We began our ministry in Rwanda in 1980 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2008, we started the Leadership Development Program, and the Child Survival Program followed in 2010.

We were forced to close temporarily due to the war and genocide, but reopened operations in September of 1994. The first country director was appointed in 1995. Also in 1995, our President and CEO Wess Stafford visited Rwanda in an effort to reunite churches and pastors who had been divided during the war.

Country Director

Samuel Rugambage joined us as Program Manager in March 2005 and was appointed Country Director in 2006. Before coming to our ministry, Samuel served in various leadership positions at the Baptist Union of Churches of Rwanda, the Protestant Counsel of Rwanda and the Protestant University of Butare.

Samuel holds a master’s of Education, a master’s of Theology, and a Ph.D. in Theology.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in Rwanda with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  The spiritual climate in Rwanda is one of freedom. More than 93 percent of the population is Christian, and people are free to pray and evangelize throughout the country.
• Unique Challenges
  One challenge is that English is not commonly used, which causes language barriers and the constant need for interpreters. Also, Implementing Church Partner staff are paid a relatively low salary, which causes many to seek other employment.
• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the land where program activities take place as well as time and manpower for child development center activities.

  They also volunteer for projects such as house construction for Highly Vulnerable Children or providing relief in the case of disaster.



• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners through education, training and Complementary Interventions support.

Child Survival Program

We recently started the Child Survival Program in Rwanda. The program is currently working in eastern, southern and northern Rwanda as well as in the capital city of Kigali.

Child Sponsorship Program

Your sponsorship of a child in Rwanda provides a variety of benefits.

Children are busy with school during the weekdays so they meet on Saturdays.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 6 to 8 year olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 9 to 11 year olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 12 to 14 year olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 15 to 18 year olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 19 +: 8 hours on Saturday



• Nutritional Support
  The children are fed when they come to the center on Saturdays. They are given porridge in the morning before starting the first lesson and then a full meal for lunch, which typically consists of rice, posho (a common East African dish made with cornmeal) or Irish potatoes with beans and green vegetables. We provide this food in order to give them energy to participate in the program as well as to motivate them to attend.
• Vaccinations
  Vaccinations are provided free of charge by the government according to the schedule set by the Ministry of Health.
• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Child development centers set aside time for sports and cultural/traditional dances for the children twice a month on Saturdays and more frequently during their school holidays.
• Vocational Activities
  Adolescents participate in discussions about human development relevant to the teenage years, such as body changes, hygiene and emotional changes.

  They are also involved in Bible study, discipleship, and income-generating activities such as crocheting, tailoring and basket weaving.



• Parent Involvement
  Parents meet for weekly prayer meetings and for monthly community service activities, such as house renovations for families who need our Highly Vulnerable Children program, center clean-up days, and working at the vegetable gardens at the centers.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program>
  We plan to focus expansion on existing clusters throughout the country, especially where clusters are not complete.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Our Leadership Development Program students attend government or public universities.
• Location of Universities
  There are five universities total in Rwanda; three are in the capital city of Kigali and two are in other parts of the country.
• Service Opportunities
  Students visit child development centers on Saturdays to participate in the activities and encourage the younger students.

  They also build at least four houses per year for vulnerable families near their universities and churches.



• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  Our Leadership Development Program students meet twice a month to plan for and evaluate their service activities. They also participate in weekly Bible studies and fellowship together.
• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  We discuss sexual purity and abstinence. We also do general health screenings, HIV tests and counseling.
• Mentors
  We work with churches, Christian unions and other leadership associations that train and mentor the students. Potential mentors are invited to meet the Leadership Development Program students and to learn more about the program itself. We also encourage students who already have mentors to help other students find a mentor.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed, such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

In Rwanda we typically use Complementary Interventions for supplementary development activities that focus on child development, such as health, curriculum and Highly Vulnerable Children. We also use Complementary Interventions for program enhancement activities. This includes water supply, mosquito nets, income-generating activities, and infrastructure.

Highly Vulnerable Children

Primary Highly Vulnerable Children needs are food, clothing and shelter. We provide cottages, house renovations and food supplements. Highly Vulnerable Children funds also provide the means for beneficiaries to be self-supporting — mainly through income-generating activities.

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

We began our ministry in the Dominican Republic in 1970 as a relief program donating food, medicine and money for children selected by the local churches.

This relief program transitioned into a school program in the 1980s. In this program, children in the Dominican Republic gained access to education through the local church. In 1994, we started our Child Sponsorship Program. The Leadership Development Program started in 2004, followed by the Child Survival Program in 2006.

In the Dominican Republic we have a strategic partnership with the Evangelical National University to offer higher education to our staff, Implementing Church Partner staff and church members in holistic child development and child advocacy in order to train leaders to be child advocates.

Country Director

Kleber Isaias Lora Bautista joined us as Country Director in 2005.

Prior to coming to our ministry he held various positions including Child Sponsorship Program Manager at Food for the Hungry and a consultant for the Institutional Strength Project.

Kleber graduated with a degree in computer engineering from INTEC Technological Institute of Santo Domingo in 1990. He also earned a masters of business administration from the University of Quebec, Montreal in 2004.

As a young person, Kleber was the founder of the Christian Church in his community and later became the youth pastor and a staff member of their Bible seminary.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in the Dominican Republic with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  The Dominican Republic is very open to the gospel and the church has a strong voice in the community. Youth delinquency is a major challenge in many communities; because of that the church is widely accepted and welcomed in the hope that the church will encourage and embrace the youth.

  As a result, the church in the Dominican Republic is experiencing numerical growth.



• Unique Challenges
  It can be challenging for churches to find and train professional staff as the quality of education in the Dominican Republic is quite low. Once they are trained, the market often offers better salaries and benefits than Implementing Church Partners can offer. Also, most churches must rent their space because land is expensive and neighborhoods are very crowded.
• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide construction and labor for the facilities as well as volunteers who offer their time and service in their specific field of expertise, such as medicine or social work.
• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners in the Dominican Republic through training in accountability and sponsorship processes as well as leadership meetings with pastors and project directors.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  Literacy is taught at the caregiver meetings once a week using an adult literacy method by ALFALIT. ALFALIT is an international Christian non-profit organization that specializes in eliminating literacy and offering education and development opportunities with the purpose of strengthening families in need.
• Income-generating Skills
  We offer a workshop once a week on various topics such as baking, jewelry making, hair dressing and beautician’s skills, and making pajamas and undergarments.

