Dear sponsors, as you probably know by now, regular child development center meetings have had to cease because of the new coronavirus outbreak. But the child you sponsor is still receiving vital care, thanks to your love and sacrifice.
Our staff and volunteers around the world are as dedicated as ever to ensuring children are cared for. It just looks a bit different right now. Compassion’s frontline church partners across the globe are adapting to this new situation. They are redeploying sponsorship funds that are ordinarily used for group activities to meet critical needs. That means if the child you sponsor has any urgent needs, they will be met!
Because of your continued support, here are five ways the Church around the world is still able to minister to the most vulnerable, in Jesus’ name.
1. Protecting Vulnerable Children From Neglect and Abuse
Because of your sponsorship, Compassion’s church partners have been able to set up safety networks to protect children vulnerable to all kinds of abuse. While many families are quarantined, our staff is still diligently checking in on vulnerable children through technology and home visits when possible. And they are taking appropriate action when the need arises. Praise God for these dedicated workers and for your support to protect these precious children.
2. Providing Food to the Most Vulnerable
One of the biggest concerns of our church partners is ensuring parents are still able to feed their children. This looks different in each community, depending on the need and governmental guidelines. But you can rest assured that our church partners are making food available to vulnerable families whenever possible.
One 11-year-old sponsored child in Brazil had this to say about the help:
“I knew that the center’s volunteers would never forget me. I knew you would come to help us. I knew I was not alone.”
3. Offering Continued Care for Medical Conditions
Many children rely on support for preexisting medical conditions or diseases, such as cancer or HIV/AIDS. Our staff is ensuring children can still access medical care to stay healthy. Depending on the community and what is available, they are also helping to coordinate medical care for children experiencing respiratory illness.
4. Providing Hygiene Kits and Education
Education has always been a big part of how your sponsorship helps — and that continues! Thanks to you, our church partners are continuing to educate families and communities about how to prevent disease. Depending on the need and availability in different communities, they are also providing hygiene kits to families, with items such as face masks and soap.
People are also getting creative! Many youths are starting to make masks for their communities, and some of our church partners have started training their communities to set up contact-free community hand-washing stations!
5. Regular Check-Ins and Spiritual Encouragement
Technology has become an even bigger part of life, not only in our home country, but in countries around the world. Our staff and volunteers are regularly checking in on the children you sponsor through email and social media apps, such as WhatsApp. They are using this time to ensure everyone is healthy, determine if there are any needs that must be attended to, and offering vital spiritual guidance and encouragement along the way.
Some of our tutors are even recording devotions and family activities to offer families while they stay at home!
Ways You Can Be Praying:
Of course, one of the most important ways you can be helping the child you sponsor and the global Church is through prayer. And you can be encouraged knowing that they are definitely praying for you too!
- Pray for the health of children and their families.
- Pray for parents and caregivers who have lost their source of income due to this crisis.
- Pray that children will be safe from abuse and neglect during social distancing.
- Pray for the health care systems in communities where resources are already stretched.
- Pray for leaders to make wise decisions for the safety and well-being of their communities.
Thank YOU, sponsors!
YOU are making all of this possible. These churches around the world wouldn’t be able to accomplish nearly so much in the name of Jesus without you. Praise God for the dedicated volunteers and workers who, with your support, are innovating during this time to ensure that children in poverty are still known, loved and protected.
(Have more questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page on Compassion’s response to COVID-19.)
Photos by Ben Adams, Javier Elis, Edwin Estioko, Galia Oropeza, Jonatan Ruiz and J. Sangma.
