A Past Full of Poverty, a Future Full of Hope

Just as artists on the stage have people working behind the scenes to make them shine, Felipe has a grateful heart toward one person who helped him shine: his sponsor, Barry. “If it wasn’t for him, his love, his letters, and his sponsorship maintaining me in the center, I’m sure that I would not be who I am today,” Felipe says, repeating his gratitude often.
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Sponsored children receive letters from their sponsors. Unsponsored children do not.
Andrea, one of the Compassion workers and our translator, told me that the only time there is a true distinction between a child who is unsponsored and a child who is sponsored is when letters are handed out. It’s a little bit like the unsponsored children are wearing scarlet letters.
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Poverty Eradication: That’s a Tall Order
I think the volunteers at this center, the facilitator, the pastor and the director understand the importance of eradication. I know they rely on God for the victory, but I think your faithfulness and your commitment to your sponsored children is running poverty out of the minds and hearts of these children.

The Water Is Now Safe to Drink
This brand-new plant will supply, among other areas, the 21 Compassion-assisted centers in Manabí Province. These child development centers assist 6,394 boys, girls and adolescents. With the consumption of this water, the number of cases of parasites and cavities among children is expected to decrease from 80 percent to 50 percent.

The Words We Carry
Your words are not just printed ink on paper. When I think of the cards I see a weapon that will be used by God. I see hundreds of hammers, in the shape of letters, shattering the lies of poverty. I see the grip of discouragement falling away from the children Jesus watches over.

A Christmas Card Drive of Epic Proportions!
We’d like to make a way to send hundreds and thousands of words of encouragement to kids who really need them in this season of Thanksgiving. That’s where YOU come in! Well you, DaySpring, and Compassion International.

What Is Christmas Like for an Unsponsored Child?
“They wonder why they don’t get a letter or a card. Of course we explain the situation to them and tell them it’s because they don’t have a sponsor, but that’s not enough for a child. This is something that makes unsponsored kids feel very sad and even discouraged.” — Yovi de Racines, Secretary of Camino de Santidad Mission

Parents in Poverty: In the Trenches of Child-Rearing
No different from parents everywhere, parents in poverty are in the trenches of child-rearing day in and day out. So, encourage your child’s parents in your next letter. Consider including a Bible verse or a small card “For Mom & Dad.”
God Truly Becomes the Character
Poverty tries to suffocate those who are caught by it. Realizing that we are made in God’s image and that we are nothing less than the crown of His creation completely changes the way we face our obstacles. Understanding that God loves us is the first step to overcoming poverty.

Christian Community Outreach in Bolivia
A small shade tree on the street, some borrowed chairs and a lot of enthusiasm from the neighborhood children, is how church La Capilla 20 de Mayo started in 2004.
At that time, Pastor Raul was the youth pastor at a church in the city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He started to visit the Normandia neighborhood to have some special time with the children, sharing the Gospel with them and providing the families with some clothes, medicine and other items.

Child Survival Program: Helping Heal the Wounds of Unplanned Teenage Pregnancy
In the countryside of Bolivia, it’s normal to have your baby at home with the help of relatives or neighbors, rather than going to a hospital. But being only 6 months pregnant, 14-year old Marta wasn’t prepared. She had gone to the hut with her two younger brothers to put her family’s animals away, when she went into labor. Her two little brothers didn’t know how to help. They were scared and cried. Marta had her baby alone in a hut.

The Healing Power of the World Cup
Haiti, which is still digging out from the catastrophic earthquake that struck in January, did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup. But the Haitian people badly need a team to root for to lift their spirits, and most are cheering for the powerful Brazilian team.