Christmas Letters 2018

I wanted to share what I'll be sending to my Manna 4 Lempira sponsored children with their Christmas letters; which are due November 5.  Since my backpacks already contain longer letters, I decided to keep these short.  The cards will contain just this short greeting: "Merry Christmas, (name)!  Christmas is the day to celebrate when Jesus came to Earth on His rescue mission to save us from sin and make us into children of God- for anyone who turns to Him.  He loves you so much.  I am praying for you always and hope to see you soon."  My newest sponsored girl, Ashley, will be getting a longer letter since it will be her first one.

Ashley's Christmas mailing

Since we often have letter deadlines that are before the holiday supplies come out in stores, I usually stock up the year before.  This year, I did already find some things in time to add to last year's stash.  I'll be sending nativity cards that can stand up as decorations, stand-up paper trees, Christmas sticker books, and Christmas-themed cartoon activity sheets.  I'm also sending them each a picture of my trip to the beach this summer.  I just need to put everything into some pretty festive envelopes and they'll be ready to go!

Summer Vacations/Fall Festivities/Thanksgiving

In my September letters, I am sharing highlights of my summer, upcoming fall festivities, and what I'm learning about God.  Basically, a life update.  Feel free to use any or all of these themes for sharing new parts of your life with your sponsored children.  They love to learn about you!  For Manna 4 Lempira sponsors, September letters will be delivered in the fall and November letters will be delivered around Christmas.

Hello again, sweet girl!  How are you?  I am very well.   I always think about the time that we spent together and pray that I can return to visit again soon!  Until then, God is always with you.  He left His Holy Spirit with us on the Earth to be a comfort to His children all the time.  He is a good Father who loves you so much.

What is new in your life since I saw you in June?  In my life, many things are new.  I am helping the ministry to pack backpacks for children.  We will be sending them to Honduras in December or January.  I packed backpacks for you and (names of my other sponsored children in their community) and chose special things for each of you.  I am also helping the group to pack some for children who don’t have sponsors.  This project is a huge blessing to me, because every time I look around my house and see all of the backpacks sitting there, which God has provided for His children, it’s like having the presence of God all around me.  I pray that you feel His presence when you receive your backpack.

Another new thing in my life is that next week, I plan to travel to the beach for a vacation with my family.  The ocean is one of my favorite places in the world.  I love swimming in the water and exploring the little shops along the boardwalk. I love sitting on the boardwalk outside of the hotel in the mornings, because it has 3 of my favorite things- flowers, coffee, and a view of the ocean.  I love to remember that God created the whole Earth just for His children to live on and enjoy.  I love to explore new parts of the world, like the ocean, and see some of those beautiful things that God made for me.  Where is a beautiful place that you like to visit?  

Recently, I became a teacher at my church for children ages 10-14.  I am very excited to teach them about God’s love for them.  

As I am sending this letter in September, it is almost the season of autumn in my country.  In autumn, the weather becomes cold and the leaves on the trees turn beautiful colors like orange and red.  In autumn, we harvest crops like pumpkin.  We make many foods that are flavored with pumpkin like pumpkin cake, pumpkin soup, and even pumpkin coffee!  We drink a lot of coffee during autumn and winter, because it keeps us warm.  Where I live, pumpkins are a symbol of God’s bountiful blessings, because He blesses us with an abundance of crops during this season.  In November, we have a holiday called Thanksgiving.  On this holiday, we have a special dinner with our families, including pumpkin pie, and thank God for all of our blessings.  In the bible, Psalm 118:1 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His loving kindness is everlasting.”

With this letter, I am sending you some pictures from the last time that I went to the beach and some stickers of pumpkins.  I hope you like them!  I love you very much and I will write to you again very soon.

Bible Marking Kits

These are the contents of the bible marking kits that I made for my Manna 4 Lempira sponsored children for their backpacks this year.  Each one contains 7 colored pens and an instruction page.  I have a friend who is a missionary in Mexico and is using this method for her entire children's ministry.  The idea is based off of the book The Old Testament Template: Rediscovering God's Principles for Discipling Nations.  The book talks about something that I have seen a lot in Honduras- people believing the Word, but not being transformed by it.  It color codes 7 of the ways in the Old Testament where God showed us how He can transform our lives.  The idea is to encourage the children to mark in their bibles where they see the different areas of God's transformation.  

“Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” –James 2:5

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your selves.” –James 1:22

God desires for His Word to transform us.  This transformation is available to anyone who chooses to become His child.  In the bible, God didn’t just change people’s beliefs; He changed their whole lives.  Here are some areas that the bible says God can transform our lives.  I labeled each one in a different color, and gave you pens in these colors.  In your bible, when you see an area that God can transform your life, mark it with the correct color.

Family: God says we can raise Godly families, even if we weren’t born into one.  He teaches us how to be Godly daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers- even if we didn’t have them ourselves.  Being a child of God means being a beloved member of His family.

Finances: When you have a personal relationship with God, you have a personal relationship with the Provider.  No matter what financial background you come from, being a child of God means having access to His opportunities.  Proverbs 22:2 says the rich and the poor have a common bond, because God made all of us.  It means we can have opportunity to do things like attend school and have a good job, because God is the one directing our paths.  Sometimes, God will do this by directly handing you something or teaching you to work for something.  Other times, He will use other people are resources, like sponsorship, to provide what you need.  He is a good Father who provides for His children.

Education: Similar to finances, when we have God as our Provider, He will give us the opportunity to be educated.  The bible says we have the mind of Christ, which means we have access to incredible wisdom.  And like we already talked about, He will provide financially for things such as schooling.  He will also provide us with churches to teach us about Him.

Science & Technology: When we have the wisdom of God, it can give us opportunity to learn, create, and discover things.  Our prayers can also impact science.  For example, when we are sick, prayer can bring God’s healing to our bodies. 

Government: When we hear the word government, we usually think of the politics in our countries and our presidents and leaders.  This is one example of government.  We can see God’s transformation in our government by praying for our leaders and obeying the laws.  However, the word “government” can also mean governing yourself, or having self-control.  The bible says that when God fills us with His Holy Spirit, He gives us the ability to control ourselves, so we never have to sin if we don’t choose to.  That is self-control, or self-government.

Communication: When you are a child of God, He is always with you, so you always have someone to talk to.  You can be open and honest with Him about anything.  He wants you to tell Him exactly how you feel, even when your feelings aren’t good.  Also, when we obey God by fellowshipping with other Christians (in church and small groups), He has the opportunity to use us in each other’s lives, to encourage each other.  In the book of Genesis in the bible, God says it is not good for people to be alone.  Because of this, He always provides people in our lives to listen to us, so we will always be heard and loved.  He also teaches us the proper ways to communicate with those people.

Recreation: The bible says that God likes to give us time to rest.  It also says that He speaks to each of us differently.  It is amazing to see how He uses each of us and gives us unique desires. 

Manna 4 Lempira Backpacks 2018

Sponsoring a child with Manna 4 Lempira means not only sending letters and financial support to be a tangible reminder of the love of God in a child's life, but also getting the chance to send a backpack filled with school supplies and gifts every year to encourage their God-given potential through education and the simple joys of childhood.  I love watching my sponsored children learn of the possibilities that they have as children of the King.

I intended to make a full backpack packing guide showing every single item for each of my 11 backpacks like last year.  I really did.  The lighting in my house wasn't cooperating, I kept changing my mind about which items went to who; and honestly, my heart was just more excited about choosing and praying over the gifts than I was about photographing them this time around.  More than anything, I want to glorify God.  So, I followed this prompting.  I did still want to share my excitement and share ideas with others who are packing; so I took a few pictures of my favorite items grouped together and wrote out the best tips that I've learned over the past year.  Feel free to contact me if you would like to know where to purchase anything in this post.

For starters, each of my backpacks contain the required items: 8 one-subject notebooks (I did 2 composition and 6 spiral; but any combination is allowed), 20 pencils, 10 pens (only required for older children), 2 packs of crayons or colored pencils, 1 sharpener, 1 ruler, 1 pair of scissors, 2 glue sticks, extra erasers, 2 tooth brushes, tooth paste, soap, a wash cloth, a hair brush or comb, and deodorant (only required for older children.)  I also chose to include knee socks and under shirts for their school uniforms, photos from our last visit, and a bible marking kit in each backpack.  You can view the contents of the bible marking kits here.

Aside from the items that go in every bag, my goal was to be sure each child got at least one toy, one craft, and one book or learn-to-read activity.  Most of them ended up with more than this.

