Louder Than The Music

Popular British worship band Yfriday travelled to Haiti in November to see the work that the Compassion charity is doing there. Band members Ken Riley and Dez Minto, saw for themselves the poverty in Haiti which makes it statistically the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

"The sense of poverty and deprivation was plainly visible as soon as the group stepped off the airplane in Port-au-Prince. Everywhere, people were picking their way through the rubbish that lines the streets. Some were trying to scrape a living by selling wares that no one could really afford to buy, while others simply wandered aimlessly in the scorching sun, oblivious to the flies that swarm in the stinking air." says Compassion.

By contrast, the Compassion-assisted projects that the group visited over the following days provided a safe haven from the smells and sounds of desperate poverty. Here, healthy, happy children greeted them with songs and smiles.

"Without question, Compassion projects in Haiti are an oasis in a sun scorched land. Never has hope shone brighter than in the faces of these kids, as they receive education and health care that is their passport to a future of promise," Ken explains.

The group also travelled to Île de la Gonâve, the largest of Haiti's off-shore islands. The island is densely populated and one of the most water scarce locations in the world, with people having to walk up to 15 kilometres to collect brackish water.

Once again, the Compassion projects offered hope to the families living in desperate poverty. Dez says, "The only hope I experienced on that island was in the Compassion projects, where it was an absolute joy to be a part of it."

The experience has left an indelible mark on Ken and Dez. "Seeing things on TV and hearing stories was nothing like the impact of experiencing it first hand. As Christians in the UK, ignorance cannot be an excuse anymore - a fundamental part of my worship from this day on HAS to honour God by doing what I can to help the situations I've seen," says Dez.

"Please, please sign up to change someone's life and start a chain reaction that will continue into eternity," concludes Ken.

To find out more about Compassion, including how you can sponsor a child, please visit:
http://www.compassionuk.org