1. First of all, thank you so much for all you do for the precious children of Mexico! My question is, as you go through each day seeing a multitude of needs in these children’s lives, what do you find yourself praying for most often? (Lindy)

Most of the time, I pray for their hearts. My main prayer is normally that they get to experience the love of Christ. I long for them to know how precious they are to God. I pray that they never give in to the idea of not being worthy or good enough to do anything they dream of. 

2. How far do the students travel, on average, to get to the centers and how do they do so? (Walk, bus, etc.) (Beth Ingersoll) 

Most of the children registered live very near the churches where they participate in the activities and where they are registered. It is very common for them to walk. As part of the program, Compassion Mexico considers children within 30 minutes walking distance.

In some of the child development centers, it is common to see a few children ride their bicycles to the center, but in those cases it is only a luxury some can afford.

There are other churches where the pastor’s vehicle or the cars owned by the church membership serve to bring children to classes. Every time they drive by the community, children line up to jump in and ride to the church. Many times these are old cars on bumpy and dirt roads, but the fact of being able to ride with the teachers or sparing the hot sun is well worth the tightness.

Finally, there are centers where teachers and staff members split by areas, and they walk the streets around the center to bring children in. Families then trust their children to go with the staff members to church.

Either if children walk by themselves or in big groups or ride their bikes to the projects, they normally wear a special shirt from the project or even uniforms, so it is very nice to watch children come into the centers because they fill the streets with joyful laughter.  

3. What do you like best about your job? (Britney)

I love people, spending time with them, hearing their stories.

People in the communities I get to visit are so open to share their lives, their dreams, and the way each has been blessed. They easily inspire me through their conversation, and they help me keep my feet on the ground. They value their children and their families more than anything else. We live so differently, and when we get so distracted by worthless things, they easily bring us back to life’s basics.

After talking to them and spending some time with them, I just feel blessed with the opportunity of being there. I am constantly challenged, humbled and blessed by getting the chance of spending some time with them. This experience is incredibly thrilling to me, and I can hear the Lord talking to me through their voices. I have learned to love them dearly. 

4. What do you love most about the children that you work with? (Mary)

Their smiles!

Children are children here, there, and everywhere! Although they struggle in the midst of poverty, even when life is so unfair to them and even when they face the most awful circumstances we could ever imagine, they smile, they love, they believe.

I get to see parents who neglect their children and children suffering from poverty, illnesses, lack of love, and malnourishment. But overall, when I look deep in their eyes, I see they are still children and have a special spark in their eyes. Sometimes this only glows again after I remind them how special they are to me and to God.

5. If you could have one wish granted for the children you work with, what would that wish be? (Crystal)

That they grow strong and beautiful before the Lord. That they never go astray or give up on the plans God has for them. 

6. If you could tell us, as sponsors, just one thing, what would it be? (Abbie H.)

Don’t let our children down!

I know it might be hard to relate to someone that is so far away not only in distance but in culture and understanding. But it is true — you can make a difference in the lives of these children by praying, by writing, and by being there for them!

When the children know they are worth someone’s time and interest, they change their view of themselves. They will believe you when you write that you love them, and they are counting on your prayers.

Every time they are at the center, they will expect to receive a letter from their sponsors because this fills them with joy and encouragement to continue to stand. 

7. Sometimes I feel, as a mom of a 3 year old, that I can’t do as much because my daughter is young and requires a lot of time. How do you juggle your time with your 2 1/2-year-old son and all the children you encounter daily? (Abbie H.)

It is difficult, my time is never enough, and I often find myself juggling many responsibilities when I visit the churches.

As a mom, I believe my son is starting to get a better picture of the world when he is aware of other children around who do not live in his same circumstances. It is hard for us at times, but in the end, I hope he can receive the blessing of meeting these wonderful children. 

My family shares this passion, and we all learn from the people I meet. We also enjoy spending time together, and although I work, I still manage to get home to play ball and enjoy dinner together.

I also have a wonderful support team, otherwise this would be impossible. 

(Because there were just seven questions posted, I, Amber, get to ask all my questions!) 

8. We hear a lot about the global food crisis around the world. Has the rise in food costs impacted Mexico? If so, how is it affecting Compassion’s projects?  

The global food crisis is a serious issue. Authorities in Mexico have said the crisis will not affect the Mexican population badly, but they have also announced a package to support the agriculture and food industry.

Prices started rising and then slowed down the increase rate, but there is still speculation in the markets in regards to the future. The crisis is just starting, and although it has not affected the churches strongly, it has been a great challenge.

Child development centers have to buy from big and well-established stores where taxes increment the value of their products. The amount a center receives to feed the children on the days the children come is not enough anymore, so expenses are starting to be redistributed differently to face the basic needs of these children.

The office in Mexico has started to explore alternatives to help the churches generate their own vegetables and to produce their own consumables. They are starting to use hydroponics, vegetable gardens, and growing chickens or rabbits for their children and families.

The programs team is also advising the centers to look for other kinds of support, such as food banks and by requesting donations in kind from department stores. 

