Compassion Month | The Story Behind the Picture

Compassion Blog Month is going strong, and so far over 1,750 children have been sponsored! That's amazing!!! Our goal this month is to find sponsors for 3,160 children. Will you help us reach our goal by helping to spread the word?

My assignment this week was to choose a picture and write a post about the story behind the picture.

I imagine that this beautiful young woman is Ashakiran. She lives in India, is eighteen years old, and has been part of the Compassion Sponsorship program for years. For years she has faithfully come to the child sponsorship center, worked hard in school, and received the benefits of nutritious meals, regular healthcare, and educational assistance. And on top of all of that, she has heard the truth of Jesus and became a follower of Christ in her early teen years!

Unfortunately, the family that sponsored her had to stop their sponsorship a few months ago. Ashakiran was so disappointed to learn that the family would no longer be writing her and was worried that this might mean that she would no longer be eligible for the sponsorship program. She worried that she might not be able to finish school and would need to find a job to help support her family.

However, God has continued to prove Himself faithful and she recently learned that a couple in the United States has chosen to sponsor her! The Compassion program staff took this picture just after they told her and her family that she was sponsored again.

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While my imagination has conjured up the story for this picture, older children like Ashakiran do need sponsors. Hubs and I sponsored Bob in Uganda for several years while he finished high school. We were so proud when he graduated from the program this spring! He is excited about his future, and we know that he will go far in life! Last month we committed to sponsor another older child, Olibri in Haiti. We are looking forward to getting to know him and pray that our relationship will encourage him as he finishes school and prepares for adulthood.

Would you consider sponsoring an older child? Or a child of any age? This is one of the most life-changing experiences I've ever had, and the best money I spend every month!

Oh ... and if you want to see what it's like when a family finds out that their child has been sponsored, watch this sweet video of a family in Ghana. Goosebumps!