Celebrating Ten Years of Global Poverty Fighting with Compassion

My name is David Chalmers and I am a Global Poverty Fighter.

While that may sound grand, all it means is that I am a sponsor and advocate with child development organization Compassion International. Compassion started in 1952 and currently partners with the local church in 26 countries releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name through providing food, water, medical care, educational help, a loving sponsor to speak words of life and encouragement, and the opportunity to have a relationship with Jesus.

I am a 35-year-old teacher from Australia and I started sponsoring with Compassion at the end of 2006. God put Compassion on my heart to such an extent that since then I have been a financial and correspondent sponsor for 75 children in 26 countries. I have also visited the homes and communities of 32 of my kids in 12 countries, as well as some others on behalf of my friends who also sponsor.

Despite my inexhaustible passion for the ministry of Compassion, I must make it clear that I am not a Compassion employee or spokesperson. Just an 'Average Joe' who has seen the effectiveness of Compassion in action and I want everyone to know about it. While there is no easy answer or quick fix to the problem of poverty, joining the local church around the world in partnership with Compassion is a good start.  

I have embraced a life of simplicity, generosity and sacrifice for the sake of others and I am trying to set an example, particularly for Christians in the developed world, that we can make a difference in the lives of others rather than living a life devoted to self, ease, comfort and pleasure. That is not what God has called us to. I choose to do it through Compassion sponsorship.

One day we will all be accountable to God for the way we used what He gave us to look after, and to use for His glory. Did we use it for ourselves, or to help others?
The last ten years of sponsorship and advocacy with Compassion have been amazing. On my travels God has taken me to see and experience things that have both brought me to the depths of heartache and lifted me to the heights of joy.

Here are some highlights: 

This is my current Compassion family: 15 financially sponsored and 15 correspondent kids from 15 different countries.

 I was humbled to have my Compassion journey feature in the September 2013 edition of the Compassion magazine.

This is an article that appeared in the Portland Observer newspaper on Friday January 9th, 2015. Portland is a small town in southwest Victoria where I lived and worked for three years.

This article appeared in the Portland Observer in October 2012, shortly after I returned from visiting ten of my sponsored children in Brazil.

I have loved being able to share about Compassion at churches and in classrooms.

                
I have been privileged to meet many Compassion graduates: young adults who grew up in the grip of poverty but, thanks to God and Compassion, are making a genuine positive impact on their families and communities.

                        
This is the cover of the book I published in 2015 with Ark House Press in Australia. It is all about the work of Compassion and contains stories of many of the trips I have taken to visit my sponsored kids. It is not a warm-fuzzy feel-good read. The stories are all real and are not fabricated or embellished in any way. The stories of the home visits to people trapped in poverty are often tragic and heartbreaking, but on the flipside there is so much tangible joy and hope for the future in the work that Compassion does. I have seen it for myself and I want to share it with people.

To purchase the book:
Ark House Press

Koorong Book store 

Word Book store

Non-Australian friends:
CreateSpace

Amazon

Here are some blog reviews of "Go Into All The World"
Aimee Esperaz
http://mamaof2greatkids.blogspot.ca/2015/01/come-meet-this-man-with-50-kids.html

Hannah Hinojosa
http://forshamim.blogspot.com/2015/01/go-into-all-world.html

Sarah Tummey
https://childrencount.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/living-generously-go-into-all-the-world-book-review/

Jill Foley
http://www.compassionfamily.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/go-into-all-world-by-david-chalmers.html

Crystal Kupper
http://www.crystalkupper.net/the-man-with-50-kids-a-review/

Kerri Kaczynski
http://givinggratefully.com/2015/01/07/go-into-all-the-world-book-review/

Megan Prence
http://thisomerofmanna.blogspot.com/2015/03/go-into-all-world-review.html

Here are a couple of other blogs in which I feature:
Dave Miers
http://davemiers.com/the-man-with-50-kids-david-chalmers/

Michelle Wright
http://www.bloggingfromtheboonies.com/2012/07/joy-beauty-and-hope-guest-post.html

In February 2015 I was blessed to have interviews for both radio and TV in Australia, promoting my book and Compassion.

