Compassion Canada

Five-year-old Sharon has something she loves to show people. Her smile.
“I feel happy because I have healthy teeth!” she says. 😁

It sounds simple. But in her community, a healthy smile is not something every child can take for granted.

Many families work long hours and have limited access to dental care. For some children, a trip to the dentist only happens when there is already pain, infection or a serious problem.

Toothbrushes, floss and preventative care can feel out of reach when there are other needs competing for attention. 🪥🦷

That is why oral health matters. Not only because it prevents cavities and disease. But because healthy habits learned early can shape a child's future.

Through a special oral health intervention, children like Sharon and Janet learned how to brush properly, use dental floss and care for their teeth every day.

Parents learned alongside them. Children received dental checkups, preventative treatment and the tools they need to build lifelong habits.

The impact goes beyond today. A child who learns to care for their teeth grows in confidence. They laugh more freely. They miss fewer school days because of dental pain. They carry healthy habits into adulthood and one day pass them on to their own children. 🙌

Through our Gift of Compassion Healthy Smiles for Kids, you can help provide dental care for 550 children and youth in Guatemala, giving them the treatment, education and support they need to protect their smiles for years to come.

Learn more here 👉 http://cmpsn.ca/mwsVgVVqrD

This summer, many of us will head to the water. A lake. A river. A cottage dock. A canoe is waiting at the shoreline. 🛶

For Rafaella, a river changed the course of her life. She was 11 years old when she first watched kayakers navigate the powerful currents near her home in Ecuador.

The water moved fast. The rocks were unforgiving. Most of the people on the river were men. Rafaella's response was simple: "I want to try that."

Not everyone thought it was a good idea. Kayaking wasn't a sport many girls in her community pursued. The equipment was expensive and her family had already faced economic challenges. Even some relatives worried that the sport was too dangerous.

But Rafaella kept showing up. 💪 A helmet came from one friend. A paddle came from another. Weekend after weekend, her father took her to the river to practise. Little by little, she learned how to read the current, navigate the rapids and trust her training.

What started as curiosity became determination. And determination became something remarkable. Today, Rafaella is a national kayaking champion. 🏆

Every time she steps into her kayak, she reminds other girls that their future is not defined by expectations, limitations or stereotypes. They can pursue the gifts God has placed within them and go further than they imagined.

Rafaella's story is a reminder that the moments that shape a child's future often begin with a simple opportunity.

A chance to learn, explore and dream. 💙

Ian was most upset about his Bible. 😤 The storm had flooded his home. The roof had collapsed. His clothes, school supplies and mattress were soaked. But for nine-year-old Ian, losing his Bible hurt the most.

“Of all the things that got wet, I felt saddest about my Bible because it was the only one I had.”

When heavy rains swept through his community in the Peruvian jungle, Ian's family suddenly faced more than a damaged house.

They needed a safe place to sleep, dry bedding, school supplies, food and a way to begin again.

The local Compassion centre responded quickly. 🏃‍♀️ Within days, Ian's family received roofing sheets, a mattress, bedding, a mosquito net, food, clothes and school supplies.

The support met immediate needs, but it also brought something just as important: reassurance that they were not facing the crisis alone.

Today, Ian is back at school. He is back at the centre. He is back to playing with his cousin and learning Bible verses.

This is why Gifts of Compassion matter. Sometimes a family's greatest need isn't ongoing support. Sometimes it's a response at exactly the right moment.

When floods come, when crops fail, when a roof collapses, practical help can protect a child's future and help a family regain stability.

🎁 Gifts of Compassion make it possible for local churches to meet urgent needs while continuing to care for children and families for the long term. Follow us to learn more!

Why is prayer so central to our work? 💙 Because prayer reminds us where our hope comes from.

In the book Lead with Prayer, we’re reminded that we have all the resources of heaven available to us through prayer. What an incredible invitation. 🙏

At Compassion, we've seen God move through the prayers of sponsors, churches, volunteers, staff and supporters around the world.

Prayer connects us to God's heart for children, families and communities, and invites us to join what He is already doing.

That's why we're inviting voices from across our movement to share where the Holy Spirit is leading them to pray.

Today, that prayer comes from volunteer Lynn. ⬇️ Take a moment to pray with us:

Heavenly Father, thank you for all the local churches that partner with Compassion to make an impact in the lives of children within their communities.

