Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

  • Home
  • About
  • DISCLOSURES
    • Amazon Affiliate
    • Book Reviews
  • Published
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Commit Poetry
    • Dared

hope, compassion and the son of god

February 27, 2014 By Sandra Heska King

we love

Kenya calls me, tugs at my heart. And that year, 2012, Compassion was leading a sponsor tour over my birthday. I could meet Nduta, our sponsored girl. Perfect timing in my eyes.

In MY eyes.

But compassion isn’t confined to Kenya. It hollows hearts in the most unlikely places, at the most unlikely times–when your friend’s diagnosed with a life-altering illness, when the neighbor’s husband has a heart attack and dies on a business trip, when your child suffers from a bully’s words. Compassion calls us in the everyday in extraordinary ways if we have ears to hear. Sometimes compassion catches us off guard, wrecks our plans to wreck our hearts.

image

And that year it wrecked my plans and called me not to Kenya, but to Haiti. And not to a Compassion project but to a compassion project. To spend a week simmering in the sights and smells of poverty in an orphan village. At first I shrank back, overcome and afraid, forcing myself to touch and be touched. Because I wanted to be Jesus with skin on, to walk the way He walked on earth, to love the way He loved with no holds barred.

That trip carved my heart into pieces that I left with orphans hungry for  hope and the knowledge they mattered. And compassion called me back last year and calls me again this year–to Haiti.

image

I still long to visit Kenya with Compassion one day. Because Compassion seeps compassion as it seeks to free kids from the bonds of spiritual, emotional, and physical poverty. I want to see their work up close and personal. And I want to squeeze my girl tight.

In the meantime, I can encourage others to reach across the miles to build a relationship with a child in need–whether in Kenya or Brazil or India or Haiti or another of the 26 or so countries where Compassion serves. Because that relationship can foster release.

But the most important relationship of release, of course, is one with Jesus. And that’s why Compassion has thrown its support behind this movie that releases in theaters tomorrow, February 28.

Son of God large

Here’s what Jimmy Mellado, president of Compassion International has to say about it.

Mark Burnett and Roma Downey talk about Compassion International.

Official Son of God Trailer

 Find where the movie’s playing near you.

Go. And then consider building a relationship with a child. And if that child happens to be from Kenya–well, maybe we can take a trip together.


Help a Child

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: service, stories, stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Sheila Seiler Lagrand says

    February 27, 2014 at 11:46 pm

    I love your heart.

    That is all.

    • Sandra Heska King says

      February 28, 2014 at 9:45 am

      And I heart you.

  2. Martha Orlando says

    February 28, 2014 at 11:25 am

    Beautiful as always, Sandy . . . your compassion for others is catching. And, though we rarely go to first run movies, Son of God is one I will definitely see as soon as I can.
    Blessings for the weekend!

    • Sandra Heska King says

      February 28, 2014 at 1:43 pm

      Thanks for your kind words, Martha. I’m hoping my husband gets home in time to go tonight. Hugs.

  3. Joanne Norton says

    February 28, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    My Ugandan daughter worked for Compassion over there, and took care of many, many kids. She has had to quit after a number of years; too much stress. But Compassion clear back when she was about 8, kept her, one way or another until she was in her early/mid-20s, and then she worked for them. Now she’s doing similar things, but it’s through the orphanage where her husband works [our Ugandan son] and she’s heavily involved. I would LOVE to be in Uganda…and pop to Kenya…or go to Haiti… OR deal with our everyday portion of compassion. It’s done here, around and about many places. Dealing with reality… and I think you know some of what I’m heavily involved with. Sinfulness has increased around and about the World and it’s hard to not believe we are headed for serious situations.

    BTW, I would like to read more and more of yours and people I care about and appreciate on the blogging, but I run out of energy and spend most of my time trying to put my own stuff on. If I was a younger or a better understander, I could see your posts. But you are very special. God uses you in a special way.

    Sorry to write so long, so much, but hope you can put up with me. Bless you, dear friend.

    • Sandra Heska King says

      March 1, 2014 at 8:10 am

      You’ve dispensed a ginormous amount of compassion in your time, Joanne. And are still spilling it. Your heart bursts with it.

      I know how hard it is to get around and read all the good stuff. There are only so many hours in a day, but so many days I feel like I’m lesser for the the wisdom and encouragement and inspiration I’ve missed. I’m always glad to see you here when you can pop by, my friend. Love to you.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Meet Sandra

I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

Get updates from the stillness by email

Your personal information is safe and will never be shared.

