Happy International Day of Happiness!

March 20th marks the International Day of Happiness!

Check out this post I wrote on World Vision Youth's website:

http://worldvisionyouth.org/article/emily-larsen-south-korea

Annual Sale 2015

What a day! God's provision for Gloria and Maria year after year has been so humbling. The girls were so excited to see pictures from the sale and hear about all of the people in my community who bought scarves in support of them. It truly is a group effort, so thank you to all who came out and bought a scarf!

We sold over 100 scarves total throughout the year, and about 70 of those were sold at the actual sale. This raised just the right amount to completely support Gloria and Maria for a full year. :)

'And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.'

Philippians 4:19 

 Precious kids I babysit who have been passionate S4S supporters each year! Seeing them at the bus stop each morning wearing their scarves warms my heart.

 Holding up signs that say 'We love you Gloria & Maria!'

God is Bigger

Have you heard about what's going on in Iraq and all over the Middle East?

Christian children being beheaded, christian women being raped and shot, and christian men being hung. After all these years, injustice and evil brutality continue to haunt nations and people groups. Why? This is the question I find myself asking when I see pictures of limp bodies being piled on top of one another, when I see humans being treated like dirt because of what they believe in. How could all this be happening, this genocide?
Because of the lack of Christ. At the heart of these crimes is the separation of God’s children from Him. We are not meant to be separated from a relationship with our Creator, and in turn this causes despair and pain and sin. This separation from out Maker leads to selfishness, pride, and complete brokeness.

I have 8 bibles in my room. I go to church and youth group and freely am able to proclaim the name of the Lord anywhere I go, without fearing for my safety. I live in a society where freedom of speech and religion is expected. I am blessed beyond belief, while innocent believers are being killed and tortured and persecuted because they love and follow the Messiah.

The heartbreaking truth is that this kind of thing has been going on for a long time. My heart hurts for the victims, and my heart also hurts for the ISIS group and the government officials who are not doing anything to stop these situations. Yes, they deserve to be punished and stopped, and I am in no way trying to justify or degrade their crimes, but these people need Jesus. These people need Jesus just as much as everyone else. These sinners need to know this Love that is able to wipe away their hatred and foolishness and soften their hardened hearts.

So, maybe like me you've wondered what can we do about this issue? Well, the fact of the matter is that we can do nothing. We ourselves can do nothing about these injustices because the only One who can is Jesus Christ. That is why as Christians, we must cling to prayer and scripture at a time where our brothers and sisters are being persecuted and killed for standing firm in faith.

This passage in Isaiah is so beautifully relevant in this situation:
Isaiah 54:10-14 “Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. “Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace. In righteousness you will be established. Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.”

Luke 21:25-28 ‘On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At the time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

Romans 8:35 ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?’

And so even as we grieve the injustices of these innocent Christians, we should also be overwhelmed with the hope that the Lord promises us in His word. In the midst of the pain and the persecution, God is still God. And I firmly believe that my God is bigger than even what is going on in Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and all over the world. I believe that my God is bigger than the evilness of human sinners and the brutality of our actions.

Last night at youth group, we were so blessed by two Pakistani men who came to share with us how Jesus is touching lives through their ministry in their nation. They are evangelists who have faced undeniable persecution because of their love for the Lord, and because they fearlessly share His name with their muslim neighbors. Gurad, one of these men shared the gospel with a young girl who told her parents of the newfound hope she received in Jesus Christ, sharing that she wants them to know Him too! Her father was enraged, and he and a group of muslim men attacked Gurad and brutally cut off his hand. This man is only 25 years old, innocent and blameless, however attacked and wrongly hurt. The beauty in this story is that Gurad continues to passionately proclaim the name of our Savior, filled with a beautiful courage and strength that could only come from Him. I am so blessed by these guys, who despite their situations are so joyous and in love with their Heavenly Father, who has provided and continues to provide for them and their ministry. Gurad is here in Korea to receive a prosthetic arm, praise the Lord! As I talked and prayed with them, I was so blown away at how big our God is. How He can purpose people for His glory anywhere, even in the hardest, most broken places. That is the power of the gospel.

