Easter feels like summer. The sun shines strong in the skies, the breeze somehow fresh, somehow warm. It is definitely the middle of the dry season in El Salvador, the equivalent of summer in northern lands.

Everything around, from sale signs to music, talks about sun and sand. The opportunity to enjoy beaches that are just an hour away from San Salvador is almost here.

For a full week, students are out of school and have the opportunity to enjoy beaches, visit relatives and do nothing; it is almost the equivalent to spring break in the United States.

However, there is one unequivocal characteristic that reminds every Salvadoran that it is not just a break, and that there is more than just sun and fun waiting for us during that week in April.

In El Salvador, the week of Easter is “Holy Week,” and the festivities revolve around Roman Catholic tradition. Roman Catholics account for nearly 60 percent of the population. Protestant (also called evangelical) churches account for slightly more than 20 percent.

Even though El Salvador does not have an official religion, since the time of colonization Roman Catholic traditions have been the most common and most practiced in the country. Easter Week is the most important celebration for the Roman Catholic Church.

“It is slightly different for the Protestant Church” says Sister Wendy, wife of Pastor Rodolfo at the Baptist Tabernacle Church of Majucla. “For most of the children, Easter Week is an opportunity to spend time with their families. People take advantage of this time to go back to their homeland and spend time with their families.”

One of the most important Easter traditions in El Salvador is Lent. During this 40-day period before Easter, named “Cuaresma” in Spanish, people fast, pray and give alms. The last week of the 40 days is called “Bigger Week” or “Holy Week.”

On Good Friday, there are two major processions. Early in the morning there is the “passion,” which is the representation or commemoration of the walk that Jesus took with the cross toward Golgotha. It is finished around noon.

Then in the afternoon, Roman Catholic churches and communities start making rugs on the streets with sawdust, which will later be part of the path where the “holy funeral procession” will pass, carrying the symbolic dead body of Christ.

The making of these rugs represents one of the greatest traditions for the Roman Catholic Church in El Salvador, since entire streets and main avenues in many places of the country are completely closed. The rugs cover entire streets.

Appreciation of the rugs goes beyond religion. For Salvadorians, it is about appreciating the art and about appreciating the effort the people put into making the rugs. For Salvadorians, it is a gift, an offering they are making for Jesus.

Catholic or not, Salvadorians go out into the streets on Good Friday to see the rugs. Apart from this tradition for Good Friday, Holy Week develops differently for Protestants.

For the Evangelical Church in El Salvador, Holy Week is an opportunity to spread the Gospel to as many people as possible. If there is the opportunity to preach the Gospel and carry more people to the feet of our Lord, the church takes advantage of it and tells El Salvador the true meaning of Holy Week.

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For Compassion El Salvador and for our partner churches, Christmas is more than just an evening service on the 24th. (That is right, in El Salvador, if you ask anyone about Christmas, they will answer without hesitation “December 24th.”)

For our church partners, it is an opportunity to remember the birth of Jesus, but also why He was born on Earth. It is a great opportunity to bring families together, and share the love of God with the children and their families. It is a time for blessing, spiritually and materially.

In the towns, bright, conspicuous winter sale banners contrast with the green and red decorations and the white paint that imitates snow on the showcase at the local mall. (It does not snow in El Salvador, but since the culture is so Americanized, there cannot be Christmas without snow.)

The aisles of the supermarkets and department stores are filled with pine scent and artificial trees on sale. If you ever come and visit El Salvador in December, it does not matter if you are from the United States, Canada, France or Australia, you will know … it is Christmastime.

Children in other countries and conditions might dream about the latest action hero or the most beautiful and fashionable doll. The children at our centers think a little bit differently. Not because they do not like toys, but because there are other needs to be fulfilled.

“We had a case one time when two of our children, a girl and his little brother stopped attending school, and when we did the visit, it was because they did not have any shoes to go to school, and they were embarrassed to go barefoot.”

- Sister Wendy, wife of the pastor of Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista Majucla Church.

One of the children at Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista Majucla Church is Mauricio, a cute 7-year-old who loves to talk. Mauricio specially enjoys asking people if they have heard about Jesus, and if they want to receive Him in their hearts.

