While the Bible doesn’t use the word partnership, we see examples in the Bible of churches partnering together from the earliest history of the Church. And the principles we learn from the Bible about humility, equality and mutuality should guide how we work in partnership.

At Compassion, we highly value our relationships with local churches in the countries where we work. They minister on the front lines to the children we serve. They also minister to us.

As Compassion Latin America and Caribbean regional vice president Edouard Lassegue writes,

“Though these congregations may be under-resourced financially, often they are spiritually rich and vibrant and able to contribute in an authentic two-way relationship.”

Much of the Christian Church today has been blessed with significant resources, financial and otherwise. Other parts of the global body of believers struggle with tremendous limitations of resources yet have incredible opportunities for ministry.

Partnering between the resource-rich part of the Church and the resource-poor part of the Church is not something particularly new or noble. It is just what we should do. It is simply what Paul asked the early Church to do.

It is only right and practical for churches in various parts of the world to partner together to care for each other and to advance the gospel and the kingdom of God.

When the Body of Christ comes together in partnership, we honor and obey Jesus’ mandate that His followers act as one. But it takes time to develop a partnership — especially the relational aspects of partnership.

Relationship is central to partnership. In the countries where we work, partnerships are perceived as being primarily relational. But often in North America and many of our sponsoring countries, partnerships tend to be contractual in nature.

True partnership requires the ability to set aside tasks and agendas long enough for the partners to listen to each other, identify their common mission and understand what each partner can contribute.

Edouard Lassegue says:

“Many times we rush through the process of partnership without taking the time to recognize and put in place the necessary building blocks of partnership. We jump into action without developing the foundation of true partnership — solid relationship.

“On one hand, lack of relationship causes a church in [a developing country] to see its relationship with a parachurch organization or congregation [in a developed nation] as a funding mechanism and not as true partnership that demonstrates equality in Christ, mutual benefits, and sharing resources and lessons together.

“On the other hand, lack of relationship causes the church or parachurch organization from [the developed nation] to want to solve problems for the local church in a paternalistic way, treating that church as a child needing direction, provision and supervision. … True partnership is based on solid relationship.”

At Compassion, we seek healthy relationships in spite of these potential obstacles. We intentionally hire national staff in every country in which we serve. Our front-line relationship manager with every church partner (the partnership facilitator) is selected as one who is as close to the partner’s culture as possible to encourage relationship and communication.

We must walk together, talk together, and have tea together before we will be effective in working together. Real partnership is an ongoing journey, and it takes time.

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

In the midst of post-election violence in Kenya, one entire church was burned down. We lost all of our paperwork and child documentation — nothing was left.

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

Many of us are allergic to business jargon. Nothing can make people start itching faster than sitting in a meeting and hearing words like “strategy,” “assessment,” or — horror of horrors — “best practice methodology.”

“Partnership” can be one of those abstract business-like words that make our eyes glaze over. The word has been used to mean a lot of things to a lot of people until it hardly means anything to anyone. What is partnership?

Partnership is at the center of what we do at Compassion. We not only partner with you, our sponsors and donors, but also with the local church around the world. So it’s worth understanding what we mean by partnership and how we do it.

The word “partnership” is derived from the Latin word for “portion.” In partnership, we share a portion with each other.

Partnership should achieve a vision that is mutually desired and that cannot be achieved by any one partner alone. It is not simply having tea together. It is having tea in order to work together on something that you both care about and can’t do alone.

With this in mind, this is how we define partnership:

“A Compassion partnership is a collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship between Compassion and another entity for the purpose of releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name beyond the capacity of either partner individually.”

Our definition is based on three things:

1. A common mission to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. This is the only purpose for which we will enter into partnerships.
2. A collaborative relationship. Both parties must actively build relationship with each other and cooperate willingly on the mission.
3. Mutual respect and mutual benefit. We recognize that we need one another to accomplish the mission.

And based on these three things, we have developed a set of principles that guide us toward healthy, God-honoring partnerships.

They apply to our relationships with you and our supporting church partners; they apply to strategic ministry relationships; and they apply to our implementing church partners.

Partnership Is Founded Upon Our Identity in Christ.

In Christ we are one body with many parts. Each part offers unique service and is equally important to the health of the body. Each partner, irrespective of size, power or resources, is valued. No partner is viewed as more important than the other. This can be achieved only if we are committed to the attitude of Christ and “having the same love … and in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:2-3).

Partnership Seeks Mutually Respectful and Beneficial Relationships

No partner should use the other for its own goals, but should develop genuine, mutually respectful, and beneficial relationships. A partner does not lord over or “do mission” for the other. Rather, a partner seeks to help, empower and serve the other to enrich their shared ministry.

We give priority to relationships over tasks and projects. When relationships empower, rather than impose agendas, all partners are transformed in the process.

Partnership Accepts Mutual Responsibility and Commitment

Partnership takes the commitments made to one another with utmost seriousness and works in collaboration, without dominance, exploitation or condescension.

Increased trust is built through partners being accountable to each other, ensuring that their words and actions are consistent. Partnership requires an enduring commitment to not only the common vision but also to each other.

Partnership Produces Visible Transformation and Outcomes

Partnership does not exist as an end in itself. It exists for the purpose of advancing the kingdom of God further, better and/or faster than either party could do alone.

For us, partnership exists for the shared goal of releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name. The essence of partnership is that one plus one equals more than two. We enter into partnerships in order to do something we cannot do alone or that we can do better together.

