1 00:00:08,980 --> 00:00:13,780 Well, hello, everyone. It's nice to be here. 2 00:00:13,780 --> 00:00:15,300 Good afternoon. I think it is now. 3 00:00:15,620 --> 00:00:19,100 And yeah, I've not come too far. I'm Bradford. 4 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:22,540 So glamorous, isn't it? The places we're getting, the 5 00:00:22,540 --> 00:00:24,820 places we're from. But yeah, my name is Bethan. 6 00:00:24,820 --> 00:00:29,160 And I am married to Mark. We've been married for it was 7 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,800 actually just 24 years and we both forgot our anniversary, 8 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,000 which was brilliant. It's always too soon after 9 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,720 Christmas. But we have two kids, so we 10 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:45,560 have, I have Sienna and she's 13 and Jonah just turned 16. 11 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,640 So pray for us because we have teenagers, but by the grace of 12 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,560 God they're doing good. And so that's us, that's our 13 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,200 family. And I've grown up in church, 14 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:02,440 it's all I've ever known. And my husband, I met him at 15 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,840 Hillsong Church actually in Sydney in 1999. 16 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:12,800 And so he's a worship leader, and so I'll leave the singing to 17 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,560 him. And yeah. 18 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,800 So that's me in a nutshell. That's us in a nutshell. 19 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,600 But yeah, really great to be with you today. 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,080 And I've been with Compassion. I've been working alongside 21 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,760 Compassion. Me and my husband have sponsored 22 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,120 children for, oh, gosh, over 20 years. 23 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:31,840 But I started working with Compassion. 24 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,880 It'll be going on six years. And they're amazing. 25 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,280 They're amazing. It's very much a ministry, yes, 26 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:45,240 we're charity, an organisation, but very much a ministry and 27 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,440 very incredible to work alongside. 28 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,160 So it's a privilege to be here and talk about compassion. 29 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,960 And I know that compassion is already close to the heart of 30 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,240 the church and so that's fantastic. 31 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,920 But yeah, you're doing amazing work here already with 32 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,080 compassion. And let me just ask, is there 33 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,920 anyone here who is maybe not familiar with compassion? 34 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,120 Put a hand up for me if you're not great. 35 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,680 So I will explain anyway, all about who compassion are and 36 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,960 what we do. But we're child development 37 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:23,400 ministry and we exist to release children who are living in 38 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:29,960 extreme poverty in Jesus name. And that's really important in 39 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,520 Jesus name. And so we're a global community 40 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,400 of Christians who see the devastating reality of poverty 41 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,240 and choose to respond as Jesus word. 42 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,240 Amen. So at the heart of Compassion's 43 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:50,000 ministry are three core pillars and we are very much Christ 44 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,120 centred. Jesus is our model and we move 45 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:59,960 with compassion because he did. And everything we do is rooted 46 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:03,880 in Christ. Our desire is to introduce 47 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:09,800 children to the hope, the identity and the transformation 48 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:14,240 that is found in Christ. And we are child focused. 49 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,160 Poverty is not part of God's plan, is it? 50 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,560 It leaves scars that last a lifetime. 51 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,240 And so we believe very much in early intervention. 52 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,040 That's everything that compassion's ministry is about. 53 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,560 We're nurturing the child in their mind, in their body, in 54 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,840 their spirit. So the whole child, this is 55 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,280 holistic care. And as we know, children are 56 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,560 very close to the heart of God. If you want to know what he 57 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,640 cares about, one of the ways in which you know that is by 58 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:53,280 looking at the children. So how do we solve a problem 59 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,840 like poverty? You begin with a child and you 60 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:02,240 begin to rewrite their story. And we are very much church 61 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,160 driven. We love the local church and 62 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:10,360 currently partner with over 9000 churches across the world, 63 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,280 across the developing world. And every compassion project is 64 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:19,800 based out of a church. And so the local church knows 65 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,240 it's community best, just as we would do here. 66 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,280 And so the local church would know it's community's struggles, 67 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:29,800 it's community's strengths and is therefore placed do bring 68 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,320 lasting change in their communities through 69 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,800 relationships and local solutions. 70 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,200 And so that's how we work through the local church in the 71 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:44,000 developing world and the projects that are coming out of 72 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,400 the local church. They provide education, 73 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:51,440 healthcare, nourishment, life skills and support for building 74 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,960 healthy relationships, which is so important. 