After taking a trip to Guatemala with Compassion, as a sponsor but more importantly as a ministry advocate, I felt a responsibility to protect all other sponsors from what I experienced.

You amazing sponsors out there who put your heart and soul into writing letters. I didn’t want anyone to hear this story and have it stop them from writing their sponsored child again. Let me explain …

I had been to Haiti to do medical missionary work and I thought I had seen poverty. I was confident after that experience I would not be affected by anything I saw in Guatemala. God didn’t agree and set me straight.

The home we visited was no home but two pitch-dark wood sheds. It was pouring that day and the rain seemed to just add to the feeling of despair that surrounded us. What hit me more than the physical structures the people were living in was the emotional wreckage I saw and heard as we asked them about their lives.

The mother was unable to speak after being raped by guerrilla soldiers years ago, two of her children had gone to gangs never to return again (or they would themselves be killed for leaving), and three small children looked up at us with such hollow eyes and empty hearts.

I always make a point to ask Compassion children I meet anywhere if they receive letters from their sponsors. I think this question is important for many reasons. To hear their feedback helps me to know what I need to do to get the word out to others that they must write more. And, it is good to hear out of their precious mouths why it’s so special.

So, I asked my question to this family as well. The response hit me like a knife going through my heart … literally.

I guess that’s just one of the reasons I burst into tears and felt so completely foolish. What right did I have to cry when they were the ones living like this?

The oldest little guy still at home, was — I’m guessing — maybe 8 or 9 years old. He responded.

“Yes, I have sponsors.”

He showed me only one letter. I asked him,

“Only one letter?”

He replied,

“This one is newer. I did have more but not now.”

Now? Why not now I’m wondering?

“They did send me letters, but my dad was an alcoholic. He died. After that, my mom had no money, no food. So we had to burn my letters to stay warm.”

I felt this rush of pain traveling from my brain down every nerve ending to my heart. It was so profound. At first, I just couldn’t stop the emotions as I hugged him and he was crying. We cried together.

But then, my own selfish fears kicked into gear silently like a train hitting me at full speed. What did he just REALLY say? Wait … what about my letters to all my children. What if?…

I have thought and thought about what I saw and heard, not sure if I should share. Thinking it could be so irresponsible of me as an advocate to tell sponsors this, knowing how wrapped up into letters everyone gets, including me.

A boy in Guatemala shows off a letter from his sponsor.

After awhile, we begin to crave those beautiful cream envelopes. Think of them so often, almost wanting to tackle the mail people before they even fill our mailboxes! We are sincere in our love, truly giving to our children that which brings us closer together when distance separates us.

The question I kept asking myself was, how can I relay this in a way that others can see the much, much more important message in this, rather than focusing on how the letters were burned and what if that happened to mine or yours.

Just as in our own families we treasure photos and letters of our time together, ultimately it is the memories of those events that no one can ever take away from us. When we receive a letter from a loved one, sponsored child, friend, we don’t forget … ever.

We hold the memories inside us like a time capsule and nothing can change that, not even a fire to stay warm.

What the sponsor family of that sweet little boy don’t know won’t hurt them. You know why? Because not only have they been supporting their little boy each month, but they also provide something they never could have guessed. They sent survival for a family, literally.

God protects and God provides, always. We really have no idea how much we are doing each and every time we send small gifts in our envelopes, letters and photos.

I never, ever, ever want what I have shared to deter anyone from writing more. Instead, I pray that it will in fact do just the opposite. When you send a letter, realize that you are doing so much more than simply writing because you are sharing your life with your child.

We cannot control what God plans and shouldn’t even try to. What we can do though is understand and allow God to use what we give of ourselves to help our children in ways we could never imagine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Julie Berger sponsors seven children and is a correspondent sponsor to three additional children. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania where she works as a medical missions coordinator.

If you’re interested in writing a guest blog post, we are happy to consider publishing it. Read our guest blog post guidelines.

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

Rossy is a sweet and active 8-year-old. She is God’s literal miracle of life for her family.

Rossy comes from a family of six. She has three older siblings and they all live with their parents in Cantel, Quetzaltenango, located about four hours northwest of Guatemala City.

Quetzaltenango is known for its cold weather and very nice people.

Rossy’s siblings Orfa and Eleazar are enrolled in our Child Sponsorship Program. Rossy’s parents wanted her to attend the same center too, but there were no available spots for new children.

Nevertheless, another child development center in Cantel, located only several blocks away from their house, had available spots.

One of the benefits Rossy received as a sponsored child was a medical checkup. Our ministry provides two medical checkups a year for younger children. And it was during Rossy’s first medical checkup that the doctor identified a suspicious murmur in her heart.

The doctor asked our staff to take Rossy to a cardiologist in Quetzaltenango. However, Rossy did not seem or act like she was sick.

After an echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram and X-rays, the cardiologist confirmed that Rossy had a heart problem and told us not to wait until she had symptoms to treat it. The doctor recommended we travel to the city that offered a special cardiovascular surgery unit called UNICAR.

The child development center nurse, Ruth, tells us,

“The doctor explained that Rossy had a small hole in her heart; even though she had no symptoms she still needed the appropriate treatment.”

Our staff at the child development center talked to Rossy’s parents. They offered financial support through a Partners of Compassion fund, but Rossy’s parents did not follow up with us.

Rossy’s father, Ipolito, explains,

“I was really scared. I had no ways of paying for her surgery. I had also heard how many children die during surgery. She did not look sick, so I did not want to risk her life in a surgery that I thought was not needed. I was hoping for a miracle.”

Even though her symptoms were not noticeable to her family, Rossy noticed them.

“I would get really tired and short of breath. On my daily walk back home I could not walk up the hill without having to stop many times to take a breath.”

A year after her doctor visit, everything changed for Rossy and her family when she started bleeding from her nose and mouth and it would not stop.

