Compassion International lets you sponsor kids in third world countries to give them food, medical care, clean water, and the teachings of Jesus. For $38 a month! How cheap is that! Most folks could afford at least one!
But we sponsored two kids yesterday. Kwame, a 6 year old boy, and Martha, a 5 year old girl in Ghana.
We wanted to do this last year when 106.9 The Light (A radio station) did their Compassion Day where they promote the organization, and meant to… but we ended up kind of being lazy and never getting around to it. (Shamey, shamey.)
But this year, my wife and I both separately listened to the radio station doing their Compassion Day again all day long as we drove all over town running our various errands, and we both decided on our own that we wanted to do it. When we got home last night, my wife said, “I want to sponsor a child from Africa!” and I said, “Me too!” So we called Compassion International and made the plunge.
And Compassion is super cool, there’s all these other organizations they offer that you can make donations to help. From HIV/AIDS Initiative, to Disaster Relief, to providing bibles to mothers. You don’t even have to sponsor a child to help. You can do a one time donation or a monthly donation or whatever you want.
Pretty groovy, right?
Here’s some of the information from the kids we sponsored:
Location: Nteso, Eastern Region, Ghana
Your sponsored child lives in the village of Nteso, home to about 1,500 people. The primary ethnic group is Kwahu, and the common languages are Akan and English. Typical houses are constructed of dirt floors, cement walls and metal roofs. The regional diet consists of beans, cassava, cereal, bread, eggs, chicken and bananas.
Most adults in Nteso make a living by small-scale farming, working as day laborers on plantations, or selling goods in the market. The average family income is equivalent to less than $10 per month. This village has a lack of jobs, and many residents move to urban areas to find work. The community needs a playground for children.
Your sponsorship allows the staff of Nteso Anglican Child and Youth Development Center to provide your sponsored child with Bible teaching, food, growth monitoring, health screening, testing for HIV, vaccinations, hygiene training, school fees, books, uniforms, computer classes, career guidance, vocational training, soccer tournaments, music activities, leadership development and community service opportunities. The staff will also provide vocational training and lessons on child development, parenting and HIV/AIDS awareness for the parents or guardians of your sponsored child.
| General Information | |
| Population: | 1500 |
| Name Of Major City: | |
| Distance from Major City: | 143 |
| Environment | |
| Home floor typically made of: | Dirt |
| Home walls typically made of: | Brick/Block/Cement |
| Home roof typically made of: | Tin/Corrugated Iron |
| Warmest Month: | Feb |
| Avg. Temperature Of Warmest Month: | 36 |
| Coolest Month: | Jun |
| Avg. Temperature Of Coolest Month: | 22 |
| Climate: | Humid |
| Terrain: | Mountainous |
| Planting Month(s): | Mar, Apr, Jun |
| Rainy Month(s): | May, Jun, Jul |
| Harvest Month(s): | Sep, Oct |
| Hunger Month(s): | Feb |
| Economic | |
| Primary Occupation: | Day Labor, Petty/Market Trading, Plantation Work, Subsistence Farming |
How freaking sad is it that they have a ‘Hunger Month’??
And these kids are so cool. They go to school, they play soccer and games, they probably pick their noses, and they learn about Jesus… Pretty Sweet.
These are our two kids:
I wanna play with them.
And that’s possible too. You can actually travel to these countries (Okay, some of them I wouldn’t recommend it… but Ghana ain’t bad.) and meet your sponsored kids!
Oh, and they WRITE to you! They tell you about themselves, their families, what they like and don’t like, and how much your sponsorship means to them. And you can write back!
Awesome!
So check it out. It’s a great organization that’s been around some thirty plus years. It’s proven to help lift children and families out of poverty and introduce them to Jesus Christ.
Check it out, give if you can, and God Bless.
Gunpowder and Ink! 
Good for you guys! It’s awesome to see folks doing something to help others in a charitable manner.
Several years back I started a habit to add $8 cash to my wallet every Sunday evening. The idea is that every time I saw a person asking for money I would give a guy a single and a lady the five. Money was usually gone the first few days of the week as I drove back and forth to work. The reason the lady got the five was because I assume there is a higher likelihood of the lady being a single mother with young children to provide for rather than the guy being a single dad in the same situation. Some folks think that is unfair and that I’m stereotyping, but I based that assumption on the most of single parent statistics I’ve seen. I’m also aware a lot of folks think panhandlers are usually just scamming folks for easy money. That maybe true, but who am I too judge them. After all, I have no way of knowing the details of their individual situations. If they needed help, they got some. If they didn’t, well then I’m okay with being suckered out of a few bucks.
At the end of the day, I think the world could benefit from a little more charity.
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I think you’re ‘right on the money’!
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