75 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,400 Basically, we say to the church out in the developing world that 76 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,360 we partner with. We say you take the lead and we 77 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,200 will come alongside you, we will partner with you. 78 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,400 You don't always see children running around in Compassion 79 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:13,120 T-shirts because it's about us championing the local church and 80 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,280 what they are already doing in their community. 81 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:20,040 So yeah, we work across 29 different countries in different 82 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,040 parts of Africa, Asia, Central and South America. 83 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,720 And this is all done through a 1 to 1 sponsorship model. 84 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,560 And so a child from a desperately called background is 85 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,520 linked with a loving sponsor from a local church, which 86 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,200 brings me here today as well. It's part of what brings me 87 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,360 here. Let me show you actually a 88 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,520 couple of pictures. So if you show a picture for me 89 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,720 of the projects, it says picture 1 and picture 2. 90 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,400 And so if you want to put one of the photographs up, there you 91 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:54,840 go. That's one picture. 92 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:59,520 So that's just gives you an example of what the projects 93 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:01,200 look like. So that's outside one of the 94 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:05,040 local churches, and I think that one is Zambia. 95 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,240 That's in Zambia. And then if you want to show the 96 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:13,120 other picture, there you go. That's a good one. 97 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,680 That's a really nice example of a local church out in the 98 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,360 developing world. And there's the children from 99 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,320 the project, which is fantastic, that is in Malawi, I think in 100 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,640 Southeast Africa. And actually we didn't have 101 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,400 these pictures until more recently. 102 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,400 And I was like, I must use them because it helps. 103 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,640 It helps, doesn't it, to be able to see the context that I'm 104 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,600 talking about. And so I will be giving you the 105 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,120 opportunity to sponsor a child today, by the way, guys. 106 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,040 So heads up on that. And I have children with me 107 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,280 today what we call child profiles. 108 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:51,520 But Christchurch currently have a project that I'm aware of 109 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:57,320 based out of City of Grace Church in Ho in Ghana. 110 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,400 I actually go to Ghana on Sunday. 111 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,440 This, I'll be on a plane this, I'm not going to the specific 112 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,960 project that you guys sponsor in, but I'll be seeing the 113 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,720 projects out there. So I'm really excited about 114 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,240 that. And but the project that you 115 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:20,000 guys support led by Michael and Mabel Arcotia and Christ 116 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:24,040 Central's Apostolic team, it's amazing. 117 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:28,360 And actually I have a clip specifically of that project. 118 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:33,240 So we have a little media clip of the kids at Christmas in the 119 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,640 project that a lot of the Christ Central church is sponsoring. 120 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:37,680 Here we go. Go ahead. 121 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:23,920 None. Love that. 122 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,880 That's fine. You can stop it there. 123 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,760 I love that. How fantastic is that? 124 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,360 I actually asked our team, I said is there anything I can 125 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,960 like show of the projects? And there's actually we have a 126 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,919 clip from Christmas. So that was just lovely. 127 00:08:37,919 --> 00:08:41,880 And it's again, it's great to see the projects and obviously 128 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,440 the children who are part of the projects, they're having so much 129 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:49,160 fun. But yeah, so over 205 children 130 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:55,160 have actually been registered so far at this specific project in 131 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,760 HO. And these children are, they're 132 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,480 not actually just sponsored by Christ Central churches, but 133 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,280 they're also sponsored by lots of different people individually 134 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,600 around the world as well. But Christ Central have a lot of 135 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:12,160 children in that specific project, but there was two 136 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:16,880 children left available for sponsorship in the HO project, 137 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,080 which I have with me today. But I also have other children 138 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,040 with me who need a sponsor, which I spoke to Ben is like, of 139 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,960 course, absolutely. And they, they live in all 140 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,840 different corners of the world because no matter where they 141 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,880 are, they're in need, Amen. And they all need a loving 142 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,280 sponsor. So that's that today. 