Hallelujah! Hosanna!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Artwork from Mathare Community Outreach Child Development Center

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. – Matthew 28:1-9 (NIV)

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

• Read about Easter in Guatemala.

To Ghanaian Christians, Easter is a day of remembering what Christ did on the cross for all mankind; not just remembering but knowing that it was the foundation for their salvation.

• Read about Easter in Ghana.

In Bangladesh, the activities of Easter Sunday look different for the Christian and non-Christian children in our child development centers.

• Read about Easter in Bangladesh.

Easter Week in El Salvador is celebrated differently than the way it is celebrated in the United States. There is a much a different atmosphere.

• Read about Easter in El Salvador.

To talk about Easter is to talk about Christianity, and for children in our development centers to talk about Easter in Peru is to talk about a variety of traditions.

• Read about Easter in Peru.

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What does it mean to live with integrity?

Listen to Mark Hanlon, Senior Vice President of Compassion USA, talk about the importance of living with integrity.

Integrity is not common.

“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” – Matthew 7:14, NIV

To live with integrity:

• means we don’t compromise our faith in Christ.
• means the small things matter.
• means life can feel lonely.
• reflects the character of God who dwells within us.
• requires intention.

At Compassion, integrity means that we say what we mean and we do what we say. We value accurate information and full transparency. We hold ourselves accountable and share the full truth, even when it is difficult.

Officially, we describe it as:

“… aligning our thoughts, motivations, attitudes and actions with the ethical principles found in God’s Word. In both our personal lives and our ministry, what we believe, what we say and what we do should be consistent, congruent, reliable and transparent.”

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In Peru, that religion, Roman Catholicism, is still important:

• for many traditional families who live in Lima City
• in faraway towns in the country
• among the migrants who have come into Lima City from the Andes Highlands, the Amazon Rainforest or the many small valleys scattered along the coast

But among this last group, the migrants, are our young friends, our sponsored children.

In Peru, Easter is a solemn celebration. Holy Week begins the Sunday before Easter; therefore, schools are closed for the entire week so that the children and teenagers may participate in the special celebrations together with their parents – either in Lima or visiting relatives away from the capital city.

The evangelical churches initiate a special week of celebrations with evangelistic campaigns and camping programs for the youth and also for the entire family to have a special retreat.

The churches give their children the opportunity to participate actively in the celebration at church or at the camping site, according to their age. The younger children learn that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins, but that also He is risen, while the older children participate at special programs at church to present to the community during the evangelistic campaign on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

The young university students who belong to evangelical churches prepare programs intended to present the plan of salvation to the youth who have never been to church. The students prepare something special, such as Christian concerts and dramas, which will draw the attention of that specific group. The programs are presented in an open place, such as a big park.

Some of these university students organize special trips to visit faraway churches in order to present dramas or to sing during the special church services previously organized by local churches.

Other students have the gift to visit people in jail to preach and give counseling. For example, some may visit those who have been caught taking drugs from the country; many of these are foreigners and do not have relatives or friends in Peru.

These students go together with their pastors taking gifts and doing Christian concerts. They give testimony of their past life and bring those prisoners hope and a new joy. These young university students take seriously Matthew 25:36 (NIV).

“I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Talking about Easter gifts, if the family belongs to a high social class, their children receive chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday. They even participate in contests about painting an egg organized at their school or by a local supermarket.

But a child who belongs to a traditional family, who is part of a low social class, or who lives in extreme poverty, as our sponsored children do, isn’t aware of Easter gifts.

When the children at one of our child development centers were asked about “Easter eggs,” the majority were surprised with the question. Some have seen ads on TV about chocolate eggs, but since they aren’t sold in their community, they just do not care much about it.

The children just enjoy their time being out of school and eating some traditional dishes. They gather at somebody’s home who has a TV set, together with their siblings and friends, to watch the special TV programs that are shown on Easter, old films such as Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, Jesus, and many other religious movies.

All the people who live in small cities and towns close to colonial Lima City become part of a big celebration. A grand procession takes place. Statues of Jesus carrying His cross and the Virgin dressed all in black are carried on large platforms through the streets.

In some parts of Lima City, local transportation is diverted by the policemen who try their best to alleviate the chaos. They whistle to give directions to the drivers who go through the old and narrow colonial streets bursting with the activity of hundreds of devoted people following the procession.

The people walk slowly and pray while passing through the narrow streets. People who live there gather on their homes’ balconies to salute the statues. They throw rose petals on both statues as a special offering.

Meanwhile the street vendors take advantage of the occasion to offer their goods, such as traditional foods, sodas, candies, etc. Therefore, there is not only devotion, but also noisy crowds and different kinds of smells coming from the great variety of dishes being prepared to be offered to the devoted people.

In this procession, not so many children are seen because of the big crowds and the long distances to walk that become endless because of the procession’s slow pace. Usually children get tired and bored because they are not much aware of the situation.

The statues carried in the procession are of high value since they were brought from Spain four to five centuries ago. Besides being a work of art, the statue of the Virgin is unusual because the statue’s hair is real, donated by some young lady who has given it as a special gift. The statue wears an expensive silk dress and lots of jewelry that has been donated by rich people throughout the centuries.

