Compassion International Celebrates Employee’s Milestone Anniversary

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – September 5, 2018 – In a special chapel presentation today, Colorado Springs-based Compassion International celebrated a milestone anniversary for its longest-tenured employee. Gayle Smith has worked at the global child development ministry for 50 years.

In 1968, Compassion was still headquartered in Chicago. Smith was due for some job interviews at other companies when riots broke out near the Democratic Convention. Out of fear for her own safety, Smith chose to not go to the interviews and instead ended up at the Compassion International office.

“I thought I was going to Compassion for an interview,” Smith says, “instead I was put right to work the same day.” Smith has had several roles at Compassion over the years. She currently works in the ministry’s distribution center.

During this morning’s service, Compassion CEO Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado presented Smith with a sign designating a special reserved parking space at the ministry’s headquarters in Colorado Springs. “We hope that each time you park at this sign, you are reminded how much you are loved by our Heavenly Father,” said Mellado, “and how much you are loved by this community.”

Following the presentation, Compassion staff joined together, singing Smith’s favorite worship hymns, When We All Get to Heaven, Power in the Blood and Jesus Is All the World to Me.