A Win-Win Idea
It all started with plans to build a tree house. Siblings Ben, Luke, Jane and Jack began saving up money to buy the wood.
Then they got a letter from Irsy, the 11-year-old girl in Guatemala their family sponsors. In her letter, Irsy said the road in her village was full of potholes, which made it hard to ride a bike.
The siblings started thinking about the things they had that Irsy didn’t — smooth roads, clean water, an indoor ushing toilet, enough food to feel full, and medicine. They decided to raise money to help meet Irsy’s needs instead of for their tree house. Their plan ended up being a win for Irsy and themselves!
Since 10-year-old Jane loves to bake, she made cookies to sell at a farmer’s market with her 7-year-old twin brothers, Luke and Ben, and their dad. Jack, 14, began babysitting for a family friend. The siblings also loaded a wagon with cookies and sold them to neighbors.
"Jesus taught us that it's always good to help others," says Jane.
Raising money to help Irsy felt like a big win. And they didn’t have to give up their tree house plans after all. Jack did what kids in poor countries do when they can’t afford toys: He recycled materials to create something new!
“We have this fence that was falling down,” Jack says, “and I asked my mom if we could use it.”
She said yes, so Jack and a friend broke it down and used the wood for a tree house. Jack says that raising money for Irsy “helps me realize that I’m very privileged, and I should use my privilege for someone in need.”
After donating the money to Compassion, the twins thought about how it made them feel. Ben says giving made him feel happy, and Luke says it made him feel glad. Another win!