Posts Tagged ‘generosity’
Our Journey to âYESâ: Terri & Tim Traudt
Tell me a little about how you first got involved with World Relief?
TIM: I havenât always been this way. In fact, I first got involved with this work through colleagues. At the time, I worked with a few individuals whose hearts had been moved in very significant ways by serving the vulnerable around the world. Back then, I didnât know that much about the issues of our world or the magnitude of the need, but I had a friend recommend the book The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs. In the book, there was a foreword written by Bono and I remember being so inspired by how he used his celebrity status to help expose the needs of the vulnerable around the world. It was really then that I became acutely aware of the magnitude of need and wanted to help. So, I did some research and came across World Relief. Long story short, I got personally involved, and then six years ago I joined the board myself.
Tell me about your own decision making process when it came to charitable giving? Why do you give?
TIM: Our view of charitable giving has really evolved over the years. I think weâve always been generous people but we werenât always intentional with our giving. Today, thatâs changedâwe are very intentional. We truly believe that all we have has been given to us by God and that weâre responsible for stewarding it. So now, Terri and I sit down each year, before the beginning of the year, and we pledge out what our commitment back to God will be. We break it down by organization and we have conversations about each of them. We are always trying to think about how we can be great stewards of what God has given to us over our lifetime.
TERRI: I think, too, that something really changed for us when we stopped seeing âvulnerable peopleâ as a label and started understanding it as a circumstance. When we recognized that being vulnerable is not a fixed status, and that any one of us can and will be vulnerable at one point or another in our lives, that really created a strong sense of solidarity. You know you share a common humanity with the vulnerable when you stop seeing them as âless thanâ, knowing they are equal in Godâs eyes and as human beings. When you see your suffering neighbor as your equal, it changes everything. Itâs not about pity. It becomes about wanting to be a part of raising up humanity and honoring God.
What drew you to World Relief in particular?
TIM: We went on a vision trip and saw firsthand how World Relief is impacting and transforming lives around the world. It wasnât until we experienced what World Relief does in a tangible way that our hearts were really moved. Before that, intellectually, we were certainly supportive of the organization but, to quote an old African proverb, âIt was when our hearts were moved that our feet also moved.â
TERRI: Of course the fact that it was faith-based was important to us. But more than that, I think, was that as we began to learn more about humanitarian and development work, we both became aware that sustainability was key. We knew we didnât want to support a hand-out organization but an organization that honors the dignity of the vulnerable and creates programs that are sustainable. We really witnessed that in reality with World Relief. When we saw the power of that, and the impact we could have, thatâs what really moved our hearts.
What’s been the most exciting thing you’ve seen or heard about as a result of your giving?
TIM: Thatâs hardâthere have been just so many moments that have really validated why weâre committed to World Relief. In any one of the Savings for Life sessions that weâve witnessed, or in meeting with some of the bravest women weâve ever met in Congo, or in hearing government officials in Rwanda affirm our work, or in seeing the strength of churches unified by World Relief in Malawiâthe list goes on. Over and over and over we see stories of the fruit that has been born from the seeds that were planted.
TERRI: Itâs true. And I think meeting with the women in Congo was really an amazing experience for me, personally. Here was this group of women who had gone through incredible amounts of suffering and distress in Congo, yet still standing tall, reclaiming their experiences and their narrative, realizing theyâre not responsible for what happened to them, realizing they didnât do anything wrong. And to watch them be moved to tears, exclaiming they still had joy in their hearts âbecause Jesus loves them,â that was just amazing. Â âHe sees we are clean,â they said. And World Relief was the one who started that repair and healing in them.
What motivates you to continue giving today?
TIM: The Church Empowerment Zone model World Relief has implemented is really incredible. The return on investment is just amazing. You touch thousands, if not millions, of lives. It works with churches that really know their communities and are able to bring people of greatest need into the programs. And of course, itâs those church networks that will remain as long as weâre on this earth, and longer, and that really proves just how sustainable this model is.
