We could answer the question for you, but you’d take what we say with a grain of salt, right?

How about what Ryan Langford has to say about us?

Ryan joined his wife, Stephanie, on our recent blog trip to the Philippines. He wasn’t there as a blogger, but he felt compelled to tell you what he discovered.

I’ve been praying a lot lately about the money [God has] entrusted to Stephanie and me to steward, and I can’t shake the feeling that He’s calling us to greater levels of both stewardship and generosity.

Generosity is being willing to part with the resources under your control for the good of others. Stewardship gives generosity focus. Its purpose is to maximize the impact of our generosity.

So with this sense of calling in my heart, I tagged along with the Compassion Bloggers as they visited the Philippines to see the work that Compassion International is doing among the children there. We had the opportunity to visit the head office, four development centers, and six homes — and to meet dozens of inspiring volunteers and hundreds of Filipino children.

As we visited all these places and met all these beautiful people, one question burned in my heart as the backdrop for the entire trip:

Does the money that is invested with Compassion International produce a good return on investment?

This is the question I ask myself when I’m making business decisions, so why shouldn’t I look for a good return when I’m investing in God’s business? So I spent the entire week asking hard questions, poring through accounting books, reviewing auditing practices, and evaluating first-hand the kind of impact and scale of impact of Compassion’s work in the lives of those we are called to love and serve for the glory of God.

I crossed the line of professional courtesy before I could shake the first hand, and that line quickly disappeared behind me as I invited myself into every area that I felt mattered in my quest to answer the question. To be fair to the folks at Compassion, though, they never seemed to mind my intrusions and every question was met with complete transparency and invitations to explore further.

Now that we’ve set the stage, read the entire post at Keeper of the Home.

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

Where is the verse that says,

“Thou shalt sponsor a child in poverty”?

I know the verses in the Bible about helping the needy and giving to the poor.

But is sponsorship the way to accomplish this?

This question made itself at home in my mind while traveling to the Philippines. It’s been kicking around up there for five days now. And you know what? I didn’t know how to answer it.

So the pondering and the research began …

Then I thought of this verse,

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14 (NIV)

This came from the mouth of Jesus. Jesus said,

“Let the little children come to me.”

Something incredible has been happening every time I have stepped into a child development center this week. I meet children living in desperate poverty and they’re praying. They’re reading the Bible. They’re reciting the Word of the Lord.

They’re children. And they are being brought to Jesus. Their circumstances aren’t hindering them. The lack of all things material is not hindering them. Living in a home that would cause most of us to lose all hope isn’t hindering them.

Someone is bringing the little children to Jesus.

Today the Compassion Bloggers and I visited Kapatirang Kristiyano sa Coloong Child Development Center.

At this center I met a girl named Mary Rose. I asked her what her favorite verse is.

She was so excited I asked her! Her whole face lit up and she said in one breath,

“Mark 10:14, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” (NIV)

As you can imagine, I was beyond delighted to hear this.

I asked Mary Rose why she loves that verse and she explained (with a passion I rarely see),

“Because the children need to know who Jesus is. I want to teach children who He is.”

She’s 14 by the way.

After talking to her, my question popped up into my head again,

“Would Jesus sponsor a child in poverty?”

Then Janna came up and grabbed my hand and asked if I would sit with her for lunch. What a treat!

I asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up. You’ll never believe what she said. (You’ll have to listen closely. The background noise makes it difficult to hear her.)

She wants to be a missionary. She wants to tell people that Jesus died for their sins.

And then my question dropped from me.

I’m not going to say whether I think Jesus would or would not sponsor a child in poverty. I will say that Jesus wanted the children to come to Him.

I think a church – located in the midst of poverty, ministering to all the needs of the children (physical, spiritual, socio-emotional and cognitive) and sharing what the ultimate hope is, sharing that the children have a Savior and He knows their names – well, I think that is a pretty good way to bring the children to Jesus.

As a sponsor, I was really encouraged today. Today, I received a subtle affirmation,

“You are bringing the children to Me.”

Do you know what Jesus did after the children were brought to Him?

“And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.” Mark 10:16 (NIV)

Thank you for bringing the little ones to Jesus.

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

How can children in poverty think above their circumstances when their parents are likely teaching them that this is just how life is?

How do children in poverty seek a future when they have been taught to survive just for today?

How do children in poverty even begin to believe they have a future when poverty is telling them that they are not worth anything?

This got me thinking about the things I thought about when I was a child.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

I was asked this often. And I assume you probably were, too.

I remember changing my answer every month, sometimes more. In my mind there were no barriers, no setbacks, and no reason why I couldn’t be a cowgirl and also own a French bakery.

Looking back on it, I realize I also had a very healthy outlook on my life. I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up because someone told me that I would live past tomorrow, I would go to college, and I would have the freedom to pursue what I’m passionate about.

As you can imagine, the outlook for a child in poverty is quite different.

