M A R C H 2 0 1 4 M A G A Z I N E

And thank you from me!

Right now, all around the world, there are thousands of people contributing to Compassion’s ministry in some form or fashion. From a Queensland couple picking fruit to sell at their church, to volunteers

serving Child Survival mothers in Sri Lanka, to school fundraising days and more.

Compassion’s ministry can’t happen without these people—without you!—who work tirelessly and give

faithfully so children can be released from poverty in Jesus’ name.

This edition of Compassion Magazine is dedicated to you: every single person, school, church and business that is fundraising, giving, praying, serving and sharing

Compassion’s ministry. Whether you live at home or abroad, you are the true heroes

of Compassion’s ministry—

thank you.

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: N

ichola

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I never cease to be amazed by the

vision, commitment, passion and

generosity of Compassion sponsors

and supporters.

In this edition of Compassion Magazine,

you will read some stories that reaffirm

that time and time again. Stories like

that of Bob and Christine who, from

their farm in Queensland, grow and

sell fresh produce to support children

caught in the blight of poverty (read

their story on page two). Like the

“beard guys” (yes, you read it right,

check out page 10) who have a novel

way of supporting Compassion’s

ministry. And like some of our amazing

sponsored children themselves, who

have shown amazing mercy to their

peers (page 22). Plus many more stories

to inspire you.

When I hear and read these stories—

not just the stories in this magazine, but

also many, many others—and when I

meet the faithful people behind them,

the one response that seems so appro-

priate is GRATITUDE. I am extremely

thankful that so many people all over

this country and beyond want to make

a difference—and do.

So that is the thrust of this magazine—

to say a huge thanks to you, the ones

who are making an eternal difference in

children’s lives worldwide.

Thanks for helping provide children

with education to enable future oppor-

tunities that would have otherwise been

a faint hope for them.

Thanks for allowing children to receive

regular health checks—which are out

of reach for most families—as well as

the assurance of help for more serious

health problems.

Thanks for providing food security to

children and their families, who now

know that someone on the other side

of the world cares enough to give.

Thanks for giving children the opportu-

nity to meet a God who loves

them. Because of you, almost 1.5

million children get to hear the

A message from the Chief Executive Officer

life-changing message of Jesus through

their local church.

Thank you for being one of more

than 76,000 Compassion supporters

here in Australia, and for bringing

your own unique form of support

to Compassion’s ministry, whether

it’s growing beards or vegetables or

sponsoring a child. Every Compassion

supporter has a personal and practical

way to take up Jesus’ mandate to reach

out to the poor—the most vulnerable of

whom are children.

Most of all, thanks to God, whose

strength, compassion and grace make

it all possible.

So read on and enjoy the stories in

this edition, giving thanks that your

story, and those of thousands of others,

is making a remarkable difference to

children in poverty.

Blessings,

Tim Hanna

CEO Compassion Australia

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FROM THE GROUND UP

The Kilpatricks use their passion and grit to grow a thriving ministry

in their own backyard.

2

SETTING A TREND

Australian fashion boutique Kookai proves that compassion never goes out of style.

6

8

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

Kay and Gilbert share photos from their former sponsored child’s

wedding in Indonesia.

10

A YEAR OF BEARDING DANGEROUSLY

Two brave Aussie guys let their (facial) hair down in the name of charity.

AN EARLY START

Janice shares her experiences of being a mum, grandma and teacher

in her North Queensland community.

12

FACES OF COMPASSION

Three inspiring women work with Compassion to transform the lives

of children in Sri Lanka.

24

NOTICEBOARD

All the latest news, including details of upcoming trips with Compassion.

26

READY FOR THE CHALLENGE

Bishop Tyrrell’s Year Five class shows age is irrelevant when it

comes to caring for others.

16

RESCUED BY A COMMUNITY

A close-knit community in Nicaragua becomes a hero for a

little girl in need.

20

BLESSED TO GIVE

Sponsored children help their community recover from

dangerous flooding in India.

22

There are more than 100,000 heroes

of Compassion’s ministry right here in

Australia. And guess what? You’re one

of them! Compassion’s heroes are using

whatever is within their means and

talents to speak up for kids—yes, that

includes their facial hair (see page 10).

Compassion fundraisers Aaron Gallagher (left) and Chris Justice. Photo: Hannah Allen

1MARCH 2014

2 MARCH 2014

Words | Jacqui Henderson Photography | Kym Basoka

Bob and Christine Kilpatrick

are used to getting their

hands dirty—in fact, they

love it. That’s why, after years of living

a nomadic lifestyle, they decided to

settle in sunny Cairns, on an acreage

that would allow them to start the

little vegetable garden they’d always

dreamed of.

“When we came back to Australia

we wanted some acreage, and some

peace and quiet, to do our hobby,” says

Christine. “We decided to plant fruit

trees and a veggie garden. We never

really thought that it would turn into

a ministry.”

But soon it was obvious that God had

big plans for the Kilpatricks’ modest

garden. One lazy afternoon, after

picking basketsful of fruit from their

passionfruit vine—it had been particu-

larly generous that season—Bob and

Christine decided to take the surplus

to their church, sell it and raise money

for Compassion.

This was the beginning of a new season

for the hardworking couple; a seed was

planted in their hearts to use their

garden to serve others—not that

the idea of service was new to

the Kilpatricks.

From 1999 to 2008 they had travelled

around the globe, building homes,

creating gardens and doing mainte-

nance work for communities in need.

Bob had a background in building

and Christine had become just as

handy with a hammer under his

guidance. Their travelling adventures

started right after they came to Christ,

when they realised there was so

much they could do to help others.

“We got saved in 1999 and by the

October of that year we were heading

overseas doing missionary work,”

explains Christine. “Life used to be

about how much we could collect

to make our lives easier, but it all

changed after we were saved.”

Now retired, Bob and Christine

decided to donate the money they

raised from selling their fresh, organic

produce to help give clean water to

children and their families living in

poverty. As farmers, they truly under-

stood the value and life-giving power of

such a simple resource.

