children, they were all like shouting hola, hola, hola. So they really speak mostly mayan in in this area, but the children are learning spanish and so some of them could speak spanish. But it was, it was so sweet and I think that's fascinating.
Speaker 1:I didn't know that language even was still like around. That's really cool, you know, because knowing the history of like that, you know that continent really, or that part of the continent.
Speaker 2:So we had to have two translators. We had to have one for Spanish, one for Mayan, so I've learned a little. You know a little bit of Spanish. I took Spanish and you know, of course, had Duolingo helping. You know depression, my Spanish, but you know. So I was able to speak to some of the children but really, like Ellieie's family, they really do mostly speak mayan, and she's still young, so she is still learning spanish so well, yeah, how and just how different is mayan from?
Speaker 1:is it really different?
Speaker 2:it sounded pretty different I guess it's kekchi, I think is the official language name. But yeah, I've heard of that.
Speaker 1:It was different, yeah yeah, wow, and so like, just from you know, we had different translations of the Bible. It's like because up until this conversation I would have thought they speak all Spanish. It would have entered my mind that there's another.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we had to have two translators Wow.
Speaker 1:It's quite something. Wow, all right. So did anything just match your expectations, like, oh, this is kind of what I thought it would be?
Speaker 2:I knew it was going to be great, but it really exceeded my expectations. Just did not I just underestimated how amazing it would be to meet Ellie in person and to see our Compassion Center. Just knowing that our church was able to find the start of this was so awesome, you know. To see this whole center and what's going on there, like we were a part of that, yeah, and just seeing the fruit of that investment was really rewarding. And just to meet Ellie and her family and get to know them in real life, it was priceless. So from the letters you can't really tell what your child's personality is like, and so getting to be there in person is really neat.
Speaker 2:I learned that Ellie has a very playful, fun personality. Yeah, she was not reserved and she was really into playing the games. So one of the days we were it was our fun day where you knew we were going to go and get to play with them. But before that we were visiting and sitting down with her mom and we're about to wrap up that visiting time and I could tell she was starting to get antsy. There were some kids playing over at the other side of the room and she like cut her eyes over there, yeah, and I was like, oh, she is really ready to play.
Speaker 2:And so when they said it was time to play, she was up at and at it. She was the first one in line, she was first one to do the game and just between games, she just bouncing up and down like ready to go, she couldn't wait for the next one, and it was just precious. And I could and also tell that she was very quick and I could tell too she was really wanting to win. She was really trying to win, trying to help her friends figure out what to do. And anyways, I just I have a competitive kid at home and she reminded me so much at him and it was just so neat. I thought, gosh, I would never know that if I hadn't have been here, you know, yeah, so it was really fun to get to know her little personality in that way. Another layer yes yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:What are some other things that y'all did when you were there? Like I know, you met with, you saw the center and you met with your sponsored child, but what else did y'all do when you were there?
Speaker 2:sure. So the first day they had, all the children from the Compassion Center were there and that's where they came out to greet us and they had a little program. They sang a couple songs for us, which is so sweet, and then we went to visit homes, do some home visits, so we split up in teams and then each team went to a couple homes. So it was really an honor to be in their homes and very humbling. Of course it's very different from our experience here in the States. It was really neat.
Speaker 2:I actually got to go in Ellie's home. She was one of the homes that we visited. We were able to meet her family. I found out there's eight people who live in their home and she's the youngest. The mom actually shared that they have four grandchildren, so I believe the one of the little boy taking a 17 minute video I think he was a grandchild actually and so that I met her daughter in law. Ellie's grandmother was there, the mother's sister was there and of course they were all cooking and I mean they make, they're out there making tortillas like three times a day and all that. But it was so it's neat to get to meet her family.
Speaker 2:Her dad was not there. He was at work. He works six days a week for 12 hours and a bus comes and picks him up and he works farming at a factory and so they'll come pick up the workers and it's like a 30-minute ride. He leaves at four in the morning, found out, and so Ellie's mom is waking up at three in the morning to make his breakfast and lunch that he's got to bring and he's home for dinner. So that was neat to get to know more about their family. And we got to go out in her backyard and she has some ducks that back there they had ducks and they actually had a mint plant and she showed this to me and I was like, oh, I've had mint before, and so when I got home I bought a mint plant and so in our next letter I'm going to let her know we have mint too in our house now.
Speaker 2:So we did that the first day. The second day was fun day and that's when we were going to. Just they only had the children's whose sponsors were on the trip were there that day, and so we got to visit with them a little further and that's when we were playing the games together. Like I said, we had two translators speaking there with us, so and that was a day too for us to give gifts to the children. We did bring a gift to the home. Compassion had a basket put together like a food basket to bring to their home that day when we did the home visits. Yeah, and I had also given her mom some gifts that day.
