This week I’m in San Pedro Sula, Honduras with the band Tenth Avenue North. We are about to head out to see Compassion International’s work with children living in extremely poor communities. The experience is always eye opening but the best part is playing with the children in the program and getting to hear a little about their lives.

You see, this is what happens every time… Conversations start with kids and you suddenly realize these kids are dreamers.

Dreamers of the day.

Photo by Keely Scott

They are future leaders in their sphere of influence. They are future teachers, entrapeneurs, doctors, lawyers, pastors, politicians, business execs, artists, sports figures, coaches, mentors, fathers, mothers, husbands and wives.

They want what we want – An opportunity to make something of themselves. They want life to have meaning and purpose. They want to make a difference in other peoples lives. They want others to experience the same love and attention that has been shown to them – The kind that has made them into the hope of the next generation.

These are their dreams and they dream often.

While we think we are coming to here change lives and experience something the band can tell their audience about, what will really happen is these kids and the people we meet will change our lives instead.

It’s what happens every time.

Show me a dreamer living in poverty and I show you the future president of a country, the next leading doctor of their country, the next big soccer player…

I’ll show you a future teacher who might end up moving to your country to teach your kids how to read and write… because at an early age, when this future teacher was taught how to read and write by teachers in the Compassion program this future teacher was going home and teaching their parents how to read and write.

This is what our day holds.

See ya.

Related posts:

1. Feeling Overwhelmed? Start With The Low Hanging Fruit

Last week when we were in India, we talked a little about sex trafficking and prostitution and what compassion is doing on the ground to get these sweet girls in our program from getting caught up in it all.

Because we always are partnered with the local church, it’s normal for girls to be taught how to look out for the danger signs and the lure of prostitution. It’s dealt with in some level in so many countries we work in.

We saw it in India but Thailand is big on this list when it comes to the problem. Below is an article I was given written by one of our staff in Thailand. It’s eye opening and after reading this know that sponsoring a child helps make this all possible.

Just think about the impact you could have when writing a child… or in this case a little girl and the influence you can help with to keep impressionable children out of prostitution, sex trafficking… and even modern forms of slavery.

read on…then go sponsor a child here.

Vaccinating Our Young Girls

Photo (above) and story by Arada Polawat
Thailand Field Communication Specialist.

A middle aged woman was riding her motorbike roaming the streets of Nongki village. Everything about her appearance looked ordinary and did not illicit any suspicions. However, the exterior of a person can sometimes betray the intentions of his or her heart. She looked around. Suddenly her eyes were fixed on one small house built near a barren farmland. She drove to this house and greeted the young naïve girl who was sitting at the front of the house alone. She asked the young girl questions that are typically asked among the people in this area.

“Do you want a new cell phone?” she asked the young girl. “Do you want to live in a bigger and nicer house?” The young girl was surprised by the lady’s questions and remained silent. “If you are interested in these things I can give them all to you. All you have to do is come work with me. You will earn a lot of money so that you can have pretty clothes to wear and you will have a nice car to drive. It is a very easy job. C’mon. Trust me and come with me”, the woman persuaded. “No, thank you,” replied the young girl, Supattra, who is registered in a Compassion Thailand Center. This situation is repeated over and over.

Nongki is a town located in the Northeast of Thailand. It is very close to some of the major cities in Thailand including the capital city of Bangkok and Pattaya. It is no surprise that Nongki has quickly transformed from an agriculture town to one that increasingly resembles surrounding nearby cities like Bangkok and Pattaya.

“One of the significant issues in Nongki is prostitution,” says Ratchaya Phosut-Tanapat, the center director of TH409. “Prostitution has crept up silently in our community and has become a very significant source of income over the past three years. Everything has turned upside down here. There are so many night clubs, pubs and restaurants that have opened up here and it is increasing. These places are targeted towards and service the local men who work at the factories or as daily workers in this area.”

“Marriages between Thai women and westerners, working in Bangkok and Pattaya have become increasingly common. It is becoming a major problem and our center is deeply concerned. There are too many cases of poor working Thai women becoming rich suddenly. They ride in nice cars and built big houses over their small former shelters. These women’s rapid rise to wealth has resulted in influencing young girls from this area to follow these women in their professional footsteps to pursue material wealth,” says Ratchaya solemnly.

