Some years back, I visited a project in North India as a facilitator. During my visit, I noticed a boy who received his food and kept it inside his bag while all the other children were eating their food there. I was curious to know why this boy wasn’t eating his food like the others.

He told me, “Sir, at home, my younger sister stays hungry, as my mother could not go to work. I remembered her now. So I packed the food to take home so that I will share it with my sister.”

There are many children in India who are hungry and have no one to care for them. Today, the Lord is asking us: “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” As God created everyone in His own image, are we not responsible to share what we have? As God called each one of us, I believe it is our primary responsibility to share what we have with the poor.

The boy with the fish and loaves in John 6 was willing to share everything he had as a response to the Lord’s question. He knew that five small barley loaves and two small fish would not be enough to meet the needs of the crowd. But he trusted the One who called him.

The Lord’s miracle was a sign of acceptance of this boy’s sacrifice. And the boy’s willingness to share all that he had became a great blessing for the entire crowd. Though the name of the boy is not mentioned, I believe that he became great in the Lord’s kingdom.

What is my response toward hungry children? Am I willing to share all that I have as a response to God’s calling? Am I ready to become a channel of blessing in the lives of others?

“Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” — John 6:5b, NIV

Prayer: Father God, help us to share what we have with our needy brothers and sisters. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: K.L. George works as a Partnership Facilitator Supervisor in India. K.L. lives in New Delhi and works in the Delhi office.

Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.

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

Who doesn’t like a good holiday celebration? I know I do.

I often get questions in the contact center regarding different holidays.

• Does my child celebrate such and such a holiday?
• What are some holidays that are special to my child?
• To be sensitive to my child’s culture and customs, are there things I shouldn’t talk about?
• Should I only mention the tradition behind the celebration or can I also talk about the specific festivities?

The U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving is a good example. We are celebrating hospitality, God’s goodness, and how the kindness of strangers helped save a whole community.

It’s a great holiday and time with family, but how do we recognize it? Most of us over-eat, sit around watching football, and battle with strangers for parking spots and places in lines to buy stuff — which is hardly hospitable. And these customs would be difficult for a child in poverty to understand.

What about other holidays? Do you take your children trick-or-treating at Halloween? Do you hide eggs and eat Peeps at Easter?

Do you buy fireworks and light them up on Independence Day? These holidays are part of our culture and the way we celebrate is hard to avoid talking about.

So what do we tell our sponsored kids, Brett?

Be sensitive to their culture and customs.

For example, yoga is predominantly a form of exercise here in the U.S., and many Americans now practice it without any spiritual implications. However, yoga is still very much a Hindu practice in Asia, and thus it would have a negative implication to people who know about yoga’s Hindu roots.

Halloween is a time to take our kids out and get free candy from generous neighbors, but in Latin American countries the spiritual association is prominent. It’s associated with the Day of the Dead and is often celebrated with altars built to dead relatives – something the evangelical Christian community stays away from.

Then should I not tell my sponsored child about holiday celebrations?

Talk about the time you spend with your family. You can share your life with the children you sponsor. Be honest and open, but be sensitive.

You can also rely on our great staff members working in each of our country offices to be sure all communication delivered to the children is culturally acceptable and appropriate.

Finally, if you are unsure if something you are going to send or something you are going to write should be included, ask us.

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

Have you ever wondered what your sponsored child’s world looks like? What kind of environment your child lives in?

Have you thought about where your child plays or eats or learns?

Today, by way of our online community, OurCompassion, you can know.

The latest feature gives you a direct look at your child’s center. You can view pictures, read a letter from the church pastor and use Google maps to see where the center is located.

You can also share what you know about the community by adding your photos and videos, writing a journal or posting to the wall.

Not every center has pictures yet, but we are working to get them all updated. You can help us, and your fellow sponsors, by uploading your pictures and videos.

Simply create a gallery from your center’s page, or if creating a gallery from your personal profile, just tag the album with the center’s number (e.g., the first five characters of your child’s number – KE-717).

These pages are also the place to lift up the center’s staff and children in prayer.

You’ll get updated prayer requests, as well as updates, news, stories and crisis updates for your child’s country.

The pages are also a place to learn about upcoming sponsor tours.

Don’t forget to share your pictures and thoughts afterward.

“My favorite part [of the new pages] is the photos of children playing and making silly faces!” — Stephanie Green

“I love being able to message those who sponsor in the same center, and I love the ability to zoom in on the satellite [maps].” — Michelle Wright

“The pastor letters are definitely my favorite part!” — Joe Henegan

To protect the children and staff, we limit the content we share about centers located in politically and spiritually sensitive areas.

We’ve also created guest and sponsor views so that only sponsors with children in a center can view the pastor letters or interact with the maps. This was done with the safety of the children in mind.

So whether you have already visited your child, are signed up for the next sponsor tour, or don’t see yourself taking a trip anytime soon, the child center pages can bring you one step closer to your sponsored child.

Come take a look at what OurCompassion has for you.

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

Do you remember the words and kind acts that encouraged you when you were young? Who was the adult that spoke into your life? Hopefully, they spoke words of love and acceptance that encouraged you to explore an interest or talent that is uniquely yours.

A life can be launched with as little as a single phrase, an uplifting word or an act of kindness. Think of the impact we could make if we were to become more intentional about encouraging the children around us!

The words of adults quickly take root in the fertile soil of a child’s spirit, for good and for bad. Sadly, some of us have been profoundly impacted by harsh words, neglect and even abuse. But even out of those tragic circumstances our heavenly Father can redeem our past.

Perhaps you know my story of childhood abuse in a West Africa boarding school. Mine is a story that Satan intended for evil but that God redeemed for good. My story is what has fueled my passion against injustice, my crusade against abuse, my fight against poverty.

It is what drove me to Compassion, where I now have the great privilege of speaking up for the little ones who have no voice and no choice.

Will you join our campaign to motivate adults to deliberately bless the children in their lives? We’re gathering stories from across the world to powerfully demonstrate that children are indelibly shaped by the words and actions of adults.

By simply sharing our true life stories through various media channels, I believe we will challenge and inspire others to actively invest in the lives of children!

Who believed in you before you believed in yourself?

Who told you that you were smart and then that encouragement planted a seed of confidence in your life?

Who said, “You have a beautiful voice; I loved your song,” and now you sing for a living or get great joy from singing for others?

Who told you they appreciated your creativity and their comment gave you a sense of self-assurance that is still with you today?

Who said, “My, what a lovely picture you drew,” and now you make your living as an artist?

Please share your unique story with us! Or, share someone else’s story: that of a friend, family member, historical figure or Bible character.

In addition to posting your story as a comment on this blog, it may eventually be printed in a book or perhaps in Compassion Magazine or featured on my daily radio program, Speak Up With Compassion. Let’s share our stories with one another and become very intentional about blessing the children God brings into our lives!

Please post your short story (300 – 400 words) below, send us a private e-mail via the “Contact Us” button at the top of this page, or leave us a voice message at (888) 503-4589, if you prefer to share your story by phone.

Written stories may also be mailed to:

Compassion International
Tell Us Your Story
Colorado Springs, CO 80997

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

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