Believe the Impossible {Fourth Anniversary Episode}

To contribute to the Bening Family https://gofund.me/81f75f48

The story you are about to hear is powerful and compelling, and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate this podcast community's FOURTH anniversary. 

Keewani Vallejo-Cook was born into abject poverty in the Philippines but can share her story with you because of a Compassion sponsor. I’ve asked her to share because my family has partnered with compassion for over 20 years. Consider this conversation and episode as your invitation to celebrate this momentous milestone of the podcast by making a difference in one child's life today. 

As you listen to Keewani's (her friends call her Kiwi) story about her devastating childhood experience, please Text  SIMPLY to 83393. Because of Compassion International, God was able to take deep brokenness in Kiwi’s family and support her family as they made one wholehearted decision after another. You won’t want to miss a single moment of this conversation. Once you text the word SIMPLY to 83393, you will meet other children who need someone like you to make a positive impact in their life.

Listen all the way to the end to learn more about how you can help me celebrate FOUR years of the Simply Wholehearted Podcast. I  have a goal of finding new sponsors for at least 100 children with this episode. And I have no doubt my faithful wholehearted community can and will meet or exceed this desire for impact. So, while you wait, text SIMPLY to 83393 to learn more about the impact you can make when you partner with Compassion.

You can also learn more if you go to compassion.com/SIMPLY. You can choose exactly which boy or girl you want to sponsor.

Give Compassion and this podcast a shout-out on the socials after you listen or sponsor a new child! Tag @simplywholehearted and @compassion

Learn more about the Enneagram and get your Enneagram for Moms Guidebook!

Compassion is paying for some of the costs associated with developing this episode.

https://www.wholeheartedenneagrambook.com/

Pre-order Wholehearted Enneagram today!

What if transformation doesn't start with trying harder, but with knowing you're already beloved? In my new book, Wholehearted Enneagram: The Journey from Type to Transformation as God's Beloved, you'll walk alongside nine women, one for each Type, through stories, Scripture, breath prayers, and tree metaphors that reframe what growth re

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SPEAKER_01 1:28

And I will never ever forget that moment. My dad was picking up apples from the ground. And I said, no, dad, not those rotted apples. Because God is so, so good that we're now able to pick up apples from the tree. He is just so amazing. So don't ever, ever give up because God sees the future. He has something better for us. He has planned something better for us. Like in Jeremiah 29, 11, that he had planned a good thing for us. So do not give up because God is not done with you. And he's gonna show you great and mighty things that you do not know.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

Hi, my name is Amy Wicks, and I help you navigate the overwhelm and frustration of motherhood through faith, Enneagram, and simple plans. As a faith-based Enneagram coach, I champion you to love your mothering style because you are the mom your kids need, even when you don't feel like it. I'm a mountain mama who somehow ended up on a cul-de-sac in the Midwest, overwhelmed and frustrated by motherhood. But the Lord didn't let me stay there. He helped me turn the challenges of motherhood into a wholehearted decision to get intentional with my faith, my self-awareness, and my family. Each episode of this podcast provides perspective through story, wholehearted purpose, and simple plan so you can discover how to love your mothering style and be confident that you are the mom your kids need. Think of this podcast as your on-the-go mom pal and friend who can't help but talk about Jesus and the Enneagram. So get to that pile of laundry, or hit the treadmill, or load up the kids in the car for that grocery run. Get ready to be encouraged and empowered while you listen. This is the Simply Wholehearted Podcast. Kowani Vallejo Cook was born into abject poverty in the Philippines. But she is able to share her story today with you because of a compassion sponsor. And I've asked her to share because my family has partnered with compassion for over 20 years. Consider this conversation and episode as your invitation to celebrate this momentous milestone of the podcast by also making a difference in the life of one child today. As you listen to Kowani's story about her devastating childhood experience, please text simply, all in caps, to 83393. Because Compassion International was able to intervene, God was able to take deep brokenness in Kowani's family and support her family as they were able to make one wholehearted decision after another. You're not going to want to miss a single minute of this conversation. Now, once you text the word simply, again, all in caps to 83393, you're going to get to meet other children who need someone like you to make a positive impact in their life. Listen all the way to the end to learn more about how you can help me celebrate four years of the Simply Wholehearted Podcast. I want to celebrate by finding a hundred new sponsors to partner with compassion and to help other children out of their abject poverty. I have no doubt that you, my faithful hearted community, can and will meet or exceed my desire for impact. So while you wait and listen to this conversation, just text simply S-I-M-P-L-Y-2-83393 to learn more about the impact that you can make when you partner with compassion. Yes, I'm celebrating four years of podcasting and I wanted someone really special. And I'm so excited to have you today.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

