Hope in a Hurt World of Hurt: a Bible Study

8/8/2019 Hope in a Hurt World of Hurt: a Bible Study

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A W ome n of V i s i on S t u d y

t h e H E A R T o f t h e M A T T E R

HURT

HOPEin a world of



ACKNO WLEDGEMENTS

World Vision Resources produced this educational resource in partnership with Women of

Vision. Copyright © 2009 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way,

WA 98063-9716, [email protected]. All rights reserved.

Editorial Director: Milana McLead

Editor-in-Chief: Jane Sutton-Redner

Project Editor: Laurie Delgatto

Author: Beth Dotson Brown

Contributing Authors: Laurie Delgatto, Reneé Stearns, Cynthia Breilh

Project Consultants: Judy Bergman, Cynthia Breilh, Marilee Pierce Dunker, Karen Marion,

Reneé Stearns

Design: Journey Group, Inc.

Sales and Distribution Manager: Jojo Palmer

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-09819235-2-9

The Scripture in this resource is from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL

VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by

permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

The quotes in lesson 2, page 8, and lesson 2, page 5, are from Bryant Myers, as found in

Walking with the Poor (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books 1999), pages 13, 51, and 81-82. Copyright

© 1999 World Vision International. All rights reserved.

The quote found in lesson 3, page 8, is from Mother Teresa in No Greater Love (Novato, CA:New World Library 2002), page 46. Copyright © 2002 New World Library. All rights reserved.

The quotes found in lesson 4, pages 2 and 7, are from A Citizen’s Guide to Advocacy (Federal

Way: WA, World Vision, Inc. 2008), pages 6 and 9. Copyright © 2008 World Vision, Inc.

Instruction on advocacy in lesson 4 is drawn from ”Stewarding Our Inuence for Justice:

Fullling Our Biblical Mandate to Speak for the Voiceless,” January 2009, by Tim Dearborn,

director of Christian commitments for World Vision International.

The litany prayer found in lesson 4, page 9, was used on Sept. 25, 2008, at an Interfaith

Service of Recommitment and Witness to the Achievement of the Millennium Development

Goals, at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City, by the Ecumenical

Women of the United Nations. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

During the preparation of this resource, all citations, facts, gures, names, addresses,

telephone numbers, Internet URLs, and other cited information were veried for accuracy.

World Vision Resources has made every attempt to reference current and valid sources, but

we cannot guarantee the content of any source and we are not responsible for any changes that

may have occurred since our verication. If you nd an error in, or have a question or concern

about, any of the information or sources listed within, please contact World Vision Resources.

COVER PHOTO BY ANDREW GOODWIN/WORLD VISION 2009



U S I N G T H I S S T U D Y

This study is ideal for a group setting, although individuals can easily adapt it for

their use. Each lesson is designed for a 60 to 90 minute timeframe. Some lessons

might take a bit longer, so choose the sections and activities that work best for you oryour group.

L E A D I N G G R O U P L E S S O N S

If you are leading a group, please review the Leader Notes that accompany each

lesson. Leader Notes, handouts, and other resources are available at

womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm. These notes will help you facilitate a smooth-

owing exchange among group members to build community, deepen faith, and

increase knowledge.

Read each lesson before you facilitate it; then use it creatively to meet the needsof your group members. Knowing your audience will help you determine which

strategies will work best. Some activities require preparation. Expect to spend

20 to 30 minutes preparing for each lesson—praying, reading, working through

transitions, and contextualizing material. Also review the list of required materials,

which often include downloadable resources from the Web site noted above.

I N D I V I D U A L S T U D Y

If you prefer to work through this study on your own, you can do so with some

minor adaptations. In addition to the lessons here, the web site noted above provides

resources and a discussion board where you can build community with others whoare also participating individually.

HANDOUTS, VIDEOS, AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Each lesson includes a list of required supplies and materials. All handouts, videos,

and resources needed for each session can be downloaded from

womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm.

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O V ERV IEWJesus demonstrated His heart for the poor through His life, His words and His deeds.

He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and honored the small gifts of the poor more than

those of the rich. Jesus showed us how to love.

K E Y S C R I P T U R EJohn 13:34

E S S E N T I A L Q U E S T I O N Who are our neighbors, and how do we love them?

L E S S O N G O A L S» Develop a greater understanding of God’s heart for those who are poor.

» Reect on God’s personal call to each of us and our response.

MATERIALSPen, Bible, computer with Internet access, candle (optional).

O N L I N E R E S O U R C E S from womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm

» “God’s Heart for the Poor Gallery Walk” handout

» “Precious In His Sight” video

» “Prayer at 14,000 Feet in the Andes” handout

» “A Response to Homelessness” handout

» “Five Days of Hunger” video

» “History of World Vision” handout

» “History of Women of Vision” handout

AGENDA» Introductions and opening prayer

» View “Precious in His Sight” video (9 minutes)

» Reect on Scripture

» Consider the situation in our world today

LESSON 1

CALLED to IMITATE JESUS

» Choose a personal response

» Close in prayer

» Review homework and further

study suggestions

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I N T R O D U C T I O N A N D O P E N I N G P R AY E R

1. Take some time to consider the following questions. Then share your

responses with the group or journal about them in the space below:

» What one issue do you hope to understand more fully as a result of this study?

» Have you had an awareness-raising experience with local or global poverty? If so,

describe it.

2. Oer a prayer.Pray for guidance while exploring God’s call to serve those in

need. Spend a few minutes in silent meditation, concentrating on opening your heart

and mind to where this study might lead you.

V I D E O

1. View the video “Precious In His Sight.” It provides a brief overview of the

plight of the world’s children living in poverty, raises some of the key issues, and

explores current eorts to bring hope and sustainable change aimed at the root

causes of poverty.

2. Share or journal about your impressions, thoughts, and feelings in relation

to the video.

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Which of these responses best describes your reaction, and why?

[ ] I want to know more right away.

[ ] I feel too helpless to care for those in poverty.

[ ] I want to get on a plane to begin helping now.

[ ] I don’t understand the needs.

[ ] Other: (explain)

S C R I P T U R E R E F L E C T I O N

1. Read John 13:34.

The Gospel of John gives us a direct command that seems simple. What could be

easier and more fullling than loving someone? The rst time a parent or a proud

aunt opens her arms to a newborn baby, her heart can feel like it’s going to burst with

love. This feeling repeats throughout life, at birthdays, graduations, weddings, and in

the daily smiles and hugs shared among friends and family.

But when we are asked to widen the circle of our loving relationships to strangers

in our communities and people we’ve never met, it can become more of a challenge.

This causes us to ask questions:

» Who is my neighbor?

» What does loving them look like?

If we are to be

disciples of Jesus, we

must love one another

as God loved us. Not

only love, but love as

Jesus loves us.

A N D R E W

G O O D W I N / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



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Consider the questions in light of these examples:

» Someone in the Middle East is suering from war-induced hunger.

» A homeless person asks for money.

» A young boy in Tanzania is denied the opportunity to attend school because he

cannot aord the mandatory uniform or school supplies.» Many women in developing countries walk miles each day to bring even dirty

water to their families.

» Two million children a year are forced into labor or prostitution to earn

income.

» Two thousand children die each day from malaria, which has been eradicated

in North America and Europe.

» Women and children eeing domestic violence and living in shelters or on the

street may not have health care.

The command Jesus gave His apostles makes it clear to each of us. If we are to be

disciples of Jesus, we must love one another. Not only love, but love as Jesus loves us.

That’s quite a challenge coming from someone who sacriced His very life!

Share or journal your responses to the two questions on the previous page.

2. Read Luke 4:18, then share or journal your response to the following

question:

a. What leaves a deep impression on you about Jesus’ life and ministry on earth?

Loving as Jesus loves

is a daunting taskwhen we look at the

state of the world

today. But daunting

does not mean

impossible. Scripture

provides us with

countless examples

of how to love our

neighbor.

S I B U S I S I W E N D L O V U / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



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b. We can compare how Jesus began his public ministry to today’s politicians

and company chiefs. For example:

» When a politician announces his or her candidacy, the announcement

typically includes a platform—the things the politician plans to do.» When a company names a new CEO, he or she calls the employees together

to share the company’s new agenda and direction.

» When a church gets a new pastor, the rst sermon is well-attended because

everyone wants to nd out what’s foremost on the new pastor’s heart.

It was the same with Jesus’ inaugural sermon. He consistently set out his platform,

laid out a new direction, and demonstrated what was on His heart. He set forward

His concern for the poor and called on the people to join Him in His work of loving.

Loving as Jesus loves is a daunting task when we look at the state of the world today.

But daunting does not mean impossible. Scripture provides us with countless

examples of how to love our neighbor.

3. Read Luke 10:30–37, then share or journal your response to the following

questions:

» Which person in this story do you most identify with? Why?

» When have you either passed by or stopped for a stranger who needed help?

How did that make you feel?

» Why do you think so many in our society choose to not get involved?

» Who is most commonly shunned in our society?

» What is the message of this parable to us?

Optional questions for further reection or discussion:

» Whom does the priest in this parable represent?

» Whom does the Levite in this parable represent?

» What is the signicance that it was a Samaritan who had compassion andshowed mercy to the beaten man?

News of the world can

lead us down a dark path of fear. But as

children of a loving

God, we know there’s

an alternative that

oers light and hope.

J O N W A R R E N / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 8



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CO NSIDER O UR WO RLD TO DAY

1. Most of us don’t have to look far to see people in need—they live on our

block, attend our church, or check out in front of us at the grocery store. Yet,

when confronted with someone who needs assistance, we are often either uncertainhow to help or hesitant to get involved. In some cases, it is easier to tell ourselves that

it isn’t our business.

Share or journal about a time you have experienced discomfort or uncertainty when

confronted by need.