A common problem is older Western men moving to Thailand and taking young women as wives. They move to Thailand in their retirement because of the low cost of living, and meet young Thai girls in a club, who become their companion or wife. For the westerner, he gets a companion, and for the girl, she gets money. Another problem is the gangs that seek to lure girls into prostitution. It is very easy for gangs to seduce and persuade young girls to drop out of school to work at night in local bars or pubs. The gangs approach poor young girls from the early age of twelve or thirteen who do not live with their parents. They lure these young girls by talking about the significant amount of money they will earn so that they can buy the luxuries they desire.

Being born and raised in a poor family often makes young children feel that they are unworthy and frequently causes their self confidence to diminish. They respond to their feelings of worthlessness by turning to material things to reaffirm their identities and self worth in society.

About half of the young girls from the center do not live with their parents, who work in factories in big cities. Often they stay with an extended relative such as an aunt or grandmother. This creates a gap or distance between the young children and their caregivers.

“It is the center’s duty to vaccinate our children and warn them about the seduction and danger of prostitution. We cannot stay calm while these issues are corrupting and ruining my community. It is harming our children. We have to take action.” The center director has said.

The center has always emphasized the importance of social awareness both locally and nationally. The center leaders read the news to the children updating them on what is going on in Thailand every Saturday before they attend their activities. It helps the children have a wider vision of what is going on and what steps they need to take to be prepared to protect themselves and make better choices for their lives.

“We know that many of our children struggle with low self-esteems so we encourage and teach them that the value of their life does not depend upon how much they have or the amount of money they earn. Rather, the center encourages the children to stay grounded in dignity and to do what is right.” The center director explains.

“I will not let myself get involved in a risky situation like prostitution because I don’t want to degrade myself. I know that my body is worth more than material things. It is not worth it to trade myself in order to get the latest cell phone or a big house. If someday I ever chose the wrong path, I know I would lose every thing, including my pride.” said Supattra Somrit, TH409-0170, a fourteen-year old girl.

Chonticha Ha-soong from TH409-0122 said, “A lot of my friends want to have pretty clothes or nice shoes from the latest fashions they see in magazines. They ask money from their parents to buy those things. Some friends work at restaurants at night in order to earn more money, which causes them to drop out of school. I feel really sorry for them. Before they decided to quit school I told them to think twice about their decision and tried to stop them. I had learned from the center that when young girls ended up working in a restaurant and neglecting their education, it often lead them into a life of prostitution. I wanted them to come back to study. I asked a friend of mine who quit her school if she was happy and she said no. She has many things she wants but they mean nothing to her now.”

Compassion Thailand realizes that child trafficking is a crucial issue that needs to be resolved immediately. Compassion has worked with International Justice Mission, or IJM, and they conducted training sessions and workshops on “Child Rights and Child Protection” to all 220 centers that existed in Thailand from 2008 through 2009. The training provided knowledge for the project workers who work directly with the children on how to prevent children from being abused and how to protect them from being taken advantage of.

At the workshops, they discussed the common problems of children at risk, abuse, exploitation, trafficking, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and lack of citizenship. They wanted to reinforce the knowledge and skills in the project staff to help uphold children’s rights. The workshops were a success. Those who attended gained a deeper understanding about these issues and were able to bring back the information from these workshops to write a plan on how to protect and prevent registered children at the center. They created a Child Abuse Protection Network for every project with organizations that can provide help in child protection and child abuse situations. Most importantly they now know what to do and who to contact if something happen to any of the children from the center.

Sai Tan Rak Child Development Center, or TH617, is located in the city of Phitsanulok, an area where there is a high rate of prostitution. Often there are groups that look for young girls who hang around the area in the park at night. They persuade and take these young girls into the evil prostitution cycle.

After TH617 center attended a Compassion training workshop, they brought back useful materials and information to regularly conduct activities for young girls after they had been teaching young children on prostitution and sexuality for two years. During the training, staff members gained a clear understanding of how to handle these situations properly.

“The center teaches young women about sexuality, virginity and how to protect themselves from a risky situation,” said Valia Wongwanna the director of the center. “Whenever we learn that our children are in a risky situation, we personally talk to them and do every thing to help them from making unwise choices.” “I see changes in them after we train and talk to them. Groups of registered young girls who used to hang around the park at night are decreasing. Girls who are who are at risk of being exploited come and tell me that they will not go to the park at night again because they are scared and they don’t want to be victims,” said the director of TH617.

