It was 8am on March 23rd and already blazing hot outside. We parked the van a few blocks down from the development center where women and children gathered in the streets to welcome us. They were so full of life, so full of joy, singing and dancing in the streets! I remember thinking to myself, "it's way too early for this much excitement."I was unsure of what to expect, but I was very sure that I would never be the same.
It was at this center that I met a three year old boy and his mother. His name was Benedict. I did not catch his mother's name. He changed my life. I had the chance to play and talk with them that afternoon. They talked about their lives before Compassion came into the picture, and how their communities were transformed through Compassion's Child Survival Program. I learned so much from them. They taught me about joy, and how to have peace in spite of your circumstances. And their burdens were more than anyone should have to endure. Let me explain.
The areas surrounding the centers we visited were in extreme poverty. Burning piles of trash littered the streets. Homes were made out of whatever people could get their hands onto, and many of these areas were highly infected by HIV. I was amazed when we heard the testimony of another mother. She said "I came to Jesus because of the Compassion Child Survival Program. And while I have no husband and am HIV positive, I wouldn't change a thing." I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Through this experience, I learned that not only did children like Benedict get impacted through Compassion, but also entire communities were transformed! Compassion provides education to children like Benedict and his mother. They give the children health benefits, social skills, and vocational training. Through these programs, they also give mothers, or primary caregivers support when learning to nurture and raise their children. They teach these communities about hygiene and nutrition, how to start and maintain a business, and how to live a Christ centered life.
"IIn a world where more than a billion children live on less than U.S. $2 per day connecting one child with one sponsor is the most strategic way to end child poverty." When you sponsor a child living in extreme poverty, surrounded by hopelessness, you are communicating to that child that there is hope, and that he or she is important. Through gifts, prayers, and letter writing, these children can begin to have hope where hope was once lost. Not only do children benefit from this, but also the sponsors lives are changed. I am evidence of that. It was at this center that I found hope in a three year old boy and his mother. God was at work in Benedict's life, and in the lives of everyone touched by the ministry of Compassion. Truly, they are working to release children from poverty in Jesus' name.
After having this experience of traveling to Kenya, I am reminded daily of the beauty of the people I had met. What an amazing God we serve, that we can travel across the globe to worship him as one body, and to serve these children and families in need. And while I went there to try and change these people's lives, they ended up changing mine and impacting me in ways I'm still trying to understand. Oh. And by the way, remember at the beginning of this story, when the mother's and children were singing and dancing in the streets? They were singing in Swahili. We later learned that they were singing "You've traveled by airplane to get here, we'll carry you on our backs the rest of the way." And as I boarded a plane on March 27th to fly back home, I knew that I would never forget the people I've met, the things I've seen, and the places I've been. If you are interested in changing the life of a child. Go to www.compassion.com and begin the adventure of becoming more like Christ.