Rossy’s parents took her to the hospital and for the third time Rossy’s heart problems were confirmed. The first time was when Rossy was just a baby. The doctor had told them about her heart murmur, but due to the lack of resources they did not give her the treatment needed.

In addition to her bleeding, Rossy started developing purpura, a condition were purple-colored spots start showing on the skin.

It was during this time that her parents realized the importance of the surgery.

“My wife and I argued a lot, because I did not want Rossy to have surgery. I was very afraid.”

After realizing his daughter was only getting worse, Ipolito accepted help from the ministry.

“I went back to apologize to the child development center staff. I was wrong. Rossy needed help and I did not take advantage of it on time.

“The brothers and sisters at the center have been of great support, not only financially, but spiritually too. They were always praying for us. Through Compassion, God gave me the miracle I had been waiting for.”

Rossy went to UNICAR and during her first appointment the doctor diagnosed her with Tetralogy of Fallot, a cardiac anomaly involving four related heart defects. Rossy needed open-heart surgery. The doctors warned her family that there was a great chance Rossy would not make it because of how long they waited to treat her.

The doctor asked Rossy to go to the dentist before her surgery. She needed to not have any cavities to prevent infections. She also had a catheterization to make sure her veins and capillaries were in good shape before the surgery.

Finally, Rossy’s open-heart surgery took place.

The staff at the child development center made sure that Rossy’s family felt cared for and loved during this time. One person from the center was with Rossy and her mom at all times while they were at the hospital. Others would visit her father and siblings at their house.

Children at the center started a “Rossy’s Fund” to raise funds for her surgery. They also had a prayer and fasting week for her.

Rossy responded really well to the procedure, and two weeks later she was on her way home.

The doctor recommended Rossy rest a lot so her heart and sternum could fully heal. Rossy was not happy since it meant she was not going to attend school or the child development center. But, she is now back at the center and school.

Today, Rossy is a girl filled with life. She loves to play with her dolls and kitchenware toys. Her favorite subject in school is math. She loves to go to the child development center. She likes to read her Bible, especially the book of Genesis.

Rossy tells us,

“I like the project because it is where I learn about the Word of God. My favorite Bible story is God’s creation, especially the part where Adam and Eve disobeyed. It helps me remember that we always need to be obedient.”

Center Director Abigail also wants us to know,

“Rossy is very smart and likes to participate in contests or special activities. She is the one who gets the medals and awards every time. She had a perfect attendance score.

“She is an outstanding 8-year-old. We are so grateful for her life. There are no words to thank all the people who donated money for her surgery. Please know that it was not in vain. Your donations saved a life. You saved Rossy.”

Thanks to you, Rossy has a promising life ahead of her. A life full of dreams, dreams like being a doctor. She wants to be a doctor who helps children when she grows up.

Thank you for giving life, literally.

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

We began our ministry in Guatemala in 1976 as a family help program run by missionaries. The Child Sponsorship Program started in 1980, and the Leadership Development Program began in 1997.

We have one main office in the capital city and two satellite offices. We work with over 35,000 children in Guatemala, and we are serving 19 of the country’s 22 territorial units. We have responded to some of the country’s biggest crises including Hurricane Mitch and Stan, the Corredor Seco famine and the Agatha tropical storm.

Compassion Guatemala has established key alliances with organizations such as The United Children Christian Coalition, Healing Waters International and Fuller Seminary.

Country Director

Jose Carlos Prem joined our ministry in Guatemala as Country Director in 2008. Before this, Jose Carlos served in leadership roles in companies such as Kerns and Alimentos Naturales and SCENTIA.

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and an MBA from Rafael Landivar University, Jose Carlos also studied French and German and pursued a Bible teaching degree at one of the largest seminaries in Latin America.

He joined the Theological Latin-American Fraternity and is a Guatemalan delegate for The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization.

Additionally, Jose Carlos is a part of the missions committee and preaching team at his church.

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 majority of the population is Catholic, 40 percent of the population is Protestant, and a small percentage hold to old Mayan religions or syncretism. There is a great deal of freedom regarding religion in Guatemala.

  We have the freedom to evangelize in parks and public centers in Guatemala and to reach out to people in all areas of the country. The church also has a large presence in the media. However, the church and the country as a whole face shocking levels of violence due to poverty, gang activity and drug cartels from Mexico.

  Violence has been a challenge in evangelizing and reaching out to the youth, especially those in need who live in the urban areas and in border towns. There are many victims of this crime and people die every day.

• Unique Challenges
  The following are key challenges unique to Implementing Church Partners in Guatemala:
  • Because child development centers manage large amounts of money that are not part of the Implementing Church Partners’ budget, it is a challenge to define the center’s legal status to the government. They are not official non-profit organizations even though they receive funds from our ministry.

    In Guatemala, similar organizations receiving large donations without an established legal identity have served as headquarters for drug operations and money laundering.

  • Legal implication of having volunteer staff at the development centers is another challenge. Guatemala’s laws can misinterpret the volunteer status of some of our staff because some receive a small monthly stipend or “offering” but we still classify them as “volunteers.”
  • Most of the population has a low level of education, especially in the rural areas. According to the National Statistical Institute Census of 2002, only 16.71 percent of Guatemala’s youth received a high school education. It is very challenging for the ministry and our Implementing Church Partners to recruit qualified tutors who have an acceptable level of education for developing and teaching the curriculum.
  • Many churches are not focused on supporting children’s ministries. It is difficult to find churches that are committed to developing children and committed to a program that has a high level of complexity.
  • It is difficult for churches to generate other resources to help the children other than our ministry.
  • It is challenging to spend funds wisely and effectively due to the great amount of need that our Implementing Church Partners and children face.



• Typical Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide utilities such as electricity and water, the child development center facilities, and the time and effort of leaders and volunteers.
• Partner Development
  We develop partners through training and meetings. We train the staff in their specific areas of expertise and provide leadership training for the development center leaders and pastors.