“My village is in a danger zone for prostitution,” said Jenjira Poompuang from TH617-0725. “I see too many young girls being lured into prostitution because they desire more money, but they go into it without knowing the consequences. Attending the center has been very good and helpful for me because the center teaches me about prostitution and now I know how to protect myself from this situation. If someone were ever to try and persuade me to become a prostitute, I would tell my family or the center staff at the church because they always have good advice and would help me out.”

Parents are another factor that plays an important role in a child’s life. At TH617, parents often do not have time to educate or teach their child. They are busy working to earn money day and night. Some parents are not even aware of the prevalence of prostitution in their area. It is a center’s responsibility to inform the parents of the children about relevant issues such as prostitution that could impact their child or children, so that even busy parents can keep an eye on their offspring. The project staff regularly visit the children’s homes to raise awareness and have a personal time with the parents. If the project knows that a child is in high risk, they will visit quite often.

Unlike the parents in TH617, some parents in Nongki actually encourage their child to work at a restaurant in Bangkok or Pattaya because working there earns them a lot of money. “We cannot talk openly to parents about this issue. We made the mistake of doing so from the past and do not want this to happen again. Instead we teach, talk, play videos and give materials for the children to address this issue”, explained Ratchaya.

In the past, if a center learned that a young girl was involved in prostitution, they would make several attempts to visit and talk to her parents at home to try and explain the devastating effects prostitution can have on the life of a young girl and help the young child from the situation. Sometimes when center workers would do so, a few weeks later the child’s mother would come and ask to take her child from the center. Unfortunately this would result in the child dropping out from school and working at night.

Some parents work in Bangkok or Pattaya and request that their child stay with them during the summer, when the children are out of school or center. Even though it may only be two or three months, it can change a child’s life if they are exposed to the world of prostitution.

“If they are ever confronted with having to make difficult choices in their future, I hope that in attending the center it will help them make the right choices for their future,” says the director of TH409.

OK… So do you want to help? click HERE

On our last morning in India, we went to two places that rocked my world in a matter of a few minutes. The Kalighat Kali Hindu Temple and Mother Teresa’s Home For The Destitute and Dying. These two places are the extreme opposite in what they do and they share a common wall.

I don’t have any image of the temple yet. But the only brief way to explain it is dark, human chaos of a misguided religion in action. We walked into the temple and people were every where getting their payers heard. In one corner a tree of fertility for those having a hard time having kids. In another corner goats are being butchered up because they were just sacrificed. There was blood everywhere on the ground with whatever else kind of mess we were walking around. Of course people we staring at us because we were ten very white people in the midst of them all. Men we laying face down on this same ground saying prayers and getting up to move one body length the lay face down and do it again and again and again. It was the darkest place I have ever been. Ever. Hundreds of people everyday go here so they can pray and offer sacrifice to their Kali god.

Next door was the light at the end of the tunnel. Quite literally. Mother Teresa’s first project in Calcutta(Kolkata). The Home For The Destitute and Dying. Pictures don’t seem to do it justice so I’ve posted the video below from CNN India (IBN Live) that gives a great picture of what we saw and experienced.
This is a place for those living on the streets who are on their last dying days. A place they can go to die with dignity and in the loving arms of someone who cares.

This was an incredible experience and I will never forget it. The sights, sounds, and smells were overwhelming to say the least. This is reality… and I’m still trying to figure out how to now make more of a difference in my sphere of influence now that I have seen true and humble service to the poor.

Related posts:

1. Search Terms That Bug Me – Prostitutes In Kolkata, India
2. An Email To Steve Jobs From My Mother

One of the greatest moments is watching sponsors meet their sponsor kids and today was all about that. Angie, Melissa, Robin, Anne, Patricia, Shaun and Becky all met their kids today and we all had a blast with the great moments that happened.(That’s me and Angie’s sponsor child, Sangita, in the picture above.)

We took the kiddos over to Science City (think Mad Max for kids and parts of the Water World set that never made it in the movie) where we got to see Everest in a REALLY old IMAX theater. The only problem was the film looked really cold and yet… it was still 120 DEGREES OUTSIDE!!!

After the IMAX we went over to the 3D Science Show which I just couldn’t resist trying to fit in. (See Exhibit A below) I mean… this show had 3D glasses AND animals flying at your face!! Pete and Keely took pictures and made funny videos through out the day.

So… here’s the deal. It’s one thing to sponsor a child and write letters back and forth. But when you get the chance to meet your child!!!(Exhibit B below – Me and my sponsor child Verelyn from Peru) Wow!!! The letters come to life and you see your sponsorship dollar come to life!!

I love watching people meet their kids for the first time. I know those feelings and how you remember every moment.

