If you’re looking for family devotionals that bridge your home to the world, check out Compassion International’s free resources today.
Ashley Wilhelm could barely contain her excitement. She was finally going to meet Jeison, the little boy she had been sponsoring in a remote Ecuadorian village.
Jeison’s surroundings were not enviable. He lived amidst profound poverty—his home had dirt floors and was not nearly large enough for the number of people who lived there. But Wilhelm and Jeison’s meeting was an explosion of happiness amidst the bare conditions, their hugs and laughter filling the space with joy. And then, Jeison showed Wilhelm something she would never forget: All of the notes she had written him, meticulously preserved and treasured, kept pristine in an environment where little else was.
In the years since her visit, Wilhelm has learned that Jeison isn’t the only sponsored child who goes to great lengths to protect letters from Compassion International sponsor families. Wenuki in Sri Lanka stores hers in a bright orange case tucked safely in a wooden drawer in her one-bedroom home. Peruvian Mathias keeps his in a folder in the living room, opening it often to reread the kind words. Brothers Joseph and Holman in Nicaragua protect their letters in a plastic bag stored on the top shelf of their wardrobe.
While notes from sponsors are profoundly meaningful in the lives of the children who receive them, their effect is not one-sided. The blessing of a sponsorship relationship flows in two directions—from the sponsor to the sponsored and back again as all involved find themselves engaged in meaningful encouragement, discipleship, and spiritual growth.
Families who support children around the world are discovering that child sponsorship, prayer for the nations, and globally-minded devotionals are transforming them, too.
The Power of the Pen
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
The Bible is clear that words are a mighty tool. God’s spoken words bring creation into being, and Jesus himself is called “the Word.” Proverbs 18:21 tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Throughout the New Testament, Christians are exhorted to use our words to encourage each other, speaking in such a way that those who hear may experience grace.
As families write to sponsored children around the world and read the letters they receive in response, they experience the promise of Proverbs 25:11, which says “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Through Compassion International, sponsoring families and sponsored children alike write letters detailing the ways God is working in their lives. Younger children, whether sponsored or in sponsoring families, often draw and send pictures that depict their loved ones, the nature around them, or activities that bring them joy.
One Compassion International sponsor, Daina, recalls how letter writing grew gratitude in her children. Chris, their sponsored child in Uganda, walked more than three hours to go to the library, while Daina and her family’s library was just a one-mile drive down the road. But despite the distance, Chris was grateful for the opportunity to visit the library, among other simple joys. “Chris rejoiced over goats, beans, and rice,” says Daina. “This thankful heart impacted our kids—and me, too.”
Whether sharing the words of Scripture, writing praises or sorrows, or asking questions for the recipient across the world, the practice of exchanging letters with a sponsored child provides fertile ground for family-wide discussions about the things that matter most.
Jesus and Generosity
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”
Matthew 25:40
When five-year-old Evie learned about the numerous challenges facing Maribela, the child her family sponsored in the Philippines, she wanted to help her friend across the world beyond their monthly sponsorship. Maribela had endured hurricanes, earthquakes, and typhoons—all as coronavirus raged worldwide.
Evie set out to create and sell beautiful “kid art.” Evie raised $610 and spent every penny on food and supplies for children like Maribela. In another family, brothers Ben, William, and Jonathan—all under age eight—raised more than $8,000 for a child in Indonesia through a lemonade stand and digital fundraising efforts.
Efforts like these are as powerful as they are heartwarming. The problem of poverty can seem so immense and complex that many fear their efforts will be in vain. But the faith of a child trusts that God is great enough to enact change through the creative, diligent obedience of his people. It’s an example worth following.
As families consider their resources and opportunities for generosity, they can invite one another into conversations that encourage spiritual growth in parents and children alike. When children are compelled by the plight of their peers around the world, they reflect God’s character in their compassion for others and open the door to conversations about bearing the image of God. And when families work to raise awareness and alleviate poverty, they are serving Jesus himself—living out the very words of Christ.
Deepen Your Family’s Discipleship
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Child sponsorship is more than a monthly financial commitment or an opportunity to exchange letters with a global pen pal. It’s an opportunity for whole-person—and whole-family—discipleship. As parents drive children to doctor’s appointments, they can talk about the medical care that sponsorship enables, sharing that God cares about both our bodies and our souls. When homework is tough or school schedules get overwhelming, families can step back and find gratitude for the gift of education—and the gift of helping someone else experience it, too.
Compassion International equips families to engage in child sponsorship as an act of discipleship, providing resources for hands-on activities, shared devotional time, and a growing global perspective.
From preschoolers to grandparents, child sponsorship provides countless opportunities to grow in love for God and find a deeper understanding of his love for others. To learn more about how your family can participate in releasing children from poverty while engaging in rich family discipleship, visit Compassion International.
For more devotionals that will prompt meaningful discussions and offer action steps for being the hands and feet of Jesus, visit Compassion International.
Posted
