Money can provide for a lot of things for those in poverty.  In fact, money is often the easiest thing we can give.  With automatic payments, we can almost forget that we are actually giving anything to help a global issue.  During my experience in Ecuador, there was one thing that was more valuable than money, more precious than gold, and contained more hope than the dreams of a child.

Relationship.

Let’s face it….God doesn’t NEED our money.  I mean, if he wants something done, finding the resources is not a huge obstacle.  He designed us to be in relationship with each other.  That’s the only way that compassion for one another will run deep instead of remain on the surface of understanding.

Encouragement for the Soul

“Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

The words you give away – whether spoken or written – can be fuel for the soul.  It’s easy to underestimate the power of our words.  When we are at a loss for what to say, sometimes we opt out and say nothing.  I once heard Donald Miller define a leader as a person who speaks something into nothing.  If you want to make a difference in a life void of hope, speak something positive into it.  And suddenly, there is something to build hope on.

Cherished Treasure for Today

Many children put their letters in a secret hiding place.  They are a treasure — carefully examined and protected.

Inspiration for the Future

Not only does letter writing help children develop important skills, it also helps them have a greater world view.  Many of the children who graduated from the sponsorship program cited their sponsor as a source of inspiration for continuing their education beyond primary school.

My friend Stephanie was able to meet her sponsor child during the trip to Ecuador.  This video captures just a few of her thoughts the following day.

Compassion International’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) has me thinking a lot.  LDP graduates are remarkable young leaders — eager to make a difference, work hard, and follow their dreams.  What would the distinctives of the LDP program do for young adults in America?  It seems to hold some possible answers to questions that many are asking about how to keep young adults from opting out of their faith.

Someone believes in their potential.

Young Compassion-assisted men and women with Christian Leadership potential are identified to receive an undergraduate degree.  From the very start of their early adult years, someone has said, “I believe in you.”

A mentor to counsel on wise decisions.

As a requirement of the program, students are required to find a suitable mentor who also specializes their field of study.  Mentors are not just given the title — they are given training and guidance on how to lead their mentee well.

A commitment to a community.

Students are required to make significant contributions in their community while maintaining outstanding academic performance.  Even though they are required to give back, they all WANT to give back.  Every LDP student I met sponsored other children in the Compassion program.

Marlo (pictured above) is a freshman in the LDP program.  (He still needs a sponsor!)  He had incredible dreams for the future and I have no doubt that he will accomplish all of it and more.  (He was so nervous speaking to our group of women!  We told him he had cool “Justin Bieber” hair and then made him take pictures with us….!  That helped his nervous, don’t you think?)

What if these distinctives were a part of your college age ministry?  How would that change the future of Christian Leadership?

Do you know the history of Compassion International?  It’s a very remarkable story. Even more impressive is what Compassion is no longer doing as a result of the faithful ministry started in the very first country.

In a recent trip to Ecuador to experience the Child Survival Program, our group learned through our Compassion Specialists that Compassion’s work began in the 1950s when one man, Rev. Everett Swanson, felt compelled to help orphaned children in South Korea.

Orphaned children were hiding in trash piles to keep warm at night.  Trash collectors would kick the piles in the morning to see if anyone would scurry away.  If no one exited the trash pile, it would be swept away.  Sadly, sometimes children would die in the middle of the night — and when the trash collectors came, their bodies were recklessly discarded.

The encounters that Rev. Swanson’s had with the children orphaned by the war compelled him and others to action.  He soon found friends giving him money with the challenge to do something.

Today, there are more than 1 million children in 25 countries that benefit from that original vision.

Compassion works with local churches who intimately understand the local issues communities face.  As the local church ministers to those in need, families and children are strengthened — as well as local church!

Today, South Korea’s local church has become so strong that they no longer need the assistance of Compassion International to supplement the care of those in poverty.

South Korea transitioned to a Partner Country in 2004 and is now the fastest funding country for Compassion.

Because of the strengthening of the local church, South Korea is now in a position to free up Compassion funds that can reach other areas of the world and contribute additional funds to the work of the ministry.

Compassion seems to be…well, contagious.  We are designed to give it away just as quickly as we receive it.

In an age where many ministries measure bigger as better, it is refreshing to know that Compassion is seeking to strengthen local churches to the point where they are no longer needed.

There’s much to be learned here.  Do you fall victim to the mindset of bigger is always better?  Or are you building up those around you to run the race — even without you?  And how are you combining your influence with strategic organizations that will gain you a a greater impact in the world?

