A group of children are standing against a wall in their neighborhood.

Why Do I Choose to Sponsor a Child? It’s Personal.

Like most families with young children, my husband and I don’t have a ton of disposable income. There are always diapers to buy, groceries to replace or the unexpected medical bill or home repair to cover. So with the little money we do have at our discretion, we make sure to use it wisely. Intentionally.

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Three teenage girls smile as one of them holds a letter from her Compassion sponsor.

6 Teens Tell Us What They Like to Hear in Their Sponsors’ Letters

To answer some of sponsors’ common questions about exchanging letters, we asked sponsored teenagers in Ethiopia and Colombia what they like most about their sponsors’ letters — and what they’d love more of.

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A girl and a boy are riding on a donkey. The girl is wearing a school uniform and a backpack. They are smiling

15 Out-of-the-Ordinary Journeys to School

Here’s a look at some of the great lengths children around the world are going to every day to get themselves to the classroom.

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A pastor of a church in Nicaragua wears a pink button-down shirt and smiles as he sits next to two smiling young boys

How Does Sponsorship Help Kids Emotionally?

Poverty places children at physical risk, but it also places them at risk of damage within. It robs them of the belief that they matter, that they have value and that they can dream of — and achieve — a different future. Breaking down destructive thought patterns and helping children see themselves for who they really are — beloved by God and capable of changing their circumstances — is vital to helping them break free from emotional poverty. But it isn’t easy.

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Antonio is wearing a blue shirt and red shorts. He is standing outside with a rice field behind him and he is holding up a sign that says God Bless You.

25 Children in Poverty Share Encouraging Messages for Hard Times

After one of the most challenging years of their young lives, children from all over the world still have inspiring messages of hope.

Just as their families and Compassion tutors have supported them through the struggles caused by the pandemic, the children have handwritten, heartfelt signs of encouragement to share with YOU. Their message — from Nicaragua to Tanzania, Bangladesh to Ecuador — is beautiful: You are loved, you are not alone, and you will get through this.

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Abo (left, standing) is pushing Kanyaporn (right) on an Akha traditional celebration swing. They are wearing their traditional clothing and there are trees in the background.

How Local Churches Help Celebrate Local Traditions

Compassion works exclusively with local churches — and for good reason. We believe no global entity is more capable, caring and called to act on behalf of children in poverty than the Church. On top of this, local churches are often also at the center of festivals and local traditions that are crucial to the fabric of the unique culture in which they exist. So … let’s take a glimpse into how local churches around the world go above and beyond to make registered children feel loved, appreciated and protected.

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A girl wearing braids and a red shirt sits in a grassy field

How a Brave 12-Year-Old Girl Escaped Child Marriage

Yerosen* shudders every time she remembers that day — the last Thursday of May 2020. As much as she tries to forget the three months she spent in the hands of her abductor, the nightmare still haunts her. It probably always will.

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Joselin, Mayte, Jenny (mother), and Javier are inside their home. Two of the children are holding Christmas gifts and they are wearing Christmas hats.

The Thoughtful Christmas Surprise That Relieved a Worried Mom

Jenny was worried. The mother of three had been working daily in the fields, trying to recover what little remained of her corn crops after they were pummeled by hail. But the damaged crops weren’t even her biggest concern — it was the approaching Christmas without her husband. As Jenny wondered what the holiday would be like without him — and whether her family would have enough to eat — staff at her children’s Compassion center were planning a beautiful Christmas surprise.

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A young boy wearing a red T-shirt holds a black and white goat. He is standing in front of a structure made of mud and wood.

See How Lives Can Change When You Donate Livestock

In 9-year-old Derick’s village in eastern Uganda, fathers have passed on poverty to their children for generations. Joseph, Derick’s father, was not going to be any different. It took a gift in the form of livestock to break the cycle.

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Four children in matching button-up shirts with brightly colored geoemetric patterns are playing a game where they walk on halved coconut shells, which are attached to ropes that they are holding with their hands.

Kids Around the World: Games Children Play in Asia

Games are an important part of Compassion’s holistic child development model. They encourage children to have fun and be active, as well as teach life skills like teamwork, communication, self-confidence, and respect. The games children play at Compassion child development centers across Asia vary from country to country. So let’s look at a few of them.

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Children in Guatemala playing O Holy Night on xylophones.

This Video of Children Playing “O Holy Night” is Exactly What You Need Today

We hope you’ll smile (but we can’t promise you won’t also get a little choked up) when you watch these children and youth perform a stirring rendition of “O Holy Night.”

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poses with her children in their bedroom.

25 Powerful Photos of Children’s Rooms That Will Move You

Step into the homes of 25 children who live in poverty. Whether it’s a corner of a domed traditional home, a simple hammock, or a private space created by a curtain partition, each of these children’s rooms offers precious insight into their daily lives.

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