Speaker 2:So one of the gifts that I was so surprised that they really enjoyed so much was, on that home visit, one of the gifts I had given was a washcloth, because we had heard they don't really have washcloths there and so we did that. And it was so cute because the next couple of days she was carrying that around with her when we saw her and they just don't have that there. But I mean she was patting her little face with it and you know I was like, wow, like who would have thought out of all the things we get, you know, that a washcloth, and we gave several, you know too. But anyway, so on fun day you can give them whatever gift you brought for the child, and we had, of course, taken our kids to the store. Our daughter picked out this really cute, you know, shiny and pink backpack, and so we gave her that and had some gifts inside of that and so that was fun. But anyways, yes, the washcloth was a favorite.
Speaker 2:And then the very last day we joined them for their church service and it happened to be a special Sunday that they were there. They were celebrating the pastors. There was like some I'm not sure what their denominational kind of setup is, but there was some denominational leaders like from the region that were there and celebrating the pastors. I think the pastor was having an anniversary for being the pastor at that church and so that was neat to see. And then it was a special Sunday where they were commissioning leaders for the next year of the church. They brought these husband and wife couples and they lined the front of the stage and you know, they had them kneel down. We're praying over them. They were making this commitment to their church to, you know, to be about ministry that next year, and that was incredible to see, just to know like, hey, they love the Lord, here too they're doing ministry here too. Like these are the people that are going to be pouring into the people of their community. You know they want to see lives change, just like we do.
Speaker 1:I like how it was. The you're saying it was the couples together, not just one or the other but together they were together, they were on a mission, so it was awesome.
Speaker 2:We did have some funny moments at church. There was a dog came in laying down I mean they don't have, there was open no door, you know. So the dog came in, was laying down and that was so funny. I did see a baby hanging from a church pew, you know, like the mom, I assume mom came in and kind of like you know, you see a stork carrying a baby, like with a sling it was this big, like sling looking contraction. She carried the baby in this and just hung the baby right there on the church pew. We were like this is so funny. And at one point the leaders were passing out cokes. I mean they, the leader, went out and they came back with these huge, big old barrels up on their shoulder and they had cokes, orange juice and bread. Yeah, during the sermon. Yeah, that was me there during this sermon. It was so funny like, oh, my word, he is preaching and we passing out snacks, yeah, maybe they notice he's long-winded or something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was. It was awesome. Yeah, right. So what was your favorite moment or event that happened while you guys were there?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I really think my favorite moment was with Ellie was, just like I was saying, when they were playing games. It was really fun just to have that time with her and get to cheer for her and all that. She just enjoyed that so much.
Speaker 2:But another really special moment that happened when we got back from the home visits.
Speaker 2:So that morning we'd been there, there was a little girl named Natalie and she was outgoing little precious girl, and so several of us got to, you know, enjoy getting to meet Natalie.
Speaker 2:But when we came back from visiting the homes, she just came running up and she said Abby, abby. And our translator shared with me that Natalie's mom had a gift for me, that she had remembered Pastor Michael from the first trip and so she wanted to give me a gift. So they took us to the office and I met her mom in there and she gave me a traditional Guatemalan dress Wow, yes. So I really feel like it's probably the most generous gift I've ever been given, because our translator shared with me later that that is usually the most expensive thing that they own, so for her to get off she's like this is so humbling. That was really neat, yes, and I got to wear it on Sunday at church, and so they, you know that was really special and they just love that. I mean they're like all like let's take a picture together, you know, because you know that's what they were wearing to church.
Speaker 1:So, wow, that's really good, it was fun, wow. Well, was there anything that you were intimidated or just apprehensive about going on this trip or anything?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. So I really feel like the most intimidating part for me was just at the very beginning, just planning the trip, thinking about like how are we going to pay for this? You know there's two of us going and but the Lord totally provided. So for anyone else who hears this and I feel like that's probably concern for a lot of people, like you know making planning on going on mission, like you know, just the financial part of committing to that and going for that. So I hear you if that's a concern for you and just I hope you'll be encouraged just to trust the Lord to provide. He totally did. So that for me was, like you know, awesome.
Speaker 1:How do you feel? Like you know the situation and you know you've been able to go on this trip has impacted your relationship with God.
Speaker 2:So I just, he just reminded me that he's got us covered. And if he calls us to go on a trip, he's gonna provide for us. And so he did. It was awesome.