2. Consider the following:

Sometimes we encounter the problems of the world not through individual contact,

but through the media. These 2009 headlines are from The New York Times:

“Rebels Kill at Least 620 in Congo, Groups Say”

“Kidnappings in Mexico Send Shivers Across Border”

“Suicide Attack Kills 24 at Iraqi Tribal Gathering”

“Unemployment Soars to Highest Level in 16 Years”

“Afghan Girls, Scarred by Acid, Defy Terror, Embracing School”

Then there are statistics:

» More than one-third of the world’s population lives on less than two dollars a day, and nearly one-sixth live on less than one dollar per day.

Source: World Bank World Development Report, 2008

» Some 854 million people worldwide, or one out of seven, lack enough to eat;

820 million of them are in developing countries. Source: FAO State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2006

» According to UNICEF, about 26,000 children under the age of 5 (21 each

minute) die every day, mainly from preventable causes. Source: UNICEF

Women are among those in greatest need, particularly in developing countries

where traditions perpetuate discrimination. When women toil in burdensome

conditions, children also feel the weight of the hardship.

News of the world can lead us down a dark path of fear. But as children of a loving

God, we know there’s an alternative that oers light and hope.

K A T I A M A L D O N A D O / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



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3. Read the handout “Prayer at 14,000 Feet in the Andes”

or

Your group leader will guide you through a “gallery viewing.” Spend a few

moments viewing each image and reecting on the Scripture passages about God’s

heart for the poor. What words or phrases stand out; what images come to mind?Share or journal about your impressions.

C H O O S E A P E R S O N A L R E S P O N S E

Share or journal about the following questions:

» What is your reaction to the poverty facts presented earlier?

» What are some alternative responses or actions to apathy or paralysis?

» How might coming alongside those in poverty also be transformational for

those who are giving the help?

» What tugs at your heart? What issues do you feel passionate about?

» What does it mean that you might be the answer to someone’s prayer?

» What might God be calling you to do?

CLO SING PRAYER

Read Matthew 5:14–16 and Matthew 25:34-40.

Light a candle (optional) and spend a few moments in prayer. Pray for people

around the world who are crying out to God about the needs in their families and

communities. As followers of Christ, we are called to be light and hope for the world.

H O M E W O R K F O R N E X T S E S S I O N

All resources are available at womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm.

1. Read and study the next week’s lesson.

S T E P H E N M A T T H E W S / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



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2. Read homework (online or as handouts): “A Response to Homelessness,”

“The History of World Vision,” and “History of Women of Vision.”

3. View video online: “Five Days of Hunger” (12 minutes)

4. Reect and journal for the next lesson:

How would you feed your family if all you have is $2 per day? Try it, just

for one day. What foods could you buy? How many meals would you eat?

Alternatively, take some time to brainstorm a possible plan to live on $2 day

for ve days.

Jot down some ideas here:

In Jesus’ time, everyone was poor except a very few rich people. Today, 2 billion

of the world’s 6 billion people are extremely poor, meaning they live on less than

$2 a day—not what two U.S. dollars would buy in their countries, but the equi-

valent of what $2 would buy in the U.S. This would be like living for a year on a

combined income of $730 from private sources (what you and your family can

earn) and public sources (taxpayer benets).

Relative poverty (North American or European poverty) exists when some

people in a community, region, or nation have incomes that are vastly unequal.The social fabric of any community can be severely stressed by such extreme

dierences in wealth when some live in squalor and others collect luxury goods.



Page 1 1

FO R FURTHER STUDY

Read Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Mike

Yankoski.

A D D I T I O N A L S C R I P T U R E S F O R P E R S O N A L S T U D Y

» Leviticus 23:22

» Deuteronomy 24:14-15

» Job 5:15-16

» Psalm 14:6

» Psalm 35:10

» Psalm 140:12

» Isaiah 41:17

» Isaiah 58:6-9» Isaiah 61:1-3

» James 1:27

Lectio Divina or “Divine Reading”

Using the Scriptures above, try this traditional contemplative practice to listen

deeply to what God has to say—to “hear with the ear of our hearts.”

1. Read one Scripture each day. Read aloud if you can.

2. After the rst reading, sit in silence for a few moments.

3. Slowly read the same passage a second time. Listen for a word or phrase thattouches your heart. Reect on the word or phrase during the silence that follows.

4. Read the passage a third time. Where do you see or hear Christ in the text? Is

there an image that comes to your mind?

5. Read a fourth and nal time. What is Christ calling you to do or be, today or

this week, through this text?

+



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A few years ago, my wife and I traveled to Peru. We were there with a lm crew,

trying to capture some before-and-after stories that would appear on one of our

World Vision TV specials. We wanted to show our viewers the dierence in the lives

of the poor after World Vision had worked in their communities for several years,

proving to them that we can have a transforming eect in people’s lives and literally

restore hope to their part of the world.

On one particular day, we were traveling high up in the Andes Mountains to lm one

of the “before” stories. It was there that God taught me something about the peoplebehind the statistics—because it was there that I met a woman I will never forget.

Her name was Octaviana. These are the eld notes I wrote as I returned home a few

days later:

Today our travel took us two hours fromCusco, high up in the Andes to a mountaincommunity called Callqui Central. Ourvehicle left the main road and began thearduous ascent up a winding and treacherousdirt road to an elevation of 14,000 feet–-

almost the equivalent of Mt. Rainier’ssummit near where I live in WashingtonState. On this gloriously clear and sunnyday, the views of the surrounding peaksand valleys were spectacular. This wasliterally a natural paradise . . . Shangri-

La in this mountain range, second only to the Himalayas in theirgrandeur. Adding to this natural beauty were the occasional adobebrick houses with sheep, llamas, and alpacas grazing on the slopes. . . and the remarkable people-—native Peruvian Indians adornedin festive colors with brightly woven shawls and skirts with theirdistinctively colorful hats. Children waved eagerly at the raresight of a vehicle passing through. Most women carried infants slungover their backs.

In the United States, this would be priceless land, dotted with

Lesson One Handout

PRAYER at 14,000 FEET in the ANDES By Richard Stearns

S T E V E R E Y N O L D S / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 0



Page 13

resort hotels, ski lodges, and condominiums. But here the naturalmajesty was a deceptive veil hiding the suffering and poverty ofthese beautiful people.

We stopped in front of a small adobe structure and were greetedby a remarkable woman, Octaviana, and her three children–-Rosamaria (9), Justo (6), and Francisco (4). This was an exciting day

for them because of our visit.

We entered this small, one-room structure with walls and floor ofdirt. We sat and let Octaviana tell us her story. She was widowedjust nine months earlier. Her husband succumbed to respiratoryproblems and suspected tuberculosis, leaving Octaviana and thechildren alone to fend for themselves in this harsh mountainenvironment. She wept in despair as she described the loss of theman that was her provider, her husband, her children’s father, andher friend. She spoke of her loneliness and her fear, with no onebut her and the children to carry on the strenuous work of raisingsheep, growing crops, and the daily struggle just to survive.

In this “paradise” we had found pain and suering. No heat, no lights,

contaminated water, and little food. The entire family was sick with parasites and

respiratory disease. The children had to stop attending school to help with the

heavy workload, and on top of it all, Octaviana was struggling to pay a $300 debt

her husband had incurred buying his livestock. Worst of all, her only source of

income, her small ock of sheep, were dying of some disease. She could no longer

sell them at the market; she could only bury them.

Octaviana’s story, sadly, was not unique. Each of the families in this region had their

own tale of sadness, sickness, and death. These magically beautiful people in thisbreathtaking setting suered deeply and anonymously. How rarely do we pause to

remember the poor, to consider their suering? Some, like Octaviana, are 8,000

miles away and even more remote from us culturally. Some are just a few miles away,

yet their pain is real whether we know of it or not. They suer alone, with no one to

hear their cry.

Lesson One Handout continued



Page 15

Postscript

After my visit, World Vision did come alongside Octaviana and her children,

bringing clean water and latrines to her and her community, helping her with food

and nutrition through improved gardening, and training her in basic health and

sanitation. But with the poor, not all stories have happy endings. Several years after

my visit, it was discovered that Octaviana had advanced breast cancer. Virginia, one

of World Vision’s caregivers, walked with her through her illness, taking her to the

health center in Quiquijana and then to the main hospital in Cuzco, looking for a relief

treatment, since she was in a great deal of pain. World Vision made arrangements fora surgery that allowed her to live for another year. Meanwhile, Virginia visited her

constantly and made contact with the local church for additional spiritual support.

When Octaviana died, World Vision paid for all of her funeral expenses. After her

death, Virginia looked for a safe place for Octaviana’s three children.

In addition to the children I wrote of in my eld notes, Octaviana also had older

children, who had grown up and left the community. Her oldest son, Florencio, who

had a family of his own, agreed to take in the three young children. World Vision then

committed to help Florencio support his expanded family. He came to participate

in World Vision agriculture and livestock programs. He was given guinea pigs for

breeding—a food source in Peru—and also received technical assistance to run his

farm plot and raise his animals. World Vision also provided medicines and extra foodfor the family for the rst few years, and the children received school supplies for the

duration. Today, Justo and Francisco still live with Florencio in his community.

Octaviana, a courageous woman whom I met only briey, enriched my life and

taught me much about faith, perseverance, and prayer. She had no title, rank, or

formal education, and she lived thousands of miles from me both geographically and

culturally. But she blessed me deeply through the few hours we spent together. Jesus

said that when we feed the hungry, visit the sick, and clothe the naked, we are doing

the same for Him. The day I met Octaviana, I saw Jesus in her eyes. I’m certain I did.

Excerpted from A Hole in The Gospel (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson 2009), pages 164-168. Copyright

© 2009 World Vision, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.




Page 16

Melody Ip, a World Vision employee who works in Seattle, shared one of her

concerns: How should I react when I see a homeless person? The person’s situation is

usually obvious; perhaps he’s wearing torn, dirty clothing; his beard is overgrown; and

he smells bad. Do you walk by but avoid contact? Give him money? Buy him food?