Out of all of the gifts in my backpacks this year, I was most excited about the bibles.  Two of my 12 year old girls, Wendy and Estefani, recently expressed desires to have their own bibles.  Estefani has been borrowing one from a friend and loves to read it with her family.  Wendy shares a bible with her sister and often uses it to preach in the children's services at church.  I am sending them each a pretty pink leather bound bible, as well as a bible for Estefani's brother, Marcio.  Manna 4 Lempira does provide each child with a paperback bible.  However, Wendy joined the program after the most recent distribution.  Estefani and Marcio are not part of the program.  I previously sponsored Estefani through another organization that shut down; and we now keep in touch independently.  The Manna 4 Lempira team lives close enough to deliver things to her.

Aside from the bibles, the books I chose were primarily engineering themed.  I love to get the kids excited about different career opportunities for the future and show them all the things they can do.  For this reason, most of my older girls are getting the new American Girl book about a little girl who dreams of being an astronaut.  My boys, Marcio and Marcos, are getting books about the history of engineering and technology.  I'm also sending some career and futuristic themed gifts- including an engineering Lego set, a plane building kit, plastic glow stars to hang in their bedrooms, and lip balm shaped like robots.

The other books I'm sending are A Young Woman After God's Own Heart for some of my teen girls (which has journaling questions at the end of each chapter), A Young Woman's Guide to Discovering Her Bible for my girls who are getting new bibles, The Jesus Storybook Bible for 8 year old Amy, and What Happens When I Talk to God? for 10 year old Ashley.  Amy is also getting some bilingual puzzles and a word search of her favorite cartoon character.  During our recent visit, Amy asked me to teach her English words.  The word search is in English- and I wrote the Spanish words below.  The few children who cannot read are getting Spanish flash cards.  I also highly recommend this Spanish picture dictionary that teaches how each letter sounds by showing words that start with that letter.  I sent these last year.  The few other books shown here (Kira-Kira and Peter Pan) didn't make it in due to space and will be saved for next year.

For toys, my newest girls, Wendy and Ashley, will be receiving their very first dolls.  I found this Hearts 4 Hearts doll on clearance at Target for Wendy, and it is the perfect size for a backpack.  Ashley's doll isn't shown here because I sponsored her after taking the picture, but it is the same size.  Amy, who has already received a bigger doll, is getting a plush mermaid doll that matches her backpack.  All of my other children, ranging from ages 8-16, have already gotten dolls and stuffed animals in previous years.  This year, they will be getting outdoor toys such as jump ropes, jacks, soccer balls, and footballs.  For crafts, I chose coloring books for most of the kids.  You can find regular coloring books at most dollar stores.  I also found some more challenging Lisa Frank coloring books for my older girls, and fashion design books for a few.  This one even matches Ashley's doll.  I added some scented markers and gel pens for my Carmen, who loves to decorate her letters.  The kids who are getting smaller toys are getting bigger craft kits- beads, nail design sets, and Fashion Plates.  My hope is that these gifts will both keep them entertained long term and teach them new skills.

Some necessities I packed as needed include water bottles, cups, utensils, solar lanterns, clothing, and shoes.   The water bottle and lantern were important for me to pack for my Carmen after seeing the crazy long hike to her house, which seems like it would be near impossible in the dark.  Cups and utensils were also something she listed as a need in her household.  Plastic shoes like Crocs or jelly shoes are helpful for wet weather and crossing streams.  And clothing just seems like a constant need.  My 14 year old told me that her favorite gift in last year's backpack was a dress.  The tennis shoes shown here didn't end up making it into the bag due to space, so they were donated to be used for a child who doesn't have a sponsor.  I have had a few children tell me they need tennis shoes to be able to play with their soccer balls.

My favorite part by far was praying over each item and how it would impact each specific child as I packed.  I still plan to add some charm bracelets and hair accessories that I pick up at the beach this summer; but everything else is complete.  Comment below and share what you are packing!

