Have you cozied up for your first Christmas movie of the year?
Whether you lean towards the sentimental, the humourous, the classics or the latest release, we all love the touch of holiday magic that is nestled into a good story. We love to watch as characters experience the joy of doing good.
There is a reason these stories are beloved by so many—why they might be described as magical. It’s because we can all resonate with the wonder of doing good. These stories are reflections of the things that make our lives special and full of meaning—generosity, compassion, faith, love.
Our team at Compassion has the privilege of witnessing these moments throughout the year—the real-life moments of people experiencing the joy of giving. These moments are more meaningful than a movie screen could ever capture, and they are happening in the lives of people just like you.
So, grab a cup of hot cocoa and listen in as our team shares the joy of giving that Compassion supporters experienced this year. It’s guaranteed to fill you with Christmas cheer!
Regina and Cesar from Mexico.
Providential joy
Maria, Regional Relationship Manager – Donor Focus
I started my workday looking through my emails as usual when a voicemail notification caught my eye. When I listened to the message, right away I could hear the emotion in this donor’s voice. She tearfully explained that she had been thinking and praying about giving again this year after feeling that God had placed a heavy burden upon her heart. At this precise time, I happened to send her an email asking her to consider giving to a few specific needs our church partners have expressed this year.
It was so timely and providential that she received my email that same morning that she was moved to call in and donate double what she had been giving yearly! Her tears were happy tears and I was so humbled to witness her act of faith, her generosity and her deep joy in giving and responding in obedience to God’s call for her. It was a beautiful moment.
Weslin from Nicaragua.
Inspired joy
Aimee, Regional Team Manager, Ontario South
We partnered with a small church recently to host a letter-writing evening at a café space they own. They want to engage their neighbours and community members in making a difference in the lives of children who live in poverty.
Among the attendees was a visually impaired woman. At first, I wasn’t sure how she would be able to fully participate in this activity. She took a seat at a table filled with empty cards and colourful stickers and looked like she felt at a loss for how to make an impact during this activity. I was quickly proven wrong as the evening got started. A friend sat with her, and they wrote Christmas cards and messages to unsponsored children in Mexico all evening long.
As she learned more about letter-writing and the impact it has on children who live in very dire situations, I saw her face light up as an idea entered her mind. She said out loud, excitement radiating in every word, “What if I could volunteer to write regularly to a child who is also visually impaired? I could speak worth and value into her life, as someone who knows exactly what she is going through.” It was very heart-warming to witness this change in her demeanour as she discovered a way she could meaningfully give back through Compassion.
Junior from Brazil.
Collective joy
John, Regional Relationship Manager
Joe, Field Experience Associate
The Zoom call was buzzing with energy. With around 30 of Canadian teenagers crammed into one video call screen, watching and waiting, energy was inevitable. But suddenly you could hear a pin drop. Benedick had joined the call from his Compassion centre.
Benedick was the Compassion youth that their youth group sponsored, and this was their first virtual connection. During the visit, the youth listened intently as Benedick shared about his life and what being a part of Compassion’s program meant to him.
Benedick is very entrepreneurial; he runs his own business reselling used vintage clothing. To purchase some items that he needed for his business, Benedick sold his skateboard and hasn’t been able to recoup the costs yet. The youth asked questions and as Benedick began sharing more about his love for skateboarding, a visible thrill fell over the group. It was like a lightbulb lit up the Zoom call screen full of more than 30 youth.
As a follow-up to the call, the leaders of the youth group let us know that they were moved to give Benedick a gift so that he could buy a new skateboard. We’ve been in touch with Benedick’s centre to facilitate this request. We are thrilled to help them bless Benedick and experience the joy of giving this meaningful gift!
Keila from Peru.
Inherited joy
Anita, Legacy Giving Specialist
It wasn’t that long ago that I was on the phone with a donor after he received Compassion’s legacy giving newsletter. His wife had just passed away and he was working through the important details of what their final wishes were as a couple. He knew they wanted to leave an impact.
When an email appeared in my inbox last week, I realized this would be an indelible moment. This time it wasn’t an inquiry from him, but rather a letter from his lawyer’s office with a copy of his will.
Relatively new to my role in legacy giving, this was the first supporter I had engaged with prior to his passing. For all the estates that I process, my desire has been to learn about the heart of this generous supporter. I read their obituary to learn about their lives, review their will to know their values and wishes and view their profile interactions that demonstrate their faithful engagement with Compassion through the years. It’s important to me–to, in some way, make this supporter known, loved and connected and to honour their thoughtful legacy.
I’m thankful that I had the chance to engage with this special supporter, even for a brief time. There were new and different emotions when I began his estate management, having had the privilege of hearing his heart for children firsthand and witnessing the joy of giving in this special way. The gift he and his wife left is a legacy of hope—an inheritance of joy.
Pirasanth from Sri Lanka.
Persistent joy
Tracy, Field Experience Manager
Carrie, Supporter Services Associate
On a sponsor trip to the Dominican Republic earlier this year, there was a couple whose passion for children was palpable. They threw themselves into experiencing Compassion’s ministry firsthand with gusto and enthusiasm.
At one of the Compassion centres we visited, we were introduced to a young mom with a five-month-old baby. The mother’s story had them on the edge of their seats as she described the seizures she had been experiencing while pregnant and the help she received from Compassion that saved her baby’s life. You could see the magnetic pull that the baby girl had on the couple. They could barely wait to hold her, eyes shining with delight as her mom put her in their arms.
After returning home, they called in to find out if they could sponsor that little girl. Since the baby was only five months, she was still too young to be sponsored as she was still a part of Compassion’s Survival program. But they felt strongly that they wanted to sponsor her, so they kept calling in.
When they finally received word that the little girl was able to be sponsored, they called in, voices full of awe and gratitude. They had just received her child pack in the mail and discovered that her birthday was the same day that their daughter had passed away. Suffice it to say, tears of joy fell on both sides of the phone!
Ricardo from the Dominican Republic.
Joy comes in all shapes and forms, but it always moves us. We are inspired by the joy of giving. Our team at Compassion is privileged to witness the joy that bubbles up as people like you choose to do good and live generously. It happens in everyday moments—on phone calls, in concerts, church services, conversations and even through computer screens. But there is nothing ordinary about the impact it creates.
Experience the joy your compassion can create.
It’s the happiest thing you can do.
