New TV Special Highlights Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program
by Allie Martin and Jenni Parker
July 11, 2006
(AgapePress) - - One of the world's largest Christian child development organizations is taking is message to television. Across the summer, Colorado-based Compassion International will air a 30-minute television special in major markets throughout the United States. The television special is hosted by contemporary Christian recording artist Rebecca St. James and focuses on Compassion's child sponsorship program. David Dahlin, chief operating officer for Compassion International, says the TV special represents "an exciting opportunity" for the ministry as well as for the celebrity host.
"Rebecca St. James went with us to Rwanda and met her sponsored child," Dahlin explains. "That's part of the TV program, her meeting her child for the first time, and it's really kind of a special moment. She and her little boy really connected well, and have kind of a fun-loving relationship," he says.
"So it's fun to see them interact," the Compassion spokesman continues. "Rebecca just has such a great and compassionate heart, and that comes through very strongly." But, besides letting viewers share in that heartwarming moment, he says, the TV program helps caring people learn how they can make a difference in a child's life.
The television special is co-hosted by Tim Glenn, Compassion's U.S. advocacy director, and features nationally renowned author and speaker Tony Campolo and Hollywood actors Victoria Jackson and Cary Elwes as well. All the participants in the special sponsor children through Compassion's child sponsorship program.
Since 1952, Compassion has helped more than a million children in Third World and developing nations find sponsors. Many of these sponsors learned of the program through information tables at Christian concerts or through "Compassion Sunday" presentations at local churches; but the ministry is hopeful that this new media resource will help reach even more potential supporters.
"Now with the number of TV stations out there, some of the cost of advertising has come down," Dahlin notes, "so we're excited to be able to get the message out to some mainstream channels about the importance of helping kids in poverty and really what an enormous difference it can make."
The ministry's chief operating officer believes there are countless people who really would do something and who desire to do something to help children in need around the world, but who are not sure how best to get involved. They "desire to have a personal ministry opportunity, but they don't know what to do," he says. Dahlin encourages Christians interested in sponsoring a child to watch the TV special or to visit the Compassion International website for more information.
Since 1952, Compassion International has touched the lives of more than one million children, working with more than 65 denominations and thousands of indigenous church partners in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Today, the ministry helps more than 770,000 children in more than 20 countries, releasing them from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.