  In addition, we hold meetings with the pastors to strengthen our partnership, and Partnership Facilitators hold regular meetings with center leaders to discuss the children, topics related to partnership and resource management.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

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

The 3 to 11 year olds meet after school and they only meet twice a week because of school work. The 12 to 19+ year olds meet on Saturdays because in the public school system, junior high school and high school classes meet in the afternoon.

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

  

• Nutritional Support
  Each child is given a substantial snack every time there is an activity at a child development center. A typical snack might be pancakes and oatmeal with milk; vegetable soup with tortillas and pineapple drink; a bean sandwich with a warm drink made of rice, milk and cinnamon; oatmeal with milk and rice tortillas; or cereal.

  The development centers also provide special meals for celebrations and extracurricular activities. This food is provided to contribute to the children’s health because there are some cases in which families do not have enough food to provide lunch for their children.



• Vaccinations
  When children are enrolled into the Child Sponsorship Program, our staff asks the family to provide their vaccine card. If the child has not been vaccinated, they are referred to a public health center which provides free services including vaccinations.
• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  We offer various activities in the hope that we can get families involved. Many children are not able to celebrate special days in their homes due to a lack of resources. These activities include:
  • Camps and retreats, special devotionals, worship nights with bonfires, evangelism activities in the community
  • Celebrations for birthdays, Children’s Day, end of the school year, Family Day, rallies, graduations, Christmas
  • Soccer games, small marathons
  • Discussions on the rights and responsibilities of children, ceremonial activities teaching children about our national symbols and how to respect and care for our country
  • Informative meetings and activities with the community, parents and beneficiaries on health topics such as hygiene, HIV, etc.



• Vocational Activities
  Vocational training is offered to adolescents so each one can acquire a skill enabling him or her to be competitive in the job market and have an income-generating skill.

  Adolescents are involved in community service, organization of children’s activities, My Plan for Tomorrow, tutoring and vocational training. Child development centers offer vocational training based on need. Some trainings offered include beauty school, carpentry, pastry baking, seamstress training and handicrafts.

  INTECAP (Technical Training and Productivity Institute) is a government organization that seeks to train and certify individuals so that they are able to be competitive in the job market. INTECAP is the only other organization available in major towns that provides a similar training program to our ministry. They are the leaders in vocational training. In some cases, we have sought INTECAP’s services to train children.



• Parent Involvement
  We hold regular parents’ meetings to discuss the child’s progress and any special situations that need attention. Parents are also invited to meetings where staff members or guest speakers will speak on topics such as health or parenting.

  Additionally, every year child development centers host activities for the children and the parents to work on “My Plan for Tomorrow” together. Some development centers even host parents’ retreats.



• Areas of expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We are planning to expand into the Western region of Guatemala because it is an area that is very impoverished and in need of development. There are great growth possibilities because there are many Christian churches in that area.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  The students attend both public and private universities. The private universities can be classified as either Christian or secular, but most of the students attend private Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  All of the universities have their headquarters in a capital city. There are also university extensions or branches located in smaller towns. These branches have no dormitory facilities for students, so if a student is studying at a branch, he may need to travel up to three hours to get to his classes.



• Working Students
  Some students work, but they have to have the Leadership Development Program Specialist’s permission to do so. We do not recommend that students work, but some students need to for various reasons. Some students need to help support their families, especially in the case of single-parent families or very large families, which is common.

  Other students want to work to gain experience so it will be easier to find a job upon graduation. And some students work because they attend one of the university extensions which only hold classes on the weekends, so the students take advantage of their available time during the week.

• Service Opportunities
  Many Leadership Development Program students serve in their local churches as worship leaders and youth leaders. Some volunteer at their old child development centers, help with Vacation Bible School and promote the Child Sponsorship Program.
• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  The larger Leadership Development Program group meets two to three times per year. At these meetings they cover curriculum topics and play games, have devotionals, celebrations and times of sharing with each other and the Leadership Development Program Specialist.

  Meetings have included on-site medical check-ups involving lab tests and HIV testing. The reason for this is that there are many poorly equipped healthcare facilities especially in rural areas. Sometimes these facilities provide false and inaccurate diagnoses and prescribe dangerous procedures and/or medications. So we started an initiative to provide medical and dental check-ups with qualified doctors.



• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  Part of Guatemala’s cultural mindset is to live in the present. There is not a clear concept of the future or concern for future generations. Therefore, some curriculum topics are more of a  challenge, such as Christian worldview, savings as part of your budget, and having a vision.

  In order to contextualize these topics and make them relevant for Leadership Development Program students in Guatemala, we have to help the students think about their future in specific ways. We help them plan for life after college, prepare for their careers and set up goals for the next five to ten years.

  Mentors play an important role in the students’ vision and planning. In addition, we have emphasized the importance of setting aside a portion of their income for savings. Finally, we’ve adapted an ecology elective course for our curriculum to reinforce the students’ concern for our planet and future generations.



• Mentors
  In order to help students find mentors, we ask our staff and Leadership Development Program alumni to become mentors. We also ask former mentors if they would be willing to volunteer again. If necessary, we ask the field office staff for recommendations of people they know who  might be qualified mentors.

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.

Typical Complementary Interventions in Guatemala include: disaster relief, famine relief, potable water, Bibles, nutritional aid for children, scholarships helping students finish high school, entrepreneurship training, medical help for specific emergencies, and vocational training.

Complementary Interventions also benefit our Leadership Development Program students. We offer funds for The Academy Camp, a two-week camp for students who are in the last phase of the Leadership Development Program application process. We also help students in the Leadership Development Program with dental needs.

Highly Vulnerable Children

In Guatemala, highly vulnerable children are usually children who suffer from abuse in their homes, children whose guardians are extended family and can barely afford to provide for the basic needs of the child, or children who are severely malnourished.

For children who suffer abuse, we refer to International Justice Mission for follow-up.