TERRI: I think, too, weâve seen how World Relief is teaching and equipping communities in such a tangible way. We really saw that when we were in Malawi and one of the program beneficiaries articulated the transformation curriculum to us. We understood it more through him than we did even through reading about it! And that was incredible. Here was this man, once so down and outâan abusive husband, absent father and alcoholic, articulating a transformation curriculum. It was incredible to see it really at work.
TIM: Yea, it was amazing. As an investment guy, I can tell you itâs a fabulous place to put your money. When you overlay that kind of impact and sustainability with the call from God to stand with and for the most vulnerable, it just meshes beautifully with our vision of how we want to use the resources God has blessed us with to steward.
How has your life been impacted or changed since you started giving to World Relief?
TIM: I think World Relief has had a tremendous impact on how we view the world and how we view our role in the world. We are so honored to be partners with World Relief and play a small part in impacting peopleâs livesâeven if theyâre people weâll never meet here on earth. Itâs hard to describe how much our relationship with World Relief has impacted us. Itâs opened our eyes and matured our hearts to the vulnerable.
Thereâs another amazing story, too. I think in many ways World Relief helped open our eyes and hearts to pray and think on who God might be calling us to love. A few years ago, weâd been in prayer that God would reveal our âvulnerable neighborâ to us. Well, God literally brought her to our driveway. She crashed into our mailbox! She was a refugee and single mother who lived in our neighborhood, yet weâd never met. Today, sheâs one of our closest friends and her son is our Godson. Itâs a very special relationship.
What would you say to other families that are thinking about giving to World Relief or another organization like World Relief? Do you have any advice or encouragement?
TIM: I would first just encourage you to do the research to learn. Whether, like me, itâs reading The End of Poverty, or something elseâjust become aware of the need. I think thatâs incredibly important. There is so much great need out there. Secondly, I would say that I think if you prayerfully read the scriptures and ask God what heâs calling you to do around the vulnerable, he will reveal it, however unexpected. 10 years ago I never would have thought that Iâd be giving to World Relief. But then I saw. And I understood.
There are so many great organizations from which you could choose. But make sure you do choose. Invest in them. Because when you do, youâre really investing in Godâs kingdom. And as Christians, this is where we belong. This is what we should be doing. Itâs an eternal and tremendous return-on-investment. It changes lives.
Are you ready to find your âYESâ?
Francesca Albano currently serves as Director of Branded Content at World Relief. With a background in Cultural Anthropology and a graduate degree in Strategic Marketing Communications, she connects her interests in societal studies and global cultures with her training in brand strategy and storytelling. Francesca is especially passionate about grassroots community development and the treatment and advancement of women and girls around the world.
Our Journey to âYESâ: Jill & Jason Hwang
Tell me a little about how you first got involved with World Relief?
JASON: I made my first donation to World Relief in 2005, as a graduate student. At the time, a big focus of my church was financial discipleship and Iâd sat through many sermons and scriptural teachings on generosity. In seeking out opportunities to hear people talk about stewardship, I learned about World Relief. It seemed like a great opportunity to begin giving in a small way.
JILL: Before Jason and I met, Iâd been in the midst of a season where I was thinking a lot about loving the âleast of theseâ and feeling a calling in this area. I was an immigration attorney at the time but I wanted to grow in serving the most vulnerable in different ways. After Jason and I got married in 2008, we started making joint financial decisions, and it was amazing to see how God had really been preparing both of our hearts to come together in partnership around this calling to give. World Relief was an area where both of our passions and callings, Jasonâs to financial stewardship and mine to service, merged together. That was 10 years ago and weâve been giving ever since.
Tell me about your own decision making process when it came to charitable giving? Why do you give?
JASON: Over the last decade, Iâve really grown in my conviction that our life is not our own and that we are stewards of the time that God gives usâas well as of our resources and opportunities. Thatâs something I want to be reminded of often. Itâs easy to feel that life is just about us and our three kids, but it really isnât. And I find that going beyond our own needs and giving with joy is a tangible way in which I experience Godâs grace.
JILL: For me, itâs a way for my heart to grow. I want to invest my heart in the things that God cares about and financial giving is one way of doing that.
