Compassion International
Walter's Story
About a month before I joined The Ascension Quartet I decided to sponsor a child through Compassion International. I picked a child named Noel that shares my birthday of December 25th, Christmas day. Noel lives in Togo which is an African country next to Ghana on Africa's western coast. The average wage there is just over $30/month. Can you imagine trying to survive on so little money? Its been quite a joy to have Noel in our lives and we enjoy exchanging letters with each other. I keep his picture where I can easily see it so he's always there for me to think about. He always draws me a picture that is sent with his letters and I can't wait for the next one to come in the mail or now via the Compassion website. That one child that we sponsored some 6 years ago has now turned into 10 children that we sponsor all around the world. We now have children that we sponsor in the following countries.
For us it's a joy to know that we are sowing seeds, all around the world, seeds of hope, seeds that will grow and blossom into men and women that will change the world where they are and perhaps some day make a difference here as well. Won't you join us? Use the link below to sponsor a child of your own. 
The Ascension Quartet
Wayne and Walter started talking about a desire to have the group sponsor a child not long after they took over management of the quartet. Individual members of the group sponsor children but we wanted to take it a step further. We believe in Compassion or else we wouldn't be involved with them. When we do a presentation about Compassion International we stress that we believe that when a child gets sponsored someone gets saved. It might be that child, a parent or sibling but we believe someone will come to know Christ as Lord and Savior because of that child being sponsored. We decided we wanted the group to act as a whole on what we're asking others to do.
Sponsoring children isn't something we just talk about, we participate and we believe that this is a way to change the world, one child at a time. By breaking the stranglehold that poverty has on people and introducing them to Jesus Christ hope is once again found where there was none. An education is possible, medical care is possible and a healthy meal is possible where, in many cases, none existed before. We looked through the packets that we had on hand and chose a child from a country I don't think I'd ever heard of before. We sponsored a little boy from Burkina Faso. Our little boy, Ange, lives on the plains of Gaoua-Youmpi, home to approximately 900 residents. Typical houses are constructed of dirt floors, mud or brick walls and tin roofs. The regional diet consists of maize, beans, fish, bread and beef. A common health problem in this area is malaria. Most adults are unemployed but some work as day laborers or subsistence farmers and earn the equivalent of $20 per month. Our sponsorship allows the staff of Evangelical Protestant Church of Youmpi to provide Ange with Bible teaching, vaccinations, sports and life skills training. Why should I sponsor a child through Compassion International when there are children here in the United States that need help?
I've heard this question asked before and its a fair question. The Bible tells us in Mark 16:15 that we're to go into ALL the world preaching the gospel so the real answer is, I think, that we should do both. There are organizations in the United States, faith based and otherwise, that do work similar to Compassion International and they deserve to be supported. Compassion International is an organization that is going into ALL the world. The United States, according to the United States Census Bureau accounts for about 4.4% of the world's population as of this writing. of the 7.5 Billion people on the earth, between 70% and 80% (depending on whose figures you use) of the earth's population lives in poverty. Those who have escaped the grips of poverty should, I think, do their best to help others escape this curse as well and Compassion International is one of the best ways I know of to accomplish that task. The added benefit is the people that we sow into are shown the hope and love that comes through Jesus Christ. Will you help break that curse of poverty in someone's life today? Without your help many will continue in the cycle of poverty that has plagued their families, in some cases, for many generations. If you'd like to help change the world, one child at a time, click on the banner below to find the child that you'd like to sponsor. -Walter Hayes |
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One Act
Not sure that you can make a difference? Watch the video below to see how your one act of sponsoring a child can make a lifetime of difference.
Not sure that you can make a difference? Watch the video below to see how your one act of sponsoring a child can make a lifetime of difference.
If you've decided to sponsor a child of your own we congratulate you. Just click on the graphic below and you'll be directed to the Compassion International website where you can register and find the perfect child to sponsor. Thanks for joining us in changing the lives of children around the world.
Want to check Compassion International out for yourself. Go to http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/36-2423707/compassion-international.aspx and get information on Compassion and what they're doing as well as read reviews from folks that have and are working with Compassion to change the world, one child at a time.