In searching for answers, Melody discovered that the state of Washington ranks in

the top 10 U.S. states for high homeless populations. It’s easy to assume the homeless

are addicted to drugs or alcohol, but other primary reasons for homelessness include

poverty and lack of aordable housing, chronic health problems or mental illness,and divorce or domestic violence. Economic downturns in society also can cause

responsible workers to lose their jobs, rendering them unable to pay the rent. They

might end up on the street, struggling to feed their children. These traumas can leave

a person devastated and with few options.

Melody’s research suggested we should be ready, willing, and exible when encoun-

tering homeless people. Sources she consulted recommend not giving money, but

oering to buy them food or take them to lunch if they’re hungry. It’s also possible to

hand out water bottles, energy bars, or other packaged foods.

Carol Osher, a volunteer coordinator for Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, suggests

avoiding hard foods because homeless people often aren’t able to take care of theirteeth. She also recommends giving out white cotton socks because, next to teeth,

feet are the rst to go. A caring way to help the homeless is to buy socks and ll them

with practical items like a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, bottled water, deodorant,

crackers, a gift certicate to a local restaurant, and a Scripture verse of blessing.

In addition, shelters and homeless organizations need volunteers for everything

from teaching to stung envelopes.

Even the simplest act can have the most profound aect. Osher says homeless

people need others to recognize that they are human beings, not just objects that can

be passed by with no human contact. We can make a profound dierence in the life

of someone who feels invisible simply by looking them in the eye, smiling, and saying

hello. If you feel it’s safe and appropriate, you might even stop for a few minutes toask how the person is doing. Allow yourself to be used as an instrument of God’s love.

A single act of kindness can change a life.

Copyright © 2009 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716,

253-815-3320, [email protected]. All rights reserved.

Lesson One Handout

a RESPONSE to HOMELESSNESS

Allow yourself

to be used as aninstrument of

God’s love.

A single act

of kindness can

change a life.

B O B B Y Y S A I S / W O R L D V I S I

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Page 17

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to

working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach

their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

The 1950s

Dr. Bob Pierce began World Vision to help children orphaned during the Korean War.

To provide long-term, ongoing care for children in crisis, World Vision developed

its rst child sponsorship program in Korea in 1953. As children began to ourish

through sponsorship in Korea, the program expanded into other Asian countries andeventually into Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

Today, monthly contributions from child sponsors enable World Vision to help

children and their communities access things like clean water, nutritious food,

education, health care, and economic opportunities.

1960s

World Vision began its global relief eorts in the 1960s, delivering food, clothing, and

medical supplies to people suering after disasters. World Vision began soliciting

clothing and other surplus products from corporations to help meet the immediate

needs of children and families in emergency situations. These gift-in-kind donations

now account for roughly 30 percent of World Vision’s annual income.

1970s

Donations continued to increase, and World Vision was able to reach thousands

more children. At this time, World Vision recognized the growing need to work

with entire communities to help children and families break free from poverty.

Sta began incorporating vocational and agricultural training for families into

sponsorship eorts, and parents learned to farm and started earning money through

small enterprises.

These eorts to eect sustainable change evolved into World Vision’s current

community development work. Long-term development has proven central to

bringing lasting hope. After meeting immediate survival needs, World Vision workswith communities to help them nd lasting solutions and move toward self-reliance.

1980s

A major benchmark of World Vision’s growth occurred in the mid-1980s, when

famine struck Ethiopia. The media coverage created unprecedented awareness of

Lesson One Handout

HISTORY of WORLD VISION

S T E V E R E Y N O L D S / W O R L D V I S I O N 1 9 8 3 ; W

O R L D V I S I O N A R C H I V E



Page 18

human need, and people throughout the world responded to the relief eorts. From

1981 to 1985 World Vision provided annually $64 million worth of food, medical

assistance, and other emergency aid, saving tens of thousands of lives.

Once the immediate crisis subsided, World Vision began long-term eorts to help

Ethiopians rebuild their lives. Today, some regions that were once parched and full

of death thrive with nutritious crops, fresh water, and hope for the future.

Also in the 1980s, World Vision began drilling wells in communities, causing infantmortality rates to drop. World Vision often uses clean water as an entry point into

communities, following with other activities that create change. Once the pump is

installed, World Vision trains community volunteers to become health promoters,

who, in turn, teach their neighbors how to use fresh water for better health. World

Vision oers classes to villagers in health care, gardening, irrigation, and income

generation. Villages evolve from poverty-stricken, illness-plagued communities to

thriving, self-supporting, healthy ones.

1990s

In 1990, World Vision began addressing the urgent needs of children in Uganda who

had been orphaned by AIDS. Recognizing the magnitude of the AIDS pandemic and

its serious impact on decades of development eorts, World Vision began expanding its AIDS programming into other hard-hit African countries.

In Romania, World Vision worked with the long-neglected orphan population and

provided training to health-care workers. In Somalia, World Vision joined United

Nations peacekeepers to help millions aected by the civil war.

World Vision launched the 30 Hour Famine in the U.S. early in the decade to help

young people experience the eects of hunger rsthand and raise funds to make a

dierence for hungry children around the world. In the U.S. alone, 485,000 youth

now raise more than $11 million every year through the Famine.

World Vision also began actively promoting justice for children and the poor, calling for an international ban on land mines, an end to child exploitation, and equal

opportunities for female children.

2000 and beyond

In the year 2000, World Vision launched the Hope Initiative to call Americans to


D A V I D W A R D / W O R L D V I S I O

N 1 9 9 3 ;

M A R Y P E T E R S O N / W O R L D V I S I O N 1 9 8 5



Page 19

respond to what had become the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time: HIV and

AIDS. By 2006, nearly 399,000 orphans and vulnerable children were sponsored

in AIDS-aected communities. World Vision is helping turn the tide against AIDS

worldwide by caring for orphans and vulnerable children, preventing the spread

of HIV with education based on biblical principles, and advocating for eective

programs that transform communities and save lives.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, World Vision assisted New Yorkers

who were not covered by other aid programs. World Vision also establishedemergency food programs for more than 1 million people in Afghanistan.

In 2002, World Vision, along with other non-governmental organizations, received

one of the largest emergency relief grants in history to provide food and related

assistance to tens of millions of Africans aected by the decade’s worst famine in

Southern Africa.

World Vision has continued to advocate justice by helping to stop the ow of conict

diamonds fueling civil wars in Africa; deterring sex tourists who prey on innocent

children abroad; and calling for an end to the use of child soldiers in northern

Uganda.

When massive tsunamis devastated South Asia in December 2004, World Vision’s

3,700 local sta began responding immediately with life-saving aid. Generous donor

gifts are enabling World Vision to help families rebuild their lives with new homes,

schools, clean water, health care, and economic opportunities.


253-815-3320, [email protected]. All rights reserved. A N D R E W





Page 20

Women of Vision is a volunteer ministry of World Vision that unites Christian

women called to invest their time, intellect, compassion, creativity, and nances so

that impoverished women and children might nd hope and experience a tangible

expression of God’s love.

We are women of diverse ages, backgrounds, and circumstances—united in Christ to

serve and walk alongside those in need so that, together, we can experience life in all

its fullness.

Recognizing the enormous needs in our world, we seek to educate and motivate

women in our communities to become women of action in helping create a brighter

and healthier future for suering women and children.

Women of Vision challenges women throughout the U.S. to help change these

statistics by providing help and hope to women and children in our communities and

throughout the world.

Contact us:

Women of Vision

World Vision

P.O. Box 9716Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

toll free: 1.877.WOV.4WOV (1.877.968.4968)

[email protected]



HISTORY of WOMEN OF VISION

Lesson One Handout

S O P H E A K K O N G / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0

0 8



Page 21

LESSON 2

the CURTAIN that VEILS POVERTY

O V ERV IEW We must seek to see those who are poor through the eyes of God—as precious

women, men, and children whose very hairs are numbered, just like ours. These are

people with names, dreams, and families who love them.

K E Y S C R I P T U R EGenesis 1:27

E S S E N T I A L Q U E S T I O NHow do our personal experiences inuence our interpretation of the world—

specically, our perceptions of those living in poverty?

L E S S O N G O A L S» Develop a greater understanding of how we view those living in poverty.

» Consider the assumptions with which we view other people and identify some of

our own biases.

» Reect on our relationship with those who are poor in our world.

MATERIALSPen, Bible, candle (optional)

O N L I N E R E S O U R C E S from womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm

» ”Seven Steps to Poverty” handout

» ”A Framework for Understanding Poverty” handout

AGENDA

» Welcome, opening prayer» Explore stories about the kinds of poverty participants have encountered


» Consider how those living in poverty see themselves


» Close in prayer

» Review homework and further study suggestions

J O N

W A R R E N

/ W O R L D

V I S I O

N 2 0 0 8



Page 22


1. Consider the following questions. Then share your responses with the group or

journal about them.

» When and where have you encountered someone whom you consider to be poor?

Describe your interaction.

» How would you feed your family on a severely limited income? For your homework

assignment, you planned how you would feed your family on $2 per day. In groups

of three or four, share your plan and what kind of skills, resources, and talent you

would need to keep your family alive in those circumstances. (If you are working

through the lesson on your own, you can post comments on the Bulletin Board at

www.womenofvision.wordpress.com.)

2. Oer a prayer.Pray for open eyes and an open heart to see others as Jesus sees

them. Spend a few minutes in silent meditation, concentrating on how this lesson

might change your perceptions and responses toward those who live in poverty.

E X P L O R E S T O R I E S

1. Read the following story:

Like many other young women, Della is spending this spring planning her June

wedding. After years of struggling through wrong relationships, she has nally met

the man of her dreams, the man who has promised to care for Della and her children

as her faithful husband.

They’re planning a small wedding—a few family and friends who will gather at the

home of Della’s parents. Their preacher will perform the outdoor ceremony under

shade trees with green mountains as a backdrop. Della’s aunt will make the cake,

and other family members will prepare a light lunch for the guests. A neighbor will

provide music to add to the celebration.