Take the Lead Devotion

A few years back, I attended a women's event held by my pastor's wife.  The event was called Take The Lead.  It was all about letting God take the lead of your life, as well as being a leader in spiritual maturity and stability.  I truthfully credit a large portion of my spiritual growth to the things I learned that night.  The event was themed with arrows; and we were each given an arrow bracelet to take home.  The church kindly gave me the extra bracelets from the event to take to women in Honduras on my trip that year.  I translated my notes from the event into Spanish and gave it to the mothers and Sunday school teachers of the children I worked with, along with the bracelets and some chocolate.  I loved getting to encourage the women who take care of my sponsored children every day, that they have the ability to be strong leaders in their families and be transformed beyond their surroundings- because they have the same God who I have.  One day when we took the children swimming, a group of women called to me from the pool and pointed to their wrists.  They were excitedly wearing their arrow bracelets.  Below is the Take the Lead notes I often send to my sponsored children's mothers, and to my sponsored girls who are 15 and older.  If you would like a Spanish copy, please contact me for the word document.

From the event in 2015

Praying with women in  Honduras as they received their bracelets

Take The Lead

When you receive Jesus and become a woman of God, He is the stability that will lead you to everything else you will ever need- your physical needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, and your ministry to others.  Now that you are a child of God, He will take care of everything else and take the lead in your life.  Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  Once you are a child of God, many attacks from the enemy may come to cloud your vision.  This devotion includes steps to recognize when the enemy is coming to cloud your vision, and how to let God take the lead in your life and lead you to spiritual maturity in these areas.  With the devotion, you are receiving a bracelet with an arrow on it.  This arrow is to remind you to rise up and let God take the lead in all areas of your life.

Things that may cloud your vision:

-Being too busy comparing.  When you compare yourself, your looks, your beliefs, your personality, or your boundaries to what you see around you, even within the church, you can forget to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”, as it says in Romans 12:2.  It is very daunting to live with chains attached to what you see around you, rather than breaking free and letting the Holy Spirit inside of you transform you in all ways.

-Having negative or ungodly voices in your life, telling you things that are not the truth.  There also may be an overload of too many voices, whether good or bad, or an imbalance in the voices you listen to (listening to and putting too much stock into only one main person’s opinions, maybe a boyfriend or other very influential person in your life).  This can cloud your heart from putting the voice of Jesus above all else and believing Him no matter what.

-Having an unhealthy attachment to entertainment, media, or distracting things.  Things like phones, computers, and fun outgoings are all good things, but can be distracting or just exhausting if they are the main part of your life.  This can lead to ungodly thinking, or even just distraction.

-Losing hope.  Feeling disappointment, depression, or fear.  These things can put a fog in front of you to the point where you don’t feel like you can see the truth any more.  Disappointment can also cause you to question what you know to be true. 

-Forgetting Who you truly belong to.  When all of the above things are clouding your vision, you may get so caught up in them that you lose sight of the fact that you are a child of the King, an overcomer, who has already been given victory over the things listed above.

How to Let Jesus Truly Take the Lead in Your Life:

-Understand His true nature.  If you read His Word and learn Who He is and is not, what He does and does not do, and what He does and does not say, and then dwell on those things daily, it will be easier to recognize when something is coming to cloud your vision.

-Acknowledge Him.  If you automatically turn to Him and recognize His goodness in every situation, you will remember that there is an answer and resolution, even if you don’t know what it is.

-Trust His leading.  Automatically choosing to say YES to what He asks of you without hesitating or trying to find a way out with always lead to the quickest and best outcome.  You may be tempted to think, “What if this happens?  What if that happens?”…but, what if you trust Him?  What He has for you is, as the bible says in Ephesians 3:20, “immeasurably more than all that we can ask or think.” 

-Don’t give in to defeat.  It is perfectly okay to grieve, but do not get stuck living in feelings of failure.  You are an overcomer!  God has redeemed you and given you the capability to be mature and press on!  You can be transformed and be a leader!  For greater is He in you than He who is in the world and in your defeat.  You don’t have to understand the thing that hurt you to understand the greater One inside of you.

Your heart was made to belong to Him.

Operation Christmas Child 2017

Every Christmas, I love the opportunity to follow Jesus' command to go into all the world in an additional way than my normal ministry in Honduras and Guatemala.  Without wandering far from home, people across the United States have the opportunity to participate in Operation Christmas Child.  Shoe box gifts are collected each November and sent all around the world, to share the love of Christ with children in impoverished countries.  National Collection Week is November 13-20!  Click here to find your nearest drop off location.