  These are skills that the caregivers can use in their homes while also taking care of their children.



• Health Care
  For vaccinations, medical consultations and follow-ups, mothers and babies go to public or private health centers that are located in their communities or nearby. We reimburse the Implementing Church Partners at various rates depending on whether the beneficiaries received care at a public hospital, semiprivate center or a private center.
• Nutritional Support
  Each month we assess which families are in need of nutritional support, then we deliver food and micronutrients for those families. Usually we do not deliver to the same families month after month, but occasionally that is needed for families living in very difficult conditions.

  We also provide an orientation on nutrition and subsequent follow-ups.

• Involvement of Fathers
  We encourage fathers to participate in group meetings and home visits. At the group meetings, we will often have a counseling professional come and talk to the couples about parenting and family dynamics.

  Implementing Church Partners also organize yearly retreats for Child Survival Program mothers and their husbands where they go away for three days and enjoy being together, meet new people and hear speakers teach on various topics.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  When children reach the age of 2, the Child Survival Program Implementers organize group activities where the children sit together around tables, draw and paint and have a nutritional meal together to help them get acquainted with the Child Sponsorship Program classroom and activities.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We would like to expand into the southern region of the Dominican Republic because that is the poorest area of the country.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

Your sponsorship of a child in the Dominican Republic provides a variety of benefits.

Based on our curriculum, this has been the most appropriate schedule for the children.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 8 hours a week spread out over 2 to 3 days
• 6 to 8 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 9 to 11 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 12 to 14 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 15 to 18 year olds: 2 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 19 +: 2 hours a day, 2 days a week



• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives a meal every day that they attend the child development center, which is about three times a week. A typical meal consists of rice and milk, wheat flour and milk, rice and chicken, oatmeal with bread, fruit juice and cookies, or cornflakes and milk.

  We give a meal or snack each time they attend the center because although the government schools do sometimes offer food, it is not consistent nor is it always safe and clean.



• Vaccinations
  Development center staff advises all parents to vaccinate their children. A health professional does an annual checkup and checks that these vaccines have been completed.

  In some cases, Implementing Church Partners have agreements with other non-governmental organizations or governmental agencies that provide vaccinations when needed.



• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children are able to participate regularly in sports, camps, arts, field days, museum visits, book fairs and field trips to historic sites, various companies and recreational places.
• Vocational Activities
  Vocational training in skills such as computers, handicrafts, driving, beauty, English, cooking, baking, welding, carpentry and sewing are offered depending on the local community. Many of the vocational training courses are certified, allowing the students to grow professionally in a given technical professional field.

  We also offer spiritual guidance and support, counseling, and opportunities for long-term development such as “My Plan for the Future” which is completed by each student.



• Parent Involvement
  We offer quarterly parenting classes on topics such as healthy parenting, family violence prevention, nutrition, literacy, vocational training and health.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We would like to expand into the south and northeast regions of the Dominican Republic. The south is the most impoverished area in the country, and the northeast is a region where we do not currently have any church partners.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Leadership Development Program students attend governmental, private or Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  Most of the universities are located in the capital city or in other large cities. There are several regional campuses spread throughout the country that offer a limited choice of degrees.
• Working Students
  There are a few Leadership Development Program students who do work, but generally these students are about to graduate.
• Service Opportunities
  Many students go back to their child development centers and churches to serve, while others serve at orphanages, nursing homes and schools or by doing community evangelism and missions.
• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  Leadership Development Program students hold an annual Advocacy Conference and an annual Youth Forum. The Advocacy Conference is a large meeting in which the students invite child development centers from various regions to bring their children and adolescents so the Leadership Development Program students can speak to them on specific topics related to child development.

  The Youth Forum is a forum where students invite leaders and professionals in various fields of social service to speak to them and other youth. They also meet quarterly in their Leadership Development Program care groups, which are smaller groups divided up by region; this is when they usually meet with the program specialist.



• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  When students enter the Leadership Development Program, they are required to complete the “Leadership Development Program Academy.” This is a one-month training program with specialized teachers in subjects such as math, writing, speed reading, and Christian worldview.
• Mentors
  Some of our staff members in the Dominican Republic are mentors for the students. They also assist other students in finding mentors through their connections with leaders from their churches.
• Career Placement Assistance
  We offer workshops to help the Leadership Development Program students choose their careers based on their interests and the labor market demands. We also give a vocational test administered by a psychologist to every student.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed, such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Typical Complementary Interventions in the Dominican Republic include vocational training, reliable water using water purification systems, dental care, promotion of sports practices and major medical interventions

Highly Vulnerable Children

The primary needs in our Highly Vulnerable Children population are nutrition, hygiene and reliable water. It has been shown that focusing on prevention is the most efficient way to address the needs of Highly Vulnerable Children.

As a result, we concentrate our efforts within the Child Survival Program to improve and promote care and hygiene in newborns, infants and mothers. Child Survival and Child Sponsorship Program beneficiaries are eligible for medical support through Complementary Interventions.

In some cases of severe malnutrition, help and food is provided regularly. Funds are also used for adult literacy and nutrition/health education. In the event of a disaster, food, water and other resources are available for Highly Vulnerable Children.

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

We began our ministry in India in 1997 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2003, we started the Child Survival Program, and the Leadership Development Program followed in 2004.

Country Director

Paul Asveen joined our ministry as Country Director in 2010. Paul came to us with 22 years of combined experience from both the corporate and ministry worlds. For 16 years Paul worked in the banking industry with Citibank – 10 years in India and 6 years in Indonesia. In 2003, Paul decided to devote his energy fully to Christian ministry.

After six years of serving in ministry in Singapore, Paul and his family felt the call to return to India. Paul joined the Christian Institute of Management as their Executive Director in January 2009, a position he held until joining our ministry.

Paul holds a bachelor’s of commerce degree from Loyola College Chennai, a master’s of business administration degree from the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, and a master’s of divinity degree from Trinity Theological College in Singapore.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in India with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  Ninety-three percent of the population is Hindu, and India is often called “Hindustan,” meaning the “land of the Hindus.” The Christian church fights for basic rights and struggles against Hindu religious extremist groups. While Christians in most areas in India face only occasional persecution, there are scattered areas that face adverse persecution.

  However, this has only resulted in growth and unification for the church. The church has grown in number every year as a result of ministry programs.

  We have faced charges of trying to convert people to Christianity, but we have handled these charges with sensitivity and caution thus far. It is likely we will continue to face such charges.

