I Am Free

I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jay who appears in the video. He is an amazing individual. See his story here:

Then head over to Compassion and set a child free! Thank you.

Sometimes a Pastor Has Something Good To Say

Now, go here and start a relationship that will bless you and a bless a child.

SPONSOR A CHILD TODAY!

Creating Change

One of the reasons I am proud to be associated with Compassion International is because of their commitment to always work through local churches. After watching this video be sure to head on over to the Compassion site and sponsor a child whose life will be changed through the ministry of the local church.
Compassion's Commitment to the Church from Compassion International on Vimeo.

It's a lie...

I recently read this quote and just had to share. This is from Dr. Wess Stafford, former Compassion President:

 At its very core, poverty is a mindset that goes far beyond the tragic circumstances. 

It is the cruel,  destructive message that gets whispered into the ears of millions

 by the enemy Satan himself: "Give up! You don't matter. Nobody cares about you.

 Look around you: Things are terrible. Always have been, always will be. Think back.

 Your grandfather was a failure. Your parents couldn't protect or take care of you

. Now it's your turn. You, too, will fail. So just give up!"

Please don't allow this lie to continue to be told to these beautiful children who by no fault of their own find themselves in the grips of the destructive force of extreme poverty.  

PLEASE SPONSOR A CHILD TODAY!

These children no longer are listening to the lie that poverty tells them.  They are worthy. Someone does care for them.

What will it take?

Saying goodbye.

By now if you've been reading my blogs then you know that I'm trying desperately to get just 41 new sponsors for children through Compassion International. Yesterday, I tried to convince people to sponsor by pulling out the big gun - Scriptures. I've showed pictures of one of the children we sponsor that I met just a couple of weeks ago in Bangladesh. I've even offered to eat a bowl of broccoli if the goal of 41 new sponsors is reached and I HATE broccoli.

Today though I'm asking for your help. I'm asking what you would do to convince others to sponsor? I'm also asking what would you need in order for you to become a child sponsor? What would you like to know? What would it take to get you to change the life of a child in need?

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.  As always, let me encourage you to SPONSOR A CHILD and to please pass this along. Thank you and God bless.

Not fully home yet...

Well, it's been a while since I've added to this blog. So here is a brief update.

A few weeks ago I started a little campaign that I called 41 for 41. The intention is to get 41 new sponsors for children through Compassion International before my 41st birthday which is March 8th. I made a few post about this and then perhaps it looked like I just stopped, died, or simply stepped off the earth for awhile. Well, none of that is true. The fact is that I went on a trip to Bangladesh where I had the opportunity to meet, eat with, play soccer, play cricket,and to dance with some of the wonderful children who are not just surviving but are now living because they are sponsored through Compassion. I've been back home now for a while but have found it difficult to write (although I will be sharing more of this great trip later) because frankly I'm not fully home yet. Truth is part of me is still in Bangladesh. Part of me who had the chance to laugh, cry, and hug these wonderful children is still there but with the added pressure of not actually being there. There is the desire to be there and to protect them from the harsh realities of the world that they must live in.  Never the less, I'm here far away and detached. This is something that I'm still struggling to process.  All of this is further complicated by my desire to be fully home for my family here. We must never forget the present of being present.

So I am home, but not fully home yet. Perhaps the remedy is found in extending my definition of home. One of the last things I said to Munna, our sponsored child, before we left was that he is family. So perhaps I will never by fully home or perhaps my home is in North Carolina, Florida, Ethiopia, and now Bangladesh. I'd like to encourage you to extend your heart and to extend your home. Extend your family to a child that is perhaps half way around the world. Extend your love to a child by sponsoring today. 

Finally, when you do sponsor a child will you please send me a message so I know how close we are to reaching the 41 for 41.  And would you be so kind to help share this with others as well. Thank you and God bless.

                                                       SPONSOR A CHILD HERE!

Family

 

I'm willing to make this interesting...