Archives

Categories

Instagram Inspiration

sandraheskaking

A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana in the background until I downloaded the photos. That, I believe, is the one that got caught in one of the openings in the neighbor's chain link fence. We tried in several (safe) ways to dislodge it without luck and could think of no other option but to leave it. Somehow it apparently dislodged itself. We also believe this is the pair that was getting into another neighbor's garden. We haven't seen either one since the last cold snap, so we are wondering if they survived. 
🌱
Thinking some may have tumbled from their perches last night. Pretty sure it will be raining iguanas tonight since we are under a frost advisory. It's cold. And windy.
Just sing... sing a song... Singing our way into Just sing... sing a song... 

Singing our way into the weekend.
"We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramse "We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramsey in Rembrandt is in the Wind
Now you see me... now you don't. Now you see me... now you don't.
"I started looking and listening. I realized that "I started looking and listening. I realized that work, like life, is shot through with poetry. It was everywhere. I was so taken with what I discovered that I wrote a book about it." @gyoung9751 
🌱
Whether you work in an office, a retail store, a restaurant, or at home... Whether you work on roads or on power lines, or on high buildings...Whether you collect trash or preach sermons, or care for your kiddos. Whether you do art, or weave words, or take photos of a common gallinule AKA moorhen AKA swamp chicken--it's all shot through with poetry.
🌱
So pay attention. Find a poem.
🌱
Read more at https://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/2023/01/10/its-poetry-at-work-day-2023/
Rising… Rising…
Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe a beauty routine. And breakfast. Especially breakfast. I wonder if it consists of a few fire ants. I hope so. (Well, not mine. I'm having oatmeal with chia seeds. What are you having this morning?)
🌱
P.S. Happy Friday!
"Though your destination is not yet clear You can "Though your destination is not yet clear You can trust the promise of this opening; Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning That is at one with your life's desire." ~John O'Donohue 
🌿
A blessing for a new beginning in a new year. I'm sure he wrote it especially for me. At least I'm claiming it. Maybe it will speak to you, too.
🌿
Also, I'd really like this skirt --> 
🌿
Read the whole poem--> -->
🌿
Well, bummer... The whole page didn't print. Read it in the comments below.
"What precocity, a bird half the size Of an Anjou "What precocity, a bird half the size
Of an Anjou pear." ~ Stephen Kuusisto in "The Mockingbird on Central" (Find it in The Poets Guide to the Birds edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser)
🌱
"The morning pages are the primary tool of creative recovery." ~ Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way. 
🌱
I've been in a long creative drought, so I started morning pages--again. This time I've got a bit of an accountability group through @refineretreat's Refinery--which I finally also joined this year. I'll turn 74 this month. I'm not ready to grow old while I age--though everything does seem to take longer while time goes by faster.
🌱
#aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still kinda amazed that out of all the places we could have ended up after moving from a place I said I’d never move from), here we are—planted right next to the northern Everglades. Six-plus years, and I still shake my head in wonder.
"So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This "So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This World." #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsa Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Gazing into 2023 like… Let’s take it step by Gazing into 2023 like… 
Let’s take it step by step with hope and courage. Also I hope to be posting again more often.
🎉
Happy New Year!
The morning before the last morning of 2022. 🌴 The morning before the last morning of 2022. 
🌴
71 degrees. Heading to 83. I can live with that.
From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point in Georgia at 4784 feet.
Winding roads… Winding roads…
Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay. Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay.
Don’t mind me. Just storking by. Don’t mind me. Just storking by.
I’ve gotten several messages asking if things we I’ve gotten several messages asking if things were okay. Yes. I’ve recovered after 3 weeks in Covid jail. Also, I’ve been a bit scarce on social cuz we’ve been finishing up house renovations, and there is SO much that now needs to be cleaned and stuff put away. Also, we’ve had the second oldest grand with us for two weeks. I “should have” at least shared some stories about our adventures, but we’ve relished the time and kept busy. One can’t leave South Florida without a gator encounter, though, right? Tomorrow the two of us fly back to Michigan, and then I will spend a week with my sister where I expect I will be put to work in the chicken house and the gardens and become a glad(iola) roadside proprietor for a day at the Four Star in while she and my BIL attend a family reunion. I’ll also get to see my dad in the nursing home and spend a couple nights with my daughter. D will hold down the fort here. Then maybe by the first of next month, I’ll be able to finish putting things in order, breathe, find some writing space and get back to normal. Whatever that is.
I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm started. I finally got up about 5ish and sat outside to watch. Until a couple mosquitoes found me. Also, the jasmine hadn’t gone to bed yet and smelled heavenly.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Get the Mug

Embrace the life you have t s poetry mug

Privacy Policy

Full privacy policy is available HERE.

I Read Light

TSP-Red button

bibledude-net



Sponsor a Child

Join the Compassion Blogger Network

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Sandra Heska King · Site by The Willingham Enterprise, LLC on the Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Log in