Compassion is teaming
with Big Idea Productions, creators of the popular VeggieTales video series,
to teach kids what it means to be compassionate. On a recent trip to the
Dominican Republic, VeggieTales characters Larry and Bob were filmed
interacting with children who are assisted through Compassion and its church
partners. The video segment, which will be used in the 2002 VBS curriculum,
“Jonah: An Overboard Adventure! Learning to Walk in God’s Way,” focuses on
children and poverty and teaches kids to show compassion by helping needy
children.
According to Cindy Kenney, senior editor for Big Idea Productions, “Over
500,000 children and families from all denominations will participate in
‘Jonah: An Overboard Adventure!’ One lesson of the program encourages
participants to learn about and practice compassion in their everyday lives.
Partnering with Compassion International is a wonderful opportunity to
personalize this important message and make an impact around the world for
children in need.”
“This is the first time that Big Idea Productions has chosen to affiliate
with a specific mission organization,” said Rich Van Pelt, Compassion’s
director of strategic relationships, “and we are so pleased that they want to
tell this story through Compassion’s child development work. The video will
be used to help kids embrace values of caring and sharing.”
Led by Van Pelt, a production crew and representatives from Big Idea spent
five days visiting Compassion projects in and around the capital city of Santo
Domingo. Located on the coast of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean,
Santo Domingo is a hub for many of Compassion’s projects in the Dominican
Republic. Compassion has set up projects in those communities in order to
help the children living there. Van Pelt took the group to visit several of
these projects and to see the impact that Compassion’s work is having on the
families in these “squatter” villages.
“It was moving to watch Larry and Bob interact with the Compassion-
assisted children at the projects,” said Van Pelt.
Big Idea Productions is a family media company committed to providing
entertainment that helps parents teach today’s children timeless lessons and
values from the Bible. With more than 22 million VeggieTales videos and
another 2 million VeggieTunes albums sold since 1993, Big Idea is recognized
as the leading producer and creator of values-based products in the children’s
entertainment industry. Sunday morning values, Saturday morning fun! That’s a
big idea!
Founded in 1952, Compassion is an evangelical Christian not-for-profit
organization dedicated to the long-term holistic development of children
living in poverty. Working with numerous denominations and indigenous
churches in about 2,200 church-based projects, Compassion is reaching out to
nearly 400,000 children in 22 countries, including the United States.
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