Stories to Connect You With Compassion & Grow Your Faith

The world feels a little wild at the moment, the future unknown. Yet every day I see stories about society’s smallest and most vulnerable members — children — who are facing extreme challenges with their heads up and their shoulders back.

Children — those funny, remarkable, resilient and surprising people — are one-third of our population and all of our future. If you need some hope today, here are 20 reminders that children are precious, and the future is in good hands.

Guatemala is home to a Caribbean coast, majestic mountains and Mayan ruins and heritage. And amid its natural beauty, you’ll find even more beautiful people and culture. Learn some interesting facts about Guatemala that will help you get to know the country where so many Compassion-assisted children live.

Over the past several months, we’ve asked you to join us in praying specifically for the children and families living in poverty who have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. You answered. And so did God. Today, we want to lift up prayers of praise to our God who has answered our prayers — and who will never forget the hungry, the forgotten or the oppressed.

The Philippines is a beautiful country found on an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean off the coast of Vietnam. Consisting of over 7,000 islands and islets, the Philippines boasts cultural and biological diversity. There is great need in the Philippines, but there are also amazing cultures and traditions to learn about. Today, we’d love to share some fun facts with you about the Philippines — the home of over 94,000 Compassion-assisted children.

How do changes in the environment affect children and their families on the front lines of poverty? Here are two stories from Uganda that reflect the devastating impact that climate events can have on the well-being of our sponsored children, and the hope that can be provided by Compassion through the local church.

What did you do for vacation this summer? I’m guessing that instead of getaways, many of you experienced unexpected changes of all kinds. Each of us has endured significant life interruptions this year that have forced us to slow down. I have too. Here’s what happened when I took a leap of faith — one that sent me backward. I’m sharing my story with the hope that it will encourage you as you navigate yours.

Ethiopia is a stunning nation found on the Horn of Africa. This landlocked country is one of the oldest in the world, and its people are proud of their rich heritage. Alongside the breathtaking vistas and fascinating traditions, there is deep need and suffering due to poverty.

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.