“It’s the dry season at the moment

and everybody’s wanting rain,” says

Christine. “We had our first rain for

about two months last night. But fortu-

nately we’ve all got a constant supply

here—we don’t have to worry about not

having clean water to drink like they do

in other parts of the world.”

Knowing they were truly blessed,

Christine and Bob were determined

to use what they had to help others.

They dug and planted and watered and

nurtured. And as their garden produced

a healthy variety of colourful fruit

and vegetables, they stocked up the

car each week for the one-and-a-half

hour drive along the familiar coastal

road to their local church. From their

now regular spot at the back of their

church, Bob and Christine shared about

Compassion’s work as they sold their

organic produce to their friends

and neighbours.

Between rolling hills in Cairns, QLD, sits a modest backyard veggie garden. Christine and Bob Kilpatrick dug the small plot as a hobby, but it quickly grew into much more—a ministry. Using organic veggies, fruit, flowers and honey, Bob and

Christine are raising much-needed support for children living in poverty.

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3MARCH 2014

“We would have liked to have used

the money to sponsor more kids—

we currently sponsor nine with

Compassion—but not knowing how

many veggies we would grow each

week, or how much money we would

get, we thought we’d get the whole

church involved with providing water

instead,” explains Christine.

And get involved they did. One

customer quickly turned into many as

word of their organic produce, and its

worthy cause, spread throughout the

congregation. The Kilpatricks’ church

family began bringing their spare

change to church each Sunday, ready

to purchase their fruit and vegetables

for the week, and even lent a hand

where needed.

“We had ladies from church come up to

the farm one day last year, and then we

had all the blokes come up for a bit of

a working bee,” says Christine.

What started as a few passionfruits has

become an overflowing garden of fruits

and vegetables, flowers and organic

honey from their own bee hive. And

just as the Kilpatricks’ garden has

grown, so has their impact in the

developing world.

“We’ve raised $30,000 in three

years and, just last week, our pastor

announced that our church was going

to be partnering with Compassion.”

The Kilpatricks’ infectious enthu-

siasm for others has seen their church

family give more and more to their

blossoming ministry. Initially raising

$40 or $50 a week, their stall now

brings in enough money to provide

water filters to around 200 families

every year. Just one water filter can

provide a whole family with clean,

safe water for a lifetime.

“Our stall is becoming so popular …

we’ve extended the veggie garden

three times now, just to cope with

demand! We’ve built a rose garden

so we can get roses for church and

planted fruit trees—about 150 of

them now—so it’s just gone from

strength to strength. The little sort of

farm that we thought we were going to

retire on has become enormous.”

But for all their success, the Kilpatricks

remain humble; rather than take praise

for their efforts, they instead marvel at

how God has used their simple willing-

ness to bless hundreds.

“Only God could have made this story

for us,” says Bob. “We didn’t do it

ourselves, it was all through Jesus.”

Prayer points:• Praise God that over 2 billion people

have gained access to drinking water over the past 21 years, due to the actions of people like the Kilpatricks.

• Eighty-three per cent of the world’s population without access to drinking water live in rural areas. Please pray that children worldwide—regardless of where they live—will gain access to clean, safe water.

4 MARCH 2014

Compassion fundraisers Bob and Christine Kilpatrick

Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit compassionsundaystories.com.au

Watch Bob and Christine’s inspirational story.

5MARCH 2014

The fashion world is not

typically known for its

kindness towards those

living in poverty. Robert Cromb,

co-founder of Kookai Australia,

is changing this. Rob uses his

successful women’s fashion label

to fund his philanthropic endeav-

ours. With Kookai sponsoring a

staggering 53 children, each store

also holds an annual Christmas

fundraiser for Compassion. And after

speaking with him, it’s clear that Rob is

just getting started.

Growing up in Bua on the northern

island of Vanua Levu, Fiji, Rob saw

people in need every day. The province,

made up of a remote group of scattered

villages, is one of the poorest in Fiji.

His life changed when he swapped the

simple island life for the big city, moving

to Melbourne as a 12-year-old. He was

an ocean apart from his old life, but

Rob says his early childhood influenced

his desire to help people. He didn’t

know it at the time, but the key to this

ambition would be realised when, as a

22-year-old on holiday in Paris, Rob took

a chance and bought the Australian and

New Zealand rights of French fashion

label, Kookai.

Twenty years later, the brand has flour-

ished. “The company [Kookai] has been

very lucky, very blessed, in its ability to

operate successfully,” Rob says. “I give

thanks to that blessing by trying to give

back to people that certainly need help

and assistance.”

By pouring Kookai’s earnings into his

not-for-profit organisation, Katalyst

Foundation, Rob initially sponsored 34

children—one for each Kookai store.

Staff members welcomed the new

members of the Kookai family.

“One of the most poignant things

that I’ve learnt in donating to

things like this is the amount of

personal satisfaction people get—

not only myself, but people in

the company,” Rob says. “It’s a

rewarding experience for staff to

be involved with.”

As well as sponsoring children,

Kookai has also run an annual

fundraiser for Compassion for the

past two years. Walk in to any Kookai

store in the lead-up to Christmas and,

for a small donation, you can get your

purchase wrapped in a blue box and

tied with cream ribbon. Rob describes

the gift-wrapping as Kookai’s effort to

remind people of those living in poverty.

“It was really the small attempt that we

made in arousing the consciousness

of people about the needs of people

who aren’t in as fortunate a situation as

themselves,” Rob says. “Even the smallest

donation can make a big difference to

someone’s life.”

Words | Zoe Noakes Photography | Berlinda Fortin

In each of Kookai’s clothing stores across Australia and New Zealand, there’s something surprising. Somewhere in the midst of the bright colours, vibrant

patterns and lush fabrics is a framed photo of a Compassion child.

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Based on the public’s enthusiastic

response, the initiative was a success.