How did you decide what and where to give? What was important for you?
JILL: Iâm an immigration attorney. And a lot of what World Relief does, and where they work, well thatâs where my clients are often coming from. So being able to engage in that area, know the backgrounds and stories of my clients, it helps me to view them more fully. Itâs easy to lose sight of what our everyday work is all about, but having the bigger picture, a fuller picture, is a good reminder of the realities of what is happening in the world and the things that are on Godâs heart.
What drew you to World Relief in particular?
JASON: After we got married, we started attending a few World Relief events. And there was one that really struck a chord with us, where we heard from Pastor Marcel from Congo. He talked about violence against women in Congo and how many of the women in his church were victims of physical and sexual violence. The consequences he spoke about, both physical and emotional, were just devastating. We also became deeply aware of the challenges of ministering in that environment and how difficult it must be. And we wanted to support that.
JILL: We knew we wanted to support work in areas where the need was great, and we also wanted to support churches and pastors. World Relief gave us the opportunity to do both of those things. We love that thereâs a focus on the local church; that thereâs intentionality on empowering local people, and local communities, to seek out transformation and lead it themselves. It feels good to know weâre investing in local institutions that, when the work of an NGO comes to an end, will still be there.
What motivates you to continue giving today?
JILL: Itâs really a response, and a step, of faith for us. I think often when we think about giving, itâs easy to think ahead to results, and what the financial giving can accomplish. But over the years I think the biggest realization for us has been that our giving really does feel like a step of faithfulness, regardless of what God will do with it. Maybe itâs something big, maybe itâs something small and maybe itâs something we may never see or know aboutâbut whenever and however the results come about, itâs ultimately in Godâs hands. The giving itself is a response of faith, an opportunity to trust God and grow our hearts.
JASON: We try to make our financial decisions based on the idea that being a follower of Jesus is a serious thing, so wanting to be an authentic Christian is a powerful part of my motivation. And I also find that giving to support the needs of others ultimately helps me overcome my own anxieties about the future.
How has your life been impacted or changed since you started giving to World Relief?
JILL: Iâd say the world feels a little bit closer. Specifically, what God is doing in the world feels a little bit closer to us. Itâs grown our hearts toward the suffering of vulnerable people. And toward those that find themselves as refugees in different parts of the world. We feel invested in these areas and communities that weâre learning about. And itâs also a way for us to invite our children into this journey and learning as they get older.
What would you say to other families that are thinking about giving to World Relief or another organization like World Relief? What advice or encouragement would you give?
JILL: Iâd say, if you feel a nudge, follow it. Take a step of faith. So much of this is about our response. If we learn to leave our fears and expectations with God and just take a small step of faith, giving however little or much he calls us to, thatâs a process of growing our hearts and growing in faithfulnessâthatâs worthwhile.
JASON: Iâd say, you should learn more. The needs of the world often sound so overwhelming and itâs easy to think, âWhat difference can I actually make?â in a totally different part of the world. But World Relief offers so many resources and opportunities to overcome that barrier. Those resources were really what moved me beyond the mental distance.
Iâd also add that itâs so helpful to connect with other people and take this journey together. You know, sometimes financial giving can feel private, but having a community and culture of giving with people around you who are willing to take the same risks, support one another and remind one another of the importance of it has been really helpful. Itâs so much easier to be give faithfully when you have friends who are doing the same thing, who have caught the same vision of discipleship and who want to do this together. So Iâd say if youâre thinking about giving, see if you can find a small group of friends through church or another context who might want to share in the journey.
Are you ready to find your âYESâ?
Francesca Albano currently serves as Director of Branded Content at World Relief. With a background in Cultural Anthropology and a graduate degree in Strategic Marketing Communications, she connects her interests in societal studies and global cultures with her training in brand strategy and storytelling. Francesca is especially passionate about grassroots community development and the treatment and advancement of women and girls around the world.
Our Journey to âYESâ: Fellowship Missionary Church
Fourteen years ago, a partnership between Fellowship Missionary Church (FMC) in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and World Relief began. In 2005, no one could have predicted the transformational power this relationship would have. Today, it couldnât be clearer that God was at work in majestic ways.