9. How can we pray for your country and the children you minister to there? 

• Pray for their health, their well being, their hearts, and their emotions.
• Pray for safety in their communities and for the many risks they face while they are young.
• Pray for their learning, for their nourishment, and for their salvation.
• Pray for the families, the ones that stay together and the ones that split, for their work and for the money they earn to last long enough until their next paycheck.
• Pray for the single mothers who have to educate and raise children by themselves, and pray for the homes to become refuges for children, not dangerous places.
• Pray for the churches that take these children in, for loving adults to care for the children while they face their own challenges.
• Pray for the churches’ commitment to God and the resources available to them.
• Pray for the country office staff, for wisdom and strength as well as for protection and discernment, for a clean heart to serve these churches and for God’s direction in every step.
• Pray for the different work that has to be done in order to complete the effort we are involved in to serve the children.
• Pray for Mexico as a country, for the impact of the growing crisis, for the government (for the violence and corruption to cease) and for the general conditions we face as a country.
• Please also pray for the rainy season that endangers many of the communities where Compassion-assisted children are located.

 

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

1. First of all, thank you so much for all you do for the precious children of Bangladesh! My question is, as you go through each day seeing a multitude of needs in these children’s lives, what do you find yourself praying for most often? (Lindy)

You are always welcome. Actually, I feel a deep pain when I find myself in a position where I can’t afford to help each of my children to solve their problems.

Every night I pray that at least they could have their dinner and have a sound and peaceful family environment. 

2. I would like to know the specifics of how the global food crisis is affecting the people in Bangladesh and how it has affected Compassion’s program there. Have you cut back days that the children meet? Has it made a difference in the type of food that you can afford to serve the children? (Cheryl J)

The price of rice and other food products including lentils, flour, oil, and sugar are increasing continuously from last year.

According to different sources, the cost of the cheapest rice has increased by over 90 percent, and for the better grade rice, it is over 64 percent.

According to the statistics provided by the World Bank and United Nations, the daily income of a lower-level person in Bangladesh is between $1 and $2.

Each family requires at least four pounds of rice each day, which means if they only buy four pounds of the cheapest rice, they have to spend $1.18, which means they have little or no money left to buy vegetables, oil, and other food products.

Compassion Bangladesh hasn’t cut back the number of days that the children meet. Instead, we started an extra day of Compassion program.

Most of the child development centers provided a meal five days a week, but now they are providing a meal six days a week.

Some centers had to reduce their expense for food revenue; they decreased the quantity of food.

After receiving the support of the Global Food Crisis fund, this lack has been filled and children are getting food according to the new, revised menu.

Your support and prayer made it possible.    

3. How far do the students travel, on average, to get to the centers, and how do they do so? (walk, bus, etc.) (Beth Ingersoll) 

Students of Compassion have to walk for 30 minutes on average to reach their child development centers. They cannot afford the bus and it is not available in the remote areas. 

4. What do you like best about your job? (Britney)

Actually, I like two things about my job. The first thing is the love and affection of the children and their families. For example, last month I visited the house of one of our Compassion children. His name is Saidi.

I went to his house just to see how he and his family were doing. Saidi’s parents cooked their only chicken for our meal. We had dinner together. I felt so honored.

I tried to pay them the price of the chicken, but they refused my offer. They were thanking Compassion and all of us for taking care of their kid. Their love and gratefulness deeply touched me.

The second thing I like about my job is your sponsors’ response. When I see that our children are getting support from you and my stories and reports are used to benefit the children, then I feel so satisfied.

5. What do you love most about the children that you work with? (Mary)

I love their smiles. They are so lively and energetic. Their prayer is very strong, as they pray from their heart. 

6. If you could have one wish granted for the children you work with, what would that wish be? (Crystal)

I would wish for their safety. I would wish no one will ever hit them or hurt them physically or mentally. (No matter what they do wrong, there is no excuse to hit a child.)

7. If you could tell us, as sponsors, just one thing, what would it be? (Abbie H)

These children love their sponsors so much. You can’t imagine how happy they are when they receive letters and photos from their sponsor parents. 

(Because there were just seven questions posted, I, Amber, get to ask all my questions!)

8. You have family who live in the United States. Based on their experience, what do you think is the largest difference between living as a Christian in the United States compared to living as a Christian in Bangladesh?

The biggest difference between Christians in the United States and Bangladesh is that Christians in the States have the complete freedom to worship God and preach the good news.

However, we have several obstacles to worship God, and to preach the good news openly is considered a crime. We have to modify our preaching system and style. 

9. What do you think we could learn from the believers in your country?

We have hundreds of pastors in the remote areas as well as in the city areas who have been physically assaulted several times. But they are still working for the Kingdom of God.

They are leading a very poor life but their belief is so strong and nothing can discourage them from their work. You can take their lives as inspiration. 

10. How can we pray for your country and the children you minister to there?

Please pray that we could be able to win millions of souls in the name of our Lord Jesus.

People of Bangladesh are fighting a losing battle with the food crisis, price hiking, political instability, dishonesty, violence, bribery, injustice, and many other problems.

Please pray that God may remove the misery from this country. 

Please pray for our precious children, that each of them could grow in Christ and in the future they could lead our country from the front.

Also pray for their safe, happy, and hunger-free childhood. 

I want to thank all of you for your questions. Please feel free to ask any other thing you want to know about compassion’s ministry in Bangladesh.

