Donate Your Facebook, Twitter or Email Signature in December

The Christmas season has officially begun (less than a month to go!), and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus than to show God’s love to a child living in poverty.

That’s why we want you to donate your Facebook, Twitter or email signature to getting a child sponsored before Christmas.

Why is Evangelism and Discipleship important? by Tracy

“Evangelism and discipleship are important because child sponsorship is not an end in itself. Rather a means to reach people with the message of Jesus. Since spiritual poverty is by far the greatest human need, we use child sponsorship as an effective strategy to communicate the gospel and feed people’s spiritual hunger.” says Barry Slauenwhite, president of Compassion Canada.

Evangelism and discipleship of children in the developing world is Compassion Canada’s mandate.  It is who we are. Children are at risk of not knowing Jesus. It would be a tragedy to satisfy every human need and fail to speak the life-changing words of Jesus Christ.

That’s why we make a point of presenting the gospel to all the children and families in our programs.

Our child development programs are unique in that they are: Christ-centred, child-focused and church-based. We have a responsibility to care for the poor among us (James 2:15-16). Providing for physical needs is a powerful way of modeling God’s love.

We do not simply speak the truth; we also apply ourselves to live in truth, by holistically ministering to children at risk in Jesus’ name.

We do this by equipping children in the following aspects:

SPIRITUAL
Compassion-assisted churches help children regardless of their religious affiliation. But through the spiritual aspect of our program it is made abundantly clear that Compassion is an evangelical Christian organization and each child will participate in Christian training. Each Compassion-assisted child is introduced to the gospel and encouraged to accept Christ as his or her Savior. Through regular worship time, devotions, Bible study and other activities, child development centre staff teach children to live according to the principles of the Bible and encourage all children to assume responsibility within their local churches.

ECONOMIC
The most direct path out of poverty is through education. Each child development centre works to ensure that each Compassion-assisted child receives age-appropriate and various learning opportunities to better their economic situation. Whether it’s monitoring school attendance, providing on-site after-school tutoring in reading and math skills or offering vocational training that translates into employment, Compassion child development centres give impoverished children a pathway out of poverty through educational opportunities.

SOCIAL
What we become is to some extent determined by how we relate to others. Often children in poverty who have been abused or exploited have no good experiences relating to other children or adults. That’s why each Compassion child development centre becomes a safe oasis where children can develop critical social skills in a protected environment. Children participate in group or special learning activities that help young people to live in harmony, learn teamwork and support and encourage each other. The outcome is a child who is self-aware; exhibits self-control is self-motivated and committed to his or her community.

PHYSICAL
Children in developing nations can go weeks, months even years without seeing a doctor or receiving medical care. Each Compassion child development centre is tasked with monitoring the health of each registered child as well as teaching children and their families preventive measures that allow the child to experience healthy development. In addition to monitoring their health, child development centre workers teach children about nutrition, offering them a healthy meal and teaching them how to prepare nutritious food. Children are also given the opportunity to engage in child development centre-organized sports activities to encourage healthy physical development. By ministering to the “whole child” Compassion’s ministry provides children with the skills needed to succeed in life and to overcome poverty and hopelessness. We are able to do this because of our local church partners and dedicated Compassion sponsors.

Make it your goal to tell someone today about your sponsored child and maybe, just maybe they will ask you how they too can be a sponsor too – don’t forget to have a child pack handy !

Continuing on Hope … by Teresa

Hey everyone!  I always look forward to this time of week – writing to all of you in the Advocate Network and beyond!  It started to snow in London today and the Christmas lights are shining in homes everywhere.  I just returned home from a great team Christmas party where we enjoyed lunch together and watched Disney’s “The Christmas Carol”.  A heartwarming story for sure … at this time of year there are so many of these kinds of tales - showing a positive, more hopeful way to bring change in our lives. But noticeably and regretfully – without Christ – our only source of eternal hope and the real reason to celebrate this Christmas season.

I wanted to share a quote for you from a pastor and doctor of psychologywho has recently participated in one of our Advocate’s Hope Lives small group study.  Remember I spoke about this book last week?  Well this “endorsement” was sent my way and it’s another encouragement to pick this book up and get reading!  Anyone want to join me?

Friends for Eternity- By Amy Wallace (Advocate in Fredericton)

Amy with Kevyn

 I’m guessing that I would be correct in assuming that everyone reading the Loop loves their sponsored children. For many of us, they are probably the reason we became advocates. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets a burst of excitement when there is THE envelope from Compassion with the little girl on the front, and in blue words, “A message from your sponsored child”. I don’t know about any of you, but I drop what I’m doing and tear that envelope open faster than the blink of an eye. Ask any of my family or friends and they will tell you that I talk about my sponsored children all the time (although I’ve discovered that around people I’ve recently met, I need to specify that when I say “my kids”, I don’t mean biological children – I’m not lying when I tell you that I’ve had people look at me with puzzled expressions and ask me, “when did you have kids?”). So, I’m  going to do just that: tell you a little bit about my Compassion family of 7. Of course, I could write pages and pages and pages about them, but I won’t do that – I’ll just let you in on a few of the many things I love about them. (Oh, Future Husband, whoever you are, I hope you don’t mind getting 7 kids. Surprise)!