Traditionally, under other conditions, Mauricio would ask for toys, but because of the financial conditions, Christmas gifts and gifts in general mean he can get the shoes, the pair of pants or the school bag that his mother cannot afford.

Along with the snow, reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, Christmas brings hope and happiness to the spirits of the Salvadoran people, and in many cases nostalgia, just like any other country that celebrates the birth of Jesus.

On the radio, on television, in the newspaper and along the street, the air is filled with colors, songs and smiles that shout, “It is Christmastime.”

Compassion El Salvador has strong relationships with retailers, such as clothing and shoe factories, and school gear wholesalers as well as supermarkets, and obtains good products at good prices. This is how our 155 child development centers receive the information about what are the choices for the children, and who to contact in order to make the best investment of the Christmas money that the sponsors send for their children.

Because of these relationships, reps from shoe stores visit all of our development centers to take the shoe size of all the children. With the few exceptions when children prefer clothes or school supplies, the center staff then takes the measurement list to the store to choose the shoes.

In the case of Mauricio, he is wandering around the church very early in the morning, playing with his friends until brother Enrique calls him and takes the measurements. “It is a five,” they say.

As the development center’s Christmas party arrives, Mauricio is early, greeting everyone and smiling. The church looks happier than other days, and the decorations have a personal touch, with each of the sponsor’s names hung on the decorations.

All the staff members are dressed in red with Santa hats, ready to celebrate with the children. Before they start, they elevate a prayer,

“Thank you Lord for our sponsors. Please bless them and take care of them wherever they are.”

The children have a nice meal, and one by one they are called to receive their presents. Mauricio is eager to destroy the red paper and open the box, but he waits until he is home to show his present to his mom: a nice, black pair of shoes.

Families come together for the holidays. They go to church, and have dinner; cousins, aunts and uncles, grandpas and grandmas, brothers and sisters — the whole family comes together to celebrate and share.

The traditional dishes are turkey or the less-expensive chicken, pork, all kinds of salads, something called chirimol, which is chopped tomatoes, onions and spices with lemon juice and is as traditional in El Salvador as gravy or sweet potatoes.

The only big difference with how Salvadorans celebrate Christmas is that for Salvadorans it is not a silent night. Christmas for a Salvadoran means lots of noise with firecrackers and music.

The streets are full of children burning firecrackers. The neighborhoods are filled with music and laughter coming out of the houses.

For Salvadorans, lots of explosions, the smell of gunpowder from the firecrackers in the air, and music means that it truly is Christmastime.

Christmas in El Salvador might not be a silent night, but it definitely is a celebration for the birth of our Lord.

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Jaimito, as many of his friends call him, is a very joyful, outgoing, obedient and disciplined child. He truly loves his parents and siblings, and most of all he has surrendered his heart to God.

Jaime and his four siblings — Jesús (16), Jonathan (9), Allison (5) and Aarón (3) — live with their parents, Jaime and María, in the basement of a humble house. Jaimito’s grandma on his dad’s side gave the house to the family 16 years ago. It was once a warehouse full of old and useless stuff, but now it is Jaimito’s home.

Jaime’s father doesn’t have a steady job. He’s an artisan who makes plaster layers that are used in roofs in most houses on the coast. Currently, he works at a little artisanal factory. He makes U.S. $40 every week.

On the other hand, María, Jaime’s mother, doesn’t work. She does all the chores at home and takes care of her five children. She would love to find a job that would enable her to sustain her family too.

María graduated as a nurse’s helper a short while ago. She took a one-year course at a local institute.

Jaimito: A Day in His Own Words

Normally, I get up at 6:30 a.m. and get myself ready to go to the center. I wash my face, brush my teeth, and then have breakfast with my family.

My mom usually puts a cup of coffee and a piece of bread or some crackers on the table for each of us. Breakfast is the coolest time of the day because my entire family is there.

After that, I take my medicine — the one that the doctor prescribed. She’s the doctor from the center. She’s really kind and always treats me nicely. She also encourages me a lot. I know she will totally help me to get well soon.

I leave for the center around 8:30 a.m. Sometimes I just wear sports clothes to go there, but I always take my school uniform in a plastic bag. I go to school in the afternoon, you know?

