Last summer, I had the privilege to visit Compassion's work with needy children in Thailand. One afternoon we visited a project in Chiang Rai. I saw that Compassion was making a difference to the people of Chiang Rai, and that God's Spirit was moving in the area. It was beautiful to see Jesus at work.

One of the people I met was Somchat, a formerly sponsored child from the Lahn hill tribe. His Compassion sponsorship had enabled him to come to Chiang Rai, some three hours from his village, to attend a boarding school. Now an education student at the local university, he was doing his student teaching at the boarding school he had attended, teaching the children English. Somchat said that he wanted to give something back and felt no desire to leave the area after his schooling was completed. He explained that he loved his people and wanted to stay there and try to impact them. Maybe, just maybe, Somchat, who called himself "a born-again Christian," was called out of his village to do what he is doing now.

It was clear that sponsorship made a powerful difference to the children of Thailand. The financial support each sponsored child received was obviously a huge help. And Compassion's staff told us how valuable written correspondence between sponsors and children was for the children.

However, only a small minority of the children in need are currently being sponsored by Compassion. Many others are in need of your help.

Through Compassion, you have the opportunity to be linked with one special child who faces the challenges of poverty every day. Your regular support amounts to giving up a couple of movie nights per month. Yet that small sacrifice will bring a complete package of benefits to your sponsored child, including learning opportunities, healthcare, food and medicine as needed, social development, and even job skills, through a local network of caring Christian adults. Most important, your sponsored child will encounter the gospel through regular Christian training. That way, the child you've welcomed could welcome Jesus into his or her own heart someday.

All it takes is $28 a month - less than a dollar a day - and the willingness to invest in a young life. Visit www.compassion.com to learn more about Compassion and view photos of needy children who are waiting for a sponsor. Your help could make the difference for one special child starting today!

Peace of Christ,
Mitch McVicker

P.S. Visit [MitchMailList 064]: Mitch's Thailand Journal, July 5-14 to learn more about my trip and my experience meeting my sponsored child. And feel free to forward this message to a friend or family member who may be interested in sponsoring a child in Jesus' name.