In 2005, FMC was spending time intentionally reflecting on the ways they could live âas everyday missionariesâ in their communities, looking for an opportunity to say âYESâ to something bigger than their imaginations. An answer to prayer, it wasnât long before that opportunity came in the form of a man named Pastor Marcel. At a meeting of church partners, Pastor Marcel shared about the plight of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sadly, the instability of the region and sheer scale of suffering made it a high-risk choice for sustainable partnerships and Congo was frequently passed over again and again in favor of more stable African nations. As FMCâs now Senior Pastor Joe John listened to Marcel, his heart broke for this fragile nation and the intensity of its suffering. And in the familiar stirring of his heart, he recognized his churchâs calling and said âYESâ.
Fourteen years ago, no one could have predicted the power of that small three letter word and yet God grew the power of that âYESâ from mustard seed to mountain. Through 24-hour prayer vigils, an annual âRace for Peace: Congoâ and a cross-country bike ride, FMC transformed its congregation, engaging and mobilizing their church family in passionate, sacrificial acts of generosity year after year after year. With the support of FMC, World Relief launched its peacebuilding program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2009, which now consists of over 1000 village peace committees across the country.
But this was just the beginning.
As the relationship between World Relief and FMC flourished, so did the churchâs desire to do more. In October of 2017, a small team traveled to Congo alongside Pastor Marcel to learn about World Reliefâs work with victims of sexual and gender-based violence and the trauma healing program. Deeply moved by what they saw, the team began to wrestle with how God might be calling them to respond. Four months later, Steps4Healing was bornâto the incredible tune of an $80,000 Christmas offering.
The following summer on June 4, 2018, FMC launched a 14-week summer campaign for trauma healing in Congo called Steps4Healing. The goal? For the congregation to take a cumulative 100 million steps between June and September. Everyone who signed up to participate was given a t-shirt, step counters and instructions on how they could log their steps online. They were also given toolkits with sample fundraising letters and ideas to help them raise money. Every week FMC published a new devotional to think and pray on, including stories from Congo, as well as publishing a Steps4Healing prayer guide that asked God to restore communities suffering from traumaâwith an emphasis on Congo and Ft. Wayne itself. Over 400 members of the congregation signed up.
On Sunday, Sept 9, 2018, the campaign culminated in a 5k prayer walk with police escort through downtown Ft. Wayne. It was a cold, rainy day but that did not stop them. As they walked, they distributed flyers to let neighbors know what was going on and what Steps4Healing was all aboutâraising awareness of the suffering in Congo and inviting neighbors and community members to church. Following the walk, a vibrant festival of food, music and prayer continued. A wall of photos of beneficiaries and their stories from World Reliefâs trauma healing program was on display, as well as a gallery with artist contributions for purchase. World Reliefâs Country Director from Congo, Jean, spent time speaking to the congregation and answering questions about the trauma healing program in Congo. He thanked people for their vision of what could beâfor their sacrifice, generosity and hope.
Here, Director of Care and Social Services, Becky Baker, answers some questions about FMCâs journey with World Relief:
Tell us about your goals and hopes for your church and community?
Our community is really special. Itâs got so much to offer many people, and yes, itâs beautiful. But itâs also a really hard community to live in. We live on a side of town that lots of people have left. Thereâs a lot going on here, a lot of violence. And our church is very diverseâracially, culturally and economically. When we first got involved with peacebuilding, we wanted people to be praying for peace for communities both here, on the south side of town in Ft. Wayne and there, in Congo. Then when we started engaging in trauma healing, well that was just as relevant. Thereâs been a lot of trauma here in our community. One of our staff had a daughter murdered and, of course, it became very personal very quickly. We did a sermon series in the spring on healing the wounds of our own traumas. We prayed for personal healing for our church and for God to connect people to one another along their journey.