I'm excited too. I read the book and uh I listened to your podcast, so I'll be prepared. Oh no, you're gonna do great.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Same here, same here. Well, I would love to just jump right into your story, and it's just so phenomenal. I know that here with Simply Wholehearted, here at Simply Wholehearted, we love to talk about story. We talk about that broken-hearted moment that led to a wholehearted decision in Christ to partner with him and to fill the purpose that he has placed on our lives and our story. We're gonna just cover so much in a short amount of time, but I thought it was really fun and special because something I didn't expect was to have a guest who was somewhat familiar with the Enneagram. So I would love to hear just what you've learned as you've given some time to study about the Enneagram.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

The very first thing that I've learned is that when you know yourself, the product of it is humility. And I've never thought of that before. But if you know yourself, I thought if you know yourself, then you're gonna be a better person. But humility is like far from what I'm thinking about. But I think when you really truly know yourself, not just because of the Enneagram, it's just a tool. Yes, right? Yes, our personality right now, it says in that book that it covers so much of our true selves. You know, I'm an eight. Okay, okay. Yes, then sometimes I get so angry about things, and then I move on. And I'm thinking, why do I do that? Why do I get so angry? Especially in the marriage, sometimes, like when my husband has problems with his job, I get so angry, and uh I bet you want to go in and defend him, right?

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Like go fight for on his behalf. I totally get it.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

So I listened to your podcast. One of the episodes was about the eight, and she said, you know, sometimes I get I become so guilty when I feel angry, but Jesus got angry too on the injustice and the wrongdoing of people. That's right. So do not sin in your anger. That's right. That's right. Anger is an emotion, it's a feeling. So you just don't, you know, go overboard or cross the line.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

Oh, that's so good. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:31

Submit your emotions to what God wants you to feel, what God wants that to go to to lead to something, because it can be a great thing, like that spark of anger. Like, hey, I want to change something because I get so affected with this.

SPEAKER_00 8:46

Yes. And I have no doubt that this is your driving motivator for you know, speaking and sharing about your story. So you can help right some wrongs and shine a light on the injustice that's out there in the world.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

And now I believe that I'm in this line. Like, God gave me a platform to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves because He's given me that personality to do something.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

That's right. He equipped you and therefore he has called you. And I just that's so amazing. I love how our personalities tie into our calling, and it's just really beautiful to see.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Yeah, I love the verse, Ephesians 2 10, that we are created and new in Christ Jesus to do the things that He has called us to do, He has prepared for us even before. So if He had prepared for that thing to for us to do, then He equipped us also to do those things that He has prepared for us.

SPEAKER_00 9:42

Amen. I couldn't say it better myself. And I love that. I'm going to hang my hat on that and tell everyone I know what you said at the very beginning, that the self-awareness journey is tied into humility. And I think that is so invaluable. I think what would be really amazing is for you to share some of your story, your childhood experience. And I think what's remarkable is the Enneagram oftentimes helps us understand our childhood experience and understands the lens that we were looking through because a lot of us grow up with siblings, but we all walk away with a unique perspective, right? And a unique story. And I think our personality lens, therefore, like our Enneagram personality helps us understand why we're shaped the way we are from our childhood and what we walk away with. But I know that many of my friends grew up in a typical American home and aren't familiar with what you were faced and what you experienced as a child.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

Yes. So I grew up in the Philippines. My parents, they were so poor. My dad was an alcoholic when I was born. They would always fight. My mom would tell me that, you know, there was a time that they were in the verge of separating. We don't have divorce in the Philippines, but if you get separated from your husband, it's such a big deal in the Philippines because it's mainly a Catholic nation.