Thank you for the pastors and members of the congregations who show your love in practical ways.

I pray that you would surround them with your protection and provide the resources they need. Give them wisdom and encouragement.

I pray for boldness as they share the gospel and perseverance in difficult times. Strengthen them and bless them so that they may experience the hope found in you.

May your Spirit empower them, and may your name be glorified through their work.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Please join us in praying for the people of Bangladesh, where heavy rains have caused flooding and landslides across parts of the country.

Flooding remains a serious concern as continuous rainfall, rising rivers and tidal surges continue to disrupt daily life in northeastern, southeastern and coastal regions. As communities face ongoing challenges, authorities are working to strengthen relief and emergency response efforts.

Our hearts are with the children, families and communities affected by this disaster.

Will you join us in praying for Bangladesh? Together, let's lift up everyone impacted by these storms, asking for peace, healing, strength and hope in the days ahead. 🙏🇧🇩

In a community in Peru, this soccer academy is becoming a place where boys are growing in more than skill. ⚽

Through mentorship, faith and the game they love, boys and youth are learning what it means to become true followers of Christ.

“This is more than an academy. It’s a school of discipleship”, says Jose, soccer coach and Compassion staff.

Before every practice, they gather to listen and be reminded that their gifts matter and that their lives have purpose. 🚀

For 15-year-old David, it has become a place where he is learning not only how to play, but how to trust God and keep moving forward.

What happens in this field goes far beyond soccer. It is shaping lives that will carry purpose into their homes, communities and futures. Follow us to learn more!

It likely would’ve been easier for Jesus if He had carried out His ministry on His own. But would it have been as impactful?

The early days of Jesus’ ministry were a recruitment project. He didn’t want to do it alone. Instead, He intentionally built a life in community, inviting fishermen, tax collectors and people from all walks of life to become His closest friends.

This immediately created an impact—people started to notice almost right away: “The Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’” (Luke 5:30)

Jesus lived His life and did His ministry in community—and He was intentional about what that community looked like. He tells His critics, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32) And indeed, Jesus spent His time with people in a way that aligned with that mission and mandate.

Fast forward to the evening before His death, and Jesus is still practicing this radical life in community. After several years of impactful ministry together, Jesus shares a meal with the same group He originally called together at the outset of His ministry. Among them was the man who would betray Him to be killed.

On this final night together, what does Jesus choose to do? The answer: be in community.

Jesus shares a meal with His friends and instructs them to do so together often as a way to remember Him. They sing a hymn together. They are simply together. 🥖

Impact is not for us or about us, it is about others. Jesus shows us that to have an impact on others we must live our life in community with others. What could this look like in your life? 🤔

Learn more on our Bible plan 👉 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/44883-real-impact-perspectives-from-the-life-of-jesus

We're so grateful to everyone who hosted a Compassion Sunday this spring! 🙌

We had 20 events across Canada and 50 children have been sponsored thanks to your heart, your courage and your willingness to advocate for them. 💙

You don't need a platform to make an impact. 💒 You only need your church community and saying yes. Learn more about Compassion Sunday: http://cmpsn.ca/mwsVgVVqrK

For 48 years, Senior Chief Chinyaku has led his community. He has seen what happens when children lose their chance to be children. 😔 When school is interrupted and families struggle to hold things together.

“I tried my level best,” he says. But change came when the community chose to focus on children.

Through partnership with the local church and Compassion, children began to receive the support they needed to grow, learn and be protected. 🤝

Girls stayed in school, families found stability and children began to play freely again.

“I enjoy watching the children play,” the chief says. Because when a child is given the chance to rise, their whole world begins to change.

This is what we mean when we say we're "child-focused": We believe that an investment in the life of a child also impacts their family, community and nation. Follow us to learn more! 🚀

You want to make an impact. But making an impact feels more complicated than ever.

Jesus lived the most impactful life there ever was, but it wasn’t in the way anyone expected.

Jesus lived a humble life, in community with imperfect people—ultimately defeating death to give us resurrected life.

The life of Jesus provides powerful insight into how we can live impactful lives. What impact can you make?

Read more on our Bible plan Real Impact: Perspectives From the Life of Jesus 👉 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/44883-real-impact-perspectives-from-the-life-of-jesus