If you have a compassionate heart, read abut how you can save the lives of children through the Compassion Child Survival Program.

Child Survival Program Promoter

During my trip to Ecuador with Compassion International, I had the opportunity to learn about the Child Survival Program.  This initiative is one of the newer programs of Compassion but is proving to strengthen the local church, save lives and offer the hope of Jesus Christ to those in abject poverty…and I’m looking for 105 compassionate people who will commit to $20 / month to fund a CSP project in Ecuador.

Tragically, one out of 11 children will die before the age of five — most from preventable causes.  When Compassion began to look at this issue, they understood  that moms in abject poverty do not have access to healthcare, parenting classes, and many of them are literally living in very hopeless situations.  Additionally, more than 40% of the mortality rate happens within the first month of life.

The Solution?  CSP — Child Survival Program.  In areas where there is a CSP, the mortality rate goes from 24/1,000 to a dramatic reduction of 1/2,000.  There are 4 main ingredients that go into this successful prescription for saving the lives of the next generation.

The Local Church.

Compassion International works with local churches in abject poverty areas to bring the hope of Jesus Christ, education, healthcare, and community to mothers and their babies in the most critical of circumstances.

You will never see a Compassion International sign hanging on the local church.  Compassion empowers local churches who best understand the unique issues facing their community.  The passion and commitment that local communities have to take care of each other is unparalleled.

Education.

Mothers are given access to healthcare, immunizations and education on proper nutrition.  The  CSP program focuses on equipping mothers to help their child develop in four key areas:  physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Children who graduate from the CSP program are often developmentally ahead of their peers and excel further in primary education.

One to One Relationships.

Each local church has a team of CSP “Promoters” who work with mothers throughout their pregnancy and through the first 3 years of the baby’s life.

These volunteers are vital to the success of the program.  They work 6 days a week and visit every mother and baby for up to an hour once a week.  Home visits are the highlight of the week for new moms who often feel overwhelmed and worried about the condition of their child.

While the goal of the CSP is to increase the survival rate for babies, the incredible side effect is a deep friendship between mom and Promoter.  Promoters enter into a world of compassion because they see the problems and the longings of the mothers….they feel what the mothers feel.  The mothers feel that the Promoters are a friend, sister and counselor.

Elevate Self Worth in Abject Circumstances

Mothers who are a part of the CSP program also attend weekly skill workshops at the local church that help them discover new talents that can even be taken into the marketplace to earn income for their family.  These workshops, more importantly, help build self esteem in the mothers who often feel completely worthless and help them find purpose for the talents God has given each one of them.

If you feel like the problem of poverty is too big for you to impact, let me encourage you…. You can have an enormous impact — and save lives — by supporting strategic programs like Compassion’s CSP.

Share your thoughts below.  Do you struggle with how to impact poverty?  I’m giving away one of my favorite books by Dr. Wes Stafford, “Too Small to Ignore” to all those who join in the discussion by posting a comment through February 14.  Show a little more than love this Valentine’s Day, show Compassion…..

Our Group, Nancy's family and her CSP Promoter

If you were to create a holistic approach to child development that would make a huge impact in the most impoverished areas of the world, what would you do?  Certainly we all know there is a need to reach impoverished children in our world, but how do we have the greatest impact?

Jan Fanning handed me a book at the very start of my journey in children’s ministry called, “Too Small To Ignore” by Dr. Wess Stafford.  That book remains one of my all time favorite reads today.

I would have never dreamed of the privilege I now have of visiting two Compassion International’s Child Survival Program sites in Ecuador this week.  I’m really excited for the trip and I hope to give you a first hand look at Compassion’s holistic and distinctive approach.

You may be familiar with Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program  – but did you know that that is just one of the programs they offer around the globe?

Child Survival Program

In the last decade, Compassion has added two essential programs that further fulfill their commitment to develop children into fulfilled Christian adults.  The first of these is the Child Survival Program (CSP).  Tragically, more than 25,000 children younger than 5 die every day, mostly from preventable diseases and related causes.  The CSP is an early childhood intervention program that often starts with prenatal care for expectant mothers. Caregivers are educated on how to protect children from diseases and other health dangers.  CSP children and caregivers also receive important medical attention, as needed, to help ensure that they are protected and that children are set on the path toward healthy development.