Please pray for me that I could efficiently serve our Lord and the children through Compassion’s ministry. 

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Now it’s your turn to ask David about his experiences as a Compassion employee, visiting precious sponsored children, and anything else you’re wondering about Bangladesh.

I’ll tell you a bit about him first. He just finished his electrical engineering degree in December of 2007 when he decided that he wanted to serve the Lord by working with Compassion’s ministry. (An engineer and a writer — talented guy!) He loves English and Bengali literature and is a big sports fan too. 
 
Remember when Chris went to Mexico? He got to meet Cesiah Magaña, who has been working with Compassion Mexico for seven years. She says the seven years have been wonderful — filled with blessings and challenges.

She currently works as the communication specialist, is married and has a precious 2 1/2-year-old son, Jair. She loves driving with her family to the towns around Mexico City, seeing their handicrafts and hearing their stories. 

So it’s time to ask your questions of Cesiah and David. I’ll choose ten questions for each of them to answer. 

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

We asked Roberto Medrano, communications and tours specialist for Central America and the Caribbean and a member of our El Salvador staff, to answer some of your questions.

1. I just found out that one of my sponsored children has been sponsored four times in the past six years. I was wondering what type of effect this has on children. Do they get to the point where they are not even excited to be sponsored anymore? Is this a common occurrence? (Cindy)

To be completely honest, yes. Some of the children have received the sad news several times that their sponsors canceled. If that has happened several times, the children think something is wrong with them.

It is amazing the influence a sponsor can have on the child. For example, I remember a 25-year-old Compassion graduate. She is a Christian who is married and has two babies. She also serves as a center worker. Even though she is an adult and loves Compassion’s ministry, she always cries because in the 15 years of sponsorship her sponsor did not write one single letter. She wrote her sponsor dozens of letters, but she never received any response.

2. What are the great things about El Salvador that you want us to know about? Tell us about a particular strength or something special about the people of your country. (Lisa Miles)

El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas, but our people have a great heart. In Central America they call us the smiling country, and I think that is a special thing about our people. We have faced earthquakes, hurricanes, civil war, and poverty, but in any problem if you ask a Salvadoran, “How are you doing?” he or she will say with an honest and warm smile, “It’s all good!” Our people are very positive and enthusiastic, and they have warrior hearts that can overcome any disaster or negative situation.

3. In light of the global food crisis, which would be the most important option for sponsors who want to help — to sponsor an additional child, to send a family gift to your child, or to send a donation to Compassion specifically for the food crisis? (Lindy)

I think that everything you mention has a big impact on the crisis. I think it depends pretty much on the kind of impact you want to make.

• Sponsor a child. Great! He or she will not only receive a physical opportunity but a life opportunity that can change his or her life and his or her family’s life
• Send a gift. That certainly will focus the impact on one family that urgently needs the help.
• Send a donation. That will allow us to direct the funds to the countries, communities, and villages that have been most affected by the food crisis.

4. What are some of the struggles the children face that are specific to El Salvador? (Melissa Coast)

• Gangs: 75 percent of the crimes are committed by the gangs, and, just to give you an idea, in a country slightly larger than Massachusetts about 12 murders are committed daily. To make the situation even worse, gangs look for new recruits among children.
• Abandonment: Due to the economic situation in El Salvador, thousands of parents leave the country; about two million Salvadorans live in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of children live without a mother and a father and make their way to gangs even easier because they think the gang can be the family they don’t have.

5. I understand that some countries that Compassion partners with have the children write four letters per year. Other countries allow the children to reply to each letter the sponsors write. How does this process work in El Salvador? (Lauren)

Actually, El Salvador was a pilot country for “reciprocal letters.” This was a pilot program that involved relatively immediate responses when the child received a letter.

6. I would like to learn from your opinions regarding the condition of the American Christian church. (Compassion Dave)

I think in my case and most others, Salvadoran Christians are very grateful to the United States because they sent hundreds of missionaries to spread the gospel in El Salvador one hundred years ago. At that time, they suffered a lot and worked very hard to spread the gospel in a very rough and unfriendly environment.

Now 35 percent of our population is evangelical and the president of the country gathers pastors to openly pray for the country and the government. I think we owe much of this to those American missionaries who left everything to come to our country.

7. Can you tell the story of the sponsor trip that moved you the most? How can sponsors best prepare for their sponsor tour and meeting their child? (Sara Benson)

All sponsor tours are amazing experiences for the sponsors and for the sponsored children.

I remember a child by the name of Magaly. She was a 15-year-old girl who was sponsored by an American couple. When Magaly met them in person, she hugged them effusively while big tears came out from her beautiful brown eyes, and she kept repeating, “My family, finally I meet my family.”

At the end of the meeting Magaly took a old little purse from her bag and showed the picture they sent her years ago. She said, “You know, I have your picture with me always, and I have said to all my friends at school that you are like my parents, that you are my family.”

The couple started crying as they looked at each other. They were married for 18 years and they could not have children, so they started sponsoring Magaly when she was 5 years old. They saw her as their Salvadoran child. Their biggest dream was that Magaly would see them and value them as family.