You start by choosing an age and gender, and filling a decorated shoe box with both fun and useful items for a child.  You bring the gift to the drop off location in your area; and from there, they are sent all over the world.  The boxes are given to children at Christmas events where the gospel is presented in the form of a message called "The Greatest Gift".  After the gift distribution, the recipients are invited to partake in a 12-week discipleship course through a local church in their area.  Items that are not allowed in the boxes include liquids/lotions, toothpaste, candy/food, seeds, medication/vitamins, and war-related items such as fake weapons and camouflage shirts.

The ministry strongly encourages you to make a $9 donation to cover the cost of shipping your gift overseas.  If you choose to donate online, you can print a tracking label to find out where in the world your box is sent.

Here are the items I included in my shoe box this year.  I packed for a girl age 5-9.  I like to include things that would be useful, appropriate, and understood anywhere in the world; but also things that children in impoverished places are not likely to already have easy access to.  In this box, I included a hat, gloves, socks, a tiara headband, a journal, a doll, a toothbrush in a plastic holder, soap, a wash cloth, crayons, a multi-color stamp pen, pencils (I added more pencils after taking this photo), a cross necklace, a plastic phone cord bracelet, 2 sets of play jewelry, a Christmas card, a coloring book, princess stickers, 2 pencil sharpeners, a plastic glow-in-the-dark star, and a deflated beach ball.  Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Some packing tips:

• A doll or stuffed toy is my top must-have item in every box.  This year, I chose this Aurora World Doll, because it was soft and cuddly, but also had normal doll hair rather than yarn.  I chose to avoid stuffed animals, as many countries have cultural meanings behind certain animals.  Please note that stuffed animals are allowed and even encouraged by the ministry; and God will get your box to the right child who will enjoy it.  I just felt the need to make my box universal to wherever it may go this year.  If you choose to pack with this in mind, there are many options for stuffed toys that don't mimic actual animals- snow men, minions, monsters (think Elmo), Shopkins plush toys, etc.

• After a doll or stuffed toy, the next item that I always include is a cross necklace or bracelet.  If the child accepts Jesus at the gift distribution, I want them to have a special memento of their new life as a child of God.  I got this necklace from christianbook.com, where they also have many options for boys.  If you are packing many boxes, Oriental Trading sells crosses and other fun items in bulk.

• With the same idea of making the box universal to anywhere, I typically avoid weather-specific clothing and accessories.  However, this year I felt led to include the knit hat and gloves.  I'm sure God knows why.  If nothing else, they're super pretty!  

• I always include white socks.  This is partially to protect their feet and keep them warm, and partially because white socks are part of school uniforms in many parts of the world.

• I like to pack princess-y hair accessories for the girls and hats for the boys.  I tend to choose headbands over hair ties or clips, in case it goes to a country where girls don't have long hair.

• Basic school supplies are a must!  Journals and/or notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, and crayons or colored pencils go in my boxes every year.  I prefer colored pencils over crayons, because they are less likely to break or melt.  This year, though, I went with the princess crayons to match the color scheme of the box.  In many countries, having these basic supplies is the determining factor as to whether or not a child will get an education.

• My basic hygiene items for my boxes each year include a toothbrush, wash cloth, and soap.  Not only are these essential items for anyone, but the soap makes the box smell nice.  I put the soap in a baggie with the wash cloth, in case it were to melt.  I also think grouping the soap together with the wash cloth makes it more likely that the child will know what it is if they don't normally have access to it.

• Because this is a Christmas gift, I like to include at least one Christmas-related item.  This year, that was the nativity Christmas card, which can stand up and double as a decoration.  

• Besides the doll or stuffed toy, I like to include at least one craft and one active toy that can be shared with friends.  This year, that was the coloring book and the beach ball.

Other fun ideas that didn't make it into my box this year:

• Legos, blocks, and building sets
• Bead kits
• Toy cars
• Water bottles
• Soccer balls (deflated, with a pump and needle)
• Solar lights
• Emergency mylar blankets
• Puzzles
• Clothing and shoes
• Action figures and play sets (avoid anything with weapons)
• Tote bags, purses, and backpacks
• Jump ropes
• Tools
• Picture books

Last, you can include a personal note and a photo of yourself.  If you choose to include your mailing address, the child and their family have the option to write back to you.  I do this every year and have had one child write back so far!