I love spending time at the center because I get to share with my friends there.

First of all, we have a devotional and Sister Wendy directs the worship time. She’s my favorite tutor!

The other day, for example, we sang the song that I like the most: “Bueno es alabarte, Señor” (“It’s Good to Praise You, Lord”). I truly adore singing worship songs at the center.

After that, we take language or math classes. If we find any difficulty in our homework from school, our tutors help us with that and gently explain anything to us until we get it.

We’re also learning to bake bread. Sister Wendy taught us how to mix the ingredients to prepare good dough. We made it and then we baked it. Our bread was delicious!

We’ve also learned a bit about electricity. The other day, I learned how to prevent short circuits. I learn about electricity at high school, too; actually, I love that subject.

Around 11:30 a.m, our tutors take us to the dining room and we have lunch. The food is always yummy! My favorite dish is rice, fried meat, beans and orange juice. I just love it!

Once my tummy is full, I quickly change into my school uniform and then take the bus to school. I go to Vicente Rocafuerte High, and I’m in 8th grade.

My classes start at 1 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. It’s a long afternoon.

I study subjects like language, math, science, English, electricity, pottery, social studies, sex education and physical education. My favorite subject is science. I’d like to become a doctor when I grow up and heal people — just like the doctors who are curing me now.

At recess time, I enjoy playing soccer with my friends. Soccer is my favorite activity in the whole world! I also play soccer on Saturday nights with my friends from the neighborhood.

I leave school at 6:30 p.m. and take a public bus home. It’s a one-hour ride so I get home at 7:30 p.m., change my clothes and eat dinner with my family.

Actually, my mom only cooks something like a main course when she has enough money to buy the ingredients. But if she doesn’t she just gives us a cinnamon infusion with a piece of bread or a green plantain omelet.

After dinner I do my homework. I normally stay up until 11 p.m. and then I get ready to go to bed.

I share the bed with my brothers, Jesús and Jonathan. The three of us are sponsored. Before going to bed, I pray first but usually I pray alone.

Every single night I pray for my sponsor, asking God to bless and protect him. I also thank God for giving me such an amazing sponsor who cares for me and my entire family. Then, I pray for my family too. I just want us to be always together.

Jaimito at Jesús es Amor Student Center

Six years ago, Jaimito’s father received a visit from the personnel at Jesús es Amor. They offered food, medical care, school supplies, uniforms, spiritual guidance and other benefits to Jaime and Jesús, who both happened to be the perfect ages to be registered at the child development center back then.

The family’s poor home, the lack of steady income, and consequently the lack of healthy and nutritious food, paradoxically, built the perfect environment for Jaime and his brother Jesús to be registered.

“The thing that motivated us the most to register our children was the spiritual guidance they were going to receive. We were not Christians before, but my husband always respected God.

“We have been through really hard times; there were nights when we went to bed with an empty stomach. But thanks to God, this center came to relieve our burdens as parents.”

The development center is open three days a week and provides all the children with good and nutritious meals (e.g., soup, main course, juice and fruit).

At the center Jaimito receives an annual medical screening, tutorials about language and math. He can use a computer to do his homework and surf the Web for any research for school, etc.

At the beginning of every school year, he receives new notebooks and a pair of shoes.

“This year, my Jaimito was about to be taken out of a class because he didn’t have his book of basic accounting. We didn’t buy it for him because we didn’t have the money (U.S. $11), but thank God the center met that need too,” says María.

Jaimito has received not only the normal benefits of the program but sometimes even beyond that. Sadly, he suffers from acute anemia and as a consequence has needed various medical screenings and treatments.

His prescriptions have included an iron supplement, B-complex vitamins, Ensure® supplements and anti-parasite pills. Eighty percent of his medical expenses are covered by the development center, 10 percent by the church, and the remaining 10 percent by his parents.

According to the center’s records, they have spent U.S.$135 in medical attention for Jaimito during the last two months.

A month ago, he was taken to the hospital and stayed there for three days. The center’s emotional and financial support was very important to Jaime and his family.

Although the center is doing its best to fight Jaime’s condition, some factors are holding him back from a full recovery, such as the difficulty of receiving healthy and nutritious meals at home.

