"Every time you breathe in and breathe out, somewhere in the world a needy child dies from poverty," the ad stated. I remember thinking that such a statistic was a sad one, but I didn't have the money to sponsor a child...and, even if I could, how much difference could I make? If there was a child dying for every breath I took, did it really do any good to save one?
Years later, my host family in Spain told me the story of adopting their daughter from Ethiopia. "She was a 'poverty orphan',"they explained. "Her biological mother is still alive, as far as we know, but she signed her over to the orphanage because she couldn't afford to feed her or keep her off the streets. She hoped she would be better off at the orphanage."
As I sought to understand the worldwide orphan crisis on a deeper level, I realized that 'poverty orphans' or 'social orphans' are far more common than one would expect. In American culture, when we hear the word "orphan," we automatically picture a child who has lost both parents. However, throughout the world, many children living in orphanages or other institutions have living parents. Sometimes they are culturally expected to sign their children over to the government because of their financial or social status, sometimes the parents are caught up in crime or drug addiction, and sometimes (tragically) parents are tricked into signing their children over so that black market dollars can be earned. Often times, they are in poverty and hope that an orphanage will provide their children with daily food and shelter. In 2012, a survey of orphaned children in Honduras estimated that 54% of the children were actually social orphans who had been signed over or abandoned by their parents.
While an orphanage might provide for their physical needs, they cannot provide a child with the emotional support, one-on-one attention, or psychological nurturing that comes from a permanent family. Many of these children will temporarily escape poverty, only to slide back into it as soon as they age out of their national care systems.
The motto of Compassion International is, "Releasing Children From Poverty in Jesus' Name." Organizations like Compassion International seek to break the cycle of poverty by offering healthcare, education, and mentoring to children in need. When I signed up to sponsor a beautiful little girl from El Salvador in January, she was given the opportunity to attend school, have medical care and nutritious meals, and attend weekly Bible school with her peers. She is also able to remain with her family and does not have to fear being placed in an orphanage because of poverty. In a country where 4 out of 10 residents live in poverty and the rate of criminal activity is one of the highest in the world, I count it a privilege to be an influence on this little girl's life! I chose to promote Compassion International because their work goes right alongside my platform- they are preventing the spread of the orphan crisis by attacking one of its root causes: poverty.
The night took place at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. The church was hosting a training conference for junior high and high school students from all over the Midwest. We had a table set up with packets of information on specific children in need of sponsors.
The need feels overwhelming...
I wasn't expecting a huge response, with our target audience being teenagers. I was surprised and touched by how many teens approached our table, armed with creative ways to come up with the $38 a month needed to sponsor a child. Some planned to split the cost among their youth group or a small group of friends, others were willing to give up their hard-earned babysitting money so a child could have a better life.
Several of the packets carried a "Priority" or "High Risk" label, if not both.
Anyone who officially signed up to sponsor on the spot received one of these bracelets. The bracelets are designed by women who were rescued from exploitation.
One of my favorite parts of the evening was meeting Nancie, a former Compassion Child who now works full time at the Compassion headquarters in Colorado. Nancie was scheduled to speak to the entire conference on Saturday night, but she came over to our table to meet us and share her story.
"Once I was sponsored in Africa, I went to school every day, and they made sure that I received three good meals and got proper healthcare and hygiene," she explained. "On Saturdays, all the sponsored children would meet together for Bible training and mentoring, and we would receive meals there, too." Nancie went on to share the excitement of receiving a letter or birthday gift from her sponsor, and the Compassion workers helping her write letters back to her sponsor. "Today, I live in America and have a career, and I am able to help other children be free from poverty," she said. "I could not have done that without my sponsor."
Photo-op with Nancie!
I am so thankful for the work that Compassion International is doing for children in need. Through this ministry, children are being given a chance to remain in permanent families, and have hope for a brighter future! What a blessing to be a part of this cause, as a sponsor and as a titleholder!
If you are interested in learning more about sponsoring a child through Compassion, please visit http://www.compassion.com. As of today, the cost to sponsor is $38 a month. Most Americans spend more than that on their cable, coffee, new clothes, or entertainment. What would you give up if you could give everything to a child?
Be the Change,
~Hannah Appleton
Miss Bloomington International 2015
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