I think that for a sponsor tour you have to be ready to give. You have been in the dreams of your sponsored children. Meeting them will have an amazing impact on their lives. Make good use of your influence on them, tell them they can do anything in Christ. Encourage them to study, to keep attending the project.

8.What is the poorest area of El Salvador? And is there any way to sponsor a child from the area? (Heather)

The West. You can contact a Compassion representative at (800) 336-7676, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to sponsor a child from this region.

9. What happens to children who start their education late, when they are first sponsored, and do not graduate by the time they reach the age to leave the Compassion program? (Juli Jarvis)

Since the moment they are registered, Compassion plans ahead so that they have the opportunity to finish school. Salvadoran children are registered from 3 to 7 years old, which gives the child development centers enough time to plan the child’s education.

10. I would love to hear your favorite stories of children in your programs whose lives were really turned around by being part of Compassion. (Amy)

I know several stories and each one of them is precious to me. Maybe the most special one was the first one.

I had only been working with Compassion four days when I went on my first child development center visit. There, I met a 9-year-old sponsored boy who was leading the worship at the center. He was FULL of joy, jumping and dancing.

Then he started preaching, and I must confess that child preachers really touch my heart because I was a child preacher when I was young. When I find a child preacher it is like finding a much-loved colleague.

The name of the boy I met in the child student center was Pedro Julio. His story was quite different than mine.

When I preached as a child, my parents were seated at the first row of the church, and they were Christians. Meanwhile, when Pedro Julio was preaching, his dad was in jail and his mom was doing drugs in a town far from where Pedro Julio lives.

When they invited me to preach, my mom took care of the clothing I was going to wear, my dad drove us to the church and he gave BIG HUGS to me before I started preaching.

When Pedro Julio preached at the center, he wore the only clothes he had, the ones the center gave him — except for the shoes of course. Wearing shoes for him was too troublesome and uncomfortable.

Instead of having his dad drive him to church and giving him big hugs, he had a disabled grandmother who could not move from bed. How have they survived?

Pedro Julio sometimes worked doing errands for people at the market, and the grandmother sometimes received the help of one of her daughters.

In spite of Pedro Julio’s hard life, when he was preaching I felt we shared so much. The same joy in our eyes, the same pride in our hearts because we were serving the Lord, the same redeemer who saved us.

Our childhoods were very different, but yet they were the same. We both met Jesus as children, we both had hope for the future, we both received love at church and we had plans to be serving the Lord for a long time due to all the wonderful things he had done in our lives.

That happened six years ago, and I still remember Pedro Julio. He made me realize that Compassion was a ministry designed in heaven because it reaches children with no hope and makes them able to bless the name of the Lord in the middle of poverty, crime, violence, abuse and abandonment.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

As I mentioned before, Ephraim has got a lot of perseverance. Check out the Compassion Haiti staff photo from 15 years ago. He’s one of only two staff members still remaining.  

1. What are the great things about Haiti that you want us to know about? Tell us something special about the people of your country, like a particular strength of them. (Lisa Miles) 

Haiti is economically considered one of the poorest countries of this hemisphere. However, this country is also unique in its natural and culturally diverse resources.

The Haitian is born with the ability to make the most beautiful artwork in the world. No matter the social class he is issued, the Haitian is capable to transform the simplest raw materials into the most enjoyable items. The Haitian paintings are of the greatest imagination, along with our sculpture in wood, steel, or stone.

Although most of its natural resources are unexploited, Haiti is one of the countries with the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

Besides all of its artistic ability, most of the educated Haitians speak up to four languages: Creole (native language), French (official), English, and Spanish with proficiency. 

2. I would love to hear your favorite story of children in your programs whose lives were really turned around by being part of Compassion. (Amy)

There are so many success stories that I could share but there this one that is unique to me. It is about a boy named Zaccalot. I named him an abandoned hero.

Zaccalot was abandoned by his mother at the age of 4 after he became very ill. Evanie, his mother had already lost two children when they were young and did not want to see another death at her door, so she abandoned him. Zaccalot suffered with worms, malnutrition, pimples and stomach aches.

Lying down under a blazing sun by the street in a locality called Saintard (about 40km from Port-au-Prince) the poor Zaccalot drew the attention of a Compassion group that was passing by. The time for the hero to rise up had come as the group stopped and asked to take care of him through Compassion.  

A few weeks later, as Zaccalot’s mother was informed about it, she decided to come back and join her husband and children again.

The difference that the project makes in the life of Zaccalot has changed the family’s perspective on life. Despair has changed into hope.

At 8 years old, Zaccalot in in second grade and is in good health. He is a reference for his community, as he passed from death to life thanks to Compassion. And he has also reunited his family together after it had been broken by poverty and despair.

That story impacted me the most because I was part of the group who witnessed that event and participated in deciding to assist Zaccalot.

3. I met you on an Advocate’s tour to Haiti and you were an awesome tour guide! You have the most wonderful smile and laughter! Visiting your country–and meeting the wonderful people there (including my sponsored child of 16 years)–was one of the highlights of my life. any idea how many guests you have welcomed and translated for in 22 years? How many games of Duck Duck Goose have you played (or translated)? (Juli Jarvis)

It is a bit difficult to give the exact statistics of how many visitors I have welcomed and translated for during my 22 years of service at Compassion.

