In a town about 45 minutes outside Guatemala City at 2 pm, the stream of children began, flocking after school to the Compassion Project Center in their town. They come 2-3 afternoons a week for games, a meal, Christian teaching, songs, activities, and help with their school work. Today the lesson was about misericordia. Mercy.
I wrote earlier at NoelPiper.com about the intertwining of Compassion with adoption ministries that are close to my heart. Today I’ll add another–Joni and Friends, which is one of the reasons my attention is drawn to people with special needs. I saw among the children at least 2 boys who appeared to need extra help. A project center volunteer assisted one of the boys the whole afternoon. Mercy.
Later, I asked one of the Compassion staff people from the main office whether children with disabilities are included among those chosen to participate in the program. The answer is yes, and some people ask specifically to be connected with such a child. Mercy.
I realized that it wouldn’t be possible for anyone to sponsor a handicapped child unless a local project director invited the child into the program. That shouldn’t be taken for granted because, face it, other children would be easier for a busy staff to care for and teach. I went away with much gratitude and admiration for Lydia, this project director, who chose those 2 boys for the program. Mercy.
Here is a remarkable young man named Carter, who has an idea–a dream. As I listened to him, some specific ones of you came to my mind. I could easily imagine you rising to Carter’s challenge. Listen to him, please, with merciful hearts. Mercy.
Here are 3 children waiting as of today, according to the “Sponsor a Child” page. Might you be the one for one of them? Use the “Search for a Child” sidebar, choose “Show more search options,” at “Mentally/Physically Challenged choose “yes.”
__________
My travel photos may be viewed at my Shutterfly Share Site.
__________
Subscribe to Tell Me When To Pack. Use the links to the right or click here.
__________
If you make a purchase after you click on some of the product links in a post or after you use an on-line shopping link in the sidebar, I receive a small commission, which costs you nothing extra. I recommend only items that I think will be of interest to my readers and that I probably have used personally or wish I had.
__________
I hope you’ll also visit my other blog–NoelPiper.com
Just awesome Noel. thanks for bringing awareness to this issue.
What a beautiful story Carter has to tell.
I’m so glad you and Talitha can do this trip together.
Blessings,
Char
Hello, We wanted to thank you for sharing the video. This is Carters Dad, Corwyn, and Carter.
We never imagined it would be seen by so many. We pray that many kids around the world are sponsered/helped/healed and that God be Glorified.
May God Bless you and the Piper family bigtime!
As I mentioned, I asked about Compassion and children with disabilities. Bobby Claypool from the main Compassion office told me then about Carter’s video and the impact it had on the Compassion staff members when they watched it together.
Cory, Thanks so much for putting your creativity and heart and time into making the video. I predict that even more–many more–will see it and be moved to action of some sort.
I meant to say, CARTER, thanks for your creativity. And that goes for you too, Cory.