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Celebrating Human Rights Day: Yalala’s Story from DR Congo
As the world commemorates Human Rights Day today, we want to honor women around the globe who have survived horrific violations of these rights. And many of these women go on to propel enormous good out of the evil that was done to them. These women are everyday heroes living in our midst and they’re changing the world one testimony at a time.
With local churches, World Relief comes alongside women here in the United States and around the world as they recover from sexual violence, human trafficking and other cruel injustices. Our staff, volunteers and churches befriend these women and provide trauma healing trainings so they can heal and pass along the knowledge to their friends who have been through similar experiences.
At World Relief, we get to meet many women like this who are overcoming injustice and being empowered to have a positive impact in their communities. One such woman in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is Yalala. Yalala is a mother, a wife and a survivor of trauma. She and her family have lived in the crossfire of a violent conflict in eastern DRC that has continued for nearly two decades. Infamous for the use of rape as a weapon of war, the conflict has also been the cause of millions of deaths. Yalala and her family have seen the worst of humanity, but they have also seen the best.
Though she and her family have suffered, through World Relief trauma healing trainings, Yalala is now helping herself and others. With what she has learned, she uses to comfort other women who have survived terrible violence. Feeling empowered by these trainings, she says, “Now I am a leader worthy of the name. I help many women and many receive Jesus.”
To celebrate Human Rights Day and empower heroic women like Yalala, visit https://worldrelief.org/donate.
Volunteering 101: Johnny’s Story
What does it mean to volunteer? Most of the responses to this question revolve around the idea of giving of yourself, your time and talents, to serve others. The notion of volunteering is timeless and understood globally. Throughout history, people have served the underserved, supported those in need, and provided relief for the disadvantaged.
With an increase in technological advances, the world has become accessible as individuals and groups travel to more countries than ever before. With over 70,000 refugees being resettled in America each year, World Relief has come alongside the local Church to work on the front lines of refugee resettlement.
Johnny, a businessman who, for most of his life, put a significant amount of time and effort into his work, reevaluated what it means to truly do “God’s work.” Now in his 50’s, Johnny believes simply that “it is incumbent on Christians to love God and love others”. Wanting to be a part of God’s bigger picture, Johnny and his wife came alongside a refugee family from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who were entering an entirely new country and way of life.
Johnny and his wife not only helped set up an apartment for this family, but welcomed them with open arms at the airport and befriended them over the coming months. As Johnny knows, “Everyone is aiming at something. What is that and what should it be?”
Here at World Relief, we are moved to come alongside refugees in many ways. Though this may be something as simple as providing a meal for a family who is new to a country, we believe that true friendships and deep relationships will be life-changing for all involved. Over 95% of our workforce is made up of volunteers, so it’s in our DNA to share these life-changing testimonies and simply come alongside our neighbors, especially those who may be new to our country.
For more on Johnny’s powerful decision to volunteer with refugees, visit https://deidox.com/film/johnny/.
3 Ways to Give on #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday is in full effect, so we’re keeping it simple and sharing three ways you can be a part of this movement of giving. You can give your time. You can give your talent. And you can give your treasure.
- Time. Are you a college student who can barely afford a nice meal, let alone give extra to others? Or maybe you’re someone who simply wants to find other ways to engage in the world around them. Fortunately, time is something we can all carve out for others, no matter how little we may have. To find ways to invest in this realm, check out opportunities at World Relief.
- Talent. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? What do you spend most of your time doing? In this season of giving, you can invest your talents, skills and passions for the good of others. Learn how you can do this with World Relief and local churches near you by visiting https://worldrelief.org/us-offices.
- Treasure. In the book of Acts, we see the early church making sure everyone in their midst had enough. Those who had more made took care of those in need. At World Relief, we partner with local churches to serve many people here in the US and around the world who have need. But we can’t do this without your help. Do you have the resources to make sure others have enough? To learn who has need and how you can give a gift that fulfills a need rather than a wish list, visit worldrelief.org/coh.
There are many ways to engage, invest and give, and we might even feel overwhelmed by all the options. But as Mother Teresa reminded us, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
How will you give on this #GivingTuesday?
‘Tis the Season of Giving
Every day injustice pours out of news headlines, and we’re inundated with figures that tell a story of a broken world. These statistics of war, modern-day slavery, disease and persecution can seem overwhelming. And we wonder where to even begin to address these issues.
But since the Church stands on the powerful hope of Jesus Christ, we don’t have to be overwhelmed. We can take a step back and realize that those overcoming these hardships are like us, broken people created by God with purpose and potential, and then we start to understand that we can unite with them to change the world.
In this, Pastor Andy Stanley reminds us that we have the ability to, “Do for one what we wish we could do for everyone.” Building relationships that last over time and difficulty, growing fruit of lasting transformation and doing justice together are all a part of this “doing for one” love that doesn’t wear out.
When the Deeper Life Bible Church in Malawi joined the fight against HIV/AIDS, the country had one of the highest HIV rates. But they didn’t aim to develop a cure. Instead, the ministry team made a plan based on their gifts: they gave their time and their resources to care for neighbors isolated by HIV. That’s where they met Consolata, a woman suffering from both the social and physical side-effects of the disease.
“No one was concerned with my life and my condition until the ministry team heard my story,” Consolata said.
Then, her neighbors began to serve through word and deed. They fed her. They clothed her. They visited her and included her in an HIV support group. Over time, Consolata’s physical condition improved – and she put her faith in Jesus Christ.
Today, as we commemorate World AIDS Day, we can report that Consolata has joined the same team that first cared so deeply for her. Now, she’ll be the one reaching out to others who are sick and neglected – passing on the gifts she received.
So, who is your “one”? And how will you begin to stand with them this Christmas season? For more information on how you can partner with World Relief and local churches throughout the world to empower the most vulnerable, visit worldrelief.org/donate.
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone – especially to those in the family of faith.” – Galatians 6:9
Health for the Future: Care Groups Make a Mark
When Dr. Pieter Ernst, a World Relief Project Director in Mozambique, saw the suffering of women and children from preventable and treatable diseases, he knew there needed to be a solution. And the awakening of healthier communities through education and more sustainable efforts is just what the doctor ordered. Following a 17-year civil war in the Gaza Province of Mozambique, the Care Group Model developed out of World Relief’s first Child Survival Project. Dr. Ernst designed a way to reach a large group of people through generating a network of volunteers within each community.
With this, the need for a more comprehensive method to engage community members in becoming educators and leaders who support and encourage one another grew at a steady rate. Care Group numbers multiplied as a small project staff grew in the ability to reach a larger population. Without straining individual volunteers, Care Groups mobilized communities to address various health issues and take extensive action.
Since its formation in 1995, the Care Group Model has been adopted by 23 NGOs and implemented in over 21 countries. In 2009, this model reached over 44% of the total population of Mozambique and nurtured relationships that continue to thrive today. All over the world, this sustainable system has:
- Decreased infant mortality rate
- Increased uses of modern family planning methods
- Provided children with up-to-date immunizations
ALL while creating a lasting and continual difference within communities.
Dr. Ernst recently received the 2014 Dory Storms Child Survival Recognition Award for the design of the revolutionary Care Group Model. Together with Dr. Ernst and others who have participated in the Care Group Model, World Relief will celebrate 20 years of this innovative project in 2015.
Through this program, we have seen God do great things in countries and communities where health information is seldom provided. Simple explanations can truly change countries and empower people to become heroes in their communities.
Giving Thanks: From Rose in Kenya
Kenya is a beautiful country known for its noteworthy economic growth, popular safaris and development in some urban areas. But in the midst of progress, this country of 38.8 million people also continues to experience several challenges, some of which include tensions between different groups of people and in too many extreme cases, aggressive violence.
But counteracting this hostility is the local Church. Together with World Relief, local churches in Kenya have been empowering their neighbors with agricultural trainings and forming groups of farmers that look out for the best interests of the community. In an area that has seen too much violence, this unity creates much needed stability and security.
Rose is the treasurer of one such agricultural group in Kenya that meets weekly. They learn the latest farming practices, hone their skills in the field and are trained in good marketing techniques. This knowledge allows everyone in the group to not only grow crops that provide food and a sustainable income, but they’re also able to navigate the selling prices of goods, especially when corrupt businessmen try to take advantage.
“This program has brought me hope,” Rose said. “It has made me realize that I can do more and achieve more. I am grateful that I am a part of the World Relief Program.”
As we end our Giving Thanks series, let’s keep farmers like Rose in our prayers and thank God for the powerful reconciliation he’s bringing through people like her around the world.
To learn more about World Relief’s work, please visit worldrelief.org.
Strangers at Our Table – A True Celebration of Thanksgiving with Refugees
Life changing moments happen at the dinner table. It was at the table where Jesus Christ shared his last supper with his disciples and demonstrated the transformational grace he was about to provide. It was at the table where some early European refugees and local Native Americans shared a peaceful meal, celebrating the harvest after a harsh season that initiated the first Thanksgiving in what is now the United States. And it’s at the dinner table where many of us will gather this Thursday to celebrate the holiday. But who are we inviting to the table? As we prepare to feast this week, we can’t help but think of the thousands of refugees who might be celebrating this holiday for the first time. But this won’t happen if we don’t open up our homes and welcome these strangers to our tables.
With the help of churches and volunteers, World Relief resettles more than 5,000 refugees each year. Everyone involved shows God’s love by giving their time, talent and treasure to make sure these strangers are welcome. After what is usually a long and grueling process of fleeing extreme hardships in their home nations, the comfort of knowing they have helpful friends in a completely new environment is an answer to prayer for many refugees.
Around the US, churches and volunteers are flinging their doors open to welcome refugees into their communities this Thanksgiving season. Travis Trice, World Relief’s Church Relations Coordinator in Jacksonville, Florida, knows the incredible impact of the work of the local Church: “Every holiday we see refugees’ lives enriched because of the outpouring of love from our local churches in North Florida. Without them, we couldn’t do what we do.”