  It is challenging to mentor the beneficiaries who become Christians because they are unable to boldly profess their faith for fear of being thrown out of their homes and punished by the local community. They lose all benefits provided by the government once they become Christians.

  For example, the government provides subsidies for education and employment for those living in poverty and those from lower castes. However, these subsidies will not be provided if a person becomes a Christian.

  The church also struggles to compete in providing services due to the lack of funds. There are new commercial institutions that are providing services, not necessarily from a heart of service, but in order to gain profit and good standing in the community, and many are choosing to seek services at these institutions rather than from the church.



• Unique Challenges
  One challenge unique to our Implementing Church Partners in India is how to make the program relevant to an area that is very large geographically and highly varied culturally. Each Implementing Church Partner is unique, and it is difficult to generalize the program enough so that it fits all Implementing Church Partner’s needs.

  Generally, our church partners can be classified as urban, semi-urban, rural and tribal and each has its own challenges and opportunities.

  Another challenge is retaining qualified staff with the resources provided.

• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the facilities used for the program, ongoing maintenance and recurring expenses for the facilities as well as spiritual materials and other resources.
• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners in the following ways:
  • Partner consultations: We encourage the sharing of best practices and learning experiences among Implementing Church Partners and with the field office.
  • Compassion Partners Conference: We hold an event to challenge the churches to address current issues that the children face.
  • Bi-annual meeting: The leadership of the ministry in India meet for a minimum of one hour with each Child Development Center Director to provide guidance in handling local issues and to keep the Implementing Church Partner informed about progress and/or expected changes.
  • Regular Partnership Facilitator visits with the church leadership.
  • Vision casting exercises: These are done with the church leaders and pastors to help them develop growth plans.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  Literacy classes are held monthly during the cognitive development portion of the program. We also offer need-based literacy training because literacy rates vary greatly between caregivers. The caregivers learn the alphabet, how to write their name, and how to deal in the local currency proficiently.
• Income-Generating Skills
  Income-generating skills, such as tailoring, weaving, basket making, juice making and goat rearing, are offered either weekly or bi-monthly depending on the caregivers’ needs and the availability of the trainers.

  Some development centers have utilized Complementary Interventions to supply machinery and tools for the training.



• Health Care
  The Child Survival Program assists every caregiver in accessing and receiving health care. This includes an annual checkup performed by a medical doctor for all caregivers and children, financial assistance for major medical treatment if needed, regular growth monitoring of the children done by Child Survival Program staff, maintenance of an immunization chart for every child, and monthly health awareness programs on topics such as the prevention of waterborne diseases and good hygiene practices.

  Caregivers and children receive medical care and immunizations at the local government hospitals and primary health centers, and the Child Survival Program staff follows up to ensure they are utilizing these health services.

• Nutritional Support
  Caregivers and children are provided with nutritional supplements during all regular meetings at the Child Survival Program. They also receive training on healthy eating and the use of inexpensive healthy fruits and vegetables. Additionally, we encourage kitchen gardens to improve their nutritional intake at home.



• Involvement of Fathers
  A variety of activities are offered for fathers to encourage their participation in the Child Survival Program including special meetings to discuss the role of fathers in the family, awareness programs on alcohol and substance abuse, family retreats that focus on family dynamics and healthy relationships, and counseling, if needed, during the regular home visits.
• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  When a child reaches the age of transition from the Child Survival Program to the Child Sponsorship Program, Child Survival staff meet with the parents to inform them of the criteria and guidelines of the Child Sponsorship Program.

  Mothers are asked to attend the monthly parents’ meetings for the Child Sponsorship Program, and once the child is registered into the program, the Implementing Church Partner staff conduct regular home visits to inform the mothers of their child’s progress.

• Areas of Expansion the Child Survival Program
  We plan to expand into northern and southern India based on infant mortality rates.

Child Sponsorship Program

Your sponsorship of a child in India provides a variety of benefits.

The schools and Implementing Church Partners are in close proximity to each other, so children are able to spend a good amount of time at the child development center. They enjoy coming to the child development center because their needs are met there.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 6 to 8 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 9 to 11 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 12 to 14 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 15 to 18 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 19 +: 6 hours on Saturday and public holidays



• Nutritional Support
  Most child development centers provide one nutritional meal per day to the children. A typical meal consists of locally available grains, cereal, vegetables and eggs; meat and fruit are sometimes provided once or twice a week.

  We provide meals because many children only receive one or two meals a day at home, and those meals are often not nutritious. We also provide special food for children who are malnourished.



• Vaccinations
  The Indian government provides certain vaccinations to all children free of charge, and if there are other vaccinations that are needed, our ministry covers the cost. The Implementing Church Partners have good relationships with the medical staff in their communities, so they are sometimes able to negotiate with the local hospitals to receive the needed vaccinations at a discounted price.
• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children participate in sports, camps and outreach programs. Some children are given the opportunity to visit nursing homes where they spend time with elderly people.
• Vocational Activities
  The child development centers network with other organizations to offer vocational training. Students who excel in academics are encouraged to pursue higher education. Some Implementing Church Partners conduct a “multiple intelligence” test to prepare the students to make decisions about their future.

  All adolescent children receive some type of vocational training in addition to life skills and English education. Vocational skills offered include carpentry, welding, electronics repair, mechanics, driving, plumbing and electrical work.

• Child Sponsorship Program Alumni Activities
  Some Child Sponsorship Program alumni volunteer at their former child development centers, encouraging the registered children through their own testimonies. Some even sponsor beneficiary siblings, meaning they support siblings of sponsored children at the child development center. They also participate in outreach and evangelism together.
• Parent Involvement
  Parent meetings are held on a monthly basis and cover topics such as parenting, social issues and the importance of education.

  Most Implementing Church Partners also have self-help groups, which are small groups of parents organized for various activities such as income-generating projects.



• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We plan to expand into the north, tribal belts, city slums and areas with high numbers of highly vulnerable children. Much of the development in India is focused on the south, and tribal areas are the last to be considered. Development is also focused on urban areas, resulting in over-population and poor conditions in the city slums.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Most students attend government universities, but a few attend private Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  Universities are spread throughout the country.
• Working Students
  Students do not work while attending university.
• Service Opportunities
  Students have the opportunity to join a national organization that has branches on all college campuses, encouraging them to participate in community service activities.

  They also join service clubs at their university; some students, such as nursing students, are required to do some type of service in their field of study.



• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  The larger Leadership Development Program group meets twice a year to cover curriculum. They also meet every summer to participate in a six-day work camp where they attend special training sessions focused on spiritual outcomes and other country-specific topics. The students hold a two-day outreach campaign as well.
• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  We cover abstinence, sex and sexuality, friendship, courtship, dating and marriage. We also bring in qualified people to discuss health issues, such as HIV/AIDS.
• Mentors
  We network with program alumni, existing mentors and Implementing Church Partners to assist students in finding mentors.
• Career Placement Assistance
  We work with prominent Christians who are in human resources positions as well as placement agencies to train the students on job placement skills. This helps guide the students and inform them of any job openings.
• Leadership Development Program Alumni Group
  The alumni group meets at least once a year to revisit their mission and vision. The group is divided into chapters by region since they are spread throughout the country.

  Each chapter participates in advocacy activities at the child development centers, mentoring and encouraging children at the centers by sharing their own success stories. The alumni also participate in Leadership Development Program care groups, engaging with the current Leadership Development Program students and, in some cases, serving as mentors.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed, such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Complementary Interventions in India include:

• Livelihood opportunities such as agriculture, animal husbandry, skills training
• Access to clean, potable drinking water within 1⁄2 kilometer from the child’s home
• Sanitation, including proper sewage and drainage, disinfecting the environment weekly, segregation of animals, networking with local health organizations in the area of sanitation and community involvement
• Malaria awareness training and mosquito net distribution
• Disaster relief including food supplies, clothing, shelter, tarpaulin sheets, clean drinking water and medicines

Highly Vulnerable Children

The primary Highly Vulnerable Children needs are orphans and semi-orphaned children who are affected by HIV. Our strategy to meet these needs is to focus on home-based care and only consider replacement care in extreme circumstances, to provide for housing needs on a case-by-case basis for child-headed households, and to provide vocational training for beneficiaries to increase their ability to become employed.

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

Meet Arun. Arun grew up in the slums of Bangalore, India, packed in a little one-room house with his father, mother, brother and sister.

Arun woke up each morning not knowing whether there would food for the day. The effects of poverty were very real in his life.

Arun’s father, Chellakannan, worked as an auto driver and struggled to provide food for the family. Stretching the budget to meet their daily needs seemed hard enough, let alone educating the children!

The family was forced to survive on less than Rs. 2,500 per month (U.S.$50). Adding to the struggles, Arun’s father was an alcoholic. He seldom gave money to provide for the family needs. Oftentimes, he didn’t go to work. This resulted in frequent quarrels between Arun’s parents, destroying the family’s peace.

To make ends meet, Arun’s mother, Pushpalatha, sold old newspapers in exchange for a plate of food. She went without her own meals to feed her children, but at times all of them went to bed with hungry stomachs.

It was at this time that Arun was fortunate enough to be registered at one of our child development centers. Arun tells us,

“Initially I attended the development center just for a plate of food, hunger was so fierce.”

Arun’s future seemed gloomy. Despite scoring 82 percent in 12th grade, his parents’ income was barely sufficient to provide for their daily needs, let alone his education.

However, to his astonishment, Arun was selected for the Leadership Development Program. He was assured of attending university and earning his bachelor’s degree in business management. His entire fees were taken care by our Leadership Development Program.

Arun completed his degree and was named the best student of Baldwin Methodist College. Today, Arun is working at a reputable company while simultaneously pursuing a post-graduate certificate in management.

The Leadership Development Program taught Arun a great number of things. He learned about time management, Christian discipline and social awareness. Most importantly, Arun learned how a Christian must respond to contemporary issues…issues like corruption.

Speaking Out Against Corruption

Corruption is an issue that is at the forefront of India’s national poverty concerns. In some places in India, people are forced to bribe officers in the government office to get a death certificate. Among politicians, corruption is an everyday phenomenon.

Arun has given several speeches regarding corruption, and his thoughts on this issue are inspiring. He challenges others to stand up against corruption and make a difference in India.

“Many of us complain and blame corruption as a reason for poverty in India. But I want to ask a question – who is actually responsible for this?

“We simply cannot keep blaming others all through our life. We need to change ourselves. Stop bribing so that people will stop taking bribes. These days, many people doubt that you can succeed in life if you do not give bribes. But you can be the change you want in this world.”

As Christians, Arun believes that we need to witness Jesus through our lives. He reflects on his thoughts on curbing corruption and proclaims,

“Let my life speak and not just with words!”

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

We began our ministry in East India in 2002 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2006, the Child Survival Program began, and the Leadership Development Program followed in 2009.

In just eight years of ministry, we have had a great impact on impoverished urban areas and poverty belts in East India. We have also networked with other agencies to bring together resources and raised awareness about child issues in the local churches.

Country Director

D.G. Jebaraj joined us as the East India Country Director in 2004. Before coming to the ministry, Jebaraj worked in various positions at World Vision for 13 years.

His last position there was as National Tuberculosis Coordinator.

Jebaraj holds a bachelo’rs degree in English and a master’s degree in social work from Madras Christian College and a master’s of philosophy from Annamalai University.

He is currently pursuing research on the effect of sibling rivalry in sponsorship programs toward community transformation. This research is being done through the Oxford Center for Mission Studies under the University of Wales.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in East India with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  East India is dominated by Hindus and Muslims. Throughout history Christians have been persecuted in India. In spite of this, Christian mission work continues to be carried out by committed missionaries. There are laws that exist that were created to provide support to minorities, but churches in India do not get adequate support from them.
• Unique Challenges
  There are many challenges we face in East India including anti-Christian movements, civic unrest, lack of qualified and committed staff, poor infrastructure, health issues, natural disasters, and Naxalism (a Maoist Communist group that has been categorized as a terrorist organization).

  Naxalism is an antisocial movement that is well-established throughout Eastern India. The government is constantly working to try to curb these rebels and bring peace and security. Naxalism creates terror among people and inflicts injuries, death and damage to public property.

  To ensure the safety and security of our children and to ensure visitors are not threatened, we must conduct our activities sensitively. The Naxalites do not harm our child development centers; however, due to disturbances they cause in the region where our centers are located, we occasionally have to put activities on hold for a day or two.

  Natural disasters such as flash floods, drought and hail storms are also a challenge. These disasters put our development efforts at risk as well as make our children and their families extremely vulnerable to migration, displacement and loss of livelihood, assets, and even their lives.

  We experience high numbers of departures due to natural disasters, which poses a challenge to achieving our outcomes as well as to the quality of the program implemented by our partners.



• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the infrastructure for the child development centers. They also take care of most of the spiritual development activities which are led by church volunteers. Some Implementing Church Partners provide curriculum modules as well.
• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners through training, focused capacity building, timely support, and conferences designed to equip them with the knowledge needed for holistic child development, child advocacy and other child-related issues. Partnership Facilitators visit child development centers to analyze and better understand unique challenges.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  We use material from the government-sponsored National Adult Literacy Program to teach mothers in our Child Survival Program. This program includes vernacular language learning, small stories and simple mathematics.

  Literacy classes are held weekly in most Child Survival Programs, but in others they are held twice a week. The Implementing Church Partners receive training from non-governmental organizations such as Child in Need India.



• Income-Generating Skills
  Two to three times per week we teach skills such as tailoring, embroidery, craft items, food processing, candle making and soap making.
• Health Care
  We connect mothers to the local primary health center to ensure they receive prenatal care, health screening, immunizations and delivery assistance.

  If there is no primary health center in the vicinity, the ministry pays for monthly checkups for pregnant mothers and children as well as costs for labor and delivery. We work to raise awareness of health issues such as hygiene, immunizations, nutrition, common illnesses, disease prevention, family planning, and HIV and AIDS. We also provide hygiene items.

• Nutritional Support
  Child Survival Program beneficiaries are provided with a nutritious meal during every visit. Dry food is provided at home. They also receive regular teaching on nutrition.
• Involvement of Fathers
  Fathers are expected to attend the parents’ meetings, which are held either bimonthly or quarterly. They are also expected to be at home during the home visit with the Child Survival Program Implementer.

Sometimes special programs such as a couple’s get-together or a family day are organized. Fathers are also encouraged to attend Christmas programs and graduation.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  Because of quota limitations, not every child in the Child Survival Program will be transitioned into the Child Sponsorship Program.

  Mothers are informed about this beforehand and no assurance is given that their children will be immediately transitioned into the Child Sponsorship Program upon graduation from Child Survival Program.

• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We will open additional Child Survival Programs in Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

  Due to high rates of illiteracy in these areas, the general population has extremely low awareness of proper prenatal and postnatal care.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

Your sponsorship of a child in East India provides a variety of benefits.

Children come to the child development centers either before or after school depending on their school schedules. Saturdays are set aside for service opportunities as well as clubs such as prayer, music and dance.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• 6 to 8 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• 9 to 11 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• 12 to 14 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 hours on Saturday, and 2 additional hours for special tutoring
• 15 to 18 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 hours on Saturday, and 2 additional hours for special coaching
• 19 +: 4 to 6 hours a week, the days and/or times vary depending on the students’ schedules, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives one nutritious meal every day. The menu usually consists of rice, beans and vegetables. Eggs and meat are provided once a week.

  We hope to counter the children’s nutritional deficiencies by providing this food.



• Vaccinations
  Medical checkups are conducted twice a year by medical professionals at the child development centers. Vaccines are administered at the centers when needed. If a child has an emergency medical situation, he or she is sent to a nearby public health center.

  Hepatitis vaccinations are given in the areas that have the highest incidence of hepatitis.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children are given several opportunities for extracurricular activities and community service, the most common being dance, music, art, sports tournaments, and cleaning at the development center and in their villages. We also conduct awareness programs on malaria, alcoholism and adult literacy.
• Vocational Activities
  Vocational training programs are selected based on each child’s interests and capacity to learn. The intention of vocational training is not to undermine the value of formal education, but to help those children who are not doing well in formal education. This training helps these youth earn an income for their families.

  Activities such as soft toy making, quilting and embroidery are offered at the development center. Certified courses such as computer training, motor vehicle repair and electrician training are offered at nearby recognized institutes.

• Child Sponsorship Program Alumni Activities
  The Alumni Association meets twice a year to focus on spiritual development and to reconnect the students with one another.
• Parent Involvement
  Parent meetings are held either monthly or bimonthly depending on the center. We have programs on subjects such as child rearing, alcoholism, HIV and AIDS, malaria, adult literacy and income generation.

  Because many parents are day laborers, we schedule these meetings according to their availability.



• Areas of expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We plan to expand into northeast India, because this is a needy area, there are potential church partners, and the region fits our strategic growth plan.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Leadership Development Program students attend government, private or Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  The universities are located mostly in the state capitals.
• Service Opportunities
  The students are given many opportunities to participate in community service activities. They can participate in awareness programs, blood donation drives, university functions, church activities and university business fairs. They are also given the opportunity to visit nursing homes, teach children at their child development centers, help clean up the centers and teach children who live in the slums.
• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  The larger Leadership Development Program group meets for training programs, summer camps and Christmas programs.

  They cover their program curriculum, have individual health screenings, participate in cultural programs and morning exercise, have sharing and worship times and complete their program requirements such as My Plan for Tomorrow.



• Mentors
  It is the responsibility of the students to find mentors; however, if they are having difficulty, then the Leadership Development Program Specialist will help.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Typical Complementary Interventions in East India include:

• Water
  Tube/bore wells provide drinking water for children. We also provide water storage tanks, rain water harvesting and water supply for toilets.
• Malaria Prevention
  We provide awareness training, insecticide-treated mosquito nets for Child Survival and Child Sponsorship children and their families.
• Disaster/Crisis Relief
  We provide assistance to churches who experience persecution in Orissa. We will also provide assistance in Aila-West Bengal floods, droughts and food crises.
• Solar Power
  Many of the child development centers in remote areas are using solar power provided by our ministry in collaboration with the West Bengal Renewable Development Agency.

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

Cindy is a little bit shy but always smiling. Her mother, Ana, is a fervent Christian who wants the best for Cindy and Antonio, her two children.

Ana enrolled Cindy at the Generación para Cristo (Generation for Christ) Student Center, knowing her daughter’s life would be blessed, but she never imagined the reach that blessing would have.

The Majucla community, where this story takes place, is a poor urban community on the outskirts of San Salvador city, El Salvador. In the words of Pastor Rodolfo whose church runs this center,

“This community is a place where people live either because they are poor and cannot afford to live some other place in the city, or live in rural areas and decide to move to the city to look for job opportunities.”

Though most of the area is urban with paved roads, street lights, and houses built with bricks, many homes lack other basic services such as water and electricity, because they cannot afford them. Most of the residents do not own the houses either, but they work hard to pay the $40 or $50 in rent every month.

