Compassion International graduate shares words of hope, compassion at First United Methodist Church

Kenyan native Owen Githanga brought a message of compassion and hope to the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church Saturday, April 13.

Githanga, 26, grew up in Nairobi. He attended the University of Nairobi and later attended North Dakota State University.

He is a graduate of the Compassion International Leadership Development Program.

Founded in 1952, Compassion International is the world’s leading authority in child sponsorship. It revolutionized the fight against global poverty by equipping the church to develop children out of poverty to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.

It is the only child-sponsorship program to be validated through independent, empirical research. Compassion partners with more than 6,000 Christian churches in 26 countries to release more than 1.4 million babies, children and students from poverty in Jesus’ name.

Compassion has been awarded the highest rating for financial stewardship and transparency for 12 consecutive years by Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity evaluator.

When Githanga speaks about his early childhood, he remembers times of abject poverty and hopelessness. He grew up with a single mother.

He shared these life experiences at Robison Hall Saturday evening.

Growing up in Kenya, the only source of income for Githanga and his family was a small garden, which never produced enough for Owen and his two brothers.

Near their home, the water taps released water for a period of two hours, only once in a month. The family would get their daily water from the river, which sadly was contaminated from a slaughterhouse.

Githanga tells about his worst memory: "I spent all my childhood knocking on people's doors trying to get some food to eat. Each night, I would go to a different home. If it wasn't knocking on people's doors, I was digging in the Dumpsters."

In 1994, when Githanga was in second grade, his mother enrolled him in Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program. At the child development center, he received a balanced meal and fresh water to drink.

He also was given items he never knew about: a mosquito net, Christmas gifts, and birthday gifts. Githanga says: "At the Compassion Center, I was loved on and encouraged so much not to give up in spite of my circumstances. Most importantly, they gave me Jesus. This is the reason why I did not quit."

After high school, Githanga joined the Leadership Development Program to attend college. Of all the people in Githanga's extended family, he is the first person to ever finish high school or go to college.

"Compassion International released me from poverty in Jesus' name," he said.

On April 21, Compassion International will launch its annual Compassion Sunday campaign to change the story for thousands of these children.

Compassion Sunday is a special, annual event that allows ordinary people to embark on an extraordinary personal journey with a child living in poverty. All across the United States, thousands of people will launch individual campaigns in their churches to find sponsors for children living in poverty in the 26 countries where Compassion International works.

This unique one-to-one sponsorship relationship helps to rescue children who are otherwise headed for a lifetime of suffering and provides sponsors with an experience that will deepen their faith and engage their hearts for the world’s most vulnerable children.

Compassion’s child sponsorship program offers a long-term solution to poverty that addresses four key areas of a child’s development: spiritual growth, education, relational development and health.

For more information on Compassion Sunday, visit compassionsunday.com.