Our History

Compassion Australia

Driven by a passion to assist some of the world’s poorest children, Compassion Australia was founded in 1977 by Laurie and Olive McCowan with a single sponsored child. Today, Compassion Australia assists over 70,000 children in over 25 developing countries.

The first Compassion Australia office was located in Laurie and Olive’s Newcastle home. However, as the ministry expanded and more staff members were employed, Compassion soon outgrew the McCowan’s basement and over the years various premises in the area were used.

Today, Compassion Australia is blessed with its own purpose-built office designed for future growth which will accommodate up to 200 staff. Compassion Australia currently employs over 85 staff members and has five regional offices around Australia.

In 2001, founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Laurie McCowan retired and was replaced by current CEO and former Chief Operating Officer (COO) Paul O’Rourke.

Milestones

1977	Compassion Australia begins in Newcastle, in the home of founders Laurie and Olive McCowan.
1978	Compassion Limited of Australia is officially registered, and based in Newcastle.
1980	Compassion Australia rents its first office; a former automotive engineering works in Newcastle. Over one thousand children are sponsored.
1982	Compassion Australia purchases a building in Broadmeadow, Newcastle to cater for the rapid growth of the ministry.
1986	5000 children are sponsored through Compassion Australia.
1991	10,000 children are sponsored through Compassion Australia.
1994	Compassion is one of the first non-government agencies to respond to the Rwandan genocide. One million dollars is raised for relief support for the widows and orphans left traumatised by the civil war.
2000	20,000 children are now sponsored through Compassion Australia.
2001	Compassion Australia’s founding CEO Laurie McCowan retires. Paul O’Rourke, Compassion’s former Chief Operating Officer (COO), succeeds Laurie as CEO.
2003	Compassion Australia celebrates 25 years of ministry.
2004	35,000 children are now sponsored through Compassion Australia.
2005	Over 45,000 children are now sponsored through Compassion Australia.
2006	Over 50,000 children are now sponsored through Compassion Australia. Compassion Australia moves next door into its new purpose-built premises at Warabrook, Newcastle.
2007	Over 70,000 children are currently assisted by Compassion Australia. Compassion Australia employs over 85 staff members and has regional offices in major cities around Australia. Compassion Australia’s goal is to have 100,000 children sponsored by 2012.

Compassion International

Compassion International was founded in 1952 by Rev Everett Swanson who was moved by the plight of orphans in South Korea. Fifty five years later, the ministry now assists over 850,000 children in over 25 developing nations around the world.

Nothing had prepared American evangelist, Rev Everett Swanson, for the disturbing scenes he encountered during his time in South Korea in 1952. As he walked the streets of Seoul he saw homeless children dressed in rags, sleeping in doorways to avoid the cold and begging amidst the rubble and destruction caused by the war. It was during one of his early morning walks that Everett encountered what he presumed were piles of rags being loaded onto a garbage truck. Upon closer inspection, he was horrified to discover that the rags were in fact the bodies of street children who had died from exposure during the night.

With his heart burdened by what he had witnessed, Everett talked to a missionary friend who challenged him to do something to save children from dying like this. Everett took up the challenge as soon as he returned home to the USA and soon afterwards he raised enough funds to provide orphanages to care for some of South Korea’s abandoned children. Within ten years, 10,000 Korean children were being cared for.

The need for ongoing support for the children led Everett to establish a one-to-one sponsorship program, whereby individuals in the USA could provide Bible-based education, food, clothing, shelter and medical care for just a few dollars a month. The name Compassion came from Everett’s reading of Matthew 15:32, a verse on his heart during this time:

“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’" Matthew 15:32 (NIV)

Milestones

1952	Everett Swanson launches his overseas ministry.
1963	Everett changes the name of his ministry to Compassion International. Compassion Canada is also established.
1975	TEAR Fund UK becomes affiliated with Compassion for child sponsorship.
1977	Compassion Australia begins in Newcastle.
1986	TEAR Fund New Zealand joins with Compassion for child sponsorship.
1990	SEL France joins with Compassion for child sponsorship.
1996	Compassion Netherlands is established.
1999	Compassion UK is established.
2001	Compassion Italy is established
2003	Compassion Korea, once a recipient of funds, becomes a partner country.
2007	Over 850,000 children are sponsored by Compassion world-wide. Compassion International President Dr Wess Stafford celebrates 30 years with the ministry.