This post was originally published November 28, but some things have changed.
You have until December 21 to order your child packets, and until January 30, 2009 to mail in your completed sponsorship forms.
If you’re reading this, you’re most likely already transforming lives with us. Or you’re curious about what we do and how we work. Either way, we’re inviting you to help us inspire others to rescue children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
This battle we are in — the battle against hopelessness and lies — places millions of lives at stake. And of the more than 1 million children we help, more than 165,000 children still desperately need sponsors. Will you ask your friends, co-workers, family members and neighbors to sponsor these?
If you will, we’ll send you child packets of children waiting for sponsors so you can share the packets with others.
If you find the most child sponsors by December 21, 2008 January 30, 2009, we will send you and a guest on an all-expense paid trip to a country where we work!
You’ll be able to choose from upcoming trips and travel with a group of sponsors to see our ministry firsthand.
You’ll meet the children we are rescuing — face to face.
Also, every person who finds a sponsor for a child will be entered into a drawing for a trip.
Order your child packets today, and thank you for your devotion to God’s children.
P.S. If you’re not already a sponsor and you want to be eligible to win a trip, please sponsor a child first, then order your child packets. Once you’re a sponsor, we’ll be able to credit your referrals to your account.
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Hi, Tom. It would help a lot if you could give us the project number, i.e. KE…. and the three numbers then people can request packets from there. Sometimes project names are not unique. For instance, Viacha is a small town, but it has two totally different Viacha student centers. 🙂
I hope that many of the children get sponsored and get prayed for and written letters to.
@jeff and sandy – There will indeed. Not sure when though, or what it’ll look like, but there will be another sometime.
@Chris Giovagnoni -will there be another contest? i didn’t know about these blogs til about 2 months ago (too late) and i even got 5 kids sponsored last year from talking to folks. i just got one sponsored the other day also..i’d work harder with incentive haha sandy
@troubled mother – Compassion is a child development organization working with the local church in developing countries around the world. We do not have sponsorship programs within the United States.
However, Children International is an organization that does sponsor children in the United States and has programs specifically for Native Americans. They are not affiliated with us in anyway, nor do we endorse their programs; however, you may contact them at 1-800-538-5381 to see if they can assist you.
I would like sponsers for my children I don’t really know how to go about doing it so could you please help me.My children only have me I am not working at this time, I have struggled most of my life, I come from one of the poorest rezervations in the US the Pine RIdge Indian rezervation.THere is not a lot of jobs and what jobs there are,it would be best if you related to some one who works there I have three girls ages 14,9,and 3 we do not have are own home or car I make sure my children are in school. I do my best I am curently one state assistence,but by the time I pay the lady I stay with and pay for only the things we need such as food, house hold supplies,and hygeine products we don’t have anything left over for clothing or shoes.I moved away from the rez thinking it would get better but in my oppinion it got much harder.I have signed up for housing back home on my rez 17 years ago and keep it up dated but still no housing for me and my children.I am a 33year old mother that needs help and I figured this just give me some feliefe even if it is only a little.I don’t have a email address but my home address is M.Titus 718 east 17th street,Scottsbluf,Nebraska,69361 So if you could point me in the right direction I would really be greatful.Thank you for taking the time to read this
Sincerly,
M.Titus
The winners of the contest have been identified and the announcement is forthcoming; we want to notify the winners personally before we publish the information on the blog.
Tonight, I’m praying that your mailbox is full of last minute sponsorships from this contest.
I would love to go, but I’ve been praying the entire time that I wouldn’t get the most children sponsored because I was also praying that someone would have to ask for more packets over and over-more over what I was able to do.
After speaking with our MOPS group, everyone at my husbands job, our church group, and our entire group of friends and family-I was hopeful that at least one child would be sponsored.
It has definitely given me new prayer ideas for Compassion and all it’s advocates.
Mary,
A winner will be chosen in February. Participants have until January 30, 2009 to mail in completed sponsorship forms.
Who won?? =)
One of my close friends got to travel on a mission trip and stop to see her sponsore child. What an amazing opportunity for both of them. I encourage you do enter this life changing contest.
I have sponsored Silva since 1998. I love how my children correspond with her and compare life styles. Very rich for both.
I was able to get 6 kids sponsored by doing a presentation at church! Yay! Sending in the forms today.
