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September 23, 2005
Three Wishes
"If you had one wish in the world and could ask for absolutely anything from the heart, what would it be?"
This is the question being asked by NBC's new reality show Three Wishes, which is hosted by Amy Grant. The show premieres September 23rd at 9PM Eastern/8PM Central.
The show's website gives viewers the ability to submit their own wishes to the show. (Click here to submit a wish.)
Well, the Dodo has already submitted his wish. It is unlikely that the wish will be granted, but the Dodo submitted it anyway.
What would you wish for?
The following is the Dodo's submission letter to the Three Wishes TV show.
I wish to meet the girl who calls me “Daddy”.
Her name is Ruth, and she is 17 years old.
Ruth and I have never met because she lives in the South American nation of Colombia.
With all of her heart, Ruth believes that I am her real father, and she dreams of meeting me. I would be a poor father to her if I didn’t do everything within my ability to make her wish of meeting me come true. Sadly, I can’t. I recently lost my job, and I have hospital bills to pay. My wife worries about how we will pay those bills. Thus, I am writing to you.
I would like to share with you excerpts from letters that Ruth has sent to me over the years. Her own words explain why I am writing to the Three Wishes program.
December 1994 (first letter): “Dear Sponsor: I am happy because in a far place called Oklahoma lives a person who loves me. I was sad because my father doesn’t think about my needs.”
July 19, 1999: “I wish you could come to visit one day so we could enjoy a sunset together.”
November 12, 1999: “I love you as my very own father as you have been with me so that I can grow up and accomplish my goals. I have a prayer request, and I hope you help me to pray for this. I’d like to travel to your country so that I can meet you and hug you in person.”
October 26, 2000: “In my life I have had moments of sadness because I have not had a paternal figure, and you have been a father to me, and for that reason I love you, because you have seen me grow. May God bless you! When I receive your letters, they encourage me, and they give me happiness.”
February 23, 2001: “I’d love to meet you and your family one day since God has given you as a second family to me, and I am very happy. I pray to God that my dream will become true one day. . . Remember, Dad, that there is a child here in Colombia who loves you.”
June 7, 2005: “Each day I have more reasons to love you; some are the mountains of letters you send with pretty words, that when I just read them I cry; I have never felt anything so pretty in my heart, that fill me with love and safety. . . I have never been tired to thank God for having giving me the best dad in the world.”
There are a couple of facts about me that Ruth doesn’t know, that I want you to be aware of.
First, there was a time in my life when I was so poor that I sold my plasma so that I could afford to sponsor Ruth.
Second, I suffer from chronic depression. My depression has been so severe that on more than one occasion I have had suicidal thoughts. On those occasions, Ruth gave me the will to keep on living. Whenever I wanted to leave this world, I would read Ruth’s letters and remember that Ruth was depending on me. To this day, whenever I feel myself slipping back into depression, I look at Ruth’s photo and immediately recover.
I am not the only person to be blessed by Ruth. Ruth has inspired other people to sponsor children trapped in poverty. Now those children have the means to escape poverty.
Perhaps you won’t think that my wish is deserving of your show’s generosity. However, a girl in Colombia wishes to meet her daddy, and I don’t have the ability to fulfill that wish.
By the way, I blame one of your show’s stars for Ruth becoming my daughter. Back in 1987, I listened to a particular song just because it featured Amy Grant. The song was being used to promote Compassion International. Amy’s involvement with Compassion International inspired me to become involved, also. Thus, I began sponsoring children. That is how Ruth came into my life.
If Three Wishes doesn't grant the Dodo his wish, then can someone send the Dodo an oil lamp with a genie in it?
Posted by Dodo David at September 23, 2005 09:50 AM
Comments
dear dodo, i hope you get your wish. your letter is beautiful and reminds and inspires me to write more often to my little girl in bolivia. i let myself get so sidetracked or self-involved with my life and it's troubles and aggravations that i often forget her or think 'i'll write her tomorrow' when i get that envelope in the mail that says "message from your child" on the front. thank you for holding me accountable in your own way.
as a fellow sufferer of depression i highly recommend the book about "isaiah" by david roper. he looks at the depression isaiah experienced and how God ministered to him and used it. david is my pastor and has struggled, too. i love all of his writing.
Posted by: sue ellen at September 23, 2005 10:56 AM
Very touching post. What are the issues (other than money) that prevent her from coming to the states? Is it an immigration thing?
Posted by: Aaron Matthew Arnwine at September 23, 2005 11:44 AM
Aaron: Ruth can't travel on her own until she turns 18, which will happen next year.
She isn't even allowed to know my address until she graduates from the Compassion project that has been responsible for her. Her graduation will take place this coming December.
Posted by: Dodo David at September 23, 2005 10:28 PM