Archives For Working with the poor

Home » Working with the poor » Page 12

HOPE Intl

Jan 14 2011

By HOPE Intl

 Staff / Travels Working with the poor

Reflections on Hope and Healing from Haiti (Day 3)

HOPE staff member, Katie Straight, reflects on meeting HOPE’s clients in Haiti.

One year after Haiti’s devastating earthquake, HOPE International’s Katie Straight travelled to the country to walk in solidarity with our clients and staff as they remembered the pain of January 12, 2010. She joins them in reflecting on the continued challenges and continued promise of what’s to come.

We woke up this morning and watched the sun slowly rise over the hills of Port-au-Prince onto the still-rubbled city below. On the anniversary of the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti one year ago, Port-au-Prince was relatively quiet. Mourners arose early to fill churches with song and prayer, while a great number of the city’s inhabitants stayed off the roads. As we twisted our way through the city, we passed a crowd of people gathered at the foot of the still-crumbled National Palace, listening to politicians speak through crackling loudspeakers about rebuilding Haiti. We drove past tent cities and through the epicenter of the earthquake, where destroyed buildings made somber memorials for the anniversary. For three hours we twisted our way along country roads en route to HOPE’s Savings and Credit Association (SCA) program in Cadiac, Haiti. Continue Reading…

 permalink

HOPE Intl

Jan 14 2011

By HOPE Intl

 Staff / Travels Working with the poor

Reflections on Hope and Healing from Haiti (Day 2)

HOPE staff member, Katie Straight, reflects on meeting HOPE’s clients in Haiti.

This morning we hopped in the truck bed of a tap-tap, the “taxi” of rural Haiti, to ride to the weekly market in neighboring Miragoane. What an incredible sight to see thousands of local vendors selling every imaginable item: fruit, rice, freshly butchered meats, fabric, livestock, sunglasses, and jeans. We had the opportunity to see a number of HOPE’s Savings and Credit Association (SCA) clients in the midst of their commerce, busily selling meat from livestock they raised or homemade bread or candies. They stopped to tell us about how they had used their savings to invest in their businesses and care for their families. Without exception they said that they were glad to be a part of the savings program because it has enabled them to have access to money at critical times when they would not have had it before. Continue Reading…

 permalink

HOPE Intl

Jan 12 2011

By HOPE Intl

 Staff / Travels Stories we love Working with the poor

Haiti – One Year Later

HOPE staff member, Katie Straight, reflects on meeting HOPE’s clients in Haiti.

One year ago today, the struggling nation of Haiti was devastated by an earthquake that killed over 200,000 and left 1.5 million homeless. In the aftermath, stories of broken-down ports and backlogged airports began to cast doubt on the effectiveness of relief efforts—and the effectiveness of the billions of dollars in aid that had been poured into Haiti in the previous decades.

Even as some were predicting that Haiti was beyond hope, we* saw persuasive evidence to the contrary. HOPE has always believed that Haiti’s strength lies in its people. Resilient, determined, and hopeful, their spirits were not crushed. Those who had little began sharing with those who had less. Some of HOPE’s clients, who lived in northern Haiti and were not directly impacted by the quake, took others who were forced to flee the devastation of Port-au-Prince into their homes. We saw, and have continued to see, God at work in their generosity. Continue Reading…

 permalink

Chris Horst

Dec 15 2010

By Chris Horst

 Spiritual Integration Working with the poor
, ,

When the Poor Become Generous

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

How many times will you hear these wise words this holiday season? This is my favorite time of year primarily because of this season’s emphasis on giving. The charitable and gift-giving yearnings among us all are stoked and encouraged more in December than at any other time of the year. This spirit is encapsulated and affirmed in what might be our favorite Christmas saying: It is more blessed to give than to receive.

The axiom could not be truer. Giving is a joy. Research suggests that generous people are happier people. Generous countries are happier countries. Benevolence brings vibrancy to our faith. Historically, openhandedness and abundant giving have been the fragrance of the Church. Part of our mandate as Christians includes a call to a countercultural understanding of our role as stewards, rather than owners, of our time and treasure. I’ll just speak for myself, but my hunch is others will resonate: My charity often robs the poor of the opportunity to give, rather than encouraging generosity. Continue Reading…

 permalink

HOPE Intl

Dec 1 2010

HOPE Intl

 Spiritual Integration Working with the poor
,

7 ways to remember the poor this holiday season

The holiday season is a time filled with warm nostalgia, a flurry of festivities, and a cornucopia of holiday treats.  It is also a season for remembering: retelling old family stories, revisiting time-honored traditions, and, as Christians, remembering the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ birth turned mourning to joy, brought hope amidst despair, and promised freedom from bondage. In His time on earth, Jesus made the poor and forgotten His priority, and He calls His followers to do the same.

In the midst of this hectic holiday season, here are seven simple ways you and your family can respond to God’s call to remember and serve the poor:

  1. Volunteer at a local food bank, homeless shelter, or other organization focused on serving the poor in your community.
  2. Get to know the many faces of poverty by reading news stories, articles, or books about the people, places, and challenges surrounding the fight against global poverty.
  3. Visit HOPE International’s Pathways out of Poverty exhibit in Lancaster, PA – an interactive exhibit that invites visitors to walk alongside the poor – with family, friends, or your church group.
  4. Forego the extra coffee, movie, or other entertainment purchase and donate the money saved to an organization focused on sustainable solutions to poverty.
  5. Pray for the poor, both within your own community (they are there!) and around the world, who daily experience the fear, shame, isolation, and physical pain of poverty.
  6. Eat a simple meal of rice and beans (daily staples for much of the developing world) and use it as an opportunity to facilitate family conversation about poverty.
  7. Explore what God’s Word reveals about His heart for the poor and His expectations of us in return, praying for your heart to be aligned with His.
 permalink Leave a comment