Most of the people living in Majucla are hardworking people, from women selling tortillas in the streets or vegetables in the local street market to hardworking men working in construction or as bus or taxi drivers.

But Majucla has a stigma.

Its walls tell a story, with graffiti that claims a territory. To think of the name of the community is to think about gangs. To grow up in a place like this is to carry the stigma that most likely a boy will become part of the gang and the girl will become the wife of a gang member.

That means most teens in this community have one of three futures: the jail, the hospital, or the cemetery. The root of this shadowy environment lies in one key element: broken families. This was true for Cindy, but not anymore.

When Cindy is asked about the best thing she has received from sponsorship, it takes her a while to answer. After a few seconds in silence, her eyes become watery and a knot in her throat makes it difficult for her to speak.

She sobs for a few seconds and says,

“I prayed a lot that my dad would stop drinking and would become a Christian. I never gave up.”

The beauty of Cindy’s relationship with her sponsors was the support of their prayers. Cindy had the confidence to ask her sponsors to pray for her family which was on the edge of disintegration. The support they gave to Cindy showed up through the letters they sent.

While other young teenagers in the community were joining gangs (where they could find a “family” for protection, a “family” to give them nice clothes, a roof and food in exchange for lifelong loyalty), Cindy was at church, praying for her father. One day Cindy wrote to her sponsors,

“I want to thank you for your prayers, because now my dad does not drink anymore. Now he leads a small praying group, and he is a servant at church.”

Through the years, Cindy has received special opportunities, including math workshops, computer courses and learning to work in a bakery. Because she could make bread at a young age, Cindy could provide some income for her family.

Cindy and some of her classmates receive a percentage of the bakery’s sales. Other teenagers and mothers in the Child Survival Program help sell the bread in the community, so the workshop is self-sustaining and a source of jobs for the people in the community.

All this has contributed to Cindy’s development and to her family’s wellbeing, but it was in the hardest hours that Cindy’s sponsorship was a blessing for her and her family. Soon after her father became a Christian, the family struggled again.

Wendy, Cindy’s tutor tells us,

“It was hard, because you might think that since the father just became a Christian, things would go well, but it was not the case.”

Ana shares,

“The church has been of great support. Not just materially, they have been of great support emotionally.”

Since Cindy’s father did not have a steady job, it was the the Child Sponsorship Program that supported Cindy with basic things such as school uniforms and shoes, and also the family with staples during those times.

Cindy’s father spent almost two years without a steady job. Part of those scarce times he spent in bed, ill. The money from the bakery workshop and the aid from Cindy’s sponsor and the church helped the family stay afloat.

Things finally got better for the family. Antonio got a job, and now the family can cover their basic needs.

It is Sunday afternoon, and the whole family is dressed up and ready to go to church. Cindy’s father is one of the volunteers at church. They now look like the family God planned them to be.

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

One of the greatest gifts God ever bestowed upon me was the courage to open my heart and welcome a child in need.

I feel so honored and privileged to introduce you to this special friend of mine. While considered ordinary when looked at through the eyes of the world, in my eyes, everything about my friend embodies the word extraordinary.

My hope in sharing her story is that you find encouragement. May her testimony serve as a reminder for us that even the simple things we do can have eternal significance.

Answering the Call

I am never shy about telling others that answering the call and becoming a sponsor at the age of 21 was the best decision I’ve ever made.

God blessed me with the honor of cheering on my precious friend, Katerin, starting when she was 10 until she graduated from the Child Sponsorship Program at age 17. And when opportunity knocked in the form of a sponsor tour to Peru, I happily answered.

As I reflect on that special time, meeting Katerin proved to be a life-changing experience in many ways. God provided me an up-close-and-personal encounter with Katerin, her family, and many of the precious angels who so gracefully reflect Jesus’ love to all the children at the Forjadores de Esperanza Student Center in Peru.

During this visit there were four things that Katerin helped validate:

• She Prays
  “How is your dad?” were the first words that came out of her mouth.
  My dad had been stricken with cancer. While I never maintained any suspicions, clearly Katerin’s concern demonstrated that indeed she was doing as she said in her letters. And in that moment, I could not help but imagine this precious little girl on her knees interceding faithfully on behalf of my father.
• Letters Matter
  Upon arriving at her home for a visit, Katerin dashed inside. Before I could blink an eye she was outside again, trotting toward me with arms outstretched. From a distance she appeared to be holding something.

  As she motioned for me to accept her folder, there must have been a dust storm or something because right then, as I opened the folder, my eyes began to moisten at the sight of items once very familiar. Yes, those letters and other simple-but-sincere acts of love really do mean something to our sponsored kids.



• Winning Isn’t Everything
  On child-visit day I learned that when you delegate sole power to your child, in effect empowering her to choose which activity to participate in, don’t be surprised when you soon are strapping it on in the three-legged race. With a satisfied smile, Katerin later reminded me, “Padrino, we did our best.”
• Mom Is Supportive
  Katerin’s mom was her world. Bless her heart, on child-visit day I admittedly was not at all prepared to accept the following words spoken by her mother: “I quit my job to be here today.” 

  Knowing that she was the lone provider at home, I needed clarification and was relieved to learn that “quitting her job” equated to not working (as a seller in the market) on that particular day.

Less than a year after meeting Katerin, the anticipated-but-never-really-quite-ready-for final letter arrived in my mailbox.

Among other things, she expressed her goal and dream of one day studying and furthering her career through university training. In my mind I imagined the possibility of one day receiving an email or letter saying,

“Padrino, I did it. With God’s help I am now learning in the university.”

Since I didn’t fully understand the possibility of communication beyond sponsorship, Compassion kindly helped guide me through this delicate process. Essentially it meant that all inherent risks (on both ends) were fully weighed and considered.

If I was still interested, I was told, I needed to fully agree upon and sign a waiver form. Local Compassion staff would then pass along my desire to Katerin, who in turn would be responsible for initiating the first dialogue (if interested and/or able).

About three months later, in 2006, I welcomed her first greeting. Although I have never taken this privilege of communication beyond sponsorship for granted, I would be misleading if I suggested that the years to come were without heartache.

While details such as working and attending to her church and family life seemed to encompass most of Katerin’s messages, the next couple of years afforded me a beautiful glimpse inside her heart. Not surprisingly, Katerin continued to prove that she was wired just like so many of our dear, sponsored children — with that refuse-to-give-up attitude.

This attitude would soon be put to the test.

