THE POWER OF MEDIA

THE POWER OF MEDIA:

Media holds a great power to share information about world news- and people have the power to take action. We tend to forget how fortunate we are in living a life full of providence- while others live without it...

If I was given a chance to give $1000 to donate towards world relief, to be honest if I had $1000 in the first place I would most likely not give that much away. I would become selfish, as many people would probably be, and I would use it for university or even buying a new phone. Yet for me to give it away, I would have to think within myself of the people who need it more than I do. With some research I found an organization that provides a life full of providence, leadership training, and medical care to people around the world- it's called Compassion.

Compassion is an organization based in Canada that helps support families in 26 countries around the world and provide them with financial care, health care, leadership training, and spreading the love of God through their work. They are a Christian organization, but don't get me wrong, they aren't exclusive in who they help just because of the organization's beliefs in Christianity. They help numerous people with a wide range of beliefs as well!

Supporting countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America along with 26 nations, Compassion has 4 programs which people can participate in to fight not only world hunger, but spread love across the globe through their giving.

The 4 programs Compassion has are:

- THE CHILD SURVIVAL PROGRAM: This program rescues moms and babies from poverty and provides food for malnourished children and helps support mothers who can't fully care for their children. Compassion staff members also monitor the health of the children and expectant mothers and also provides education to infants to improve their intellectual potential.

- CHILD SPONSORSHIP: This program provides opportunities to go to school, regular health check- ups, and supplemental food for children who don't have any. They also learn life skills like proper hygiene and how to form friendships and share kindness with others.

-LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: This program involves working in local churches, and providing education and training to future leaders (whether male or female) living in poverty to lead their communities and their church as well. With academic scholarships (each student receives the cover of tuition, textbooks, rooms and other expenses to pursue an undergraduate degree from a university in their country), leadership training (participation in retreats, camps and seminars that equip them to be confident leaders), training from a mentor, and healthcare, this programs gives all the tools and health care needed to equip leaders living in poverty to become a light in their community.

- RESPONSE: Through the giving of sponsors from around the world, Compassion provides clean water (through wells and water filters, access to sanitation, and training on hygiene), skills training (through education for both adults and children), and urgent needs (disaster relief, major medical support, and building structures such as a classroom).

Through these four programs, Compassion has:

 -raised $48,924,837 in child sponsorships

-have completed:

 -3,382,421 response programs

 -964,400 leadership development programs

 -1,288,702 child survival programs

These were all completed in 2013!

Compassion has not only helped with the survival of many people surrounded by poverty around the world, but has also filled them and showed them the love of God through their work.

For someone like me in a first world country to give $1000 dollars to them, it would be hard at first, yet learning about Compassion's amazing program and the message they live by everyday when serving different countries, money is nothing compared to the gratification I would feel and the joy I would feel that the money would be used in an integral way.

Therefore, I think it's a lesson for many people to realize that money doesn't last, as do material objects, yet love and kindness last forever- so why not share it :)

for more info about Compassion, go to https://www.compassion.ca/