With the plans going so smoothly, Della begins to search for her wedding dress. She

wants to be a traditional bride with a oor-length white gown and veil. She searches

area second-hand stores and locates a white dress. The short-sleeved beauty ts

Della and matches the season. The day is nearing, and Della is almost ready. The one

thing she lacks is a veil.(continued next page)

L A U R A R E I N H A R D T / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 8



Page 23

When her sister is able to borrow a car, the two women drive to a shopping mall an

hour from their home. Della rarely leaves her small community, and going to an un-

familiar place makes her nervous. With her sister by her side, she walks into the mall

and keeps her eyes on the oor. She knows she doesn’t look quite like everyone else.

She’s overweight, doesn’t wear makeup, and never has time to think about her hair.She’s happy to escape the eyes of people in the mall when she walks into the store

that she heard sells veils.

It’s a small store with an attractive oor display of furniture and silk-ower

arrangements. As she walks deeper into the store, Della sees the furniture displays

replaced by tall shelves of household décor. Then they arrive at the wedding aisle

where napkins, owers, ribbons, and other wedding accessories ll the shelves.

As Della reaches for a veil to try it on, a sales clerk materializes. She stretches around

Della and, without a word, moves the veil to a high shelf that Della cannot touch.

Della’s eyes return to the oor, and she and her sister hurry out of the store and the

mall to return home.

2. Share your reactions to the following questions after hearing this true story:

» Why do you think the sales clerk reacted as she did?

» Why do you think Della and her sister didn’t ask the sales clerk to get the veil

for them?

3. Consider these questions for further reection or discussion:

» Where do you think Della lives?

» Why do you think Della kept her eyes on the oor?

» What assumptions did the sales clerk make about Della?

» What assumptions did Della make about herself?

Note: The story above is a true story of a young bride’s experience in Appalachian Kentucky.

L A U R A R E I N H A R D T / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



Page 24


Because of where we were born, who raised us, our genetic traits, our life experi-

ences, our culture, our education, and a myriad of other inuences, we each see the

world in a way that no other human being precisely replicates. Because of this, each

of us brings distinctive gifts to the world. We also bring our particular biases, orlenses, through which we view people and situations. Sometimes our assumptions

reveal that we see those in poverty as inferior or objects that need our help—as peo-

ple who do not understand their own conditions as well as we do.

5. List some of the assumptions our society makes about poverty or the poor:

6. Consider the following questions about your own life:

» Has anyone ever assumed something about you that you felt wasn’t true? How

did that make you feel?

» When have you assumed something about someone else that you discovered

was false?


1. Read Genesis 1:27 and Psalm 139.

a. Make a list of characteristics or traits that reect God’s image.

Each of us brings

distinctive gifts to the

world. We also bring

our particular biases.




Page 25

b. Share or journal your response to the following questions:

» Which aspects of God’s image are reected in those who are not poor?

» Which ones are reected in those who are poor?

» Are there aspects of God’s image that are better reected in the poor and that

can encourage and inspire those who are not poor?

c. Consider the following:

When we see those in poverty as God sees them, we will glimpse His image in their

faces. Mother Teresa once referred to the poor as “Christ in His most distressing

disguise.”

A grandmother in Appalachia who was speaking with a reporter took exception to

the term poor because she felt she wasn’t any poorer than the next person. She might

have little money, live in a house that needed repairs, and not have as much educa-

tion as the next person, but she also has a rich relationship with God and with her

family. “What right does anyone have to call me poor?” she asked.

In our society, we generally refer to people who lack in materials goods, income, and

education as poor. As we move forward in our quest to better understand the causes

of poverty and what a community of poverty is, let’s try to see our brothers and sis-

ters through the eyes of God, as precious women, men, and children whose very hairs

are numbered, just like ours. These are people with names, dreams, and families

who love them. How we regard the “least of these” is an indication of how we regard

Christ.

2. Read Luke 12:7 and Matthew 25:34-40. Discuss or journal about what

Jesus says regarding the value of the “least of these.”

Mother Teresa once

referred to the poor as

“Christ in His most

distressing disguise.”

R A C H E L W O L F F / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 6



Page 26

CO NSIDER O UR WO RLD TO DAY

1. Read the following:

The San people are descendants of those who lived in what is now South Africa and

Botswana. They are the original human inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa.

The San were hunter-gatherers, and some of them still survive in small numbers in

the Kalahari Desert. They are small in stature, their skin is brown, and they use

unique “click” languages.

In response to hearing the gospel story, a San woman sitting around a campre in the

Kalahari Desert said she felt it is possible that God would let His Son die for a white

man, and maybe for a black man, but she could never believe God would allow His

Son to die for a San woman. In her marred image, she saw herself as having no value

and had no idea why she had been created. She was twisted by the “poverty of being.”

This state of mind and heart can become permanent.

Share or journal your response to the following questions.

» What might have inuenced this woman to see herself this way?

» What do you think is needed to help someone recover from this kind of poverty?

2. Read and role-play:

Consider the situation of people throughout rural India. Life in India is heavily

inuenced by a caste system. In this system, ruling groups believe they have earned

their position through previous faithful lives. Those who are poor, however, are

believed to have inherited more dicult living conditions because of sin and

unfaithfulness in their previous lives. Therefore, lessening their poverty would

negate the consequences of sin.

This leaves some without access to clean water because people from a higher caste

do not want to share their water source. The high-caste people might not believe

that people who are paying for past sins deserve access to water. Higher-caste people

might also fear that the lower caste will contaminate their water if they use it. Soeven when the only water source is in a neighboring village, belonging to those from

a higher caste, it is o-limits to the lower caste.

There are also times when it’s benecial to those in power for someone to remain

poor. For example, if a money lender in India gets his wealth from lending to the

The San woman could

never believe God

would allow His Son to

die for a San woman.

In her marred image,

she saw herself as

having no value and had no idea why she

had been created.




Page 27

poor at exorbitant interest rates, then the money lender’s wealth relies on people

continuing to live in poverty.

Below you will nd descriptions of some of the roles found in the castesystem in India. Take some time to read about each role and think about life from

each person’s perspective. If you are gathering with a group, consider role-playing—

assigning each role to a group member and inviting them share the perspective of the

person portrayed in the description. If you are doing this study on your own, choose

one or two roles and journal what it might be like to be in this role.

Thobias is the local Brahmin leader.

He feels that as a member of the highest caste, he has paid for previous wrongs

and now deserves to live the good life. His home is near the border between his

village and the next village where a group of “Untouchables,” the lowest caste in

India, lives. Thobias has a well in front of his house that several Brahmin families

use. He is steadfast in refusing the Untouchables to use the well, fearing they willcontaminate it.

Lu is the local money lender.

She lives in a nice house and has what she needs to care for her family. Her

business is on the village border where the Untouchables can access it without

walking through the village. She charges an extremely high interest rate on all

of her loans, which makes her business protable. After initially agreeing with

Thobias about the well, Lu tries to change his mind. She suggests he charges a

fee for others to use the well, and she oers to handle the transactions. She fears

that if they don’t allow it, a Western aid worker will help the Untouchables dig

their own well and maybe even irrigate their elds—then their lives might

improve, and they wouldn’t need her services.

Nirmala is a widowed mother of four and an Untouchable.

She leaves her 7-year-old in charge of the other children as she makes the daily

90-minute walk to retrieve water for her family from a polluted pond. The water

she brings home has made her 6-month-old very sick, and now Nirmala is also

ill. Nirmala doesn’t believe she can sustain her daily treks, and she thinks this is

a sign that she and her children are destined to die.

Amita is Nirmala’s sister who has moved away from the village and

returned to visit.

Amita has been to university and lives far away in Delhi. She and her husband

both have jobs with a human rights organization. Amita insists that Nirmala approach the Brahmins to use their well.

He feels that as amember of the highest

caste, he has paid for

previous wrongs and

now deserves to live the

good life.

A N D R E W




Page 28

Share or journal your responses to the follow questions:

» What is Nirmala’s problem?

» What seems to be the cause, or causes, of Nirmala’s problem?

» How might a situation like this play out in our own society, even without the

limitations of caste?

3. Read the following:

“The poor are poor largely because they live in networks of relationships that do

not work for their well-being. Their relationships with others are often oppressive

and disempowering as a result of the non-poor playing god in the lives of the poor.

Their relationship within themselves is diminished and debilitated as a result of

the grind of poverty and the feeling of permanent powerlessness. Their relationship

with those they call ‘other’ is experienced as exclusion. Their relationship with their

environment is increasingly less productive because poverty leaves no room for

caring for the environment. Their relationship with the God who created them andsustains their life is distorted by an inadequate knowledge of who God is and what

God wishes for all humankind. Poverty is the whole family of our relationships that

are not all they can be.” —Bryant L. Myers, Walking with the Poor, page 13.


Share or journal your response to the following questions:

» How has this study changed your thinking about poverty and those living in

poverty?

» What might you feel called to do dierently as a result?

“The poor are poor

largely because they

live in networks of

relationships that do

not work for their

well-being.”

—Bryant Myers

A N D R E W




Page 29

CLO SING PRAYER

Light a candle (optional) and spend a few moments in prayer. Pray for communities

around the world to be able to address the needs of all their members. Identify people

or groups in your own community for whom you would like to pray.


All resources are available at womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm.

1. Read and study next week’s lesson.

2. Read the handouts“Seven Steps to Poverty” by Richard Stearns, “A Framework

for Understanding Poverty” by Ruby K. Payne, PhD. , and “Hidden Rules Among

Classes.” Payne examines what she learned as an educator about children and

families who arrive at schools with a very dierent set of behaviors and desiresthan most teachers hold. Study her chart about “Hidden Rules Among Classes”

to consider how dierently people in dierent economic classes view things like

money, food, and education.

3. Search the Internet or print publications to nd several images of poverty as

well as statistics. Bring them with you to the next study session. There are several

good Web sources, including www.worldvisionresources.org and www.unicef.org .

FO R FURTHER STUDY

» Consider relationships with the materially poor in your life. Journal about howthose relationships have enriched your life.

» Consider the biblical narrative of Creation-Fall-Redemption and write your

thoughts about the causes and solutions to poverty.

