Shine Fm Blog

Ecuador Update

Today (Thursday), we traveled to Otavallo which is about an hour and a half from
Quito. Here we visited another one of Compassion´s programs at a local church.
The kids greeted us with open arms and we were privileged to visit them in their
classes, to have them sing to us and we got a chance to play with them.
The staff showed us around the project and it was very impressive. Many of the older
kids are being taught trades. They had a computer lab as well as a large sewing room
where many of the teenage girls learn to sew. In fact, they are so good at it that
they make all sorts of outfits, fleece sweaters, sweat pants, etc. and sell them in
the market. The money raised goes to support the Church as well as buy supplies for
the kids.

Today, we also met with two of the graduates from the LDP program Compassion offers
(Leadership Development Program).
Again, one of the things about Compassion that I was unaware of, but it is doing
some amazing things for the graduates of the Child Sponsorship Program.
When a child turns 18 he/she graduates from the Compassion Program and then move on
in their lives to post secondary education or wherever the Lord leads them. However,
some of the kids that show great leadership as well as excel at their schooling can
apply for the LDP through Compassion (which is quite similar to a scholarship).
However, for those that are accepted, it goes beyond just covering the costs of
their post secondary education. They are mentored, they are supported through the
Church, they are provided with health care and much more.
To sponsor a child within the LDP it is substantially more than simply sponsoring a
child, so often it is corporation or whole churches that take on this type of
sponsorship (roughly $300 per month).
These LDP students were so grateful for the opportunities it has provided them and
they in turn have come full circle and are now supporting and leading the Compassion
programs that they once graduated from.

God bless from Ecuador!