I had the most incredible opportunity to visit Haiti in December 2011. It was life-changing.
I went with Compassion UK and Spring Harvest to visit child sponsorship schemes and see where more could be done with investment from the UK. Nine of us went, with the aim of making some short films to encourage people to give and to sponsor children. I have never seen poverty or need on such a scale, it was heartbreaking. There is 80% unemployment, and those 80% live on less than two dollars a day. More than 50% of them live in abject poverty – less than a dollar a day. And yet the people were warm, friendly, generous and so full of hope and determination to change their country for the better. I was humbled. And I was so impressed by the local churches who are stepping up to the plate and providing for the need in their communities to the best of their ability, 24 hours a day, in every way they can. The Compassion Haiti office is supporting them with such passion and dedication that it made me tearful on a daily basis.
I saw it first-hand – child sponsorship REALLY WORKS. I now sponsor a little girl called Emmanuella and I know it’s going to change her life. Visit www.compassionuk.org to do the same. And if you come to Spring Harvest 2012 you’ll see the films we made there.