A D D I TI O N A L S C R I PTU R E S FO R PE R S O N A L S TU D Y

» Genesis 1:26-27

» Genesis 9:6

» Mathew 8:23-26» Mark 13:38-40

» Luke 5:12-13

» Luke 5:27-32

» John 6:2-12

» 2 Corinthians 3:18

» Romans 8:29

+

A N D R E W




Page 30


Using the Scriptures on the previous page, try this traditional contemplative

practice to listen deeply to what God has to say—to “hear with the ear of our hearts.”



3. Slowly read the same passage a second time. Listen for a word or phrase that

touches your heart. Reect on the word or phrase during the silence that follows.





“Poverty is the

whole family of our

relationships that are

not all they can be.”

—Bryant Myers



Page 31

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me

something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you

clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me...

—Matthew 25:35-36

One of the most dicult things to communicate is what it feels like to be poor in

the developing world. How can Americans really understand global poverty without

actually traveling to see it? Let me try to help you by taking you on a brief, imaginary journey. I will transport you mentally and emotionally simply by taking seven things

away from you, one at a time. Ready?

First, I will take away your clothes. Don’t panic, I won’t take them all. You can keep

the clothes on your back. Can you imagine wearing the same clothes every single

day? You can wash them each night, but you still feel embarrassed. Your children feel

the brunt of this humiliation at school.

The rest of your life is still intact, and things are not all that bad. But next I must take

away electricity. Now you come home to a dark house each night. None of your appli-

ances work: no refrigerator, telephone, dishwasher, television, computer, or stereo.

Your showers are cold, and now you have to wash your clothes by hand. Your qualityof life has dropped precipitously—“inconvenient”

is an understatement. But you shouldn’t feel too

bad; you are still better o than most of the world.

Takeaway No. 3 is really tough: clean water. None

of your faucets, toilets, or showers work, and the

only water source is a stagnant waterhole about

a mile away. It takes hours each day to fetch the

water your family needs, and because it is teeming

with bacteria, you and your children are constant-

ly sick. Forget washing your clothes or even trying

to stay clean. Despair and desperation start to setin as you see your children suering.

I’m afraid I have to take away even more: your

home. Now you must live in a 20-by-20-foot mud

hut with a dirt oor and very little furniture. Your

Lesson Two Homework

SEVEN STEPS to POVERTY By Richard Stearns

J O N W A R R E N / W O R L D V I S I O

N 2 0 0 4



Page 32

whole family must sleep in one room on the oor. When it rains, the roof leaks and

the oor turns muddy. How much more can you take?

Takeaway No. 5 is devastating: food. Your children have long ago lost their smiles;

now they are hungry with a gnawing pain that won’t go away. You nd a little food

by picking through your neighbors’ garbage. It’s amazing what people throw away.

Already sick from exposure to the elements and from drinking dirty water, your

children’s bodies become severely malnourished and cannot ght o diseases. Your

4-year-old girl seems to be slipping away.

Getting her to the doctor is urgent but, tragically, my No. 6 takeaway is health care.

To your horror and disbelief, your daughter dies before your very eyes—of diarrhea!

You are trapped in a nightmare. How can this be happening? Why has no one

stepped in to help? Unbelievably, everyone around you is living as they always did,

but no one seems to care or even notice your suering.

What else could I possibly take away? No. 7 is hope. Without these basic necessities

of life, you and your children have no hope for the future.

Poverty, for most of us, is distant and remote. But this is the pain that billions on our

earth endure each day. Please pray for them and know that World Vision, driven byfaith, is urgently coming to their rescue, thanks to people just like you—who do care.

—Rich Stearns has been president of World Vision U.S. since 1998.



(Originally published in the Autumn 2003 edition of World Vision magazine. )

Lesson Two Homework, continued

Unbelievably,

everyone

around you

is living as

they always

did, but no

one seems tocare or even

notice your

suering.



Page 33

Lesson Two Homework

a FRAMEWORK for UNDERSTANDING POVERTY

Ask any public school teacher if all students show up ready to learn. You’ll likely

hear the same answer no matter whom you ask—no. Johnny comes in bright-eyed,

homework in hand, eager to learn. Jenny falls asleep, loses her assignments, and

ghts with her classmates.

As an educator, Ruby Payne encountered these sorts of contrasts. She set out to

explore the impact of economic class dierences on student discipline problems

and achievement. Through that process, she learned an immense amount about

the workings of the class system in the United States and how it inuences ourinteractions. The result is her book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty.

Payne put together quizzes to help people understand what is required to survive

poverty. Take a few minutes to complete the quiz below.

Could You Survive in Poverty?

Put a check by each item you know how to do:

___ 1. I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales.

___ 2. I know which rummage sales have “bag sales” and when.

___ 3. I know which grocery stores’ garbage bins can be accessed for thrown-away food.

___ 4. I know how to get someone out of jail.

___ 5. I know how to physically ght and defend myself.

___ 6. I know how to get a gun, even if I have a police record.

___ 7. I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat.

___ 8. I know what problems to look for in a used car.

___ 9. I know how to live without a checking account.

___ 10. I know how to live without electricity and a phone.

___ 11. I know how to use a knife as scissors.

___ 12. I can entertain a group of friends with my personality and my stories.

___ 13. I know what to do when I don’t have money to pay the bills.



Page 34

___ 14. I know how to move to a new residence in half a day.

___ 15. I know how to get and use food stamps or an electronic card for benets.

___ 16. I know where the free medical clinics are.

___ 17. I am very good at trading and bartering.

___ 18. I can get by without a car.

Reect on the following questions:» Were you aware of any of these so-called “hidden rules” of class?

» What hidden rules might you and your friends follow?

Read through the following chart (next page) and reect on these questions:

» Where do you feel you comfortably t?

» What rules surprised you?

Lesson Two Homework



Page 35

H I D D E N R U L E S A M O N G C L A S S E S

Lesson Two Homework

POSSESSIONS

MONEY

PERSONALITY

SOCIAL

EMPHASIS

FOOD

CLOTHING

TIME

EDUCATION

DESTINY

LANGUAGE

FAMILY

STRUCTURE

WORLD

VIEW

LOVE

DRIVING

FORCES

HUMOR

Poverty

People

To be used, spent

Is for entertainment. Sense of humor is

highly valued

Social inclusion of people he/she likes.

Key question: Did you have enough?

Quantity important

Clothing valued for individual style and

expression of personality.

Present most important. Decisions made

for moment based on feelings or survival.

Valued and revered as abstract but not

as reality.

Believes in fate. Cannot do much to

mitigate chance.

Casual register. Language is about

survival.

Tends to be matriarchal.

Sees world in terms of local setting.

Love and acceptance conditional, based

upon whether individual is liked.

Survival, relationships, entertainment.

About people and sex

Middle Class

Things

To be managed

Is for acquisition and stability.

Achievement is highly valued.

Emphasis is on self-governance and

self-suciency.

Key question: Did you like it? Quality

important.

Clothing valued for it's quality and

acceptance into norm of middle class.

Label important.

Future most important. Decisions

made against future ramications.

Crucial for climbing success ladder

and making money.

Believes in choice. Can change future

with good choices now.

Formal register. Language is about

negotiation.

Tends to be patriarchal

Sees world in terms of national setting.

Love and acceptance conditional and

based largely upon achievement.

Work, achievement.

About situations.

Wealth

One-of-a-kind objects, legacies, pedigree

To be conserved, invested.

Is for connections. Financial, political,

social connections are highly valued.

Emphasis is on social exclusion.

Key Question: Was it presented well?

Presentation important.

Clothing valued for it's artistic sense and

expression. Designer important.

Traditions and history most important.

Decisions made partially on a basis of

tradition and decorum.

Necessary tradition for making and

maintaining connections.

Noblesse oblige (with wealth and prestige

come responsibilities).

Formal register. Language is about

networking.

Depends on who has money.

Sees world in terms international view.

Love and acceptance conditional

and related to social standing and

connections.

Financial, political, social connections.

About social faux pas.

Copyright © 2009 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716, 253-815-3320, [email protected]. All rights reserved

(Source: Ruby Payne, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc, 1996, pp.42-43)



Page 36

the MULTIPLE CAUSES of POVERTY

O V ERV IEWJesus sought to understand the circumstances of all those he came across, including

and especially the most vulnerable. With Jesus as our model, we, too, must seek to

understand the circumstances that create and perpetuate poverty and oppression

throughout the world and discern our call to serve “the least of these.”

K E Y S C R I P T U R EJohn 10:10

E S S E N T I A L Q U E S T I O N What causes poverty? How are we called to be part of the solution?

L E S S O N G O A L S» Reect on what poverty looks like and some of the underlying causes.

» Further understand commonalities between those who are poor and those who are

not poor.

» Consider a Christian understanding of poverty.

MATERIALSPen, Bible

AGENDA» Welcome and opening prayer

» Consider cause and eect


» Consider your own viewpoint


» Close in prayer

» Review homework and further study suggestions

A N D R E S

V E R

A / W

O R L D

V I S I O

N 2 0 0 9

LESSON 3



Page 37


1. Share or journal about the images and statistics you gathered from last week’s

homework assignment. Then take some time to consider the following questions:

» What do these images have in common?

» What do the images and statistics say about poverty?

» What has impressed you most?

2. Oer a prayer.Pray for the situations represented in these images. Spend a few

minutes in silent meditation, concentrating on opening your heart and mind to

where this lesson might lead you.

C A U S E A N D E F F E C T

1. Many of us have assumptions about poverty. What are yours? Brainstorm

ideas about the causes of poverty.


Most of us are raised and educated to believe in a cause-and-eect relationship—if

we can identify the cause of a problem, we can propose a useful response. Therefore,

we believe that if we identify the cause of poverty, we will be able to diminish it.

Most of us are raised

and educated to believe

in a cause-and-eect

relationship—

if we can identify the

cause of a problem,

we can propose a

useful response.

