Why have you become an ambassador for Compassion?
A couple of years ago I went to visit some Compassion projects in Bolivia. Bolivia is South America’s poorest country and I was both overwhelmed by the need but also by the work of Compassion which works through the local church to make a lasting difference to thousands of kids' lives.
What struck you most about seeing the reality of a Compassion project?
I met two six month old twins who were being brought up by a mum who was so poor and malnourished that she couldn’t produce breast milk, so she was feeding them dog food. Compassion intervened and have managed to get the two older children sponsored along with providing practical help for the family. It was one of the best examples of holistic care that I have ever seen. The bible and Christian leaders throughout history are very clear about caring for the poor, the broken and the marginalised: “if our church is not marked by caring for the poor, oppressed and the hungry, then we are guilty of heresy.” Church Father Ignatius
What does being an ambassador for Compassion mean?
I want to draw attention to what Compassion is doing. It is very simple: by sponsoring a child for £21 per month, you could be involved in profoundly changing the lives of children and their families. It is done through improving healthcare, education, vocational training, social and emotional care, and spiritual care.
Why would you encourage people to get involved?
While I was in Bolivia I sponsored two children, Henry and Helen. They live in a part of Bolivia which you can only get to by boat and is very poor. We are doing what we can to invest into the lives of those children - two of my own young children pray for Henry and Helen every night. It is an interest and commitment that they can own along with me. These small gestures go a long way and I would encourage anyone else to do all they can to support this work.
In 2007, I was invited by Ian Hamilton of Compassion UK to visit some of their projects in Bolivia. Of the many people I met on that trip, perhaps it was Concepcion who has remained in my thoughts most. Stood on the mud floor of her straw brick home with her children clinging to her skirts, she had done her best to clean up and make us welcome. Her best blanket was laid across a single plank of wood balanced on bricks for us to sit. Her husband was sick and she was walking several kilometres every day to a back-breaking job that just gave her enough money to keep the family alive. In her eyes you could see so little hope for the future. Only when she talked about the two children who were sponsored did she seem to lift herself a little and perhaps let herself believe there may be something good to come. In 2009, I was invited to become an Ambassador for Compassion and represent people like Concepcion and her family.
If you would like to find out more about Compassion, their work and to sponser a child, visit www.compassionuk.org
