Yatagiri

Yatagiri from India

Jennifer "adopting" Yatagiri at a concert

It was 2005 and I was at a Ken Davis concert with my friend Angie.  Ken had just given us a hilarious comedy concert and we were about to have an intermission.  But, first he played for us a video by Compassion International about the opportunity we had to sponsor little kids from different countries.  There was a booth upstairs where we could look at cards which they had laid on the table and "pick" who we wanted to sponsor.  I knew I wanted one from India.  I knew I wanted a girl.  When this sweet girl's picture looked up at me from the table with her dark eyes and her bright red and blue dress, I knew she was the one!  Then I read the description on the back and found out that among her favorite activities was "playing with dolls."  That was it - we're kindred spirits!  So, I got the package that explained how to sponsor her, paid a "down payment" and sat back down in my seat.  I was glowing, I was so excited!  I had been toying with the idea of sponsoring someone from India earlier in my life, but that night it just felt right.  You can see from the picture of Angie and I, that I look happy.  Also, notice, I am holding the sponsorship information and the picture is the same as on my blog.



I went home and promptly put the picture of Yatagiri on my refridgerator.  I have had a picture of her on my refridgerators ever since.  Compassion sends updated photos once in a while.  I was so excited to receive the second photo because she was smiling!  When I got the first photo, the night of the concert, I remember hoping that my sponsorship might help make her smile someday.

Yatagiri with a bit of a smile

My most recent picture of her

I write letters to Yatagiri often.  Compassion gives us paper to use.  We are to write our letters on one side and there is room for a translator to write on the other side so Yatagiri can read it.  How neat!  I love getting letters from Yatagiri too.  She writes in her fancy Hindi writing with lines and squiggles, and then I look to see what the translator wrote.  It's fun!  I pray for Yatagiri regularly.  I feel like I have a connection with this now 11 year old girl.  I appreciate that Compassion helped make that happen.  I went through about six months in 2007 when I considered adopting a little girl from India through an international adoption agency.  I was going to name her Sarala.  I thought that name was beautiful!  I had heard it in a song about a little girl from India.  But, one summer weekend while visiting a friend at a Bible camp, I went for a walk along the shores of Lake Sakakwea and I prayed and sang and listened and I KNEW without a doubt that I was NOT supposed to adopt.  God gave me this incredible peace that the answer was NO.  He also gave me this incredible feeling that He had something else in mind for my life.  Something amazing.  One month later I met my future-husband, Todd!  God is so good!