Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Life Song - Orphan Care

The God the Holy Spirit through the pen of James instructs us that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." (James 1:27) May you be moved to prayer and action as you watch what God is doing in Zambia and around the world through the Body of Christ globally. Amen.

Monday, September 14, 2009

When Hurting Helps


Publisher's Description: Churches and individual Christians typically have faulty assumptions about the causes of poverty, resulting in the use of strategies that do considerable harm to poor people and themselves. When Helping Hurts provides foundational concepts, clearly articulated general principles and relevant applications. The result is an effective and holistic ministry to the poor, not a truncated gospel.

A situation is assessed for whether relief, rehabilitation, or development is the best response to a situation. Efforts are characterized by an "asset based" approach rather than a "needs based" approach. Short term mission efforts are addressed and microenterprise development (MED) is explored.