Frequently Asked Questions

There is no cost. Hope Starts Here is free for churches to host.

Hope Starts Here is a great resource for Church leaders who:

• Desire to see their congregants adopt lifestyles of discipleship, mission and generosity.
• Are passionate about educating their congregations on poverty and its wide-reaching implications.
• Want to partner their church with the work of local churches on the frontline mission field.
• Demonstrate their commitment to biblical justice.
• Want to inspire their congregation to adopt a lifestyle of giving and generosity.

Hope Starts Here is free to host as part of a Compassion-themed weekend worship service. Click here to fill out our form and a Compassion church representative will reply to you soon!

It takes about 30 minutes to walk through the Hope Starts Here Compassion Experience.

Hope Starts Here is an interactive experience designed for families with kids 5 years and older. Compassion International works in some of the most vulnerable places on the planet. The stories we profile in Hope Starts Here contain true realities that children face every day. We take great effort to avoid sensationalizing dark circumstances and try to tell the bigger story of these children who are being supported by Compassion to be released from poverty in Jesus’ name.

There is no cost. Hope Starts Here is free for people to attend.

Compassion International is an openly Christian organization, and each of the children’s true stories will include a theme of their faith, as it made a significant impact on their ability to escape poverty. We want all our guests to feel comfortable and welcome because it’s our goal to increase awareness in each community about the realities of extreme poverty and the difference we all have the opportunity to make.

No. There will be an opportunity to sponsor a child at the end of your experience, but it’s not required. You will not be asked for a donation for attending.

No. Although this event is hosted by a local church, it is open to the public.

Click here to view, make changes to, or cancel your registration.

Yes! Passionate locals are perfectly qualified to join with us in running this exciting event, and we really could use your help. Visit our volunteer page for details and to find out what openings we have available each weekend. No prior experience with Compassion is required. Training and a free t-shirt are provided onsite.

No you don’t need to bring anything. Just yourselves and a mindset ready to be challenged and inspired.

Hope Starts Here will be held inside the building. Look for signs in the parking lot or proceed to the main entrance. There will be signs inside to guide you to the event.

You’ll be taken on a journey through a series of interactive experiences and meet a real child named Blessing and her family as they confront the daily realities of poverty. Learn more about them as you move through each experience, and see what a typical day holds with all its challenges and choices.

Experience 1 – Welcome
Get ready to embark on a journey as you travel across dusty roads and through real communities to the heart of Uganda. Can you hear children singing in the distance? You’re in for a rousing welcome at the Compassion project at the local church, and you’ll meet a special little girl named Blessing.

Experience 2 – This Is Home
Blessing wants to show you her home. You’ll be warmly welcomed by her mom and dad, Daniel and Peninah. They’ll share their testimonies and explain what a typical day holds, with all its challenges and choices.

Experience 3 – Church Changes Everything
The church represents a beacon of love, hope and transformation in the local communities they serve. Celebrate the local church and all that it represents for children living in poverty, like Blessing - including the transformational impact of a Compassion project.

Experience 4 – Blessing’s Story
Blessing has so much to look forward to, but life could have been very different were it not for some significant people and the choices they made. Hear Blessing’s story and learn about the incredible sacrifices others have made which have transformed her life.

Experience 5 - Hope Starts Here
Across the world there are more than two million children currently attending Compassion’s church-based, child development centers. These are children like Blessing who have difficult and challenging lives, but with the help of a local church and a loving sponsor, things are changing. Find out how you can be part of this story of hope.

The challenges are great. But our God is greater. Explore your role in God’s story of hope.

Global problems are converging like never before. It’s the very poorest communities who are worst affected, and within those communities it’s the children. Since 2020 an additional 100 million children have been plunged into poverty through no fault of their own (https://www.unicef.org/social-policy/child-poverty).

While the statistics frame the scale of the problem, they only tell part of the story. Poverty tells a child, ‘You don’t matter. You are nothing. Life will always be this way.” It robs children of choice and freedom. It steals their hope.

Hope is at the heart of our Christian faith. It’s not wishful thinking or vague optimism, but a firm assurance that God holds us in the palm of His hand. As Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.”

For more than 70 years Compassion has been at the forefront of Christian child development. The knowledge of local church partners, combined with the experience of development professionals, fueled by the resources and prayers of individual sponsors is changing lives across the globe. Right now more than two million children are receiving practical support and the love of Christ through 8,000 local church centers.

This is the Body of Christ in action. Hope is rising. God is moving. Find out how to get involved.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected]. Or complete our interest form to learn more about bringing Hope Starts Here to your church.