On February 21st I was flown up to Sydney by Wesley Mission and interviewed for their weekly TV program "Wesley Impact TV" ."
It was aired on Sunday May 24th, 2015 at 5.30am on Channel 9 (Australia) and on the internet a week later. 

Four days later I recorded an interview for Vision Radio and History Makers Radio which was aired on April 5th, 2015.
https://www.podcat.com/podcasts/myelx9-history-makers-radio/episodes/d6y0ar-david-chalmers

The Man with 50 Kids from SIM Stories on Vimeo.


This video featured during the kid's segment at Glen Waverley Anglican Church's Compassion Sunday in 2014. I was told 15 kids were sponsored after the service, and to even have played a small part in that was amazing.

Compassion Trip #10 (Philippines 2017) - Visiting Aljane (with Sharon!)

                                     

In 2014 I left everything behind and moved to the island of Oriental Mindoro in the Philippines to work in an orphanage called the Ruel Foundation. While I was there I connected with a Compassion partner church called United Evangelical Church (PH268) and when I returned to Australia I sponsored a child from that Project so I would have a good reason to return and visit in the future.

In January 2016 I returned to Ruel for three weeks and while I was there I was able to visit Aljane and her family. It was a special day and I knew I would have to come back again.

During 2016 I began a relationship with a beautiful woman named Sharon. Sharon loves God, kids and footy (Australian football) just as much as I do, and I promised her that if I got full time work before the end of the year I would take her to visit Ruel over the January holiday period. God provided and we were able to go. I was also excited about Sharon joining me to visit Aljane and seeing Compassion's work up close.

When we arrived at the Project, the kids were participating in their "Awana" program, which is an international children's and youth ministry run in 104 countries around the world. The church has partnered with Awana so that a greater number of kids are able to join in, rather than just the Compassion-registered kids.
  

After meeting with the Project director and going through Aljane's comprehensive file, we caught a tricycle to her house.  

 

 



I met Aljane's four siblings and introduced Sharon. I chatted to the kids and we talked about what they remembered about my visit the year before. I showed them some photos, then UNO and dominoes were popular.











After the home visit I took the family to a local shopping mall. The previous year we had gone to Jollibee for lunch, but this time Aljane chose "Inasal."









One of my favourite Filipino foods is a dessert called "Halo-halo."





After lunch I took the family grocery shopping at a supermarket. I have never looked at grocery shopping the same way since taking families out in the developing world. It is an exciting adventure for them, and an opportunity for me to help them in a tangible way.

 

The final stop was ice cream!

 

After going to the supermarket I took the family upstairs to a department store and enabled each of the kids to choose a gift for themselves. Aljane's older sister formed an immediate connection with Sharon. She chose a teddy bear and when asked what it's name was, called it 'Sharon.'





With the Project Director TinTin (above) and with some of the kids and leaders of PH268 (below).


Having travelled with Compassion extensively over the last few years, I didn't necessarily see or experience anything new. However, having Sharon there to experience Compassion in action up close for the first time made the day extra special.

Aljane's family of seven has their challenges, but the love they have for each other is tangible and I feel privileged to be part of their lives through Compassion sponsorship.

Compassion Trip #9 (Brazil 2016): The Big Birthday Bash!

Brazil Compassion Adventure blog series
Intro & Visit Day #1 (BR417)
Visit Day #2 (BR453)
Visit Day #3 Part 1 (BR110)
Visit Day #3 Part 2 (BR329)
Visit Day #4 (BR458)

Several years ago I read about the then-owners of Gloria Jeans Coffee throwing a huge party for their 250 Compassion sponsored kids in Brazil at a waterpark.

Trying to imagine what an incredible heavenly day of fun and joy that must have been, I was inspired to do something similar (on a smaller scale) when I visited my ten kids in Fortaleza in September 2012. I took all ten kids plus as many relatives as were able to come, to a special park which had a swimming pool, soccer oval, animals, horse rides. After stepping into their lives and seeing a glimpse of the challenges they face every day, it really was a profound experience to give them a day of just being able to be kids, even for a short time.





When I went back one year later, I decided to repeat the dose. I hired a jumping castle, trampoline and cotton candy machine and had a big party at Project BR-329. It was a day of deep glorious joy, fun and excitement.