However, with three tours and an average of 20 sponsor visits per year, I can say that I had the opportunity to meet the most heartfelt committed people from all over the world who came to encourage and cheer the sponsored children in Haiti.

For example, one of the visits that I will never forget is about a young male sponsor from Australia. That visit took us four hours driving in bad road conditions and two hours walking up the mountains and down the creek to reach the child’s home as that sponsor was determined to visit the child at site.

The most rewarding memory is that the sponsor ate the same meal and slept on the same floor mat that the family used. Both, the child and the young sponsor will never forget such an experience of love and sharing.

4. How has the global food crisis affected children in Haiti? Which would be the most important option for sponsors who want to help – to sponsor an additional child, to send a family gift to our child, or to send a donation to Compassion specifically for the food crisis? (Linday)

The food crisis has affected most of the Haitian families especially the lower class with low income. Considering the unemployment rate (75 percent) and the lack of government capacity to respond to the crisis, we can assume that the children are the most vulnerable as many of them can no longer go to school and find food to eat as they should.

With that in mind, my personal opinion is that the best option would be to sponsor an additional child. The advantage of such a decision is that the child will have both, the opportunity to go to school and also to find food through the Compassion response to the food crisis program.

5. What is the most significant way sponsors can pray for their children, and what is the best thing a sponsor can write to their children? (Sara Benson)

There is nothing greater in the life of a sponsored child than receiving words of encouragement from his/her sponsor. Many children who have become successful Christian adults have confessed that the words of encouragement they received from their sponsor had motivated them to do well in school. The child feels that he/she has an obligation to be the best child he/she could be at home and in his/her neighborhood. The children love to read in the sponsored letters expressions such as:

• I love you.
• I am praying for you.
• I want you to work hard in school in order to succeed.
• I want you to become a successful person in life.
• I want you to go to church and I also want you to pray for me.

Those kinds of words make the child feel that he/she has great value your eyes and also in the eyes of society. The child also likes to receive photographs. The child would show the photograph to his/her friends and also to people in the neighborhood.

Above all, a sponsor’s visit is something that impacts the life of a child and his/her family forever.

6. I spent five years in Haiti from ’83 to ’88, during the unrest and ousting of Baby Doc. At that time, voodoo was very prevalent, but so was the message of the gospel. At the end of my time there, voodoo activity had taken a bit of a nose dive, but the church was stronger than ever. Is this still the same? (James)

I am certain that voodoo will never be prevalent anymore in Haiti.

The church is getting stronger and stronger as the gospel has been spread out to people with much authority. The population has shown more interest in searching for God rather than voodoo. Evangelical crusades are being organized all over the country and have won hundreds of thousands of souls for Christ. The churches are overcrowded with people in all the main cities, while the voodoo temples are rarely seen.

At the departure of Baby Doc for instance, statistics show that the evangelicals were about 20 percent of the population. At this moment, the Gospel has brought 40 percent of the population to a commitment to Christ. 

7. Is Compassion Haiti doing anything to rescue children from the “restavec” system? (Joyce T.)

Compassion Haiti is in the heart of the struggle against the restavec system, called also domesticity. We are piloting a special program for those mistreated kids in one of the child development centers located in a slum called Solino in the heart of Port-au-Prince.

In many other cities where that program has not yet been established, Compassion still integrates “restavec” children in the regular program.

8. What is the poorest area of Haiti? And is there any way to sponsor a child from this area? (Heather)

It is difficult to identify the poorest area of Haiti if we consider the common denominators in all the disadvantaged areas. For instance: lack of paved roads, sewage, electricity, water system, medical infrastructures, just to name a few.

However, when we consider the density of the “Cite Soleil” Slum with about 250,000 inhabitants (about 12 percent of the Port-au-Prince population estimated at 2 million inhabitants), we can assume that “Cite Soleil” is the poorest area of Haiti, as 100 percent of that population lives with less than $1 per day. This is the reason why Cite Soleil remains one of the most vulnerable areas in time of inflation or food shortage.

9. When a child completes the program do they have a degree comparable to a U.S. high school degree? Is their training primarily academic or vocational? What types of skilled jobs are there in the rural areas? (Joyce T.)

When a child completes the program, he has the 12th grade U.S. equivalent. 

During the academic years, the child has the opportunity to learn a trade of his/her choice that is compatible to his/her community. That training can be: dressmaking, tailoring, plumbing, welding, electricity, paintings, handicrafts, cooking and pastry and music.

After graduation, the young adults are very competitive in the labor market as they are the best trained people in their community. In the rural areas for instance, the children can be self supporting by establishing their own businesses. And so doing, they become job creating entities in their respective communities.

Graduates through the Leadership Development Program often become lawyers, doctors, pastors, agronomists, social workers, teachers, nurses, etc., with college degrees. This enables them to better serve the country. 

10. What do you like most about your job? (Britney)

What I like the most about my job is that it offers me the opportunity to play an active role in the change process in the country. It offers me the opportunity to see Compassion’s impact in the lives of thousands of children. I have seen children whose lives were not worth anything, but who have been now transformed into real hope, thanks to Compassion.

My job has also given me the opportunity to be an agent of change rather than be a spectator. I am now proud to see former Compassion sponsored children being doctors, lawyers, teachers, pastors, social workers, just to name a few.

