During my orientation with Compassion Indonesia, I was surprised to read a field memo on a sponsor’s concern toward his sponsored child. He asked, “Is my child sick? She looked thinner from the updated photo.”
My first question was how on earth the individual sponsor was able to express such very personal care from across the ocean.
I was more surprised when I was exposed to Compassion’s children-sponsor letters in the “processing kitchen.” I saw that staff can process thousands of letters within hours using bar-coded letterhead. I noticed that staff put their heart and love into their work, though they processed hundreds of thousands of letters in their years of ministry with Compassion.
Through that experience, I witnessed the “miracle” of love, which is personal even when separated by oceans and the mass production of letters. Through a “systematic mass approach,” a sponsored child’s individual condition, need, and hope for a better future connects across the ocean to a sponsor who has expressed God’s love for the poor through very personal care and love for a sponsored child.
It reminds us of our heavenly Father’s love — that He gave His only begotten Son, who died on the cross as a personal action of sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. The sacrificing love still touches personally the spirit, heart and soul of each one of us uniquely as God’s beloved creation.
It is always a challenge to find balance between serving the poor and exercising operational responsibilities. But even in this challenging environment, with God’s grace, we can share His personal love for children.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16, NIV
Prayer: Heavenly Father, touch the life of each sponsored child with your love through each Compassion staff member, sponsor and ministry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Handoko Ngadiman is the Country Director of our Indonesian office.
Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.