These are the stories that God uses to bring hope in the midst of the darkness. So we are called to prayer, and not to ignore these horrors just because they are hard to come to terms with and they make us sad or because we feel useless to do anything about them. We are called to live out and proclaim faith in our Savior who will one day redeem the wickedness of the world and bring us to everlasting peace in heaven with Him. To have faith in the Lord who tells us He will never leave or forsake us; to see this as truth and believe wholeheartedly that He is God over all things. Jesus doesn't just call us to trust in Him when it's easy, but at all times.

~Let His people find refuge in His name alone.~

Judah

Judah nearly lost his life when he was born. Thanks to his families access to medical care, he is alive, healthy, and energetic today. However, many babies around the world don't have the resources Judah's family does, although many of their conditions are preventable.

Find out more about ways you can help here by visiting Compassion's Child Survival Program page.

Identity in Christ and Christ Alone

'With God Through the Shadow of the Valley of Death'

Professor Christina Lee Kim

A couple weeks ago, I was watching an online chapel message by a professor from Biola University. She was talking about identity in Christ. Throughout the talk she had the students in the audience write out three things on note cards about what they find identity in. This could be a hobby, quality, goal, career choice, position, etc. She also had them write on the fourth card their identity in Christ as His daughter/son.

In my head, all I could think of was my identity in missions. 

Ever since I became involved in service and missions, it's been my biggest passion and something that I express my faith through. It brings me joy and purpose, and humility that the Lord could use even an imperfect sinner like me to serve Him. However, I do see evidence in my life of making this somewhat of an idol and something that defines me over how God defines me.

Towards the end of the message, the professor asked the students in the audience to rip up their three cards that shaped their identity. She asked them to imagine their lives without those things, without those qualities, without those dreams. As I began to imagine my life without missions, I came to the realization that it's not something I would ever want to give up. I think that I've come to a place in my heart where I feel like I know that the Lord is calling my to become a missionary. I feel that if I weren't a missionary, how could He use me? But, I realize this is not the mentality that He calls me to have.

He wants us to trust in Him, because His will for our lives transcends ours.

The Lord wants us to have goals for the future, but it's so important for us to remember to put His will first and surrender those dreams to Him, for His glory and not our own.

In this season, my Father is showing me each day that my life is not my own, but I belong to Him. (crazy!! Christ lives in and through our lives!)

'However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.' Acts 20:24

I know that my selfish desires and stubbornness to only become a missionary and nothing else is not what God wants for me. It's hard for me to be open to another calling He might have for me, but...
He calls us, as His children to follow Him. Wholeheartedly, follow Him. He doesn't call us to make our own plans and hope He's on board with them. He doesn't call us to claim to be following His calling but not pray and go to Him before making decisions. No, He calls us to surrender our lives to His will, whatever that may look like.

And hey, 100% of the time, His will is way better than anything we could have ever imagined!

So Lord, I surrender. I surrender my hopes and dreams and plans. I surrender my future to Your cause, not for my glory, but for Yours. You alone know the plans you have for me. You are the potter, I am the clay. I am nothing without You.

I refuse to let Satan justify my passion for missions as prior to my identity in Christ. If God leads me away from missions, I will follow with an open heart, reassured that He is in control, not me. What a relief to rest in His love and care for us!

He is faithful!
-Emily Claire

Kids Deserve Food!

Have you ever been so hungry you're stomach growls and all you can think about it food? Have you ever claimed you're going to 'die of starvation!' I know I have. But the more I think about it, I've never actually felt true starvation and hunger to the point of malnutrition. But guess what? Millions of children and people in general don't have enough food. 19,000 children under the age of 5 years old die EVERY DAY due to malnutrition. That's 30 U.S. school's worth of kids dead every day.

It's crazy to think about. It's devastating that people go hungry when in our first world communities, we have food to waste. We have more than enough, and so many have nothing.

Malnutrition affects children in some of the worst ways possible. It can be the difference between them living or dying, receiving an education, and actually living out their intended purpose and not just struggling to survive.

Although famine is a serious issue, there is hope! Thanks to World Vision, we have the opportunity to provide kids with food, and underprivileged families with the tools and support they need to cultivate their own food through agriculture and farming. How awesome is that?