My commitment to that ministry has given me a personal satisfaction as a Gospel minister. 

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Ephraim has been working with Compassion Haiti for 22 years. (Talk about perseverance!)

He first worked for Compassion as a translator, and he is now the field communications supervisor for Haiti. His daily work includes interviewing Compassion beneficiaries and writing stories about their success.

Ephraim is always smiling, and he loves watermelon. Besides all the work he does for Compassion, he’s a pastor at his local church, a loving father of a 21-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy, and a loving husband of 23 years.

Roberto has been working with Compassion El Salvador for 6 years. He first worked for Compassion as field communications specialist and now he is the communications and tours specialist for Central America and the Caribbean, which means he is in charge of training and supporting all Compassion countries in that region for communications and tours. (He’s a busy guy!)

Roberto is the youth pastor of his church, and although he is just 30 years old, he has been preaching for more than 26 years. He was a child preacher, and that is one of the reasons why he loves Compassion’s ministry — he has witnessed first hand the impact of God’s Word when you are a child. He is crazily in love with his beautiful wife, Yolanda, an ORU graduate that fully supports him in working on behalf of children.

So now it’s your turn to ask away! You know the drill by now — I’ll choose 10 of your questions for them to answer.

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10 answers? Yes … kind of. They’re just not all in this post.

Here we go. 10 Questions With Dennis Tumusiime, a tours and visits specialist with Compassion Uganda.

1. Do the families that Compassion works with have a pretty good understanding about what the program entails, and are they open to their children being evangelized? Is there a balance between being so desperate that they feel they must enroll their children and thus expose them to the gospel in order for them to be educated and fed? (Kalaya G)

I’d say that 80 percent of the communities where child development centers are located have an understanding [at least partially] of our program components. There have been instances where children are denied the benefits of the programs by their parents because the parents have different beliefs and norms, but like you said, they are compelled to enroll the children because of lack of supplies to the children’s needs.

2. What are the qualifications for the project workers to work at the child development centers? (Kayla)

Each position, be it health, finance, or sponsor donor ministry has a professional element that an aspiring candidate should have. But Compassion also has a holistic approach to the work we do, and the same idea applies to the workers in the child development centers; they should be holistically qualified –- not just academically qualified. The applicant’s spiritual status matters, and it is paramount.

3. Can you tell about the time when you first decided to work for Compassion? (Catherine)

It was two years back. Let me say Compassion picked me from my home church [based and located in a local university] where I was doing mission coordination and planning for university outreach. It was a prayer answered, and I spontaneously accepted when the opportunity came. I just said this is “go for it.”

My first position with Compassion was as short term mission trip coordinator, and I was recently promoted to tours and visits specialist. I love it.

4. What goals do you hope to accomplish in your area? (Jason)

There is a whole cluster of goals that I want to accomplish, but I will mention this specific one –- the primary one. We have over 230 child development centers in Uganda implementing the three core programs; my goal is to expose all these distributed centers to the guests visiting, so that the guests may see the labor of their hands in these different communities.

5. What is the most memorable moment you can think of during a sponsor tour? (Kalaya G)

This is from a recent tour. Guests were visiting the country, and they all had sponsored children in Uganda. We arranged for the children and guests to meet and interact on what we call a Compassion Fun Day. All happened as planned. While the guests were having one-to-one time with their children, all scattered throughout the play area, I took a look around and saw smiles on everyone’s faces. That was remarkable! The joy of the child first meeting his or her friend, mentor, mother/father and sponsor — meeting face-to-face, not on paper — was so awesome. Parting the two was rather hard at the end of the day.

6. After seeing the conditions in Uganda as reported by the Compassion bloggers, I want to send my Ugandan children the full $300 each year permitted as a family gift. My question is, is it better to give $300 in one gift, or is it better to give smaller amounts periodically, such as $100 every 4 months? On the one hand, I’ve thought the larger sum is better because if there was a more expensive project or job-starter that needed done, it could be, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm them with such a large gift all at once and then absolutely nothing more for a year. Advice on this would be greatly appreciated. (Prairie Rose)

My take would be the latter, better to give in smaller amounts periodically. Smaller amounts are easier to manage for families, and if whatever project the family undertakes doesn’t proceed as fast as they would like or hits a snag, then they could kick off another project that would be of benefit.

7. What kinds of things can I say in my letters to best encourage my child? (Kalaya G)

There are several things that you could include in the letters you write to your child. Let your child know that you are praying for them and that you love them and God as well. You could share with your child some scriptures of encouragement.

(ed. Read What Should I Write About? and Are My Letters Really That Important? for more ideas.)

8. I sponsor both an older and younger child. I find it very easy to send small items along with the letters for the youngest (stickers, bookmarks, etc.) But I find it harder to figure out what small gifts to send for the older children. What do they like that will fit in the right sized envelope? Any suggestions? (Amanda)

You could send photographs of you, your family, your church and Sunday school children at your local church. Photos are always cherished. There are also cards that have scriptures written on them. This would help the older children with their scripture memorizing lessons.

