Sponsor a Child, it's not a scam

Recently I heard about a documentary that was screened on TV that painted a fairly dark picture of World Vision child sponsorship. My understanding of the documentary is sketchy since i didn't see it but I certainly had a few concerned members of my congregation tell me all about it.

A brief summary is someone who was sponsoring a child through World Vision for a couple of years thought they would go and visit the child in whatever country they were living in. The person was surprised and disappointed that their child wasn't excelling as much as they had expected and from my understanding was considering pulling their sponsorship as a result. I've heard other stories like this where people have told me they are going to cease sponsorship because the organization they sponsor through either spends it all on administration or doesn't do what the sponsor expects they are going to do with it.

I want to say clearly from the start, particularly for those who have come to me with concerns, do not pull your support, it's not some scam. And for those who are not sponsoring a child or community I hope this post will encourage you to do so. My previous post is a part response to this so check the tags below to find other posts.

Not only do I do some volunteer work with World vision but I also work with other similar organizations who are doing as much as they can to alleviate the crisis of poverty half our world faces. Verity and I not only give financially through sponsorship and other means but we have also seen with our very eyes the changes that can come about in communities because of our support.

In our western way of thinking we do something like sponsor a child so we can have a personal connection with an individual. because the problem of poverty is so big we think we can focus our attention on just one person and see that one be lifted up, fed, immunized and educated. What we don't understand is that the rest of the world don't think like us. You see they have a greater understanding of community well being and equal distribution of wealth than we do. I have learnt a lot from my work with Africans in particular, they just do life differently and there is something valuable we can learn from this.

For instance it would be unethical for me to expect that the child I sponsor would get a better life than his or her neighbour or class mate just because they have a sponsor and other don't. While my sponsor child will get the basics they need (that they wouldn't otherwise if I were not a sponsor) some of the money I give will also go into the community to make it a better place for all, not just one person. It's hard for westerners to understand because we are used to looking out for number one. Do we really care about our neighbours? In many communities that these organizations support, one individual in the community cannot sit by and watch another suffer. It's just the way they are geared. If they are to benefit from something then it's a natural response for them to share the wealth.

Verity and I sponsored an individual (and still do) in Bangkok. We later found out from the organization that that individual was giving everything to the people in his community before himself. I got a buzz out of knowing that we now support an entire community. We also gave a significant donation to a project in this community. I have no idea how the project went or if the money even went to that project. When I bought a goat through the TEAR gift cards I found out that my money might not actually buy a goat but it will go towards some kind of sustainable living project TEAR are involved with in that community.

The point of my giving is not for my own gratification, or so I can get constant reports to see what they are doing with 'my money'. No that's not the point, first of all the attitude we must have to money we earn and give is, it's not mine in belongs to God from the start. secondly I give in faith, it doesn't matter where it goes, I trust these organizations to do what they need to do to empower these communities.

I do not speak of behalf of World Vision in this post but I speak as an individual who wants to re butt the complaints and encourage everyone to sponsor a child or a community. The more children that are sponsored in a community, the better off the children will be and the better off that community will be. I hope that clears up any doubt people have about this issue. These organizations are not stockpiling your money so their staff can get rich, they really are changing the world.

Shalom
Mark

It's all relative

Well, tonight Paris Hilton will appear at the much talked about New Year Eve party in Sydney. I'm not sure what disturbs me the most, the amount she is being paid to appear at the party, or the shallow entertainment news reports of her visit, anticipating how the night will unfold.

But the news item that seems to have caught the public eye this past 24 hours is Paris' $5000 spending spree on clothes in Melbourne yesterday. It was significant enough to attract comment from Tim Costello on how else that money could be spent. Many people say 'get over it, it's her money let her do what she likes'. Yet it's that attitude exactly that keeps the world stuck in this impoverished cycle of the rich who continue to be out of touch and acknowledge no real responsibility towards the poor whose choices are limited to basic survival.

You might say, 'well it's all relative', $5000 is nothing to a rich girl like Paris, but for someone whose income is less than $5000 a year and has to feed and look after a family, it's everything. So Paris' excuse is, she already does her fair share of charity work, but I say it's obviously not enough while people are still homeless, starving and dying preventable deaths from disease.

This is where community living back in the days of the newly established nation of Israel had great benefit for all. Those who earned more gave more and in theory, no-one was in need. It's called the equal distribution of wealth. Call me an idealist, but I don't think we are going to see poverty become history in our lifetime while we continue to idolize selfish brats with too much money than they know what to do with.

I heard Tim Costello comment on the world financial crisis recently and he said it's not a financial crisis, it's an ethical crisis. I agree. The greed of the greedy reached tipping point and this is the result of too many people trying to make an easy buck. Seriously we need to ask ourselves, whether we are investors, consumers, developers, whatever...are the financial choices I make ethical choices. For the everyday consumer go to www.ethical.org and test it out. When you invest or make a purchase are you asking yourself the right questions like, how does my choice affect the person at the other end of the line? The producer, the grower, the maker. My wife Verity has written a song in response to this ethical consumerism dilemma. Visit her website www.verityskye.com and if the song isn't already added, ask her to add it. It's powerful.

In response to Paris Hilton's spending spree Tim Costello reminded people that $5000 would be enough to help sustain an entire village! Verity and I support a slum community in Bangkok through UNOH. In the new year we are extending our financial focus to supporting communities in Africa. For the past few of years we've been making conscious ethical and fairtrade choices about every product we buy. We don't earn millions of dollars but we know we reside comfortably in within the richest 10% of people in the world. Our wealth can be distributed and help so many if only we are willing. It's all relative I guess.

It's not about 'doing our bit for charity', so I can sneak through life without a guilty conscience. it's about having a heart for the suffering people of our world and believing against all the odds and negativity that I too can contribute what I can to make a difference so that all the people of the world may enjoy life, not just me. Verity and I and both our families got a real buzz out of giving all kinds of gifts to each other from TEAR, Wolrd Vision, Oxfam and COCOA this year knowing that our gift was a life changing gift for someone in an impoverished community. I bought my Nana a card from Oxfam that had this title on the front, 'More power to granny'. My gift helps financially resource a group of indigenous Australian women elders provide support, education and encouragement to the indigenous youth so they might learn their customs and language and become future leaders in Australia.

This new year forget the self indulgent new years resolutions, make a commitment to change the world. You'll feel so much better for it and make a difference at the same time.

Shalom
Mark