If you can afford to go on a sponsor tour to meet your child or if you can go visit them on your own, then I would highly recommend you going for it. It’s an experience you will never forget.

But first… if you haven’t already… go sponsor a little one. You won’t regret it!

Related posts:

1. Are You Pursuing Your Worth With Great Diligence?
2. How To Use iPhone 4 Photo Apps And Take Great Pictures In Four Easy Steps
3. Why Some People Aren’t Getting The Experience They Paid For

I’m going back and forth on what to write. Today we saw enough for me to blog on for an entire week and still probably not cover it all. So with that I will just give you this thought.
We went to a slum near our hotel where the Church partnered with Compassion has helped turn this community slowly around over years of hard work.

This area is big on drugs, drinking, prostitution, and street kids.

People were everywhere and it was a little bit of an overwhelming experience as we walked through the neighborhood and visited homes of children in the Compassion program. I loved the walk we took. People where staring at us and life was happening before our eyes in ways we just don’t see in the US. As my Indian friend from home told me… Your senses will be absolutely overwhelmed… My friend was right.

When I visit areas like this I’m reminded of the local stories we as sponsors don’t get to hear much about because we just aren’t there to hear them. And yet again, the evidence of things unseen for you and me when it comes to sponsoring a child looks like this.

While you were sleeping, church pastors and compassion works were trying to keep these kids…

From becoming these street kids…

And teaching these sweet girls…

To never become prostitutes.

Please sponsor a child.

It really makes a huge difference in the life of these kids.

Related posts:

1. The College Years: Advice For Future College Students Pt.2
2. Search Terms That Bug Me – Prostitutes In Kolkata, India
3. How Engaging Online Is A Two-Way Street

I know it sounds a little weird to say it like that but I’m big on seeing kids realize their dreams. I have met kids all over the world who have dreams…. Big dreams!!!! However… not so much here. Well… Not exactly.

For the past two days we’ve been meeting kids and their families. When you ask the kids what their dreams are they mostly give you a perplexed look. At this point our Compassion host tells us that kids here have to be taught what dreams are all about and that it’s ok to dream about what they want for their future. Seriously?? You would think dreaming could come naturally.

Like I said… I usually meet a lot of kids who are dreamers, but these kids are having to learn how to dream from scratch which tells me this… these kids really live in a world where there seems to be no hope and no future for them to count on. They know nothing else than what is happening right now in their lives and their future seems just nothing short of hopeless. Does this make sense to you?

So… Here’s what I did see that was very cool today. Compassion has a program for each child called My Plan For Tomorrow. This plan helps each child actually come up with goals and dreams for themselves. The child writes them down and works with a tutor or teacher at their Compassion project to realize their goals and dreams. This isn’t something the parents write for them… It’s all about the child and the child’s future. This is where the dreaming education starts and the confidence you see in kids when they know they can make it is awesome to see.

This afternoon Patricia, Robin, Anne, Melissa and I went to the homes of two girls who were both dreamers. Both wanted to be nurses and both had a look in their eye that said… I can do this.

Amazing… It really is amazing when you dig a little deeper and see how showing Christ through service affects the way a child processes life. Sure… they may be living in 110-degree heat in the poorest place ever but what do they care. It’s only temporary to them because they know they are going to make it and come back to help others make it too.

Now that’s paying it forward!

Once again, I am thankful to see that raising up dreamers seem to be a universal theme around the Compassion Projects I visit. These kids are creating culture and changing lives in the process, not only for themselves but for their families as well… and if you are sponsoring one of these kids they are going to make you want to dream big too.

When you sponsor a child, you are investing into the life of a dreamer that needs the chance and opportunity to dream really big… so go ahead… dream big and sponsor a kiddo.

By the way…. Just in case you need a good way to tell people to shut their cell phones in church, try this out below… The church we visited today seems to have it figured out:)

Related posts:

1. Hanging Out With Dreamers Of The Day
2. Where Does Your Inspiration To Dream Come From?

As some of you know, I’m headed to Kolkata, India (Calcutta). By the time you read this we will probably be in New Delhi on an overnight layover.

I’m taking these group of bloggers headed up by Shaun Groves who handles CompassionBloggers.com for us. We are in for quite a trip indeed.

I want to make sure you know the point of this trip. The bloggers going on this trip will be getting to see Compassion International’s work first hand everyday. Meeting their sponsor children, playing with kids, meeting families, pastors, church volunteers, and watching how Compassion International partners with the local church. Why? So they (and I) can tell you first hand about what they (we) experienced THAT DAY in hopes that you the reader will be compelled to sponsor a child and invest into the development of a little one. I love the immediacy of the internet.