SPEAKER_00 11:06

So uh I would be kind of alone, should we be alone and not have support?

SPEAKER_01 11:11

Yes, yes. So I have um three brothers ahead of me uh that died because of lack of medical attention. They were born alive, but they didn't make it because my my parents could not afford the medical care necessary for checkups for for maybe prenatal uh vitamins and stuff. So they didn't make it. Maybe that's why my dad spiraled also to become a really bad alcoholic, but he never like hurt us. Um, but after that, I was born in another sister. And growing up in the Philippines, I would remember me and my sister, it was just so difficult that we would beg our parents for food at night because we were just so hungry. But even uh they gave up the food that they're about to eat at night, which is most of the time rice and soy sauce or rice and salt, it would still be not sufficient. And I remember I would look at my neighbor's window and see food at their table and wonder why do they have that kind of food? And us, it's just rice and soy sauce or rice from the from the garden and or vegetables from the garden. But um, I would wonder what is there something wrong with us? What's what's wrong? And uh vividly I would always tell the apple story because we don't grow apple in the Philippines, apples in the Philippines. So when it was imported to the Philippines, I was just so excited to buy one single apple. But even a rotten apple, my parents could not afford to buy.

unknown 12:37

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

And I wonder why. Like how? Why is this our life? But I always tell people, you know, this story, it doesn't stop there. Because we have a good father in heaven. This is not a sad story. This is a story of hope, a story of God's redemption, a story of God's compassion to his children. Because one day, my dad was an alcoholic, picked up a track, a reading material about Jesus. And who would have thought he picked up the track? In the track, it says to go to a crusade. He went to a crusade, and in that crusade, Amy, he received Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. For the very first time, my dad went home sober. When everybody said, my relatives would say, Your dad's not gonna change, he's gonna be an alcoholic forever. But the word of God says, nothing is impossible with me, absolutely nothing. So he went home sober, and my mom was so surprised and wondered what is wrong, because he's always drunk. Yes, what happened? And my dad said, Nothing is wrong. You need to come to church with me. So we went to church, and me and my sister at the time, I was seven or around that age, six or seven, and I was sitting there. The children they would sing about Jesus, that Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. The teacher would say he cares, he provides. But as a young kid, who could understand that if you don't have food?

SPEAKER_00 14:09

If you can't eat an apple.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

I mean, that doesn't make sense, right? It doesn't make sense. Who is this Jesus? Who is this Lord? But it didn't really stop there again. Because at the age of seven, I was registered to an organization, it's called Compassion International in our church, in a local church. And at the age of seven, somebody from Australia picked up a packet and he started to sponsor me. And the very first thing in his letter, he said, Kiwi, you are pretty, and Kiwi, Jesus loves you. You know, it's not in our culture to say, Oh, you're so beautiful. My parents have never told me I was beautiful or pretty. But this person just saw my picture, told me that you are beautiful, you're precious, and God Jesus loves you. Later on, I begin to realize, Lord, is this how you see me? That I'm beautiful and precious in your sight, that I'm fearfully and wonderfully made, that I am your child, made in your image. So I need to believe that I am beautiful, not just to believe, but that is the truth about myself. When I was in high school, I told my mama, because we were still poor. I told my mama, mama, I don't want to be in this situation. It always floods in our area because we move from our province to the central business district and it would always flood. Every year it gets flooded, sometimes up to our waist, sometimes to our chest, and we would sleep to our neighbor's house and we would stay there until the water comes down.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

And the water there is not like a lake, a pretty lake or a pretty ocean.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