In a few cases, International Justice Mission intervention has resulted in placing the children in Christian children’s homes. For those whose guardians cannot provide for them, the Implementing Church Partner will provide bags of basic food items.

Sponsor gifts also play a key role in providing for basic needs, such as a bed.

For children who are malnourished, we use famine relief Complementary Interventions to provide assistance.

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

 To finish well in life, it makes an enormous difference if you are given opportunities that allow you to begin well. Our Child Survival Program and Leadership Development Program help children living in extreme poverty to begin and finish well.

The Beginning – Rwanda

Recently, 35 mothers and their babies, and a group of church partners, pastors, representatives from other child development organizations, government officials from throughout East Africa, and ministry staff in Rwanda gathered to launch the Child Survival Program. This event created increased awareness of the need to honor unborn children and highlighted the work of our ministry.

At this special event, Uwingeneye shared her testimony. The 29-year-old mother of four explained how her own mother wanted to abort her and later almost died while delivering her. As a result, she was named ‘Uwingeneye’ which means “the one whom God gave me,” since her mother did not want her.

Uwingeneye’s first two children are 5-year-old twins; her third child is a 3-year-old boy whom she picked up from the roadside and cared for as her very own.

Her second pregnancy, bringing her fourth child, was totally undesired.

She had no job except washing clothes for her neighbors to earn 1,000 Rwandan francs [$1.67] once in a while. Her husband left her. She could not afford rent. She too wanted to abort her child.

“I knew what it meant to have a baby without means. When I was desperate and had tried to abort and failed, the Lord spoke to me in a dream. From Revelation 2:5 God told me to remember the height from which I had fallen, to repent and do the works I did at first, and that if I did not repent, He would remove my lampstand from its place.

God told me the child I was carrying would save my life, but I did not understand how.”

When we came to take her picture for registration into the Child Survival Program, Uwingeneye first thought we were the kind of people who take advantage of the poor and vulnerable by pretending to be an organization that offers aid while using their photos to make money.

Uwingeneye soon discovered she was wrong when our ministry became a blessing to her.

“After the Child Survival Program staff discovered how I was always sent out of houses because I could not afford rent, they paid my rent for a whole year. Because of my sickness, I thought I would deliver from home, but a Child Survival Program worker came and picked me up from home with much respect in a special hired vehicle.

The ministry paid all my medical bills. I would have never gotten money to pay them myself. I may have died had Compassion not been there for me. The ministry gave me all the necessary things for my baby.

The Child Survival Program staff also brought me congratulatory gifts (a custom in the Rwandese culture when a woman gives birth). I thank them because, in the three months after giving birth, I did not lack any foods such as sugar, porridge and other foods husbands give to their wives when they’ve given birth. My husband was not there, but God was there, and the Child Survival Program did it for me.”

 Uwingeneye went on to explain how she was helped to start an income-generating activity of plaiting hair. She also considered the scarcity of water in her home area and bought enough jerry cans and buckets to fetch a lot of water and collect rain water to sell at a profit in the days of scarcity. She testified how she got enough profit to return borrowed items and buy her own, to feed her children, send them to school, and dress her family.

The launching of the Child Survival Program in Rwanda was a celebration of hope. A hope that allows more women like Uwingeneye the opportunity to leave extreme poverty behind. A hope that allows moms to offer their children necessities like clean water, food and an education.

Halfway around the world we had a different kind of celebration. One that launched four young men from our Leadership Development Program into finishing their degrees and entering the world as educated adults.

The Finish and a New Beginning – Guatemala

The most recent Leadership Development Program graduation took place in Guatemala City where family members, ministry staff and special guests were able to share this important moment with four outstanding students who completed the Leadership Development Program and made a new life transition.

The Leadership Development Program graduation ceremony is a special event prepared for the students. Ivonne, Leadership Development Program Team Lead, explains,

“It is a ceremony where we want to celebrate their accomplishment and show them how much they have achieved.”

The ceremony is a celebration of the beginning of a new life season, and planning for the graduation begins a year in advance. Plans include finding an appropriate location, choosing a guest speaker, sending invitations, and preparing awards.

This year’s guest speaker was Julie Weller, a member of our ministry’s board. Julie also sponsored one of the graduating Leadership Development Program students, Florencio. In her speech, she encouraged graduates to use their gifts and experiences for God’s kingdom and glory. She advised them to stay close to the Lord.

Julie encouraged and challenged the Leadership Development Program graduates as she read Ephesians 3:16-20,

“As you commit your lives to him, his mighty power is at work within you to make a difference.”

In the midst of this celebration there was a bittersweet feeling because four of the best students, Jonathan, Dujardin, Florencio and Alvaro, were concluding the program.

Jonathan

Jonathan, a theology major, was given special recognition for his outstanding academic performance. He was also involved in the Leadership Development Academy. The Academy is a two-week program where semifinalists for the Leadership Development Program learn about and prepare for college. During this program, the Leadership Development Program students choose new students for the Leadership Development Program.

Jonathan later participated as an Academy group leader, influencing the lives of the next Leadership Development Program generation.

Dujardin

Dujardin pursued a civil engineering degree. Ivonne shares,

“Dujardin is a very determined young man. He has a very humble spirit and works really hard to achieve his goals. He acknowledges all the hard work his parents, sponsors and Leadership Development Program specialists have done to support him.”

Florencio

Florencio decided to go to law school. He likes to be involved in church and has a heart of service for God. He is currently working as Program Coordinator at the Compassion student center he once attended.

His plans for the future include running a law office, so he can earn profits and still have time to donate his services to people who cannot afford to pay him.

Florencio was blessed with the visit of his sponsors for graduation. They have been his sponsors since he was in the Child Sponsorship Program, and they flew to Guatemala especially to share this important day.

“Having a sponsor has been really special, a special blessing. It has impacted my life.”

For Florencio his sponsors are like his second family.

