When I was younger, I only wanted one thing. To be a wife and a mother. I wanted children, four to be exact. It was difficult to pick a major in college because strangely enough, they didn’t offer a family and marriage major. They must have been behind the times, or maybe I was.

So here I am, no husband or children in sight. Every year as my birthday rolls around, I feel a little part of that dream die.

Last night, I went to a Christmas concert. It was fabulous. I love the music of Downhere and Jason Gray, so my expectations were high. But I wasn’t prepared for how their words would hit home in a new way.

Jason started in on the World Vision speech about sponsoring children, and I listened politely without really hearing him. You see, I already sponsor 2 little boys - Sasi from Kenya through Compassion International and Valentin from Romania through Holt International.  

I’ve done my part. I help support these two boys. Did I really need to add another? Then a little voice in my head asked, “But don’t you want 4 children?” Well, I do. But that isn’t what I had in mind.

As I argued away in my head, Jason pulled out the verse that just shattered me.

Whatever you did for the least of these…you did for me.    

Matthew 25:40 

It brought to mind an internal struggle a few weeks ago about whether I should help someone who truly was the least of these. I am sad to say that I won the argument with myself that night and drove away without doing anything. With the picture of that woman frozen in front of my eyes, I knew that this time I had to act.

Today is my birthday. I am proud to say that by age 34, I have 3 children. For three year old Vanesa from Peru has been added to my family. I will probably never see her, hold her, or rock her to sleep. But as her sponsor, I know that I am helping provide a better life for her. And isn’t that what parents do?

Somewhere out there, I know the fourth child is waiting for me. Sometimes all it takes is looking at things with different eyes.