S I B U S I S I W E N D L O V U / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



Page 38

In his book Walking with the Poor, Bryant L. Myers identies the following as

common assumptions about poverty’s causes and the response each provokes:

* This is particularly true for women, who are often treated as inferior to men.

Although these categories can be useful, we must also be aware that problems rarely

stem from a single cause. Poverty isn’t that simple. It is a complicated problem

that requires consideration of its multiple causes and consequences. Eective

approaches to alleviating poverty address all of this, not just one small part of it.

If the only thing those living in poverty lacked were resources like clean water

or food, we could simply give them what they need. This, however, can set up the

dangerous result in which people passively receive goods without addressing the

multiple causes of the problem.

Poverty is more than a lack of resources. Bryant Myers examines various denitions

of poverty, grouping the causes in four areas:

» Physical causes (example: lack of adequate housing)

» Social causes (example: girls are not allowed to attend school)

» Mental causes (example: abilities diminished by poor nutrition)

» Spiritual causes (example: broken relationships)

Successful intervention with those living in poverty must address all of the causes

that play a role in a particular situation. That means the intervention must include

teaching skills that create lasting desire for change and hope among those who are

struggling—rather than simply providing material goods that will soon be used up or

worn out.

3. Consider each of the four causes of poverty. List at least one more example of

each type of cause.

Physical

Social

Mental

Spiritual

CAUSE

SinSinned against (wronged)

Lack of knowledge/skills

Lack of things

Flawed culture

Poor social systems or governments*

PROPOSED RESPONSE

Christian witnessSocial action/need for justice

Education/training

Relief/social welfare

Change culture to be like ours

Change the system

Successful

intervention with

those living in poverty

must address all of

the causes that

play a role in a

particular situation.

C O U R T E S Y S A R A H M A L I A N 2 0 0 8



Page 39

4. Share or journal your response to the following question:

» What do you have in common with those who are poor?

5. Each person has ve basic resources in varying amounts. These resources

are: time, energy, material goods, skills, and desire. Complete the chart as these

resources might relate to you individually.

Resources of people living in poverty as compared to my life:

I have: more less

time

energy

material goods

skills

desire

6. Read and think about the following:

Most of us have more material goods, skills, education, and time because of

conveniences (running water, appliances, etc.) than those who are poor. On the

surface, it might seem that those who live in poverty have less and because of their

circumstances, they lack hope for a better future. But those who have worked with

the poor nd something else to be true.

One visitor to an emergency clinic in Niger met a 17-year-old mother with a de-

hydrated, 1-year-old son. Feeding tubes were taped to his nose, and a nurse tried

desperately to nd a vein to insert an IV. The child was critically ill. Yet, his mother’sheart overowed with expectations for her child’s future. She wanted her son to go to

school, to learn about the world, to speak other languages. She had hope that his life

would be better than hers.

The child was

critically ill. Yet,

his mother’s heart

overowed with

expectations for her

child’s future.

K A R I C O S T A N Z A / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 5



Page 40


1. Read John 10:10. Then consider the following:

The Hebrew word shalom is often translated to mean “peace.” For many individuals, theword peace connotes lack of war. But the true intention of the word in its full meaning

also includes the idea of completeness and welfare for each individual person.

Scripture illustrates the idea of shalom in this verse from John. Consider what

Bryant Myers writes about this concept in Walking with the Poor:

“Life in its fullness is the purpose; this is what we are for and what Christ has

come to make possible. To live fully in the present in relationships that are

just, harmonious, and enjoyable, that allows everyone to contribute. And to

live fully for all time. A life of joy in being that goes beyond having.”

This concept of shalom has a strong role in how Christians understand and appro-ach poverty. If we choose to fully embrace this idea, it means recognizing the marred

identity of the poor as well as our own marred identity. It means meeting the poor

with a heart to create a relationship of mutual understanding and respect. It means

recognizing the multiple facets of “having life to the full.”

Yet most of us unwittingly interact with those we consider poor, much as did the

thief referred to in the Scripture. When we see the poor as helpless, we give ours-

elves permission to play God in their lives. When we see them as nameless, we

treat them as objects of compassion rather than brothers and sisters. When we see

poverty as a thing, we feel we can do what we believe is best for them.

Adopting these viewpoints encourages us to speak for the poor rather thanempowering them to address their poverty themselves. It also robs us of our ability

to see them as our equals, all children of God.

2. Share or journal your response to the following questions:

» What do you think someone needs to live life to its full?

» What does this idea of shalom call you to do?

» In what ways does our relationship with those in need become mutually

transforming?

» How does this idea of shalom inuence the way you will approach someone

dealing with poverty?

“ Life in its fullness

is the purpose; this is

what we are for and

what Christ has come

to make possible.”

—Bryant Myers




Page 41

3. In the Bible, there are more than 2,000 passages that reveal God’s sorrow over

poverty and injustice, and His command to believers to act to eradicate them.

Christian leader and commentator Tony Campolo says, “Here’s proof that faith

without commitment to justice for the poor is a sham, because it ignores the most

explicit of all the social concerns of Scripture.” Take some time to read and reect onthe following Bible verses:

» Deuteronomy 15:7-8

» Isaiah 6:8

» Job 29:11-16

» Psalm 70:5

» Matthew 5:16

» James 1:27

4. Share your reactions to the verses above.

What kind of priority does God place on helping those in need?

C O N S I D E R Y O U R O W N V I E W P O I N T

1. Group activity: (activity for individuals is on next page)

Your group leader will lead you in an interactive exercise. Afterwards, share your

responses to the following questions:

» Which station most surprised you?

» What was a solution to a problem that occurred to you at one station?

» How did being in the company of the other person make you feel?

» Did this reveal any of your biases? If so, which ones?

A N D R E W




Page 42

Individual Activity:

» Fill two buckets with water. (You can use pitchers or gallon-size bottles as an

alternative.)Walk around the house a few times carrying both buckets. If you

feel daring, try carrying one of the buckets on your head. Then reect on the

following questions:• How many buckets of water do you think you would need for your daily

tasks?

• How much more dicult would it be for you if no running water was

available in your home?

• How would this change your daily routine?

» Place a handful of rice (uncooked is ne) on a plate. Then make a list of all of

the foods you ate for dinner last evening. Place that list beside the plate of rice.

Think about the dierence between what you ate (your list) and what many of

the poor have to eat (a handful of rice), then reect on the following questions:

• How does it make you feel to have this much to eat while others do not?

• What might it be like to only have a handful of rice for a meal?

• How would this change your daily routine?

» Make a list of government or inuential people in your community, state, and

country. Now consider the following questions:

• How would you make your voice heard in this group of people?

W O R L D V I S I O N S T A F F 2 0 0 7

What might it

be like to only have a

handful of rice

for a meal?



Page 43

• What resources might you have to draw from that would increase your

chance of succeeding?

» Locate an item in your home that weighs about 2 or 3 pounds. Also locate an

item that weighs a little over 7 pounds. Compare the dierence by holding

both items. Did you know an underweight infant born in the developing world

averages 2 to 3 pounds at birth, while a child born in the United States averages

7 pounds, 5 ounces? Consider this question:

• What do you think each child’s prospect of a healthy future might be?

This exercise would be worthwhile to do as a family, with your children.

2. Reect on the activity. As we consider who the poor are, we also need to know

more about how we see ourselves, as well as how others see us. Thus far in this study,

we have considered the dierent lenses through which we view and experience the

world. Now let’s take some time to further explore our identity as Americans by

spending a few minutes answering the following questions.

» What advantages do you have over someone who cannot read, must walk

everywhere they go, and lacks access to clean water?

» Do you believe that those in well-developed countries have something to teach

people in less-developed countries? If so, what might that be?

» Do you believe people in less-developed countries have something to teach

those from well-developed countries? If so, what might that be?

» We call this kind of learning relationship “mutual transformation.” Do you think

it applies in our own communities and churches? How might this approach

help build relationships with those from dierent backgrounds, cultures, and

economic circumstances? What might this look like in our own communities?


Did you know that an

underweight infant

born in the developing

world averages

2 to 3 pounds at birth,

while a child born in

the U.S. averages 7

pounds, 5 ounces?



Page 44

Answers to these questions reect some of our biases as people from a well-

developed country. These biases often dictate the relationships we form and on what

we base them.


God is calling us all to simply respond to the needs of the poor as we feel led. When

we do, amazing things can happen. In No Greater Love, Mother Teresa tells a

wonderful story that beautifully illustrates this point:

“Not so long ago a very wealthy Hindu lady came to see me. She sat down and

told me, ‘I would like to share in your work.’ In India, more and more people like

her are oering to help. I said, ‘That is ne.’ The poor woman had a weakness

that she confessed to me. ‘I love elegant saris,’ she said. Indeed, she had on

a very expensive sari that probably cost around 800 rupees. Mine cost only

eight rupees. Hers cost 100 times more . . . It occurred to me to say to her, ‘I

would start with the saris. The next time you go to buy one, instead of paying 800 rupees, buy one that costs 500. With the extra 300 rupees, buy saris for

the poor.’ The good woman now wears 100-rupee saris, and that is because I

have asked her not to buy cheaper ones. She has confessed to me that this has

changed her life. She now knows what it means to share. That woman assures

me that she has received more than what she has given.”

Return to the idea of shalom as meaning every person lives life in all its fullness.

Perhaps part of our calling to care for those living in material poverty is an

opportunity for us to be challenged in our own poverty. Think of your own life

experiences and ways you have been blessed and taught by those less fortunate.

Share or journal your responses to the following questions:» What have you learned?

» How have those relationships helped you?

» Are those relationships and lessons part of God’s plan?

“That woman assures

me that she has

received more than

what she has given.”

—Mother Teresa

R Y A N S M I T H / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 7



Page 45

» How might those relationships help you to respond more fully to God’s call to

serve “the least of these”?

CLO SING PRAYER

Spend a few moments in prayer. Pray for people who do not believe they are

worthy of God’s love and redemption. Spend some time in silence, meditating on

how you can “bring life to the fullest” to our brothers and sisters.

