Stories to Connect You With Compassion & Grow Your Faith

How does my sponsored child’s family have cell phones, TVs or access to Facebook when they are struggling to meet basic needs? This is the kicker – the question I get over and over. The simple answer is that families in developing nations do not view cell phones and other technology as luxury items. They view technology as a needed tool for survival. And they can acquire these tools for much cheaper than we think.

As sponsors, we don’t always know what impact our letters have on the children we sponsor. So we asked photojournalists to interview young people about how their sponsors’ letters have been meaningful in their lives. Here is what they had to say. Be inspired by the opportunity you have to lift up, love and motivate children and youths in extreme poverty!

As a dad, granddad and president and CEO of Compassion International, one thing I’ve learned is how powerful extraordinary experiences are in a child’s life. It’s our privilege as parents, teachers, coaches and all people who love children to fill their lives with these types of experiences — experiences that will grow the heart and character of Jesus in them.

Because of a superstition in her community in Ghana, this sweet girl was never allowed outside — for the first eight years of her life. Sabina wasn’t able to go to school, make friends or attend any public gatherings. Learn what the superstition was — and how sponsorship is ensuring children like Sabina are known, loved and protected!

Parenting in our generation is so different than our parents’ generation, isn’t it? I don’t know whether it is an intense need for control or the fact that we are surrounded by voices who are trying to convince us we aren’t safe. Whatever the cause, we parent with the brakes on.

Nate Solder has won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and currently plays for the New York Giants. But a life focused on winning and money left him feeling empty and wondering what the point of it all is. Learn what Nate’s life purpose now is … and how a village in Uganda helped him find it.

You probably know that sponsoring helps children in poverty receive the care they need to survive and thrive. But what you might not realize is that by sponsoring a child, you might just be helping the environment too! The people most affected by the environment are those living in poverty. That’s why in many centers, children and youths are learning the importance of stewarding God’s Creation. Here is a glimpse into three Compassion centers helping children become advocates for one of their most valuable resources: the environment.

Have you wondered what the homes of children living in extreme poverty might be like? Children from each of the seven countries where we work in Central America and the Caribbean took us on a tour of their homes! We hope having a glimpse into the homes of typical sponsored children in this region will help you know how you can pray for them — and how very much your support means!

For each one of us, sponsoring means something a little bit different and affects our lives in varying ways. For Alyssa Esparaz, sponsoring a child has been a journey of coming home. A journey of learning to love her heritage and understanding her identity as Asian-Canadian. Find out why sponsoring children from the Philippines and Thailand has been so meaningful — both to her and to the children she sponsors.

Read the stories of just a few people whose lives have been transformed, thanks to the support of their sponsors. Be inspired and encouraged that you are coming alongside young people just like these as they work to craft a future of purpose.

Do your kids have a special term for the child your family sponsors? Some kids use “sponsored friend,” “long-distance sister” or “brother in Uganda.” But what about “international pen pal”? Thinking of the child you sponsor as a pen pal could inspire your kids to write more letters. And that gives you a positive response whenever they say they’re bored this summer: “Why don’t we write to our pen pal?” Learn how you can use writing letters to your very own international pen pal to teach your children, while brightening the day — and life — of the child you sponsor.

Guatemala has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition the world. Many young people like Connie are forced to drop out of school to start helping feed their families. But something as simple as baking can change this story. Read how sponsorship and vocational training are bringing hope and opportunities to a small community in Guatemala!