Child Sponsorship - Why I Chose Compassion Canada ( International)

We’ve all seen the TV ads . We usually turn the channel right away. Not because we’re heartless but maybe because we can’t stand to see the suffering… or we don’t know what effect we could possibly have on it. 

Maybe its because they seem to be begging for money – and we don’t really like that. We’ve heard the stories of so-called charities who are actually just lining their own pockets – and this is probably just another one  of those.

Of course there’s also the realities of making ends meet – this is understandable. And then there are the selfish reasons – but I’ll leave that between you and your Maker. Because this is no guilt trip folks – it’s a reality check.. its an opportunity.. it’s a reward.

Feeding, educating and loving children in the third world is all of those things and, of course, more. Sponsoring a child through a reputable organization is a wonderful thing – for you and for the child and their family.

We talk about investing our money - think about the intangible priceless returns of investing in another human being!

My wife and I  have chosen an organization called Compassion International 

( specifically Compassion Canada) for a variety of reasons. Whatever organization you choose I believe that organization needs to fill the physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual needs of the child – if the last three are not met then its just survival.

We have been with Compassion for about 8 years now and have never once been disappointed with the way our money , our sponsor child or we, ourselves, have been handled.

We recently gave our sponsor child a birthday gift of $50 (Canadian) last July - she just wrote back and thanked us for the $441,001.00 Rupiah....  this puts things in perspective for me.  I really do have the extra money, I think most of us do if we really committed to it.... 

Whether we are teenagers, young adults, married with children or seniors.

I think one of the main reasons people hesitate to donate money to overseas efforts is that they are just not confident that their money will reach those in need and actually make a difference.


 Because of Compassion's reputation of integrity and their holistic appraoch to helping children through a local church and indigenous people of that specific country - it really works. 


 For the financials and ratings you can see below why it is wise stewardship of your money , the child's care and , ultimately, God's glory and Kingdom. 


 For a real life testimony of people who have been through the program as children and are now successful healthy adults - please see the video below - it is truly amazing.

CNN's money man, Clark  Howard , advised that if you are thinking of giving to a charity to check out their rating with two specific watchdog organizations - The Better Business Bureau Charity and Charity Navigator. You can find both reviews at the links below.

 BBB Wise Giving Alliance Both Compassion International and Compassion Canada meet all 20 standards of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and are accredited charities with the BBB.

Better Business Bureau Review: 

Charity Navigator notes that this organization receives $0 in government support. and rates it  4 out of 4 stars.

Charity Navigator Review: 

After reading the above reviews, it is undeniable that Compassion has one of the best reputations - secular or Christian .  Now take a few minutes to watch this video. it has the unique quality of looking back at children who have grown through Compassion and the local church and are now adults...

For a further look into Compassion - visit their website at http://www.compassion.ca/index.asp

and specifically the "Why Compassion?" page here

Here is a taste of what you'll find:

Releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name

As the world’s leading Christian child development ministry, Compassion is committed to eliminating the root causes of poverty for children around the globe. Our passion and purpose reside in our unwavering commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ and the ability of His Church to execute His command to serve the poor.

In response to the Great Commission, Compassion exists as an advocate for children to release them from their spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.

Compassion is Distinctly Christian

Compassion’s ministry is distinctly Christian. Our child development programs are unique in that they are:

• Christ-centred
• Child-focused
• Church-based

" Each person is created in God’s image and bears God’s Likeness. Jesus treated everyone with respect and willingly gave His life for the redemption of all people. Therefore, all people are worthy of our respect and love."

Here's the list of the children who have been waiting the longest:    http://www.compassion.ca/child_list.asp?linkid=74

Evangelical : Why I Am and Am Not One

With the term "evangelical" being thrown about so much these days I thought it might be a good time to update and re-post this blog....

When the "E" word is used it can bring up any number of thoughts and emotions, depending on the connotation it has in any given culture or society. In North America - that connoatation is getting branded in a  worse and worse manner. And sometimes rightly so.

However, we all must be careful of building a "Straw Man" argument against any group of people. That is, taking the most extreme ( and thus often the worst) examples and using them to label and portray what the larger group is really like. This will always result in a false reality, ignorance and often hate.

I know many who would fall under the label of “Evangelical”. Sure there are some that don’t really understand some of the modern issues we face and are opinionated about it but then again that describes most of our grandpa’s - but I still love mine.

Most of the “Evangelicals” I know though are well reasoned people, educated, and full of love for Jesus Christ and for their neighbours, the poor and needy and even their enemies. 

At the very least, they are no worse than anyone else.

My pastor recently recounted a story of when he was speaking to an Arab man in Israel. The man asked him  "What "variety" of Christian are you?" . My pastor answered "Evangelical" but when the Arab man said "O yes I know what kind that is..." and then proceeded to explain something that my pastor certainly was not nor desired to be  - well, my pastor started thinking maybe he should be careful about using that term.

At the very end of this article I’ve listed the statement of faith of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. I agree with it wholeheartedly -  You may not agree with it and that is your right.   But you need not hate them - because I know the vast majority do not hate you.  

It is possible to deeply disagree with someone and 
still deeply love them.

My real point though is this though -  although I firmly believe in that same statement of faith, I am very much an individual with freedom of thought, faith and reason.

I understand the desire to categorize and label everything but, although I am certainly not ashamed of what I believe,  I do not like to be pigeon-holed as “Evangelical”.

I simply believe in the Bible and believe in and follow Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  

I am simply a Christian, a disciple of  Jesus Christ. 

“So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”  Acts 11:26

Nothing more, nothing less.

I will most gladly be labeled as that!

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Affiliates of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada agree on the following statements:

• The Holy Scriptures, as originally given by God, are divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and constitute the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

• There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• Our Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh; we affirm his virgin birth, sinless humanity, divine miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, ongoing mediatorial work, and personal return in power and glory.

• The salvation of lost and sinful humanity is possible only through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, received by faith apart from works, and is characterized by regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

• The Holy Spirit enables believers to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ.

• The Church, the body of Christ, consists of all true believers.

• Ultimately God will judge the living and the dead, those who are saved unto the resurrection of life, those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

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P.S.   One depiction of an “Evangelical” on TV that I really enjoy is Sheldon’s mom off the Big Bang Theory. She, of course, is the ultimate stereotype, always reminding her Vulcan-like son to think about what Jesus would do.

“Leonard, the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. Luckily He blessed me with two other children who are as dumb as soup.”  

But I have to admit – its hilarious.  And at the end of the day, everyone turns to her when Sheldon’s really gone off the map.

But speaking of ultimate stereotypes (or strawmen) , that’s usually what I see in the media when they reference “Evangelicals”.  I especially notice that in the U.S.  ( especially the Southern U.S.), there seems to be a very great polarization and we often only see the extremes.

Canada is a little more laid back.