Connie’s Story: Courage, Care and the Power of Compassion

From the moment she arrived, Connie’s life looked different. In a home marked by love, faith and determination, her parents did everything they could to help her flourish. Yet the journey ahead felt uncertain, and the practical challenges were considerable.

During Connie’s toddler years, her mum, Janneth, did something both desperate and imaginative: she took the plastic leg from Connie’s biggest doll and used it to help her learn to walk. Strapped to her tiny body, it didn’t fit well, but it gave Connie a sense of balance and possibility.

Determined to help Connie walk, Janneth and her husband took on a heavy debt to buy a real prosthetic leg. The leg was clunky and unfamiliar, but slowly, Connie began to trust it, taking her first steps. It was an expense that would take her parents a long time to pay, all the while knowing they’d have to keep buying new legs to match Connie’s growth.

A turning point came when Connie was registered at the Compassion project in her community.

Supporting children with medical need

When a child needs extra support, we move — offering personalised care to ensure every child has what they need to flourish.

For many families, specialist medical support is simply out of reach. Through Compassion’s medical interventions, supporters help can make surgeries, cancer treatment and mobility aids possible for children who urgently need them.

Growing in confidence

Connie rides her bike down the road

Today, Connie rides her bike with easy confidence. She enjoys skipping with her friends and creating dance moves to her favourite worship songs.

“My mum always tells me not to hold back and to try things that kids my age do,” says Connie. “Sometimes people stare or ask questions about my missing limb, and that’s okay. With my prosthetic leg, I can ride my bike, go to school, play with friends. I even ride my grandfather’s horse. I can do everything other kids do.”

Every 18 months, as Connie grows and her stride changes, her prosthetic begins to pinch or feel tight. With the caring support of the project staff, Connie receives a new prosthetic limb to match her development. Each one costs almost £600, fully covered by Compassion’s medical fund.

Connie’s father, a construction worker, is only employed intermittently. Some months, his pay doesn’t stretch to cover even the basics. Yet every time Connie needs a new leg, the Compassion programme steps in.

“God always provides,” says Janneth. “Just when we think we’ve come to the end, God opens a way. We’re deeply grateful for the local church and project staff.”

Connie loves travelling with her mother to the capital for fittings. They wake early, pack a small bag, and board the bus as the sun rises. She rests her head against the window, watching villages, sugarcane fields, washing lines swaying in the breeze and children playing.

Each new leg feels slightly different. She stands slowly, adjusting to the weight, takes one step, then another.

“When the new leg arrives, I feel relieved and free. I strap it on like armour. It feels like a part of me,” she says, grinning.

A gift with purpose

At the Compassion project held at Connie’s local church, Connie is a bright light, a living story of resilience and encouragement.

Yet sometimes she asks her mother, “Why was I born like this?”

Janneth doesn’t shy away from the question. “You’re a gift,” she tells her. “A gift with purpose.”

Dayana, Connie’s tutor at the Compassion project, agrees. “We’ve helped Connie emotionally, too. Through Scripture, we remind her she’s God’s creation — not a mistake, not less, but beautifully and intentionally made.”

Connie’s favourite time at the church project is the worship. She also enjoys delicious meals, the friendship of her classmates, and the deep sense of safety she finds there. She dreams of becoming a teacher or a lawyer so that she can help others the way she’s been helped.

She’s surrounded by love: from her family, her local church, her friends and her sponsors who encourage and pray for her. Connie is moving forward, confident, cherished and ready for whatever comes next.

Connie stands beside her prosthetics

Thank you for helping children like Connie thrive

We’re grateful for the love, faith and commitment of supporters whose generosity reflects a shared desire to see Jesus glorified and children given hope.

Whether it's through our health interventions or a Gift of Compassion, your kindness can enable children to access therapies, equipment and adaptations that go beyond standard care, helping them overcome challenges and move forward with confidence. For Connie, this means receiving a new prosthetic leg every six months.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who makes this life‑changing support possible.

You can explore all our critical interventions here.