Did you know that in a room of 23 people, there's a 50% chance you share a birthday with someone? Recently I met two brothers who shared a birthday — 6 years apart. The eldest brother lamented the fact that since the younger brother was born their birthday parties have (understandably) slanted towards his younger brother's interests. They are adults now, but some of those early years must have produced some rivalrous birthdays.

Sharing your birthday with someone you know or an annual holiday is a reality for many people. My birthday often falls on Thanksgiving, my wife is an April fool baby, and my son was born on Easter. Because of that, birthdays in our family are special days but often share the spotlight with something or someone else. I believe that's a good thing; it keeps us from being too stuck on ourselves... especially since we have very little to do with the day we were born! Actually, babies don't have any input regarding the life, family, and situation into which they are born. As a newborn baby you had no say in the matter — you were at the mercy of forces beyond your control.

This is also true with children who are born into poverty. Often we dismiss adults we encounter who are struggling with poverty, declaring poverty as a consequence from their choices. While sometimes true, that's an oversimplification of poverty. But such logic is never true for children born into poverty. They have no choice and can do little to leave a life of poverty by their own efforts.

Babies don’t have any input regarding the life, family, and situation into which they are born.
Compassion International understands this. That's why with the assistance of child sponsors they help release children from poverty in Jesus' name. One of the most important things to a sponsored child is their birthday. Not because they receive a special gift (which they often do) but because in many countries where sponsored children live, another year of life doesn't come easily. Poverty, sickness, disease, and malnutrition inflict great toll on the youth of our world. While we affluent Americans expect (perhaps even demand) that our birthdays be special, children in poverty see their birthdays with a completely different perspective.

Let me encourage you to consider sharing your birthday by sponsoring a child born on the same month and day as you. It will simultaneously humble you while helping a child experience many more birthdays in their future. You can find children who need sponsors and filter them by birth date to find one that shares your birthday.