9. Do the children whose sponsors do not visit feel left out? (Kalaya G)

• (ed. Human nature being what it is, the answer is yes. Kees addressed this from the perspective of the child who doesn’t receive letters, and Edwin answered a few questions on jealousy and discouragement in his 10 questions post.)

10. Is the benefit to the child and sponsor worth the cost of the visit? I would love to visit my three sponsored girls, but I hesitate to spend a considerable amount of money for “my dream” when the money could be used to sponsor additional children or ministries. I think I would feel guilty. What are your thoughts? (Shelly Quigg)

• Read the post with the answer(s) – Should I visit my sponsored child?

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1. Can you tell about the time when you first decided to work for Compassion? (Catherine)

Before Compassion I was production manager for OMF Literature (the biggest Christian publisher in the Philippines) and a writer of children’s books. I grew up at church serving and teaching little children; playing with them and just enjoying their company. When I saw the ad for a Communications Specialist for Compassion International in the Philippines, I was literally drawn in. Feeling a strong sense of peace and confidence that the Lord was calling me to this beautiful ministry for children, I applied for the post and on the same week filed for resignation from OMF despite not knowing for sure whether Compassion would hire me or not. Thank God they did.

2. What goals do you hope to accomplish in your area? (Jason)

I hope that through the photographs I take and stories I write about Filipino children I could reach as many readers as I can around the world so that more and more people would stand up for children and advocate for them, so that more and more could see that thousands of children and families here in the Philippines truly lack opportunities for a better life (or simply for a livable minimum) despite the fact that they are hard working and full of faith.

What drives me is Proverbs 31:8, “to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

3. What have been the toughest times of your life, and what have you learned from these trials? (Juli Jarvis)

Being in love with children, I questioned our heavenly Father for so many years why He continued to refuse my wife and me a child of our own. We are childless for 13 years now. Before our 10th anniversary we knelt before His presence, enjoyed His Peace and said, “OK, Lord, now that we know we have a different calling in life — that we won’t be biological parents — bless and strengthen us so we can be parents to others.” Today my wife works with me in Compassion, we send some of her nephews to school, support non-sponsored children, and now are sponsoring a Compassion child of our own. This doesn’t mean we’ve got it made financially; it only means we now have a clearer focus of our purpose in life.

A few Filipino Christians are now sponsoring Filipino children through Compassion USA. (In fact some are formerly sponsored children.) My wife and I recently met our sponsored child. Meeting her we were the happiest couple alive.

4. What kinds of things can I say in my letters to best encourage my child? (Kalaya G)

These children live in the most uncomfortable circumstances where adults around them are drunk, angry or distressed. A simple “I love you” or “You are special” means a lot to them. Don’t get tired of saying nice words as “God loves you,” “You are loved,” or “You are special,” because you may be the only person who tells that to your sponsored child.

I met one child who, growing up, regularly got, “You are ugly,” “You look like your father” (who was a drug addict) from her relatives. And then from her sponsor she would always get “You are special,” “We love you.” Today, she confesses that it was those words from her sponsor that greatly encouraged her to pursue studies in mass communications. She was recently given the chance to tell her story to several churches around the USA, including Willow Creek, and right now she is in the UK for more rounds of talk for Compassion. Her name is Michelle Tolentino.

5. What is the general opinion of Compassion’s work among people in the Philippines? Is it an organization that is well respected? (Kalaya G)

Around the communities where we have church partners, we encourage the churches to promote their name and not Compassion’s so that people will understand that the children go to church and not to an organization, which is why not many non-Compassion-related individuals know the organization. But to the church personnel, the families, the relatives and children, a mere mention of Compassion could send some to tears (literally, I have seen it) because they know how much this organization helps the children, providing them hope.

6. How about child registration into the programs? Are there income guidelines? Or do you look at other areas of need in their lives? Also, what percentage of the children in the Philippines that go through Compassion’s programs are truly released from poverty? (Kalaya G)

As a country office we make sure we reach the poorest families from the poorest provinces in the country. We regularly update our country map index, which monitors poverty incidence, home development index, and child welfare index. From these we determine the poorest and most needy provinces and so focus our expansion in those areas. So far the only poorest provinces we have not reached are those threatened by insurgents and rebels. Recently we are exhausting efforts to reach indigenous tribes, many of which have not heard the Gospel until today.

The second question is a tough one because we address four kinds of poverty: spiritual, economic, social and physical. While there may be a way to measure the percentage of impact we have done economically and physically through extensive research, measuring spiritual success is much more difficult. So instead of responding in percentage, allow me to quote an interview I have had with an LDP graduate. I asked Jacky Metran whether she truly believes she has been released from poverty and she answered, “I was released from sin and wrong outlook and perspective in life. Even if I’m still surrounded by poverty today, because of what I learned through Compassion, I can go against the flow of society. I do my responsibility to make a difference to this world by the life I live. I am in the same situation and standing in life, but now I have a different perspective.”

After graduating from Compassion’s program, Jacky took and finished a master’s degree from the Asian Theological Seminary and is now working/doing ministry in Indonesia.