“In them I found the support of another family. Even from far away they always asked me how I was doing in school, in church and in life. They asked about my needs.”

Florencio’s sponsor had visited him three times before, and this time she came with her husband and two children. The support of Florencio’s sponsors has transformed him and helped him achieve this major milestone.

Alvaro

Alvaro majored in industrial engineering. Ivonne expresses about Alvaro,

“He is an extraordinary young man. He has a very noble heart. One of the characteristics that make Alvaro so outstanding is that he looks for opportunities to grow in the Lord and serve Him.”

Alvaro entered the Child Sponsorship Program when he was 9 and has been a part of our ministry for 16 years now. Through his time with us, he has come to know the Lord in a more personal way. The application process for the Leadership Development Program program made him depend completely on God. Every person on our staff who knows Alvaro mentions his relationship with God as one of his greatest characteristics.

Alvaro has also contributed in the Leadership Development Academy as a tutor for students who attend the program.

“Being asked to help with The Academy is the best memory I have from the Leadership Development Program. I was honored to be included in the selection process of the new students.”

Alvaro’s plan for the future is to start his own business in few years.

“The university gave me the tools that will help me achieve my goals.”

In the meantime, Alvaro will work to provide for his family and save money to start his business. He is interested in projects like recycling, exporting vegetables and food processing. He is an entrepreneur, thanks to his college education and to the Leadership Development Program.

All four students are beginning new journeys in their lives, which is why the Leadership Development specialists make sure graduation is an encouragement to them.

Higher education in Guatemala is different from higher education in other countries. The process of graduation begins when students finish all required courses. Completing course work can take five to six years. Once they have completed their courses, students are authorized to take a private exam or general test. If they pass that test, they can present their dissertation.

Next, an internship may be required, which could take an additional six to eight months. The students take a year and a half to three years to finally graduate after they have finished all their courses.

Dujardin, Florencio and Alvaro celebrated the Leadership Development Program graduation and are now working hard on  their university graduation. Jonathan has already obtained his theology degree.

Thanks to the support of the Leadership Development Program, these four students will be able to achieve their dreams of higher education very soon. And thanks to the Child Survival Program, Uwingeneye is no longer homeless and is able to provide a future for her children, one that may even include attending the Leadership Development Program someday.

Photos and content for this post were provided by Rosette Mutoni, Field Communications Specialist, Rwanda and Nadia Soberanis, Field Communications Specialist, Guatemala.

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

Our Timoteo Student Center serves 311 children who live in the city of Cobán. Cobán is one of Guatemala’s major cities, located 219 km (316 miles) from Guatemala City. It is rapidly developing due to its location at the center of a coffee-growing area.

Cobán is beautiful city, but plagued by major issues like extreme poverty, alcoholism and drug trafficking. Poverty is rampant in Cobán, with 61 percent of its population living in poverty and 26 percent in extreme poverty. Lack of education and job opportunities, large families and high-priced food are just some of the reasons for the poverty in Cobán.

Poverty also triggers problems like alcoholism. Often, fathers turn to alcohol in order to forget their misery. They do not realize that the alcohol only creates a bigger problem, since they use what little money they have to buy alcohol.

Drug trafficking in Cobán has been growing strongly for the past six years. The town is used as a stop for people trafficking drugs to Mexico. Drug lords have taken advantage of the poverty and tremendous need, offering job opportunities to young people. The drug lords pay them well, which makes drug trafficking very appealing for impoverished young people.

Cobán is not an easy place to live as a child. Nineteen-year-old Jorge knows this all too well.

Jorge lives in El Barrio San Jorge in a one-room house made of wood, with a dirt floor and tin sheets as a roof. Jorge is the oldest of six children. His family of eight lives in this room and shares the only three beds they own. Their beds are made of wood and lack mattresses.

Jorge attended the Timoteo Student Center. This Compassion-assisted center seeks to eradicate the high index of spiritual, economical, social and physical poverty in the lives of boys and girls. Their vision focuses on fighting against the issues that are affecting the children in Cobán.

It is thanks to our help and the student center that Jorge has developed holistically into a strong and courageous young man in spite of his circumstances.

A Great Achievement

In October 2010, Jorge graduated from high school. His high school diploma included a graphic design certificate. Jorge is the first one in his family to continue past the seventh grade and the first one to graduate from high school. No one in his family, not even his extended family, has ever graduated from high school.

Even though high school graduation is a great achievement, Jorge is pursuing a greater dream. He wants to attend college. Our ministry has inspired him to dream big and work hard for his dreams. He wants a business administration degree and is doing everything he can to attend college.

Jorge is a very determined young man who thrives even in a difficult environment. Even though he was the first in his family to graduate from high school, his family does not support his idea of going to college.

His father often tells him that school is for lazy people, people who do not want to work. His mother is also skeptical about his education. Due to their financial situation her response to his dream is,

“I cannot support you because I have no money.”

Education is not taken seriously in Jorge’s home, which is why two of his four siblings who can attend school have already dropped out. Jorge supports his two younger brothers who remain in school, and he reminds them of the importance of education.

“The only way to get a better-paid job and end poverty is by being well prepared with education.”

Jorge says that a long-term commitment like getting a college education will improve their lives better than any short-term action like getting a job right now.

Jorge applied for the Leadership Development Program, made it all the way to the semifinal group and participated in the Academy. The Academy is a two-week program where we choose the Leadership Development Program beneficiaries.

The Academy also teaches the attendees studying methods, learning methods, how to organize time and about self-esteem, among other topics that will be useful for college. Jorge was very close but did not make it into the program. But he is already planning to apply again.

Nonetheless, thanks to our support during his high school education, Jorge is going to start working at a computer and internet shop this year. His “plan B” is to save as much as he can in order to attend college later this year. He is determined to go to school.

