Our Amazing Neighbors: 15 Photos of Churches Around the World

When a child enters the Compassion Sponsorship Program, he or she is registered at a local Compassion center. The center serves as the hub for all the services the program provides, such as meals, lessons, distribution of gifts and letters, and more!

But before any center can open, a partnership is needed between Compassion and a local church. These churches are already deeply invested in their communities and in releasing children from poverty. So a partnership with Compassion is only another step on the path they are already taking. The church knows the community inside and out, so they can pinpoint which families need the most resources.

Each church that Compassion gets to partner with must be located where the need is greatest. They also must be willing to make a long-term commitment to serving children at a Compassion center. (Learn more about how Compassion partners with churches.)

Here are 15 photos of churches that partner with Compassion around the world!

ASIA

The Philippines

Stephen, in a gray shirt and jeans, is at the center sitting on the arm of one of the pews as he poses for a picture.

Stephen, a sponsored young adult, sits on a pew in his church.

Indonesia

Kenzhia, Renata and Chelsea. Karunia and her friends put on a great show with singing and dancing.

Three girls in Compassion’s program sing at the entrance to their church.

Thailand

Oosamai is walking behind his children Gungmae-ou (purple shirt) and his twin sons to drop them off at the project center, a large wood structure, building.

Oosamai and his three sons, who are all sponsored, walk to their church.

CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Dominican Republic

Some of the children and staff pause for a photo in front of the church that hosts your child's Compassion center.

Staff and children stand in front of their church, which has several stories above this one.

Haiti

Built in 1933, this church hosts a livestock program that provides Compassion kids with sustainable income opportunities.

Built in 1933, this church hosts a livestock program that provides Compassion kids with sustainable income opportunities.

El Salvador

Pastor Pedro Segovia is standing by a dirt alley. He has a Bible in his hand. He is wearing a white button-down shirt and black pants. The background is the Church’s temple with the word ‘ELIM’ which is the name of the evangelical denomination. Pastor Pedro is smiling and making eye contact with the camera.

Pastor Pedro stands in front of his church, which has helped bring clean water to the community.

Honduras

Sayra and her classmates are standing in front of the church. It is a green building with yellow accents. The children are all raising their hands.

Sponsored kids wave enthusiastically in front of their church.

SOUTH AMERICA

Colombia

Julian, in a gray and white shirt and sun glasses, is holding the blue Bible he received at the project during a special event. He is standing in front of the church, which is pale yellow and has a black door and blue trim.

Julian, a boy sponsored in Compassion’s program, stands in front of his church holding a Bible he received there.

Brazil

A group of children are running through the grass into the child development center, which is in a white building.

Children run to their church for a fun day of activities in the Compassion program.

Ecuador

Fabricio is wearing a blue and white plaid shirt and jeans. He is standing at the church with his arms crossed. The pulpit is in the background.

Fabricio stands in the church where he became a Christian after his daughter joined Compassion’s program and inspired him to learn more about God.

Peru

A group of children are playing outside on playground equipment with their tutor Iris Violeta, who is in a lavender shirt. The church building in the background is blue.

Sponsored children play with their tutor Iris in front of their church.

AFRICA

Tanzania

Two fishermen casting their nets into the church’s pond try to catch some fish.

Two men throw their nets into a fish pond outside their church building. The church dug and stocked the pond to provide food for the community and to teach sponsored children how to fish.

Uganda

Pastor Monday Justus wearing a black shirt and is standing with his hands laced together in front of the church.

Pastor Monday stands in front of his church.

Ghana

Pastor Joseph is standing in front of a new building in this photo of churches around the world. He is wearing dark pants and a pink patterned shirt.

Pastor Joseph stands in front of his church, which started partnering with Compassion in 2018 to offer the Child Sponsorship Program.

Kenya

Kelvin is wearing a white shirt and jeans. He is standing outside the Compassion center and church with his hands touching in front of him. The building is yellow and green.

Kelvin, 22, found stability and support in his church as he grew up attending Compassion program activities.

More Than a Building

No matter what the building looks like, or where it is located, the Church is filled with believers who are passionate about serving others in the name of Jesus. Compassion has the privilege of partnering with local churches all over the world. They are the change-makers in their communities, hosting the Compassion centers, livestock programs, fish ponds, programs for moms and babies, or whatever else their community needs! They act as support systems, giving children and their families hope, just as Christ intended.

Photos of churches by Nico Benalcazar, Nora Diaz, Edwin Estioko, Eric D. Lema, Lina Marcela Alarcón Molina, Vera Mensah-Bediako, Jonathan Morency, Sara Navarro, Juana Ordonez Martinez, Norbert Owuor, Daniel Robson, Jonatan Ruiz and Jeremy Tan.

10 Comments |Add a comment

  1. Mary Jackline May 8, 2023

    Hello Nicole
    I am grateful for the work you are doing and the work of the churches in the remote areas do.
    I have witnessed the good work done by the pastors from two different churches, who are willing to join or partner with Compassion International in order to do their ministry well. They have needy children and multinational. Can l connect them to you please
    Thanks in advance

    1. Christina May 8, 2023

      Hi Mary! We appreciate your heart for children in need. You may direct the pastors to email us at [email protected]. We are happy to speak with them and discuss whether we can partner with their church. Thank you!

  2. Samson D Phiri September 3, 2022

    Hallo , am Bishop Samson D Phiri from Malawi and the Founder of The Great Zion Ministries international Church . So want to be connected with the Compassion Team . We have Children who need the assistance or help . Most of our churches are in the Remote Areas .
    Thanks regards,
    Bishop Samson D Phiri
    General Overseer .

    1. Nicole September 6, 2022

      Hi, Bishop Samson. Thank you for contacting Compassion! We are encouraged by how you are serving your community in Malawi. Would you kindly send us an email to [email protected] so we can discuss this situation further with you? Thanks!

  3. Trudi E Neufeld August 20, 2021

    Thank you for the beautiful and inspiring pictures of the people and churches Compassion partners with !
    I sponsor two children , one in Kenya and the other in Haiti.
    I pray also that the people involved in the Projects are safe in Haiti .I know that many people have lost their lives or children in the program can no longer go to the Centres

    and Churches because of damage from the earthquake .

    1. Grace August 20, 2021

      Trudi, we are so grateful that your sponsor two children! Thank you so much for your prayers for the churches in Haiti, that means a lot! Please know that if your child from Haiti was affected by the earthquake, that we will contact you as soon as possible. In this case, no news is good news.? If you would like to learn more about how we are working with our church partners in Haiti, please check out this link to see our latest updates: https://cintl.us/compassionhaiti . Blessings!

  4. Symon Odhiambo Owuor August 10, 2021

    I’m Symon,I thank compassion international for partnering with my church in Kenya. Caregivers can now do poltry farming,bee keeping, merrygoround and tendering.Glory be to God!.

  5. Jan Bennett August 10, 2021

    Thank you Hayli for the enlightening blog posts you have been writing. They are SO encouraging!!!

  6. Daisy August 10, 2021

    This is a beautiful picture of the church being the light of the world by proclaiming the gospel in the places that need it, and toiling to serve others in need through Jesus Christ our Lord. I’m encouraged and inspired by this. Praise God! ♥️?

    1. Nicole August 10, 2021

      We are praising God with you, Daisy, and we are so grateful this encouraged you! ?

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