7. There is a misconception among some who believe that Compassion force-feeds children a Christian doctrine. While I know that this is false, I do know that not all children accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. My question is, how is the child who has not come into the faith typically treated? (Compassion Dave)

The ministry in the Philippines enjoys an advantage that the Bible is freely opened and taught in this country. Teaching salvation and the Gospel is very much in our projects’ curriculum so that what you believe that Compassion does not force-feed a Christian doctrine is true. The Bible is a part of the kids’ regular activities in the projects.

A child who has not come into faith is not treated any differently since kids are enjoined into many other fun activities as singing, playing, camps, trips and so on.

Let me tell you briefly about a young man I met in one of our projects. He was registered into the program when he was only 6 years old. His mother died when he was very young. At the project, he grew up enjoying the activities, friends, and, as he puts it, “of course the food. I would keep some in my pocket to take home as snack for later.”

But although he was in all the project activities through the years, although he enjoyed equal treatment with the other children, he never surrendered to receive Christ in his heart. Today he confesses that he stayed in the program simply for the material benefits of sponsorship. He hid a secret anger towards God when his mother died, and it was not until he became a teenager that he truly met the Lord and established a relationship with Him. So, because he was not treated any differently, he felt comfortable staying in the program as God quietly worked in his heart through the years. He is now a missionary, by the way. His name is Bjorn Rodriguez.

8. Can you share what the prices of some common items are? I send family gifts in small amounts, and if I knew what some items cost I could send more. I realize prices vary, but I would like to have a general idea. (Mary)

What is the average price for:

• A sack of rice, (50 kilos): PhP 2000-2500 (roughly US$ 44.95-56.15); (a kilo): PhP 40-50 (roughly US$ 0.89-1.12)
• Sandals: PhP 200-300 (roughly US$ 4.50-6.74)
• Dress for a 12-year-old girl: P700-1000 (roughly US$ 15.70-22.45)
• Milk (2-kilo can): PhP 800 (roughly US$ 17.95)
• Spaghetti, one snack serving: P50 (roughly US$ 1.12)
• Fruit, such as mangoes: P55/kilo (roughly US$ 1.23/kilo)
• Banana: PhP25/kilo (roughly US$ 0.56)

(Exchange rate is now PhP 44.51 to a dollar)

9. How does Compassion deal with the jealousy of children who receive no extra money/letters/visits toward the more fortunate ones that frequently receive gifts from their sponsors? (Kayla)

This has always been a concern. I know you are asking about “no extra money/letter/visits,” but there are even children who don’t get regular letters. I met one child who asked the project staff, “Is there anything wrong with me? Why don’t I get letters?” In such cases, project staff step in and explain the possible realities that sponsors go through. They explain that not all sponsors may be as wealthy or as flexible. Filipino children may have an impression that all westerners are rich and do nothing all day but enjoy the comforts of a fully-furnished home in front of the fireplace while immaculately white snow is falling outside. (Yes, many think it is always snowing in the USA, and in all of the states.) It is the project staff’s task to explain that sponsors are real people who have real problems that may be hindering them from writing a letter or sending gifts.

At the other end, I believe Compassion’s Global Ministry Center in Colorado has taken steps to encourage sponsors to write and that when unable to, a sponsor shall assign or allow someone to write for him or her.

10. Being that you frequently interact with sponsored children, I would like to know if the children are truly discouraged when their sponsor discontinues supporting them? What would you suggest to a sponsor who is struggling financially and is wondering if he should cancel the sponsorship or continue the sponsorship despite financial difficulties? (Norman)

Yes, children are discouraged when their sponsor discontinues supporting them, and it is not an issue of economics. Filipinos are resilient people, and even the little ones can forget about poverty, hunger and lack of opportunity as long as there is love in the home. What could really bring them down is the thought that they are not loved or that their sponsor has stopped loving them. Again that question from a child comes to mind, “Is there something wrong with me?”

I would suggest to a sponsor who is struggling financially to try to hold on just a little more. Or if he has truly decided to cancel, do write the child and explain the real situation rather than just being quiet about it. If the child doesn’t get an answer, he or she may entertain many unpleasant conclusions including the thought that he or she is undesirable or unloved.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Ask your burning questions of our staff from around the world about their country, their work — whatever you want to know. I’ll choose 10 of your questions for them to answer. (Being the protective mother bear that I am, I’ll make sure to choose culturally appropriate questions. What’s polite dinner conversation in the U.S. may not be appropriate in their country, so keep this in mind as you ask.)

I’d like to introduce to you Dennis Tumusiime and Edwin Estioko.

Dennis is a native of Uganda and works as a tours and visits specialist for Compassion International Uganda. (Did you know that Compassion doesn’t send a bunch of Americans over to other countries to minister to the children, but works through natives of that country so they can culturally contextualize the ministry? That’s pretty cool.) Anyway, Dennis has been working for two years with Compassion to coordinate and plan visits from sponsors and donors to Uganda. (So, if you visit Uganda, you’ll probably get to see that smiling face!) Coordinating all these trips means he’s quite an adventurous man.

Edwin Estioko began working for Compassion six years ago and is originally from Quezon City, Philippines. He is Compassion’s Field Communication Specialist in the Philippines and writes stories about and takes pictures of the ministry that is happening through Compassion International Philippines. He is married with no kids, so he and his wife can easily consider all the Compassion children as their own.

Dennis and Edwin are excited to answer your questions, so ask away!

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates