chelan rene’ russ

on ministry, motherhood, marriage, music, munchies…

All-Star Cast of Musicians to Join w/Compassion International for an AMAZING online Concert! February 14, 2010

I can’t wait til Feb. 27th!

One month following the 7.1 earthquake that struck Haiti, an all-star cast of musicians is gathering for “Help Haiti Live,” a two-city (in LA @ the historic Wiltern Theater & Nashville’s famous Ryman Auditorium) ticketed concert event taking place on February 27th, 2010 to benefit Compassion International’s Haiti disaster relief fund.

No, I didn’t buy tickets to hear it all live, but I’ll be hearing it live from my game room at home, because Compassion Int’l is streaming all performances live from both cities online, at HelpHaitiLive.com. (!) I cannot tell you how supportive I am of Compassion’s efforts, and how this organization has been meeting the physical and spiritual needs of Haitians for more than forty years and will continue to serve them in this time of extreme need. Already Compassion International has supplied more than 15,000 families with clean water, food, blankets, temporary shelter, medical supplies and counseling.  Donations from this event will lay bricks, feed, educate, clothe, heal and rebuild Haiti for many months to come in Jesus’ name.

So without further ado ~ y’all MUST check out this line-up!… (more…)

 

Blessed to be a blessing July 27, 2009

Sponsor a child online through Compassion's Christian child sponsorship ministry. Search for a child by age, gender, country, birthday, special needs and more.

Why are we here, if not to bring glory to God. Can you think of a better way to glorify your God than to help ease suffering children by providing for them medicine, schooling, & nourishment for thier bodies & spirits?

So many are waiting to be chosen & sponsored. Please consider joining the ranks of all kinds of people who bless a child with Compassion. You’ve been given so much, & you have been blessed so that you may be a blessing.

Thank you!!

Sponsor a child online through Compassion's Christian child sponsorship ministry. Search for a child by age, gender, country, birthday, special needs and more.

 

The Recession in light of giving June 15, 2009

What do you start eliminating when your budget’s tight? Somethin’s gotta give, right? Starbucks? Clothes shopping? Restaurants? Or that charity you signed up for a while back?  (more…)

 

My Email from Shaun Groves March 19, 2009

Filed under: About Chelan {or Ricky}, Compassion International — chelan @ 12:43 pm

Wonderful news report about Global Food Crisis Day!

Here’s a snippet from an email I just rec’d from musician/Bloggers’ Manager for Compassion, Mr. Shaun Groves:

“On March 11th almost 500 … bloggers and almost 1,000 radio stations partnered with Compassion International to raise awareness and funds to benefit those currently affected by the global food crisis. The one day event was dubbed Global Food Crisis Day and it was a success due in no small part to you.
Compassion International’s financial goal for Global Food Crisis Day was to raise $1 million. Instead, over 27,000 donors gave more than $3.1 million! And the number continues to grow as donations continue to be processed!
In addition to donations to Compassion International’s Global Food Crisis Fund, more than 2,000 children were also sponsored as a result of the many radio broadcasts and your inspiring words on-line…”

Praise & glory to God.

 

A Perfect Day March 11, 2009

If you’ve ever wondered if or when you should give anything to people who are suffering from hunger and poverty, the answer is YES, and today is a perfect day to start.

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Just a few years back, I remember moving to a new a new area with no job. We had no income to speak of. But The State of Oregon had laws in place to help us get the things we needed. They had an amazing class where my husband & I both learned the best ways how to get a job & keep it.empty As we searched & worked on our resumes, we received money in the form of an “EBT” card – over $400.00 a month, which more than covered all the food a family of three could ingest! Every time I pulled out that card to pay for groceries, I thanked my God in heaven for such extravagant provision. Ours is a nation truly blessed.

 

There are many developing countries that (without giving horrible statistics) have no laws in place & no options to aid their hungry people. But we can help them! You can help someone really live, along side Compassion. Think back – about what your family, friends, and government have given to you over the years to help when you needed it…and simply pass it on. $13, $39  or $78 – you choose the amount, to give a child all they really need to thrive ~ nutritionally and spiritually.

If someone asks you what day it is today, answer, “It’s Global Food Crisis Day”. A perfect day to start giving back – start influencing lives of the less fortunate in your journey with Compassion.

For some more info. on what this special day is about, check out fellow Compassion blogger (& designer), Brad Ruggles’ latest blog post, “Global Food Crisis Day Today“.

 

24 ~ in three different lights February 18, 2009

I love “24″. Jack can save the world – save “millions” of lives in just 24 hours.

My last 24 hours wasn’t as exciting. Yesterday was long. Work went well, but kind of stressful. I was feeling stuffy trying to fight off a chest-cold with air-borne, and neither my little girl nor myself could take a nap, because she had just learned how to escape her ’sleeping quarters’ . It’s finally time to graduate to her big-girl bed. I couldn’t find my wallet or my phone – it’s goin’ on a week now. And I found out I need a crown and my son has no enamel on his teeth due to a high fever he had when he was 2, so he has many cavities, and we have no insurance.

But it all seems a little insignificant in light of what I recently read happens in the span of 24 hours elsewhere:

  • Over 13,000 children age 5 & younger will die of hunger
  • About 3,000 children will die of diseases caused by unclean water & poor sanitation
  • Nearly 3,000 children will die from malaria

These stats blow my mind. Nearly 20k kids dead, in 24 hours. It seems so senseless! But in one day, we can help turn these numbers around. We really, really can.

Ricky & I have been able to make a dent in the numbers by reaching out to even one 6-yr. old child, Jhonatan. It doesn’t seem like a big impact (just one child), but I know that our $32., the letters from his American friend, Braylon, & our prayers really do make a big impact on Jhonatan and his family. Would you join us? Those who have a little bit extra are called to give to those who do not. But ya know, those who do not have a little extra are also called to give to those who are suffering from poverty. When you answer, God will more than step up to your level of faith and provide for you. Faith can do wonders. He’ll reward every effort. It is his very nature, as our Provider & Father…and we will know in our hearts that we obeyed.

I’m no Jack Bauer, but I can help save one life, and I can’t think of a better feeling.

jack

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more info, or if you want to choose a child to impact as well, just click over to C.I. (Compassion International) & start your search.

 

today is blog action day! spotlight: poverty October 15, 2008

this year’s global conversation is all about poverty. last yr.s was the environment. if you want in on the action today, you know what to do! http://site.blogactionday.org/about/

i’m just a single voice to let people know of an unbelievably wise & generous way to knock out poverty, one child sponsorship @ a time: compassion international. 

shaun groves, a wonderfully talented singer/songwriter, is a hugely instrumental spokesperson for CI & gave me these links to let all y’all know about Compassion’s efforts to eliminate poverty in the lives of little ones. click away!

-Compassion International child sponsorship page:
http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=97447

- What scripture says about poverty:
http://www.compassion.com/child-advocacy/find-your-voice/what-the-bible-says/default.htm

- New Compassion widgets:
http://share-compassion.org/widgets/featuredchild/web/getHTML.php5?referer=97447&refererrequired=1

- Compassion banners:
http://www.compassion.com/share/freestuff/Promote.htm

-Compassion Bloggers:
http://www.compassionbloggers.com

-Child Sponsorship explained:
http://www.compassion.com/child-development/default.htm

-Compassion International videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/CompassionIntl

-Compassion’s blog:
http://blog.compassion.com

Thank you for partnering with us one again to release children from poverty. Let me know if you ever need anything from Compassion.

-Shaun Groves
CompassionBoggers.com
1-888-435-3336

i know i know, the question is always resounding, “what can one person do?” here are many answers, if you really care to know them…

 

<script src=”http://blogactionday.org/js/4c8d2c688f6e8561b5b951c318e5a864101ac7cc”></script>

<a href=”http://blogactionday.org“><img border=”0″ src=”http://blogactionday.org/img/4c8d2c688f6e8561b5b951c318e5a864101ac7cc.jpg” /></a>

 

give it away, give it away, give it away now October 3, 2008

Filed under: Compassion International — chelan @ 3:25 pm
Tags: , ,

i just had to take a step of faith & do it. for years i thought i had to have eccess money to be able to give it away. that’s such a myth. we just re-allocated our funds a bit and cut back on a few things. when we finally sposored a child who needed care for longer than 6 months, it became clear. God will meet your needs regardless. and sometimes even more – even your wants – when you give it away. backwards thinking, i know. but it’s like some kind of spiritual law that i have yet to see or experience breaking.

when our hearts hurt with compassion to the point of action, God himself steps in and covers us. our needs are met!

He sees the heart of his child, who has a seed of faith,

Who wants to free this poverty, who wants to ease this pain

Of another one of his children…& He takes care of both.

A beautiful display of God’s provision ~ and our growth.

it’s pointless to put it off til you have the “extra money”. $32./mo. can be hugely instrumental in the hands of a trustworthy organization like Compassion International. when you finally give it away, you’ll see too…that what you rec’v in return and what your chosen child will receive will far outweigh the false security that $32. can bring when it’s sitting in your account.

there are thousands who await a sponsor. many of which have been waiting for 6 months or longer. give it a shot! if you’re not blessed & provided for, heck, cancel your sponsorship! but it’s worth a shot, don’t ya think?

 

a few links:

learning for life program

malaria intervention

choosing a child to sponsor

the AIDS initiative

compassion’s own blog – post, “live like we sing”