The difference

“What a difference a day makes, twenty for little hours”
This morning I woke up, after a nice and well needed lay-in, knowing that I could afford to take a day without doing any work or essay writing and still have food to eat later. We put some clothes in the washing machine and some dishes in the dishwasher before going out in our car. We felt safe on the road knowing that most people obey the Green Cross code and are sensitive and careful when they drive. I have fresh clean drinking water at the turn of a tap and electricity at the flick of a switch. I am currently wirelessly connected to the internet on my laptop whilst watching a DVD about worship and caring for the poor.
We have spent the last 10 days visiting people for whom all these things seem a distant dream if not an impossibility! Whilst we were in Ethiopia we “struggled” with inconsistent water supply for washing and having to drink bottled water. We had days when electricity was powered by a generator as the rest of the country had their power cut as the hydroelectric power supply was being conserved because of lack of rain!

What a difference sponsorship makes
Compassion works with the poorest of the poor and through its holistic approach to child development works to break the cycle of poverty. Some effects are instant and some take place over months or years but everything that Compassion does prepares the children for a better, healthier life and eternity. Over and over again we heard stories and witnessed how the skills and provisions Compassion supplied went on further than just the assisted children and affected their families and their communities. Graduates from Compassion projects and Compassions Leadership Development Program told us of their plans to effect their wider community and even the country.

What a difference a letter makes
Words of encouragement are vital to the development of children. When we asked them if we could see the letters they received from their sponsor they gave one of two responses. Either they rushed off to a "safe place" and produced a bundle of papers with a big smile on their face; or their face dropped as they informed us that their sponsor had never written to them! One response was heart warming and the latter was heartbreaking!

What a difference we should make
The DVD still playing in the background is currently saying “We must go live to feed the hungry, Stand beside the broken, We must go, Stepping forward keep us from just singing, Move us into action, We must go”. 1 John 3:16-18 makes it clear that just saying or singing words of worship is not enough, they need to be acted upon and lived out. When was the last time you wrote to your sponsored child? A few words will go a long way and will make a huge difference. If you do not sponsor a child please consider what God is saying to you about your responsibility to the poor. How could you live a bit more simply do that others can simply live?