And we're talking full of unrash, yes, rats, murky, muddy water. And for us to go to school, my dad would carry us to higher elevation, bring our shoes so that we can go to school dry. It was just so difficult that I told my mom, Mama, I want to go to college. I want to take up something. I want to, you know, I want to be somebody. I don't want this life anymore. And my mama said, Let's pray because God will provide. That's true in his word that he will provide. And you know what, Amy? God did provide. Wow. At the end of my high school year, at the time, compassion doesn't sponsor children to go to college. But at the year that I'm graduating, the staff of compassion told me, Kiwi, you're going to college and we're going to pay for everything.

unknown 16:50

No way.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

Oh, that's so incredible.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

And the moment that you want to lose hope, because my friends are, they know already where to go, they have the money, they have the funds to go to college, but I'm like there, like just waiting for the Lord. But he is never late, he's always on time. Amen. Amen. And I was able to go to college, and now I am a physical therapist working in a hospital here in Dallas, Texas.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

God is no way. So amazing. That is amazing.

SPEAKER_01 17:27

After college, I need to take a very difficult exam. Yes, my life.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

Right. That's not easy. That's not for the faint of heart.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

And I know most of us have been, like all of us have been to a difficult, like uncertain, unknown thing. And I think especially this last year. Yes, uncertain, unknown thing, especially the pandemic. But every time I opened my Bible, God would tell me, Kiwi, is there anything too hard for me? And the answer is nothing, absolutely nothing is too hard for me. All of my promises for you are yes and amen. Out of 1700 students who took the exam, I landed 10th place.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

Oh my goodness, Kiwani, that is just a miracle. It is a miracle.

SPEAKER_01 18:20

Imagine that little poor kid in the Philippines. God can make everything happen. He can do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or think. And when I was receiving this medal, because I uh garnered a really high score, I told the Lord, Lord, if only my sponsors were here, I'm gonna give this medal to them. I'm gonna tell them because of them, this is a reality. And you know what? God hears our prayers and He is able to make it to you know fruition. I was able to go to Australia, Amy, met my sponsors. No, really, and I ran to them and hugged them, and over and over again I told them, Thank you so much. You didn't just change my life, you changed my family. And one day I know I believe my community because you did a very simple thing that changed and impacted my life.

SPEAKER_00 19:20

Wow, I can't even imagine. I mean, I have dreams of meeting my child who is in Indonesia, and I think, oh, can I go there, Lord, someday? Or maybe she will be able to come visit us or something. Just how incredible. What an incredible gift for them.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

Yes, nothing is impossible, Amy. Just keep on believing, keep on hanging on to, like you know, believing what God's promises are. It is true, and He doesn't lie. God is not capable to lie, He is that's right, that's perfect. Ten years ago, I came to America to work as a physical therapist, and then eight years ago, I got married to a wonderful man. He's from Chattanooga, Tennessee.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Oh, I love it. You got a southern boy, southern boy.

SPEAKER_01 20:09

That's awesome. And you know, Amy, my husband, he's an executive chef. Imagine I was hungry when I was a kid, now I'm married to an executive chef.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Oh, the abundance, the beauty.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

And I always tell people that you know when I got married, I invited my parents to come to the United States. And you know where I took them? I took them to an apple orchard. Of course. Yes, and I will never ever forget that moment. My dad was picking up apples from the ground, and I said, no, dad, not those rotten apples, because God is so so good that we're now able to pick up apples from the tree. It's just so amazing. So don't ever, ever give up because God sees the future, he has something better for us, he has planned something better for us, like in Jeremiah 29, 11. So do not give up because God is not done with you, and he's gonna show you great and mighty things that you don't do not know.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