“It’s a gold coin donation for gift

wrapping, but people don’t mind giving

five dollars or even ten dollars, because

they want to help out,” says retail

store team member Farah Shams.

In doing so, Kookai has raised almost

$12,000 for Compassion.

Rob was first introduced to Compassion’s

work at his church. Hearing about an

orphaned boy in India who had to work,

at 10 years of age, to support a younger

sibling was a confronting moment for Rob.

“When you’re sitting in a place like

Melbourne, surrounded by the lifestyle

we’re lucky enough to have, something

like that was a bit of a revelation to

me,” Rob says. “I thought, hey, I can do

something about this. And so I did.”

Rob’s desire to “do something” has only

gotten stronger with time. Four years

ago, Rob heard that a close childhood

friend in Fiji had died from typhoid, a

preventable water-borne disease. The

devastating blow further fuelled Rob’s

resolve to make a difference. Expanding

his philanthropic projects both at home

and abroad, Rob also increased the

number of children Kookai sponsors.

“Kookai is a business; our job is to

make money,” Rob says. “But it’s how

we spend that money that, hopefully,

makes us a better company.” With this in

mind, Kookai sponsored an additional

19 children. “Any one of those 53 kids,

and hopefully all of those 53 kids that

we’re sponsoring at the moment, will go

on to have an incredible impact on their

community,” Rob says.

Through Compassion and his own

not-for-profit organisation, Rob is

involved with a number of charitable

endeavours. But he says that ultimately,

it always comes back to impacting one

person’s life. “The best thing for people

to be able to say is well, I can’t make a

difference for the entire planet but I

can make a difference to one person’s

life.” It’s an idea that, unlike fashion,

will never go out of style.

Prayer points:• Praise God for passionate individuals,

like Rob, who are determined to raise awareness and support for children living in poverty.

• Please pray that more businesses nationwide will follow in Kookai’s footsteps by using their success to help those in need.

Kookai staff members Georgia Facchin (left) and Ashley Ryall

7MARCH 2014

Endah has always been quick to

speak of her love for Jesus and her

trust in Him, so it was very special

to stand with her, her bridesmaids

and her parents on the morning of

the wedding and commit Endah and

Adreng’s marriage ceremony to the

Lord in prayer. When Endah was little

she would write to us of her strug-

gles, and we would encourage her to

persevere and trust in Jesus who loves

her dearly. It was a great thrill for us

the first time that we received a letter

written in her own beautiful neat

handwriting in English. Our relation-

ship really began to deepen then.

Even after she graduated from the

Child Sponsorship Program to take up

a role caring for kindergarten children,

we stayed in contact with her.

We always reassured her that we were

praying for her and she was always

praying for us too—what a blessing!

It was a day of deep emotion for Endah

and Adreng’s parents—and Endah’s

sponsor parents too! The tears began

flowing on the day we arrived at the

airport, greeted by a very excited

Endah and her brother, and the excite-

ment continued as we met her parents,

friends, relatives and pastor over the

next few days and were welcomed

into their homes and lives. As for the

ceremony itself, there wasn’t a dry eye

in the house as Endah walked down

the aisle with her father and sang to

Adreng, who was waiting at the front

of the church, and he replied in song.

The service was an absolute inspira-

tion. For Endah’s mother, the emotion

of the occasion was heightened by the

fact that their daughter was leaving the

family home to build a home of her

own—like sponsorship graduation, it’s a

proud moment but a poignant one too.

When we first started

sponsoring Endah 20 years

ago, we never dreamed that

one day we would see her walk down

the aisle on her wedding day. We were

so delighted when she called at the

end of 2012 to tell us that Adreng, the

young man she had spoken of in her

emails, had proposed and that we were

invited to attend their wedding. We

prayed about it much—we aren’t young

and we didn’t know what the circum-

stances in Java would be. But gradu-

ally God opened the doors and in

2013 we were so privileged to be there

when Endah married the man God had

chosen for her.

Words | Kay Williams and Elissa Webster Photography | Gilbert and Kay Williams

Two decades and hundreds of letters after they first chose Endah’s photo from the rows of faces, Gilbert and Kay Williams finally got to meet face-to-face the

girl they had sponsored for so many years—on her wedding day.

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Endah and Adreng are proud of

their Indonesian culture and it was

a vibrant and important part of

the wedding. The bride and groom

arrived at the reception that followed

the ceremony in brightly coloured

and very elaborate traditional

Indonesian dress and performed

several traditional acts for their

guests. Endah and Adreng’s love for

their nation and people is evident in

their lives. A day after the wedding,

we travelled with the newlyweds to

join their church family camp in the

mountains around Surabaya. About 70

children who are part of the church’s

Compassion programs were also

there and Endah and Adreng are both

dedicated to caring for these children,

who clearly love them dearly.

We have sponsored a number of

children but God in His Grace has

given us the wonderful privilege of

seeing the results in Endah’s life. We

believe the Lord gave us this privilege

so that we can share it with others to

know a little of the fruit that is born in

the lives of children through sponsor-

ship. Giving what is really a small

amount to us makes an enormous

difference to the lives and prospects of

the children. Sharing our life with them

and encouraging them to share with

you is vitally important, but it takes

time and openness. We must never

underestimate the value of helping

children get an education and be taught

about Jesus. Even if you never know

the results of your sponsorship you can

be guaranteed it is going to make an

enormous difference in the life of one

young person and will probably extend

to more.

Endah looked radiant that day. With her

elaborate hair and beautiful dress,

I hardly recognised her—the serious

little six-year-old we chose to sponsor

so many years ago, all grown up. When

we picked Endah’s photo out of the

rows of dear little faces, we hoped

sponsorship would help her break the

cycle of poverty through education,

help her know the love of Jesus, and

pass that love on to others. Seeing that

Endah has grown into a mature, confi-

dent, capable young woman taking

responsibility and leadership in her

church was an absolute delight for

us. She has fulfilled all our hopes in

serving the Lord faithfully.

