Compassion

is to find a sponsor for Joseline Dayana Flores Medina.

Joseline is one of the many children awaiting a sponsor through Compassion International, a child advocacy that “releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.”

Joseline is a 6-year-old, little girl from El Salvador. Not yet able to go to school, she helps her mom and grandfather by running errands–neither of whom are employed. She enjoys playing dolls and running with friends.

Since 2004, I have had the blessing of being a Compassion sponsor to two young girls from Ecuador (first Diana and currently Pamela). It is such a joy to receive their letters filled with sweet affections, learn about their lives, and share my own life with them.

What is Compassion International?

“Compassion International is a Christian child development organization dedicated to releasing children from poverty. Our ministry is two-fold: we work through local churches to provide child development programs to deliver children from economic, physical, social and spiritual poverty, enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. And we speak out for children in poverty – informing, motivating and equipping others to become advocates for children.” (from their website)

What are these children facing?

Living in America we are shielded from the poverty and despair that encompasses much of the world. Here, in our country, even our poorest are richer than people in undeveloped and third world countries.

Poverty…

• More than 2 billion people lack access to electricity and modern forms of energy.

• More than 1 billion (one in five) people live on less than U.S.$1 a day.

Hunger…

• About 5.6 million deaths of children worldwide are related to under-nutrition. This accounts for 53 percent of the total deaths for children under 5.
• More than 140 million or 25 percent of all children in developing countries are underweight and at risk from the long-term effects of malnourishment.
• More than 6 million children die from malnutrition each year.

Water…

• Roughly 12 percent of the world’s population, or 884 million people, do not have access to safe water.
• Approximately 1.8 million children die each year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This is around 5,000 deaths a day.
• The average person in the developing world uses a little more than 2.5 gallons of water each day for drinking, washing and cooking. Whereas the average person in the developed world uses 13 gallons per day only for toilet flushing.

Education…

• An estimated 130 million of the world’s 15- to 24- year-olds cannot read or write.

• There are 781 million illiterate adults worldwide, and 64 percent of them are women.

• Of the 22 countries where more than half the population is illiterate, 15 are in Africa.

Health…

• About 1.8 million people, most of whom are children, die annually of food-borne diseases.

• Approximately 37 percent of deaths among children under 5 – 9.7 million worldwide in 2006 – occur in the first month of life.

• There are 1.8 million diarrheal-related deaths per year among young children.

Just think…this list doesn’t even include child labor, HIV/AIDS, environmental and population issues, social and religious concerns, or child abuse.

What does it cost to be a Compassion sponsor?

Time, money, and prayer.

Time to write letters to your sponsored child (you can even do it online now).

Money. The cost to sponsor a child is $38 a month, that’s less than a dinner out for the family.

Prayer. You could give your time and money, but when their physical need is great their spiritual need is greater.

How does a child benefit from sponsorship?

The money given to Compassion is used to aid in the cost of education, taught hygiene and personal health, supplementary food when needed, sports activities, taught social skills through the local body, and Bible training.

So…what are you going to do? While we’re spending this holiday season celebrating Jesus’ birth in our warm, cozy homes and fuzzy pajamas complaining about the extra pounds we’re going to have to work off in the new year, there are children and families around the world just trying to survive.

They’re not hoping to get a bonus from their boss so they can buy that toy their kids really want. They’re just hoping they have food to put on the table. There are millions of children around the world just hoping for something better–for war to stop, for their parents to live, to be able to go to school. You can help.

Will you sponsor my Christmas child, Joseline?

Tagged as: Christmas, Compassion, missions, social justice

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