Conclude by praying the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis was born at Assisi

in 1182. After a carefree youth, he turned his back on inherited wealth and commit-

ted himself to God. Like many early saints, he lived a very simple life of poverty.

P R A Y E R O F S T . F R A N C I S

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.


1. Read and study next week’s lesson.

2. Read Esther, chapters 4 to 8.

3. Keep a log this week of anything you do that might be considered advocacy. For

example, did you speak up for anyone? Do something on another person’s behalf ?Express your opinion on an issue in some way?




Page 46

FURTHER STUDY

» Read The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, president of World Vision U.S.

» Go to www.povertyinamerica.psu.edu and use the Living Wage Calculator todiscover the living wage in your state.

» Visit Web sites and read blogs from a variety of aid workers in the eld.

Consider their experiences, the work they are doing to help those in great

need, and how it is also transforming their lives. World Vision has a number of

aid workers who post blogs. Go to www.worldvision.org and conduct a search

using the key words “aid workers blogs.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR PERSONAL STUDY

» Mark 10:17-25» Mark 5: 25-33

» Luke 10:25-28

» Matthew 22:34-40



deeply to what God has to say—to “hear the with ear of our hearts.”









+



Page 47

GIVING VOICE to the VOICELESS

O V ERV IEWScripture calls all followers of Jesus to imitate Him in word and deed. Sometimes

that means doing more than feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. It requires

us to truly give voice to the voiceless, to speak out for those who have not yet had

an opportunity to develop their own voice, to be present in places where they have

no representation, or to walk alongside the voiceless to empower them to speak for

themselves.

K E Y S C R I P T U R E SProverbs 31:8-9

Micah 6:8

E S S E N T I A L Q U E S T I O NHow do we advocate for our brothers and sisters in need?

L E S S O N G O A L S» Develop a greater understanding of God’s call to advocacy.

» Learn what it means to be an advocate for justice.

» Explore tools and practical steps to become a voice for those in need.» Reect on God’s personal call to each of us, and our response.

MATERIALS

Pen, Bible, computer with Internet access

O N L I N E R E S O U R C E“Take You Best Shot” video, available at womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm

AGENDA» Introduction and opening prayer

» View “Take Your Best Shot” video (10 minutes 54 seconds)

» Reect on Scripture» Consider ways to advocate

» Explore the situation in our world today


» Close in prayer

P A T R I C I A

M O U A M A R / W O R L D V I S I O

N 2 0 0 8

LESSON 4



Page 48


1. Take some time to share or journal about the following question:

» In what way have you advocated for something or someone this week?

2. Oer a prayer.Pray for guidance as we learn to advocate with our brothers and

sisters in need. Spend a few minutes in silent meditation, concentrating on opening

your hearts and minds to using your inuence and voice to help others.

V I E W V I D E O


A Citizen Guide to Advocacy oers the following on the practice of advocacy:

“Simply put, advocacy is a ministry of inuence using persuasion, dialogue, and

reason to aect change. Advocacy seeks to address the structural and systemic

causes of poverty [or oppression] by changing policies, practices, and attitudes

that perpetuate inequality and deny justice.”

The most signicant audience for advocacy is citizens—not government. The best

advocacy occurs by educating and empowering citizens and groups to press for

change as part of a functioning civil society.

2. Watch “Take Your Best Shot” video. Then, share or journal your responses

to the the following questions:

» What is your reaction to Austin and his work?

» How does Austin’s advocacy work aect the future of the village?

» What do you think motivates people like Austin?

» How might Austin’s advocacy work reach beyond the particular village he’strying to assist?

Simply put, advocacy

is a ministry of

inuence using

persuasion, dialogue,

and reason to

aect change.



Page 49


1. Consider this:

If we want to study a biblical model of advocacy, we can look to a peasant woman and

her uncle. Esther’s story takes place during Israel’s captivity in Babylon. After being raised by her uncle Mordecai, she was conscripted as a member of the palace harem

of the Persian emperor Xerxes. Xerxes banished his queen for failing to submit to

him. Esther, with her beauty and grace, pleased Xerxes so thoroughly that he named

her queen. Even with that title, however, Esther’s safety was precarious. Though she

was inside the courts of power, she was outside of true security, because she lived

with a secret—she was a Jew.

Xerxes’ second-in-command, Haman, was power-hungry and devious. Because of

his grudge against the Jews, he convinced Xerxes to order their execution. That’s

when Esther knew she must take action.

The Book of Esther oers an example of the steps involved in advocacy. These stepsinclude:

2. Read Esther 4:1-2.

Advocacy involves challenging existing power structures. Consider how this

Scripture relates to step 1 noted above. Then share or journal your response to the

following question:

» What risk does that involve for Esther and Mordecai?

P A U L B E T T I N G S / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 8

Step 1: Personal engagement—begin with passionate concern and personal

engagement.

Step 2: Public outrage—generate a movement of public indignation and personal

engagement.

Step 3: Provide accurate information.

Step 4: Accept risks and recognize that you are replaceable.

Step 5: Mobilize a campaign of prayer.

Step 6: Credible inuence—work through a person with credible inuence.

Step 7: Strategic process—proceed with a strategic plan to achieve specic results.



Page 50

3. Read Esther 4:3.

Advocacy requires public movement fueled by more than the passion and outrage of

one or two people. Mordecai shared his concern and took it “to the streets.”

Consider how this Scripture relates to step 2 (previous page). Then share or journalyour response to the following question:

» What other sorts of advocacy actions you might encounter today?


Mordecai had the facts straight; he could provide proof for his concern. This points

to the importance of having more than personal opinion and zeal.

Consider how this Scripture relates to step 3 (previous page). Then share or journal

your response to the following question:

» What are some sources of accurate information you call on when trying to

learn about an issue?


Esther faced great personal risk. Yes, the Emperor had chosen her. But she had

replaced his former queen. He could choose a replacement again. Mordecai knew

that, but he did not back away from asking for Esther’s help. In fact, he reminded her

that perhaps this was the moment for which God had set her on her royal path.

Consider how this Scripture relates to step 4 (previous page). Then share or journal


» How do you decide when a risk is worth taking?

Advocacy requires

public movement

fueled by more than the

passion and outrageof one or two people.

Mordecai shared his

concern and took it “to

the streets.”

M A R G O S A B E L L A / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 8



Page 51

6. Read Esther 4:16 and 6:1.

People of faith have a very important source of help to call upon—prayer.

Consider how this Scripture relates to step 5 (chart page 51). Then share or journal


» How might prayer help you when making decisions about advocacy?


Esther had both access to and credibility with the king—two important elements for

advocacy.



» How might you build relationships with those who have inuence (media,

politicians, etc.) so they will see you as credible?

8. Read: Esther: 5:6-8 and 7:2-4.Esther wisely approached her “campaign” by working to build a better relationship

with the king. Justice is about relationships. It’s also about planning each step that

needs to happen to reach the desired end result.



» What do Esther and Mordecai model that you would like to embrace in your

own life?

Justice is about

relationships.

It’s also about planning

each step that needs

to happen to reach the

desired end result.

C O U R T E S Y S A R A H M A L I A N 2 0 0 8



Page 52

9. Read Psalm 103:6. Then consider the following:

The Hebrew and Arabic words for justice and righteousness share common roots.

They describe the quality of character and conduct necessary for people to ourish

in relation with God and one another. Justice literally means “to make right” and

righteousness is “to be right.” Justice is for life to be right socially; righteousness isfor life to be right personally.

“The goal of biblical justice is not to punish but to make safe … we are asked

to walk humbly rather than arrogantly, gently rather than with anger, united

in compassion rather than divided in fear.”

—Tim Dearborn

People who live in poverty and oppression don’t just need charity—they need justice.

Merely giving alms or rescuing them temporarily won’t make life right and resolve

the multiple problems that contribute to the dicult circumstances. The poor need

justice, expressed in structural change, protection from exploitation, and access to

opportunity.

10. Read Matthew 5:38-45. Then consider the following:

Anyone who is a follower of the life of Christ knows He did not always choose the

easiest path through the world. He confronted people, He turned old teachings

upside down, He lived a truly radical way of life. Many of us are uncomfortable with

the idea of being “radical.” We associate it with doing things that will cause others to

look askance at us. It sounds risky and frightening.

But if we open our hearts and fully embrace the passage from Matthew with a spirit

willing to follow where God wants to lead us, then we see that doing justice requires

us to walk in those radical footsteps of Jesus.

11. Share or journal your response to the following question:

» What does it mean to you to be a radical advocate for justice, following the

example Jesus set?

“The goal of biblical

justice is not to punish

but to make safe …

we are asked to walk

humbly rather

than arrogantly,

gently rather than

with anger, united in

compassion rather

than divided in fear.”

—Tim Dearborn

P A T R I C I A M O U A M A R / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 8



Page 53

EXPLO RE O UR WO RLD TO DAY


“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause

of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” —Isaiah 1:17

“We stand in solidarity with the poor in a common search for justice,

seeking to understand their situation and working alongside them to

experience fullness of life. We strive to facilitate engagement between the

poor and the auent in ways that open both to transformation. We respect

the poor as active participants, not passive recipients, in this relationship.

They are people from whom others may learn and receive. The need for

transformation is common to all. Together we share this quest for justice,

peace, reconciliation, and healing in our broken world.

“This is accomplished when we represent the interests of the poor to

decision makers who then formulate legislation and policy that prioritizestheir needs. Our response to poverty and injustice requires us to work

for policy change and challenge those who withhold justice. Eective

advocacy addresses the root causes—whether with governments, religious

institutions, the general public, or all of these.”

—A Citizen’s Guide to Advocacy

» Each year, malaria kills nearly 1 million people; approximately 85 percent of

them are children.

» An estimated 15 million children under age 18 have been orphaned due to

AIDS, and the number is rising.

» Approximately 854 million people across the world are hungry.

» More than 1 million children around the world are abducted, forced, or coerced

into sexual slavery each year.

