“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion — how can God’s love be in that person?”
This verse from 1 John 3:17 is a not so subtle reminder that God’s call to Christians is to take care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans. There is no organization in this country doing that better than Compassion International. Compassion is a child-sponsorship organization that was started in South Korea in 1952 when American Evangelist Everett Swanson felt compelled to help 35 children orphaned by the Korean conflict. In the last 60 years, Compassion has helped over 1.2 million children trapped in poverty around the world. Jonathan and I sponsor a child in Indonesia, and we have seen first-hand the impact Compassion has had on her. We regularly send and receive letters to her, and she is receiving an education, health care, and vocational training. All of this is provided at a church-based child development center. Best of all, the kids are taught that they are important and that they can make a difference in this world. They are given a vision of a life outside of the extreme poverty they have always known.
This week, Compassion has taken a group of bloggers to Nicaragua. You can follow Tracy from Beneath My Heart, Edie from LifeInGrace, Christy from Southern Plate, Kelly from Faithful Provisions, and their fearless leader Shaun Groves.
If after reading their accounts you feel compelled to sponsor a child through Compassion International, you can do so at Compassion.com.
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