Day 2 Compassion Office Tour- Servant Hearts

On day 1 of our El Salvador adventure, we toured the Compassion office.

"I wasn't sure what to expect in El Salvador, but I knew that God had a plan for us and that He was in control of every detail of our visit. I knew that He had divine appointments prepared in advance and I prayed that we would hear His voice and not miss one thing that He had for us  The joy of the Lord was so evident at the Compassion office. Such beautiful humble servants of God.  They were eager to share every detail of how they operate.  Staff members are thrilled when they receive sponsor  letters for the children  It made us realize how precious each child is to the staff." - Maureen  

Maureen and I had both  previously decided to sponsor children from El Salvador and were excited to have the opportunity to meet them face to face at some point during our tour. Lisa began the tour differently, yet was touched by God with a surprising response:

"My family already sponsored numerous children through Compassion and so I began this journey with a bit of a complacent attitude. I wanted to remain open to what God had in store, but I didn't want to sponsor another child JUST because we were going to El Salvador. We already sponsored children. But God had a plan... Our day began with going on our bus to the Compassion Head Office for a tour and to spend the morning with them. My heart was beating hard from the moment we stepped off the bus. This is where the staff worked, this is where lives were changing because of letters and gifts that came from this place. We began the day with devotion and prayer time. The Lord was stirring my heart. Wow, look at all these people, so enthusiastic, so full of the Spirit, so full of joy...they were all so beautiful. We spent some time walking through the grounds praying for families, praying for children, praying for parents...it was very moving. As we toured through the offices and saw the different departments, we met fabulous committed workers joyfully serving the Lord together for one purpose...changing the lives of children in their community. I was meeting the people that would be reading/translating my letters...if I sponsored a child. I was meeting the people who would be purchasing gifts for my child with money I sent them...if I sponsored a child from here. I was meeting people who would be praying for my child and working together with my child and my child's family , if I sponsored a child from El Salvador. My heart broke! How could I not?  How could I say no to sponsoring just one more child especially a child right here from El Salvador...the faces I was looking into would be forever engrained in my mind/heart. Yes Lord, I now know this is part of the reason you brought me here...Yes, I will sponsor another child, but you have to pick one for me, it should probably be a boy because we already sponsor a few girls. Well, the one God had picked for me was a girl - Marcella - she looked so sad and alone, she didn't stand out in any other way...it just felt right that I would be her sponsor.  The staff clapped for joy! I shook hands with many, they were all so excited! And yes, I was excited too for I knew that at one point on this tour, I would meet her, but I really had no idea yet how that encounter would impact me forever. Right at the moment, I knew I had another child and I was right here in her country and meeting so many of  her people! WOW! (And day 1 wasn't even over yet!)"- Lisa 

"It was so moving and humbling seeing their staff so excited to receive a shipment of new Bibles to send the children in their country. Compassion's vision to 'release children from poverty in Jesus name' is apparent from every person working alongside the children from the office workers, the field staff and all volunteers representing their organization. Blown away by their hard work and commitment to discipling the children and their families, we knew that we were in the company of servants of the Lord."- Jodi    

Based on the first day of our journey together in El Salvador, it is apparent that we were all going to be immersed in our hearts desire as we pray: "Please Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours! Give us your heart of compassion!"


"for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..."  Mark 10:45 NIV