Hiliany and Saudy

An Omer of Manna started as a memoir of God's goodness as He multiplied by ministry through child sponsorship.  When I started this blog in 2013, I sponsored just 2 girls.  Since then, I have been immeasurably blessed to sponsor a total of 28 children in Central and South America. I don't currently sponsor this many, as some have since graduated or moved away; but I stay in contact with as many of them as I've been able to find.  

There are a few children whose sponsorship stories I haven't shared yet, mainly because while our stories are beautiful to me, they don't have some miraculous background.  Most of them are simply, "I saw her and loved her, so I sponsored her."  God has done some great things with these sponsorships, but the journeys to get there didn’t seem long enough for their own posts.  But, in order to have memories of all of my sponsored children in one place, I want to go back over the next few weeks and document them.

 

With Hiliany (left) and Saudy (center)

These precious girls are Hiliany and Saudy.  

I've adored Hiliany ever since she was first registered into the sponsorship program in 2017.  In addition to being absolutely adorable, with her curly hair and fun personality, she had a similar background to one of my other sponsored girls who I am especially close to.  I knew we'd connect.  For the first couple of years, she had a consistent sponsor who had even visited, so I never expected to have the chance.  While I still thought she was precious, I was glad she was being taken care of. 

But in December 2019, I learned that Hiliany needed a new sponsor and I said yes instantly.  Just days after becoming Hiliany’s sponsor, I got to visit her in Honduras.  Along on the visit was her younger cousin, Saudy, who she lives with. I met the girls at a local café.  The second Saudy walked up to me in her Disney Princess letterman jacket holding a latte and asked, "So, what do you like to do in your free time?", I was in love.  Saudy had a sponsor at the time, but hadn't received letters.  

Our visit was a fun day of exploring the national park, going out for pizza, and taking Christmas photos.  Visiting your sponsored child gives you such precious information that you may never learn through letters.  For example, I learned that the girls love animals and Disney princesses, but despise pepperoni.

For the next year after our visit, any time I sent a letter or gift to Hiliany, I included something for Saudy.  One day, I was at work when I opened my phone to find dozens of messages from my group chat with two friends who were also sponsors.  Reading through the messages, I learned that Saudy had appeared on the "waiting for sponsors" page of the website after her sponsor had cancelled.  Knowing I wanted to sponsor her, and not being able to get ahold of me, my friends had sponsored Saudy to save her for me.  We soon got her sponsorship transferred over to my account.

Through exchanging letters with the girls, I learned so much about their unique personalities.  Hiliany is quiet but passionate.  She has many dreams including being a welder and a nail stylist.  She loves very deeply.  Saudy is very outgoing.  She loves her friends and being surrounded by others.  She enjoys video games and making jewelry.  She even started her own business making and selling jewelry and saved up enough money to buy herself a bike.  It has been so fun to choose gifts for them that encourage these dreams and interests.

In 2022, I got to visit the girls again.  I also got to throw a quinceañera (15th birthday) for Hiliany.

Hiliany & Saudy (left) with two of my other girls (right)

I hadn't shared our story sooner because there is no big profound background to how I was led to them.  Basically, I saw them and loved them, and God in His goodness entrusted them to me.  Yet, we've grown so close that I want to share our story.  God willing, I will be visiting Hiliany and Saudy again in just under a month.  I truly can't wait.

Sponsored Child Updates (2023)

Over the years, I’ve shared the stories of many of my sponsored children- how I was led to be their sponsor, highlights from our visits, and how God has worked in their lives.  Now it’s time for some updates on these children from the past few years!

Through great determination, Melania graduated from high school in 2020 at age 21 by completing 3 years in 1.  I was able to send her a backpack of the supplies she needed to attend, and she paid the small tuition for the 3-in-1 program herself by working at a local grocery store.  After high school, she joined the Honduran military where she is now serving.

Her cousin Irma is also serving in the Honduran military.  This is a good job that pays well and provides further educational opportunities.  I am so proud of her.

Friends and family have helped me raise funds to keep Aura and Sulmi in school, something their family was unable to do after elementary school, despite trying very hard.  They are both currently finishing 7th grade and have dreams of continuing through graduation.

Yessenia completed school through 6th grade before leaving to work.  In the western world, most would see this as the bare minimum rather than an accomplishment.  For Yessenia, it is five grades farther than anyone else in her family has ever gotten.  It means she can read, write, and do math- things that will give her many job opportunities.  Even seemingly simple jobs such as cashier and waitress require math and writing.  This also means Yessenia can read the bible.  Which brings me to her biggest accomplishment- Yessenia accepted Jesus as her Savior and was baptized!  She now has a child of her own who will be raised to know Christ.  I continue to sponsor Yessenia’s younger sister, Floridalma; so we are able to stay in contact through her.

Sisters Carmen and Kendi were such joys to sponsor for several years.  Their enthusiasm, love, and gratitude for everyone and everything is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  Their several-page-long letters to not only me but all of my friends and family never fail to bring me to tears.  Carmen was the first child to ever give me a Mother’s Day card.  Carmen and Kendi, currently 19 and 23, are now both married and each have children of their own!  We are still in contact through letters.  They are as amazing and passionate as ever.  I know they will be great mothers.  This photo below shows Carmen (purple shirt), Kendi (orange shirt), and I in 2018 with Kendi's first son, Axel.  Four years later in 2022, Kendi had her 2nd baby and Carmen had her 1st.

Paola is as sweet as ever and is celebrating her quinceañera this week!  She is thriving in high school and plans to graduate in a couple of years.  She is currently very interested in poetry.  I will be visiting her for a late quinceañera celebration in December!  

Amy is a year ahead in school and has been learning to crochet on the side for income.  I also now write to her little sister Cristel who is just the sweetest thing ever.

In 2018, I briefly sponsored a sweet girl in Brazil named Beatriz.  She was only about 5 years younger than me and we ended up being friends.  She was very talkative and had so many fun things to say in her letters.  We shared a love for food and sent recipes back and forth.  The relationship was short and I haven't yet been able to locate her after graduation, but I still think about her and pray for her often.  Our relationship was so short that I didn’t even get to make a whole post about her before the sponsorship ended, so I wanted to include her here so I can have memories of all of my kids somewhere within this blog.

To prevent other sponsors from getting discouraged along the way, I want to remind you that these stories are the highlights.  Not all of my sponsorship stories have been easy.  Out of the 28 children I’ve sponsored over the years, 9 have dropped out of school before graduation.  At least two (not the ones mentioned in this post) have gotten into minor legal trouble and other dangerous situations.  This is not about perfection or about all the good I have done.  It is about pointing children to the redeeming love of God who sustains them and makes them resilient…and how He sometimes uses the unconditional love of their very imperfect sponsor as a tool to do so.