So yesterday I launched a birthday wish campaign that I'm calling 41 for 41.  For my 41st birthday on March 8th I'm looking to get 41 children sponsored through Compassion International. Now I've decided to up the ante.  For everyone who knows me you also know that I absolutely despise broccoli but I will eat it for the kids!  That's right, if I can get 41 children sponsored before March 8th then I will eat, record, and upload a video of me eating a bowl of broccoli.  Now come on folks, that's pure entertainment.

So again I'm asking that you do 3 things:

1. Sponsor a child through Compassion!

2. Share this with everyone you know!

3. Message me that you have sponsored a child so I can keep track of the numbers (by the way, Compassion tracks these numbers too so no cheating here just to get me to eat broccoli).

Thank you and here's to eating some broccoli!

41 for 41

In just under 4 weeks I'll be turning 41. I'm not one for really celebrating my birthday in a big way. Usually just a simple dinner with my family is all I really want. However this year there is something that I really want but it will take quite a few people to make it happen. It will take you who are reading this to not only respond but to help in passing on the birthday request to your social circles as well.

For my birthday this year I want to see 41 children sponsored through Compassion International.  Compassion works to release children from extreme poverty in Jesus' name.  In just a few days I'll be traveling to Bangladesh to see first hand the work that Compassion does and how it is impacting the lives of children, their families, and their communities. I look forward to being able to share what I see and learn on this trip. However I don't need to be on the trip to tell you that I have been involved with Compassion for years. Compassion is Christ centered, child focused, church based, and committed to integrity. I know not only from the over 10 years of 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator but more importantly from the letters we have received from our own sponsored children that Compassion is a program that works.  That children who once had no hope now have hope and a future.

I'm turning 41 this year and I want to celebrate with 41 children who are now being sponsored through Compassion.  Please help me reach this birthday goal by doing these 3 simple things:

              1. Sponsor a Child using this link - Compassion!

        2. Pass this birthday wish on by posting on FB, 
            twitter, etc.

        3. Please either leave me a comment here, on FB, 
            or email me and let me know that you have 
            sponsored a child. 

Thank you for making this the best birthday yet not only for me but for 41 children around the world.

Just a Comparison

I thought I'd take just a moment to share a little side by side comparison of the life in the United States of America to life in Bangladesh.  Enjoy the facts and then head over the Compassion site to find a child whose life you can change forever.  

	Bangladesh	United States
Capital	Dhaka	Washington, D.C.
Population	156,050,883 (July 2010 estimate)	307,212,123 (July 2010 estimate)
Languages	Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English	English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
Religions	Muslim 89.5%, Hindu 9.6%, other 0.9% (2004)	Christian 78.5% (Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%), Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)
Literacy rate Definition: Age 15 and over can read and write.	Male: 54% Female: 41.4% (2001 Census)	Male: 99% Female: 99% (2003 estimate)
Percentage of population using improved drinking water sources	Urban: 85% Rural: 78% (2006 estimate)	Urban: 100% Rural: 94% (2006 estimate)
Percentage of population using adequate sanitation facilities	Urban: 48% Rural: 32% (2006 estimate)	Urban: 100% Rural: 99% (2006 estimate)
Climate	Tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)	Mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the Great Plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are warmed occasionally in January and February by chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Percentage of population urbanized	27% (2008 estimate)	82% (2008 estimate)
Life expectancy	Male: 57.57 years Female: 63.03 years (2010 estimate)	Male: 75.65 years Female: 80.69 years (2010 estimate)
Under-5 mortality rate	54/1,000 (2008 estimate)	8/1,000 (2008 estimate)
GDP per capita	$1,500 (2009 estimate)	$46,000 (2009 estimate)
Monetary unit	taka (BDT)	U.S. dollar (USD)
Number of people living with HIV/AIDS	12,000 (2007 estimate)	1.2 million (2007 estimate)
Percentage of population living below $1.25 a day	50% (1992-2007 study)	Data not available

Sources for facts: The World Factbook, 2010; The State of the World's Children, 2009

Life in Bangladesh

It won't be long now before I head off to Bangladesh with Compassion International.  Before I go I thought I'd share this little write up on life in Northeastern Bangladesh where the boy that we sponsor lives.  This information comes from Compassion:

Many of the people living in the villages of northeastern Bangladesh are from the Garo tribe. Known for their honesty and industrious spirit, most Garos earn a living by farming. Many of them work on larger farms as day laborers. However, despite their hard work, they earn only a meager wage, insufficient to provide for their children’s basic needs.