My school is taking part in WV's '30 Hr. Famine' project because we refuse to sit back while thousands of children and their families suffer on a daily basis to to this crisis. We're raising awareness and funds to help these people get the nutrition they so desperately need and deserve. At the end of the month, we're fasting for 30 hours to experience going without food as so many do.

Will you join us in making a difference for people that need our help? Real people that matter, God's children! If you'd like to make a donation, follow this link: http://support.worldvision.org/site/TR?fr_id=2540&pg=personal&px=1457415&captid=1119406
Every dollar counts, and $35 dollars provides a child with food for 1 whole month!

Share the link with friends and help us spread the word! We need all the help we can get! Making a difference is a group effort, right?

Also, will you pray for my school as we fast?! It's a challenge, but one worth taking!

A powerful video about the affects of the food crisis on a child. (Puts things into perspective!)

Cambodia 2013/14

Reunited!

I'm finding myself at a loss for words trying to write this post. I just can't seem to sum it all up, all of the blessings my team and I experienced this year in Cambodia.

Stepping out into the familiar burst of hot air as we left Phnom Penh International Airport, I felt like I was finally home. I felt like I'd been waiting so long to just be back, and it felt amazing. I felt like I was finally back where He really wants me.

We set out to the S21 Prison our first day, where prisoners were detained, tortured, and murdered. It broke my heart the first time I toured this place, however this year it hit much harder. After last year I developed relationships with the Cambodian people, and a love for this nation. This connection brought me to tears thinking about how much devastation the Khmer Rouge has cost this country, and how broken it still is.

Up until now, I've always thought that the Lord would send me somewhere in Latin America because I speak fluent spanish. However, during the tour, I felt Him opening my heart to the possibility of returning to Cambodia in the future. WOW. Never in all my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined this possibility. As much as I fell in love with this country last year, I thought that God was preparing me for a life serving elsewhere.


Philippians 4:19 tells us, 'And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.' I am submitting my life into His hands because His plans are so much greater than my own. It's crazy to think that He would care enough about me to plan out my life and guide me down the path he Has prepared for me. Whether he leads me to Cambodia or not, I will follow.

One of my favorite memories from this week, among to many to count, was with one of the mothers who cooked for us during our time in the village. I had shared smiles and hugs with her for only about two days, and she told me through a translator that when she dies, she wants me to take care of her two young daughters.
My heart was touched and I was shocked that this woman I had just met would say something like this to me. I later learned that her husband is sometimes abusive and she's been married three times. Though her story is one of hardship, she's always smiling and so full of hope.

As for the physical aspect of our trip, our team built two houses and a fence surrounding the villages' elementary school, Glory International. We also painted a mural on the side of the school and put the team's handprints so that the kids can always remember us.

Our team learned so much from spending time with the villagers and loving on the children. Their hope and joy inspired us and taught us that materialistic items don't bring true happiness; God does. Once again, I'm amazed at how much God blessed our team! 

Thanks so much to everyone who prayed for our team and supported us in any way; we were truly blessed and we're so thankful to have such great support! We're currently praying about the possibility of returning next year!


As much as I wish I were back in Cambodia right now, and as much as I would be content to never leave, I'm learning to accept the fact that that's not God's plan, yet. I still have a lot to learn, a lot to experience, and a whole lot of time to serve where He leads me before life as a missionary. I'm learning to consider myself a missionary for Christ now, not just on the mission field.


'Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.' Matthew 16:24-27

'Here I am Lord, send me.' - Isaiah 6:8

Our team on the last day; bittersweet...

World Vision- #dreamshare

Hey friends and family! Lately, I have been very involved in World Vision Youth, as I am one of 60 WV Youth Communicators around the world! Right now, we're in the process of a project called #dreamshare, where we share our dreams on a global platform, and there will be one winner that will be supported by World Vision through launching a global youth campaign for their cause!

I was blessed to be nominated as one of these 5 candidates, and now we're in the voting process to choose on campaign. This is my campaign idea:

Voting starts now and continues until November 4th. I would really appreciate it if you'd click the link below and vote for my dream or any other dream you support! Also, feel free to share this link with your friends and encourage them to vote! All 5 dreams are equally amazing, and I'd be happy with any of them winning!

