Josh was born and raised in Seattle. He’s a father of two, and a husband to one.

We’re plagiarizing here … jes so ya know.

He’s a son of Philippine immigrants and grew up with his mother and father, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather, two aunts, four uncles and five cousins (among other houseguests) in the 18 years he spent at home.

He enjoys people. And likes to laugh … even courtesy laughs … ha ha.

We met Josh through this blog. He sent us an e-mail with some photos he took on a Compassion trip. They are stunning. See for yourself.

We also asked him to share a little bit about the trip to help put the photos in context. We hope you enjoy Josh’s perspective on children in poverty.

Gearing up for my Compassion trip to Ecuador, I told my wife, “Ya know? In some ways I might have more in common with the Compassion kids than with the folks I’m traveling with.”

She needed a bit more convincing.

I reminded her that my cousin was a Compassion child in the Philippines, my mother grew up in a poor farming community in Zamboanga, and many of my family members are still living in situations like the ones I’ll see on the trip.

“Wow,” she replied. “I hope people can see that in your photos.”

With that, my challenge was set: Tell the stories of these kids as if they were my own family.

Back in June, I traveled with a group of donors to Quito, Ecuador. The first stop was Bernabe Student Center for a Child Survival Program (CSP) presentation. This was the same center where I met Edison and Paula.

Edison and his family opened up their home for us to see what typical living arrangements look like in this area of Quito.

After lunch with the family, the highlight of the day was Edison’s birthday cake. No, it wasn’t his birthday, but for Edison’s first five birthdays his family didn’t have the funds for a birthday cake. So on that day, Compassion sponsored Edison’s very first birthday cake!

We encouraged him to “go for it,” but Edison wanted us to slice the cake up for everyone to enjoy.

When we returned to the center, a little girl named Paula waited anxiously for one of the families on the trip – her sponsor family. She was shy, but excited about the meeting. Her sponsor family greeted her with open arms and grins from ear to ear, but what really broke the ice were the gifts.

The family unveiled (among other things) a “Dora the Explorer” blanket. Paula loved Dora.

From that point on hugs, smiles and tears of joy were shared by everyone in the room. To think, this is just the start of years of support.

The last center we visited (Jesus Rey de Reyes Student Center) was located in Otavalo. Here we met Jessica and her family and spent much of the afternoon doing typical tasks around their home.

A few of the members on the trip tried their hand at picking corn. Others worked the wool that the family used in weaving belts that were sold at the market. Some of the most brilliant colors and intricate weaving I’ve ever seen!

On the flight home, I realized how thankful I am. I am thankful for an organization like Compassion whose sole purpose is to release children from poverty.

I am thankful that kids like Edison, Paula, Jessica and my cousin can be given hope in places where there may be no hope. And I am thankful that I, the son of a poor farmer’s daughter, get to share the story of kids growing up in his own mother’s shoes and sharing them through photography.

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In August 2007, Proverbs 31 had joined on as a Compassion representative to speak on behalf of poor children all over the world. And so, Compassion had invited me and other Proverbs 31 ministry staff and speakers to experience firsthand the work Compassion is doing in Ecuador.

To say that this trip was a life-changing experience is an understatement. The people I met deeply touched my heart and I will never be the same.

In the Otavalo mountains of Ecuador I was surrounded by beautiful little girls, dressed in their finest handmade dresses, but out of the corner of my eye I couldn’t help but notice a young man on crutches.

He was all alone. I felt God telling me to go over to him. I left the brightly dressed little girls and walked over.

We had an immediate connection. I discovered through my broken Spanish that his name was Hydro. He grabbed my hand and led me into his mountaintop church.

We laughed and smiled a lot. He gently nudged when it was time to stand and when it was time to sit. He knew the ropes and he was my guide in his church, and I was thankful for it.

He asked to use my camera; I watched as he carefully and joyfully took pictures of those he knew in his church.

I later had lunch with Mercedes, Hydro’s mother (Mercedes means mercy in Spanish). Through a translator and many tears, I discovered this very small woman frequently carried her son for miles into town on her back year after year, only to have doctors turn them away because they were unable to afford the doctors’ fees.

Mercedes told me that some people in her village didn’t understand why she bothered taking Hydro so far to the doctor so many times, only to be turned away. They didn’t think it would help.

But I knew why. As a mother I would have done the same.

I would have walked as far, and I would have lovingly endured the weight on my back. I have two boys, and they mean the world to me – a child’s weight is never too heavy for a mother to carry if she thinks there is the tiniest bit of hope for her child.

Compassion heard of Hydro’s medical difficulties and paid for his operation and bought him his first set of crutches. Now he can get around on his own.

Mercedes was so thankful to Compassion that she would go and clean the local child development center. This was her small way of saying thank you for all that Compassion had done.

Because of her hard work and her understanding of how Compassion works in her area, Mercedes was made the director of the center.

I love Mercedes’ story of persistence, and I love what Compassion showed me that day – there is hope, and help and love in the most out-of-reach places. If you keep trying, and keep believing, and you keep praying, your weight will be lifted, and help will come in the form of Compassion.

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20 (NIV)

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