Learn more about how we partnered with Compassion centers to share these photos and updates.
You received this update because we want you to feel even more connected to your sponsored child’s life. Along with brand-new photos from their Compassion center, this special update gives you a big-picture look at the ministry your sponsored child is part of and how God is moving across their country.
This year, we invited Compassion’s national director in your sponsored child’s country to share what God is doing through supporters like you — from answered prayers and ministry celebrations to the hopes and priorities for the year ahead.
As the leader overseeing Compassion’s work across the country, they can offer a unique perspective on how children are being supported and encouraged to grow in every area of life — mind, body and spirit. We hope this update reminds you just how meaningful your sponsorship truly is.
First off, thank you! We’re so excited for you to hear from each of their national directors and see what’s happening in their Compassion centers.
To see your other sponsored children’s special updates, scroll to the bottom of any child’s webpage update you received. There, you’ll find links to the rest of your updates. You’ll see several children’s updates at a time, and if you sponsor many children, each new update you open will show more links at the bottom to explore.
We hope you enjoy seeing how God is working in each of your sponsored children’s lives through their local centers!
Yes! This special photo update came directly from your sponsored child’s Compassion center. We hope it’s a beautiful glimpse into the life and work of the center your sponsored child is part of.
All photos were taken within the last year.
That’s a great question! With thousands of photos submitted from Compassion centers — each featuring many children — it would be time-consuming for center staff to identify and name each child pictured. We want our centers to focus on the heart of our ministry: caring for children and helping them thrive.
We know it might be disappointing not to have that specific information, but we hope you still enjoy this glimpse into life at your sponsored child’s center.
The national director helps lead Compassion’s ministry across your sponsored child’s country. They work closely with local churches, Compassion centers and staff to help children and families receive the care, encouragement and opportunities they need to thrive in all areas of their life.
Because they oversee Compassion’s work across the country, they have a unique perspective on the challenges children are facing, the ways God is moving through the local church and the impact supporters like you are making every day.
A Compassion center is run by a local church that partners with Compassion to care for children in the sponsorship program. It’s where your sponsored child goes each week to learn, play, get support and be encouraged by loving staff and volunteers. Children usually spend 4 to 6 hours a week there, growing in mind, body and soul.
Compassion partners with thousands of frontline churches around the world. Being “church-driven” is a key part of our mission. More importantly, the church is God’s chosen way to make disciples, fulfilling Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19–20, NIV: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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The national director or leader from your sponsored child’s country shared updates and prayer requests, and center staff took the photos. These incredible people work hard to ensure every sponsored child and youth is known, loved and protected.
Compassion’s program is unapologetically Christian, and every Compassion center is connected to a Christian church, but we support children of all faiths in our program. We want children to have the opportunity to learn about God’s love in a culturally appropriate way. But neither they nor their families are under any compulsion to become Christians, and they receive support regardless of their religion.
The quality of the photos may differ as they’re candid images captured by church staff and volunteers — not professional photographers. Many photos were taken using phones, some of which have lower camera quality. Although the resolution may be low, we hope these images bring you joy and help you picture your sponsored child’s life at the center.
Any identifying information about the children and their location in a photo is blurred out for their privacy and safety.
Compassion centers spend funds on activities that help children grow and develop in their mind, body and soul. Just like schools in the U.S. plan field trips or special activities, centers do the same. Sometimes local businesses or friends of the center help by offering discounts or donating resources to make it all possible.
While we’d love each child to show off their beautiful smile, some don’t, and there’s usually a reason why. In some cultures, it may not be the custom to smile for photos. Having their photo taken may be a rare experience for your sponsored child, or they could have been unnerved by the attention or felt self-conscious. There might be another reason entirely — feeling tired, grumpy or simply not wanting to smile for the camera.
School remains the primary place where children receive their education. However, Compassion centers often provide extra tutoring, learning activities and individual support based on the needs children in the community are facing.
If a center identifies that many children need additional help with reading, math or other skills, they may run a special program or curriculum to help children build confidence and strengthen those skills.
The national director’s update shares some of the broader challenges children and families may face across the country. These situations can vary greatly between communities, and they may not directly affect your sponsored child or their local Compassion center.
When Compassion learns that a sponsored child has been directly impacted by a crisis, natural disaster or emergency situation, we make every effort to contact sponsors and provide updates as soon as possible. Compassion staff and local church partners work closely together to support children and families during difficult situations and help keep children safe.
One of the best ways you can help is by continuing your sponsorship and praying for your sponsored child, their family, Compassion center and country. Your support helps local churches continue providing care, encouragement and practical support to children who need it most.