Hands and Hearts

Just spent a week in Ecuador with C3's first ever mission team.

Compassion International helps give at risk children all over the globe a better shot at a better future.

They do that through the local church.

Where there is no local church, they don't pursue.

So Stadia, the organization we are part of said, "We'll plant churches where there are no local churches, so you can set up Compassion Centers where there are no centers." It's a brilliant partnership.

We helped plant New Dawn Church two years ago when we were 30 people in our living room.

Along with helping plant the church, we sponsored 10 kids from that village. There are now 291 school age kids sponsored in that village.

Shaina, Chaia and I sponsored Yelixa.

This past week, Shaina and I got to meet her.



The culture in the area where we visited is one where many dads aren't being dads. They've checked out, leaving moms in charge of the household and in charge of generating income. The poverty is significant. The heartache and family dynamics are devastating.

Yelixa sees her dad once every month or two.

When asked what to pray for her, she mentioned her mom and her sister...not her dad.

There aren't many positive male role models in her life or in the life of many of the kids in that village.

Shaina essentially became a third wheel for the time we got to spend with Yelixa.

She called us her godparents.

I'm not "touchy-feely" guy.

But for one week, my primary job was to hold a hand, and simultaneously encourage a heart.



Sometimes the things that change the world aren't the big revolutions or the epic innovations. Sometimes they are the simple acts done with astounding love.

Change
Starts
Here.