Money for Hawa

We sponsor three children in Senegal.  Each child was born during the same month and year as our three girls.  The child we sponsor under Savannah's name is Hawa.

Hawa is an eight year old girl living with her mother, father, and younger brother.  She doesn't get to go to school.  We sent her markers, she sent us back and tiny round dot that she drew on the page, smaller than a dime.  Clearly, she never draws or colors.  Hawa doesn't own any shoes.  She sweeps, helps her mother cook or carries water.  These chores fill up a typical day.  We hope that our sponsorship affords her the opportunity to attend school in the near future.

Savannah thinks about Hawa often.  Recently, she wrote a very long letter explaining Christmas.  She tried to help Hawa make sense of bringing trees in houses and putting lights on them.  Savannah shared the birth of Christ and drew a detailed nativity scene.   She made sure to think of appropriate questions to ask Hawa that would give her meaningful insight to her life.  This is hard when you are second grader living a life where all needs are met.

Savannah's bank account totaled just over $100 dollars before Christmas.  She kept nagging me about giving her money to Africa.  I kept stalling because I didn't want to send her money to an organization and not be able to tell Savannah the specific outcome of her donation.  I didn't want to just send a $100 check to a charity.  I wanted Savannah to see the fruit of her donation.  World Vision gave us me this opportunity in late November.  When I was racking my brain for a way to make Savannah's donation real and tangible, I got an email asking if I wanted to donate to our "family" in Africa.  The money would go directly toward their greatest need.  In fact, World Vision sent a worker out to see Hawa and her family in order to personally assess their greatest needs.  This donation was specific to Hawa, not Africa.  Savannah was thrilled.

Savannah, gladly drained her bank account and eagerly waited to hear what $100 buys a little girl in Senegal.  We finally heard back. We were given a detailed list and a couple photographs of the family with their donated goods.  Savannah's money provided simple items like tooth brushes.  It also is giving the family an opportunity to create income.  They are proud owners of goat which they hope to breed.  If this is successful, Savannah's money will continue to multiply.

I am very proud of my girl.  She is amazing, absolutely amazing.  She is selfless and joyful.  If we all had her compassion, imagine what this world would be like.