kristi and i have been talking about sponsoring a child for a while now, and i wanted to let you know that we made our commitment tonight. his name is muwonge bashir. if you meet him, give him a BIG hug for us.

we’re praying for you guys, anne… please keep the updates coming!

I’ve visited Compassion projects in four countries (Ecuador in 2002, El Salvador in 2005, Ethiopia in 2007 and now Uganda) and while there is a template and unchangeable essentials in Compassion’s ministry in all twenty-four countries where they work, there are also variables which can be adjusted, after much research and deliberation, to better fit the distinct needs and sociology of a given culture.

You’re asking, if I’m understanding correctly (forgive me if I’m not), whether it’s such a good idea to enroll one child in a family in Compassion’s ministry and let the others be left. First, no one is left out – more on that in a second.

Second, in Uganda, the answer is yes, it is best to enroll one child per family (with exceptions allowing for more children in a home to be sponsored.) We must try not to think like Westerners and instead think like Ugandans. Ugandans (not Americans in some distant office) made the decision to sponsor one child per home. Let’s, first of all, trust that they know what works best in their own communities.

Third, they do this, as they explain it to me, FOR equality – not to undermine it. When one child is sponsored the rest of the family reads the encouraging letters from the child’s sponsors, gets nutritional counseling, gets visited by the church/Compassion staff (all projects are church buildings staffed by highly trained church members and held accountable by Compassion International). Parents are taught how to read and taught a skill so they can be employed. The whole family benefits from home repairs and many many other aspects of Compassion’s care for the one child. No one is left out. Sponsoring one child helps the entire family. The research proves this…in Uganda.

By enrolling one child per household, Compassion can minister to more than 50,000 DIFFERENT families in Uganda at present…without there being more sponsors. That, they’ve determined, is the greatest impact Compassion can have on THIS country. Better to have 50,000 families living better lives than 10,000 living better lives and 40,000 dying. Makes sense right? But, again, this is not the way it’s done in EVERY country.

Sorry for the length, but I wanted to be clear and thorough. If I wasn’t, please e-mail me (shaungrovesfanmail@bellsouth.net) with any questions and I’ll get back to you shortly.

The American church is swayed by emotionalism. I think we need more than that. Because emotions change like the wind.

And Carole, I am doing something. My family is in the process of adopting a child from Ethiopia.