Helping Others Around the World

Several of the speakers at the Leadership Summit reminded us of the church’s obligation to help the poor around the world. A Ugandan businessman, Andrew Rugasira, described how many years of simply providing handouts to people in the continent of Africa has not led to economic improvement because they rely so heavily on exports. He urged us to increase our trade with African businesses and help entrepreneurs learn to succeed on their own rather than simply providing aid. I think the whole idea of “teaching a man to fish” instead of simply “giving him a fish” is what will really help, and I know many churches and organizations are already involved with this type of aid.

I became aware of a really neat non-profit organization dealing with this type of help when the co-founder, a young woman named Jessica Jackley was interviewed at the Summit. Kiva is the world’s “first peer-to-peer online micro-lending website which allows individuals to lend as little as $25 to specific entrepreneurs, providing capital to help them start or expand a small business.” You go to the website, look through the profiles of specific people requesting loans from around the world, and choose one or more to lend $25 (or more) to. Kiva partners with micro-financing organizations with proven track records around the world who also provide training for the entrepreneurs - the success rate of repaid loans is over 98%. Once your loan is repaid you may either take the money back or reinvest it to help another person. Your loan goes completely (100%) to the person or group that you identify. I was so excited to hear about this opportunity started by someone who has wanted to help the poor since she was a young child.

I recently read the book Enrique’s Journey with my book club and we discussed the difficulty so many women in Central America have in making a living there. Through Kiva.org I am helping a woman named Daysi, a teacher in Nicaragua, improve her home for her two young children. This is a very practical way to provide specific help for a specific person in addition to the more general help organizations like Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and Church World Service provide. I encourage you to check out the Kiva website.

Bono, the lead singer of the band U2 and an activist, was also interviewed at the Summit, three years after he challenged the church to become more actively involved in the fight to end world poverty and Aids. He said that he has seen a difference in the church during the last three years and argues that we can end poverty in our lifetime if we make it a priority.

Compassion International and World Vision, Christian child sponsorship organizations, were both represented at the Summit. I think it’s interesting that my sister and her family sponsor a little boy in Rwanda through World Vision and I sponsor a little girl in Rwanda through Compassion International!

I'm so grateful for the various ways that we can be involved in helping others around the world. Although Jesus said the poor will always be with us, we can each do our part in helping to alleviate world poverty and disease.