So hang in there, guys. Kiwi, that's remarkable. And I know that many of us are living in the middle and waiting for God to answer, and that it could be to save a marriage, for our womb to be open, or to be married. And there are so many possibilities. And I think your story is remarkable because the threads that you have woven through here that remind us that nothing is impossible and God is always on time and he and he gives so abundantly. And I think there's so much to be drawn out of that apple orchard picture of just, you know, I think when we live as an orphan, we think that the rotten fruit is all that is available to us. But when we live adopted and we believe that we are his beloved, then we know that the fruit is there for our pleasure and for our leisure and for our enjoyment. And I think that's incredibly profound. Wow, thank you. And I think it's remarkable because I know this isn't the first time you've shared your story, and yet God shines through and the power, the power of the emotion that shines through. And I just see that you are bringing him the glory every time you're sharing this.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Because I cannot like imagine to do it by myself. There is something greater out there. There is a God, the power of God at work. It's not just like coincidence. He he have woven everything for me to get here. And I know that he's not done yet. And I want to share like three things for your listeners, action plans for them not to give up. Number one is to have faith, have faith, believe, and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. Sometimes It's hard to have faith, especially during a pandemic, especially during a really bad situation in your marriage, in your life, at school for young people. But you know, faith comes from hearing and hearing and hearing the word of God. Surround yourself with people that would speak life and speak truth about God's promises. Read the Bible, spend time with God, and spend time with His presence. You will know more about yourself as you spend time with God. And number two is remember, always remember what He has done for you. Remember the things that He has taken you out of. That's why I'm always like emotional because I remember, I remember what He has done for me. Like only He can do those things. That's right. Only Him can take me out of poverty in Jesus' name. And always remember in the Bible, it's a lot of like remember, you know, Abraham was taken out of the Israelites was taken out of Egypt and stuff like that. God will always remind us that if He can do it before, He can do it again and again and again and again. You're not gonna get stuck unless you've decided to get stuck in that situation. And number four, and number three is sometimes we need not to focus on ourselves. Not a lot of ourselves. That's right. When we focus on a problem, the problem gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Oh, it's so true. Yes. I love the verse Proverbs 11:25. Uh, those who refreshes others will they themselves be refreshed. So good. And I want to read to you the message translation of that verse too, because it's just so amazing. It says the world of the generous gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed. Those who help others are helped. That's right. When we pour out ourselves to others, then sometimes we see, yeah, that's the thing that I've been speaking to others, that's gonna help me. That's right. That's right. And it's a faith journey. When I was in Australia, I met this 15-year-old boy who sponsored a kid. And I said, He's just 15-year-old, how come? And at the time I don't have a job, Amy. I don't know what to do. Like at that time, I was sent to Australia for free because they want me to meet my sponsors. But then I asked, How does he do that? How does he, you know, sponsor a kid? And at the time I was 24, maybe 23. And the mom said, you know, he plays the guitar during Saturday and Friday on the streets, and he would put his sponsor child's picture and he would say, I am basking for my sponsored child.

SPEAKER_00 26:27

Oh my goodness. That is remarkable.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

If that boy can do that, I can do that.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

It's so true. It is so true.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

I called my friends and said, Let's sponsor a kid. I know it's really, really expensive for us because we at the time we don't have a steady job, but if we pitch in and then we can sponsor a kid, and you know what? It has been a faith journey for me because every month there's just like funds coming in. Right? Sponsor a little kid. Yes. Now I am a sponsor of three children. I love that. And I met my sponsored children from the Philippines uh five years ago, and I told them, hang in there, do not give up. If God can do it to me, He can do it to you. And through you, one day God will give you an avenue, a chance to tell your friends, to tell your neighbors, to tell everybody that God is good and He can do things that is impossible possible.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

Amen. Ah, Kiwi, that is just so beautiful. And I would agree. I know I took a step of faith. I've been a part of compassion because it was down the street from me when I moved to Colorado Springs back in 1998. And so a long time ago, I was introduced to the ministry and what they were doing to support children all around the world. And I knew that I had to be a part of what they were doing to help be the hands and feet of Jesus. I couldn't compare any suffering that I had experienced to what those around the world. And I think now more than ever, especially in this season of COVID, I know that we here in the United States have certainly been impacted, but the impact is even so much greater all around the world. And those, it's just set them back even a decade potentially for most of them. But this is where when we are willing to sew in faith, even if it feels like I can't do $38 a month. I believe when you take that step of faith, the Lord supernaturally multiplies and makes a way. I have seen it time and time again. And I have never ever regretted a month of sponsorship at all. I love it. I think it's so beautiful. I know that your story has ministered to so many, and I'm feel really grateful to get to be just a partner with you to share this story to others. And so others' faith might be enlarged and encouraged and they might walk away from this conversation, empowered in their faith and encouraged and ready to partner and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. So thank you, Kiwi.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