Prayer points:• Please pray for all Compassion assisted

children who are graduating this year from Compassion’s programs. Pray they will seek God’s wisdom as they plan their future.

• Pray that former Compassion sponsored children can be agents of change in their families, communities and nations.

9MARCH 2014

It began as a joke between

mates but quickly morphed

into much more. A year without

razors; a year of untamed, unchecked,

free-form beard. In short: a Yeard. As with

all creatures of legend, their Yeard’s origins

are disputed.

“Chris had been going on for ages about

doing a Yeard,” Aaron says.

“He’s probably half putting the blame on

me for the fact it started on his wedding

day so he doesn’t get in trouble. He was

keen,” Chris counters.

Leaving aside the question of blame, it’s

clear that both of these hirsute young men

are passionate about standing up against

poverty and supporting the children they

sponsor with Compassion.

“Neither of us had [much] money, but

we both had a heart to do something

[for children living in poverty],” Aaron, a

carpenter’s apprentice at the time, says.

“Both of us could grow a pretty mean

beard, so we put two and two together—

the Yeard and Compassion.”

The rules were simple: no trimming,

shaving, styling or grooming. Every hair for

itself. All funds raised to go to Compassion.

The “brothers with beards” got started on

the fundraising website Everyday Hero

and regularly uploaded photos to their

Facebook page, explaining what they

were doing and why. Their churches and

their mates quickly climbed aboard the

beard express, offering encouragement

and giving generously to support three

child development centres in Indonesia.

As their beards grew, so did the questions;

they were often stopped in the street by

curious passers-by. “I never had to worry

about conversation topics,” Chris says.

“New people, friends, anything, the topic

was always the beard: How’s the beard?

How much have you raised? We were a

walking endorsement for Compassion!”

And there were unexpected perks. They

were living in crazy times; days when

the summer sun shone bright and beards

were flourishing everywhere they looked.

They gained entry into the mysterious

secret brotherhood of bearded men.

“There was mutual beard respect,” Aaron

explains. “You’d walk around and … see

[other bearded men] and give each other

a bit of a head nod. We felt pretty hipster.

It was good.”

Despite their social prowess, the year

wasn’t all sunshine and love; along the

way, they faced trials. “Eating was [diffi-

cult],” Aaron says. “I’d be finding bits

of pie and stuff [in there]… If I worked

anywhere really dirty or dusty or hot it was

like a giant sponge on my face, soaking all

the dust and rubbish up.”

“We realised this is going to be a burden;

this is going to make us suffer in a lot of

ways,” Chris says, and laughs. “But we

were doing it for a cause. Sometimes we

were like, ‘Oh, I miss my face’ but we were

always driven by a greater cause: to raise

awareness, to raise funds and do it all for

Jesus and the little kids.”

An auction to shave their beards drew a

huge crowd to their church in the Yeard’s

final days. It was a fitting way to see things

off, and when their faces were again fresh

and smooth, Aaron and Chris had raised

more than $5000 for Compassion.

“We wouldn’t have been able to see

it through if we didn’t have everyone

supporting us along the way. The amount

of encouragement we got was inspiring

and definitely motivated us to keep going,”

Chris says.

It was the year that hundreds of children

were blessed by two men’s commitment

to facial hair. It was a year of momen-

tous challenges, of glorious highs and

character-building lows. It was the year of

bearding dangerously.

Two men, 12 months, one epic adventure of beardiness: Aaron Gallagher and Chris Justice put away their razors for an entire year to make a difference for children living in poverty.

Words | Richard Miller Photography | Hannah Allen

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Prayer points:• Pray for fundraisers and Advocates

as they inspire others to help children in need.

• Pray for all children attending local churches and Compassion’s programs across Indonesia.

Compassion fundraisers Aaron Gallagher (left) and Chris Justice

11MARCH 2014

Janice Walker with children from her playgroup

12 MARCH 2014

The tranquil air is already humid as a solitary figure slides open the classroom doors and prepares for the day. Paint pots are filled, craft tables are colourfully kitted out, and

food platters are arranged. Soon the room is buzzing with parents and children, each greeted upon arrival. This unassuming playgroup is the embodiment of one woman’s incredible dream to reach out to children and families in her community.

Janice Walker is more than the playgroup leader. She is a mother, grandmother, community pastor, proud member of the Kuku Yalangi (rainforest) people—and a humble, courageous visionary. Her hope for her students and their families in her community is simple: “I want them to be proud of who they are, proud of being Indigenous [Australians] … not ashamed but very, very proud of who they are.”

Words | Amy Lanham Photography | Andy Meier

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Power in a playgroup

Nestled at the base of rainforest-cov-

ered hills, the small North Queensland

community looks idyllic. But as Janice

discovered after years of working in

the local primary and high schools, life

for the Indigenous young people living

there is not always as picturesque.

The community faces the same

challenges as other Indigenous commu-

nities throughout Australia, including

a life expectancy below the Australian

average and limited access to early

childhood development input, which

has resulted in children having diffi-

culty learning and contributing effec-

tively at school.

“[I saw that] our children found it hard to

learn the basics of education,” says Janice.

“Also, there is a lot of truancy. Parents

didn’t see the importance of education …

We had children who left school at a very

early age … who are not employed. And

if they’re not employed then you’ll find

there’s a lot of crime …”

A firm believer in education as an effec-

tive force for change, Janice began to

toy with the idea of improving devel-

opment in very young children by

running her own playgroup. “I used to

work with older students but always at

the back of my mind I thought ‘It’s too

late’. I always thought that playgroup

was the answer to a lot of the education

problems we have.”

These problems included difficulty

knowing how to hold a pencil or

a paintbrush, and a lack of social

development to help interaction in a

classroom setting. By incorporating

teaching activities into the playgroup

Janice helps develop these skills to

prepare children for school. Janice also

promotes the importance of including

Indigenous cultural teaching as part of

activities. “It’s good for them to learn

about the local Aboriginal culture here.”