Hope, Despair and Answered Prayer

In 2009, the words Where are you, God? echoed from deep within my heart. This after learning that Katerin’s mother had died, succumbing to cancer after a courageous fight.

As is often the case with this disease, her death was preceded by a painful, heartbreaking, prolonged decline in bodily function. The decline and death of Katerin’s mother left the children in deep despair.

You need to understand that the loss of her mother wasn’t an ordinary loss, as callous as that may sound (with due respect to the order of life). For Katerin and her two siblings, you see, their mother was the rock. While their father is alive today, for reasons unbeknownst to me he has not been a regular part of their lives.

Thankfully the local church and Compassion graciously provided an umbrella of support, tangibly illuminating God’s love through merciful hands of compassion.

One month after Katerin’s mother died, I had the privilege of sharing a conversation with Katerin on Messenger. With all the strength she could muster she reassured my doubting heart:

“I will be okay. I will continue on. This is what my mother would have wanted, after all.”

Fighting back feelings of despair, Katerin dug deeper:

“If God would have allowed, I willingly would have traded places with my mother.”

I could not have been more proud of my friend than at that moment.

Less than a year after her mother’s death, I received an email. Receiving that email was no different than if I had reached into my mailbox and found one of those unmistakable letters.

You know – those letters that contain arguably the five most beautiful words ever: Message from your sponsored child.

Katerin’s message came stamped with the very signature of God with this news: She would begin studying in college! God in all His faithfulness had answered Katerin’s prayer to attend college.

What Is Katerin Up to Today?

This year, thanks to God, Katerin celebrated her 23rd birthday. Studying in college has been put on hold (Lord willing, for only a season). Earlier this year she became pregnant and recently she welcomed into the world a precious little baby boy.

Katerin named him Jeremy.

The name Jeremy was chosen out of honor, she said. Although I admit to being a little biased, in one of the most precious messages I’ve ever received (you know the type — those capable of making grown men cry) she told me why she chose the name Jeremy.

The name she chose for her baby makes my heart smile with more pride than you will ever know (after all, come on now, Jeremy is a pretty amazing name, right?). But in all seriousness, her story is really OUR story. Her story is YOUR story.

May you always remember that, as a sponsor, you are making an eternal difference in the life of your child(ren). Whenever you bless another with an act of kindness or an affirming, encouraging word, don’t forget to smile because you, my friend, are bringing a little heaven to earth.

Your sacrifices help spread God’s love and truth to your child and family.

• Your faithfulness reminds your child how much you love him or her.
• Your prayers reinforce the truth that God is listening and always able.
• Your encouragement helps fan the flame of hope, keeping your child’s candle lit.
• Your letters of love inspire your child to dream and imagine.

If Katerin could say one thing to you today, I imagine she would begin by saying “thank you.” Then with all her strength, undoubtedly, she would challenge you to have the courage to sponsor a child. Or another.

As I have come to know my friend Katerin, time and time again I have been humbled by her uncommon resolve, her perseverance to discover a way when everything around might suggest tossing in the towel. Within her exists a courageous, never-say-never attitude very much reflective of sponsors just like you.

Included in her final correspondence letter was a challenge to me. As a way of honoring Katerin, I’d like to share her challenge with you:

“Have the courage to sponsor another child so you can give him/her the same help, because there are many here who need it.”

Do you know someone who may have this courage that Katerin speaks of? Who may be waiting for an invitation to make a significant difference?

With God actively at work and always going before you, imagine the power and potential of your testimony as a Compassion child sponsor. Might it even hold the key to unlock someone’s heart?

May God bless you and may you always go forth with courage!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeremy Vance became a sponsor in 1997 and then became an advocate in 2006. Currently he sponsors seven children and is a correspondent sponsor with nine more. He lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.

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

I stumbled across this video, and I think it’s worth every second of the 13 minutes it will take you to watch it.

OK, did you watch it?

This video resonates with me because as a marketing writer for Compassion, my whole job is to tell the successes of the ministry. And it’s great; I love it.

There are so many amazing stories out there to tell, that each week I have to cull through handfuls of stories and choose just one or two.

But what about the not-so-happy stories? What do we do with those?

In telling just the happy ones, do we unintentionally insinuate to you that your experience is going to be all roses and puppy dogs? I know from past posts that many of you have experienced what have felt like “fails,” such as when a child left the program and you never found out why.

I don’t think any sponsorship is ever a failure. Regardless of what happens five years down the line, the love a child experiences through sponsorship (whether from you or from the child development workers) and the opportunity to hear the gospel is never in vain.

But what about the times when the tangible “outcome” of sponsorship isn’t quite what we had hoped for?

One of my weekly tasks is to write the prayer requests that we send to our prayer partners in Canada. It breaks my heart every week to see the immense challenges facing the children.

Sometimes, we get prayer requests like this: “Pray for 15-year-old Jessica who is pregnant” or “Pray for Ian who is taking drugs” or “Pray for Daisy who was having suicidal thoughts and ran away.”

Sometimes we can paint a picture (intentionally or not) that if you sponsor a child, he or she is going to become a doctor or a pastor and live in a nice house and have 2.5 children and live happily ever after. But the truth is that these are humans, not automatons where we put a sponsorship coin in the slot and they come out shiny, happy people.

Just as we in the developed world can’t guarantee how our children are going to “come out,” we can’t control how a child in the developing world will “come out” (and who would want to, anyway?).

We need to be free to admit “failure,” because as the video says, that’s how we learn.

Maybe a 14-year-old boy left our program and got involved in drugs because he made bad choices, but maybe he also left the program because it simply wasn’t meeting his needs. (Or as they might say, “It was boring.”)

We need to be open to admit such a failing so we can fix the problem.

In this case, it might be that we really need some updated curriculum to engage adolescents in a way that’s fun, helpful and relevant.

(And guess what — our field offices are actually in the process of writing and implementing new curriculum for adolescents for this very purpose!)

But it also takes education — we need to educate you as the sponsor as to what the real needs are. And that takes honesty.

Many times the solutions to these issues aren’t “sexy,” as David in the video says. We might need a spreadsheet “sponsored,” or in this case, curriculum development paid for.

Just as it’s easier to get a well built than to get a spreadsheet sponsored, it may be easier to get a cute smiling child sponsored than it is to get a curriculum funded or a teacher trained.

This isn’t an ask to get you to start funding spreadsheets or curricula (though if you want to read about some of our Canadian office’s educational efforts, you can.) But it is to say: we need to be honest and open.

