Every great legacy begins with
A Single Moment Of Conviction
Every contributor to Compassion UK knows they are part of a huge and inspiring movement of God. Their faithful prayers, gifts, and words of encouragement are making an enormous difference to children’s lives.
A number of contributors in Tayside Christian Fellowship, including an Elder who is regularly invited to talk to churches through Scotland about the charity, know why they chose to support Compassion.
The charity began in 1952, on a war-torn street in Korea. Rev. Everett Swanson had flown to South Korea to minister to American troops fighting in the Korean war.
Watching city workers scoop up what looked like piles of rags and throw them into the back of a truck, he walked over to take a closer look. Swanson was deeply troubled to see that the ‘piles’ were not rags but frozen bodies of children who had died overnight on the streets.
On the plane home, Swanson heard a simple message resounding in his head. As the engines whirred, he felt the challenge, “What are you going to do?” “What are you going to do?” over and over again.
By the time the plane landed, Swanson had made a decision: God had moved him with compassion, so he needed to take action. Swanson knew he could not turn his back on these children. He took a stand, vowing to find a way to help them.
Kind words are the honey –
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16:24 (NLT)
He raised money to support Korean children and soon established a unique programme, linking each child with a caring individual whose generosity provided them with education, food, clothing, shelter and medical care.
Around the globe today, Compassion is releasing more than 2 million children from poverty in 25 developing countries. There are thousands of Compassion graduates who’ve been released from poverty and are bringing change to their families, communities and nations.
It all came from one moment of conviction. Yet the very same belief drives the charity today.
“So as you read this story, I hope you are inspired, refreshed and a little challenged. Like Everett I still recall the moment in Haiti when God spoke to me. I pray that people who discover more about the work of Compassion will also experience a similar moment of conviction”, Justin Dowds, Chief Executive Officer, Compassion UK and Compassion Ireland.
Sponsorship donations
Children and families who are assisted by Compassion don’t receive sponsorship donations as cash. Instead, children receive the holistic care they need to escape poverty and step into a bright, hope-filled future.
This includes nutritional support, opportunities for education, health checks and the love and care of the local church. The charity believes that developing children holistically will empower them to change their futures.
Last year, 88% of sponsorship donations were spent on charitable activities. 81% to directly benefit children in poverty and 7% for support costs. The remaining money spent was used to get the next child sponsored and to raise funds for life changing interventions.
You can find out more about Compassion UK by visiting their website at www.compassionuk.org
TCF thanks Compassion UK for the photographs and this feature mainly reproduced from its latest magazine for sponsors.