143 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:40,560 And so yeah, that's really great that have those children with 144 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:43,880 me. And so I have 12 children with 145 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,440 me, 12 child profiles with me today and their ages 2 to 13 146 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,880 years old, like I said, from all over the world. 147 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,880 And so that's brilliant, actually 13, what a brilliant 148 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:59,040 age to receive a sponsor, a really vulnerable time in a 149 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,920 child's life, a young teen. And so I always, a lot of people 150 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,120 think I want to sponsor a little one, but it's amazing to sponsor 151 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:10,280 a child of that age. And you get to communicate with 152 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:14,000 your child by writing to them. I do that on the Compassion app 153 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,160 now. It's very easy and you get to 154 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,560 encourage them, which is amazing. 155 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,960 So actually just to say, if you already sponsor A Compassion 156 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:29,320 child, please do come and let me know because I don't think 157 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,600 compassionate, fully aware of every of everyone that already 158 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:33,760 sponsors. And just a quick scan of AQR 159 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:36,960 code, we can make sure we match your sponsorship up with the 160 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,520 church here. It may be that you sponsored A 161 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,480 compassion child at a conference somewhere years ago, but we can 162 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,640 match that up with the Christ Central Church here. 163 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,200 And that would be a great thing to do so that when we come back 164 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:53,120 and celebrate the legacy of the church and what you're doing, we 165 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,960 have a good account of where everyone's sponsoring. 166 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:57,760 So come and see me if that's the case. 167 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:02,440 We love to work by relationship and come back and celebrate the 168 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,600 work that the church is doing every year. 169 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,320 But you know, church, it's £32.00 a month to sponsor a 170 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,880 child and if it helps, that's about a pound a day. 171 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,280 And actually it's challenging, it's challenging right now and 172 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,720 it can be a difficult thing to do, but it is a pound a day. 173 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:26,200 And I often say it's like the cost of a takeaway isn't it, if 174 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,160 that helps a little bit. But you get to write to your 175 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,640 child of as, as I have said, and you get to encourage them. 176 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,920 And so that's a brilliant thing to be able to do. 177 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,440 You know, we're talking about the kind of poverty here that is 178 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:45,480 life or death now, where people can't even go to the toilet in 179 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,120 dignity and where children are often being brought up living on 180 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,560 rubbish dumps. That kind of poverty, extreme 181 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:57,480 poverty and extreme poverty is defined as a family living off 182 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:02,320 less than £2.20 per person per day. 183 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:07,080 So there's no welfare, no benefits, no Universal Credit, 184 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,560 and we actually have the power, therefore, to AA household's 185 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:16,040 income through what we do. And I do believe that God will 186 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:20,800 put, you know, his resource where his heart lies. 187 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,960 And if we care about what God cares about and he'll care for 188 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:26,840 our needs. Amen. 189 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,800 We often see the physical effects of poverty, but we don't 190 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:36,200 see the emotional ones and poverty speaking into these 191 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,000 children's lives on a daily basis. 192 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,600 And it's saying things to them through their environment like, 193 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,000 you know, give up. You don't matter. 194 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,000 You know, life can never change for you. 195 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,640 You know, what you see in the project there is completely 196 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,920 different to the reality of the children who are living on the 197 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:59,680 outside of that project and who have not been fortunate enough 198 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:03,400 to be taken into the project because there's only so many 199 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,040 places at any given time available for them. 200 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,800 And many of these kids do not have the opportunity to be in a 201 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:14,200 project being educated everyday, medical cheques, being cared for 202 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,440 in that way. They're out on the streets being 203 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,640 forced from a young age to earn a living. 204 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:22,880 They're very vulnerable because they're not in a protected 205 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,440 environment. And so that reality is not the 206 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,600 reality for many, many children. And so their environment is 207 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,280 speaking to them on a daily basis. 