People often think the “C” of CRF is for “children.” I can understand the confusion. Although the “C” stands for “Christian,” we are also all about children. CRF supports children. But did you know that we are also supported by children? Nothing thrills me more than seeing the tender heart of a young one who partners with CRF to help other children who truly need a break. Let me tell you about three of them, and you can see that no matter what your age—you can bring compassion to needy children.

BELLA WHITE

It’s not often that I get a call from a twelve-year old wanting to give a lot of money. But that’s what Bella White told me that she wanted to do. Bella is the daughter of my good friend, Brett White, and his wife, Alicia, from Anchorage, Alaska. To say the least, they are proud of her.

When Bella White was ten years old, she read the CRF newsletter. She was struck with the news that so many people in the world don’t have clean water. And Bella wanted to do something about it. She decided that she was going to raise $5000 to drill a well with Christian Relief Fund. 

Bella is twelve years old now—and she did it. 

How did she raise $5000? She started by including her community. She asked everyone that she knew if they could help. When she went to her class, “Classical Conversations,” she sold cookies at lunchtime. She mailed letters to ask her friends and family to help. And she didn’t give up. It took nearly two years, but now there is a water well drilled in Kalwal, Kenya providing water for thousands of people because Bella persevered. The people of Kalwal say, “Asante, Bella!” That’s “Thanks, Bella!”

HEMI NASH

When I’m preaching, I often wonder if the children are listening. Well, Hemi Nash sure was when I preached at Redeemer Christian Church in Amarillo on Orphan Sunday.

After the sermon, he asked his parents, Daniel and Katie Nash, if he could give all his money to “the kids” as he sweetly referred to the children needing sponsors at CRF.

Hemi just couldn’t stop talking about “the kids.” And he wanted to sponsor one of them. And he did.

How did Hemi sponsor a child? He started by selling popcorn bowls. But that wasn’t enough. Next came the pumpkin roll idea. And Christmas was the perfect time to sell them. In fact, Hemi baked and sold so many pumpkin rolls that he was able to fund sponsoring a child for a full year. Hemi is now the sponsor of eight year old Jack Juma Opeyo who lives at CRF’s Wema House in Bondo, Kenya. I know what Jack would say —“Asante, Hemi!”

ELLEIGH CAMPBELL

Elleigh Campbell knows the value of a cow to a family. She shows steers in Plainview, Texas. Along with her parents, Craig and Meredith Campbell, Elleigh sponsors Martha Nakhabi, a child in Lwanda, Uganda. Martha’s father abandoned her mother and seven children leaving them to fend for themselves with very little food. Can you imagine what the value of a cow would be for a family like Martha’s? Cows are expensive. But that didn’t stop Elleigh.

First of all, you have to know that Elleigh is very creative. And it was Christmastime. And for Elleigh that meant that it was the perfect occasion to make and sell “Elf on the Shelf” activity kits. And she did. Elleigh sold enough “Elf on the Shelf” kits to buy a cow! Martha and her family’s lives have changed totally because of the gift of this cow. And I know what they would say—“Asante, Elleigh!”

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