He Is Risen!

He is Risen

Hallelujah! Hosanna!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

artwork of Jesus' tomb

Artwork from Mathare Community Outreach Child Development Center

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. – Matthew 28:1-9 (NIV)

Guatemala, a country whose whose religion is chiefly Roman Catholic and Protestant, is deeply rooted in local traditions, making the celebration of Easter a colorful and massive one.

To Ghanaian Christians, Easter is a day of remembering what Christ did on the cross for all mankind; not just remembering but knowing that it was the foundation for their salvation.

Easter Week in El Salvador is celebrated differently than the way it is celebrated in the United States. There is a much a different atmosphere.

To talk about Easter is to talk about Christianity, and for children in our development centers to talk about Easter in Peru is to talk about a variety of traditions.

In Kenya, children look forward to a sumptuous Easter meal in the afternoon. Easter is the one day that most children get to eat a nice meal of chicken and have a soft drink to accompany it.

Easter weekend is a time of great celebration in Haiti. As in some other aspects of Haitian life, it’s a combination of Catholic and voodoo tradition.

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Alive in Christ

Christ has died. And we are united with Him in his death.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

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Christ's crucifixion depicted in artwork

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

Compassion is closed today to honor Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.


It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others — one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

— John 19:17-18 (NIV)

child's drawing of Jesus' crucifixion

Artwork from Mathare Community Outreach Child Development Center

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