Although the playgroup only

commenced in 2009, children have

already successfully transitioned

into school. Allan Sands and his wife

Symelia can see this success in the lives

of their children. “[My son] Brodie is

only three; he can count to 20. He gave

me a fright!” says Allan. “Little Taylor

[my daughter] is good. She can count to

10. She’s only two. The playgroup helps

them for when they go to school …

handwriting, copying dotted lines.”

Each success story is an encouragement

for Janice whose journey hasn’t always

been easy. “We had a lot of work

to do at the beginning,” Janice recalls.

“All I wanted to do was start a

playgroup but I didn’t realise it was

going to involve [so many] things.

Compassion (donor, Gloria Jean’s

Coffees) came and decided that they

would [be able to] help with the

playgroup … The transport was hard

until Compassion bought us the bus.

Compassion helped a lot because they

sent all the resources and materials we

needed because we didn’t have money

or funding to start off a playgroup.”

Taylor and Symelia (mum) Brodie

14 MARCH 2014

Forging of a leader

Rising above challenges has been part

of Janice’s life. Her early years were

spent at the Daintree mission, separated

from her parents. “I was put in the

dormitories at two years of age and then

stayed there until I was about eight.

Even though my parents lived on the

mission, I could only see them when we

were given permission,” says Janice.

After the mission closed, Janice was

moved with two of her nine siblings to

Townsville where she completed her

education. “I don’t know how I did it,

but I survived,” she recalls. “I came back

[north] and went nursing, and then I got

married and had children. But I think it

was my father, the way he insisted we

get an education … I know that’s why

we’ve done well. My dad would be the

one who taught all my children and my

nieces and nephews the ABCs, 123s …

all that is important, you know.”

As well as running the playgroup,

Janice also leads her local Indigenous

church congregation. “God made me

to be an Aboriginal and an Aboriginal

woman at that!” she says. “He’s the one

who gives me strength and I encourage

women in our fellowship to be proud

of who they are.”

“And I pray about the playgroup. I do

that every morning, otherwise I wouldn’t

be able to run the playgroup. I wouldn’t

be able to run anything in my life.”

When asked if she considers herself a

hero, Janice just laughs. “Oh no, I’m not

a hero,” she says softly, “I’m not a hero.”

Prayer points:• Praise God that Janice’s playgroup

has grown to 30 children and their parents. While most of these children are from Indigenous families, many non-Indigenous families in the community have also chosen to join.

• Please pray that children’s lives would be changed, especially as they transition into school.

• The Queensland Department of Education has identified the playgroup as a case study for similar strategies in the future. Please pray that more people would be inspired to be leaders in their own communities through Janice’s example.

Janice today, Janice as a child (insert)

You can help Compassion support this initiative. Visit compassion.com.au/indigenous to make a donation.

15MARCH 2014

Words | Monique Fischle Photography | Andy Meier

Being a hero isn’t about age or wealth—just ask the Year Five class from Bishop Tyrrell. Using what they had—some pens, paper and a desire to help—these kids have made

a life-changing impact on their peers halfway around the world.

FOR THE

16 MARCH 2014

Challenges and competitions

are fun, especially when you’re

a kid. There’s something

exciting about working together with

your friends to achieve something

great. Two teachers—equipped with the

knowledge that a great way to engage

children in learning is through active

involvement—created the ultimate

competition: Challenge Week.

Challenge Week wasn’t just an ordinary

activity week at school. It was all about

helping children living in poverty.

Two Year Five teachers, Luke Youman

and Amy Bibby from Bishop Tyrrell

Anglican College in Maryland, NSW,

dreamt up the idea of Challenge Week

after one of their teaching units raised

questions among the students.

“The enquiry unit we did in term three

was global connections, where we

looked at how Australia is connected to

the rest of the world,” says Luke. “We

talked about human rights and lots of

big questions came up. The kids felt

really moved to actually do something

in regard to [what they had learned].”

Luke, a long-time Compassion

supporter, thought that raising money

through Gifts of Compassion would be

a good opportunity for the Year Five

class to tangibly help fellow students

across the world who are less fortunate

than themselves.

The class was divided into five groups

and asked to look through the Gifts

of Compassion catalogue to choose

something to fundraise for. The groups

chose vaccinations, chickens, clean water

units, mosquito nets and goats.

HeroesAT

HOMEHeroes

ATHOME

Teachers Luke Youman and Amy Bibby with their Year Five class

cont.

17MARCH 2014

Each group dedicated one day of

Challenge Week to fundraising for their

gift of choice from a specific year group.

“As teachers, it was really good to see

the kids be able to have a target audience

and actually modify their activities for

that target audience,” says Luke. “From

an educational point of view, that

was awesome.”

The groups held a variety of activities

throughout the week, including window

washing, raffles, coconut bowling and

a chicken fun fair. They sold lollies,

popcorn, lemonade, glitter tattoos and

coloured hairspray. The groups decorated

their stalls with posters and brochures

they had made about the gifts they were

raising money for.

Alongside their fundraising efforts, the

students set themselves challenges on

four school days during the week with

the thought of “going with less so

others can have more” at the front of

their minds.

The challenges were to go a day without

shelter (they had class outside), without

food (they were only allowed to eat rice),

without technology (they couldn’t use

the smart board, lights or air-conditioner)

and without talking.

The favourite challenge among the

children was quite surprising.

“My favourite challenge was no talking

because you can get all of your work

done,” says one child. “It was easier to

communicate with people because you had

to concentrate on what you were saying.”

Though they helped the kids print their

fundraising brochures and signs, Luke and

Amy made a point of stepping back and

letting the children own their activities

and successes.

“I think most of them have come to the

realisation that if change is going to

happen [in our world], it’s going to have

to be up to them, they’re the next genera-

tion,” says Luke.

The whole school was on board with

Challenge Week and looked forward

to what different activities each day

would bring.

Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College is not

new to helping those less fortunate. They

recently introduced an annual immer-

sion project where teams of students from

their high school classes visit Cambodia

to work with villages. The students are

encouraged to raise money and then build

huts for those needing accommodation.

Alicha Dyer, Head of Primary at Bishop

Tyrrell Anglican College was very

impressed with what the students were

able to accomplish through the encour-

agement of their teachers.

“These teachers are quite special, Amy

and Luke, and what I’ve seen the children

produce and how they have grown as

people through this whole experience has

been quite impressive,” says Alicha.

The children’s hard work and creativity

made Challenge Week a great success.

Enough money was raised to buy three

mosquito nets, two chickens, two vaccina-

tions, one goat and one clean water unit.

Together, Year Five made a significant

difference to the lives of children living in

poverty—and showed us adults a thing or

two about caring for others.

Prayer points:• Praise God for all Compassion’s

passionate fundraisers who are using their time and skills to make a difference for children living in poverty.

• Pray for school teachers—both here in Australia and around the world—as they teach the next generation about God, poverty and loving one another.

Zackary Marsden and Jenya Gowda Harrison Doley

18 MARCH 2014

Compassion’s global ministry requires a network of passionate

individuals—staff, volunteers and even the children and families we serve who are now giving back to their communities (see page 22).

These heroes of Compassion’s ministry are united in a single cause:

to see children released from poverty in Jesus’ name.

Photo

: B

en A

dam

s

19MARCH 2014

Words | Orfa Cerrato and Jacqui Henderson Photography | Orfa Cerrato

Nine-year-old Sarai has always

had a large family. For as long

as she can remember, her little

home in Tipitapa, Nicaragua, has been

filled with the chatter of cousins, aunties

and grandparents. Sarai lives with six

family members, but she doesn’t mind.

Family is important to her, which is why

her mother’s decision to leave the family

hurt so much. Though her mum visits

sporadically, Sarai has been raised by her

grandmother, Paula.

To support her grandchildren, Paula

sells water, soft drink, bread and coffee

at the local bus stop—just as she has

done since she was a child. Her income

is minimal; it barely covers the family’s

needs. Two years ago, when the pressure

of bills was too much, Paula turned

to the local church for help. Sarai was

immediately registered in Compassion’s

Child Sponsorship Program and began

attending the Compassion centre.

There, she formed life-long friendships,

received guidance from Compassion staff

and became known and loved by the

church community.

For a time, the support of Compassion

and the local church was enough. Paula

and Sarai were happy and, though life

was not always perfect, they felt they

could get through anything with their

family by their side. But that was before

the headaches started.

Sarai’s headaches, mild at first, quickly

became crippling. They caused her to

feel dizzy and faint, and sometimes

even made her physically sick. And as

the weeks passed, they only seemed to

worsen.

“I lay down, I took medicine, but the

pain was always there,” says Sarai.

“Sometimes, I could not sleep. At first,

the headache was there once a week, but

later it was almost every day.”

Initially, the doctors were baffled by

Sarai’s illness. It could be epilepsy, they

said, but without further examination

they couldn’t be certain. A neurologist

prescribed Sarai a heavy dose of medica-

tion, but to no avail.

“A year passed and I saw no improve-

ment,” says Paula. “Sarai continued

vomiting and saliva would come out of

her mouth. She stared and responded to

no one who talked to her.”

With the support of Compassion, Paula

went back to the doctors, desperately

seeking answers. This time, a tomog-

raphy was conducted and Sarai received

her diagnosis: two tumours in the right

side of her head.

“The diagnosis was serious,” says Paula.

“Sarai required immediate surgery. But

for the surgery, we needed someone to

donate blood.”

While Sarai and Paula had been busy

seeing doctors, having tests and

receiving results, Sarai’s church family

had been praying and fasting. They

were determined to help in any way

they could, so when they heard Sarai

needed blood, they were the first to

volunteer.

“The pastor and some church members

volunteered to donate their own blood

for Sarai,” says Paula, tears running

down her face.

When Sarai began attending the local Compassion centre in Nicaragua, her already large family doubled in size. The church community lavished her with love

and prayers and, when she became severely ill, demonstrated heroic support.

HeroesABROAD

20 MARCH 2014

The church’s sacrifice meant Sarai

could receive the necessary surgery

to remove the tumours. The operation

lasted six hours; the first tumour was

as large as an orange, the second was

the size of an egg. The whole commu-

nity held their breath as they waited to

hear the results.

“Right after the surgery, the doctor

did a tomography,” says Paula. “It

showed that everything was fine.

The tumours were benign and were

formed from birth.”

Sarai’s courage and strength through

the terrible ordeal made her family

even more proud of their little girl.

She gave in to tears just once—when

she saw her hair shaved, ready for

the operation, reflected back to her

in the hospital mirror. In times like

these, Sarai turned to the Scriptures

for comfort.

“I felt no fear when I found out I was

going to have a surgery,” says Sarai,

“because I’d already decided I would

be strong like Samson. He was strong

for God—just as I wanted to be.”

As Sarai recovered in hospital, her

family—cousins, aunties, Compassion

staff, friends and church members—

continued to show their love and

concern. They became Sarai’s heroes at

a time when she needed them most.

“I was happy when Compassion staff

visited me at hospital,” says Sarai,

beaming. “My classmates sent me

letters saying they love me. I thank

them a lot.”

One month after her surgery, Sarai

returned home. It took a few months

before Sarai started feeling like herself

again, but today she is just as active

as her classmates and the doctor’s

checkups show she is recovering well.

“I thank God, and all the people that

prayed for her and those who donated

blood,” says Paula. “Compassion staff

have not stopped helping her; they

have been so good to us.”

Prayer points:• Praise God for Sarai’s successful

recovery, and ask that He provides comfort and strength to all children who are receiving medical treatment through Compassion’s programs.