Steps4Healing was an amazing extension of our healing journey as a church and as a community. God used it really uniquely for everyone and the stories that came out of peopleâs engagement were amazing. We had so many new people come to church. It became a great on-ramp for them. On the final day we walked through the south side of town to pray for Congo and our community, and it was an incredible opportunity for witness.
What was the most powerful part of this experience for you?
I was amazed at how God awakened our church to start interceding for Congo in such a physical way. The way in which so many people were willing to really practice the sacrifice of their bodiesâessentially laying down their lives in a small way to connect their struggles to the plight of those in Congo. When we heard about rebels using rape as a weapon of war, for example, we learned that most of the victims were women who were fetching firewood to carry back home. We started walking and running with a stick, as an image of solidarity. And countless people around town started asking us what the stick was for, paving the way for us to share stories and explain what was happening in Congo.
The way that God raised up so many intercessors for Congo, and provided so many opportunities for witness, was just incredible. We setup the program and the environment as much as we could, and were faithful to what he was calling us to, but God did the rest. Seeing people finish something they thought they could never do, seeing God answer our prayers, seeing Him move, over and above again and again. Well, only God could do that.
How did your congregation transform as a result of your engagement with World Relief and Congo?
Thereâs an incredible sense of unity in our congregation. Weâve had this great common purpose thatâs included representatives from our whole bodyârunners, moms, artists, the disabledâthe list goes on. Weâve given our congregation an invitation to be a part of something bigger than themselves. And God has really grown peopleâs faith through that. As weâve sacrificed individually for something together, our culture of discipleship has also grown. We work hard at celebrating what God is doing and weâve learned to see value in the process, recognizing that itâs just as important as the destination itself. Itâs never been just about walking or running a race, itâs been about running THE RACE together.
When we said âYESâ, we issued an invitation for the supernatural to be seenâand boy did we see it. In Congo, we witnessed the fall of the M23 rebel group. And here in Ft. Wayne, we had congregants who discovered life-threatening health issues just because they started running. God has moved in this partnership in such powerful ways. Ways we never could have expected.
What would you say to other churches considering a partnership with World Relief?âš
You know, for most of us, the call to sacrifice comes before the passion. And we have to be faithful in following that calling before we can discover what God might do with it. So I would just encourage you to ask the Lord what you can uniquely give yourself to. Then listen and persevere. Weâre so grateful to World Relief and the team in Congo, probably more so than they are for us. We followed Godâs call to that partnership and itâs really transformed our church community.
Are you ready to find your âYESâ?
Francesca Albano currently serves as Director of Branded Content at World Relief. With a background in Cultural Anthropology and a graduate degree in Strategic Marketing Communications, she connects her interests in societal studies and global cultures with her training in brand strategy and storytelling. Francesca is especially passionate about grassroots community development and the treatment and advancement of women and girls around the world.
Our Journey to âYESâ: Ross & Emily Jones
Tell me a little about how you first got involved with World Relief?
We first learned about World Relief through Park Street Church in Boston. They were running a series on global justice, with a real emphasis on mission work. It was great to learn about how we might expand our passion for justice globally through World Reliefâthey were one of the first organizations we heard about that was really involved in social justice issues overseas. And they kind of became a tutor for us in learning about the issues of the world.
Tell me about your own decision making process when it came to charitable giving? Why do you give?
Weâve always believed we should give back, with both our time and money. Both Ross and I are very aligned in that we agree we donât just want to keep stockpiling our resources and we want be good stewards of what weâve been given. But I would say it was really about a decade ago that we got to a point in our philanthropic journey where both of us had this strong sense we didnât want to keep living up to the standards that our finances would allow. We were concerned with the level of income and wealth inequality in the U.S., and I think we also believe thereâs only so much you can enjoy in life before you experience a sense of diminishing returns. So we decided what kind of lifestyle we wanted and how much we needed to live that way. Then we agreed that anything we made above that, weâd give away.
God calls us to generosity in many ways. We felt called to use our money to go after the injustices in the world, and our foundation, Imago Dei, has been our response to that call. Of course, people give in many ways. You just have to listen to God, discern and discover what is yours to do.
How did you decide what and who to give to? What was important for you?
