It’s pretty rare that I get to have a girls-only weekend with my favorite girl.

The older my 11-year-old daughter gets, the more I realize how quickly the time is flying and soon hanging with her momma may not be as fun. I cherish this time.

My baby girl and I spent the weekend having a Hallmark movie marathon, having a late-night cookie-making sessions and eating Chipotle and Nothing but Noodles. There was a whole lot of laughter and hopefully some great memories were made.

One thing I hope will be a part of those memories is our visit to the Compassion Experience at the Church at Brook Hills with our church family. Billed as the opportunity to experience another world without leaving yours, the Compassion Experience gave us the chance to journey through the lives of two underprivileged children, Julian and Ruben.

I realized after the tour that we take so much for granted. Julian mentioned that growing up her family never celebrated birthdays—that’s something that rich people do. Around the age of 10, other girls like her in Uganda can get sold off in marriage for about $5,000. Since Julian has three other sisters, if they all of them get married, that means her family will be rich.

The experience hit a little too close from home. Julian could be my baby girl. My daughter could be wondering from where her next meal is coming or using the only piece of furniture in our house—a bench—as a bed. She could be wondering if she will ever get the chance to finish middle school, let alone go to college and complete graduate school, which Julian eventually did.

Instead my daughter spent the weekend hanging out with me, having options about what to eat and what to watch while snuggling up in bed next to me. She spent the weekend laughing instead of crying without a worry in the world.

Only by the grace of God.

Learn more about The Compassion Experience.