• Pray for children who don’t have access to critical health care worldwide. Around 270 million children—just over 14 per cent of all children in developing countries—have no access to health care services.

Sarai (left); Sarai with friends and staff from her Compassion centre

21MARCH 2014

Compassion sponsored children help their local community

22 MARCH 2014

Words | Brynn Paine and Jacqui Henderson

In August 2013, residents could do nothing but watch as the Ganga River swelled far above what they call the danger mark, overflowing into their city of Varanasi, in north-east India. Locals hadn’t seen flooding like it for 10 years. They fled their homes, leaving behind personal belongings, businesses and livelihoods. Some

families, trapped by the water, slept on the roofs of their homes and surrounding buildings.

The water was relentless,

engulfing buildings up to six

metres high. The constant

heavy rain made transportation nearly

impossible. Damaged infrastructure cut

off electricity, and caused days to appear

as night.

When the water finally subsided, more

than 100,000 people had been affected

by the flooding. Debris was everywhere,

transforming whole communities into

danger zones for little children with

bare feet.

Miraculously, Compassion assisted

children in the area were unharmed.

When Compassion staff and sponsored

children gathered to assess the damage,

they realised they’d been exception-

ally fortunate. But tragically, there were

other families nearby who had lost

everything—whole lives had been

swept away.

The children wanted to help, and started

forming a plan. Each child decided to

bring in one food item from home that

could be donated to their neighbours.

Though the children came from families

living in severe poverty, they sacrificed

what they had. Between them, they

collected bags of wheat and oil, and a

hotchpotch of vegetables. They also spent

a whole day cooking puri, a type of fried

bread, using the kitchen at their local

Compassion centre.

With everything they had donated, the

kids were able to package 500 food

parcels for families affected by the

floods in their area. Church members

and Compassion staff helped distribute

the parcels, offering prayers and encour-

aging words to families as they went. To

the affected families, the parcels were not

only a solution to their next meal, but

showed how much the community and

the local church—led by the children—

cared about their plight.

The children were overjoyed to find that

their actions could impact others. The

love they have received through their

sponsors and Compassion teachers has

taught them the power of generosity—

and being able to bless others the way

they have been blessed through sponsor-

ship has been a powerful experience.

As one child said, “I never thought that

I could help those who live a better

life than us”. But with Compassion’s

help, sponsored children are realising

HeroesABROAD

how much they truly have to offer their

communities and nations—both now and

in the years to come.

In everything I did, I showed

you that by this kind of hard

work we must help the weak,

remembering the words the Lord

Jesus himself said: “It is more

blessed to give than to receive.”

– Acts 20:35, NIV

Prayer points:• Praise God for the generosity of the

Church when disaster strikes. In November 2013, following Typhoon Haiyan, Australians donated more than $400,000 through Compassion to help provide emergency aid to thousands affected by the super storm.

• Pray for families worldwide who have been affected by a natural disaster this year, whether it was a typhoon, floods or bushfires. Please ask for God to give them comfort and courage in the midst of tragedy and loss.

23MARCH 2014

Words | Ruwanthi Sarjeevram and Jacqui Henderson Photography |Ruwanthi Sarjeevram

When we opened our doors

in Sri Lanka in 2010, the

country had 26 years’ worth

of battle scars left by civil war. The

conflict had caused extensive blood-

shed and, even though the war had

officially ended, life in Sri Lanka was

still dangerous and uncertain. To help

the country and its people heal, we

knew we would need to find passionate

individuals to get our child develop-

ment programs off the ground. And

plenty of passion we found. Individuals

like Chathurika, Shanika and Ushani

jumped at the chance to serve their

country through Compassion’s ministry.

They began reaching out to children

living in poverty, learning their names,

hopes and fears, and helping them

work towards their dreams. To the

children they serve, they’ve become

like family. To parents, they’ve become

lifesavers. And to us here in Australia?

Well, perhaps we’d best let you decide

that for yourself.

In her role with the Child Survival

Program, Chathurika is responsible for

helping choose the mothers and babies

who are most in need of Compassion’s

support. It’s a difficult and often heart-

breaking responsibility and one that

Chathurika takes very seriously. Her

genuine desire to help others has made

her well-respected in her tight-knit

community. She is regarded as a strong

woman of God and her regular visits

are appreciated beyond words.

“The mothers wait by the roadside,

looking to see if I am coming to see

them,” says Chathurika with a smile.

“When I go to their houses, they won’t

let me leave!”

But according to Chathurika, what she

gives to her community is not nearly as

much as what she receives in return—

the chance to impact lives for Christ

and to be part of a large, loving family.

“Because of this program,

I have many sisters and

brothers and many children.

What a blessing!”

Chathurika: The nurturer

When Chathurika visits the mums and

babies in Compassion’s Child Survival

Program—which she does often as the

Child Survival Program Implementer—

she hardly ever leaves on time. A quick

visit can easily take up a whole after-

noon, as hours fly by in a whirl of

conversation, prayer, tears and laughter.

“Some days I go home very late after

visiting the mothers and the children,

but I don’t mind—I find a joy in it,” says

Chathurika. “I am serving God through

this; that brings me so much happiness.”

If you’ve had the chance to visit Compassion’s programs in the developing world, you’ll know what we mean when we say Compassion’s volunteers and workers are remarkable. They’re

passionate, dedicated, selfless and, most of all, they love the children they serve like their own.

OF

HeroesABROAD

24 MARCH 2014

Prayer points:• Compassion has thousands of volunteers

and staff members working around the world, as well as right here in Australia. Praise God for their generosity and selflessness, and ask that He blesses them abundantly in their work.

• Please pray for God’s protection over volunteers and staff who are working in difficult and sometimes dangerous situations as they serve children living in poverty.

Shanika: The teacher

Shanika can often be found at the front

of a classroom, surrounded by the

little balls of energy otherwise known

as her students, aged between six and

eight. As part of Compassion’s Child

Sponsorship Program, Shanika teaches

the children basic skills that set them

in good stead for primary school and

beyond.