Garos typically live in houses made of bamboo, straw and mud. Those who are better off have houses with brick walls and tin roofs. As a rule, these simple houses lack electricity, running water and adequate sanitation facilities.

Unlike the majority of Bangladeshis, who are Muslims, most Garos practice Christianity, and in the northeastern region, Compassion partners primarily with local churches in Garo villages to minister to their children.

Garos typically build their homes with bamboo and straw. Some houses have mud-made walls with a roof of straw or plastic sheets. The houses are 7 by 14 feet in size, and usually house five or six people. Most homes have front yards where families keep their pet cows, chickens and ducks.

                                            Oh yea, now please go and SPONSOR A CHILD!

Also this week Natalie Grant left the Grammys early...

One in six children 5 to 14 years old — about 16 percent of all children in this age group — is involved in child labor in developing countries.

In the least developed countries, 30 percent of all children are engaged in child labor.

Worldwide, 126 million children work in hazardous conditions, often enduring beatings, humiliation and sexual violence by their employers.

An estimated 1.2 million children — both boys and girls — are trafficked each year into exploitative work in agriculture, mining, factories, armed conflict or commercial sex work.

The highest proportion of child laborers is in sub-Saharan Africa, where 26 percent of children (49 million) are involved in work.

Also this week Natalie Grant left the Grammys early - priorities.

Sponsor a Child Today

Reaching 400...

Today is the last day that the team from Compassion will be in Uganda blogging about their experience there.  I mentioned yesterday that it is our hope that during this time that 400 children will find their sponsors.  I urge you to go to this link and to sponsor a child today.  Below you'll see a video of 13 year old Pastor Amon giving thanks for the sponsors that have changed his life and the life of the more than 200 children at this Compassion Center.  Watch it and then SPONSOR A CHILD!  Thank you.

Ordinarily Spectacular

In my past couple of posts I've shared that there is currently a team of Compassion bloggers who are in Uganda visiting a Compassion Child Development Center and then blogging about their experiences.  One thing that I have not mentioned is that during their time there we have a goal of seeing that 400 children find sponsors.  I won't say much today because I really just want you to go this blog by Myquillyn Smith.  In it you'll see just how the ordinary act of compassion with integrity is so spectacular.  When you are done reading be sure to follow this link and SPONSOR A CHILD!

Thank you and God bless!

Calling on the Men...

As I wrote to you yesterday, right now there is a team of Compassion Bloggers in Uganda who are visiting a Compassion Child Development Center and are sharing their experiences each day.  I want to share with you one particular blog from today but before I do I want to tell you why I'm sharing this one.  In the blog you'll read a great story that conveys the need for men to be involved in the work of Compassion.  This is a concern that I have had for a couple of weeks now.  As you know I'll be traveling on my own Compassion trip soon going to Bangladesh. The team that I'll be traveling with is overwhelmingly made up of women.  I've noticed too that the team on the trip to Uganda is primarily women. Now I obviously don't won't to get into a big discussion on women and their role in ministry. Nor do I want to in anyway diminish the wonderful role that women have in sponsoring, working with, and changing the lives of children through Compassion. In fact, my experience with Compassion is that women are the backbone and the core of Compassion sponsors.  However as this blog by Brianne McKoy there is a special place and a special need for men to take an active role in providing hope and love to these wonderful children in need.  With that said please take a moment to read Brianne's blog and more importantly take a moment to find a child whose life you can change forever - Sponsor a Child Today.