Lydia,
Yes. You can get credit that way, if the person mentions “Grassroots” and your name when sponsoring a child.
Is is possible to instead of getting the packets and giving them to people, to tell the people about it and send them to the Compassion website for them to choose their child and some how notify Compassion that it was on your referral?
Hi, Leanne,
That’s a really good question on how to deal with the “No’s.” I tell you what I think about it. We’re really looking for sponsors that really want to sponsor a child. It’s not like sales, where you are looking for a sale. Here, we’re looking for not just sponsors, but more importantly sponsors that will really commit to the children, by praying for them and writing them or in a nutshell that will love the children. For instance, if I find someone that wants to sponsor a child, but not write them, I’ll try to discourage them from sponsoring the child. I’ve seen children cry when they don’t get letters. The other day, I gave a presentation to a Christian Sorority and several children got sponsored. One girl asked me if she could sponsor a child for a year. I told her that “she could” but it is in sense like asking if she could date a guy for a year and then break up with the guy. The answer is “Yes” but if you know you’re going to do that anyways, it’s better not to do so.
So, when someone tells me “No,” I don’t mind, because I’m looking for sponsors that have a heart for the children and will truly love them. It’s better that they say “No” than that they sponsor the child and then not write them and drop them after 1/2 year.
I hope that makes sense. That’s my prospective. It’s about loving the children. So, I also feel as encouraged if no one sponsors a child, but some sponsors realize the importance of caring for the child and they write the child. I’m as excited about that.
Blessings,
Kees
Hi, Alejandra,
Thank you for translating the letters. It makes me wonder whether you translated any of my letters. I sponsored a girl, named Paula in Columbia together with Monét Monico. Paula just departed from the program. (Please, pray for her to be safe and saved. She is not even 6 years old)
Now, I am the correspondent for three children in Columbia, Juan, Jualian, and Jessica. (The three “J.s!”)
Kees
What a great contest!!
I am one of the translators in Colombia and it is a great blessing to translate your letters and the children’s letters.
I hope this contest gets many sponsors to our children.
Blessings.
Ale
Leanne,
Glad you de-lurked. 🙂
But more importantly, glad you’re putting your toe in the “advocate water”
First time poster, long time lurker here 😉
I have been praying about becoming a Compassion advocate, and think this is a great idea to get a “taste” of being just that. I am waiting for 10 sponsor packages to arrive and have at least one potential sponsor after writing a blog (for friends) about Compassion.
The only apprehension I have about becoming an advocate is the fear of becoming “bitter” or disappointed in people that say no, and thinking “no” is going to be the answer most heard… How did you all deal with that? I am sure most of that issue is ‘simply’ between the Lord and myself, but I would love to get some input.
Our church is really a great one, but very focused on building projects (haven’t raised as much as they expected) and I highly doubt they will be open to an “outside” charity talk type of thing.
Thanks everyone. I am truly hoping lots of kids will be sponsored through this event!
That would definitely be great Kees!!!
I know I used a ton of Compassion videos and links the other day when every hour on Thanksgiving from 6am to midnight, I published a blog with prayer ideas for our Fast & Feast in prayer time that day. I had seen many of them before from browsing, but it’s the first time that I had really went out looking for so many resources in one day! Compassion definitely has material out there to use!
I’m really excited about this contest. I hope a lot of children will get sponsored.
One thing that I’ve done that has gotten some result is that I sent out an email to someone with a link to a youtube video of Compassion.
This is the place where you can find a lot of good videos:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CompassionIntl&view=videos
One video that I like to use is Michael W. Smith’s video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_12H7ISnLo
In a sense then, the video is doing most of the work and a picture is worth a thousand words.
I also use my testimony a lot. Speak from the heart. I heard a good saying one time: “A message prepared in the head reaches a head. A message prepared in the heart reaches a heart.”
I also talk about the need of writing letters to the children. I encourage people not to sponsor a child if they aren’t going to write, because I know how difficult that can be on a child, when they don’t get the letters. At the same time, it indirectly proves that Compassion is an organization of integrity and that they really care for the children, otherwise they would not want the sponsors writing letters to the children, because it costs them money and time. But they care about the children.
