When we decided to sponsor a child through Compassion, we chose a boy from Kenya. Some of our best friends are from Kenya and we knew that one day we would go and visit the country with them. When I talk with the boys about our Compassion child, Ambrose, I try to explain to them that the life he leads is very different from their’s. Their biggest worry is whether they will get the lego set they’ve wanted for Christmas. I remind them of the thank you note we received from Ambrose not that long ago. We had sent him money for his birthday. What did he receive? Flour, sugar, beans and a pair of pants. My kids ask, “Why did he get that?” “Because, that’s what he needed” I tell them.

I often think about what his home looks like, his neighborhood and where he plays ball. I recently watched a video of a man who went to visit a Compassion project in the Philippines. During the trip, he got to meet the boy he sponsors. I couldn’t help but cry as I saw the homes in which the children live. I think of what it must be like for the parents, knowing they can’t provide for their children. Could any American parent imagine their child living in houses amidst flood waters? The children swim around the houses in the bacteria ridden water. No parent wants that for their children. If it breaks my heart, I know it must break theirs as well.

For anyone unfamiliar with the work Compassion does for children around the world, please click here to watch the video. Consider opening your own heart to a child whose only hope of a future outside of poverty is the love of a sponsor.