Holistic child development has four aspects: physical, socio-emotional, economic and spiritual, and there are different issues that we have to grapple with when applying our child development model to the child survival and child sponsorship programs.
This is what holistic child development looks like in eastern India. (more…)
The India communications manager wrote this short article about the recent sponsor tour to India for the country office’s internal newsletter. So we thought we’d share her perspective with you.
In the midst of turbulent economic times, political uncertainty and a global food crisis, 29 of our sponsors proceeded with their decision to come to India to experience this great ministry among children.
It is one thing to hear marvelous stories about sponsors and how far they would go to support a child, but it is definitely a red letter day to meet them in person. For most of the sponsors, the sponsor tour we recently hosted was their first time in India, and they surely were thrilled by the sights and sounds around them.
Churches and projects in Bangalore, Yelagiri and Chennai welcomed the visitors into their community, and the sponsors had the opportunity to witness the harsh realities of life for our children, and the hope that Compassion offers through the child development centers in our various programs.
The home visits enabled the sponsors to have a feel for the poverty surrounding the communities, as well as the traditions and superstitions that some of the communities are bound by.
The traditional welcome with garlands, sandalwood and rosewater, personal testimonies of children and parents, and the cultural events by children at the centers left each sponsor humbled.
Amidst everything, the one thing the sponsors would not give up were those personal moments of interaction with the children. The sponsors connected with the children through songs, skits and crafts. They learned, listened, laughed with the children, and cried every time they had to leave a center.
The “fun day” planned for each sponsor to interact with his or her own sponsored child was assuredly the defining moment.
Surrounded by the Bay of Bengal on one side and luscious green pastures on the other, VGP Golden Beach was ideal for fun in the sun. Every sponsor wished this day would never end.
Bidding farewell to their precious little children by giving gifts they brought all the way from the United States continues to amaze me. Hugs, handshakes, loads of tears, and treasured memories made the day worthwhile for these faithful sponsors.
Another sponsor tour has ended, and I am grateful to God for the way he led us in putting it all together. As I look back, it gives me even greater satisfaction that those 29 sponsors who explored and experienced the work of Compassion in person left India with more than just a bagful of memories! Compassion is indeed blessed with such wonderful and committed sponsors.
Please continue to pray for these sponsors that God would bless their efforts as they serve as advocates for India. Please pray also for the many unsponsored children in our ministry.
The following is an interview with Anuradha Ghoshal, Program Communication Manager with Compassion East India.
1. How long have you been in your current position, and what are your main responsibilities?
I have been in this position for the last three years.
My main responsibility entails supervision of the three core processes for Program Communications: Field Communication, Sponsor Donor Services and Tours and Visits.
Besides that I am responsible for communication with Global Partner Alliance (GPA) staff, mentoring my team, budgeting and working alongside the country management team (CMT).
2. Describe what an average day is like for you.
An average day starts with the corporate devotion. It is followed by attending to my “To Do List” where I address each request, need or assignment based on priority while also following up during a morning briefing on any pending work assigned to my team members.
The later part of the day involves meeting with the Country Director and/or other CMT members for updates, approval or planning.
3. What is the best part of your job, and what is the most challenging part? (more…)
Over on another blog post – Where Do You Sponsor a Child? – several sponsors have been exchanging maps of the countries where we work; maps that list the child development center numbers and give a rough approximation of where the centers are located in relation to one another.
You can now find all of those maps in our Flickr account.
Since April 26, and through May 2, five bloggers have been experiencing firsthand what Compassion’s ministry to children in poverty is all about.
Visit compassionbloggers.com to travel across the world to the impoverished neighborhoods of Kolkata, East India, and through their stories, pictures and videos rediscover hope.
“Magi, get going else you will be late for your classes,” Magline’s mother calls out from outside the courtyard, where she is washing dishes.
Magline
is deeply engrossed reading the sponsor letter she has just received from the student center.
Magline, a bright young girl from Park Circus Child Development Center, is an example of what a sponsor’s love and affection can help achieve in children who never get to paint a future for themselves because of poverty.
Magline comes from a poor family. She has been through many ups and down since childhood.
Her father was an alcoholic and did not have a job when Magline was brought to be enrolled at age 5. He would beat up Magline’s mother to get money from her to meet his thirst for wine.
But in the midst of all that, Magline’s mother was steadfast in her faith in God and kept praying for her husband’s change of heart. She toiled hard, working as a maid servant to bring up her children.
It was about the same time that Magline’s sponsorship also started, but she was far too young to understand the love and concern her sponsor had for her.
“I had no dreams for the future because I hardly understood what sponsorship meant for me,” says Magline. (more…)
Every month we receive prayer requests from our country staff; prayer requests that we publish in our monthly prayer calendar, on compassion.com and as tweets.
Would you mind joining us in healing prayer for these sponsored children:
If you leave your prayers as comments to this post, our country staff will be much encouraged. We’ll make sure they’re aware of the post.
And in cases where a child development center has a computer, the children and church partners will also know you are speaking to the Lord on their behalf.
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