CEDAR HILL—Most don’t stop to think there are almost 700 million people living on $1.90 per day in the world’s developing countries. These same people are facing challenges most Americans will never have to experience.
The folks at Compassion International strive to share this information with Americans who are not likely to see it first hand, even while traveling.
On November 11 to 14, 2016 Cedar Hill’s Church on the Hill will host Compassion International’s special program called, “The Compassion Experience.” It’s part of an overall effort to bring more compassion to the world.
The Compassion Experience
Attendees will get an inside look at the journey into the lives of three children living in Uganda, the Philippines and the Dominican Republic.
Mark Hanlon, Compassion International’s senior vice president of global marketing and engagement, said, “When people think of poverty, they often think of the lack of things, the lack of stuff, the lack of money. Those are all symptoms of poverty. The real issue of poverty is the lack of hope.”
As a result, Hanlon believes The Compassion Experience Child Development Program will stir hope in many children around the world.
A free event, The Compassion Experience, shares the children’s stories. The self-guided tour uses an iPod, a headset and 3,000 square feet of interactive space. Visitors will see children’s homes, walk through schools and markets, and hear life-changing stories of hope. The scenes are all from the perspective of a child whose life began in poverty.
Steve Spriggs, Community Marketing Director for the Compassion Experience, said the project began only four years ago.
“We created The Compassion Experience to help bring some of the realities and vulnerabilities of children growing up in extreme poverty to an American audience,” he explained. “We started with one experience and 34 events. Four years later, we have eight experiences travelling North America at well over 200 locations.”
Choosing Cedar Hill
This is the first time The Compassion Experience has made a stop in Cedar Hill. The group has visited other cities in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex at different times since its beginning.
Cedar Hill was chosen this year because Church on the Hill’s congregation was interested in hosting the event.
“There are many local churches actively looking for opportunities to help where extreme poverty is having a severe impact on the well-being of children,” Spriggs explained. “The Compassion Experience gives a local church a chance to share this desire with not only their church, but their community as a whole. There is a great difference to be made when good people are invited to take action against poverty.”
Since it’s the first year, organizers are unsure how many visitors will attend the Cedar Hill Experience.
“We are thrilled that the response to the Compassion Experience has been so positive over the past four years. City by city, we have seen thousands come out to visit,” Spriggs concluded. “The amount of support and participation has been a huge encouragement to the work that we do. Our goal is to share stories that are playing out in these severely impoverished areas of the world. We continue to reach out with compassion.”
To learn more about the Compassion Experience visit www.compassionexperience.com.