208 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,520 Give up. You don't matter, you know. 209 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:36,880 But poverty is a liar, isn't it? And it is not part of God's plan 210 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,640 for these children's lives. I'm going to show you another 211 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:42,800 media clip now called Hope in La Rega. 212 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,960 And this is a brilliant story of a young lady who grew up through 213 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:48,200 the projects. Here we go. 214 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,280 I grew up in this place. I saw these things happen in my 215 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:59,160 community at the very young age. I am exposed to drug selling, 216 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:05,240 drug abuse and drug running. Lurega is a ring in the air. 217 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,440 If you say lurega then people will always associate you with 218 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:10,760 drug addiction, with prostitution. 219 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:15,280 Child protection is really one of the most important thing that 220 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,880 we partners of compassion can do to help the child. 221 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,240 I asked him what are the dreams and most of the mother cried. 222 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,840 So I changed the question and I said OK, if you don't have a 223 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,320 dream for yourself, what is your dream for your children and 224 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,160 decry more. And after talking to more than 225 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,600 200 parents, I can't sleep. I can't sleep because imagining 226 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,360 and thinking about I will. I will be ministering to this 227 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,240 place where people don't have real dreams. 228 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:47,400 When I was young, I don't have any hope, but then when I came 229 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,480 to know the Lord, it makes something new. 230 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,520 He moulded me. It's a beautiful one because of 231 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,640 the hope that He gave me. It's really my dream that they 232 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,320 can really be released from poverty in all aspects and can 233 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,680 be an influencer in their community. 234 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:10,600 I am now a teacher, so now I can teach more students, I can teach 235 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,640 more children, mothers, because God teach me. 236 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,080 And I want to use my life as a living testimony to those people 237 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,280 who don't know Christ yet. The region now is totally 238 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,000 different. Before urban taxi driver will 239 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,720 not come inside the Rena shooting every day. 240 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,880 The Regan now is totally open with the gospel. 241 00:15:36,330 --> 00:15:40,010 I am here standing in front of you because I am one of those 242 00:15:40,010 --> 00:15:43,850 children. My sponsor was from the US. 243 00:15:44,010 --> 00:15:47,890 Through her, I am now a graduate student of the Bible. 244 00:15:47,890 --> 00:15:56,440 School, I always dream with our children because their lives 245 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,640 have been giving hope in the community. 246 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:04,600 When other children will see them, it inspires others. 247 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:09,160 Compassion International the staff, the caseworker plays a 248 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:13,240 major role to instil into the child that there is hope in 249 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,480 spite of poverty and the region now is a is a better place than 250 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:35,400 before. I can say that God is my 251 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:45,800 Redeemer, God is my corner so and he has done beautiful things 252 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:53,370 in my life. I love that. 253 00:16:53,570 --> 00:16:57,090 And that's just one story of one life change. 254 00:16:57,570 --> 00:17:02,320 So it's fantastic. You know, what sets Compassion's 255 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:06,280 work apart is also discipleship. And that's why these lives are 256 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:10,240 so changed. And it was noticed that children 257 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:14,640 from many other programmes, you know, there's lots of wonderful 258 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:18,079 people do wonderful things. But one of our project leaders 259 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:22,960 observed that a lot of the kids, they will graduate a programme 260 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,240 in whatever form it's in, but then they will want to run from 261 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,120 poverty as soon as possible and pursue a life of comfort, 262 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:33,160 whatever that means for them. But he had observed that a lot 263 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,920 of the compassion children, because it's in Jesus name and 264 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:41,400 their hearts are different and their hearts have been 265 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:45,120 transformed and there is a real difference in that. 266 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:49,440 And many of them are wanting to stay behind and give back, which 267 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,960 is quite amazing. And I love that observation. 268 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,680 You know, only Christ can do that. 269 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,760 You know, this heart transformation comes from 270 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,640 ongoing church based discipleship and it's what 271 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,800 causes lasting change. You know, it's a place where 272 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,640 these young destinies can manifest, which is amazing. 273 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:14,200 You know, as followers of Christ, we are not only called 274 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:18,720 to see brokenness, the brokenness in the world, but we 275 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,800 are called to engage with that differently. 