Vote here: http://blog.worldvisionyouth.org/2013/10/25/dream-vote/ (When voting, my dream is #2)

More from World Vision Youth:

Read more about my dream, 'Micro-Mission'

http://www.worldvisionyouth.org/acts/micro-mission-teens-for-change

A blog post WV wrote about S4S!

http://blog.worldvisionyouth.org/2013/10/14/scarves-for-service/

3rd Sale!

A couple weeks ago was my third annual Scarves for Service sale! I sold approximately 70 scarves, and raised over $1000, more than ever before! God provided again this year, as he always does. This was almost exactly all I need to pay for Gloria and Maria's sponsorship for the year! I'm in awe of how God works...

Moved to Action

When God puts something on my heart, it's like a recording that plays over and over again in my mind until I realize that it is a direct message from Him. That's what happened recently when I decided to sponsor another child through Compassion International.  I started to think about the young girl in Guatemala that we've been sponsoring since 2002 and that my 15 year old daughter Emily has recently committed to sponsoring two girls on her own. It struck me that my husband and I are sponsoring one child and we have a steady income and that our teenage daughter is sponsoring two girls without a consistent income to support her commitment. Emily stepped out in faith to sponsor these two girls because her heart could not handle the fact that children all over the world were in need.  In need of love, support, financial help, and someone who was going to love and pray for them regularly, even from continents away. 

So, she vowed to support them financially with no concrete means to pay for it.  She decided as she sponsored her second girl that she would use all of the proceeds from her "Scarves for Service" non-profit micro-business to pay the monthly fees required to provide for these two sweet girls.  Emily spends months knitting scarves for a November community sale where she believes by faith that God will provide the money she needs for the year to support these girls, which is about $940.  The thing that amazes me the most is that Emily knows without a shadow of a doubt that God will provide the money.  If she is faithful to do the work of knitting the scarves, God will provide the money to buy the yarn, the people to buy the scarves, and the venue to sell them.  

So, as I thought about the meager one sponsorship that we had, and that our daughter had two, I felt the pang of conviction that there was more that we could be doing.  That there was more that we should be doing.  God's word spoke loud and clear to my heart that day. "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48b (NIV)

Thank you Lord for using my daughter to move me to action. Thank you Lord for using your Word to confirm that call.

~Charlotte Larsen

  Emily's Mom

Maria- Guatemala- 16

Sylivia- Uganda- 17

Hope (Blog Month Assignment #2)

Hope is the only thing some people have.
Her children fall asleep with empty bellies. Her husband has been out of work for weeks. Her health is deteriorating, and she can't get a job to provide her kids with a basic education. Hope is all she has left, but it's all she needs. God provides, He always does. Her hope is in Him.

When all else fails, hope remains, hope strengthens, hope provides.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13

Hope is universal.
I dream of being a missionary. The people I will someday serve are 
my hope. Perhaps I will be hope to them.

My sponsor daughter tells me she's struggling in school. I encourage her to trust in the Lord. School is a struggle for me as well. We share hope, hope that it will get better, hope that our Father will provide us with the strength we need. 

Around the world, through good times and bad, there's something we all share, hope in an Almighty God.

Compassion Family- Update

Recently, my name was put on a list to be assigned to a correspondence child. I was first assigned to Sam, from India, who is 17. I then put my name on the list again, and was assigned to Wisly, from Haiti, who is 10. Again, I signed up for another correspondent buddy, and was assigned to David, from Guatemala, who is 5.

For different reasons, these kids don't get letters from their sponsors, so they are supported financially, but not emotionally by a sponsor. I do not pay the $38 a month for them as I do with Maria and Gloria, but I do correspond with them through letter-writing.

It breaks my heart that some children don't receive letters, because even though they are given the opportunities that their sponsors donations provide, the emotional connection and the life-changing encouragement that will motivate them to rise above poverty is lacking. I'm so thankful I can be there for them in prayer and love as they grow and become what God has planned for them.

If you'd like to be put on the wait-list to be assigned to a correspondent buddy, email Compassion at CICqueue@us.ci.org. I assure you it is an opportunity you won't regret!

