A blogger in Pakistan was recently attacked and is in critical condition for speaking out against the Taliban, proving clearly that blogging is dangerous–and necessary–to changing the world.

Back in December, my friend Shaun Groves at Compassion International shared the following post:

Two years ago Compassion International took a risk no one else in the non-profit world was willing to take. They brought a group of bloggers to Uganda to see their ministry to children, to post videos and pictures and writes hundreds of words about the experience.

No requirement to say nice things. No marketing team coaching or editing.

Crazy.

Today there are more than 1100 bloggers writing about Compassion International monthly(ish). And we’ve taken 30 bloggers overseas with us. And here’s the best part…

More than 5,000 children are now sponsored because of these bloggers! Because of you!

Saturday we celebrated and I wish all 1130 Compassion bloggers could have been there with us.

Can a blog change the world? Is the pen (or keyboard) truly mightier than the sword?

Yes and yes.

5,000 kids are living with hope because a few crazy bloggers who love Jesus started typing and didn’t stop. I love it!

I also love it because I blog alongside them. I haven’t had the privilege of traveling with the Compassion team, but I’ve mentioned them in a few posts (some of you have read them) and feature their work in the sidebar of my blog (some of you have clicked on it).

Plus I have a personal investment in their work–my Compassion child Wood.

He started off with his mom. Already living without one parent, Wood lost his mother this year and now lives with his grandmother in rural Haiti.

Without hope? No way! Compassion’s child center makes sure he has clothes and food, provide his education, and tell him Jesus loves him. And I get to pray for Wood along with my family of five, look at his pictures and letters, and encourage him with a few words that don’t get posted on my blog.

If you want to help change the world, start with the screen in front of you (or the person beside you). Whether you sponsor a child, encourage a friend, or choose a new vocation, use what God has given you to help someone else. In the end, it will be your life that is changed, too.

Go change the world.

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DILLON BURROUGHS is an author, activist, and co-founder of Activist Faith. Dillon served in Haiti following the epic 2010 earthquake and has investigated modern slavery in the US and internationally. His books include Undefending Christianity, Not in My Town (with Charles J. Powell), and Thirst No More (November). Discover more at ActivistFaith.org.