So…  here’s what you can do to help out and take an active roll in this week with us.

1.    Pray – pray for our safety, health, loved ones back home, and for what we aren’t expecting to see. Pray for our time with the kids and what we don’t expect will happen. And finally… Pray for those reading these blogs that they and you will be moved to make a difference and sponsor a child… or another child.

2.    Tell all your friends to come read along. Most of us have ways you can subscribe to our RSS feeds or email like in my blog… just enter your email address in the column to the right of this post and my posts will come straight into your inbox the minute I post something. You can find the list of bloggers here and here.

If you are looking for all of my posts on India as the trip rolls along, you can find them all right HERE.

3.    If you’re a blogger link back to these posts and re post them if you want on your blog. Rising Tides Lifts All Ships. The more people know about what is happening on this trip, the more positive change we can bring to the lives of children in India and to the rest of the world. Careful though… Your life might change in the process… I’m just sayin… These kids will have that effect on you.

4.    If you are on twitter (@SpenceSmith)… follow us all on twitter and Re-Tweet if we say something that moves you or if we Twit Pic something you like. Please don’t foget our Hash Tag for this trip when it comes to Twitter… #CompassionIndia. (Follow the conversation at tweetchat.com – enter CompasionIndia.)

5.    Sponsor A Child. I know… I keep bringing this up. But this is what we do… We do Child Development through the local church and the funding comes through the one on one sponsorship people like you and me provide. It’s so so important.

6.    Finally… if you already sponsor a child… go write them a letter. I can’t tell you the impact one letter will make.

So… that’s it… that’s your part in all of this if you so choose to be an active participant in our blogging trip to India.

Have a great rest of your weekend, good luck and congrats to all my friends running the Country Music Half and Full Marathon today. I’m proud of you all and I miss getting to run with you…. Warm up for the first 20 miles then the next 6 miles is the marathon:) Stretch, Hydrate and most of all… HAVE FUN!!

Related posts:

1. Recalibrating Life & Blogging

Compassion International sponsor children being taught how to play the guitar.

All this week I’ve been showing the work of Compassion International to a group of artists and music industry people. It’s been another amazing trip to the Dominican Republic. Today we leave to come home but with encouraging hope for the future of the kids we played with and got to know.

The one thing I keep seeing over and over again is the youthful look in the eyes of kids that says… I want to be some one. I want to make my world a better place. I want to be used to bring hope, opportunity and good health to those around me.

These kids are dreamers and they dream big. The great part is they are always given the tools, knowledge, and resources to realize those dreams. Always.

So as you read this and as you follow me around the globe… think about what it is to give a child the opportunity of build a dream and create culture. It’s such a powerful gift to give. It can literally change the world.

Next Friday, April 24, I’m off to lead a trip to India to take a small band of eager bloggers headed up by Shaun Groves. You can find the list of bloggers at CompassionBloggers.com.

Please follow along, Please sponsor a child and please keep us in your prayers. I have a feeling this trip will be more life changing for those of us on the trip than those we are going to meet. Funny how it happens that way.

Related posts:

1. Hanging Out With Dreamers Of The Day

For the past two days I’ve been in the Dominican Republic with the band Mercy Me showing them the work of Compassion International. Today we met their sponsor child Jose. All the members of the band sponsor child individually but as a band… they sponsor this little guy together.
Jose isn’t shy and he is a happy kid. He has a serious health problem and both parents have passed away leaving he and his sisters to live with his sweet grandmother who does all she can do to keep the family together.
Today we got to see how important sponsoring a Jose is. The guys in the band got to see first hand where their sponsorship dollars go and how it is used… but most of all… the guys in Mercy Me made Jose feeling like a superstar today.
Jose beamed with smiles as he talked, laughed and played his way through the day. Today was Jose’s day and nothing mattered other than the time he got to spend with his new family… his sponsors, Mercy Me.
At the end of the day I’m reminded of this. We are all meant to be loved and cherished. We are built to receive and give love. We are made to take care of one another no matter the race or place in this world. The difference we can make in each other’s lives is huge. So whether you sponsor a child or listen to the needs and cry’s of a good friend. You can make a difference. You were built for it.
So… want to make a difference? Do it here.

Related posts:

1. 5 Changes I Made To How I Use Twitter