276 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:27,800 The systems that keep children trapped in poverty and not just 277 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,200 physical, but they're also all just economic, but they're also 278 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,080 spiritual, Amen. Like I said, it is not part of 279 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,160 God's plan that these children are born into poverty into these 280 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,400 circumstances. You know, as as God's Kingdom 281 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,480 people. We make a difference by 282 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:49,400 understanding that our battle is not fought just through resource 283 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:55,840 or strategy, but by transforming hearts and transforming minds, 284 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:00,600 taking captive thoughts and aligning them with the love and 285 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,920 the justice of Christ, which is why I love that. 286 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,320 What compassion do is in Jesus name, I'll often say we can do 287 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:12,400 everything holistically, physically, to clothe these 288 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,040 children and feed them, but if they don't have Christ, if 289 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:20,520 they're not taught how to align their mind with Christ, then 290 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,120 actually what have they got? What have they got? 291 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:29,960 The world and its problems would love to quench the hope and the 292 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:36,200 life within and weary our soul and cause us to be ineffective. 293 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,960 But my prayer is that we become masters of our hearts. 294 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:47,360 Because as this world deteriorates and my goodness, 295 00:19:47,360 --> 00:19:49,960 there's chaos all around us, isn't there all the time. 296 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,680 But that we will continue to be the light, bringing hope and 297 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:57,160 restoration to those in great need. 298 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:04,280 And one by one, our actions we become the answer to a suffering 299 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,200 world. I know that many of us are 300 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:12,480 carrying cares and burdens, and I'm sure that we're all feeling 301 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:18,920 the pressures of life in 2026. But all I can do is stand here 302 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,120 and say, you know, what is in your hand to do? 303 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:26,480 Is there something you can do? And what is in our capacity to 304 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,720 to do? Like I say, you know, God is in 305 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:34,280 this work and I believe He will bless our actions today, but we 306 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:36,480 are His hands and feet on this earth. 307 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:38,880 Amen. God gets things done through us. 308 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,840 You know, it's important, of course, to divert ourselves to 309 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:46,520 prayer that there's such world changing power in prayer 310 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,800 partnered with action. You know, it's like one of those 311 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,880 things they could often say, Oh God, you know, will you just 312 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:54,800 open the door? Will you just do this, that and 313 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,680 the other for me and God, sometimes I believe he's kind of 314 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,680 pushed the door. You're like, move, do something. 315 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:02,440 Give me something to work with here, guys. 316 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:05,960 I'm going to read from Isaiah 61. 317 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:10,280 I love this scripture because as well as applying this to our own 318 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:16,200 lives, I read it and think of the children and how it is for 319 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,720 them to receive a sponsor actually and the difference it 320 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:20,360 makes to their lives. I love it. 321 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,840 I'm going to just read from I think it's the passion 322 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,160 translation so no need to put it on screen. 323 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,760 The Spirit of the Lord guardians upon me because the Lord has 324 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,720 anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble 325 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,000 and afflicted. He has sent me to comfort the 326 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,680 broken hearted and to proclaim that the captives will be 327 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:43,600 released and the prisoners will be freed. 328 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,120 He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of Lord's 329 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:51,240 favour has come, and with it the day of God's anger against their 330 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,320 enemies. To strengthen those crushed by 331 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:59,400 despair who mourn in Zion. To give them a beautiful bouquet 332 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,040 in the place of ashes and the oil of bliss instead of tears, 333 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,760 the oil of joy instead of mourning, and the garment of 334 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:09,280 praise instead of a disheartened spirit. 335 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,640 So they will be called the trees of righteousness, strong and 336 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:19,320 magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice and right. 337 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,720 Standing with God, planted by Yahweh as a living display of 338 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,640 His glory. They will rebuild the ancient 339 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,880 ruins. They will raise up and restore 340 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,920 the former desolations, and they will renew the ruined cities. 341 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:36,320 And another version of Scripture says that they will revive the 342 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:42,640 desolations of past generations. I love that in James 214 it 343 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,120 tells the story. Dear friends, do you think 344 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:50,240 you'll get anywhere in this life if you learn all the right words 345 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,240 but never do anything? It's hard hitting the scriptures 346 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,160 just straight down the line from the message version. 347 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,640 Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really 348 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,040 has it? For instance, you come upon an 349 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:07,640 old friend dressed in rags, half starved and say Good morning, 350 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:13,280 friend, be clothed in Christ, be filled with the Holy Spirit and 351 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,400 walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup. 352 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:20,520 Where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God talk 353 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,600 without God acts is outrageous nonsense. 