“A mosaic consists of thousands of little stones. Some are blue, some are green, some are yellow, and some are gold. When we bring our faces close to the mosaic, we can admire the beauty of each stone. But as we step back from it, we can see that all these little stones reveal to us a beautiful picture, telling a story none of these stones can tell by itself.

That is what our life in community is about. Each of us is like a little stone, but together we reveal the face of God to the world.” Henri J. Nouwen, The Mosaic That Shows Us the Face of God

At Compassion, we are deeply honored to be part of the thousands of little stones that God is using to build a beautiful mosaic. Together we are telling a story that none of us could tell by ourselves.

Through our commitment to and relationship with one another, we are revealing the face of God to the world and advancing His kingdom by releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.

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

We began our ministry in Bolivia in 1975 with the Child Sponsorship Program. The Leadership Development Program started in 1998, and in 2008 the Child Survival Program began.

The ministry in Bolivia is now geographically positioned in almost 70 percent of the Bolivian territory and has built a positive reputation both inside and outside of the evangelical community.

Country Director

In 1984 Mario Vasquez started out with the ministry in Bolivia as a messenger and courier.

Through the years he served as an accounting assistant, an accountant, and Director of Operations. In 1991 Mario was promoted to Country Director.

Mario holds degrees in business administration, accounting and auditing. He is active at the Bethesda New Community Church and is involved in various activities within the evangelical community.

He serves on the Cochabamba Unified Churches Board and also participates in the Universal Theological Fraternity in the city of La Paz.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches with whom we work to deliver our Child Development Program and ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  The current government is putting a lot of emphasis on animistic religion, which makes spreading the gospel difficult, especially in rural areas. While there is growth among evangelical Christians, there is no strong evangelical presence in Bolivia’s cultural, educational and social arenas.
• Unique Challenges
  One challenge unique to Implementing Church Partners in Bolivia is how to use one contextualized ministry program in the three predominant regions, because each has its own unique culture. It is also difficult to respond to various denominations’ different ways of doing things. We try to be as neutral as possible, but we can’t always satisfy each denomination.

  The geographic locations of the child development centers and high staff turnover are also challenges.



• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide manual labor such as classroom construction, remodeling and painting. They also provide pastoral counseling for children and their families, financial support for needy families, and home visits to sponsored children.

  The financial assistance for needy families is provided one to three times per year and is $100 per family on average. The church leadership and child development center staff determines who receives this support.

• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners through pastor meetings and educational workshops that inform them of changes to the way the program is run. Also, Partnership Facilitators visit church services and participate in at least one church activity per year. They get to know the church members and speak with them about our ministry and the child development center in order to strengthen our relationship with them.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  We implement literacy plans with women who do not know how to read or write. We also work with women who have learned to read but who have had little opportunity to practice and are having difficulty.

  We take advantage of the bimonthly home visits to give homework. In addition, 15 percent of churches have made alliances with educational institutions that have experience in literacy.

• Income-Generating Skills
  We offer monthly training in personal work skills, business skills, finances and technical skills.

  Technical training includes cooking, knitting, cloth painting and decorating.



• Health Care
  Two medical checkups are available during the months of March and October; one is done by a pediatrician and one by an obstetrician. The objective of this schedule is to ensure that pregnant women and children have two opportunities to receive medical attention.

  Bolivia has a national health program, the Mother and Child Universal Service program, which covers children under the age of five and pregnant women from the start of their pregnancy until six months after delivery.

  The objective of the Mother and Child Universal Service program is to reduce malnutrition and child mortality in children five years of age and younger. For children, this program covers consultations, treatment, hospitalization, surgery, dental treatment, vitamin supplements and medication, if needed. For mothers, this program covers consultations, treatment, hospitalization, and surgery related to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care as well as dental treatment, micronutrients and medication, if needed.

  The Mother and Child Universal Service program does not always function according to its design, however, especially in rural areas and areas of poverty where the Child Survival Programs are located. So we teach mothers their rights in regard to the Mother and Child Universal Service program, ensuring that each mother utilizes the program fully.

  In the event that the Mother and Child Universal Service program does not meet mother or child needs, we use medical funds and funds from Implementing Church Partners.



• Nutritional Support
  Each caregiver receives a “family basket” once a month which contains items such as cereals, oatmeal, milk, beans and wheat, and in some cases, fruit and vegetables. In the case of malnutrition, we also include items such as Suprelac and Nutrebebe, as well as other items recommended by nutritionists.
• Involvement of Fathers
  Fathers sometimes participate in family social evenings, celebration days and family get-togethers. The greatest impact on fathers is when the Child Survival Program Implementers are in their homes inviting them to become familiar with their child’s development process.

  Fathers are sometimes given “homework” that covers their role as men, husbands and fathers. In many cases, it seems that the fathers put pressure on the mothers to participate in program activities.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  We have a six-month transition strategy for beneficiaries leaving the Child Survival Program. During the first phase of the transition strategy, the Child Survival Program Implementer continues monthly home visits. Children who are 36 to 39 months of age continue to learn activities within the Child Survival Program.

  During the second phase of the transition strategy, children who are 40 to 41 months old continue to learn activities in the Child Survival Program, but will also visit Child Sponsorship Program classes to meet the sponsorship program tutors.

  During this time, we identify mothers with teaching abilities, so they can work with other mothers as trainers in group activities in the future. We hope these activities will make the transition less traumatic for both mothers and children.

• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We will open additional Child Survival Programs in the states of La Paz (El Alto) and Potosi. These areas have high rates of child mortality and extreme poverty, but they also have highly involved and passionate churches.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

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

Children in our Child Sponsorship Program who go to school in the morning attend the Child Development Program in the afternoon, and the children who go to school in the afternoon attend the program in the morning. Teenagers spend less time at the center because they have more schoolwork.

• Meeting Times:
  • 3 to 5 year olds: 4 hours a day, 3 days a week
  • 6 to 8 year olds: 4 hours a day, 3 days a week
  • 9 to 11 year olds: 4 hours a day, 3 days a week
  • 12 to 14 year olds: 4 hours a day, 3 days a week
  • 15 to 18 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
  • 19 +: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week

  

• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives a snack and lunch at the child development center twice a week. A snack consists of an egg sandwich with tea, fruit shake with crackers, fruit salad, oatmeal or bread. Lunch consists of vegetable soup, a lentil burger, salad, rice, dessert and apple juice.

  Both the snack and lunch menus are prepared by a nutritionist. We feel that meals are very important for the development of the children because many do not have well-balanced meals at home.

• Vaccinations
  Vaccinations are mandatory. When children are registered, they are asked to show their vaccination records. If they are not current on their vaccinations, they are asked to get caught up before being enrolled at the child development center.

  Children go to health centers that give vaccinations through government medical campaigns; some of these vaccines are free and others have an associated fee. If a child is under five, the Bolivian government will provide all vaccines free of charge.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children participate in sports, church and regional retreats and service activities (available for adolescents 12 years and older). Service activities include cleaning up town squares and painting.
• Vocational Activities
  We hope the adolescents will participate in activities in which they will learn to work and support themselves.

  We offer service activities, church retreats, campouts, youth counseling, and technical training, such as computer training, pastry making, dress making and English.



• Parent Involvement
  We have monthly meetings where the Bible is shared and information about the child development center is given. We also offer family programs and bring in specialists on various topics that are of interest to families, such as discipline, parents’ roles, marriage, sexuality, etc.

  There are nine topics covered in a year, one topic per month. We have social activities and celebrate occasions such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. And in some cases, we have health campaigns that provide medical care, such as dental and eye care to the parents and siblings of sponsored children.

• Areas of expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We plan to expand into the city of El Alto in the La Paz region. This city is growing because the majority of immigrants from the rural areas of La Paz are settling there, making it an area of extreme poverty.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Our Leadership Development Program students attend mostly government universities.
• Location of Universities
  The universities are mostly located in the urban areas of the main cities.
• Service Opportunities
  Many students serve at their churches, and some students are beginning to hold social activities for street children and abandoned women.
• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  Leadership Development Program students meet every Saturday to study the Bible, share with each other, pray and counsel one another. They cover program curriculum and participate in activities together monthly.
• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  We hire people with expertise in the areas we want to teach, such as Bible study methods, stewardship of money, sexual issues in relationships, etc.
• Mentors
  We ask our staff if they would be interested in mentoring a Leadership Development Program student or if they know someone who might be interested.

  Also, Leadership Development Program Specialists will talk to people at church or other Christian organizations who shown interest in developing leadership skills among young people.



• Career Placement Assistance
  The Commerce Institution of Bolivia is an affiliation of various corporations and companies in the city whose main role is to promote business activity in the city and across the country. If a company needs an intern, they advertise through this institution. Our Leadership Development Program will notify students when a new job opening or internship has been advertised.

Complementary Interventions

Our core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, does not address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development.

Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program was created to provide additional services as needed, such as our AIDS Initiative, disaster relief, water projects, special medical intervention and provision of Bibles to all Compassion-assisted children.

Complementary Interventions in Bolivia include medical and education funds. Additional Complementary Interventions are selected based on annual strategic planning.

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

 Near a developing city in south-central Philippines is a peculiar little town called Abkasa. It is cut off from the rest of the main city by a single dusty road that is narrow and very bumpy, a couple of kilometers (about 1.25 miles) through tall sugarcane.

When it rains, it is almost impossible to pass through this road. In Abkasa is a well-known church — Abkasa Baptist Conference Church — which is one of our church partners. Senior Pastor Gil has this to say about their church:

“Because of [our partnership with Compassion], many people have received help, many children and their parents have been changed. The community respects us. They desire to also be included in our programs. The community recognizes what we can do and how we can help.”

Abkasa stands for “Ang Bagong Katimimban Settlers Association” (The New Katimimban Settlers Association). Abkasa was established as a community in 1985 and was founded by one of the church leaders of the Abkasa Baptist Conference Church.

The first settlers came from different squatter communities within the main city. They were granted land from across a wide sugarcane plantation.

In that same year, 1985, this Baptist church began to partner with our ministry.

Once a local church in a field county partners with Compassion, a student center or child development center is formed.

The center is where the children of Abkasa participate in the Child Sponsorship Program and where they regularly come for weekly activities including school tutorials, medical checkups, lectures, play, nutritious food and discipleship, and other activities the church partner initiates.

We now have more than 300 church partners in the Philippines where more than 53,000 children are registered.

In 2006 we took on another partnership in Abkasa for the Child Survival Program. Children enter the Child Survival Program as newborns and participate through the age of three. Then they graduate to the Child Sponsorship Program.

Today the senior pastor and his leaders are thankful for a third ministry program, the Church-to-Church program. In the Church-to-Church program, a church partner from one of our Global Partnership Alliance countries directly works with an implementing church partner in the field.

