Resolutions 2007

It's one of those times again--to review past year's resolutions and make new ones. For someone who's only started making new year's resolutions, I'm pretty glad that I've achieved about half of 2006's resolutions. I'm now the proud sponsor of not 1, not 2, but 3 children in Tanzania and Colombia with the support and encouragement of closed ones. However I missed the opportunity to fulfill resolution 2, which is to visit prison inmates, due to two major relocations in 2006. And as far as advocating for truth goes, I still need a lot more work as well as courage to achieve.

A recap of some personal highlights in 2006:


Sponsored Hamisi from Tanzania in January.











Visited Hong Kong and Shenzhen in February.















Sponsored Daniel and Maycol from Colombia in February.










Left a two-year career in pharmaceuticals in March.


Moved to Australia in April.


Relocated to Melbourne in August.















Found a perfect nest in the city fringe in August.


Found a new job in October.


A long-standing dream was shattered in October.


Got a new speaker for my birthday in November.


Fell in love with Mini Cooper in November.














Found and read David Mamet's True and False in December.


Had Christmas Eve dinner with Aaron & Grace at our own house.















Got a webcam and a wireless keyboard as my Christmas presents.


Watched New Year's Eve fireworks by the Yarra with my mates.

















All in all, a good year. Now on to 2007's resolutions:

1. Continue to support Hamisi, Daniel, and Maycol throughout 2007.
2. Start a novel.
3. Go to an undetermined destination for a week.
   

Introducing Daniel and Maycol

Daniel and Maycol came into my life when I decided to support two other children with Compassion after Hamisi.

Both Daniel and Maycol are from Colombia, a country where drug trafficking is a serious problem. Common health problems in Daniel and Maycol's areas include respiratory disorders, bronchitis, and malnutrition.

Daniel lives with his father and mother. His father is employed and his mother maintains the home. There are two children in the family and Daniel is responsible for cleaning around the house. Playing with toy cars, playing ball games and reading are Daniel's favourite activites. Daniel's performance in school is average and he also regularly attends church activities.

Maycol makes his home with his father and mother. Making beds, running errands and cleaning are his household duties. His father is employed and his mother is sometimes employed. There are two children in the family. As part of Compassion's ministry, Maycol participates in Bible class. He is also in kindergarten where his performance is above average. Soccer, playing with cars and bicycling are Maycol's favourite activites.


Boring plaster

I received a letter from Maycol this week and among other things he told me he fell down on the street in June and had a heavy cast on his left arm which was boring! Months usually pass before the letters get translated, forwarded, and delivered. I wish it hadn't been so long before I got the news, and it'd be another 3 months or so before my words could reach back to Maycol. But being able to exchange letters with him and the other boys several times a year does foster a closer bond between us. I have yet to hear about other child sponsorship programs that makes it as special as Compassion does.