To feed lunch to all of the children at the center, Jesús es Amor Student Center spends around U.S. $80 to $100 a day. It’s because of all this that Jaime’s parents are deeply grateful for the blessings they have received from God.

“I’d like to thank my child’s sponsor for his kind heart. I’m sure God will bless and protect him. No one has ever cared for my son like him.

“Besides the monthly contribution, he has also sent frequent special gifts to my child, almost on a monthly basis as well. We have used that extra money to buy food for the family, which is always needed. We always pray for him.”

Jesús es Amor Student Center is located in Guayaquil, a city on the coastal region of Ecuador. There are 289 children at the center and 224 are sponsored.

Children from La Prosperina neighborhood receive attention here. This is a very poor urban area on the northern zone of Guayaquil. Its 6,000 inhabitants have a low socio-economic status.

In La Prosperina people have serious difficulties finding jobs. The most common jobs are related to domestic service, factory work or construction. The unemployment rate reaches 40 percent.

It’s important to mention that around 70 percent of the children who live in this community have the opportunity to finish elementary school and high school. However, about 20 percent just don’t go to school.

The most typical health problems are malnutrition, malaria, dengue fever, skin rashes, respiratory infections, dehydration, parasites and infections of the urinary tract. Fortunately, there are two health centers within La Prosperina to give attention to emergency cases.

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Two years. I am a supervisor within the Sponsor Donor Services department.

2. What are the main responsibilities of your position?

I make sure the sponsors have up-to-date information about the children. Not just the letters, but also new cases. I keep the biannual report updated. I make sure that pictures and information are high quality and are sent on time.

3. What is an average day like for you?

I start at 8 in the morning by reading. I like to read a proverb every day. I think it helps me for the rest of the day.

Then I read the mail; this takes about two hours.

Then I see the pending tasks with the associates, pending letters, the letters package we have to send [for the week], see if the departures were sent.

On Mondays we spend part of the morning in devotions. Then we have a meeting. And then we check the performance of each associate.

4. What is the most challenging part of your job?

We work on a weekly basis. The reception of the letters from the sponsors, we receive those on Monday, process them on Tuesday, send them to translation, and deliver them the next week.

All the information has to be sent weekly.

5. Why did you choose this particular area of work? And why did you choose to work for Compassion?

I think it just happened. I started as a translator, translating the letters from the children.

Then I had the opportunity to apply as an associate. I spent three years as an associate and have been a supervisor for two years.

It has been a great blessing. I have grown as a person. I have grown as a Christian. I have grown professionally, too.

I have received advice. I receive advice at church, too, but here I receive advice specific to my work.

I feel that being in this position is a challenge because I am a leader. Not a leader from the world, but a leader like the Bible says.

6. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your job?

A big challenge is delayed information about the children. Regrettably, sometimes that happens.

Not to solve those as fast as I want, it makes me … we cannot just rush the children to write a letter, it is not something we can get overnight. I would like to have a faster response. That is what overwhelms me.

7. You used to work in a factory. How was it different from Compassion?

In the factory, they are outcome oriented; so is Compassion. However, Compassion emphasizes the way you care for people.

We care for people according to the Bible. Caring by being stewards, but also showing excellence, integrity and dignity. They all go together.

In a factory, it does not matter how you ask for things. The important thing it to get it done. Here, it matters. It is complete, holistic.

You realize that it is the Lord Who teaches you how to do the job. In that way, you grow as a person, as a leader and as a Christian.

Here you can see changes in the children, you see their development. Not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually, you are helping in all areas.

In a factory you produce 3,000 sweaters a day, and it makes $3,000 or $4,000 of earnings. Here you see a complete growth, holistic development. You cannot get a monetary compensation for that.

Even though I, unfortunately, do not get to have much contact with the children because I am busy dealing with papers and photos, I am motivated when I see a letter that says, “I am growing, thanks to your prayers, I am getting involved at church, I study hard, I am being more obedient.” These are the things that motivate me to go the extra mile, because I do this for God and for the children of your country.

And this is also a motivation: I want our children to be presidents one day, to be in the senate, to become Josephs and change, truly change our country. And the only way I can do that is by working hard and keeping my commitments with the biannual reports, the letters, the pictures … it is what links the children to their sponsors. I think it is important.

