Children Need a Healthy Smile
Children at the child development center receive an annual medical examination. A recent examination left our staff worried because the majority of children had dental problems.
Continue Reading ›“Would You Like Me to Marry You Right Now?”
When Joe Castillo went to Colombia to visit his sponsored child, he did not expect to attend a wedding, much less perform the ceremony.
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Living in Colombia: A Day in the Life of Ingrid
What is life like for a school-age girl like Ingrid living in Colombia?
Ministry Highlight: Colombia
We began our ministry in Colombia in 1974 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2005, we started the Leadership Development Program.
How Would You Define Your Relationship with Food?
In A Place At The Table, author Chris Seay proposes that we spend 40 days in a fast with a unique twist: eat what our sponsored child eats. And in the process, recapture gratitude and a sense of solidarity with the poor.
Mean Words Hurt
Calling someone “negro chocoano” is offensive; it shows discrimination because of skin color. Juan, a sponsored child, has been deeply hurt by these words.
A New Generation of Sponsors in Colombia
Staff and Compassion Alumni around the world are sponsoring children themselves. And now we have our very own Advocate in Colombia, María Ximena Marín!
The Two Most Important Elements of a Child’s Education
Behind our work in Colombia, hides a shy face, a brave woman who gives her life for those in need, who kneels down to hear and embrace those who have become her passion. A woman who exemplifies perseverance and who has opened her heart for the hundreds of children who attend Esperanza de Vida Child Development Center.
Overcoming Racism in Colombia … in Jesus’ Name
Africans were first brought to Colombia to work as slaves during the colonial period of the 1500s. Many of their descendants still live in communities around Colombia. Although slavery was abolished in 1851, the Afro-Colombian community still faces much discrimination.
Jailer is a descendent of those slaves. He’s from Buenaventura, a port city on the coast of Colombia where most of the population is of African descent.
Buenaventura is a dangerous place for children to grow up. Many children experience abuse and violence within their families, which eventually leads them to lock their heart into an unbreakable shell to protect themselves. Many spend more and more time in the streets in an attempt to escape from reality, learning that only the tough survive.
As a child Jailer watched as this environment destroyed the dreams of his companions, who were seduced by the easy path and ended up robbing or killing at a young age, trapped in a lifestyle that’s not easy to leave.
Child Sponsorship Releases Generations From Poverty
People often ask me what my favorite part of my job is. For me, the answer is easy: the people I get to meet and know around the world. There are people working for Compassion with such heart and passion and such incredible stories of their own. Henry Guarin is one of those people.
Henry’s fun and funny, he sings in a rock band, he has a passion for his job. And he used to be a sponsored child.
Here’s a little more about Henry, in his own words.
It’s 7:15 a.m. in Bogotá, Colombia, it’s cold, as usual, and I am waiting for the school bus to pick up Juan Felipe, my 5-year-old son.
As we stand at the door of the apartment building we live in we are talking about his favorite TV shows, dinner, games with his friends at school, and other things, just like every day.
The school bus finally arrives, so I give him a big hug and a big kiss and I tell him,
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him; and he delivers them.”
I come back to my apartment and Xiomara, my wife, is finishing feeding our little son Lucas. He is only 5 months old and he is happily kicking in his cradle, and he smiles at me as he sees me coming in.
Xiomara and I sit and start talking about how different things were for us when we were children. (more…)
Looking for Food
Luz is going to the farmers market today. She is taking her 3-year-old daughter, Vanesa, with her, to search for food. Thousands of mothers for many years have come here daily to find food for their families.
- Join Luz and Vanesa as they look for food by clicking on the image below to a view a slideshow of their search.
- Select “Show Info” in the upper right hand corner of the slideshow to read each photo’s caption.
Upload your photos to our Flickr group. Show us how you see poverty.
Back From Colombia
I recently had the privilege of visiting my three correspondence children, a few children that I helped find sponsors for, and the sponsored child of my pastor in Colombia. It was a trip I will never forget (unless I get a serious bout of amnesia). (more…)