Left to right: 
Gloria- 16- Colombia (sponsored)
Maria- 15- Honduras (sponsored)
Wisly- Haiti- 10 (correspondent)
Sam- India- 17 (correspondent)
David- Guatemala- 5 (correspondent)

Thanks again for all the love and support for S4S! Without my friends and family, I would not be able to support these children in Jesus' name! Please pray for them, and I will post more information as soon as I receive more letters with more prayer requests from them. Letters take about 2-3 months to be sent from me, translated, replied to by the child, and then again translated and sent back to me. 

So far I have received a letter from Gloria, and I am awaiting one soon from Maria. I just sent my first letters to Sam, Wisly, and David, so those replies will take a bit longer, since they are newer additions to my Compassion Family.

If you have any questions about correspondence, letter-writing, or sponsorship, let me know at emily.clairelarsen@hotmail.com

In Him, Emily Claire

God Provides.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Lord's provision has been so evident! I've had an abundance of babysitting jobs, and I am now also babysitting for a new family every Tuesday and Wednesdays, which is great because it's a more regular income. 

I also have a possible job opportunity lifeguarding next year (2014) at school, which pays well and should be fun!

This money will fund my second mission trip to Cambodia in December, while still saving for missions projects in the future. The trip will cost about $1,200 total, and I have about $4,000 saved up in my bank account already.

Seeing how much the Lord has provided, it gives me hope and assurance that He will provide in the future. I sometimes find myself thinking about the future, feeling uncertain at times. Where will I go, how will I get my start as a missionary, how will I provide for my family financially? 

I have to stop and tell myself that God will provide. He always has; why should I doubt that He will in the future. I also have to pause and realize that for goodness sakes, I'm only 15 years old. I don't have to worry about the future, because I'm still growing up and growing with the Lord. One of my favorite verses, Matthew 6:26 says...

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 

As the Lord speaks that truth into my life, I realize that I am so fully provided for and taken care of by a God that love and cares for me more than I'll ever know.

I also realize that no matter how I may try to plan out the life ahead, God is and will always be in control. His will is far better than mine. Saying "yes" to God and surrendering my worries, weakness, and my life to Him is so much better than living a life of uncertainty on my own. God provides, and God empowers. God is Lord over my life, my deliverer!

Verses of assurance:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' Hebrews 13:5

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Sponsorship Update: Letter from Gloria!

Today I received a huge blessing, my first official letter from Gloria! She says she is doing very well, studying a lot because school is pretty hard. She had three weeks of vacation in June and enjoyed spending time with her nephew, whom she loves very much. Next vacation, she wants to visit her cousins in a city nearby hers. She says she loves to eat meat with french fries and salad, and she loves eating ice cream with her friends on weekends.
Right now, she asks that I pray for her studies, that they get easier because they are hard for her. Please join me in that prayer! Thank you! ‪

First time replying to sweet Gloria's letter! So exciting, many more letters, love, and hope to be shared between me and the girls, God willing!

Change is Possible!

Life isn't fair. At some point in time, we all come to realize this. We don't always get what we want, and things don't always go as planned. It's reality, life just isn't fair sometimes. But, I'm not just talking about how our lives in first world countries and well off families aren't fair, I'm talking about some of the harsher realities of life.

At this very moment I'm on vacation in the woods of Oregon, sitting in an air-conditioned cabin. I'll be going back to school in a few weeks, provided with an education that costs as much as most private colleges. I have a family who loves and supports me. I don't have to worry about finances or where my next meal is coming from...

How is it fair that while I have so much, 1.5 million children die each year of starvation? How is it fair that approximately 115 million children globally are unable to attend school and receive a basic education? How is it fair that 1.5 billion people around the world live below the poverty line? How is any of this fair? I don't understand it. I don't know why the world is the way it is, and that there are people who have too much and people who have nothing at all. I don't know why the rich live in mansions while the poor live in huts, cardboard boxes, or nothing at all. I don't know why people in America can gorge themselves until they can't eat another bite when there are impoverished families that are forced to eat scraps from the trash. I can't understand how some people can have so much and others so little. Why is the world so unequal, so unbalanced, so unfair?

I don't know this answer, but I do know that God wants us come together to help change this inequality.

My passion is to empower a generation, to help those who can't help themselves rise above poverty and live out God's plan for their lives. 