8. What have you learned as a result of your job (about yourself, the plight of children or the way that God works)?

As a person, I have grown, [she looks at her belly, since she is pregnant, and laughs].

No, really, I have grown, I am more patient now. Compassion has helped me think about those values I did not have before.

Before, I knew I had to practice them, but I did not have as much motivation as I do now.

Professionally, Compassion has also helped me grow, through workshops, through Bible teachings. Willow Creek has been a blessing.

Like Paul says, I have not reached it yet, but I have a goal, and I am getting there.

9. Will you share a situation or incident you have experienced through your job that has touched your heart?

I have two children in mind, two cases.

One is Wendy. When I met her three years ago, she was a child. Now, she is a young lady. She is 16 years old.

When I met her, she played the guitar and lived with her grandparents. Her grandparents are not Christians, so you can imagine the challenges that face her.

She has grown as a Christian. When she sings, everything around her changes. I can see she wants to praise the Lord.

Where once I saw a child who was not close to the gospel, now I see a firm Christian. She wants to be a musician. Her vision is great, and her faith makes me believe she will accomplish her dream.

The other child had a skin disease, and nobody could tell what it was. The child received medical treatment. His mom is a Christian, his father was not. The child passed away because of the disease. He wanted to be a missionary.

It was hard. You cannot imagine how damaged his face and his body were. But to hear that child talk about God, he talked with faith and conviction.

After he passed away, his father came to Jesus because of his son.

10. Do you have a message for sponsors who support the children?

Thank you for dedicating your money, your time and your love to children you do not know. I thank you for that. I know God is using you to change this world, and leave a mark on the life of each child.

What you say to the children changes their lives, makes an impact and gives them vision.

You are transforming, from far away, the life of a child. An “I love you” or a “keep working hard” changes the lives of these children.

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“For nothing is impossible with God.” – Luke 1:37 (NIV)

Most Holy King,

We stand before You right now in complete awe. In awe of who You are, of what You have done, and what You are doing.

Thank you for being so visibly present in the circumstances of today. We are so humbled by Your greatness and by Your presence in our lives. You are the Creator of the heavens, the orchestrator of the orbits, and the breath of life.

Thank you for being so present in our individual lives. You are so faithful to us and to this ministry. You are faithful to FELLOW, as You are to each of us.

Lord, as You have brought Compassion to this incredible point of growth, we turn it back over to You. This is not our ministry, we do not want to run it our way. Rather we desire Your direction and guidance.

You have brought this ministry so far and have used it to touch so many lives. I ask that You would continue to use it in such a manner.

Jesus, I pray for all of the workers of Compassion as we continue to grow. I ask that You would meet each of us where we are, regardless of country, language, and circumstances.

I ask that You would allow each person to be so individually centered on You that You would inevitably be the core of the ministry.

I lift up to You the children enrolled in the Compassion program. Allow the faith and heart of the employees to influence and teach these children — that every child would inherit a passion for Christ that is continually growing. Give them faith of great warriors that they might penetrate the dark world they live in and be a light for You to everyone around them.

God, You have told us that we do not have because we do not ask, and we do not receive because we don’t have right motives. We come boldly before You today and ask this: Please purify our motives that we might honor You in our request.

And we ask that You would bless Compassion International in ways that we have never dreamed of.

Lord, I ask that You would bring us to a point where there are 2 MILLION precious children receiving spiritual and physical healing and growth. Use Compassion to spread Your truth to countless hearts.

You are a Lord of impossibilities. Jesus, You came to Earth fully man and fully God, you have caused miracles to happen on every level, you cause our lungs to draw breath, and you hear the whispered prayer of every tiny child on the face of this planet.

Please make the impossible possible and give Compassion exponential growth, not for our own sake Lord, but rather that your truth and your love would reach every corner and every person on this earth.

You, God, are what makes life worth living. You are the reason for our joy. You are the reason for Compassion’s success. Thank you. Thank you for FELLOW, for his new mother and for every sponsor-child relationship.

Lord, this ministry is Yours. I ask that You would remain the core purpose and inspiration of every person here. All glory is Yours for this incredible moment. May You receive all the honor for Compassion International and for its wide-reaching impact.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of Your story.

