Transforming Lives with Compassion
Cass Cato in Msangra, Tanzania with Gideon and Winfreda. Photo | Supplied by Cass Cato
A village in Tanzania is thriving as The Point Community Church in Port Macquarie funds Compassion to care for 190 children.
Cass Cato of Port Macquarie is passionate as she speaks of Msangra in Tanzania. The village is home to the families of her two Compassion children, Gideon and Winfreda, and its transformation over 10 years is founded in the support of The Point Community Church. How did it begin?
We learned of a pastor who wanted to try to improve things for children in the village but he had no resources. Families were really struggling to provide for their children, there was no fresh running water, or buildings, and the church met under a tarp each week.
I felt I could use some of my busy ‘Mummy time’ to make a difference in that space and so I worked with my friend, Caroline Hazelton to come up with a plan to help. We researched Compassion and learned that it meets the physical needs of children, as well as the needs of their hearts, mind and soul. However, it did not build infrastructure to provide support in communities. So we thought if we raised funds to build in Msangra then Compassion could set up a centre.
We chatted with Compassion and it sent people to the area to see if the community met their criteria of being the poorest of the poor, and they were, so we decided to present a proposal to the church; a five-year plan that needed $50,000 to do a basic build of three classrooms and an office, playground equipment and a water tank.
Photo | Compassion Australia
How did you feel as you prepared the plan and considered the challenges it presented to your church community?
I had bought into the dream early, so I was convinced it was worthwhile. We tried to sell the vision so that it became their vision too as we showed them what Compassion could do for the children. People just got on board and within one month we had the $50,000. It was amazing. We felt pretty humbled.
It wasn’t just the church who funded the building project, we also had a big trivia night at Port Panthers and about 200 people came and we raised about $6000. It was incredible.
“People just got on board and within one month we had the $50,000.”
How long did it take to build and how did the Msangra community respond to the project?
The building work was over six months and Compassion was set up in about nine months and talking with parents. It identified about 250 children who needed sponsorship.
I went to the opening in 2011 and it was a massive celebration. All the tribal leaders were there with massive horns, the community and government officials - it was so humbling. We were given such a position of honour. During our visit we learned they had town water but it was not running during the day so we did another fundraiser to drill and provide access to bore water.
Hundreds gathered to celebrate at the official opening. Cass says of the experience, “ it was so humbling. We were given such a position of honour. “ Photo | Supplied by Cass Cato
Why is Compassion child sponsorship such a significant feature in the culture of your church community?
Our church now sponsors 190 children in Msangra. The thing we love about Compassion is that they train local people because they know the needs in the community better than anyone else. It's not just about meeting the physical needs of people, Compassion also allows them to hear who they are in Jesus and the hope there is in that relationship; their motto is to break the cycle of poverty in Jesus' name.
Do you have plans to further develop your support of Compassion’s work overseas?
“Over the next year or two we will start looking into whether we have the capacity to do it all over again in another location. ”
Over the next year or two we will start looking into whether we have the capacity to do it all over again in another location. It’s exciting to consider. Just imagine what could be done if all the bigger churches built infrastructure to support the work of Compassion.
How has your choice to sponsor Compassion children impacted you?
We sponsor two children who are cousins, Gideon and Winfreda. When you sponsor a child with Compassion you are encouraged to send a photo of your family to them, and when I visited Gideon’s home they had it framed on the wall with a cut-out photo of Gideon stuck on our family picture.
I remember feeling overwhelmed because it revealed they were sharing their child with me - that's how they saw our sponsorship - they were allowing us to build a connection and relationship with their son, and that was beautiful and humbling.
Child sponsorship of $48 a month is the cost of going out to dinner here, but for them it is a gift that changes their child's life. It's not just a financial relationship. When I left Msangra I felt like I had left half my heart there, it was absolutely gut-wrenching.
What has the success of this building and sponsorship collaboration taught you?
It has strengthened and changed my faith and demonstrated that we all have the capacity to do far more.
My heart is not always pure, I get frustrated and jack of things all the time! I’ve learned that life is not about us, it's about learning that God wants to use us in our brokenness, and desires to partner with us to give us opportunities to see His nature. We can be such a powerful force for good in each other's lives and God wants to work through us.
Cass is joyful when she reflects on how God has worked through her to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable people in Tanzania. Photo | Ainslee Dennis
To sponsor a child go to the Compassion Australia website, and to connect with The Point Community Church go to tpcc.org.au or visit its Facebook page.
