Compassion International, a child advocacy ministry, aims to “pair compassionate people with children living in extreme poverty to release the children from spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty.” The man who started this non-profit organization, Rev. Everett Swanson, traveled to South Korea to minister the people fighting in the Korean war. As he walked the streets, he was horrified to see a truck filled with what seemed to be rags, was actually a truck filled with bodies of dead orphans. After sharing his experiences, he was able to raise funds for his non-profit now known as “Compassion International.”
The goal of sponsoring a child is to help them grow and mature in every aspect of life in a beneficial environment, in Jesus’s name. The work this organization does is always through churches, nothing else. Not only do they work in child sponsorships, but they work on teaching mothers to develop their babies into future leaders and meet the needs for the children as they grow into adults. Other things they provide for children are youth development, critical needs, and compassion survival. Youth development entails “providing youth ages twelve and older with customized training and educational paths according to their own unique potential, and God-given talent and purpose. Compassion survival entails focusing “on promoting development and survival of the most vulnerable babies” and giving support and lessons on parenting to the mother. Finally, critical needs involves giving basic nutritional needs, repairing homes, providing clean and safe drinking water, education, etc.
Compassion International works out of five major regions, Africa, Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, and in twenty-five different countries. They thrive off of their three C’s to separate them from others. “Christ Centered, Child Focused, and Church Based.” They work out of churches in the surrounding areas and their goal is to help impoverished children become all that they can be through their God given talents.
Although very sad, the narrative of Everett Swanson’s discovery of dead orphans is definitely an effective way of promoting change. I love that Compassion International seeks to help children in every area of life. I like that you pointed out the importance of the three C’s, all centered around the Gospel.
Unwanted children are the most ignored people in the world. People make fun of big families and couples now a days don’t even want kids. The world no longer sees children as a blessing but a curse and the world is just getting over populated. Orphanages and foster care is very brushed under the rug and there is barely any light shed on it. This is an incredible story on how God can work through us and this is great to read how this man started something that goes against the grain of society and is helping Gods people. We are all brother and sisters of Christ and he is helping those who need it the most, just like Jesus preached.