Compassion International isn’t a relief organization.  It’s a child development organization.

In plain English, what that means is that Compassion focusses its efforts on meeting the physical, social, economic, academic and spiritual needs of children in the developing world.  It’s holistic.

This is what Compassion does at every Compassion project in all 25 Compassion countries for all million plus Compassion kids. The objectives are always the same. But the methods vary sometimes depending upon culture and the specific needs of each community and child.

I’ve met ten year-olds in El Salvador learning how to raise, de-worm, and take chickens to market.  Some Compassion projects teach cosmetology.  Other kids learn sewing, carpentry or basket weaving.  I’ve seen all this.  But I’ve never seen Karate.

Yes.  Karate.

The girls at the Compassion project we visited today in Kolkata learn karate.  It’s obviously great for physical development but it also builds self-esteem through one small accomplishment at a time.

Also, it scares the boys.  Bonus.

Now, I’m no marketing genius but go with me here: I’ve got a suggestion for the bumper sticker department at Compassion headquarters.  We have one of those right?  Assuming we do, may I make a suggestion?

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I’d sponsor a child in project #117 just so I could slap one of those on my bumper.  Wouldn’t you?

Well, I don’t have a bumper sticker to give you but I have a promise: sponsoring a child through Compassion International is the best way I’ve seen to make a positive impact on the life of a child in the developing world.  Through Compassion, and your sponsorship, both the physical and spiritual needs of children are met in culturally specific ways.  Children are being transformed.

And some of them are learning to kick some tail at the same time.

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To see more posts, videos and pics from our day at project #117 in Kolkata visit CompassionBloggers.com/India.

Series: My Trip To East India
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