What does a move of compassion feel like? For John, a Compassion alumnus in Haiti, it compelled him to step into another’s shoes and take action to break the cycle of poverty for children.
“I know how they feel. I used to be like them… because I was in their shoes, I know how to help them.”
John’s words echo through the sun-drenched streets of Haiti, where he stands today—not just as a witness to poverty but as an answer to it. His journey, captured in Compassion’s latest cinematic storytelling piece, is a striking testament to the power of moving with compassion.
Watch John’s powerful story and feel the power of compassion in action.
See: The transformative power of compassion in action
In the film, we see Haiti through John’s eyes—the same streets he once walked as a child struggling to find food, the same classrooms his parents couldn’t afford to send him to. We see the moment when everything changed: the day Compassion entered his community. Through vivid cinematography, we witness transformation unfold—not just in his life but in the lives of the children he now serves.
John was once on the receiving end of compassion. Today, he is its extension. He leads a Compassion centre, offering the same hope that was once given to him. This is the cycle of compassion: one life is touched, another life is changed and a whole community is transformed.
See more: What does poverty look like?
John chose to see, feel and move with compassion on behalf of the children he now serves at the Compassion centre.
Feel: How compassion moves us to give back
What does compassion feel like? It feels like deep recognition—like seeing yourself in someone else’s struggle. It feels like the undeniable pull to step in, to lift up, to do something. John’s story reminds us that compassion isn’t just about feeling—it’s about moving. It’s about stepping into another’s shoes, just as John has done.
As we approach a new season of impact, the question before us is simple: Will we move with compassion? Will we allow the felt experience of compassion to propel us forward—to give, to serve, to make a difference?
John’s story is not just his own. It is an invitation to all of us. Because when we truly see and when we truly feel, we cannot help but move.
When you see the impact that is possible and feel compassion for those who need it most, all that’s left to do is move.
Move with compassion. It’s life-changing.
Photos, video and field reporting by Jonathan D. Clement.