354 00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:25,320 It's true, right? It's just true. 355 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,960 You know, basically as Kingdom people, we are designed and we 356 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,480 are called to serve and love others. 357 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:37,320 We are heavenly ambassadors. We are heavenly ambassadors 358 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:42,080 working on his behalf. You know God is so in this work 359 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:47,000 because we know that He chose humble circumstances to birth 360 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,080 greatness just like these children. 361 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,680 When God wanted to reveal Himself as a man to humanity, He 362 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:58,600 took great delight in revealing Himself through Jesus Christ. 363 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:03,560 His arrival was marked by very lowly, very humble conditions. 364 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,720 As we know, God could have chosen His Son to come through a 365 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:12,080 royal lineage, or to be born through the rulers of the age of 366 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,880 the time. We all know God could have sent 367 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:19,720 his Son to solve the world hunger problem, could have had 368 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,920 Jesus go on tour filling amphitheatres and hippodromes, 369 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,440 impressing everyone with supernatural performances. 370 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,120 But he didn't. He could have set Jesus up to 371 00:24:30,120 --> 00:24:33,000 take over the governance of the world, but he didn't. 372 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:39,400 He gave us the miracle of Jesus, of course, as a helpless infant. 373 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,920 And actually the Ephesians church I think was birthed in a 374 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,120 similar way. I'm sure those looking in were 375 00:24:47,120 --> 00:24:49,800 like it's the unimportant, it's those that don't matter. 376 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:56,760 And it could seem ordinary to some, but I think that God 377 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,200 specialises in miracles undercover, Amen. 378 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,720 Miracles happening in the places where it's the powerless, the 379 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,760 vulnerable and who might be considered the unimportant. 380 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,840 I believe that is where God specialises and does his best 381 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:17,800 work. I heard it said again by one of 382 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,080 the compassion directors who works in Brazil actually. 383 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,960 And so wow, major gang issues in Brazil. 384 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:30,360 And he just said he hears so many stories, so many children's 385 00:25:30,360 --> 00:25:34,480 stories. Absolutely heartbreaking stuff. 386 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,360 But in hearing one story after another, he just, he was just 387 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:42,720 talking to us and he just skipped over it. 388 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:48,320 But I loved he just said about the, the reverence and the awe 389 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,840 of the work of Christ and the work he's doing in these 390 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:56,640 children's lives and, and the vehicle for the vehicle of 391 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:59,320 compassion. He said, sometimes I feel as 392 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:04,560 though I'm stood on holy ground. And I thought, gosh, like their 393 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,080 stories are so humbling. It's like I just feel like I'm 394 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,960 stood on holy ground. And This is why God specialises 395 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:17,240 in in the unseen through this work church, you're leaving a 396 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,520 legacy and you've began a legacy through those children that 397 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,680 you're already sponsoring in the whole project, or maybe it's in 398 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,440 another project. And so that is a legacy that the 399 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:30,640 that the church has. And I hope to help you continue 400 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:36,400 today. But just in closing, God's glory 401 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:43,120 means God's beauty on display, and you are bringing God's 402 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:49,400 beauty to display. So often I think that we box the 403 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:54,480 word glory into an external moment and the glory of God's 404 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,600 often wrapped up in I think very earthly actually and very normal 405 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,640 circumstances. And like I've said, we just need 406 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:03,800 to look at Jesus life to see that. 407 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:09,960 In fact, I think that the glory of God in our lives can often 408 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:14,160 look like pain. So many of these children have 409 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:18,480 been born through no fault of their own into circumstances of 410 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,360 pain. Jesus mission was immersed in 411 00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:26,160 pain, started in pain, and it ended in pain on the cross and 412 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,760 it looked like anything but the glory of God. 413 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:34,720 But there is something about the pain of a life's journey that 414 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:37,960 displays the glory of God. I think quite often as the 415 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,240 evangelical church, we celebrate, you know, the outward 416 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,200 manifestations. Somebody might fall in a prayer 417 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:48,840 line or and that's all wonderful and that is the power of God. 418 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:52,480 But I think we can easily overlook, like I say, the 419 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:59,080 miracle undercover the ordinary, you know, the daily been able to 420 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:02,200 conquer the day. And you know, the glory of God 421 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,640 is wrapped up in so many different ways. 422 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:10,200 And there's real power in that. You know, God sees the beauty of 423 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:14,400 that completely of ordinary circumstances and he uses that. 424 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,200 He uses that. It looks like anything but the 425 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,360 glory of God sometimes, but he uses these things and these 426 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:27,360 young lives to show his power. I read in Lectio 365. 