Thank you so much, Amy. This is wonderful, and thank you to all your listeners. And just don't give up. God has a plan for you. He is there. Amen. He's always there with us. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 29:36

Wasn't Kiwi's story so powerful and compelling? She is able to share with you and so many others because of Compassion International. And because someone generously and faithfully sponsored her through the Ministry of Compassion. And just so you know, my family, we have actually chosen to sponsor through Compassion as well because we believe that it can make a difference. We know it makes a difference. So that's why I've decided to do something unique with the podcast this season and for the special fourth anniversary episode. I am partnering with Compassion International to help find them more sponsors for children who are very much like Kiwi and like my child that I sponsor. Now I partner with Compassion because I trust the way they work. I know when I invest our hard-earned $30 every month, I know that 80% of that is specifically being spent for the development of the little girl that we sponsor. Compassion doesn't give money directly to the children because just handing out the money, it isn't going to make the long-term impact. But instead, they spend that money wisely for nutrition and healthcare and education. And their education helps teach those, the little girl that we are sponsoring and all the other girls and boys around the world how to grow up and escape the poverty that they are in. Now that is what makes a huge difference. And as a bonus, compassion does all of this work through the local churches around the world where the spiritual impact that makes the difference for eternity is made. So I wanted to share my goal with you today. My goal is to help find new sponsors for at least a hundred children with this podcast. That's just a hundred children that can receive the life-giving, life-changing impact through Compassion International. And guess what? I have no doubt that you, my faithful podcast community, can and will meet or exceed this desire for impact. Just think of it if we can change a hundred lives today, the impact for eternity and the impact across the world. It's really very simple to do this, and you have two options. The first is right now, even as you're listening, open up your text and send the word simply, all in caps, S-I-M-P-L-Y, to 83393. You're gonna get a text back with a picture of a child and a link, and that is the specific child that you could sponsor today and help make a difference. It's really simple. Just text 83393 and send the word Simply to that text and get the information that you need to start today. The second option is also easy. If you're on a computer or if you are listening to this and you'd rather type in your computer to read more and to see some other opportunities, you can go to compassion.com forward slash simply and again you can choose exactly which boy or girl that you would want to sponsor. You know, one of the reasons that I've decided that this is so important right now is that COVID-19 is truly having a devastating effect around the world. I know we know our local impact, but we've got to think about the countries where people live in deep poverty. We're really seeing that thousands of more children are being forced to the point of starvation because families aren't able to work because the jobs have gone away and then the schools are closed. So the World Health Organization is saying that COVID is setting international poverty development efforts back at least 10 years. So parents who are already struggling to survive now, they can't afford food. And if a family member does get sick, there is no way for them to pay for a doctor, let alone medicine. Parents are desperate for work and they're losing their homes because they can't pay the rent. But here's the thing. When a boy or girl is sponsored through compassion, compassion centers provide food and grocery vouchers for families who can no longer afford food. Compassion staff from the local church help families get the medical care and they even cover the cost of treatment. And compassion is even now able to help cover rent payments for families who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. So here's a quick reminder on how to sponsor and how you can make a difference. Just text 8-3393 and send the word Simply, you'll get a link to follow and start sponsoring a specific child today. Or if you want to see more about this, go to compassion.com forward slash simply and you can choose a boy or girl to sponsor from 25 different countries. Would you join me and be one of those who make a difference in the world today? And remember, you are the mom your kids need. Continue to pursue perspective, purpose, and plans for the wholehearted life you desire.