When the Compassion Bloggers and I visited Life Streams Student Ministries Center, the center’s director shared with us a proverb that is prevalent in the Philippines:

“If your blanket is too small, you must find a way to fit into your blanket so you can survive.”

Almost immediately she went on,

“We challenge that proverb. We tell the children, ‘If your blanket is too small, why not change the blanket?’”

There it is. In an atmosphere of love and nurture, the poverty mindset  is challenged a little. The child’s outlook is influenced toward hope, maybe for the first time. Maybe, after hearing this, a child pauses and thinks,

“It doesn’t have to always be like this.”

And Life Streams doesn’t stop there.

They have a plan for the children. A plan they call “My Plan for Tomorrow.”

The children have folders that are used to challenge them to start thinking about their future. In each folder is a sheet that the child fills out weekly.

The child is responsible for charting his or her time each week, and the center workers and volunteers check the chart to see how the child’s mindset is being challenged and influenced.

And here’s the chart’s legend:

• Red = time spent in school and studying
• Blue = time spent with family
• Green = time spent communing with God (e.g., praying, journaling, Bible study)
• Yellow = time spent by themselves (e.g., listening to music, coloring, reading)
• Pink = time spent working toward their dream (e.g., If the child wants to be a chef, what is he doing to pursue becoming a chef? Is he practicing? Researching? Is he able to talk to someone who is a chef?)

And while the children learn to be good stewards of their time, they also learn that they can be doing something today that will help achieve their dream for the future.

Yes, they are given the freedom to start dreaming. They are told that they have hope for a future — one that doesn’t have to be controlled by poverty.

This is how we, with your help, break the cycle of poverty and challenge the mindset of a child so he or she can look forward to a brighter future.

Maybe you can take some time today to write your sponsored child and ask what he or she wants to be as a grown-up. Maybe you can start challenging your child’s mindset, too.

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

The concept of partnering with a church may seem simple enough, but what’s actually involved in choosing which churches we should partner with? It’s relatively simple question with a not so simple answer.

In the Philippines, it all starts in the country office with a process they call strategic mapping.

The first step of the process is for the Research Evaluation Analyst to gather information on the poverty situation throughout the country.

Using this information, the analyst identifies the poorest areas in the country.

• Human Development Index
• Child Development Index
• Poverty Incidence
• Percentage of evangelicals in the area
• The peace and order situation in the area

The next step is an “ocular survey” of all the areas identified.

An ocular survey is an actual visit to the areas to ensure that the information gathered is accurate.

If the information can be validated then the country office establishes contacts within the area. This includes making contact with pastors, elders, church volunteers and so on.

Once relationships have been established it’s time for employees from the country office to present Compassion to the churches. An invitation is sent out to representatives of the churches in the area via word of mouth, email, ministerial fellowships and referrals.

On presentation day, the country office presents our ministry and mission. At the end of the presentation, the interested churches fill out an application form.

From here the country office will conduct in-depth, one-on-one meetings with the pastor and the church leaders.

The church also must provide documents certifying that it is indeed a church.

After all these steps take place and everything is validated, then the process of actually opening the child development center takes place.

While this process may sound tedious, it’s put in place for many reasons. One of the more critical reasons is to stress the long-term commitment the church is making to the children and families in its community.

What we don’t want to do is open churches as rapidly as we can to push up the number of children we’re helping. It’s important that we are able to provide consistent and dependable assistance for the long-term well-being of the children.

If a church does get involved and then decides a year or so down the road that partnering with us isn’t for them, it’s the children who suffer.

Once a church ends its partnership with us that means the child development center closes. The children who were able to be sponsored and receive the programmatic benefits no longer can.

A long-term commitment to working with local churches is one way we stay child focused.

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

Our latest team of Compassion bloggers will be in the Philippines May 29 through June 4, 2011.

Throughout this week you will experience a unique glimpse of what it is like to live in this beautiful country. Whether or not you sponsor a child in the Philippines, you can follow this journey through the eyes of:

• Emily
• Kat
• Keely
• Lindsay
• Patricia
• Shaun
• Stephanie
• Tsh

As we share about this trip, we welcome any questions you may have. So mark your calendars and be sure to check in often to read firsthand what God is doing to eradicate poverty in the Philippines.

Do you tweet? Follow the team on Twitter.

Don’t have a Twitter account? Not a worry – you can always follow the latest news about this trip here or at compassionbloggers.com.

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

From Dios Habla Hoy Student Center (GU-434) in Guatemala City.

She looked out her door waiting for us to walk by. She had a smile on her face. I wasn’t sure what she wanted, but I had this feeling this woman had a plan. As we walked on the sidewalk approaching this woman’s house, she stood there outside her door waiting for us. As soon as we were next to her home, she gleefully handed me a cup. It was filled with a warm drink made of corn and cinnamon. Our country staff person looked at me and said, “she wants to offer you and the group this drink. Please take it, so you are not rude, but don’t drink it for it might make you sick.”

