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Feed Just One: Compassion International Sponsorship

Hello!  I’m writing from my heart today. I haven’t often talked about the children my family sponsors through Compassion International.  I used to think talking about our sponsorships might appear prideful.  As in, “look at us – look at the good we are doing.”

Now, though, I see how many opportunities I’ve missed to share about Compassion because of that thinking.   How silly, and how selfish actually.  If I don’t share about Compassion, then I am basically depriving others of the opportunity to help in this way too.  

Our Child Sponsorship Story

We began sponsoring a child through Compassion International about 16 (Update: 27) years ago.  We contacted Compassion and  they sent us information about John in Haiti when he was about 5 years old. As our own son grew, we also watched John grow.   (He’s the same age as our son.)  

Since then, we have become more and more aware of how often scripture speaks to helping those in poverty. This is one of my favorite verses:

1 John 3:17-18  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Islande in Haiti drew this for us.

 

We now sponsor Fitri from Indonesia, Eugene from Ghana, and Islande from Haiti. (We began sponsoring Islande just prior to a devastating earthquake there and had a very tense few weeks, wondering about her. She and her family were unhurt, but their home was damaged, and they were living in a tent following the quake.) 

The kids in the program  receive  food and clean water, medical care, education, life skills, and they learn about Jesus Christ and how to develop a lifelong relationship with Him.  Helping the children helps to break the cycle of poverty.  They receive so much.  But when we started, I didn’t know the blessings that we would receive in return.

We receive such precious letters and drawings from our sponsored kids, and we have been so touched by how they encourage us and pray for us. Their sincere gratitude, their smiles, their hearts.

John, our first sponsored child from Haiti, is now a young man and has graduated from the program.  We cherish his letters, especially his last one, which he ended with these words, “Thank you very much, thank you a thousand times for all you have done in my life.  Stay firm with God.  Hope to see you in heaven someday.”  His words move me to tears each time I read them. To say knowing him was a blessing is an understatement. (Several years in a row, he bought a goat for his family with the Christmas gift we gave, and his excitement and gratitude spilled so joyfully from his thank you letters.  I can tell you, that made a huge impact on our own kids, and gave them a whole new perspective on the world.)

Recently, I began to realize that through my blog, I can be a voice for children in need.  That’s powerful!  While I may not reach millions of people, I’ll reach some. It’s a little thing, but it’s something. And a lot of little things can really add up. Compassion sponsorship might be a good fit for some of you. 

Most of the people I’m in contact with have a warm place to live, fresh water, and enough food each day. Sometimes it’s overwhelming to think of all of those in the world who don’t have those things, especially the children. And that can make us feel powerless. I love this quote from Mother Teresa, because it really expresses how we are not powerless at all.

“If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one.”

If you are looking for ways to make a real change, at least for one, please visit Compassion. Just click the box and meet some Compassion kids.

Sponsor a Child in Jesus Name with Compassion

Linking to:

Thursday Favorite Things, French Ethereal, Ridgehaven Homestead, Esme Salon

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13 Comments

  1. This is awesome! I agree. If you're not telling others about it how will you spread the word. I think it's all in the motivation you have for sharing. Obviously, your motives are pure intent and not to brag. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I'm a new follower.

  2. Thank you for writing about this. I have been to Compassions website off and on all day. I'm praying about the decision. :o)

  3. Awww this is awesome. I read this yesterday & last night as I was following asleep it was the last thing on my mind. I'm going to look into Compassion. Thanks for visiting my blog too. 🙂

  4. Wow! I really enjoyed this post. I especially loved reading about your sponsored children. Reading about John brought me to tears. Thank you so much for sharing this and for your heart for children in poverty.

  5. We sponsor through Compassion too. I honestly thought I would be doing those precious children a favor when we began! The letters from our sweet girl in Haiti always move me to tears. She is so faithful to pray for us and to ask for God's blessings on our family. She ministers to me as much or more than we do her!

  6. What a wonderful post Pam. We can make such a difference in a child's life with so little can't we?
    Thank you so much for your sweet comment for me to read today, I am so happy to meet you and find your beautiful blog.
    I see you're a homeschooling mom…I love mom's that home school!!!!
    hugs…

  7. Thank you for sharing this information with us. I remember my family sponsoring a child many years ago. I should return to doing this again now that I'm older.

    xo,

    Abby

    P.S. Thank for your recent visit and sweet comment on my blog….so nice of you.

  8. What a gift you are giving. Thank you for sharing. I will take a closer look at the program during the school week. Today, I am taking my boys out for a picnic and visit Reagan's Memorial Museum.

    I think my mom sponsors a child I need to ask her about it as well,

    Pam aka Momma

  9. Thank you for sharing your sponsored children with us. Love seeing the difference you and others make in the lives of these children.

    Thanks for visiting me at A Season for All Things. I'm your newest follower and look forward to reading more. Oh, btw.. love your blog design!

  10. Compassion International is a great organization. I love how they meet spiritual needs as well as physical AND they help children and families become productive, so they are not just throwing money at them or putting a band aid on the situation. Thanks for sharing!

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