The Child Survival Program Goes on Tour!

When my wife and I first felt convicted to reach out to Compassion International to ask about raising funds to start a Child Survival Program, we never could have imagined the amount of support we would receive from the members of Compassion’s staff. With their ongoing prayers and encouragement, obstacles have become opportunities, and no idea has ever been too big.

Kirk Winter has been my main contact from the beginning and he and his administrative assistant, Chenelle Palmer have gone above and beyond the call since this project was launched.

Last week Kirk e-mailed to ask if Julie and I would like to attend an upcoming Mercy Me concert on February 10, in Dayton, Ohio. Our response was a resounding yes, but since we knew about the band’s enthusiastic support of Compassion Kirk and I began to wonder if there might be an opportunity to promote the Child Survival Program during their visit to Ohio.
Kirk contacted Compassion’s representative for the band’s upcoming tour and learned they will be exclusively promoting Child Sponsorship from the stage. However, she was excited to hear about our efforts and wanted to help. As an alternative, she offered us the opportunity to supply Anslay Church of God Child Survival Program packets at every stop on the band’s upcoming Rock & Worship Roadshow Tour. The 25-city tour kicks off this coming Friday, January 28, in Cape Gerardeau, Missouri.

Space will be made for the Anslay CSP at the Compassion booth for every show, giving people the chance to sponsor and support the ongoing needs of mothers and babies in Mbulu, Tanzania. It is an extraordinary opportunity since this annual tour has drawn more than 350,000 people since it started in 2009. We are relying on the efforts of Compassion volunteers throughout the country to share the CSP story, but most of all we trust and hope in the power of the Holy Spirit to break the hearts of those attending to release families from poverty in Jesus’ name.

Please join with us in praying for everyone who might visit or work at the Compassion booth as this tour crosses the nation. I would also encourage you to check out the tour’s website and consider attending yourself and maybe even bring some friends. For only $10 a ticket you’ll get to see a whole line up of acts that includes Jars of Clay, Thousand Foot Krutch, Matt Maher and The Afters!

I’ll keep you posted with updates as we learn of our progress along the way, and we’d welcome any photos you might want to share if you’re able to attend a show. E-mail them to us and we’ll post them to the blog! We only need somewhere between 70-80 sponsorships to fully fund the Anslay CSP. Our prayer is that God might use this to help us reach that goal.