“I do it all for the Lord, and because I

love my children,” says Shanika.

It is evident that this love is joyfully

returned. The children squirm and vie

for their teacher’s attention and Shanika

responds with kindness, love and

endless patience—even when mischief

is the order of the day.

“It’s a challenge to teach

children!” says Shanika with

a laugh. “But it’s a challenge

I take on gladly.”

When Shanika began serving in

Compassion’s Child Sponsorship

Program, the child development centre

was brand new. Shanika played an

important part in shaping the program’s

outreach in the community and setting

a high standard for teaching. The

children, and their parents, responded

immediately to Shanika’s warmth and

enthusiasm for learning. Though new to

the workforce, Shanika has clearly won

the high regard, and the hearts, of the

neighbourhood families.

“It’s a joy to spend the best years of

your life serving children. That’s how

I see it,” Shanika says.

Ushani: The warrior

Having experienced hardship firsthand as

a child, Ushani can identify all too well

with the circumstances of the children

she serves as Child Development

Associate with Compassion’s Child

Sponsorship Program. Growing up

amidst the destruction and chaos of the

civil war, Ushani is determined to change

children’s lives, and help build a healthy

and safe present and a better future for

Sri Lanka’s children.

“I know what these children are

going through and I can’t just

stand by and watch,” says Ushani.

“That is why I am serving God

through this program. I can help

these children.”

When Ushani started serving with

Compassion, she knew the minis-

try’s vision could only be achieved

through prayer. On their first day of

work together, Compassion volunteers

and workers bent their heads together

in prayer, asking for God’s blessing to

be over their work and words as they

responded to His call on their lives.

“I’m humbled that God chose me to

serve,” says Ushani. “I’m proud to be a

part of my church and Compassion.”

Ushani is now standing up for children’s

rights in her neighbourhood, mentoring

children and sharing God’s Word with

families living in poverty. Her actions

are a blessing to many, including Ushani

herself.

“I am blessed to serve the Lord

among children.”

25MARCH 2014

Travel with Compassion

Always wanted to travel with

Compassion, to see firsthand how your

support is making a difference?

In 2014/15, we’re running Insight Trips

to countries in Africa and Asia—and

you’re invited! This is your chance to see

Compassion’s work in action, and meet

the children you support face to face. To

find out more about Compassion Insight

Trips, call us on 1300 22 44 53 or visit

www.compassion.com.au/insighttrip

Want to write online?

Not only can you write to your

sponsored child online, you can choose

a letter template, upload photos and

even get some fun letter-writing tips

to help beat writer’s block. We know

your sponsored child will love hearing

from you! You can write to your

sponsored children online at

www.compassion.com.au/myaccount

Compassion’s website has a face-lift!

If you haven’t checked out Compassion’s

website in a while, now’s the perfect

time to get reacquainted! Jump online

to manage your donations, write letters

to your sponsored children and more:

www.compassion.com.au

Thank you for your Christmas gifts

Your generous donations to

Compassion’s Christmas Appeal, total-

ling over $2 million, meant every

Compassion assisted child was blessed

with a gift over Christmas—from

dresses and shoes, to school backpacks

and more.

Got a fantastic fundraising idea?

Are you ready for a Yeard (check out

page 10!), or a less hairy way of

helping children living in poverty?

Email fundraising@compassion.com.au

to find out more about raising funds

with Compassion.

Help for the Philippines

Thank you to everyone who gave

generously to help children and

families affected by Typhoon Haiyan

in the Philippines. Your donations

—more than $400,000 so far—

are being used to provide families

with emergency relief, as well as

ongoing support as the country

begins to recover and rebuild. If you

still want to give, you can. Simply

visit www.compassion.com.au/

philippinestyphoon

26 MARCH 2014

COMPASSION MAGAZINE

Compassion Magazine is a publication of Compassion Australia. All articles and images are © of Compassion Australia unless otherwise stated and may be reproduced with permission from the editor. All scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version unless otherwise stated.

THE COMPASSION DIFFERENCE Compassion’s ministry to children is uniquely: Christ-centred, Child-focused, Church-based

Compassion Australia is part of a global network of both funding countries and 26 developing countries that is Compassion International. Together, we are a Christian child development ministry that partners with local churches to release children from all forms of poverty in Jesus’ name.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Dr Tim Hanna

MARKETING DIRECTOR: Andrew Streat

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Andy Meier

EDITORIAL: Amy Lanham, Jacqui Henderson, Richard Miller, Monique Fischle, Elissa Webster and Zoe Noakes

DESIGN: Nicole Spier and Daniel Cummings

VIDEO: Tom Anlezark and Kym Basoka

WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA: Matt Spier, Benjamin Webb and Tristen Klum

PHOTOGRAPHY: Ben Adams, Jake Thomas, Berlinda Fortin, Kym Basoka, Andy Meier, Nicholas Sim, Chuck Bigger, Hannah Allen, Ruwanthi Sarjeevram and Orfa Cerrato.

Editorial permission, story ideas or feedback: compassion@compassion.com.au

ABN 67 001 692 566

Contact us at: Compassion Australia PO Box 1, Hunter Region MC NSW 2310

Tel: 1300 22 44 53

Fax: 02 4935 5099 Email: compassion@compassion.com.au

Website: www.compassion.com.au

Compassion Magazine is printed using processes and practices that help to minimise environmental impact.

Over the past three years, we’ve seen:

1795 children sponsored $13,775 funds raised427 churches run Compassion Sunday events

All thanks to supporters like you!

Photo

: B

en A

dam

s

Find out more by scanning the QR code with your smartphone, or register your event at

compassionsunday.com.au

Join us this Compassion Sunday.

COMPASSION AUSTRALIAPO Box 1, Hunter Region MC NSW 2310

Phone: 1300 22 44 53 Fax: 02 4935 5099ABN 67 001 692 566

www.compassion.com.au

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