Musician Mike Donehey Shares Why (and How) He Writes to the Kids He Sponsors
Most people know Mike Donehey for his singing and songwriting. But the children Mike sponsors know him for another reason: his letters of encouragement.
Mike has been sponsoring children through Compassion since 2000, when he chose his first child at a music festival.
Continue Reading ›This Video of Children Playing “O Holy Night” is Exactly What You Need Today
We hope you’ll smile (but we can’t promise you won’t also get a little choked up) when you watch these children and youth perform a stirring rendition of “O Holy Night.”
Continue Reading ›
Why You Need to Watch the Unite to Fight Poverty Concert
Experts predict half a billion more people are at risk of being pushed into extreme poverty due to the impact of COVID-19. Now, more than ever, we need to stand together in unity to fight poverty!
Ghana Culture and Traditions
Until its independence, Ghana was known as the Gold Coast. It was renamed Ghana, meaning “Warrior King,” to reflect the ancient Ghana Empire that flourished in West Africa during the 10th century.
A Night with For King and Country
On Friday, May 22, Grammy-award winners For King and Country wrapped up their “You Matter” tour in Nashville, TN at the Ryman Auditorium. Here are some of the best of the best pics from the night.
How Can the Gift of Music Help a Child Dream?
In Claire’s neighborhood, children grow up to become prostitutes and thieves. But Claire’s story is different.
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.
Music as an Instrument to Release Children From Poverty
Music has long played an important part in Indonesian culture. The Indonesian jofa is one of the most common traditional instruments and it is used in every occasion or celebration.
In Watuliney, a small village in southeast Minahasa, Indonesia, most of the people love music. Those who are able to play the jofa also like to teach it to their children to perpetuate the musical tradition, but that opportunity does not come to all children. Most schools don’t provide a program for music. The parents who work as farmers can’t afford to buy the instruments for their children or to pay for the music course.
Because of his passion to preserve traditional culture, Adri, the coordinator of Silo Student Center, proposed to provide the jofa for children at the center. He believed that the children in his center had the talent and willingness to learn music.
After receiving a positive response from the church, Adri immediately checked the price of a jofa and ordered some made from a substitute material.
“We changed the material to plastic pipe. We call it jofa. Jofa is the basic instrument that has same tone as the original clarinet.”
The Sound of Gratitude
At the age of 3, John had his first contact with music. It was at a Compassion child development center.
Everything in John’s life could be dissonant if a particular day in his past hadn’t happened. Now, like in a beautiful symphony, John is conducting his life in a new tone – the tone of leadership.
John was 12 when everything happened. It seemed to be the last straw when the director of his former child center called his name and said, “I want to see you in my office now.”
Frightened, John walked to the place so familiar to him because of his aggressiveness and disobedience. But this was a day he didn’t do anything wrong. So he thought, “It’s done. There is no way out.”
He was right. For sure there was not. (more…)
