How to Teach Your Kids About the World With a Pen Pal

Three boys sit in a row at a desk outside, each writing a letter. They all smile at the camera.

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.

Continue Reading ›

This Baker Is Proving That You Can Rise Out of Poverty

A young woman wearing a white chef's hat, white shirt and apron smiles at the camera, standing in a bakery.

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!

Continue Reading ›

The Best Gift I’ve Ever Received

A man wearing a black jersey that says Uganda crosses his arms and smiles. He stands outside with trees and mountains in the distance.

My name is Gilbert Mfitundinda. I come from a beautiful community in rural Uganda where the last mountain gorillas live. But my family was poor. Even the poor called us poor. But then I received the best gift ever: sponsorship. And it has completely transformed my life. I want to tell you a little bit more about how sponsorship shaped my life — and what it has to do with my dream for my wedding!

Continue Reading ›

Why This 8-Year-Old Is Not Engaged to Be Married

A girl wearing an ornate beaded headdress with silver coins and an ornate beaded necklace stands inside a hut made from wood and leather.

Child marriage may seem like an abstract, faraway problem. But it affects real girls like Maindi every day. Learn what child marriage is, how it affects society, and how the church, along with the support of sponsors, is helping prevent girls like Maindi from becoming brides.

Continue Reading ›

Who Makes the Most Popular Drink in the World?

A woman stands in a field holding tea leaves in her hand. She wears a sari and a straw hat with a bag underneath to hold tea leaves. She stands in a large field.

Can you guess what the most popular drink in the world is? Here’s a hint: Thousands of Compassion-assisted families work to produce it as a livelihood. But working to produce the world’s favorite drink often doesn’t provide enough for a family’s basic necessities. Learn more about the lives of these families and how sponsorship is breaking the generational cycle of poverty.

Continue Reading ›

How to Pray with Compassion on This National Day of Prayer

A boy in Burkina Faso wearing a green and blue checked shirt holds his hands together in praying while smiling at the camera. He is in a classroom surrounded by other children praying.

This Thursday, May 2, is the National Day of Prayer. Prayer is a critical part of Compassion’s ministry. We believe it is key in releasing children from poverty! As the National Day of Prayer approaches, we want to not only pray for our country, but for the countries around the world where Compassion works. Will you join us in this effort?

Continue Reading ›

How This Man Came to a Remarkable Faith in Jesus

A man wearing a blue suit jacket, white shirt and gray pants, sits on a concrete step with his hands clasped, smiling at the camera.

When Abas was a teen, he was known as the troublemaker in town. Even to the point of attempted murder. But through a series of miraculous events, and despite the persecution of his community, God turned Abas’ life upside down. If you love amazing stories of how people come to know God, you will want to read this!

Continue Reading ›

A Day in the Life of a Boy in the Amazon Jungle

A boy in a red shirt hugs his arms across his chest and smiles. He is standing in front of a river in the Amazon jungle.

Have you ever wondered what daily life is like in the Amazon jungle? In South America, Compassion serves children who live in the Amazon basin, from Bolivia to Ecuador to Peru. Take a peek into what it’s like for sponsored children who live in the jungle of South America by following a day in the life of 8-year-old Enán in Peru.

Continue Reading ›

An Easter Message of Hope

A man, Santiago

Hope is a fragile but powerful force. When you have hope, no challenge seems too great. When you don’t, even the smallest task becomes overwhelming. But hope in the Lord can truly renew our strength. Be inspired by this Easter message of hope from our President and CEO!

Continue Reading ›

Experience the Joy of Easter Through a Child’s Eyes

A young girl in the Philippines in a pink shirt makes a heart shape with her hands in front of her, singing and looking to the front of the class. She is in a classroom surrounding by kids doing the same thing.

Have you ever wondered what the child you sponsor learns about Easter at the Compassion center? Step into a classroom to experience it through a child’s eyes!

Continue Reading ›

A Fresh Perspective on the Top 3 Letter Complaints

A girl with blonde hair and a blue dress on sits on her bed, legs crossed, writing a letter to the child she sponsors.

So many of our sponsors consider writing letters to the children they support to be their ministry, a way of encouraging children in poverty through the love of God. But sometimes it can get discouraging. Sponsor Hannah Hinojosa shares a few of the perspectives that keep her encouraged and writing, despite some of the most common letter frustrations.

Continue Reading ›

How Does Compassion Prevent Child Departures?

A group of 12 children sit on the ground in a line, smiling. They sit on concrete ground, in front of a corrugated metal sheet and wood wall.

When a sponsored child has to depart our program early, It can be heartbreaking for the Compassion center staff and sponsors who have invested so much love into their lives. Read how our church partners across Honduras are responding to the unique struggles the families they serve face in order to keep children in the program.

Continue Reading ›