I'm reading a book now about teenagers and the power to come together and create social change in our world. Reading through these amazing stories about how God is using young people to do great things in the lives of the less fortunate is truly inspiring.

A lot of the time I think that what stops us from realizing our full potential is self-doubt. As teenagers, we sometimes think that we're too young to make a difference, that we're only one person, or that someone else will do something to make a change. If there's anything God has shown me the past 3 years is that that is so untrue! Sure, we won't be able to change the world alone, and things will never be perfect, but we all have potential to change the life of one person, help one situation. 

So, no, life will never be 100% fair. It will never be completely equal for all, without poverty, disease, heartache. It won't become perfect, but it can become better. However, the only way the world can get better is when people who care come together to create positive change. Let's get involved, let's do something! There are so many worthy causes; cancer awareness, service to the poor, support for the homeless... the list could go on and on. 

What are you passionate about? How can you make a difference? After all, change starts with us, so let's step up! 

~The Gift of Sponsorship~

A few months ago, I felt the Lord calling me to become a sponsor! My family has sponsored a Guatemalan girl ever since I was a child, but I never thought God would be encouraging me to sponsor as well, at least not yet. After all, I'm only 15... how could I afford to sponsor without a regular income? After months of prayer and research about Compassion International, a wonderful Christian ministry, I couldn't deny how heavily my heart longed to sponsor, to develop a relationship with a child in need, to share with someone that there is hope and peace in the name of Jesus. I knew that this was God's will; there had been so many signs, through testimonies of other sponsors and Compassion videos of sponsored children that brought me to tears.
I began sponsoring Gloria in April. She is 16 years old and lives in an area of Colombia with a higher risk of exploitation and abuse. She lives with her mother who is employed, her father who is sometimes employed, sister, two brothers, and two cousins. 

After I sponsored Gloria, I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would sponsor another child. I had to earn babysitting money to save for future trips and internships, and knit scarves for my trip to Cambodia, right? The thought never even crossed my mind to sponsor two girls until a couple months after Gloria, when again, the Lord was speaking to me in ways that were beyond me. 

You see, as much as I try to plan what happens in S4S and life in general, the Lord always surprises me with ideas better than what I ever anticipate.

I realized that I do have enough, plenty actually. I have so much saved up in my bank account, enough already to pay for trips to Cambodia for the next three years of high school. I am continually adding money to those savings from babysitting as well. If I reach my goal of 70 scarves, I'll make at least $700, but usually more like $800-850 with generous donations. It costs $38 dollars per month for each girl, which adds up to approximately $1000 per year including Christmas and Birthday gifts. The money I lack from S4S sales, I will pay for with savings.  

So after weeks of prayer, God has led me to this humbling, beautiful place yet again; sponsorship. Maria is 15 years old, she lives in Honduras with her mother who is employed and her father who is sometimes employed, and she is one of 8 children, yes... 8! I felt the Lord calling me to sponsor her as I prayed for another child because of her large family and because she lives in Honduras, one of the most dangerous country's in the world according to homicide rates. I felt she needed prayer, love, support, and assurance that the Lord her God is with her always! 

She is beautiful, inside and out. She is precious in the eyes of Her Lord and in my eyes. I love her and Gloria, more than words can express! Thank you Lord for precious opportunities!
I will now be funding my mission trip to Cambodia with babysitting money, and using 100% of the proceeds of S4S to sponsor Gloria and Maria. 

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
~1 Timothy 4:12~

Visit Compassion International for more information:
http://www.compassion.com/
If you have any more questions about sponsorship, please feel free to contact me or Compassion!

*What is S4S ~ Youtube Video*

Check out the new video on the S4S youtube channel, it includes information about the mission of S4S, how and when it was started, how it works, and future plans/hopes. (Plus pictures/video of my scarves and such) 

If you have any questions, please feel free to check out the links below and contact information...

Contact: emily.clairelarsen@hotmail.com

Learn more- Social media:

S4S Website: http://emilyclairelarsen.wix.com/scarvesforservice

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EmilysMissionTripFunding

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Scarves4Service

Hume Lake Christian Camps: http://www.humelake.org/

God bless, and thank you for all your love and support!

God is good! ~Jeremiah 29:11~ 1 Timothy 4:12~