The Abkasa Baptist Conference Church is now engaged in a Church-to-Church relationship with the Bayside Church in Australia.

A number of members at Bayside Church are sponsoring children in the Abkasa Baptist Conference Church through the God’s Special Gift Student Center. There are now more than 200 children registered and sponsored at this student center.

Pastor Gil shares,

“We are thankful for our Church–to-Church partnership. This is just starting, but we have already seen a big impact not only to our church, but to our community. They are able to see how God is moving in this community.”

The student center director, Daphne, states,

“We were surprised to learn about Church–to-Church. We were delightfully surprised because we knew that it could help more families in our community.”

Through the Church–to-Church partnership with Bayside Church in Australia, this tiny church in Abkasa is now constructing a health and sanitation center, which includes toilets and abundant running water.

“This has always been my dream. That the children can come here from school to wash their feet from walking a long way on the dusty road or to use the toilet. But our toilets were not very sanitary.

Today, we are building a sanitation center, and I am very happy about it. Thanks to the Church–to-Church program and to Bayside Church, one of my dreams as the center director has come true.”

Recently, the pastor of Bayside Church and 19 church members came to visit Abkasa; most of them came to see their sponsored children. They were greeted outside the church by little children waving Philippine and Australian flags under the scorching noontime sun.

Inside the church were 40 Child Survival Program mothers, some pregnant and some carrying their infants. It was truly a coming together of partners separated by miles and miles of sea and land.

Bayside Church and Abkasa Baptist Conference Church spent an afternoon singing, praying, and sharing stories and tears. It was a very emotional fellowship.

The visiting pastor checked the ongoing construction, but the highlight of the afternoon was when sponsors met sponsored children in their homes. A couple of homes were 30 minutes away on foot through endless rows of sugarcane.

According to Pastor Claro and other church leaders, the community health center, public schools, and local government all recognize the significant impact of the church in the community. Pastor Claro and some other church leaders are regularly invited to speak and lead the prayer in community activities.

Pastor Claro shares,

“We are really thankful because this is a big help, not only to the children and to their parents, but also to the community and the church. Because these children grow in their years at the child development center and because of the interventions that we do for them, many of them have come to know the Lord.”

Regarding the Church-to-Church program, Pastor Claro adds,

“In one way or another, we are helping to fulfill the Great Commission that was given to us by God. And we are thankful, because through this partnership we are not only blessed, but we are able to fulfill what the Lord wants us to do as a church. And our partner church (Bayside Church) is able to see how God is moving in this community.

We are happy because through this program that Compassion initiated, we now have a church that is partnering with us, that is praying for us, supporting us, and comforting us.

We now know that we are not alone in the ministry. On behalf of our church, the community, the recipients, the mothers and our members, thank you very much, Compassion.”

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

We began our ministry in Nicaragua in 2002, when the Child Sponsorship Program was started. In just seven years of ministry, we have served over 30,000 children in Nicaragua.

Country Director

William José Gutiérrez Rojas joined us as an administrator in 2002 and was appointed Country Director in 2003. Before coming to our ministry, William served as the Country Director for Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua for two and a half years and for the Council of Evangelical Churches Pro-Denominational Alliance for 11 years.

Born in a rural area, William did not begin school until he was 11 years old. However, his mother had taught him to read, write and do basic math at home.

The earthquake of 1972 influenced William’s decision to work in Christian ministry as an adult. When the earthquake struck, his local church offered services for the children and adults in the community, and he was able to see firsthand the effect it had on them.

William holds a degree in business administration from Central American University in Nicaragua. He serves as a substitute preacher at his church and also gives support and counseling.

Implementing Church Partners

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

• Spiritual Climate
  According to the 2005 census, 22 percent of the population claim to be evangelical Christians. This represents significant growth as just 10 to 20 years prior, evangelical Christians only accounted for 15 percent of the population.

  This growth is most evident among the poor and in Pentecostal denominations. In general, the high level of poverty in Nicaragua generates uncertainty among the population which increases dependency on God. Evangelical churches must have all their legal documentation up to date to avoid persecution from the government.

  Persecution mainly happens at a business level. For instance, churches cannot have a bank account if they are not registered with the Nicaraguan government.



• Unique Challenges
  One challenge for Implementing Church Partners in Nicaragua is that they are located in extremely impoverished areas where church volunteers have a low academic level.
• Typical Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners pay about 50 percent of the electricity, phone, Internet and water service costs. They also provide construction for new facilities, facility improvement, and payment for the land where the child development center is located. The church committee volunteers their time at the project as well.
• Church-to-Church Partnerships
  There are Implementing Church Partners in Nicaragua that have church-to-church partnerships with churches in Canada and the United States. One supporting church partner provided the construction for a kitchen and basketball court, another bought property and paid for construction of a kitchen and classrooms, and yet another provided the construction for two classrooms.

  

• Partner Development Activities
  We develop ministry partners through training, facilitation, spiritual retreats, meetings with the pastors and project staff, and Complementary Interventions.

Child Development through Sponsorship

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

Children attend school either in the morning or the afternoon, so the child development centers schedule their meeting times accordingly.

