COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/14/09 -- Colorado-based Compassion International, a leading child development and sponsorship organization, announced the launching of a new interactive, online adventure for kids that offers a unique curriculum supplement for parents and teachers by allowing their children and students to travel to several developing countries where they can meet children of other cultures and see first-hand the poverty that many have to live with on a daily basis.

Children will have fun as they test their skills catching fish by hand, using a slingshot to shoot down mangoes from trees, smashing mosquitoes between their hands before they bite and juggling a soccer ball, but Quest for Compassion, designed for children between ages 6-12, isn't just about having fun. They will be able to take pictures of the places they and their travel buddy visit and keep a journal as they learn new words, customs and facts about other countries, meet children that are like them in many ways and learn Bible verses along the way.

"We are excited to offer this online journey as both safe fun for children as well as an educational tool for parents, teachers, children's ministry workers and homeschooling families," said Mark Hanlon, senior vice president for Compassion International-USA. "It's my hope that through this website, children will learn more about God's heart for the poor and that they themselves will realize the power of praying for those in need."

As children visit the developing countries of Bangladesh, Brazil, El Salvador, and Ghana, they will also familiarize themselves with the issue of poverty and learn what it means to have compassion for others, even if they live half way around the world. They will be encouraged to use the power of prayer to help those less fortunate than themselves and will learn what is already being done to help those in need.

"I have discovered a ray of hope. It is called Quest for Compassion, and it is the coolest website for kids I have ever seen!" exclaimed one recent user of the site. "It's a game; it's fun, and it exposes kids to different countries, cultures, and languages. The coolest part, it also tells kids about Jesus."

"This is wonderful! What a great idea. Love it, love it, love it," said a homeschooling parent. "We've recently made the decision to homeschool our daughter. I've been on the lookout for fun, educational things that we can do with her and now, to find something like this on my very favorite website -- yay!"

"It's astounding the amount of good a child can do in this world when they're not impeded with messages of the impossible," said Hanlon. "Putting a powerful visual tool such as this in front of children will help unleash their God-given ability to do the amazing."

Compassion International is the world's largest Christian child development organization that permanently releases children from poverty. Founded in 1952, Compassion successfully tackles global poverty one child at a time, serving more than 1 million children in 25 of the world's poorest countries. Recognizing that poverty is more than a lack of money, Compassion works holistically through local churches to address the individual physical, economic, educational and spiritual needs of children -- enabling them to thrive, not just survive. Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator, has awarded Compassion its highest rating -- four stars -- for seven consecutive years.

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