Speaker 1:So has this trip do you feel like? Has it changed your perspective any? Or why should somebody go on this type of mission trip? What's the importance of that?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So going on this trip it is it's different from you know what you think of as a mission trip I really kind of was, like you know, in the beginning, you know, struggle with that a little bit Because I'm like we're not going to build a home or paint for that, you know, whatever, like they want to save those kind of things for jobs, you know, to not take away a job from the people that live there, but getting to go to be an encouragement really and to say, hey, we're here and we love y'all and to encourage them, it just really gave life to my view of compassion and sponsorship Just being able to see with my own eyes how wonderful these people are and how special they are and just this relationship that we can have with them, the connection between our churches, and just to encourage them.
Speaker 2:And of course, we took like suitcases full of things for the center and for the children and it was really neat. Actually, what so funny? I thought this was an awesome idea but a couple of people on the trip thought to bring First West t-shirts. So one day we're there at the center I'm like, oh, this little boy is in a First West t-shirt, like it was so fun, yeah, so just being able to have that partnership and be like, hey, we're here and we love you.
Speaker 1:To really be the hands and feet. You know, yes, it is a true partnership. To do it financially, be like from afar, but to do it up close, it's really different.
Speaker 2:Yes, in one of the home visits there was one of the dads there and it wasn't a home I was in, but they told us you know the team about it later. But the dad was just really standoffish, like when they were in the home with the translators. He was just like in the background, kind of in the doorway, you know, just kind of checking things out, yeah. And so as they kept talking, they said he would move closer and closer and closer. And they finally turned to him and was like you know, maybe is there anything, you have any questions or whatever. And they said he just talked and talked and talked and he said I just never. I just really didn't know that this was really for real. I didn't really believe that this whole, you know, they're really someone out there that cares about us and is praying for us. And they said today I know that this is really real, you know this, you know yeah, so it was really neat.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's super like wow, yeah, but um, yeah, just getting to meet ellie and her family was wonderful and her mom said she said you're our family and you know like well, you're our family too, you know, and also just as far as one of the awesome reasons get to go on that trip is getting to find out things that you wouldn't have otherwise. Just in one of the homes I got to go to it wasn't Ellie's home, but in the other home we visited we found out that the little girl's dad had passed away about 10 months ago.
Speaker 2:And just how the Lord. We would have never known that the Lord had orchestrated it this way. But her sponsor leads our grief ministry and had lost a son before, and so she was able to speak life to that mom Like you know, I've lost a family member as well and to share scripture with her. And you know, I mean and that was of course they've been sponsors for probably a couple of years now, but the Lord knew that they needed to be together, you know, and so that was really cool. And so, you know, had not gone on a trip, you wouldn't know that, and so that was really cool. And so, you know, had not gone on a trip, you wouldn't know that. And so the Lord showed us what he had done.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Yeah, because that's not something you necessarily just kind of put in your letter. Yeah, someone that feels so far away yeah, she had no idea.
Speaker 2:And I'll also say that you know when you're there you see how important it is to write letters to them and how precious our letters are to them, so our letters. At our home they don't have a lot of furniture. Really, the first time we went in there was really no furniture, it was very bare. But at Ellie's home she did have a few dressers and a table, and one of the dressers I didn't even see at the time. I saw them take the letters out of the dresser. But one of the other trip members was there. She's like did you see that they were locked up? And I was like no, and so they had a key, they had unlocked the dresser and they you know, but of course they keep them in like a plastic folders, keep them really safe. And so she got those out to show us hey, these are our letters, you know. So they they keep them and it's just very special to them.
Speaker 1:And so they treasure them. We got to write our children, you know, make sure we get that app and send letters often. Yeah, so you know, your oldest son was with you. How did this trip affect him? What did he? What do you?
Speaker 2:think he yeah, so he had a great time. I was grateful he got to have the experience to just even to be in another country. He'd never been in another country before. Especially getting to be in a spanish speaking country was neat. He's in spanish class this year, yeah, so that was fun. He loved playing with the kids and, of course, meeting ellie.
Speaker 2:I loved how she didn't just come to me, she would, she would go to him. You know, if we've given them a gift or whatever, she, she'd come give him a hug and, yeah, include him too. And you know her mom especially would always make sure. You know, they make sure she's hugging on Gavin and, you know, including him. And that was so sweet and it was just fun to hear her holler out at him or whatever they would say.