• Meeting Times
  • 3 to 5 year olds: 3 days a week, 8 hours total
  • 6 to 8 year olds: 3 days a week, 6 hours total
  • 9 to 11 year olds: 3 days a week, 6 hours total
  • 12 to 14 year olds: 4 hours on Saturday, 1 additional day for vocational skills
  • 15 to 18 year olds: 4 hours on Saturday, 1 additional day for vocational skills

  

• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives a meal consisting of rice, meat, tortilla and natural juice, tea or cereal. Children also sometimes receive a snack that consists of fruit salad, rice with milk or a thick hot drink made of corn meal.

  This food is intended to complement what they are already receiving at home; it is not meant to be their main source of nutrition. However, when children are malnourished, we use nutritional Complementary Interventions. Also some Implementing Church Partners coordinate with and receive support from other Non Governmental Organizations for feeding programs.



• Vaccinations
  Part of our medical checkup is ensuring that children have received their vaccines, so parents are encouraged to take their children to the local health center for vaccinations. If needed, Implementing Church Partners can request a “vaccination day” at the child development center and the Ministry of Health will facilitate this through the local health center.

  Also, some communities have an agreement with one of the hospitals to do medical checkups and give medical attention in case of emergencies.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children participate in extracurricular activities such as camps, sports, field trips and art. Camps are held once or twice a year, field trips are done once a year, and sports and art are offered regularly throughout the year.

  Children also participate in tree planting at least once a year and cleaning up in their community twice a year.



• Vocational Activities
  We offer vocational skills training because we want to give them the necessary tools to generate their own income. Adolescents are involved in vocational skills such as computers, sewing, carpentry, music, baking and hair styling. They also participate in camps, spiritual retreats and sports.
• Parent Involvement
  We have parents’ meetings either monthly or quarterly depending on the Implementing Church Partner. At least once a year, parents receive training on topics such as hygiene, preventative health care and child protection.

  They also participate in church activities and volunteer work such as cleaning and helping in the kitchen. Twice a year, parents participate in their child’s medical checkup.



• Areas of expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We would like to expand into the Western and Southern areas of Nicaragua, because these areas have some of the greatest educational and nutritional needs.

Complementary Interventions

Our core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, does not address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. The Complementary Interventions program was created to work with our holistic child development model to provide additional services, such as our AIDS Initiative, funds for Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Our main priority for Complementary Interventions in Nicaragua is nonformal education because we are working toward successful departures.

We have also provided dental, visual and nutritional Complementary Interventions. Our goal with dental and visual Complementary Interventions is to cover all children younger than six years old, and we are taking a more preventative approach to nutrition.

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

Compassion began its ministry in Bangladesh in June 2004 with the Child Sponsorship Program, and the Child Survival Program began in 2010. The year 2010 also marked five years of ministry in Bangladesh as well as registration of the 15,000th child.

Additionally, the government of Bangladesh declared our ministry an International NGO in 2008, enabling us to use our logo with the tagline “Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name,” which is significant for a country that is primarily Muslim and closed to the gospel.

Country Director

Kajal K. Sengupta joined us in 2007 as Country Director. Prior to joining our ministry, Kajal held the position of Chief Accountant for USAID at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka from 2003 until 2007, and Grants Controller for CARE Bangladesh from 2002 to 2003.

Kajal holds a Master’s of Business Administration from East West University, as well as a Master’s of Commerce from Chittagong University.

Implementing Church Partners

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

• Spiritual Climate
  Bangladesh is made up of 83 percent Muslims, 16 percent Hindus, 0.6 percent Buddhists and 0.4 percent Christians. While Islam is the official religion of Bangladesh, other religious minorities such as Christians and Hindus are allowed to worship, although they face societal discrimination.

  The majority of discrimination against Christians comes from Muslims who deny Christians access to higher-level government jobs. Non-Christians, specifically Muslims, cannot receive Jesus Christ openly due to religious threats. If somebody does receive Christ, he or she will be banished from society. The evangelical churches in Bangladesh face a great deal of risk.



• Unique Challenges
  One major challenge in Bangladesh is recruiting qualified staff, specifically in rural areas. Most of the population does not have a quality education, and those that do often do not wish to stay in rural areas.

  Implementing Church Partner leaders are working hard to recruit qualified staff for the child development centers, but extensive training is needed to comply with ministry standards.

  Another challenge is the concept of partnership. Currently, some Implementing Church Partners look at their partnership with our ministry as a “cow and milker” relationship. We are the cow and the Implementing Church Partners are the milkers. This is consistent with the beggar mentality that has plagued Bangladesh for 30 years.

  Natural disasters are another challenge. Every year Bangladesh deals with natural calamities such as floods, famine, cyclones, etc. In recent years, abnormal flooding has increased dramatically, causing serious damage to lives and property.



• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the infrastructure and facilities as well as the physical labor needed to maintain the facilities. Additionally, they provide counseling, monitoring and supervision for the program activities.
• Partner Development Activities
  The ministry in Bangladesh develops partners by training on topics such as spirituality, leadership, project management, vision casting, curriculum and program communication.

Child Survival Program

The Child Survival Program is new in Bangladesh. Registration was completed in September 2010 and the program began in October 2010.

• Caregiver Literacy
  Caregivers come to the center four times a month. Child Survival Program Implementers, along with other staff and the pastor, will train the mothers on various topics, including how to write their names.
• Income-Generating Skills
  We offer vocational training on growing vegetables in small spaces, keeping goats, hens and ducks, and making handicraft items.
• Health Care
  Hygiene and health awareness classes are offered at the child development center four days a month.
• Nutritional Support
  Lunch is provided for the mothers on the days they attend the center. In addition, energy drinks such as Horlicks and baby food are provided on a regular basis.
• Involvement of Fathers
  Fathers are required to come to the child development center once a month.