I wanted to do the same thing for this trip but was unable to have it at a Project, so it was arranged to take the kids, parents and Project workers to a place called Velas do Cumbuco Restaurant. Similar set-up: right on the beach, playground, swimming pool etc.

My main concern in the morning was whether Cristina was going to be there. Yes I was obsessing, but I just really wanted to see her since I wasn’t sure when I would be coming back to Brazil. I had many people praying and God came through with the goods, as she turned up with her mother and sister right at the start of the day. I asked her how she was feeling and she was honest and gave the little universal shrug that means ‘so-so’ or ‘meh.’ This was understandable given the circumstances of the past few days.





The little ones from BR-417 arrived nice and early and were keen to get into the pool straight away. The biggest challenge on a day like this is making sure you try to spend time with everyone. I started off in the pool, throwing a ball around with Jasmiel and Christian.



In 2012 I had made the mistake of not wearing a hat, and my head was a nice shade of pink within a couple of hours. I did not allow history to repeat itself on this day. After a while I got the footy out and played with Jessica and Cristina from BR458, as well as Cristina’s younger (but taller) sister.











Soon after I sat down with Cristina and her sister, showed them some photos and had a chat. On my previous two visits she had hardly said a word, so I was really hoping she’d open up a bit more. Thankfully she did, responding well to my questions and asking questions of her own, particularly when I got out the page of pictures I call the “Sharon page” (my girlfriend). She soon relaxed, and laughing and smiling came easily to her. It was so good to see her enjoying herself.

Lunchtime came around quickly and we all gathered together under the shade and enjoyed a delicious meal.

There was a little playground with bridges, trampolines and ladders which cost extra, but I could see the younger ones were itching to have a go, so I agreed to give them a ticket each to have a turn.  



Next up I got back in the pool, joined by a few of the kids. I had brought some tennis balls as well as the little red Australian football, and they flew back and forth as we splashed and played and just had a great time. The little ones hovered around the outside of the pool, holding on to the edges. They’d swim as far as they could toward me and my translator Davi before flailing around and waiting for us to catch them. It was a good trust exercise, and they showed they trusted us completely.









One highlight from this day was Cristina’s mum. 24 hours earlier I had sat with her in her house, trying to engage in meaningful conversation and talking about her daughter’s potentially serious health issues. Today she was a different woman, and the transformation was incredible! She was the only parent to get in the pool, and the joy that emanated from her as we played and threw a ball around was amazing to experience.  



After I had exhausted my nearly-35-year-old energy I got out and dried off. Pretty soon we were being summoned for cake and farewells, which came much too quickly. I had thought long and hard about what I wanted to say, since I couldn’t take it for granted that I would ever see them again. I made sure I included both kids and parents in my speech. I thanked them for coming and for having me in their homes. I made sure they knew why I was there – that I was motivated purely by the love of God. It wasn’t because I was a good person or I was doing a nice thing. It was so much more than that; it was about giving them a taste of the love of God – relentless, extravagant and life transforming.










A couple of the groups had to rush off, including Cristina’s, so I didn’t get the time with her at the end that I had hoped for. Her sponsor Cathy had sent along some gifts, including a beautiful necklace and earrings.







Being able to pray with her in person was a holy and profound experience. This girl had already been through so much with her health and family situation. I had watched on helplessly much of the time, but today I was able to lift her up to the only One who is able to do anything to change her circumstances. I prayed with confidence for healing, protection, strength and comfort.





I gave out some gifts, took some last photos and all of a sudden the whirlwind week was over. I had received such extravagant love, generosity and kindness from these people. Honest and hard questions were answered graciously. My heart had been pushed, pulled, stretched, broken and filled up again in such a short space of time, but God was always with me, strengthening and protecting.

Having stepped into poverty in twelve countries with Compassion in recent years, I have developed a tendency to let the hard stuff overwhelm me; I take life very seriously and I often have trouble relaxing and enjoying myself. I made a conscious decision on this trip to embrace the joyous moments (and there were plenty!). I didn’t ignore or shut myself off from the hard realities but I just didn’t let it overwhelm me.  

Everything that happened this week was because of, and for, Jesus. He is the source of all the Love, Joy, Life and Hope that was experienced. He is the only One who can transform lives and turn the hard stuff that I saw into something good.

Thank you Compassion. Thank You Jesus.