Compassion

The trip to Ecuador was with Compassion International.  I wasn't too familiar with the organization before going and have found that many of my peers are also not too sure what Compassion is about.  We visited the country office in Ecuador and learned a lot about the 3 main programs through Compassion.  I'd like to explain. 

The motto of Compassion is "releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name."  The main office is in Colorado, and there are country offices in each country where Compassion has projects all around the world.  The Ecuador Country Office is directed by Fernando.  He is the director who oversees the projects in Ecuador.  There is a large staff with many different jobs.  Compassion partners with local evangelical churches to offer their programs to the impoverished within the community.  The churches that host the programs are called "centers," but most or all of the people in Ecuador call it the "project."  We spent most of our time serving at EC-112.  In Ecuador, center (or project) number 112.  EC-112 hosts the CSP and a CDSP and also has students in the LDP.  All programs focus on holistic development, not just food.  They are cared for physically (food, clothes, medical), spiritually, emotionally, and socio-economically (taught a skill to have an income). 

The CSP is the Child Survival Program.  At EC-112, there are 40 units (each unit is a mother and her child) enrolled.  So 40 mothers and their children, ranging from pregnancy to age 3, are part of the program.  There is also a waiting list.  The mothers receive home visits where the promotor (there are two "promotors" at EC-112 who split the job, each visits 20 women once a week and keeps up with her paperwork) does many things with the mother and child.  The visit lasts about 45 minutes.  During that time, the promotor does a Bible study with the mother; prays with her; checks the physical development of the child; teaches the mother how to interact with the child to help him/her to develop properly (for an infant, this might mean moving arms and limbs in a range of motions; for a 3 year-old, doing a puzzle and teaching colors); and discovers any other needs the child or mother might have.  This happens weekly for each woman.  We had the privelege of accompanying the promotor on two home visits, one on Saturday and one on Monday.  I wrote about them in posts titled "Day 2" and "Fanny."  During the visits, many women are drawn to God.  Most women begin attending the church that hosts their project as well, and eventually give their lives to Christ.  Besides the home visits, the project hosts workshops on Saturday to teach skills to the mothers.  They might learn to crochet a purse, make jewelry, sew a doll, etc...many different skills the mother can do at home, with young children, and generate an income. 

We sponsor the CSP at EC-112 for $20/month.  When you sponsor a CSP, you are partnering with many others to sponsor an entire program.  You are not sponsoring an individual mother or child.  It costs $25,000 each year to fully fund each CSP.  That comes to roughly 104 people giving $20/month to fund each CSP; or 52 giving $40/month, or 21 giving $100/month, etc.  There are currently, in Ecuador, aproximately 2000 units (remember that is a mother and her child) enrolled in the country's many CSPs. 

When someone is familiar with Compassion, it is usually because they know about the CDSP, the Child Development Sponsorship Program.  Basically, that's where you choose a child to sponsor for $38 each month.  A Compassion child goes to the project three times a week after school.  At the project (remember it's hosted at the church, officially called a center), they receive a meal, tutoring with schoolwork, Bible teaching, mentorship, etc.  As a sponsored child, they receive letters from their sponsor and extra funds when sent by their sponsor for Christmas or birthday.  The children never, ever receive money.  Instead, a Compassion worker will take the child and a parent to the store to buy them what they need or what the sponsor has specified.  Sometimes a sponsor will send money to help pay for uniforms or books. 

It must be said that a Compassion child does not call their sponsor a sponsor.  They are called "God mother/father" or "second mother/father" or "American mother/father," etc.  They consider them family, they cherish each and every letter, they crave the relationship, the love.  It's a beauitful thing.  If you sponsor a child already, they are grateful for your funds, but they cherish your letters.  Please, please know that your letters are their most prized possessions.  Be diligent in writing to your sponsored child.  I often struggle with what to say...the answer is:  anything.  Tell the child what is happening in your life, share a funny story about your family, explain any life changes, encourage the child, tell him how you are praying for him, describe your home and tell them where their picture is displayed in your home, etc.  Truly, they will treasure each word you write. 