  The Child Survival Program Implementer and the church pastor also encourage the fathers to take proper care of their wives and children.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  After their fourth birthday, children are expected to join the Child Sponsorship Program. New mothers and babies take the place of mothers and children who have moved into the Child Sponsorship Program.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We plan to expand the Child Survival Program into various remote areas of the country where the infant mortality rate is very high.

Child Sponsorship Program

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

Schools in Bangladesh start around 10:30 a.m. and the children come to the child development center around 8 or 8:30 a.m. before school.

After school the children return to the center to have a meal and spend several hours doing activities. The reasons children spend so many hours at the center are malnutrition and the need for educational support.

We want to provide meals and additional support for their schooling every day. We are also fortunate that our funds go further in Bangladesh so we are able to have the children at the child development centers for longer periods of time.

• Meeting Times
  • 3 to 5 year olds: 6 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday for non-school-going children; 5 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday for school-going children.
  • 6 to 8 year olds: 5 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday.
  • 9 to 11 year olds: 4 hours a day, from Monday through Friday (2 hours before school and 2 hours after school), and 8 hours on Saturday.
  • 12 to 14 year olds: 4 hours a day, from Monday through Friday (2 hours before school and 2 hours after school), and 8 hours on Saturday.
  • 15 to 18 year olds: 4 hours a day, from Monday through Friday (2 hours before school and 2 hours after school), and 8 hours on Saturday.

  Children also spend 8 hours at the child development center on holidays.

  

• Nutritional Support
  Because one of the biggest challenges facing children in Bangladesh is a lack of food, each child receives a meal (usually lunch) five days a week. They are also provided with seasonal fruit and milk once a week.

  Meals generally consist of rice and lentils along with either vegetables, fish, eggs, meat or potatoes. None of the child development centers serve beef or pork; all of the centers serve chicken and some serve mutton.



• Vaccinations
  Vaccinations are administered at the child development centers by doctors and medical support staff from nearby public clinics.
• Specialty Curriculum
  The majority of the child development only use the certified national curriculum. However, some of the centers use a spiritual curriculum as well, which was developed by a faith-based organization called Generation Bangladesh.

  This spiritual curriculum is used only for children 11 years old and above. The children learn about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Bible.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  There are various extracurricular activities available to the children, such as adolescent camps and Cluster Camp (a camp that holds spiritual and cultural activities with groups from several child development centers at once).

  Activities also include sports competitions among multiple child development centers, singing/dancing classes and competitions, drama classes, drawing classes and competitions, and Bible quizzes.



• Vocational Training
  Most child development centers in Bangladesh do not yet offer any vocational training; however, some of the centers offer opportunities to learn sewing and pottery.

  Also, adolescents participate in a special Bible training called “Mail Box Club” and attend spiritual camps.

• Parent Involvement
  Each child development center has a meeting once a month for parents. In these meetings, the staff tries to build awareness among the parents about cleanliness, hygiene and the importance of education for both male and female children.

  During the home visits, the social worker and tutors further educate the parents about the importance of education as well as suitable environments for children.



• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  There are plans to expand the Child Sponsorship Program into the Hill Tracts over the next few years. There are mainly tribal people groups in that area who are deprived of most facilities.

  Children in this area are vulnerable and deprived of education and spiritual and physical growth opportunities. There are a number of Christian churches who could be potential partners.

Complementary Interventions

Our core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, does not address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. The Complementary Interventions program was created to work with our holistic child development model to provide additional services, such as our AIDS Initiative, Bibles for all children, disaster relief and water projects.

Complementary Interventions in Bangladesh have included medical services to Cyclone Aila-affected centers in 2009. At that time we provided oral saline, water purification tablets, medicine and primary health treatment to 644 people including children, parents and community members.

We are currently providing a deep tube well/ring, which is a hand pump to collect water for child development centers who are suffering from a lack of safe drinking water. This program is incorporated with the water and hygiene education given to Child Sponsorship Program families.

We are also distributing insecticide-treated nets to the malaria-prone areas and working to raise awareness about malaria.

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

A letter from a sponsor is one of the most desired things a sponsored child can receive. Your letters can do more than money, because they build a relationship between you and your sponsored child.

Your letters are not just pieces of paper; they are letters filled with love, affection, emotion and inspiration for children.

In Bangladesh our child development centers do not celebrate any particular day of the month as “Letter Day,” as some other countries do. But every month children reply to your letters after receiving them from our ministry office.

Children at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center are always looking forward to the day when their center staff members bring the big envelop full of sponsor letters.

This development center is located on the top of a small hill, a one hour drive from the nearest town. Our staff visits a small town to collect the letters from a courier office.

The head of Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center, shares,

“We are several miles away from a small town. Every month we receive sponsor’s letters at least twice. Children are very eager about these letters; they always ask us about the letters.

Here we don’t have a mail-man who can bring the letters to the development center. We are required to collect these letters from the courier office. We use three wheelers (small three wheel rickshaw that runs by motor) to get them.

It takes more than two hours to reach town and come back. Children are always very excited and happy to see the big brown envelop in our hands.”

Caregivers, social workers and other staff from the development center assist the children to read your letters and write back.

Bangladesh is a country where different tribal groups have their own languages. Bengali is the only language that is widely used.

English is not spoken or understood by most people. So a group of young students at our country office translate your letters before they are sent to the child development centers.