Read the entire post at Jonesbones5.

Visit compassionbloggers.com on a daily basis to experience the highlights of the trip through the words, pictures and videos of the team.

And follow the team on Twitter to make sure you don’t miss a single thing.

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

Travel along with:

• Lisa-Jo Baker
• Shaun Groves
• Amanda Jones
• Patricia Jones
• Lindsey Nobles
• Keely Scott
• Ann Voskamp

Visit compassionbloggers.com on a daily basis to experience the highlights of the trip through the words, pictures and videos of the team.

And follow the team on Twitter to make sure you don’t miss a single thing.

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

I’m an introvert. I don’t like attention. But visitors to child development centers get lots of attention, and that means I’m experiencing a lot of discomfort and fear on this blog trip to Kenya.

My dislike for attention is connected to a fear of being “seen.” If I’m seen my “true self,” my inadequate self, might be recognized.

I embrace this lie of inadequacy often because I don’t recognize it as a lie; it feels like the truth, which I realize puts me in the same place as the children you sponsor … vulnerable to the lie of poverty.

No one told me I had “what it takes” when I grew up, or if they did, I didn’t get the message. And now, when people do tell me, “Good job!” I don’t believe it. This lie found fertile soil in my heart and now has deep roots.

The poverty in my life is emotional and spiritual. The poverty in the lives of the kids you sponsor and the kids we’re meeting here in Kenya is that and more.

I want you to sponsor a child, and I’m asking you to sponsor a child even at the risk of prostituting my emotions.

Prostituting my emotions, that’s my inadequacy talking. I feel I have to address any accusations or negative reactions about this in advance, in order to protect myself, and in order to somehow justify writing a post focused on me rather than on you.

My wife tells me you want to hear this stuff and that you want me to personalize this Kenya blog trip experience, but I don’t agree. I don’t think you want to hear about me; I’m not why you read this blog.

However, I am a newlywed, so I am trusting what I’ve often been told, that the wife is always right. So, this is what I’ve got for you.

I’m going to leave it to the other Compassion Bloggers to tell you about this boy we met today, to let you know about his situation and what makes him a highly vulnerable child in the midst of more than 300 other vulnerable children ministered to by Kabuku St. John Child Development Center. Hopefully they will do so.

For me, I can tell you with complete honesty that the only true emotion I have felt on this trip was when I met Samuel and learned that he is eight years old. He’s too small to be eight. He looks to be the size of a four-year old.

Samuel was enrolled in our Child Sponsorship Program three years ago. At the time he couldn’t walk, talk or even stand up on his own. His mother had abandoned hope of him living.

What I felt when the group I was with met Samuel (I was discreetly in the back of the group) had nothing to do with the successful intervention that Compassion helped make in his life.

I didn’t feel grateful or encouraged. I didn’t feel moved to pray for Him or to thank the Lord. I didn’t think, “He’s made it” or anything else that I imagine you may have felt or I should have felt.

In the midst of my ever present fear and the very vocal lie that was speaking at the moment, I felt his vulnerability and I respected him. I felt amazement and what I imagine to have been Jesus’ love for him.

Sadly, it only lasted a moment.

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

Kitchen gardens are a part of the “empowerment training” that moms and caregivers receive at the Kawangware Child Survival Program (KEC28), and Caroline is a mom who is benefiting from this training.

Outside of her 10′ x 10′ home, Caroline maintains a kitchen garden, something she learned to do in the Child Survival Program.

The garden provides food for her six-member family and requires tending to make sure bugs don’t destroy the vegetables, along with the hope she and her husband have for something more. When we ended our home visit with Caroline and her family yesterday,

“her husband proudly told us that his wife was working hard and that together they were changing their situation. He thanked us for coming to visit their house that they lived in “for now.” He said “for now” because he told us that he knew that they wouldn’t be there forever. The tools they had and the skills they learned were helping them break free from the poverty that surrounded them.”

Read more of Caroline’s story on Brad Ruggles blog – Learning How to Live.

Support a Child Survival Program for $20 a month and you can help empower moms like Caroline.

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

Jackline is a mom at the Kawangware Child Survival Program (KEC28), part of the Kawangare Child Development Center (KE-301), and the economic training she received taught her to make charcoal from charcoal dust and dirt and then use the charcoal to roast corn to sell on the side of the road.

Roasting the corn allows Jackline to make about $1 a day to feed her two children, including 14-month old Flavian.

We visited the Kawangware Child Survival Program today, met Jackline and watched her demonstrate the skill that helps her provide for her children.

Support a Child Survival Program for $20 a month and you can help empower moms like Jackline.

We also met Caroline, another mom in the program. She was excited to show us the income generating activity she was taught. You can read Caroline’s story on Brad Ruggles blog – Learning How to Live.

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