You don’t have to look long in God’s Word to find Scriptures regarding children and poverty. With over 2000 verses on these topics, it is clear God has much to say about caring for children and caring for the poor.
Matthew 10:42
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Deuteronomy 10:18
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.
Joshua 1:14-15
You are to help your brothers until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you…
Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow” — when you now have it with you.
A ministry that has taken seriously the responsibility to care for the vulnerable children in the world is Compassion International. Take a look at these links on their website:
Compassion in Central America and the Caribbean
They care for children primarily through a child sponsorship program. What does it mean to be a sponsor? Sponsors do several things:
- They provide financial support for their sponsored child. This financial support helps fund food, clothes, and programs at the local Compassion center.
- They provide emotional support by writing letters and giving encouragement. In other words, they have an opportunity to speak hope into lives that have little hope.
- They provide spiritual support. Sponsors are encouraged to write to their sponsored child once every month and share scriptures and prayers for their child.
Watch this video on how children respond when they find out they have a sponsor.
Let these stories sink in.
Then pray and ask God what you can do to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
A couple of practical suggestions:
- Get the whole family together a couple of times each year and let everyone write a letter to your sponsored child(ren). This will provide you with several letters that you can save and mail at the beginning of each of the following months. This allows you to sit down and write a few times each year, yet send letters to your child each month. This might be a practical solution for a busy family.
- Or if you have multiple sponsored children, you can assign a different sponsored child to each one of your children. Each child then has the responsibility of keeping in touch with their sponsored child.
- Choose a specific day each month to write and pray for your child…. say for example on the first of each month. This produces a built-in reminder and helps create a habit of communicating with your sponsored child each month – letting them know you care about them and are praying for them.
If you have multiple sponsored kids, writing a letter through the Compassion site is also a great idea. This online feature allows you to send the same letter to multiple kids. Super time-saving and practical.
And if the Lord provides the opportunity, a visit to your Compassion child is unforgettable and so meaningful! It is a wonderful opportunity to GO BE LOVE.
A couple specific suggestions if you are involved in Passport: if you’re studying one of the continents through the Passport curriculum, look for a child to sponsor from that continent. Also, Compassion recommends finding a child to sponsor that shares the same birthday with you or a member of your family. This can help create a stronger connection and point of identification.
Sponsoring a child is a tangible way to show love and change a life.
Finally, you may choose to hold a sponsorship drive for your group. Contact Compassion and ask them to send you packets for the specific continent you are studying. Instructions are included in the packets that will help you connect more kids with sponsor families.
