Release 3

Have you ever thought about the small things you do each day that might change someone's life forever? A simple smile, holding the door open, paying it forward in the drive through lane. These are simple things we can do in our everyday lives to make a difference in someone's life. But have you ever thought about doing something to make an eternal difference in someone's life?

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. - Proverbs 31:8

This month, I am advocating for three Compassion children as part of Compassion's Release 3 program. During the month of October, sponsors and advocates have the opportunity to pray for and try to find sponsors for three children that have been uniquely assigned to them. Let me introduce you to the three children that have been assigned to me:

This is Katerin. She lives in El Salvador with her family where she is responsible for running errands and cleaning. She also likes to play with dolls.

Richmond lives in Ghana with his grandfather. Richmond helps at home by carrying water and he enjoys playing soccer.

Arjun lives in India with his family. He works at home by running errands and he likes to play with friends.

Each of these children is currently waiting for a sponsor. Someone like you who will love them, pray for them, and encourage them as they grow up, learning more about Jesus from their local church and from you. As a sponsor, you have the opportunity to send them letters, reminding them that they are created in the image of God, and that He loves them very much.

Sponsoring a child has been such a life changing experience for me. There are things I am willing to go without in order for us to be able to sponsor children through Compassion. This life is temporary, heaven is eternal. Knowing that we are making an eternal difference in the lives of these children gives me more joy than any temporary thing here on earth.

Are you ready to take that step to be a sponsor? Comment below and I can get you started on your sponsorship journey today to help release one of these children from poverty in Jesus' name!

The Dollar Twenty-Five Challenge

How much money do you have in your pocket or wallet right now? I know many of us don't carry much cash these days, but for a child living in extreme poverty, just $1.25 per day goes a long way. Some people are so overwhelmed with the thought of poverty and need in the world that they get stuck there and don't/won't do anything about it. And that is a shame!

We live in the richest country in the world. There are choices we can make each day that allow us to put aside just $1.25 per day, so that each month we can sponsor a child living in another country who needs to hear about Jesus. You don't even have to leave your home to spread the Gospel! And the Gospel will spread if you take that step to sponsor a child today.

The child you sponsor will hear about Jesus when they attend the child development center in their area. That child will tell his/her family about Jesus. So not only are you making an impact on one child, you are making an impact on an entire family! Yes, you! Sitting in your home here in the United States, without even leaving your hometown, can make an impact on an entire family!

"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will repay him for his deed." - Proverbs 19:17

Still not sure if you can afford to sponsor a child? I issue you this challenge then: 1. set out a jar to collect your spare change for the month; 2. at the end of the month, count up your spare change; 3. do you have at least $38 in spare change? If the answer is yes, sponsor a child! If the answer is no, donate what you have collected to Compassion's unsponsored child fund.

Will you accept this challenge?

An Opportunity to Serve

 

"Poverty is not necessarily an issue to solve; it is an opportunity to serve. As we go through each day, our heart's cry should be, Lord, where would you have me give, serve, and invest myself to bring hope to the poor?"
~Orphan Justice author, Johnny Carr

So interesting that this quote should be one that we have been asked to write about as Compassion Bloggers this week. Just yesterday, in the sermon given by our pastor, he told us, “The gospel is not about feeding poor children or building wells in poor communities.” As a Compassion Advocate and Sponsor, I have spent the last three years learning so many things about this wonderful organization.

Over the past few weeks, many Compassion Bloggers have been sharing their hearts and writing on topics that sometimes have been a little difficult to tackle. Why do we do this, you might be asking?

I believe that Compassion’s mission statement says it all:

Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name

Compassion is not just solving a problem. Compassion is not just feeding poor children. Compassion is not just building wells. Compassion is giving hope to children. Compassion is giving hope to families. Compassion is giving hope to communities. Compassion is sharing the hope of knowing Jesus and allowing Him to make a difference in the lives of these children, their families, and their communities. Only He can do this when we obey His command to serve Him.

Are you ready to make the investment in the life of a children? Your $38 a month goes so much further than you can even imagine.

Dear Jesus, Send Me a Sponsor

Dear Jesus,

My name is Crista and I live in the Philippines. I am 7 years old, and I live with my mom, my dad, and two little brothers. My teacher says you know everything about me, but I thought I would remind you, just in case. My family has been bringing me to the local church to learn more about you. You must have a really big heart to love so many people so much, and I am thankful to learn that you love me too.

But Jesus, I have a really big favor to ask. I have a friend who attends the Compassion program with me and she receives these wonderful letters from a family living in a place called the United States. They send her pictures and stickers and they share Bible verses with her in the letters. She shows me the letters with a joy filled smile on her face. Is it too selfish of me to ask for a sponsor too?

There are many children at the Compassion program who have a sponsor and are receiving letters. They are all so happy on mail day when the letters come. I want to receive letters too. Do you know of a family that could sponsor me? Is there someone out there that will love me too?

I have written this post as an assignment with the Compassion Bloggers for Blog Month. While this post is fictional, there are many children like little Crista who are patiently waiting for that one family to make the sacrifice to be their sponsor. Will you prayerfully consider sponsoring a Compassion child today?

God has a plan

I have to admit, when I first read the first Compassion Blogger assignment for this month, I was thinking, ‘No Way! I really don’t want to revisit my childhood and write a blog post to my childhood self!’ But as the assignment kept weighing on me the last two weeks, I remembered that this assignment is not about me, it is about the children living in extreme poverty, that need you and me to step out in faith, and remind them that God has a plan for their life.

You see, I should not be at this place in my life. I should not be here, asking you to sponsor a child, to release a child from poverty in Jesus’ name. As a child, I had no relationship with Jesus. I didn’t know that He had a plan for my life that was so different than the plan I had for my life.

If things has gone ‘my way’, I would not be writing to you, asking you to be an advocate for children growing up in extreme poverty. I would be a selfish, corporate ladder climbing, working mom, only concerned about my needs and wants.

But 19 years ago, Jesus began working on my heart, drawing me closer to Him, until 14 years ago, I asked Him to be my Savior. The path He has had me on is completely different that any path I imagined myself to be on. I mean, think about it, to go from a Nordstrom clothes wearing women working on going into management to being a capris and t-shirt wearing women who is looking forward to visiting children living in extreme poverty? Only Jesus can make that kind of change in someone’s life.

So yes, God does have a plan. He has a plan to bring many of us into a relationship with Him. And He has plans for many Compassion children to make a difference in the lives of their families and their communities. But in order to do that, they need your help. Would you consider making a sacrifice? Can you and your family do without $38 a month so that a child can realize the plan that God has for their life?