Child Sponsorship Program

Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program is comprehensive, holistic and unique.  The program connects one child with one sponsor to help that child develop into the extraordinary individual God ordained the child to be.  Through this program, children have the opportunity to flourish and grow into their God-given potential.  The Child Sponsorship Program provides educational opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.  Children in the program learn important life skills and are provided with health care and supplemental nutrition, as needed.  They are afforded opportunities for safe, healthful recreation.  Most important, the Child Sponsorship Program gives children the chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Leadership Development Program

The Leadership Development Program (LDP) is the other program Compassion has added to enhance its child development model.  Graduates from Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program who show exceptional leadership skills are recruited to participate in the Leadership Development Program.  Through the Leadership Development Program, students receive a university education.  In concert with university studies, LDP students receive Christian leadership training through Compassion church partners to help them become Christian leaders.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core programs, while comprehensive, do not address all the obstacles to healthy development in the lives of Compassion-assisted children.  That’s why Compassions other programs, known as Complementary Interventions, play a significant role in the holistic child development model.

So my bags are packed — probably with too much stuff to be honest.  I’ve been brushing up on my Spanish lessons and reading up about the culture.  Did you know a local specialty is roast cuy — guinea pig!   (I’m not sure I will be able to try that.)  Tomorrow I fly out with 9 other leaders from across the country for an experience that is sure to spark many questions as well as a greater understanding for the great work that Compassion is doing. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please post them here and I will try to gather the answers for you.

How do you encourage your child’s giftedness to make a real impact in the world?  Need a little inspiration to help you move beyond telling your child, “good job”?

Check out this sweet book called Gregory’s Paper Airplane by Benjamin Sherman….(And guess how old the author is? If I did the math right in the bio, he’s 8 years old!)

After noticing Ben’s giftedness for writing, his mom and dad prayed about how they could encourage him in his passion.  I love that their answer was not only to publish his work, but to give back in the process.  A portion of the proceeds of this book go to benefit Agape International Missions and the International Justice Mission.

Don’t you just love how this invites Benjamin into the bigger story God is telling?  I do!

“Our lives find meaning as we view ourselves as participants in God’s unfolding story.” (Deep Justice in a Broken World, Chap Clark & Kara Powell)

Gregory’s Paper Airplane serves as a great reminder that it is never too early to show our children how they are gifted for a great purpose that will bring glory and honor to God and justice to the world.

What would be on your “Top 10″ list for reasons why you should serve in Children’s Ministry?  This was a fun exercise that my husband and I played with over lunch one day.  So without further delay — here are the Top 10 why we think you should serve in Children’s Ministry:

10. You never have to make decision on what to wear on Sunday.

9.  Unlimited coffee (don’t worry — for you, not the kids!)

8.  Acting like a kid is encouraged — so you will definitely fit in….!

7.  HIGH FIVES for everyone!

6.  You can channel your inner boy band and sing as loud as you want.

5.  You can hype them up and give em back to their parents.

4.  Kids can (and will) teach you how to use your iPhone.

3.  Walking among kids makes you feel like you are Dirk Nowitzki.

2.  You will speak God’s love to a captive audience (who wants to hear it…!)

1. You’ll be a part of God’s bigger story to the next generation.

In what seems to be a previous life, I worked for a non-profit organization in California that took old computers, refurbished them and donated them to public schools.

From time to time, we would actually have donation events where we would unveil the new computers at a school library.  During one of these such events, we were in a very depressed neighborhood of Northern California.  The students were extremely excited to have the computers and we were equally — if not more so — excited to give them.

The donation itself, however, was not the most impressionable experience for me.

Our Executive Director had to use the restroom while on campus and politely asked some of the students where the closest facility was.  They shrugged and said that she should use the teacher’s lounge in the office.  The Executive Director insisted that she could just use the one down the hallway and asked them why she should go all the way back to the office when clearly there was a closer option.

Their demeanor changed to try and mask the embarrassment.  And then they confided that the restrooms for the students didn’t work.  The toilettes didn’t flush anymore —  they were clearly apologetic for something that was not in their control.

I would like to believe that conditions have improved since that day, nearly 15 years ago.

However, recently, I had a 3rd grader confide in me that his head was flushed in the toilet at school….

What breaks your heart?  I know this issue breaks mine.

What if the church saw it as their responsibility to partner with our local public schools to help educators change things for the better?  What if every church adopted a public school?  Would that help things change?

I’ve seen some pretty remarkable things happen when the church partners with public education.  There is much to be learned and even more work to be done……  But, I think it would be a great beginning of a new story……

So are we waiting for Superman?  Or is Jesus just waiting for us…..?