Compassion Bloggers - What Can I Do?

As DD13 and I prepare for our missions trip to El Salvador, where we will (God willing) meet our sponsored child, Jeanci, I have been keenly interested in reading the posts of the Compassion Bloggers in the Philippines this week. All of the posts have been beautiful, thoughtful, moving . . . and they both inspire me and scare me.  I am excited about what we will be able to do to serve and hopefully bless (even for a short time) the El Salvadorians and Jeanci's family (though chances are good we will get far more out of the experience than they will). But I'm also afraid. I'm not sure exactly of what I'm afraid -- maybe my own ineptness to do or say anything significant (foolishness, I know, since it's all Christ working in me -- nothing of my own strength) -- maybe my own reactions to the things that we will see -- maybe the changes in my own  life that will -- or should -- be inevitable. It's all very daunting taking steps out of one's comfort zone . . .

In the meantime, I'm being challenged to think about what I can do NOW, before I even go to El Salvador and have my eyes opened. For example, I can take more responsibility in encouraging Jeanci -- writing more letters to her myself (instead of leaving that to DD13) -- making special things for her so she knows we care about her and think of her often. I can spend more time teaching my children about what it's like for people just like them in other parts of the world. Sometimes it's all a little overwhelming; but that's OK -- I can still do something even when I can't do anything.

Have you thought about what you can do?