Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. -Proverbs 31:7-9
I believe a genuinely biblical worldview must incorporate a global worldview, while at the same time faithfully applying and fleshing out our faith contextually. But we are poorer if our view of Christianity is only local and not global.
For example, take whatever challenges COVID has meant in the US and multiply that by at least 10X or more in other parts of the world. E-learning is not possible in many parts of the world where electricity, smart-phones, or technology as we know it is not available. Or, in the case of Uganda, I received 27-point requirement guidelines for what they must do to re-open schools. I can tell you it is a logistical and financial nightmare! Therefore, in some countries, children are not only going without education but going back into child labor situations.
Additionally, it has officially been projected that an additional 130 million people (double last year) could be facing acute hunger (starvation) this year worldwide. In just one Asian country where the mission organization I lead serves, it is estimated that 300,000 children could die in the next 6 months. 350 million people in this one country alone are being thrust back below the poverty line of less than $2 a day. Many daily wage earners cannot work their daily jobs due to COVID challenges. They depend on that income to survive day to day! As a result, across the world, suicide rates have also been escalating as people experience hopelessness.
I am writing this because I believe we need more awareness and action regarding how COVID challenges affect the world, not just us here in the US. It is sad to report that for ServeNow, we are significantly behind where we were last year funding wise at this time, and yet the needs are more pressing than ever. Progress in many countries is not only being thwarted but pushed back in terms of poverty, child labor/trafficking, education, food, and suicides. We cannot forget the world!
Our teams are doing all they can to provide hope and care for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. We serve in some of the poorest countries in the world. Food and care packages are still needed. Skill-training programs and small business grants enable us to empower, especially women, in a sustainable way. The Basic Series special edition book, When Our World Falls Apart, that our Founder and I wrote one week after the world shut down are providing hope for thousands but still needs to be printed in more countries. We can provide tutoring and education for children. And this is in addition to other needs that have not gone away during this time, such as mosquito nets, bicycles for pastors with no other means of transportation, and soon winter blankets.
I want to keep the needs of the world and the poor in front of us even as we navigate our own challenges. Let’s not forget the rest of the world!
To donate today to those most in need, visit our website here: www.weservenow.org
Ben Foley 