Then the Sponsor Donor Service staff distribute the translated letters to the various Implementing Church Partners.

Children at the center receive the original letter with a translation in their local language at the bottom.

Rita, staff member at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center explains,

“Most of the time we receive letters in the afternoon, so we distribute the letters to children the next day.

We call each child and help them to read the letter. We explain anything to them that they are unable to understand.

After reading the letters, we arrange a letter writing session. The children sit together inside the church and write to their sponsors.”

Seven-year-old Tithi has a sponsor from the USA. Receiving any letter from her sponsor is a most pleasant event for her.

“I like to receive gifts, but I love to get my sponsor’s letters more. I love it especially when there are photos of my sponsor. My sponsor loves me and sent me a nice photo of her. She wrote that she prays for me.

Children feel happy to show your letters and photos to their development center friends and family. Tithi always shows her letters and photos to her friends. Tithi can read her own letters, but her teacher helps her to understand the unusual words.

Lishtina’s sponsors are also from USA. Her sponsors are very responsive. They reply to her every letter. This year Lishtina wrote 6 letters and received 5 from her sponsors.

“I received a birthday gift from my sponsors but I love to receive letters and photos from my sponsors more than gifts.

These letters are full of greetings, encouraging words and Bible verses. They also send a beautiful family photo with Christmas greetings. These letters are precious to me.”

For boys, to receive a letter from their sponsors is equally important. Robin and Eliphas love to get notes from their sponsors. Robin shares with his parents every time he receives a letter from his sponsor.

Whenever Robin gets any card or picture he becomes very delighted. Eliphas reads his notes from his sponsor with his friends. Every child feels proud when they receive their sponsor’s letter, because it brings the message that someone from far country thinks about them.

Synod is the eldest registered child at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center. She is now 14 and studying in grade 8. She feels the significance of her sponsor’s messages.

“Every time I receive a letter from my sponsor I get so excited. She is like my family member. I can feel her emotion, love and care for me. It is something very special for me.

My sponsor encourages me to keep up my good results at school. Her inspiration helps me to improve myself. I always wait for her letter.”

Hema also waits eagerly for greetings from her sponsors. Whenever the child development center staff comes in with a large brown envelop, she expects a letter from her sponsors. It becomes a lucky day for her when she gets her desired letter.

It has been 5 years since we started to work through the local church in the community of Sath Nong Khasia Pungi. The staff at this center are experienced and understand the importance of children’s letters for their sponsors.

Letter writing is considered as essential as any other regular activity at the center. Generally the children reply to their sponsor’s letters the day after the development center receives them from the country office.

Rita explaines the whole letter writing activities of the development center:

“Children who don’t receive letters from their sponsors generally write letters to their sponsors every 4 months. But for the sponsored children who get letters from their sponsors regularly, they have to reply their sponsor’s letters.

They also write thank you letters whenever they receive any monetary gifts from sponsors.

The letter writing process is very organized and systematic at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center, just like other development centers in Bangladesh. Children read their letters from sponsors and then they sit together inside the church and write their replies.

Children also sit on long benches and place their writing papers on narrow tables. We provide them with a special letter form to write to their sponsors. These letter forms are colorful and children can write and draw on them.

There is also a small space for translation from Bengali to English. The children who are in higher grades write their letters on their own; the center staff help the younger children to write their letters.

Children use pencils, pens, and colors to write and draw to their friends abroad. The social workers and the caregivers always assist and guide the children in writing letters.

Children include their favorite Bible verses, list of favorite birds, colors, animals and song in their letters.

Tithi shares,

“My sponsor sends me her photo. I wrote her back about my family, my study and my country. I always thank her for sponsoring me.”

Usually the information and language of the children letters are different for different age groups. The older children like Synod can express their pleasure and excitement in a more organized way.

“I do enjoy writing to my sponsor. I thank her for being my sponsor. I answer all of her questions from the most recent letter. Also my life and learning at the development center are included in my letters. I ask my sponsor to pray for my family.”

Lishtina received a birthday gift from her sponsors. She conveyed her gratitude through a thank you letter.

“I thank my sponsors for sending me a birthday gift. I write them about the beautiful stuff that I bought with their gift. I also ask them about the weather of their country and the way of their Christmas celebration.”

Writing you letters is an event of joy for the children. They love to write about their emotions, favorites, families, study, events at the development center and prayer requests. They also know that the drawings they make are appreciated by their friends abroad.

These drawings are very special because it carries the emotion of the child for the sponsor. The alphabet may not be familiar, but drawing is a common language for all.

The children’s joy doubles when they receive an answer from you. The director of the Sath Nong Khasiapungi tells us,

“The children who receive letters from their sponsors are really fortunate and always happy. I feel sorry for the children who don’t get any letter. They feel a little left out when they see their friends receiving letters from abroad. Hopefully these children will get a response from their sponsors soon.”

A short message from you could play a vital role in the life of a child. A letter can develop a heavenly bond of love. This small piece of paper can bring huge inspiration, hope and change in the life of a child.

All of our ministry staff in Bangladesh really appreciate the effort you take to not only support the children of Bangladesh but to also strengthen the bond of love by writing to them.

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

We began our ministry in Mexico in 1980 with the Child Sponsorship Program, and through the years we have moved into highly impoverished areas to help children in need.

But poverty continues to impact Mexico severely. The recent worldwide economic crisis hit the country hard with rising costs and lack of employment.

In the last five years, Compassion Mexico has experienced significant growth, increasing the number of registered children from almost 11,000 to nearly 20,000.

