I love Compassion's Child Survival Program. CSP targets pregnant women and babies (ages 0-5) and their caregivers. The whole purpose of CSP is that these young lives have a better chance at survival, despite their desperate circumstances.
For $20 a month, you can sponsor a CSP that runs through a local church, just like Compassion's CDSP (Child Development Sponsorship Program).
Mothers and babies come to the local church and receive help - educationally, socially, spiritually and physically. Compassion CSP staff also do home visits and help the mother's understand what their child needs for basic development. When I was in Peru in August of 2010, I got to see all of this....CSP in the church and a home visit.
Unlike CDSP, you are not linked to an individual child or mother when you sponsor CSP. Instead, your monthly sponsorship supports the entire CSP you have chosen. Periodically, you will receive a letter from one of the mothers, and this is what I have to share with you today.
Dear sponsor,
Loving greetings in the name of our Lord! I am fine here by God's grace.
My name is S. Kokila. I am in the Child Survival Program for the past one year and 11 months. I got registered with CSP when I was eight months pregnant. I share your faith in our Lord.
My husband's name is S. Sambath. He is coolie, daily wager for manual labor. He doesn't get joy daily. He works when ever he gets job. We can only expect Rs. 2000 per month (equals US $38.93). I have one female child. Her name is Syndhya, the CSP child. She is one year and eight months old. Her birth weight was 3.5 kg (7.7 pounds). She is healthy.
We live in a small house that was government constructed. Wall is build of bricks and cement. Roof is of cement. I, my husband and my child are living in this house. There is gas stove and gas cylinder given by the government. We have a steel bureau. We get municipality water near our house. We use this water for cooking and drinking.
My husband is a drunkard. He spends maximum of money he earns for drinking alcohol. Since he comes home often drinking alcohol, we used to quarrel always. There is no peace in our house. My husband doesn't worry about me and my child. There is no one with me to help me. Only God is my help. I was very much worried about my future. In this situation I came to know about the CSP from a sister near our house. Then I came to church and met pastor and got registered in CSP.
After getting registered with CSP, they gave me the child care materials. We get milk every day. We get chicken monthly once. We get weaning food monthly twice. We also receive hygiene supplies, such as soap, coconut oil, baby powder, disinfecting soap and shampoo, to keep us hygiene. We also received floor mat, bed sheet, water filter, milk cooker and family mosquito net. We received Christmas gift of dress for my child, sari for me, sweets and cake.
Because of my family situation, before getting registered with Child Survival Program I used to worry that how to grow up my child and how I am going to meet the needs of my child. I was afraid how I am going to grow up my child like the other child in this community. Because there was no sufficient income for my family, there were many problems always. We were not able to eat food three times a day. After getting registered with CSP I don't worry for any thing. Since I and my child get all the necessary items from the CSP. We receive milk daily. We are able to eat healthy food from the vegetables and other materials and with material that we get in less rate in our market. Because of this I and my child are able to eat healthy food. We drink pure water since we got water filter from the program. We are also protected from mosquito since we received mosquito net and bed sheet. From awareness given in the program I came to know how to protect myself and my child from diseases. CSP is a blessing for me.
Now I can grow up my child very well. I have faith that God will help me. Now I am very happy. I thank God for giving me an opportunity to get registered with CSP and to get this help from the program.
My child should study well. I want my child to become a doctor.
I thank God for giving us good sponsors. I also thank the sponsors for all the helps they do. I am praying for you all. May God bless you.
Yours lovingly,
Kokila
This is what Compassion's Child Survival Program does ~ it offers hope to mother's and their babies. If CSP is successful, Syndhya will reach her 5th birthday with no problem. If CSP is really successful, Syndhya will no longer needs Compassion's assistance as she will have been released from poverty in Jesus' name. Otherwise, she will be registered for the next level of Compassion's ministry, CDSP, where she will be linked to an individual sponsor (like you or me).
Want to know more about CSP? You can read more on Compassion's website or the CSP website.
Do you sponsor a CSP? If so, I would love to know where.