We were particularly drawn to World Reliefâs focus on empowering and entrusting communities with their own change. When we went on a vision trip to Cambodia with World Relief, we saw small churches leading change in their communities, and it felt so much more empowering than just charity. It was the local church implementing the change that they wanted to see, not an outside intervention coming in and forcing something. In that sense, World Relief seemed to be navigating all the damaging colonialist undertones and aid dependence pitfalls very well. They really appeared to be catalyzing change from the inside out, delivering their work in and through the local church.
What’s been the most exciting thing you’ve seen or heard about as a result of your giving?
The sweet spot of our giving is to organizations (typically faith-based or faith-inspired) that are working to dismantle barriers for girls and women and helping them to become all God made them to be. Weâve been really inspired by the ways in which World Relief is working to integrate gender justice and reconciliation into their broader programming model, and entering into the gender struggles of our world. So many organizations tend to take a very specific programmatic approachâcreating clubs or programs just for women and girlsâbut we know that to really get into gender norms and work to change those, you need to take a more holistic approach. World Relief supports churches as they wrestle with contradictions in culture and gender stereotypes, and encourage a holistic theology of wholeness and wellâbeing, embodied in Imago Dei.
What motivates you to continue giving today?
World Relief is really like a big family that keeps growing. It feels like this exciting movementâthis amazing relational web, in which everyone truly believes in the organization. It really feels like a community. Sometimes when organizations are so big and bureaucratic, they lose their humanity. But we really feel like weâre part of something bigger at World Relief, part of a movement and a family. It feels very human.
We think they have that for many reasons. Probably most significant for us is that they help people and churches to embrace the liberating and holistic dimensions of the gospel. That is just so important in a world where there is a harmful use of religion for authoritarian purposes. World Relief really works to tap into the spiritual essence of the gospel, at a time when that is so needed. Weâve seen that play out this year in the U.S. in particular, where World Relief has shown so much moral courage in the face of the refugee and immigration crisis. As a family, itâs really touched us and weâve been so grateful to have a guide that can speak with such a clear moral voice in relation to all thatâs going on, especially when itâs really hard to know what on earth is happening. It really reminds you that this work of love, peace and justice can start right here in your backyard. You look out in the world and think about the world you want to create for your own children. Well, the answer is you start here and work outward.
How has your life been impacted or changed since you started giving to World Relief?
Weâve really enjoyed the shared solidarity and experience that comes with giving to an organization over the long haul. Weâve been able to learn so much about the world through World Relief. Weâve learned about what it takes to create change in a truly complex world. And weâve learned about the role of faith in these complexities, about how we can use it to move the needle forward. World Relief reminds us to keep growing and learning about the world. Itâs so easy to just go about your life, to be self absorbed, and sometimes the worldâs problems seem so big you want to run away and stick your head in the sand. But thereâs so much joy in doing your part, and doing it with others. Everyone weâve met at World Relief is so dedicated; they quietly and passionately go about this amazing work and it reminds us that thereâs always something you can do. Weâre grateful for that moral courage that they demonstrate so admirably.
What would you say to other families that are thinking about giving to World Relief or a similar organization? Any advice or encouragement?
You know, giving can often feel like this really big and daunting thing but a little money can go a long way globally. God calls us, really invites us, into faithful stewardship. And itâs often when you lean in and give generously that you discover the greatest blessings in life.
Weâd say start with your own humanity and your own heart. Allow yourself to feel the struggles of the world. Let them draw you in. You donât have to figure it all out at once. Just start somewhere where you feel a natural affinity and see how it expands. Find where your heart is drawn and, from that point, just enjoy the journey. When it becomes more than just writing checksâthatâs when you know itâs where your heart is.
Are you ready to find your âYESâ?
Francesca Albano currently serves as Director of Branded Content at World Relief. With a background in Cultural Anthropology and a graduate degree in Strategic Marketing Communications, she connects her interests in societal studies and global cultures with her training in brand strategy and storytelling. Francesca is especially passionate about grassroots community development and the treatment and advancement of women and girls around the world.