Jorge has not only developed his cognitive skills, but he has also grown spiritually in a very distinct way. Center Director Carlos mentions Jorge’s spiritual growth as one of the biggest changes he has seen in Jorge since the young man arrived at the student center.

“Jorge is an earnest Christian. He has grown a lot in our Lord’s Word. Some time ago I learned that he led one of his friends to Christ.”

Jorge explains that the biggest gift this ministry has ever given him is the opportunity to know Christ.

“I was 12 years old when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, here at the student center.”

Ever since then, Jorge has wholeheartedly learned more of God’s Word. He has fought for what he believes. There have been times when his dad would not allow him to attend church, but during those times Jorge knew he would still learn more about God at the center.

Jorge says that he has noticed how attending the student center has helped him be a better person. He sees how he is more responsible and that he has learned to control his temper. He knows how to manage his anger or frustration in a better way.

Jorge has overcome many hardships. His family belongs to the 26 percent of the population that lives in extreme poverty in Cobán. His dad used to have a tapestry shop, but he sold all his tools one night when he needed money to buy alcohol.

Jorge’s father is an alcoholic, which has only worsened the financial situation at his house. On top of that, his father has a strong temper and often fights with Jorge’s mother. There have been several divorce attempts. Jorge worries all the time because he does not want to choose between living with his mother or with his father.

Even though life has been rough, the Lord has provided Jorge with different blessings, one of them being Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program, which has empowered him to dream big and has equipped him with the tools to pursue his dream.

God has also provided him with a sponsor who has been corresponding with him for the last 10 years. God has spoken into Jorge’s life through his sponsor, Alaina Blamchard.

“She tells me to keep on going in her letters!”

Thanks to support from his sponsor and our ministry, Jorge has learned to be strong and courageous in life and in pursuing his dreams. He is and will be successful in his life.

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Guatemala, a country whose religion is chiefly Roman Catholic and Protestant, is deeply rooted in local traditions that make the celebration of Easter a colorful and massive one.

Each year, the event that starts Easter week in Guatemala is usually a university parade in which participants wear long hoods to hide their identity. In its origins back in 1898, this parade would go down the streets of Guatemala City making fun of national and political matters (even international ones that may or may not affect Guatemala), as well as injustices the Guatemalan people were enduring at the time.

On Palm Sunday, the smell of palm leaves fills the streets as many pedestrians walk with small branches from the African palm.

Countless processions take place across the country during the week before Easter. The main focus of these processions is a heavy and long dais made of fine wood with an image of Jesus Christ on top.

The dais is carried on the shoulders of dozens of men. Main streets are closed, causing enormous traffic jams for those who dare to drive.

The sound of trumpets and bass drums fill the air. Dressed-up musicians play funeral marches to create a feeling of sorrow and sadness over the suffering of Christ before His death.

Large tapestries of sawdust are dyed and formed into beautiful shapes on the ground for the procession to walk on. The scent of incense is spread by people walking at the head of the procession.

A young Guatemalan woman shared the background of Easter celebration in her country:

“I like the way Easter is celebrated. It can be perhaps an unusual way to proclaim the gospel but as a Christian I do not really mind about this kind of Easter celebration. I love a verse in the Bible that says, ‘But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.’ So I don’t mind about this whole thing. I want Christ to be preached!”

The Easter holiday starts Wednesday and goes through Easter Sunday. People do not go to work, schools are closed and time for leisure abounds during this holiday. The actual festivities start on Palm Sunday and end the following Sunday, Resurrection Sunday.

Special food is prepared this time of year such as curtido (a vegetable mix in which all vegetables are diced and cooked in vinegar to get a sour taste), fish wrapped in eggs, chickpea sweets, fruit mix, pumpkin sweets, pacaya palm wrapped in eggs, and spondias fruits.

Children usually do not receive gifts at Easter as they do at Christmas.

Some evangelical churches in Guatemala take a different approach to Easter. A white-haired man with a secure tone of voice, full of knowledge of the Word of the Lord, lists some events that are celebrated in his church. This man is the pastor of the Church La Viña (the church that houses our Tomás Cranmer Student Center in the suburbs of Guatemala City), and his name is Manuel.

Manuel has been pastoring for about 16 years.

“The Feast of Passover is made to be celebrated during this time of the year as it happened in Jesus’ life.

“We have celebrated here at church with a sort of special meal like the Jews used to celebrate. We roast ram’s meat and eat bitter herbs and hard-boiled eggs brought by small groups or families. Each group or family also has a cup of wine that the leader of of the group drinks first. Then the leader passes the cup to the next person according the leadership degree he/she has.

“We don’t go anywhere else (meaning beaches, water parks or places that are for a ‘leisure time’ during a week like this). We try to give the brothers in Christ who will want to celebrate these special days the opportunity to gather as a church and spend this time praying and remembering what our Savior went through.

“Perhaps there may be a time when we won’t be able to observe this celebration by roasting beef and eating those herbs, but we will still gather to pray and think about this key moment in the story of Christianity of Jesus’ death and resurrection.”

The way Easter is celebrated in Guatemala varies from denomination to denomination. Pastor Manuel belongs to a Pentecostal church, but in a more conservative church Easter is observed with an early gathering at the temple for a special service celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, followed by a delicious breakfast.

Rebeca, the general coordinator of the Tomás Cranmer Student Center, explains that they try to instill in the Compassion-sponsored children a desire to celebrate this time of year as something very special:

“One week before, we start talking with the children about Easter. We share lessons with the students about when Christ was born and when He was risen so that they can really understand this time of the year. This week turns out to be more special because we remember what our Lord Jesus Christ went through.

“We try to focus our classes and our devotions on His death. We give room for a theater play in which the students can recreate all that Jesus went through to enhance the devotion that day.”

Something else happens at the student center the week Easter is officially celebrated: a spiritual retreat.