So who are you inviting to the table this week? Join us and churches around the country as we welcome the stranger to our table and have them leave as friends. For more information on how to do this, contact your local World Relief office by visiting https://worldrelief.org/us-offices.
Giving Thanks: From a Mother in Burundi
Earlier this month, we shared the story of Capitoline, a hero who’s saving the lives of many children in her community in Burundi. Now, we get to share the story of a grateful mother who knows firsthand just how important Capitoline’s skills and care are. “Nobody can love and take care of our children the way Capitoline does,” Emmanuella said, as she thought of the time her 17-month-old came down with a high fever and had convulsions in the middle of the night. She and her husband were afraid – these were signs of malaria, a disease that is preventable and treatable, yet often deadly in Burundi.
But Emmanuella knew her neighbor, Capitoline, was a community health worker trained by World Relief. So in the early morning hours, the family ran to Capitoline’s house nearby for help. She was able to immediately give Emmanuella’s child the proper medications, which led to recovery just three days later.
In the past, Emmanuella had taken her children to the hospital when they were sick. But a trip to the local hospital was a significant journey on foot, and they would often have to wait to even be admitted once they arrived. Capitoline’s medical training meant that Emmanuella and her family didn’t have to wait a long time to receive treatment – time that can mean the difference between life and death.
World Relief has trained hundreds of other community health workers like Capitoline, who are always ready and willing to help their neighbors. In addition to diagnosing and treating different diseases, they also educate their neighbors about simple hygiene practices that promote good health for every-day living.
Emmanuella knows that health workers like Capitoline are invaluable: “We thank God that we now have a community health worker in our neighborhood.”
To give thanks and empower more heroes like Capitoline, visit empowerahero.org.
Give the Gift of HOPE on #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday falls right after Black Friday Weekend. It’s a new movement to integrate the celebration of generosity into what is already the largest gift-giving season of the year. What makes a donation so attractive to a culture whose spending in one weekend exceeds the combined gross national incomes of Rwanda, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Burundi? Americans already practice generosity during the winter holidays. They go beyond even their own financial limitations to bring joy to their loved ones. Adults will each spend about $740 on gifts this year and nearly 60 percent of parents expect to go into debt buying gifts for their children.
But there is something vastly unique about giving a gift that fulfills a need rather than a wish list – a gift that profoundly impacts a life rather than make life easier – a gift that addresses a complex problem rather than a fleeting desire.
On Christmas day, we celebrate the greatest gift – the birth of Jesus Christ, whose life, death and resurrection provide us a restored relationship with God. He came to restore our world’s brokenness – brokenness that is physical, spiritual, emotional, economic and even political. Not only did he give his resources, but also his time, his energy and his entire life.
Romans 6:23 speaks of the magnitude of such a gift when it says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The greatest gift is one that is life-giving, that brings restoration, that heals, that is undeserved, because that is the nature of God’s gift to us in Jesus.
On #GivingTuesday (Dec. 2, 2014), we challenge you to give as Jesus did. Here’s what it can look like:
- Meeting real needs: Jesus assessed and met the real needs of the people around him. One way you can do this is by purchasing a gift in World Relief’s Catalog of Hope. These gifts are intended to meet the physical, spiritual, social and economic needs of the world’s most vulnerable.
- Serving: Matthew 20:28 says, “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Between now and Dec. 2, serve your community in some capacity. Share your story with @WorldRelief using the hashtag #GivingTuesday
- Speaking: Invite your friends to also give of themselves this holiday season by sharing our social media toolkit between now and Dec. 2.
So how will you give on #GivingTuesday?
Let’s make true generosity a hallmark of our culture during the holidays!
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Giving Thanks: From Flora in India
Family is one of the most important social units in India. In the world’s second most populated country, with 1.2 billion people, families often have tight bonds. But even though this focus on the family is a mainstay, there are real challenges to relationships within families. In many cases, women are often overlooked in India. And in far too many instances, women are abused – India was ranked as the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women. But the Church is rising up to address these challenges at their core.
Through programs like Families for Life, World Relief partners with local churches to get to the root of these damaging problems. Married couples are invited to form groups where they can discuss the challenges of marriage and family as well as healthy solutions. And women are encouraged to contribute to the discussion – having both husbands and wives involved greatly enhances the resolution.
Flora, who has been a part of a Families for Life group in India, knows the value of communicating openly to address disunity, even when it’s not the norm. She said, “We women do not get many opportunities to attend any meetings or get any invitations to participate. But this meeting gave equal importance to men and women’s thoughts and experiences. I was reluctant to speak in front of others, but here I was bold enough to speak. My sincere thanks to World Relief and the team.”
We’re thankful for stories like these where marriages are strengthened and families form stronger bonds. For more information about World Relief’s work through the local church in India, visit worldrelief.org/india.
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