Follow Compassion

As most of you know I'll be traveling soon to Bangladesh with Compassion International where I'll get the chance to see first hand the work of Compassion.  Also, on the trip I'll get the chance to meet the young boy that my family sponsors. I cannot wait for this amazing opportunity. However, there is still a couple of weeks before I leave and in the mean time I wanted to let you know of another Compassion trip that is taking place right now in Uganda.  This trip is featuring Compassion bloggers who are blogging about their trip everyday.  It is a wonderful opportunity for you to hear first hand accounts of what Compassion is doing and how the lives of children in extreme poverty are being changed.  I encourage you to read their stories and then to sponsor a child.

What Does Success Look Like?

In light of yesterday's post on heroes and "Why We Wanted Tebow to Succeed" I thought today I'd simply share a video from Compassion International on success and what it looks like.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.
  
                  

Don't Mess With the Shoes!

I know this is going to step on a few toes but I just wanted to share this as something to consider.  A quick search online and a little math reveals that between shoes, hair, and cosmetics the average woman will spend around $112 a month.  Now sure hair, makeup, and shoes are important but just consider that for less than half of that amount ($38 a month) the life of a child can be rescued from the grips of extreme poverty.

Just something to think about...

       While you're thinking head on over to Compassion to see the children you give hope to.

My Life Was Changed

Now that you have seen the video go to Sponsor a Child and see the children whose lives you can change.

What do I say?

When faced with the task of trying to get others to sponsor a child through Compassion International the task can seem rather daunting.  After all, you are asking people to do something that they are not generally inclined to do - part with their money.  More specifically you are asking them to part with their money for what may seem to be no return.  At the end of this transaction you want be handed a plastic bag full of stuff for you to take home and watch, listen to, wear, or eat.  The most tangible item that you will receive are letters from your child. 

So then when it comes to asking people to sponsor a child the question becomes, what exactly do I say that will convince someone to, at the very least, look at the children who need sponsored? This is then followed by more questions:  Do I appeal to your desire to help one less fortunate?  Do I try the ol' guilt trip?  Perhaps I should offer stories of the lives that have been changed by sponsorship?  Do I speak about Compassion's integrity and their consistently high ranking as a charitable organization?  Do I begin to quote the many scriptures that speak to helping the poor?  Do I talk about the change it will make in your life as you form a relationship with your child and watch them grow?  Maybe I should talk about the opportunity sponsorship gives for you to teach your children the values of caring for others, sacrifice, and of sharing Christ?  Maybe I need to speak to all of these issues.  But right now all I can really think to do is to beg for you to change the life of a child in poverty and to plead with you to at least go and take a look at some of the children in need.

Please go to Sponsor a Child and read about the children who need your help.  Take time to pray for them and allow for God to direct your heart to sponsor one of these precious children.

Thank you and God bless.
- John

Help a Child

The What and Why of Sponsorship

In my last post I explained that Compassion International has declared the month of September to be "Blog Month!"  During this time Compassion is seeking to have over 3000 children sponsored.  This begs the question of just what is sponsorship?

From Compassion's website the following information can be found:

"The hallmark of Compassion's work is one-to-one child sponsorship. A sponsor is someone who has made the decision to personally invest in the life of a child in need. Through sponsorship, children are able to participate in a church-based program that offers life-changing benefits that range from educational opportunities to health care.

The children Compassion serves receive, among other things: the opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus; regular Christian training; educational opportunities and help; health care, hygiene training and supplementary food if necessary; a caring and safe Christian environment to grow in self-confidence and social skills; personal attention, guidance and love."

However, if you ask me what sponsorship is I'd have to say that it is hope.  A child in the grips of extreme poverty is inside an ever turning cycle of struggling to survive with little to no hope of anything ever changing.  When a child is sponsored that child and the child's family is given hope that the child has a future with choices.  A future in which one can go from merely surviving day to day to thriving.  Most importantly they now have hope in that God is at work and that He is working through His Church.

The question now is will you be willing to give a child HOPE?

Click on Sponsor a Child to sponsor a child today.