Compassion

I'm so excited! I received my Compassion International sponsorship package in the mail today. I've sponsored a child before who grew up with Compassion and eventually became employed. So now I have a new child. His name is Lalon, 8 years old from Bangladesh.

As a Compassion sponsor I will help enable Lalon to participate in church-based programs that offer benefits including help with learning development, health care, social-skills development and Christian training. Bangladesh is 83% Muslim, 16% Hindu and less than 1% Christian. Typical houses are constructed of dirt floors, dirt walls and thatch roofs. Half the adults are unemployed, but the ones who work as day laborers earn the equivalent of $22 per month. So as you can see, people are in need there as in a lot of places.

It gives me joy to know that Lalon will now be provided with Bible teaching, supplements, medical checkups, hygiene education, recreational activities, special celebrations, tuition, academic support, school uniforms and school supplies.

I got this information from the packet Compassion sent me. According to Compassion less than 20 percent of donations are spent for fund raising and administration. They have received top ratings from the American Institute of Philanthropy and Charity Navigator.

Don sponsors a child also. We first learned about it when we went to a Vince Gill and Amy Grant concert a while back. She explained the process to the audience, and after some investigation, Don and I were hooked. I'll be writing Lalon a letter tomorrow and including a picture of myself along with a page from a coloring book. After all, he is only eight years old.

For anyone interested, Compassion's phone number is 800-336-7676. Click here for their website.