There was so much goodness coming out of Guatemala this last week…it was crazy! God is definitely moving in big ways through the ministry Compassion does.
Just in case you don’t know,
Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.
Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care, as well as Christian training.
Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 26 countries. (from their About page)
Compassion took a group of bloggers to Guatemala to “experience the ministry of Compassion International among the poor of Guatemala” and brought us along for the ride through the posts, tweets, and pictures. It was humbling and amazing.
Let me back up a second…the main way Compassion’s ministry works is through pairing up sponsors (like me or these bloggers and many more) with children who live in desperate poverty in 26 different countries. A sponsor pledges $38 a month, which
connects your child with a loving, church-based child sponsorship program that provides:
- Food and clean water
- Medical care
- Educational opportunities
- Important life-skills training
- Most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God. (Read more)
But the great part is that you don’t only get to support a child with your money, but with your time, energy, and love through letters. And as I learned this week…a sponsors letters to a child mean more than we can ever know.
I wanted to share with you some of the posts from the Guatemala Compassion bloggers that moved, inspired, and set a fire under me. Honestly, they’re all worth checking out.
Lame Sponsors of the World Unite! (by Lisa-Jo of The Gypsy Mama) If you’ve been a sponsor for any length of time or struggle with connecting to your child through letter writing, then this post is for you! Definitely take the time to read why these letters mean so much!
The One Question You’ve Got to Look in the Mirror & Really Ask (by Ann Voskamp of A Holy Experience) Ann is one of those writers that reaches in and pulls your insides out in the gentlest of ways. Read it. Weep. Go do something.
“How does my faith in a land of iphones and ipods and ipads respond to a whole city of people in ramshackled tin and relentless rain washing them away?
Because whether consciously or not, intentionally or not — faith is always responding. Either with indifference or with intercession, either with apathy or aid.
Faith cannot have a non-response.”
Pastor Manuel’s 3 Point Sermon to American Pastors (by Shaun Groves) It’s simple…really simple. But do we do it?
If You Like Your Dreams & Miracles Explained (another by the lovely Ann) This is really why being an active and involved sponsor is so important. {my eyes are being opened}
Joy (by Amanda of Baby Bangs) This one had me crying and hoping for a day I can meet Pamela. Just look at the beauty and hope in these faces.
Would you consider sponsoring a child? Being a part of their dream? Helping to give them a hope, a future, and a picture of a very real and redeeming God?
Tagged as:
children,
Compassion,
missions,
Purposeful Living