At Compassion, we fail. Things don’t always go the way we wanted them to or planned. We have to be discreet and discerning in what we share, but we also don’t want to paint the picture that we’re perfect. Because we’re not, and that perception only sets us up for even larger failures.

God has blessed us with amazing supporters who support us through thick and thin, and God continues to work through our ministry despite our failings, to our great honor. We humbly ask that you continue to walk alongside us as we strive, fail, and learn from our mistakes.

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

I love superheroes. Not sure why, but since I was a kid I’ve been enthralled by Superman, Spiderman, Batman and the like. I have a collection of old comic books, action figures (don’t call them dolls!) and other superhero related knick-knacks in my office and at home.

But as I’ve grown older, I’ve learned that not all heroes wear capes. Nor do they fly through the air, spin webs, leap tall buildings or race trains. Heroes look like you and me. And our super power isn’t some phenomenal feat of strength. It’s compassion.

It’s caring enough about our fellow human beings that we are willing to do whatever it takes to end suffering.

On Jan. 12, 2010, the earth violently shook in Haiti. It destroyed cities, claimed lives, and separated families. We watched the harrowing images on our televisions. We read about it in the newspapers and listened to the story unfold on radio programs.

And, like heroes, we responded.

Money. Prayers. Mission trips. Donated goods. We saw needs and met them.

Sometimes, heroes rise up from the rubble. Our staff in Haiti and volunteers spent tireless hours caring for and reaching out to victims — even as they, themselves, lost so much in the quake.

They tracked down sponsored children and their families. They provided shelter, clean water, medicines and food. Our church partners became safe havens for families whose homes were destroyed.

One of the heroes in Haiti is a former sponsored child. His name is Sony Fleurancier.

Sony was not only a sponsored child; he was also a Leadership Development Program student who received a degree in Civil Engineering. Now, he’s using those skills to help Compassion rebuild schools in Haiti. The quake wiped out much of the nation’s infrastructure, including its schools.

As you know, our program takes place in church-based schools. Without them, most of our sponsored children would not be able to receive an education at all. By the end of this year, we hope to have six new schools built, with a long-term plan to construct 30 schools in all.

And yes, because of Sony’s expertise and that of others, those buildings will be built to international seismic standards, providing safe facilities for children while meeting the needs of our church partners.

Sony is a hero. No cape. No flying. Just answering the call. Meeting the need. And while he’s not leaping tall buildings, he’s definitely helping us build stronger ones to keep our kids safe.

Here’s to the heroes who are helping rebuild a devastated country. Rebuilding an entire country. Now that does sound superhero-ish, doesn’t it?

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

I recently managed a team of editors working on letters written to sponsors by Project Facilitators. We read over 3,500 letters.

Many of them included compelling stories of how your letters affect children in our sponsorship program – stories, not from our perspective, but from the perspective of those who work with the children and our church partners.

From these 3,500 letters, we compiled a list of the 10 most motivating reasons to write your child.

• TEN
  Letters to children are very important; the connection is made. When the child’s name is read out as having received a letter, the excitement and joy is contagious! As they read the letter, they see you. If they do not have your photo, they paint the best picture of you in their minds, and that remains in their heart forever. They talk about you to their family every day as they pray for you; they tell their neighbors, friends, and their schoolmates, because you are so alive in their lives. (from Uganda)
  
  
• NINE
  Sponsor letters have been making a great impact in the lives of children, such as strengthening the relationship as the child gets to know sponsor family. The child feels as if the relationship is one of very close friends. Likewise, through sponsor letters, children get to know other parts of the world and what they look like. Children are also motivated to learn English when they receive sponsor letters. (from Tanzania)
• EIGHT
  Children take your letters as a sign of your concern and an expression of your love. Parents are amazed that somebody is taking time to think of them, as poor as they are. Sponsor letters are making church leaders and child development center staff renew their concern and love for the children and families they serve. (from Ethiopia)
• SEVEN
  Children become kinder, because they want to show their sponsors they care for others and are behaving well. (from Togo)
• SIX
  Sponsor letters act as a communication channel between children and their sponsors. They enable children to have an intimate relationship with their sponsors. When sponsors share their feelings and prayer requests, the children feel more wanted and cared for. Some children who are orphaned feel so loved that they refer to their sponsors as Mom or Dad. This helps boost the emotional status of these children. They have a shoulder to lean on. (from Kenya)



• FIVE
  The prayers, support, gifts, letters and visits that children share with sponsors do transform the children’s lives, and these experiences positively influence their character. They are uplifted spiritually, socially, morally and emotionally. When sponsor letters tell children that they are the best and God loves them, the children’s self-worth is lifted forever and they live with confidence.

  Children gladly share with their friends the information, the stickers, the verses, Christmas/Easter wishes and all the other gifts they receive from sponsors. Children are also deeply moved by the love expressed for them in these letters. One letter read,

  “We have hung your photo on the wall and we ask God to bless you every time we see you.”

  The children cannot hide their emotions when they receive such messages.

  They are moved to tears, and they bless God for giving them such wonderful friends to walk closely with through the journey of life. They forget the weary burdens that sometimes pull them down. The children are compelled to keep these letters; they read them time and again.

  Optimism and hope are reflected on the faces of children as they read and meditate on the encouraging messages. (from Kenya)

• FOUR
  Sponsor letters are very important to the lives of the children at the child development center. When they receive a letter written to them by their sponsors, the children feel very proud and loved. It is touching to see even the little ones who cannot write anything, passionately drawing diligently and expressing their love to their sponsors.

  Whenever children are assembled and it is mentioned that the teacher wants to give them letters from their sponsors, all the children keep quiet and stay attentive with a very high expectation to receive a letter from their sponsor. The joy, happiness and the glow evident in the children’s faces is a clear indication that sponsor letters play a significant part in their lives. (from Kenya)

• THREE
  One time I went for facilitation, and I saw an appreciation card written by a child to the sponsor and the child kept carrying her sponsor’s letters to school. She said when there is no one near her to encourage her through difficulties, she reads her sponsor’s letter and she feels assured to be a winner. (from Kenya)



• TWO
  There are children who accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior due to sponsor letters’ impact and prayers. (from Ethiopia)
• ONE
  Once, a child’s parent told me that when my assistant brought a letter to her sick child, the child got up immediately from the sick bed. After the letter was read to him, he embraced the photo contained in the letter for a long time. And that marked the sudden end of that sickness. (from Togo)

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