Child Survival Program

Are you familiar with Compassion's Child Survival Program?

CSP children in Peru

This is a wonderful arm of Compassion's ministry that specifically focuses on babies (children ages 0-4) and their caregivers (most commonly their mother).

Through CSP, participants are

• rescued ~ from their harmful circumstances of their environment
• nurtured ~ care givers of children are educated
• discipled ~ local church provides love and support

When I saw CSP in action in Peru last summer, I was struck by how basic the program is. Everything they were doing with the caregivers and children is stuff I take for granted.

I watched the Compassion staff teach the children and mothers how to use scissors.

We watched the mothers and children learn songs, accompanying themselves with colorful instruments.

And at our CSP home visit, we saw the 2 or 3 developmental toys Compassion provides, stored neatly in a box....the photo album Compassion provides to build the child's self-esteem... the brightly colored posters Compassion provides for stimulation.

The home visit was an amazing and humbling experience. I will never complain about my living conditions again. The CSP mother and daughter we visited have a special situation. Dinah, the mother, was 6 months pregnant and was attending CSP with her two year old daughter, Estefany. Her unborn baby was benefitting just as much, if not more from involvement in CSP as Estefany.

The sponsorship rate for CSP is only $20 a month. You will not have a one on one connection with a child or mother, like you do with Child Sponsorship Development students, but you will receive letters from mothers involved in the CSO you choose to sponsor.

I know some families like to "tailor" their Compassion family to look like their own family. If you have a child aged 0-4, or if you are expecting a child, please consider adding a CSP sponsorship to your family.

If you sponsor a Compassion Survival Program, please leave a comment letting us know where.