I hope a lot of children will get sponsored. I remember this week, I was visiting a church. The assistant pastor was talking about the passage where Jesus told the disciples to go feed the 5,000 and I was thinking of an application to go and find sponsors for the 150,000. Wouldn’t it be great if you logged on to Compassion’s website and it said: “There are no children available to be sponsored, check back later!”
Blessings,
Kees
Thanks for the responses Kees and Chris!
I jumped in and ordered some yesterday. We just moved to a new state a few months ago and so I don’t know many people here. I have a few ideas to step out of my comfort zone. I figure it’s worth it even if I can only get 1 child sponsored. I was a little nervous about ordering packets and not being able to find sponsors for them. Knowing that I can send them back makes it easier, but does make me a bit sad thinking about it. 🙁
Thanks again!
Abbie,
Danika Mitcham, the lady in charge of this contest told me, “You can send the packets back to the Global Ministry Center. After the due date on the form, a new packet will be issued to someone else for the child. But, the materials in the packet can be reused.”
I’m cheering you on right alongside of Juli!!!!
Abbie, if it’s set up like the advocate childpackets, they will have an expiration date on the back of the packets. Once the packet is expired, it shouldn’t be used, because someone else might be getting those packets and try to find a sponsor for them. And so this way, you avoid two people thinking that they are the sponsor of the same child and someone not getting a letter or call stating that their child was already sponsored. I always send the childpackets that I wasn’t able to find a sponsor for back.
Kees
All right — then you non-advocates have a huge crowd of supporters (the Advocate’s Network) cheering you on — for the sake if the kids! This is going to be great!
I’m trying to decided if I am going to do this. I would LOVE to go see what Compassion is doing first hand. BUT we are so new to the area, I don’t really have all the connections I had at home. What happens if you don’t get sponsors for all the children you requested?
An e-mail has recently been sent to all advocates addressing the question Kees asked. It goes into much greater detail than this, but to answer simply, this contest is only open to non-advocates.
I apologize for the confusion and trust the e-mail explains why this is so.
For those of you, like Judy, who aren’t advocates . . . Good luck!
That’s a good question, Kees.
Although I’ve been through the phone interview, I’m still waiting on an advocate number, so I couldn’t have ordered packets yet anyway–as an advocate–but this allows me to order packets.
I wonder if any of these kids get sponsored, if they’ll be credited to my advocate account as well, or just for this contest.
I’m assuming that there’s a window for getting kids sponsored. I know there’s an end date, but for the current advocates who already have packets at home, what’s the earliest that a child can get sponsored for it to count toward this contest? (assuming it’s open to advocates)
I’m almost wondering if it would be a good idea that this contest is for “non-advocates” only. The main reason for this is that advocates have Compassion Sundays lined up and other events and they have material such as videos that they can use. In a sense they have a big headstart.
Maybe they can have a different contest for the advocates, so that the “non-advocates” wouldn’t be discouraged from trying.
The real benefits of this contest whether you win or not are out of this world though!
Blessings,
Kees
That sounds great. Is this open for advocates too? And if so, if one does a big Compassion type Sunday would that count?
Kees
I wish every one the best of luck.
I did a Compassion Sunday. We had 5 packets. 1 couple in our church signed up. 1 child packet stayed at our house, ALMOST kept the 3 others for our selves.
Would it count if I sponsored all the children that I got packets for? I think that we are at our current cap of number of children we can sponsor.
Dee,
I’ve been told it’s only open to U.S. residents.
yay! This is a great contest! I ordered 20 packets and hope to get as many sponsored as I can.
What if I’m already an advocate? Do I already get credit for my account without signing up by this link?
I’m not *worried* about winning…but I do agree with Judith’s comment: “Thanks for the kick in the butt to get kids sponsored.” I’m amazed at what it takes for children to be sponsored…or really what it takes for people to try and get others to sponsor children. I often feel “out of bounds” when directly asking someone to do something (rather than generally blogging about it). This is a great wake up call. Thank you for the reminder!!!
I have child packets on hand already — I assume I can use those?
Thanks for the kick in the butt to get kids sponsored. I’ll be excited to see even one child sponsored due to a direct conversation. I can be a bit of an introvert. 🙂 It’s all about getting kids sponsored, but sometimes motivation helps!
Is this contest open to Canadian Advocates as well?
I love a challenge! 🙂