In Your Holy and Precious Name, Amen.

*Wess talks about our “ambassadors to the future” — Ali Anderson and Amman Beeftu — in our What the Future Holds video.

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Just as any other Sunday, there are people in the streets coming and going. Housewives with shopping bags going to the local outdoor market to buy the ingredients for lunch, families with their best garments coming from church, and kids going with balls to the park.

The air is filled with freshness and calm, and somehow the future seems brighter for many people going to the local church in the Majucla community.

In a neighborhood named Cuscatancingo, in a poor area of San Salvador, walls full of graffiti, stray dogs, and police and military forces are part of the normal landscape. There are also groups of teenagers with baggy pants and big shirts, some of them with tattoos. They are gang members just ‘chilling.’

In this neighborhood, there is a church named “Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista Majucla” or Baptist Biblical Tabernacle of Majucla. And on this day, at a little bit past 10 in the morning, there are over 100 people in the church.

There is a line outside of the church, and it is growing. The church is almost full. For anybody just passing by, this seems like the second service at the church, but it’s not. The message is a bit different because it is a monthly meeting that the center has with the parents of the children enrolled.

Brother Rodolfo, the pastor, isn’t sharing the message, but his wife Wendy, a respected woman in the community with vast experience in pedagogy, is.

The people attending these monthly meetings come from low-income families. Most of them do not have formal jobs. They survive making tortillas or selling vegetables at the local street market.

These meetings are an initiative in El Salvador called “school for parents,” and the initiative is being financed through a Complementary Interventions Fund (CIV).

CIV is a tool used to provide additional assistance to the families of the children registered in the Compassion programs.

“We come here to learn,” says Ana Luz, mother of Rosibel. “It is a blessing too, because my husband is not Christian, but he likes to come to the meeting.”

The purpose of a school for parents is to inform the parents what their children are learning, but also to have an opportunity to provide parents knowledge and tools that will help them in their role.

The Compassion centers have adopted this model and meet with the parents at least once every two months. In the case of Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista Majucla, they meet once a month.

The school for parents has been active since the beginning of the center, a little more than three years ago.

Just as in a school meeting, the parents get acquainted with the upcoming events at the center, they know when the next sponsor letter is due, and which children have received letters from their sponsors. There is also participation by either the pastor or a special guest, such as a medical doctor, a police officer, a firefighter, or a psychologist, who talks about a subject of interest for the parents.

The talks at the meetings touch issues from marital problems to good health practices for the family.

“We do not take our children with us for these meetings because they are a distraction, and some of the subjects are not appropriate for them,” says Ana Luz.

In fact, some of the subjects studied at these meetings teach the parents about the well-being, the trust, and the intimacy of couples.

“I believe that if the couple is ok, the children will also be ok,” says Sister Wendy, explaining that if the couple lives in an atmosphere of love and understanding, the children will also receive love.

There is also the spiritual component. The parents read the Bible, pray and sing hymns, and those seeds are starting to bear fruit.

“I was not Christian, and I did not want to know anything about church, but I liked to come to these meetings” says Dinora, mother of Laura.

Finally, the Bible studies given by the pastor at the school for parents penetrated Dinora’s heart, and she became a Christian.

“Since last December, I started attending church,” she adds.

The success of this program does not happen just because of the training and knowledge of the staff, but because of their love for the children and their families, and the commitment of the pastors and the church.

“We have spiritual help and material help,” says Sonia, mother of Edwin. “My children are learning about computers … [But also] I know that if one of them gets sick, I can come looking for the pastor and he will help me.”

This morning, Sister Wendy is talking about the psychological implications of a divorce in the lives of the children. After about 20 minutes she ends her talk with the words: “The best solution to face a divorce: to hold hard in the hands of the Lord.”

The staff plan the school for parents with love and enthusiasm, knowing that this will impact the lives of the children at a deep level.

Brother Nicolas, grandfather and caregiver of Brenda and Tatiana, shows his excitement for what he learned at the school for parents and for the efforts of the church to provide a good service, with integrity. “Whoever is not grateful with God for this blessing, and with the staff, is not being fair,” he says.

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