From the World Vision Advocacy Center at www.worldvision.org.

World Vision and other organizations are committed to reversing these staggering

statistics. An important aspect of that work is recruiting Christ-centered people

who are committed to advocating on behalf of those aected by these and other

world crises.

Advocacy is primarily a ministry of inuence, using persuasion, dialogue, and reason

to obtain change. This happens rst by educating and empowering citizens and

groups to press for change; secondly by inuencing policy makers to change laws or

policies or ensure implementation of laws or policies as part of a functioning civil

society. This second type of advocacy is also called lobbying.

“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage

the oppressed.

Defend the cause of the

fatherless, plead the

case of the widow.”

—Isaiah 1:17

W O R L D V I S I O N S T A F F 2 0 0 7



Page 54

To strengthen advocates, World Vision oers online advocacy resources. These

resources include fact sheets and talking points on current issues that demand

attention. Congressional updates are also available to inform advocates about

governmental proceedings that can have an impact on solving some of these worldproblems.

2. Consider the following questions:

» With your deepened understanding of advocacy, do you have dierent

responses to any of these questions? How?

» Whom has Austin inuenced with his advocacy?


Share or journal your responses to the following questions:

» Which one issue would you most like to work on?

» What form of advocacy do you feel is right for you at this time in your life?

CLO SING PRAYER

The United Nations General Assembly has created eight Millennium

Development Goals that set out a concrete plan for addressing some of the world’smost pressing issues. Close this study by praying the Litany for the Millennium

Development Goals on the next page.

D A V I D K A D L U B O W S K I / G E N E S I S P H O T O S 2 0 0 6



Page 55

L I T A N Y F O R T H E M I L L E N N I U M D E V E L O P M E N T G O A L S

In the spirit of the Millennium Development Goals, let us pray that God’s

justice and peace will prevail in the world.

Let us pray for the poor, hungry, and neglected all over the world, that their cries

for daily bread may inspire works of compassion and mercy among those to whom

much has been given. Lord, in your mercy, give us the will to eradicate extreme

poverty and hunger.

Let us pray for schools and centers of learning throughout the world, for those who

lack access to basic education, and for the light of knowledge to blossom and shine in

the lives of all God’s people. Lord, in your mercy, give us the will to achieve universal

primary education.

Let us pray for an end to the divisions and inequalities that scar God’s creation,

particularly the barriers to freedom faced by God’s children throughout the worldbecause of gender; that all who have been formed in God’s image might have equality

in pursuit of the blessings of creation. Lord, in your mercy, give us the will to promote

gender equality and empower women.

Let us pray for the health of women, children, and families around the world,

especially for an end to maternal and child mortality, that in building healthy

families, all God’s people may be empowered to strengthen their communities and

repair the breaches which divide nations and peoples. Lord, in your mercy, give us

the will to improve maternal health.

Let us pray for an end to pandemic disease throughout the world, particularly the

scourges of HIV and AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; that plagues of death may nolonger fuel poverty, destabilize nations, and inhibit reconciliation and restoration

throughout the world. Lord, in your mercy, give us the will to combat HIV and AIDS,

malaria, and other diseases.

Let us pray for an end to the waste and desecration of God’s creation, for access to

the fruits of creation to be shared equally among all people, and for communities and

nations to nd sustenance in the fruits of the earth and the water God has given us.

Lord, in your mercy, give us the will to ensure environmental sustainability.

Let us pray for all nations and people who already enjoy the abundance of creation

and the blessings of prosperity, that their hearts may be lifted up to the needs

of the poor and aicted, and that partnerships between rich and poor for thereconciliation of the world may ourish and grow. Lord, in your mercy, give us the

will to develop a global partnership for development.

Let us pray that God’s

justice and peace will

prevail in the world.




Page 56

FO R FURTHER STUDY

1. Read World Vision’s advocacy handbook— A Citizen’s Guide to Advocacy,

available free at www.worldvisionresources.com

2. Learn about current advocacy campaigns and successes

Search out other organizations active in justice and advocacy, such as Sojourners

and the International Justice Mission.

3. Learn about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at

www.un.org/millenniumgoals.

4. Commit to the next Heart of the Matter study: “Communities Transformed

with Change That Lasts.” The six lessons examine how transformational community

development brings hope and lasting change to communities and individuals. Topics

include asset-based community development, the use of appreciative inquiry,and specic interventions that have tremendous impact. Issues include water,

food, health, literacy, micronance and economic development, and more. This

is excellent preparation for traveling or serving in developing communities. See a

preview at womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm.

ADDITIONAL S CRIPTURE FOR FURTHER STUDY

» John 14:12

» Psalm 82:2-4

» Corinthians 9:6-11

» Isaiah 61:1-8



deeply to what God has to say—to “hear with the ear of our hearts.”









+



Page 57

WAYS TO GET INVO LVEDMany who participate in these studies want to respond when they become

aware of the harsh realities that their fellow sisters and brothers around

the world are facing every day. Whether that response is prayer, nancial

support, volunteering, or educating others about the needs, there are

opportunities for everyone to do something.

Educate yourself. Request information about another Heart of the Matter study.

Each study focuses on a dierent area of concern related to poverty and oppression,

including a biblical understanding of poverty and our role in serving those in need;

issues specic to women in poverty, advocacy, and social justice; and helping

children develop a heart to serve and give. To preview all three studies in the series,

go to www.worldvisionresources.com.

Sponsor a child. For about $1 a day, you can help a vulnerable boy or girl survive,

grow, and reach his or her God-given potential. Your gift will help demonstrate

God’s love by providing your sponsored child and his or her family and community

with access to life’s most basic necessities—things like clean water, better nutrition,

health care, education, economic opportunities, and most of all, hope for a better

future. Go to www.worldvisionresources.com for more information.

Give a gift. World Vision’s Gift Catalog allows you to give life-changing gifts to

children and families in need—things like goats, clean-water wells, or seeds—in

the name of someone special. The Giving Toolbox makes group fundraising easy.

Families, school groups, Sunday school classes, and others can work together to

make an impact for children around the world. www.worldvisiongifts.org .

Educate the next generation. Ending global poverty and injustice begins with

education: recognizing the extent and causes of poverty, comprehending its eect on

human dignity, and realizing our connection with those in need around the world.

World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry of World Vision, providing

learning materials to help prepare Christians to live in an increasingly globalized

world and become active citizens who can help shape a better future. Check out

World Vision Resources’ growing selection of global education resources at

www.worldvisionresources.com.

Become a Women of Vision partner. Receive the latest news and updates; join

monthly telephone briengs with subject experts from all over the world; receive

invitations to local, regional, and national conferences; and help support your local,

regional, or global Women of Vision projects. For partnership information go to

womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm.

Join the conversation. Subscribe to the latest news and information aecting the

poor around the world. Sign up at www.womenofvision.wordpress.com/hotm .

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Join or start a Women of Vision chapter. Women of Vision is a volunteer

ministry of World Vision that unites Christian women called to invest their time,

intellect, compassion, creativity, and nances so that impoverished women and

children might nd hope and experience a tangible expression of God’s love. We

are women of diverse ages, backgrounds, and circumstances—united in Christ toserve and walk alongside those in need so that, together, we can experience life in all

its fullness. Recognizing the enormous needs in our world, we seek to educate and

motivate women in our communities to become women of action in helping create a

brighter and healthier future for suering women and children.

CO NTACT US Women of Vision

World Vision

P.O. Box 9716

Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

toll free: 1.877.WOV.4WOV (1.877.968.4968)[email protected]

J O H N S C H E N K / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 4



ABO UT WO RLD V ISIO N

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with

children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by

tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s

unconditional love for all people. We see a world where each child experiences

“fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can be achieved only

by addressing the problems of poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how

World Vision is unique: We bring 60 years of experience in three key areas needed

to help children and families thrive: emergency relief, long-term development,

and advocacy. And we bring all of our skills across many areas of expertise to each

community we work in, enabling us to care for children’s physical, social, emotional,

and spiritual well-being.

Partnering with World Vision provides tangible ways to honor God and put faith into

action. By working together, we can make a lasting dierence in the lives of childrenand families who are struggling to overcome poverty. To nd out more about how

you can help, visit www.worldvision.org .

A B O U T W O R L D V I S I O N R E S O U R C E S

Ending global poverty and injustice begins with education: understanding the

magnitude and causes of poverty, its impact on human dignity, and our connection to

those in need around the world.

World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry of World Vision. World Vision

Resources educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to respond, andequips them with innovative resources to make a dierence in the world.

For more information about our resources, contact:

World Vision Resources

Mail Stop 321

P.O. Box 9716

Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

Fax: 253-815-3340

[email protected]

www.worldvisionresources.com

J U S T I N D O U

G L A S S / W O R L D V I S I O N 2 0 0 9



is a biblically based, interactive study series that focuses on how

Christians are called to respond to the needs of the poor ( Hope in a

World of Hurt ); the root causes of poverty and how transformational

development brings hope and lasting change to communities andindividuals ( Communities Transformed with Change that Lasts ); how

extreme poverty and injustice uniquely impact the lives of women

and children ( Touching the Lives of Women in Poverty ).

Hope in a World of Hurt includes four lessons focusing on how

Christians are called to respond to the needs of the poor, some root

causes of poverty, relating to those living in poverty, and how love is

key to coming alongside those in need. The nal chapter is the

challenge to speak out and advocate.

The study oers opportunities to:

» explore Scripture.» personally reect, share, and pray about injustices in the world.

» develop a greater understanding about poverty and oppression.

» participate in interactive learning experiences.

» learn about the transformational work of World Vision.

The combination of video, printed material, discussion and reection

questions, simulations, quizzes, and other learning activities contrib-

ute to a multifaceted, creative learning experience that is easy to lead

and engaging for all participants.

Welcome to The Heart of the Matter.

th e H E A R T o f t h e M A T T E R

Hope in a Hurt World of Hurt: a Bible Study

Documents

Transcript of Hope in a Hurt World of Hurt: a Bible Study