Award-Winning Artist Rebecca St. James to Speak for Compassion Malaria Initiative
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO--(Marketwire - December 20, 2007) - Rebecca St. James, a long-time spokesperson and advocate for Compassion International who has been named "Favorite Female Artist" by CCM Magazine for the seventh consecutive year, will host Compassion's newest half-hour radio special, "Malaria: A Plague of the Poor."
The Grammy award-winning Christian artist, who was also voted "Best Female Artist of 2007" by ChristianityToday.com for the fifth consecutive year, is working with Compassion to release the program on April 25, 2008, World Malaria Day, as designated by the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership. Compassion's radio special will feature stories of African families affected by the disease, which kills one million people each year.
"Rebecca St. James is one of the most committed and talented Christian women that I know, and I am so proud of her and her accomplishments," said Dr. Wess Stafford, president of Compassion International. "Compassion is very fortunate to have someone as gifted and dedicated as her to serve as a voice for the poor. Rebecca is one of Compassion's staunchest advocates for children in poverty and I have no doubt she will deliver a message of urgency and hope through Compassion's malaria radio special."
St. James has been a passionate spokesperson for Compassion International for more than a decade. Her work has led to the sponsorship of more than 30,000 of the world's neediest children.
Having performed in more than 30 countries, St. James highlights the work of Compassion during each of her concerts. In fact, her song "Beautiful Stranger" was inspired by her work with Compassion.
After a trip in 2006 to Rwanda to visit her sponsored child, Sam, St. James said, "I saw first-hand once again how funds donated to Compassion are actually reaching and being utilized for good in making a profound difference in the lives of children. It was a powerful experience for me to see the work of Compassion in action and how children are actually being so benefited in everyday life."
On the same trip, she visited a horrific slum in Kenya "that represented the most intense poverty imaginable. In the middle of the desolation, Compassion workers have built a project -- a school filled with wonderfully joyful children who are being given love and hope and the message of Jesus."
Compassion is one of the world's largest Christian child-development organizations, working with more than 65 denominations and more than 4,000 indigenous church partners. It serves more than 900,000 children in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Since 1952, Compassion has touched the lives of more than 1.6 million children and has been recognized for its financial integrity with top ratings and recommendations by several of the nation's leading not-for-profit "watchdog" organizations.
For information on how to sponsor a child, visit Compassion online at www.compassion.com or call (800) 336-7676, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For further information on Rebecca St. James, please call Jackie Monaghan/Morningstar PR.
Phone: 615.646.5990. Email: morningstarpr@comcast.net