I ended up packing 2 more boxes at the last minute after making this post, but unfortunately only got decent pictures of this one.  Comment below with what you are including in your shoe box gift this year!  

Manna 4 Lempira Backpacks 2017

Sponsoring a child with Manna 4 Lempira means not only sending letters and financial support, but also getting to send a backpack filled with school supplies and Christmas gifts once every year (the Honduran school year starts shortly after Christmas.)  Today, I am going to be sharing what I packed for my own sponsored children, in hopes of giving ideas to others who are still packing.  You can click on any of the photos to enlarge them.  Remember, backpacks are due to Manna 4 Lempira by September 22!

This year, I packed backpacks for my seven Manna 4 Lempira children, as well as my Estefani, who is not sponsored through an organization.  I'm only going to share the contents of the Manna bags in this post, because the other doesn't follow the same packing guidelines.

The required items for each backpack are: 8 notebooks, 20 pencils, 1 sharpener, 10 pens (for children 10 and older), 24 crayons or colored pencils, 1 pair of scissors, 1 ruler, and extra erasers.  Your monthly sponsorship fees actually cover these items and the backpack itself, so you only have to pack them if you want to choose specific items and/or free up funds that can be used for an unsponsored child.  If you choose to let the ministry provide the backpack and school supplies, you can still send gifts!  Just put the gifts in a large ziplock bag, labeled with your child's name and ID number, and send it to Manna 4 Lempira.  They will add it to a backpack for you.

Each backpack needs to be labeled with your child's name, ID number, and photo.  I used the app Pic Collage to make these bag tags for my kids.  I printed them on photo paper and used regular curling ribbon to tie them to the zippers of the bags.  I also placed an address label with their name and ID number on the straps and taped around it, just in case the tags rip off.  Each bag also has a letter inside with their ID number on it.

While in Honduras this summer, I carried around a journal and jotted down any needs that I noticed.  This included physical needs, emotional needs, and spiritual needs- as well as wants and interests.  I came home and prayed over these lists, and shopped based on them.  Let's start with Marcos.

Marcos is my only boy.  Wow, I never thought I could have so much love and excitement in my heart choosing things for a boy.  God definitely knew what He was doing with this one.

The biggest need I wanted to fill for Marcos was clothing .  Here's what I packed.....

For school supplies, each child needs 8 notebooks.  I did a mixture of nicer decorated notebooks and plain notebooks in coordinating colors.  I also sent stickers to each child to decorate the plain ones.  Marcos likes sports, so I sent him 2 Pittsburgh Steelers notebooks (my local sports team) and 6 plain black notebooks with car stickers to decorate. He also got all of the required supplies, plus some decorative pins that he can use to decorate the outside of his backpack.

I usually buy the plain and less expensive school supplies in bulk, and then find a few decorative things like pencil cases to make them more fun.  My children each got two of these 8-packs of pencils, 4 loose pencils (because 20 are required), sharpeners, colorful pencil topper erasers, and a few fun shaped erasers.  Marcos' erasers included sports balls and stars.

I also included basic hygiene supplies for each child.  These included tooth brushes, tooth paste, soap, and wash cloths.  In addition to the school and hygiene items, Marcos is getting a Pittsburgh Steelers shirt, a red shirt for Christmas, another t shirt, a soccer ball (with a pump and needle), and a fidget spinner because I wanted to introduce him to a toy that children here in the states enjoy.  I did a storybook theme in my kids' letters this year, so they are each getting at least 1 book in their backpack.  Marcos is getting The Squire & The Scroll and The Life of Jim Elliot (for kids).  And last, he is getting a picture of he and I from our most recent visit.  

Next is Carmen.  Carmen is my heart.  She is the most loving, joyful, affectionate child I have ever met.  She writes the most amazing letters and just wants to love everyone.  

The need I wrote down for Carmen was purity-related books and gifts- not because of anything with her specifically, but because of needs in her community as a whole.  The other things that I noticed she always enjoys are jewelry and fancy dresses.

Her school supplies were the same idea, except with a little more glitter and floral print.  Flowers have a special meaning for she and I.  I also included colorful gel pens, because the last time I gave her some, she wrote about how much she loved them for months afterwards.

