One Million Children Sponsored

I am overwhelmed with gratitude as I write this. Today, as we do every day, we have the privilege of acting as a bridge between caring sponsors and children in need.

However, this particular day we have a sponsorship that is very special in that it represents a milestone for our ministry. Compassion is currently serving 1 million sponsored children! One million!!

I wish we could all be together today to celebrate this joyous moment. What a day it is!

Thank you sponsors! Thank you for your love of children. Thank you for your faithfulness to God’s call on your lives.

I love you, and I love serving the Lord with you through this amazing ministry!


Updated at 4:30 p.m. MDT

“Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” – Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV)

Watch One Million Children and subscribe to Compassion YouTube for more stories.

Tune into Fox and Friends tomorrow (May 21) at 6:50 a.m. EDT to “meet” our 1 millionth child and his sponsor.

The newly sponsored child lives with his father outside Togo’s capital city of Lomé. Togo, a country whose population is seriously affected by the devastation of AIDS, is the most recent country to join the growing list of nations where Compassion works.

The child’s sponsor is from South Korea, the country in which Compassion began its mission 57 years earlier. The sponsor is most recently noted for a gold medal she won at last year’s Beijing Olympics.

22 Comments |Add a comment

  1. Stephanie G May 21, 2009

    I am so proud to be a part of this organization – what they stand for and what we all are able to achieve together with God’s help!

  2. Juli Jarvis May 21, 2009

    Loved your comment Caitlin–I want to see that slideshow of a million faces! Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, Wess. We’re all celebrating with you! And yes — I know we are committed to going out to find sponsors for the next million children! I think your prediction of getting them in five years is too high though…God often surprises us early…

  3. Lori May 21, 2009

    Praise God!!!!!

  4. Caitlin May 21, 2009

    @Kristen – You’re right, Mark did a really good job deflecting her digs towards positive remarks. I’m proud of him. They must’ve both been frustrated coming out of that interview. She was really riding that “angle” she had there. I wish we had at least seen pictures of the child and one of the sponsor, but I’m glad to see a representative of Compassion handle himself so amazingly.

  5. Kristen May 21, 2009

    I have to say I was disappointed with the piece on Fox News. We didn’t get to meet the sponsor and child. The interviewer tried to focus more on Christian Children’s Fund removing the word Christian from their name. I was proud that the Compassion VP did not follow her in condemning them for this but instead tried to keep the focus on Compassion and what they’re doing. I wish the piece would have focused more on the 1 million children!!

  6. Tamm May 21, 2009

    WOW!!! Praise God!

  7. Jill Foley May 20, 2009

    Praising God for this incredible milestone! I am so honored to be a part of this amazing ministry.

    THANK YOU WESS, AND ALL THE COMPASSION STAFF, ADVOCATES AND SPONSORS FOR YOUR PART IN THIS!

  8. Zach Younkin May 20, 2009

    It is absolutely amazing to see that one million children have been touched by such a wonderful ministry.

    I’m quite impressed Compassion!

    Keep up the great work!!

  9. Amy May 20, 2009

    This is wonderful news! My pastor would call this a “yay God moment.” Congrats, Compassion. It’s an honor to partner with your ministry.

  10. Caitlin May 20, 2009

    also, 6:50 am EDT is 4:50 am PST! I hope they save the video for later viewings.

  11. Amy May 20, 2009

    This is so amazing!!! I look forward to 2 million….then 3 million….then 4 millioin, etc.

    God is going to use these 1 million children to change our world in great, great ways.

  12. Liz Forman May 20, 2009

    Awesome! I was a CCF sponsor for many, many years….and as I finish with my last child there, I have joined the Compassion Family and have a darling little boy as a sponsor child in Bolivia. Thanks be to God for this wonderful organization. Thank you for letting Jesus lead the way!! Just stand back and watch the amazing growth that Compassion is going to have!!!!!

  13. Caitlin May 20, 2009

    If we put together a slide show featuring each sponsored kid’s photo for one second each, the slide show would last for just over 11 and a half days.

  14. Mike Andrews May 20, 2009

    Thanks for sharing this great news. The possibilities of what these children will be enabled to do with the hope they’re being given is staggering. I hope it’s ok for me to re-post and link this on my site.

  15. Mike Stephens May 20, 2009

    Thanks for the update Wes!!!!!!! It’s GREAT to hear!

    I Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for YOU!!!”

  16. Britt May 20, 2009

    ….and praise God!!! 🙂

  17. Britt May 20, 2009

    🙂 That’s all I can do really is just 🙂

  18. Sarah Charles May 20, 2009

    Thank you for the opportunity to partner with this great organization! I love my kids and I am so glad that CI is out there helping people and sharing Jesus. There are so many negative things in this world and Compassion helps to remind me that God is still working and there are people out there that love God and love others! Thank you!

  19. Vicki Small May 20, 2009

    As my friend Mark Gehri would say, “Woohoo, Jesus!”

  20. Lindy May 20, 2009

    What an amazing blessing! You just brightened up our whole day with that news!!! We pray there will be more and more sponsors in the days and weeks ahead!

  21. Caitlin May 20, 2009

    Awesome! Let’s make it two!

  22. Stephen Stonestreet May 20, 2009

    Amazing! Thank God for those of you who have started and continued this ministry with integrity and the great love that God has poured out for you, that you would continue to let that love flow out of your heart and soul.

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