Wilmer is a 12-year-old boy who is shy with strangers but outgoing with his friends. With hair that sticks straight up from the amounts of gel he uses to comb it, Wilmer shares his point of view about the spiritual retreat:

“I like the spiritual retreat for all the different fun activities we get to do there. The activity I like the most is the bonfire because that is when we get to hear about God and we are ministered [to] by the message.

“I think God is real and when I grow up I want to imitate the way my family celebrates Easter. I will want to go to church and coexist with my own family in this time of the year because I see it as something important. I want to give Jesus the place He’s meant to have in my heart.”

Wilmer was baptized last year at the Tomás Cranmer spiritual retreat. What a blessing this retreat is for all these children and how good it is to know that this student center strives to create in them the need to celebrate this special holiday and not underestimate it.

Wilmer’s grandfather shares,

“The time I spent before accepting Christ as my Savior was something worthless and that completely changed once I became a Christian.

“Now, as my heart has changed from being a very cold one to a very warm one because of Christ, I am more than thankful to celebrate Christ’s resurrection! I love to go to church and take my family there. They love going there and we all are so thankful with our Lord Jesus for having changed all of us to believe in Him.”

Then Rebeca, the center’s general coordinator, adds something that is important to remember:

“We know we can make the best of the efforts to get the children to not forget to celebrate this festivity as it should be, but in the end, the family’s values and the way they see this celebration will mark the way Easter will (or won’t) be celebrated in the future.”

Another year will fade away and a new one will come. The time to celebrate Easter will be here again but a question arises: For how long and by how many will Easter be celebrated by the time this generation becomes adults? Someday this generation will be the one to make the decisions in their own families and by then, will the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be significant enough for them to stop and celebrate?

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The relationship between a child and his or her sponsor is a special part of our sponsorship program. As soon as a child in Guatemala is chosen to be sponsored, the notification process begins.

The Global Partner country where the sponsor is from, such as Canada or France or Australia, sends information about the sponsor to our Global Ministry Center in Colorado. There, all the new sponsorships are posted in the Correspondence Tracking Application (CTA), an application that keeps track of all the letters going back and forth around the world.

Once the information is in the CTA, Ericka Samayoa, a Sponsor and Donor Services Associate in Guatemala’s country office, is in charge of the weekly updates of the new sponsors posted for Guatemalan children. She creates a list of which child development centers have new sponsorship assignments.

An associate then e-mails the centers where children have received sponsors. Most of the centers have Internet access, but those who don’t are contacted by telephone. The associate tells the correspondence coordinator at the center the news, and all the information about the sponsor.

Alexandra, left, and Vanesa

The correspondence coordinator is the one in charge of delivering the good news to the child.

Sofia is the correspondence coordinator for Niños del Carpintero Student Center. When she gets a notification of a new sponsorship, she prints out the child and sponsor information. Sofia likes to prepare all paperwork she will need at the moment she tells the child about his or her new sponsor.

Today, she gets to notify two girls that they have sponsors. Before she calls them to her office, she prints the information and gets two different letter formats for the girls to write their first letter to their sponsors.

Once everything is ready, Sofia goes to the child’s classroom and asks the teacher permission to excuse the child for a moment.

Alexandra, who is frequently called Ann, and Vanesa get to go to her office today. Sofia proceeds to tell 5-year-old Vanesa more information about her sponsor, Juliette, from France. Vanesa repeats her sponsor’s name a couple of times so she can learn it. She even pronounces it in Spanish “Julieta” (hoo-lee-ET-uh).

Sofia tells Alexandra, a 16-year old, that her sponsor, Leonhard, lives in Australia. Alexandra has been sponsored twice before.

Before the girls can begin writing their letters, Sofia writes their sponsors’ names to ensure they are spelled correctly along with their codes. There are two different letter formats. One of them is for younger children who cannot yet read or write and the other for older children who read and write by themselves.

Alexandra gets to write her letter by herself. She shares about her family, best friend, and some of her favorite things like food, drink, Bible story, songs, games. There is also a designated area where she is able to write a personal message for her sponsor.

Vanesa, on the other hand, needs the help of Sofia to write her letter. Sofia sits beside Vanesa to transcribe her answers on the letter. Vanesa shares about her family, things she likes, and prayer requests. There is a section where she is able to draw and color a picture for her sponsor.

Vanesa also gets to stamp her fingerprint on her letter. Sofia takes a picture of Vanesa to include in the letter. If the child is very young, the correspondence coordinator asks the mother or caregiver to join in the process. She provides the information needed to fill the letter out.

“The letter format for younger kids is more interactive: they even draw their eyes and color them according to their eyes color. It is more kid friendly,” says Sofia while she waits for Vanesa to color the picture of her eyes.

When the letters are ready, Sofia includes a cover page with the number and types of letters included in the package. This package is then sent to the Guatemala country office. This process needs to happen within eight days of telling the children about their sponsors.

Once the letters reach the office, the Sponsors Donor Service Associate prints a bar code for each letter and scans it into the Correspondence Tracking Application.

The letters are reviewed to ensure quality and names and numbers are verified. The letter is also checked to verify the participation of the child.

After its review, it is sent for translation. After two weeks the translated letters are sent to the Global Ministry Center in Colorado Springs, where they are then mailed to the Global Partner countries.

The first letters are a cornerstone to building the new relationship between sponsor and sponsored child. These letters make the sponsorship commitment more personal, and now Vanesa and Alexandra will be waiting to hear back from their sponsors.

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The youths in our student centers face many challenges. Because of cultural paradigms, poor academic preparation by the national school system (especially in rural areas), and financial barriers, one of the greatest challenges for youths is learning how to dream.

Often it is difficult for children and students to pursue a vision to move forward. Many young women in Guatemala are forbidden to pursue a college education, and in some cases they are not even allowed to finish high school.

Young men are also faced with a similar challenge, as they are called to provide for their home at a very young age, which keeps them from finishing their high school education.

According to Guatemala’s National Statistical Institute (INE, 2002 Census), only 16.71 percent of youths in Guatemala receive a high school education.