In addition to school supplies, she is getting all of the same basic hygiene supplies as Marcos, with the addition of scented lotion (same for all of my older girls).  For additional items, I tried to make her gifts centered around The Beauty & the Beast/Belle/roses.  The Beauty & the Beast is one of the stories I shared in her letters this year, and she already loves flowers.  She is getting a floral dress, floral t shirt, another shirt that I forgot to photograph, Belle doll, floral earrings, pictures of she and I from our most recent visit, an American Girl book (my favorites as a child), and the book A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.  After taking this picture, I received a letter from Carmen asking if I could send her rain boots for when she walks to church- so I included those too.

Next are Kenia, Irma, and Yessenia.  They are family & live together in the neediest community I've ever seen.  Most people in this community are not taught to read or write and haven't heard the gospel prior to joining the program.  Despite the situations that surround them, my girls have hope for their futures.

My list of needs for this community was much longer than the others.  The list included reading materials, vocational training, clothes and shoes, hygiene supplies, things to stay busy, and things to encourage spiritual growth.

I'll start with Irma.  Irma is the child who lit up at the thought of being an artist or fashion designer.  She is the child who loves purple flowers as much as I do and who is full of love that is just waiting to be shared.  

In addition to her basic school and hygiene supplies, Irma is getting an additional sketch pad and Disney princess fashion design coloring book.  She is getting a Spanish picture dictionary that shows you things that start with each letter so you can teach yourself how the letters sound, and blank note cards for memorization.

Irma is also getting a red floral dress, an "artist" shirt, shoes, socks for school, a Disney princess puzzle, a stuffed panda, a picture of she and I, and the book Miss Rumphius (it's about flowers and has lots of pictures until she learns to read.)

Her older sister, Kenia, is getting almost identical school and hygiene supplies.  In addition, she will receive a pretty pink blouse with a glittery burgundy skirt, a pink butterfly shirt, a shirt that says "I am intelligent and beautiful" in Spanish, jelly shoes, socks for school, a For Such a Time as This picture storybook about women of the bible, a stuffed cat, embroidery floss to learn jewelry making, a bracelet set, and a photo of she and I.  The nail charm set shown here didn't end up fitting in her bag, so it was given to a friend for their sponsored child.

The youngest girl, Yessenia, is getting similar learning and hygiene supplies.  Her other items include a dress with a bow design for Christmas, a pink shirt with roses on it, jelly shoes, an Elena of Avalor doll, an Elena coloring storybook, an Elena puzzle, an Elena jewelry set, and a picture of she and I from our most recent visit.

Next is Angie.  Angie lives in a different area of Honduras and is a sweet, happy child.

  

Angie comes from a precious family who cares for her.  I didn't notice any specific needs in her life, but noticed that she loves watches and jewelry.  Over the course of our 3 days together, the only question she asked me was, "Why don't you wear watches?".  Angie also loves animals, especially rabbits, and painting.

In addition to the school and hygiene items, Angie is getting a bow dress for Christmas, a Frozen dress (I shared the story with her in a letter), a stuffed rabbit, The Chronicles of Narnia book, the same American Girl book as Carmen, a photo of she and I, a painting set, and a cosmetic bag of fun 

 girly items.  The cosmetic bag includes scented lotion, Frozen lip balm, a Frozen watch, plastic cord bracelets, 2 sets of earrings, and glitter headbands

Last, we have Amy.  Amy is my newest child who I didn't sponsor until after the trip this summer, so I didn't know much about what she liked or needed.  Her profile says that she likes dolls and art.  I sponsored Amy in honor of my sister, Amy, who passed away.  My sister's middle name was Starr, so I knew I wanted to give her as many star-themed gifts as possible.

In addition to all of the basic items, I wanted to give Amy some extra art supplies.  I included a drawing pad, 2 coloring books, colored pencils, crayons, and princess markers that can double as little dolls.

For additional items, I went with the gifts that I try to make sure all of my girls have- a bible, a doll, a cross necklace, and a tiara/headband.  I also included some play jewelry with stars on it, and a little Shopkins play set to introduce her to a popular toy from my country.  She is also getting 3 pieces of clothing with stars on them, including a skirt that matches her doll.

That's basically everything for this year's backpacks.  I hope this gave you some insight as you pack for your kids!  I can't wait to see what everyone else is packing!