There are many programs where you can sponsor a child in poverty.  I do not know their names or the integrity of the organizations.  I can vouch for the integrity of Compassion.  The hearts of the people who work for Compassion (translators, promotors, country directors, staff, etc.) are to serve God through ministering to people in poverty.  They are very, very transparent with the spending of your funds and there are several layers of accountability to make sure everything stays on the up and up.  Fernando (country director) said they go overboard on the accountability because they want to be able to completely focus on the children, not responding to concerns with their use of funds.  They want no questions, no marks on their record, about where the money sent is going. 

Fernando explained the breakdown of how the $38 from each sponsor is spent.  52% of the $38 goes directly to the local church that hosts your sponsored child's project.  That $20 is spent specifically for the sponsored child:  food, electricity for host church, school books, etc.  18% is spent on administration costs:  running the country offices (bills, salaries), transportation costs, making the packets of unsponsored children to get them sponsored, etc.  15% is put into a medical fund that is invested/saved and used for children who need it.  For example, one child was in a coma for several months due to something and Compassion covered all medical bills for that child.  Another example is Fanny's son, Jordy, who was sick with anemia and required medical care.  Compassion covers things like that for all the Compassion children.  10% of the $38 is used to cover costs for unsponsored children.  Many children who come to the project are still waiting on a sponsor, but they can still receive food, tutoring, mentoring, etc.  They receive the same physical care as a sponsored child, but don't receive letters from their sponsor.  These unsponsored children eagerly wait and pray for a sponsor so they can begin that relationship.  The last 5% is spent on communications to sponsors: letters from Compassion, paying translators to translate your letter to the child's language and then again from the child's language to English, flyers, etc.  I saw with my own eyes that the money for each sponsored child is spent wisely. 

The last program that I'd like to tell you about is one that I had never heard of before this trip, the LDP or Leadership Development Program.  When a sponsored child turns 18, they graduate from the CDSP.  If they qualify (grades, conduct, attendance, etc), they may apply for the LDP.  The LDP is not merely a scholarship program, although it does pay for college for these students, but also continues to provide for those other 3 areas of growth: physical, spiritual, and emotional.  Besides maintaining their studies and grades at Compassion's high standard, the LDP students are required to serve within their community, attend leadership seminars/conferences, and continue to grow in their relationship and service to the Lord.  There are currently about 200 students in Ecuador's LDP program and many, many more waiting for a sponsor.  Even students who are accepted into the program must wait until they receive sponsorship before beginning their studies.  Sponsoring a LDP student is $300/month so it's no small committment.  However, because the Compassion staff and the students waiting are praying fervently for sponsors, they are seeing an increase in the number of folks committing to this program. 

Jeff and I currently sponsor the CSP at the church where I visited in Ecuador (that's why we went there...all the ladies on the trip, along with many others who did not travel with us, sponsor the CSP at EC-112).  We are also waiting for sweet Pablo to turn 4 this summer so that he can enter the CDSP.  He has a family in America (us!) who already consider him ours!  We intend to sponsor him until he graduates from the CDSP at the age of 18, and if he is accepted into the LDP, we hope to sponsor him for that.  Understand that most children graduate from the CDSP at 18 and do not enter into the LDP.  Even if they do enter into the LDP, they usually are sponsored by a new family at that time.  But since we know now, we have 14 years to save!

I brought home two packets of children who are waiting for sponsors in Ecuador right now.  Both are older children (around 14, I believe) so they will graduate from the program in a few years.  It's a great way to get your feet wet with a sponsor child and to make a huge difference in a child's life during these very formative teenage years.  If you are interested in more info, please contact me.  I have their names, ages, and packets so you can begin sponsoring them right away.  Don't just make an emotional decision.  If God has stirred your heart with what I've written about Compassion and this trip, pray and ask Him if He'd have you take action in this way.  Obviously, when God stirs your heart, you most definitely should take some action.  God uses us all differently and when we each obey His direction, great things can happen.  If you are one of the two that God is urging to sponsor one of these children, email me asap.