I once heard the definition of compassion as: Love in Action. I love that!
We can say we have compassion for others, especially those less fortunate, but the proof is often in the action that follows.
One obvious way of showing love and compassion is to sponsor a child...something I firmly believe EVERY Western Christian should be doing....in fact every Western citizen should be doing.
Last night I had the privilege of hearing Satish Kumar speak about his life in India as a child sponsored through Compassion. Learn more about Compassion here.
Satish is now 22 and working for Compassion, in the same project he was sponsored through for many years. His story is quite incredible, but sadly, not unusual in India - or many other developing countries.
Satish spent his early years selling vegetables on the streets with his father, who would then spend all he had earned on alcohol before heading home to beat his wife. Satish's mother worked in a hot, small shed for 9 hours a day packing pickles into jars and labelling them. For this, she was paid less than a dollar a day and subjected to more beatings from her husband who was embarrassed by his wife working...something that culturally in India was not acceptable. The children often went hungry, resorting to picking through rubbish in the streets or stealing from others. They wore torn clothes, had no shoes and could not afford schooling for all four children.
Satish's father committed suicide when he was just nine, burning the family shack and all their possessions in the process. By then Satish was attending a Compassion project and the staff and local pastor promised to help Satish and his family at this extremely difficult time.
True to their word, they did and with the added sacrifice of Satish's brother quitting school to work for the family, Satish was able to continue at school, graduating first in his class. At 14 he had also given his life to Jesus and noticeable changes were happening. Eventually, through working voluntarily at the project, Satish's mother and sisters became Christians too.
With the grades to go to university but no funds to pay for tuition, Satish looked to find a job after school was finished. But Compassion sponsors again stepped in to provide a 'miracle' for Satish.
I love this part of his story! Through Compassion's leadership development program, a 19 year old girl in the US sponsored Satish through his university studies. 19!!! And phenomenally, this 19 year old was working for 4 years to pay for the cost of Satish's sponsorship, rather than going to university herself. Her plan was to begin her degree once Satish had completed his and she could then afford to pay for her own studies. Now THAT is COMPASSION!
Satish graduated with Honors in a business degree and worked with 2 large companies, where his wages far eclipsed anything he had every seen or earned before. But God has called Satish back to his home community to work with Compassion to love and encourage and help children.
His story is powerful. It is challenging too. It reminds me that around $40 a month makes an astounding difference in the life of a child, his/her family, community and nation. $40....a haircut, a new shirt, 2 movie tickets with popcorn and a drink, weekly 'treats' in the grocery trolley....
I urge you to consider joining with Compassion or like-agencies to sponsor a child. Your love, money, prayers and letters won't cost you much time, effort or energy, yet they will have an impact for Eternity.
A heart of compassion.....how's your heart rate today?
