On Thursday night, I watched a soft rock star cry.

The Compassion Bloggers held a live chat at 10 p.m., which incidentally is supposed to be my bedtime. And after an hour of answering questions and overcoming technical difficulties and laughing and sharing the devastation and hope they’ve seen, Shaun Groves described what the group would be doing that day.

He said they’d meet up with their sponsored children, take them to a museum and to lunch. And then he broke down a little bit when he said that this would be the first time those kids had ever eaten a restaurant meal.

That’s when I lost it.

All week I’ve been teary-eyed, reading blog posts and looking at photos. But watching that man get all choked up over those kids and their lives? Well, I cried so hard that my cat managed to wake up, lift her head and look at me as if to say, “Hello? I’m sleeping here!”

Just in case any of you have not had a chance to read about the trip these bloggers have gone on, here are a few of the most touching posts I’ve read.

Pete Wilson talks about the worst road trip ever. If you click around and read the other bloggers’ perspectives on this day, you might find a photo or two of Pete with two mission trip essentials: a Bible…and toilet paper. You might also find a piece of advice for anyone taking this kind of road trip: wear a sports bra. But you won’t hear that from Pete.

Shaun Groves proves that God is a southerner, bless his heart. And also shares these words:

“I wish there wasn’t a plane ride between your computer screen and the smell of open sewage here in Kolkata. I wish there wasn’t so much distance between you and the mother with empty breasts pleading with God right now for her baby’s life. I’m praying this morning that somehow, supernaturally, God’s Spirit shortens the miles between you and the poor – That somehow as you experience every gift, every morsel of bread God gives you today, you remember your family here in India.”

Spence Smith illustrates exactly how Compassion gives kids around the world hope for a better future.

Anne Jackson powered through some, ahem, digestive issues and wrote this powerful post about her experience. She also had this to say:

“You may never touch the rough hand of a young, hungry child . . . Or see a two week old dying in a crib in an orphanage in Kolkata . . . You may never smell what raw sewer and smoke and smog smell like on a hellishly hot and humid day. But it is my prayer for you that something will break.”

She also wrote about making a new friend named Lakshmi.

Robin Dance explains how Compassion helps not just a child, but an entire family, as she describes one family’s prized possessions.

Melissa Fitzpatrick was blessed by meeting Kiran and visiting her home. Between her honesty and her devastation, this post spoke to my heart. And just about did me in.

Angie Smith admits that she went into this venture a bit cynical. She writes:

“[Shaun] led me to believe that an organization could transform an impoverished community simply by relying on the body of Christ to support the cause. He tricked me into leaving my family, traveling for 20 hours, and riding a rickshaw which will heretofore be referred to as the ‘deathtrap on wheels.’ . . . Well, today we visited the poorest Compassion project we have been to so far, and I began to realize how ridiculous the whole premise of this trip has been. . . . It’s absurd, actually.”

And then she goes and proves herself and every naysayer out there flat-out wrong. And shares several beautiful stories of hope and miracles. Just beautiful.

I didn’t know (or read) Patricia Jones before this trip. But based on the letters she’s written while in India, I think I’m going to love her. In one post, she covered Pete’s bowel issues, infant mortality, sweet sleeping babies and nudity. Good stuff.

Keely Scott is the group’s photographer, and her photos capture more than an image. They capture a spirit, a message, an emotion – they get and give it all. You can see her photos on Flickr.

If you would like to help, you can sponsor a child through Compassion today.