Be a champion! by Tracy

Today, more than ever, the world’s children need champions – people who will not only speak up for them, but also take bold action to alleviate their suffering and give them hope. With 2.1 billion children in the world, making up 36 per cent of the world’s total population, children are our future.

The love and care we provide for them today will determine the kind of world we have tomorrow. Tragically, of the 132 million children born each year, one in four is born into a family that exists on less than $2 CAD a day. In developing countries, one in three children is born into abject poverty and conditions of almost unimaginable suffering and need.

Out of every 100 children

• 27 suffer from malnutrition in their first five years of life
• 25 are not immunised against any diseases
• 18 have no access to clean drinking water
• 39 live without adequate sanitation
• 18 never go to school (of these, 11 are girls)
• 25 who begin 1st grade do not reach 5th grade
• 20 never learn how to read (of these, 13 are girls)

Be bold - talk to someone today about Compassion and explain how they can be instrumental in changing the life of that child. Show them a child pack or send them to your website (compassion.ca/advocate/firstnamelastname – mine is www.compassion.ca/advocate/tracysmith).

Don’t know where to start – contact us and we will be happy to walk along side you!

Filling out a child pack with Stephanie

You’ve found someone who really wants to sponsor and now it’s time to fill out the child pack!! Here’s a short guide to help you along in the process

Also, here’s a few reminders before you watch the video below:

1. Try and secure a payment on the spot (this is really important at events!)

2. There’s now a volunteer checkbox on the pack if people are interested in learning about Advocacy in addition to sponsoring.

3. There are two cost amounts (35/month and 45/month). The latter is called sponsorship plus. The 10 dollars added to this amount helps meet the needs of Compassion-assisted children around the world.

Okay, now you’re ready to watch!

Telling Others About Compassion by Tracy

Sharing Compassion Sunday is the single biggest campaign that acquires sponsorships for Compassion each year. This event invites volunteer Advocates as well as sponsors to host activities in their churches that will bring attention to the needs of children and will provide opportunities for people to sponsor children. An official date is set each year for Sharing Compassion Sunday but many people opt to hold activities on alternate dates throughout the year. A detailed planning kit with training video and sample materials is sent to every volunteer Advocate each year and to sponsors when requested. While there is not one specific plan that is recommended for Sharing Compassion Sunday to increase the likelihood of a successful event, there are  however several different components you should consider when planning. The more coordinated the effort and the more varied the ways that the message is presented, the more likely you are to get a great response.

Busy Busy Dreadfully Busy – by Teresa

Hi everyone!  My plane is about to land  in my home town of London and I’m taking back with me more than just my wrinkled clothing, books, laptop and some snacks I managed to grab at the airport. (They just don’t give you a decent meal on the plane anymore). I carry a multitude of thoughts and memories of wonderful Advocate visits during my time in the Vancouver lower mainland.  It was a great trip connecting with so many of you.  I trust that God will encourage each one of you as you love and serve the poor through your ministry with Compassion!

One of the topics of conversation in our small group meetings was the HOPE LIVES book and the amazing content you will find in it. Many Advocates hadn’t heard of it, or just haven’t cracked open their copy of it.

The Cookie Monster- By Kayla

I have a bunch of friends that live in Hamilton Ontario and I was chatting with one of them the other day and they mentioned that there is a cookie monster in the city. One of our friends (who is still not identified although there are suspicions) sneaks around at night and leaves freshly baked cookies and a carton of milk on the door step of another friend who needs encouragement. With the cookies and milk the monster leaves a very encouraging note.

This monster is a blessing to this circle of friends and it made me think- When was the last time I did something creative to serve others?  When was the last time I did so anonymously?  I hope we can all find a way to serve others especially during this Christmas season. One thing you can do this Christmas season is carry a child pack with you and hopefully that child might be the “encouraging note” someone in your life needs.

“I learned to pray” by Tracy

I would like to introduce you to my little friend Gissette. I had the pleasure of visiting the Dominican Republic in 2007 for our International Advocacy Conference and while there felt impressed to sponsor a child. I had heard a lot about the community of Gualey and knew that my newest sponsored child had to be a girl from there. A few months after returning from the DR- Gisette and I were united.

On October 3, 2009, Adones Martinez posted an article entitled, How Drug Running Affects a Community on the Compassion Blog site. I have included it below. It is a great reminder of the circumstances our sponsored children are faced with each day.

Letter Writing Tips from LDP Students

A must see – get your pen and paper ready – you will be inspired to write your sponsored children.