Last week I asked my son if he would like to go to the “Compassion Experience.” I told him it was a way for him to experience how children in other countries live in poverty. It is approved for all ages and he was very interested.
Compassion Experience
The experience took us through the lives of three different children in the developing countries of India, Bolivia, and Uganda. It was a very sobering experience for me to go through the 2,000 square foot interactive exhibit space that allowed us to step into the child’s daily life.
The Exhibits were very dark, so I had to use my flash to get pictures. The headphones and I-phones we wore and held, told us the stories of the children as we wandered about.
Compassion Experience
My daughter enjoyed the whole experience and wanted to take parts of the exhibits home with her! Obviously she had no real understanding of what this field trip was about. I’m glad she had a good time.
My son didn’t say very much through the whole experience…he stayed rather quiet and kept his blankie close. I asked him repeatedly if he was OK, if he was ready to leave, etc. But each time he said he was fine and yes, he wanted to continue. I wondered what was going through his mind every time we stepped through another door. In the end he said it was very sad that children should endure such hardships. He was thankful and felt blessed to have such a loving family…along with food, clothing and security. I feel this was a great experience for he and I both.
If you have the chance I would highly recommend having your own experience with compassion.
Interesting! I wonder if there’s anything like that near us. We sponsor a child in Brazil through World Vision, and it would be neat for my kids to see why we do it, and what impact our dollars can have.
Check their website http://www.compassion.com/change/about-change-the-story.htm and see if they are coming to a city near you. They tour all over the country. Good luck!