Country Director

Omar Villagran joined the ministry in Mexico as a Program Supervisor in 2003 and was appointed Country Director in 2004. Prior to this, Omar co-founded a nongovernmental organization called AMEXTRA, which combined community development with income-generating activities.

Omar’s father died when he was very young, so Omar was raised by his mother. He believes that his experience living in a single-parent household helps him relate to the vulnerable children he serves. Under Omar’s leadership, the ministry has grown from serving 4,000 children to serving 20,000 children.

Omar believes that strengthening our staff and providing a developmental perspective to our Implementing Church Partners is key to bringing hope to the children and youth in Mexico.

Omar holds a degree as a veterinary physician and zoological technician from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Implementing Church Partners

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

• Spiritual Climate
  According to the 2000 census, 88 percent of the population in Mexico is Roman Catholic and 5.2 percent is evangelical/Protestant. The church in Mexico tends to be traditional and struggles to collaborate well because of denominational diversity. However, the church has grown and become more stable in the last few years.

  In the past, persecution was an issue in certain parts of the country, but the church has established peace and has shown a strong commitment to hard work and holistic child development.



• Unique Challenges
  There are many different ethnic groups in Mexico. Although we do work with some purely indigenous communities, most of the rural and suburban communities are made up of people from many backgrounds, ethnic groups and cultures. Approaching churches and communities in a manner that is appropriate for all of these people groups can be challenging.

  The Mexican government has tried to implement many programs to fight poverty. Unfortunately, most of these programs promote dependence on handouts rather than development. This makes it more difficult to implement a developmental program with the purpose of bringing about long-term results, because it challenges the dependency mindset of families and communities.

  Although education is free and available to everyone, we cannot depend on local schools to provide quality education to all children. Also, school fees, supplies and uniforms are not free and many parents cannot afford them.

  These parents also prefer that their children work to help support the family. This is a common mindset among parents and a difficult one to change.

  There is a strong Catholic presence in Mexico, and some of the local priests influence the community to react negatively to Protestants. Some families with a Catholic background resist the way we teach the gospel at our centers.



• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the infrastructure for the Compassion program.

  They provide guidance and follow up for the families of the children; groceries and medical attention to family members; community development activities; discipleship and health campaigns; and additional courses and training for staff members to improve their teaching and organizational skills.

• Partner Development Activities
  Compassion develops Implementing Church Partners through training, regular leadership meetings with the pastors and staff, and quarterly meetings with the project directors. We also encourage Implementing Church Partners to support one another within their small groups.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

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

School in Mexico is typically held Monday through Friday, either in the morning or the afternoon, so ICPs plan their activities around the local school schedule. Child development centers in Mexico vary in the hours they are open. Below is a typical schedule, though some centers meet only on Saturdays.

• Meeting Times
  • 3- to 5-year-olds: 2 1/2 hours on two weekdays and 3 hours on Saturdays; or 3 hours one weekday and 5 hours on Saturday
  • 6- to 11-year-olds: 1 1/2 hours on two weekdays and 3 hours on Saturdays; or 2 hours one weekday and 4 hours on Saturday
  • 12- to 18-year-olds: 2 hours on two weekdays and extracurricular activities on the weekend; or 2 hours on one weekday, 2 hours on Saturday, and 2 more hours of extracurricular activities
• Nutritional Support
  When children come to the development center for more than 4 hours, they receive a full meal. When they attend for less than 4 hours or for an extracurricular activity, they receive a snack. A meal consists of a main dish of meat, chicken or soy, and  vegetables, fruit and fresh water.

  If children are served a morning meal, it will generally be ham, eggs and fried beans.

  A snack is usually fruit or a nutritious dessert. We want to give the children something that will provide them with strength and energy for their activities. Our purpose is to provide them with nutritious food that will supplement their regular
  diet, which often is not balanced.



• Vaccinations
  Vaccinations are provided by the government at local clinics. The child development centers keep a copy of each child’s vaccination record and the health coordinator ensures that all children are up to date on their vaccines.

  Parents are encouraged to follow up on their children’s vaccination schedule. However, it is not uncommon for a development center to request the local clinic to come and administer the needed vaccines to the children.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children participate in sports, special celebrations, birthday celebrations and service activities regularly. Camps and field trips are held once or twice a year.
• Vocational Activities
  Vocational activities for adolescents vary from center to center, but some of the vocational training offered includes carpentry, painting, cooking, computer classes, English, hammock making, silk-screening, embroidery, hair styling, and chicken and fish farming.

  Each child development center considers the resources and skills available in their community and within the ICP, then selects their vocational training accordingly. If the appropriate people are available to train the youth, then that activity will be offered.



• Parent Involvement
  Parents are typically involved in activities such as parenting classes, income-generating activities, evangelistic campaigns,
  discipleship activities, health activities for families, and other special events such as parent-children exercise.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We are planning to expand in Los Altos de Chiapas and in the northern region of Veracruz. Both are regions where
  indigenous people live, and poverty indicators show these to be some of the more needy areas.

Complementary Interventions

Our core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, does not address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions Program was created to work with our child development model to provide additional services, such as our AIDS Initiative, Bibles for all children, disaster relief and safe-water projects.

Some of the Complementary Interventions we offer in Mexico include health initiatives such as latrines; de-worming and vitamin campaigns to improve children’s gastrointestinal health and nutrition; curriculum; income-generating activities; and water projects.

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