The platforms the statues are carried on are quite heavy, and each one requires at least a dozen men to carry it. The group is replaced by different groups of men after carrying it for some distance. The procession is accompanied by a band of musicians and many ladies who walk singing and carrying incense in special gold containers.

During Holy Week there is always something going on, such as the “Feet Washing Ceremony” that takes place at the cathedral in Lima City as well as in all Roman Catholic churches in the country. There the priest washes the feet of 12 men who are just common citizens.

On Good Friday, many people prepare “The Seven Dishes,” but it is traditional to cook different recipes using only fish.

In the afternoon, the Roman Catholic Cardinal preaches at the main cathedral of Lima. He speaks about “The Last Seven Words of Jesus.” This is transmitted across the country through the media.

There are many more traditions to be told, although many more have been already forgotten with the passing of the years and can be found only in history books.

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Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” — Matthew 11:1-5, NKJV

Jesus, when asked for proof that He is the King of Kings, that He is the promised Savior, responds by listing the miracles He has performed.

The last item Jesus lists in His response to John’s messengers is the one that seems, for me anyway, to stick out the most — “the poor have the gospel preached to them.”

What? Why lump this in with the other things? Surely the poor hearing the gospel can’t be equated with giving sight to the blind or life to the dead?

But Jesus responds to this important question by listing the ways that He has fulfilled the prophecies written about Him.

The Old Testament tells us that the Savior will bring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf.

The Old Testament tells us that the Messiah will raise the dead and help the lame walk. And it tells us that the Messiah will bring salvation to the poor.

Folks, don’t overlook this important line in Jesus’ answer. It’s not there by mistake. It’s not there as an afterthought.

This is Jesus’ way of telling us that it is divine to bring the gospel to the poor. And it’s the one miracle that we can perform today.

If you think about it, bringing the gospel to the poor IS bringing life to the dead, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf. This is the miracle that changes lives for eternity!

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Obviously, there is a little more to it than that. But at its core, that’s all that is happening, isn’t it?

On second thought, what if that’s not all that’s happening? What if, to a certain degree, we are reverting to something that goes much deeper, something that bubbles up from the deepest corners of our spirits and souls? What if we are simply remembering something?

Read the gospels much? I try to. 

When I began thinking about the poorism, the first thing that came to mind was …Jesus. Let me tell you why.

Repeatedly throughout the gospels, when Jesus first calls his disciples, when he is approached by the rich young man, whenever he is asked about the kingdom of heaven, He says, “Come follow me.”

“Who first started following,” I asked myself. 

To the best of my knowledge, it began with the disciples. Perfectly healthy, employed and financially comfortable men. Perhaps suburbanites … if they were married.

Interesting.

Where was Jesus going that he wanted people to follow? 

According to Matthew 4:25b he went to “…Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, to Judea, and from beyond the Jordan” (ESV). 

In other words, all over; far beyond the reaches of his backyard, hometown and comfort zone, if I had to guess.

All the while, being “followed” (v. 25a).

Two questions down, one to go. 

Why? Why did they follow? 

I suppose the fact that he was literally performing miracles in front of them might have been compelling. But, from a cultural perspective, he was also claiming to be the Son of God; the Messiah. And, as history has shown us, that didn’t go over too well. 

It was offensive to many, blasphemous to others, and absolutely absurd to the Pharisees. All around, a fairly radical claim. 

And like today, you are guilty by association, so to follow him was to believe him. A dangerous path to tread if you cared about your reputation.

But still they came. They followed. They were captivated. 

I can’t help but think that as appealing as Jesus must have been, there had to be some draw to where he was going and what he was doing. His followers ranged in social status, and they willingly followed him to places they had never been.

Is it crazy to think there would be some degree of curiosity to see the other side of the tracks?

Without demeaning the poor, I wonder if the wealthy were simply thirsty for the reality that they had so long been deprived of. Whether it was for their protection or not, many, like today, were segregated from the poor, the afflicted, the sick and the hurting. 

Could it be that the hearts of the wealthy were not wholly consumed by their monetary funds, but were simply uneducated on the depravity of the masses that surrounded them?

What if they followed Jesus because no one else was brave enough to take them there? What if they followed Jesus because they wanted to help make a difference, to go back to their homes and spread news of need? What if Jesus inspired them to see souls instead of sickness? Is that poorism?

Granted, nowadays people are literally profiting off of the poor by exploiting their desperate situation to a mass consuming public. But then again, why now? Why are the wealthy taking trips now when, like most of America, their wealth is actually diminishing? 

It’s not logical. It’s not rational. It’s not fiscally sound. 

I wonder if the hearts of so many, given the country’s economic circumstances, aren’t breaking for those who are losing so much more than their 401K plans. I wonder if the eyes of many Americans aren’t being opened for the first time to the vapor that their wealth has now become and to the weight that their spiritual lives should have been long before they had to hit their knees. 

I wonder if perhaps the Lord is not reminding us what the first followers truly looked like. Drawn out, taught and challenged to do something about that which is so conveniently shoved under the rug. 