Despite these challenges, our church partners play a key role in releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Poverty is defined not just as economic insufficiency, but when viewed holistically the poor tend to lack vision, trust, self-esteem and opportunities for a better future.

“It is a process in which we try to launch them as leaders. Many people say: ‘They are young. They are not competent.’ But if we do not let them lead, they will not be able to develop their leadership. We are there by their side to help them,” says Gerson, Dios es Amor Student Center Director.

The student center begins working with children to help them plan for their futures at  age 12, which marks a significant time of change in their lives. The staff begins by sharing with the youths the opportunity that the Leadership Development Program (LDP) offers, and identifying and developing each child’s strengths, skills and talents.

“If they have an aptitude for music, we encourage them to use their talent for worship. Others develop their leadership by taking the responsibility of coordinating devotional activities for the children,” says Gerson.

The staff at the student center provides mentoring and other activities that teach valuable lessons to promote holistic development and preparation that stays with the students, even through their college years and into adulthood.

The student center also addresses age-appropriate issues, such as sex, diseases like HIV, vices, and peer pressure. In addition, due to the dangerous environment that the children are exposed to, the student center also invites the Communications Representative of the National Police to talk to the students. He discusses time management and creates awareness of the negative consequences of joining gangs and using drugs.

Moreover, the staff helps youths with their academic performance through tutoring, especially the areas in which they are struggling in school. However, the hard work of improving their academic performance cannot be done without additional encouragement from the staff and a deep understanding of the importance of education by the children.

Another is to invite LDP students to the centers so that they can be role models to the children. The LDP students serve as an example to the children that they, too, are capable of becoming leaders. After all, the LDP students were once in the children’s shoes, with similar backgrounds, and now they are in a place with unlimited possibilities.

“I always said ‘wow’ when I saw the LDP students. They motivated us and demonstrated a genuine interest in us. They taught us that we were able to achieve our dreams. I especially remember a graduate, Letty, who motivated me to dream, and today she is my mentor,” says Sindy, a former beneficiary at the student center who is now an LDP student.

The student center and the LDP students act as key agents of motivation and inspiration, teaching youths to dream. Yet dreaming is not enough. It is necessary that the children learn how to state their goals and have an action plan. Therefore, the student center uses an important tool called My Plan for Tomorrow, a blueprint of goals in every area of life, with specific actions to take planned by the students.

The most important preparation the student center provides, however, is to tell youths about Christ. Many children give their hearts to Jesus, transforming their lives forever. And the blessing does not end here, but salvation spreads to their families.

The student center promotes a lasting committed relationship with the Lord. The children not only are introduced to Christ, but persevere in His ways, even after they leave the center.

The student center also equips youths to be servant leaders. This has a powerful impact on their families and friends as they look out for the needs of others.

In some instances, the church provides food or staff collects food items from the students. Then, the staff and the children pack the food in bags and share it with the community or with the beneficiaries’ families who may be going through hard times.

Sindy is actively involved in serving the church and reaching out to her community. She is a Sunday school teacher. She helps as a sound technician in her church, is part of the church choir, and directs their presentations. She offers support for the deacons, takes care of the Sunday program at church, and helps with vacation Bible school, reaching out to the children of her community.

In addition, Sindy was very active volunteering at the student center, and every so often the center invites her as a guest speaker to talk to the children. Sindy also organizes sports activities that involve the community and represent the church as an active agent that blesses the youths in the area.

Nevertheless, many capable dedicated students are not able to achieve the goal of entering the Leadership Development Program.

In 2008, 108 students applied, and there was a quota of 30 to be selected. In 2009, 22 out of 80 were selected, and in 2010, 24 out of 80 were selected.

Many consider the dream of being an LDP student, receiving a college education, and becoming a leader almost unreachable. Many apply and are not chosen, but they persevere with hope.

“The first time I applied I was rejected. I felt that my world was over. I seriously doubted my abilities, but the church was there to motivate me to believe that I was still capable, and I applied again,” says Aury, an LDP graduate and one of Compassion Guatemala’s partnership facilitators.

Many students overcome major challenges to meet the requirements. For example, Juan Carlos applied to the program last year and was not chosen either. He had recently lost his father and absorbed part of his father’s responsibility in his home. This put a lot of pressure on him, which affected his academic performance. He is encouraged and eager to apply again, after improving his GPA.

Many are left heartbroken after applying. One young man, Carlos, got to the last stage of recruiting process but was not chosen due to quota. He got discouraged, and it affected his drive to serve and be involved in church.

Still, Carlos did not give up on his dream, and today he is a freshman in college. The church did not give up on him either. The church decided to pay the initial college expenses for Carlos so that he could have a new beginning.

Today Carlos works as a teacher during the week to pay for his expenses, and he studies on the weekends.

“The Leadership Development Program motivated me to go on, even though I did not get in. Education is an urgent matter for me. It is what I always wanted, and I love what I do,” says Carlos.

Yet, they all have something in common. They all have learned to dream and hope:

“My dream is to manage and own my business and help others,” says Aury.

“My dream is to become an architect and work for the state,” says Carlos.

“My dream is to go back and help the children in the student centers with their problems and to have my own business,” says Sindy.

“My dream is to study communications, and reach out to the youth through the radio so they can come to know the Lord,” says Juan Carlos.

“I want to help the children in the student center and provide laboratory tests to improve their health and teach the Word,” says Yajayra, a child at the student center.

These dreams are not only in God’s hands, but in yours as well.

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Pictures courtesy of Keely Scott.

Visit compassionbloggers.com to experience all of the highlights of the Guatemala blog trip through the words, pictures and videos of the team.

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

From Cristo Rey de Gloria Student Center (GU-970) in Guatemala. Shaun Groves takes you on a two-minute tour of the church and child development center. And then shows you what the center looks and sounds like when the children are there.

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

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