Our Trips

2009 India

From April 26th to May 2nd, five bloggers will witness firsthand the ministry of Compassion International to the poor of East India. Visit this page daily to travel across the world to the impoverished neighborhoods of Kolkata through their stories, pictures and videos - and rediscover hope.

For more information about Compassion International or to sponsor a child visit Compassion.com.

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Time, Please Don't Have Your Way With Me

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Melissa Fitzpatrick

Thanks for allowing me take a few days before I attempted to put something so indescribable into actual words. I had to ponder the experience in my heart before I could even think about typing. Good thing I had 36 of hours of travel before me, right? Friday was the climactic moment of our trip, the day whenCompassion’s child sponsorship program was fully realized and finally personalized for each one of us. We had the incredible opportunity to meet our precious sponsor children in the flesh along with a translator so that we could communicate with them. It was a day filled with laughter and tears. I really had underestimated what this particular day would mean to me. It was an incredible thing to actually see their faces and to touch their skin. All of the sudden everything became so very real. My two India sponsor-kids, Manot and Pramila, along with their two Fathers, had traveled over a day’s journey just to see me.

I have to type it again. They had traveled over twenty-four hours just to see me.

Letters From Mommy

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Shaun Groves

For five years now my family has sacrificed for me to travel the countrysinging and speaking on behalf of Compassion International. This week my wife, Becky, got to meet the children we’ve been working together for all these years.

I hoped Becky would blog something about her experience here in Kolkata this week - that you’d get to read somebody else’s thoughts for a change. But no such luck. “I’m not a writer,” she says over and over again. “I don’t know what to say?”

I tried to compromise. Really, I did. She’s an accountant by training so I made a proposal I thought would play to her strengths. “Look,” I said, “You don’t even have to use words. You could express yourself with a pie chart. Or a spread sheet!”

Doll

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Patricia Jones

Her name translates to “Doll”, and it fits her well. We started sponsoring Remya when she was 6 years old for our daughter Julia, because they were the same age and we wanted Julia to have a sponsored child. Julia actually asked to sponsor Remya when she heard a Compassion presentation at our church. How could we say no. After today, I believe this was a divine selection and God intended these two girls to have a relationship.

What Could I Say?

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Shaun Groves

"Mother Teresa and two of her sisters would come to the bridge and find a few children living there. She would feed them under a tree and teach them A B C and things,” the pastor told us.

“One day it was raining and she came to this office. She said she didn’t have anywhere to meet with them - Could she use our portico.”

My Last Post

Posted on May 2, 2009 by Anne Jackson

Seriously.

I have no idea how in the world I am ever going to blog again after a day like today.

I haven’t laughed harder - or cried harder - in my life.

And it all has to do with this little boy.

A Reminder Of Nothing

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Pete Wilson

Today was a monumental day as most of the compassion bloggers had the opportunity to meet their sponsor child (I wish you could have seen Anne with her little boy).

Brandi and I have sponsored Samvasiva Rao Kokkitegodda (we call him Sammy) for the last six months. Sammy is from the coastal community of Penumudi, India and unfortunately couldn’t make it to Calcutta because of the distance of travel. Several of the kids traveled by train for up to 48 hours just to meet their sponsor!

Angie and Melissa each had two children and since Angie was so rotten to me in her postyesterday I chose to help Melissa out instead. I was secretly hoping Angie’s kids would run her ragged.

Speechless

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Angela Smith

I can't wait to tell you more.

But tonight, I am so emotional I don't think I could do it justice.

Let's just say it was an amazing day.

And once I have a chance to process this...

The World On A String

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Melissa Fitzpatrick

A day filled with an endless number of paradoxical emotions and expressions.

Glory and sadness.

Joy and grief.

Laughter and tears.

This morning everyone was full of great excitement, for the day had finally arrived.

The climactic moment of our trip.

How Do You Like My House?

Posted on Apr 30, 2009 by Melissa Fitzpatrick

This morning I woke up thrilled to have gotten a solid four hours of sleep but completely unaware that the day before me would prove to be one of the most momentous days of my life. Today we visited the slums that have arguably made Calcutta so famous. Just when I thought I had seen poverty in its purest form, we took a giant leap into a whole different echelon. I should warn you in advance that I am a sloppy mess today. My hard heart finally broke today and it spilled itself all over the streets of Calcutta.

First, we headed to the program site where several hundred bright-eyed children greeted us, fifty of whom do not have sponsors yet. Almost all of the children at this site are from the slums. This group of children brought me unspeakable joy. My heart hurt when we had to leave them. Check some of them out.

Near to the Brokenhearted

Posted on Apr 30, 2009 by Anne Jackson

Just in case you think I have it all figured out (which I pray you don’t) I’m just going to be honest here and tell you what’s in my head. It may not be the most uplifting, call to action post you’ve ever experienced, but it’s me. And it’s what I’m experiencing right now on this trip, which is what I’m supposed to be writing about.

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Tonight, I laid back on the bed in the quiet, with the sound of dripping water outside my window and soft music flowing in my ears. Throughout the evening, I had texted and emailed a few friends, asking them for prayer.