Speaker 2:The way they would say his name was so funny. They say Gavin, it's Gavin, but they'd be like Gavin, gavin. I said I back to Gavin. We get, this is fun. But and several teenage guys went with their moms and we all had signed up independently of each other like we didn't know they were going, and so when I found out that others were, I'm like, lord, that's so cool that you put these boys together on this trip, so I love that they had that experience together and the compassion. Kids, of course, had a lot of fun playing with these teenage boys, so it was he had a great time yeah, that's really special.
Speaker 1:Did they all go to the same school and stuff too?
Speaker 2:nope, different schools, but but that you know, we knew each other from church okay, yeah, cool, very cool.
Speaker 1:So do y'all plan to go back with the rest of your?
Speaker 2:family one day. I would love to. Yes, we would love to take all of our kids someday. I know ellie, of course, yes, wants to us to bring all of our kids, and so we'll see. I would love to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so can you take a moment to speak on like why missions like in general are so important?
Speaker 2:For sure. I mean, first of all, the Lord commands us, you know, in the Great Commission, to go and make disciples. Great Commission is Matthew 28. It's at the end of Matthew and it's Jesus' last words to his disciples. So you know what he wants to leave them with. He said don't forget this Absolutely. He said go and make disciples.
Speaker 2:So you know, we are called to that mission as well to go and make disciples, like you know, and, of course, where we are, but also going, you know.
Speaker 2:Of course that's why missions are important, specifically for our family. You know I'd always wanted to take my kids on a mission trip, but as we were planning this trip and just thinking about how this could affect, you know, my son and our children, I really gained a new perspective or vision or whatever for really wanting to make mission trips a priority for our family. Yeah, yeah, just thinking about the perspective they would gain, you know, from being in another country or, you know, even in the US, just getting to be in another city and going. You know our church will have family mission trips to Colorado or whatever, all that but just getting to experience other cultures, meeting believers around the world, you know, like I said, seeing those leaders up there that are going to be specifically going on mission in their own community, and just the worldview that our children could have being on mission trips and just spiritually for them, just being able to serve and share their faith. So I really, really want to make missions a priority for our family. That is a new passion I have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it could really like I love that are just kind of have made more opportunities for, like North American missions as well, like the Colorado one, yes, and even New Orleans, you know, because I agree, because I think it just having their eyes opened, you know, and having their heart pierced for compassion, I feel like that's a big component of our faith. Is that because that's how our Lord is, he's compassionate towards all of his creation, which means that's how he wants us to be as well? And it's hard to do that when you stay in your own little bubble.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, yeah, yeah, definitely agree, for sure. But going back to Compassion International, why should someone join them? I mean, there are some others out there, but why Compassion?
Speaker 2:International. Sure, yeah, so I've only been. I can't speak to any others, but you know being with Compassion has been incredible. Yeah, you know Michael is very quick to speak how highly he feels about Compassion as an organization, which you know I feel as well. So we have the perspective of being a sponsor, but also as a church partner. You know them working together with starting the center and you know just it's amazing to think of the difference that they're making all over the world. They have other ministries as well, like I know that they do. You know some health ministries for children. Our leader told us about one where they're starting with expecting moms even. Oh, wow, so they're trying to start with babies from the womb and early development and all that. So they have lots of different. You know things that have going on.
Speaker 1:And so it's just neat to be a small part of their ministry. I like the global connectedness of it all. Those really are, are connected and and that's that's really beautiful. Yeah, for sure, all right. So how does one become a part of it? Like what if someone wanted to sign up today? Like where do they go? How do they do that?
Speaker 2:yeah, so their website is compassioncom. I went to look at it before I came, yeah, just so I could speak to to what's there, but they actually have a get involved button so you can go to that, and there were more opportunities that I didn't even realize or know about. I even think that they have a compassion store. You know, of course you can just even just donate. You know, if you're not ready to sponsor a child, they have a section where you can donate. But, yes, sponsoring a child would be a great way to start, though they still have countless children that need sponsors.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Well, abby, thank you for so much coming on my show and sharing your story. I really enjoyed it. I'll always love hearing about different countries and cultures and everything. And so it's really great to hear about how it all happened for you and your family and Dr Gavin.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Gavin, gavin, very, I would have a hard time going back to Gabby. Yeah, but Gabby forever.
Speaker 2:Yes, Well, I loved being here. Thank you for having me. I love getting to share about our trip. My name is Abby and this is my story of the middle.
Speaker 1:I'm your host, brandi Bostic, and you've been listening to the Up From the Muck podcast For merch or just other uplifting stories, and go to my website at upfromtheblockcom.
Speaker 2:Psalm 40, verse 2,. He brought me up from the desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on the rock, making my steps secure.