427 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:30,560 I don't know if any of you know the daily devotional app, but I 428 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,480 love this. It said the anointing of the 429 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,040 Spirit rests upon Jesus for the sake of the poor, the 430 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,080 imprisoned, the disabled, and the oppressed. 431 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,560 His mission has a clear bias to the poor. 432 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,760 One theologian said every sixth line in Luke's gospel is about 433 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:52,320 the physically poor and our call to respond. 434 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:57,080 Later on, Jesus even identifies his own presence with the poor 435 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:00,800 and tells us that ultimately, how we treat the poor is how we 436 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,960 treat God. This has revolutionary 437 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:10,080 implications for us today. It means that whenever I pray, 438 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,280 come Holy Spirit, I'm not necessarily asking for 439 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,520 comforting feelings and a bit more peace. 440 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,160 I may well be asking for uncomfortable feelings and a few 441 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:24,400 more tears. I pray, come, Holy Spirit. 442 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:30,120 To pray come Holy Spirit is to open my entire life, my heart, 443 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:34,760 my schedule, and even my bank account to a disruptive 444 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:39,320 realignment of my spiritual, political and financial 445 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:43,640 priorities away from myself and towards those people in the 446 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:45,040 margins. That's great isn't it? 447 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:53,240 If the church lose her identity, we just become a social club, no 448 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,240 different to any other gathering that happens down the road. 449 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,840 The Church must not lose its life changing power. 450 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,600 The Church has the power, the power to actually change the 451 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,960 world. One word, 1 movement, one 452 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,360 decision at a time. And I think we forget that so 453 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:14,200 easily. Like I said, we are Kingdom 454 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:18,360 ambassadors and my prayer is that we will continue to be that 455 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:22,280 as His Church and continue to rise up, continue to say yes. 456 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:27,840 We must never arrive at a place where the value of a human soul 457 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:32,960 is diminished. The cries of humanity must never 458 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:37,160 just become statistics. And in the modern world, when 459 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:40,480 we're absorbing things on a regular basis from around the 460 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,720 world, I'm not sure we're always built to absorb it, everything 461 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,920 in the way in which we do. But we live in a time when the 462 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:51,840 anguish of a child and the suffering of a mother and the 463 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:57,080 despair of a man are not always met with reverence or with 464 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:04,320 mercy, But what belongs to the sacred realm of compassion must 465 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,920 never be diminished. Let's always ask, how can we 466 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,640 love? How can we care for one another? 467 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:13,920 Let's just close in prayer if that's OK, and I'll hand back to 468 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:20,240 them. Thank you Jesus, thank you 469 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:24,480 Father for the opportunity of being here with your church 470 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:29,800 today and being able to represent this amazing work and 471 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:33,680 speak on behalf of these children who cannot speak for 472 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:37,960 themselves. Holy Spirit, mobilise me in 473 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:45,600 mission, anoint me to do what you do, let my life reflect your 474 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,800 Kingdom. Thank you Jesus, disrupt us, 475 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:55,760 realign our lives so we can move with your heart for the least, 476 00:31:56,480 --> 00:32:01,880 for the lost and for the lonely. Thank you, Father, that we get 477 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:06,520 to take action on your behalf. Thank you, Lord, that as long as 478 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,720 we have breath in our bodies, we can say yes. 479 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:16,360 And what a privilege, what a privilege is to be a part of 480 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,440 your plan. And so thank you, Father, for 481 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:25,800 the opportunity to keep moving forward as your ambassadors and 482 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,440 to care for what you care about God. 483 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,200 And so I want to thank you. Thank you for your church. 484 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:36,520 Thank you for the legacy of what you are already doing here. 485 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:41,640 And thank you for every single person who loves you, who 486 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,520 engages with you, who walks forward with you, and who cares 487 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,200 as you care. So thank you, Father, we love 488 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:50,960 you so much. Thank you, Lord.