In the same way that the Holy Spirit will simply not leave you alone when you come to know Him, could it be that coming to know the poor and destitute will inspire action?

Because following alone cannot be the end result. Christ didn’t simply walk around from town to town and look at those in need. He met their needs.

He touched them, healed them, spoke to them, loved them and set them free. 

He calls us to do the same. And if you feel as inadequate as I do sometimes, no worries. He has equipped us with all we need. All we have to bring to the table is a willing heart and obedient spirit. 

So, if you’ve been sheltered in the way that I have, perhaps a trip would be good for us. Not to gawk and stare, but instead to open the eyes of our hearts so see the souls of those who crave the same things we do: love, acceptance and help.

In the same way that a shepherd must break the leg of a wandering sheep, maybe the Lord needs to break our perception of reality in order to use us in bigger ways. 

It is an undeniable thing, I think, within every human life to want to have an impact, to want to leave a legacy.  But I also think, we get in our own way; we don’t venture out because we don’t want to get lost.  

But if we don’t dare get lost, we will never know the saving grace of a God who has promised to deliver and lead us out of the wilderness.

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On this day we hope you feel the presence of our Savior as we celebrate His grand love and His perfect will to move us closer to Himself.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23, NASB

Also, we thought you might like to see some children in Colombia celebrating the birth of Jesus. These photos were taken at a child development center Christmas party by Edwin Mendivelso, Compassion Colombia field communications specialist.

Take a look at these angels!

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If you drink at least a cup of coffee a day, the thought of fasting from coffee is probably pretty painful. But we weighed up the facts:

• Firstly, it’s something they could live without . . . albeit sacrificially. For the first week of the fast, they had massive headaches and their bodies screamed for coffee 24-7. I felt their pain.
• Secondly, a cup of coffee costs more than what some of the materially poor earn in an entire day. So the money we save as a part of the fast is then donated towards the Global Food Crisis fund.

We’re almost three weeks into the campaign and my colleagues have honored their commitment — not a single drop of coffee. They’ve also resigned themselves to the fact that it is still a luxury they would like to enjoy after FAST for FOOD.

Still, I respect their choice to wean from something that’s become a part of their daily lives, and that they choose to hunger for God when their bodies beg for caffeine. Although, I’ve found that the reward of abiding in Him is truly incredible. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” — Matthew 5:6 (NIV)

The Message phrases “hunger and thirst for righteousness” as to “[work] up a good appetite for God.” Clearly, our appetite for God doesn’t develop in the same way that our body naturally hungers and thirsts for food and drink. We need to make the decision to work it up.

The Amplified Bible defines righteousness as “uprightness and right standing with God.” Therefore, righteousness is a position where we know we are right with God. He promises to bless us if we seek to be right with Him in whatever circumstance we’re in.

Not only this, if we choose to focus on who He is rather than our circumstances, we would be “filled” (NIV). In other words we would be “blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous” (AMP<). 

No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, the principle to becoming "filled" remains the same. Like Apostle Paul, we could be content whether we live in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12). But it is by choosing to seek a person rather than a thing that we learn contentment. Surely, when we’re filled with Him we’d be in a better place to give and bless those suffering in the Global Food Crisis, just as He fills us.

Ah, the joy of simple faith.

Irene Kao

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Something Wendy Kopp said at the Summit struck me about how we approach leading others toward caring for those in need.

Wendy Kopp is the founder and CEO of Teach for America, a non-profit that asks college graduates to commit to two years of teaching in under-resourced schools.

She was asked how she approaches asking these graduates — some of who could otherwise accept six-figure jobs — to sacrifice so much, putting aside wealth and “success” to teach in schools many would avoid. She said (and this is paraphrased, as my little hand could only scribble so fast as she answered):

You’re giving people an opportunity to be part of something larger, and of significance — people want that … are we afraid to ask people to sacrifice and set a high bar? Your own personal conviction about the work makes it easy to ask others to sacrifice because you’re giving them a gift that will change their lives.

When we tell others about the opportunities to care for those in need, we might feel like we’re putting a burden on them, but far from burdening them, we’re giving them a gift. We’re giving them the opportunity to enter into another aspect of our relationship with Jesus as we follow him.

Several times when talking with someone who has come across the book I wrote about responding to poverty, they say they’re scared to read it. So many are scared of this issue of poverty, and understandably so — it’s big and hairy and complicated. And God might ask us to do scary things.

But I think there’s a third reason people are afraid of poverty — they’re worried a big, fat load of guilt is going to be placed on their shoulders. We’ve been bombarded by so much guilt when it comes to poverty, seeing so many images that evoke guilt and being told “shame on you for drinking that Starbucks instead of caring for a baby.”

Are we guilty for not responding to God’s mandate to care for those in need? Yes, but God hasn’t appointed us as judges of others. He has appointed us as messengers of his grace. And I think when we do approach others not with guilt but with grace, they grasp that helping those in need isn’t about checking off a requirement on our good-Christian to-do list so that we can not feel so guilty. It’s about our relationship with Christ — about following him, obeying him, and knowing him all the more as we become like him in our service to others.

“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 22:16, NIV, emphasis added)

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