Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Reflections on Being a Crazy Compassion Guy


"How can I turn away from the hurt of the world when I bear the Light of the world?" (Brianne McKoy) 

Since 2006 I have sponsored 85 kids with Compassion and visited 44 of them in 12 countries (32 mine, 12 on behalf of friends). I have spent thousands of dollars and travelled thousands of kilometres for the sake of a few hours with these precious children and their families. I have been met with deep affection and sometimes no response at all. I have seen their homes, communities and churches. I have taken them to supermarkets, restaurants, malls, zoos and fun parks, often for the first time. I have cried with them, prayed with them and revelled in their child-like joy and excitement.

In return I have received so much.




Such generosity and hospitality from those who have little to give. I have had parents give up their day of income earning just so they could meet me. I have had a father share with me the sweet liquid from a coconut which he would normally sell to feed his seven children. I have received gifts galore: drawings, paintings, photos, bags, drink bottles, t-shirts, hand-made scarves. All given with such love!

To me, the whole thing is a picture of the grace and mercy of God. Unearned, undeserved but given freely, generously and extravagantly.


So what can I do in response but try in my own small way to pass on and model that extravagant and generous love of God? Since 2009 I have chosen to spend six of my birthdays overseas visiting my Compassion sponsored children in Colombia, Brazil and the Philippines. Birthdays are generally self-indulgent days which are "all about me," but I was trying to flip it on it's head and make it "all about them."

In 2012 I took all ten of my sponsored kids plus their families to a fun park in Brazil and in 2013 I returned and celebrated at one of the Projects with a jumping castle, trampoline and cotton candy. To give these kids a day of joy, freeing them from the challenges of their daily lives and allowing them just to be kids, even for an afternoon was a profound privilege.





My Compassion journey has received a fair bit of publicity over the past few years, with articles, interviews and I've even published a couple of books. My single motivation as a Compassion sponsor and advocate has always been this: to share the love of Jesus with them. Not to raise myself up as some sort of hero or saviour, but to represent The One who alone can put an end to their sadness, hurts, fears and worries. The only One who can give them love, joy, peace, faith, freedom and hope for the future.

He must become greater, and I must become less.” (John the Baptist, John 3:30)

It’s all about Jesus, and as a Christian I am His hands and feet. He has equipped me, in partnership with Compassion and His church, to bring His light to the dark places.

In my travels I have come face-to-face with poverty and the impact that it has, not just on a person’s circumstance, but their soul and their whole outlook on life. I have been smacked around by it, angered by it, paralysed by it. Taunted by it, in my well-meaning quest to ‘save the world’: “You’re just one person. What can you possibly do to stop me?”

In reality, Satan is just bluffing. He knows that the love of Jesus is real, life-transforming and relentless and we demonstrate it through our actions. Through our regular letters, children are given words of life, hope, encouragement and love. If we are given the opportunity to visit, they know that someone cares enough about them to travel, often halfway around the world, to step into their lives and physically BE WITH them. Just like Jesus came to earth from heaven, God in human flesh, to BE WITH us.

So, just in case you’re still wondering WHY I and many other sponsors do what we do: it is worth every dollar spent and every kilometre travelled to share this message with my sponsored children and their families:

You are loved. You have infinite value and worth because you have been created in the image of God and you are special to Him. You are a supporting actor in His eternal story and He has created you with special gifts and talents that He wants you to use for His glory. Trust in God and never give up.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Compassion Trip #11: Brazil 2018


I have devoted the last twelve years of my life to sponsoring with Compassion International.
75 kids sponsored from 26 countries. I have also visited over 40 kids and their families in 12 countries.

In September 2018 I went on my eleventh trip, visiting Brazil for the fourth time. The trip looked different in a couple of ways to when I first planned it. The original plan was to take my wife Sharon with me, but when we found out she was pregnant earlier in the year we decided it was too risky for her health. I had also hoped to meet my sponsored child Ana Cristina one more time before she graduated, but I found out that she chose to leave the Compassion program and therefore I was unable to meet her.

11 of the 12 kids I visited on this trip were on behalf of friends, so on the surface this trip was "not about me." But given the amount of time and money I sacrificed, and due to my fallen humanity, I often made it about me. Internally I sometimes harboured attitudes of disappointment and frustration when things did not go as I expected or the kids did not respond as I'd hoped.


The Bible says that those who give to the poor are giving to God and He will repay them. On this trip I was repaid in full and then some left over. Everywhere I went I was the recipient of lavish and extravagant hospitality and love from staff and kids alike. I was welcomed and treated like some sort of hero when I don't really feel like I deserve it. Songs, dances, parties, smiles and hugs all especially for me. It was humbling

The reality these kids face is beyond anything we in the developed world can understand. Danger, violence and poverty are part of their daily lives. The children are so innocent and vulnerable, but through the church and Compassion they have a safe place where they are loved and can learn and grow. Compassion Projects are places of life, love, joy, peace and hope.

On this trip I visited 12 kids and their families at seven different Projects:

Visit Day #1 - Alice (BR110) on behalf of her sponsors Garry & Helen Zimmerman
I sponsored Alice until I moved to the Philippines in 2014 and her sponsorship was taken over by my friends Garry and Helen. I have visited Alice and her family four times


Visit Day #2 - BR453 (just Project visit)
I had visited this Project twice previously when I visited Jasmiel and his family on behalf of his sponsors Brian and Lisa Crawford. Unfortunately Jasmiel had moved away and was no longer going to the Project, but I asked to come back anyway because of my previous experiences at the Project.
 


Visit Day #3 - Gizelle and Estella (BR417) on behalf of her sponsors Hannah & Eric Hinojosa
I visited these two girls and their families on my previous trip to Brazil in 2016






Visit Day #4 - Sara, Dafyne, Weverton (BR417) on behalf of their sponsors Naomi Harrison, Bill & Karen Berry, Elizabeth Berry
I visited Sara and her family in 2016, and was visiting Dafyne and Weverton for the first time.









Visit Day #5 - Jessica (BR458) on behalf of her sponsors Amanda & Bruce Newton
I sponsored Jessica until I moved to the Philippines in 2014 and the Newtons took over the sponsorship. I have visited Jessica and her family four times.







Visit Day #6 - Larissa (me) and Emily (BR329) on behalf of her sponsors Leandro & Kes Candido
I was asked by my friends the Candido family to take a gift to their sponsored child in Brazil. The plan was to give it to the Compassion office and they would deliver it to the Project. Two days before the visit I looked at the gift and they had written her child number, which started with 'BR329.' I thought "Hey! I'm visiting BR329 on my birthday!" and was able to arrange to meet Emily and her mum at the Project. 











Visit Day #7 - Eduarda & Lara (BR322) on behalf of their sponsors Kayla Groth and Corinne Goodchild
This was my first visit to BR322 and it was a great day. Both girls were very responsive and friendly and the Project is a shining light in a dangerous community. We weren't able to visit Lara's home because it was too dangerous to go there.




Visit Day #8 - Lorene (BR432) on behalf of her sponsor Judy Myers
This was my first visit to BR432. The kids were curious and friendly and Lorene was bright, beautiful and talkative. After seven days of me having to drive all the conversations it was great to be able to sit back and listen to her talk.



Groups of Kids at the Project





































Fun and Games: I love to have fun, and I always take Uno, Dominoes and an Australian football along to the Projects. When I get the chance I jump on a guitar or a drum kit too.















Welcome & Birthday Stuff
I was overwhelmed by the love I received at each Project. Banners, processions, songs, dances and cakes all for me. It was very humbling.