Stafford shares the stories of well-recognized and unknown people alike to refute the old adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” especially for the young minds of children. He gives simple tips and examples of how anyone can positively impact a child in just a moment and how all of us are equipped to do it.
Dr. Wess Stafford is an internationally recognized advocate for children. Since 1977 he has worked with Compassion International and has served as President since 1993. He hosts a national radio program, Speak Up with Compassion®. Wess lives on a small ranch near Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife Donna. They are the parents of two daughters, Jenny and Katie. Wess' own life experiences have uniquely prepared him for his role. He often says, “Everything I really need to know to lead a multinational organization I learned from the poor, growing up in an African Village.”
My sportscaster friend Jerry Schemmel, now the well-known “Voice of the Colorado Rockies,” survived the 1989 crash of United Flight 232 at Sioux City, Iowa.
Miraculously he emerged safe in a cornfield, relieved and standing clear of the burning wreckage…
when he heard a baby's screams still inside that smoke–filled fuselage.
He dashed back into the carnage, followed the cries through the billowing smoke, and rescued a little eleven month–old girl named Sabrina Michaelson. His story is told in his powerful book Chosen to Live.
Like you, every one of your friends has an opportunity to speak into the life of a child. Encourage them to consider the power of their words by sharing this website.
In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.
To learn more about this revolutionary approach to Christian, holistic child development, go to www.compassion.com.
