Stories to Connect You With Compassion & Grow Your Faith

Giddy anticipation ripples through the crowd of children arriving for the Compassion Christmas celebration. I watch from the window of a barn-turned-church in Uganda, which sits uphill from a child development center where the kids are gathering. I’m recalling Christmas mornings as a child in Colorado, my siblings and I sitting on the staircase waiting for our parents to let us come down and open presents. The excitement I felt back then must be nothing compared with what these kids are feeling, knowing they will soon open presents and eat cake.

Working in poverty alleviation, I can feel the need to explain and justify the nice things I have. I worry that people will judge me or will judge the organization I work for if I don’t drive a junker and get my clothes on consignment. But I’ve come to realize that my justifications are creating a culture — a culture around me of implied judgment of the choices of others by my constant need to justify my own purchases and assets.

Brazil – the largest country in South America – is home to tropical and subtropical landscapes. From the depths of the remote Amazon River basin to the lively metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil boasts stunning natural scenery and vibrant cultures.

Letters. They are a source of joy and discouragement for nearly every sponsor I’ve met. If you sponsor a child, you might wonder: Do my letters really matter? To answer that question, let me introduce you to 6-year-old Kenenisa in Ethiopia!

In early 2020, we documented children all over the world as they returned to school or began kindergarten for the first time. Just months later, the COVID-19 pandemic saw schools close in almost every country in the world.

As International Literacy Day approaches, we’re sharing these before and after photos of how school has changed for children around the world because of the coronavirus.

The Latin term “imago Dei” is one that I first heard in a college Bible study. I remember sprawling on the floor of our dorm lobby, rolling the funny words around in my mouth.

Imago Dei. Image of God. That phrase has meant a lot to me over the years. For an organization that works in 25 developing countries, each with its own cultures, languages and customs, it is so important to see the imago Dei in every church and child we work with. Simply put, we must always make sure we are honoring a child’s dignity.

The issues that prevent a child from thriving — malnutrition, illness and emotional and relational instability — are symptoms of poverty, what it looks like from the outside. That means that addressing just one of these areas of development, while temporarily helpful, won’t do what we as the Church are ultimately called to do: release God’s children from poverty in Jesus’ name. That’s why in addition to helping children with education, health care and nutrition, Compassion sponsors also help kids spiritually.

Indonesia is a stunning country found on the archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Made of about 17,500 islands, Indonesia has unique geography. These fun facts about Indonesia will give you a deeper insight into the culture and traditions of this country where over 150,000 Compassion-assisted children live!

We all struggle to separate truths from untruths, especially these days.

Children living in poverty are surrounded by untruths too — lies told them by their circumstances of poverty. So when you write to your sponsored child, look for ways to incorporate biblical truths into your letters. Here are five ideas to get you started.

Experts predict half a billion more people are at risk of being pushed into extreme poverty due to the impact of COVID-19. Now, more than ever, we need to stand together in unity to fight poverty!

Bolivia — a beautiful highland nation in South America — is nicknamed “the Tibet of the Americas” because of its similar high elevation and climate. See breathtaking photos and learn some interesting facts about Bolivia to get to know the country where over 93,000 Compassion-assisted children live.

“It is easy to get discouraged in a world full of evil, murders and lack of opportunity. It is easy to take our eyes off God and see our weakness and limitations. But with God, there are no limitations.” These are the wise words of 17-year-old Compassion student, Meryl. She’s our inspiration for these curated stories of courage and bravery from around the world.