Spotlight: World Vision

Charity means ‘the giving of help, money, food, etc. to those in need.’ Giving of alms is the act of giving money or help to the unfortunate and is a religious duty. Today, people only think of it as helping third world countries, caring for sick animals, trying to find a cure for cancer, or caring for whales. Yet, despite this, charity also means ‘love of one’s fellow men.’ Though it’s fine to view charity as such, the actions of people who gave alms to their fellow men without anything in return are the foundation of charities. Charitable actions are like bricks or cement or wood; without it, you can’t build a house. Like Rush Limbaugh once said, “Charity is willingly given from the heart.” No one or nothing forces people to join charity. Some people might do it for fame or a way to avoid taxes, but for most people, it's their way to help others.

World Vision is a good example of a charity. It all started when Bob Pierce started this organization during the 1950’s. Ever since then, World Vision provided support to more than 90 countries. They are a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization who are dedicated to helping communities all over the world. They work with people regardless of their age, gender, religion, and race in order to help them to overcome poverty and injustice. In addition to that, World Vision also helps communities that were affected greatly by calamities like typhoons and cyclones. According to their website, they have 6 core values and their mission is to follow Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice, bear witness, and to spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

The 6 core values of World Vision are what drive the people who joined this charity to help other people.

We are Christian

They seek to follow Jesus in his footsteps – caring for the poor, oppressed children, being equal to men and women, being able to challenge the unjust systems, and to love everyone without any discrimination or condition. They are called to served and influence people to do the same.

We are committed to the poor

They aim to relieve the poor from their suffering and to transform of their well-being. They seek to understand their situation and to work alongside them. The less fortunate are respected as active participants and are people whom we may learn from, give from, and receive from.

We value people

They regard everyone as people of God – created and loved by God. They give priority to people before money or other materialistic things. They value and respect people of every race, gender, and ethnicity. They act in ways that respects the uniqueness and worth of every person they meet.

We are stewards

The money that they have is not their own; it is a trust from God through donors in order to help the poor. They aim to be open, to speak, and to act honestly towards projects, donors, and the public. Moreover, they are stewards of God’s creation. They care for the earth and seek ways in order to help preserve and protect the environment. They ensure that their projects are always ecologically sound.

We are partners

They are partners with everyone - especially the poor and with donors in their shared ministry. They are in a partnership that transcends legal, structural, and cultural boundaries. Also, they want to maintain a cooperative stance and open-mindedness towards other humanitarian organizations.

We are responsive

They respond immediately to life-threatening emergencies. They are willing to take action and risks in order to help people. They do this to gain experience and to be sensitive to what the situation requires. They recognize that even in the midst of crisis, everyone would have a contribution to make. They are responsive in the sense where deep-seated and complex economic and social deprivation calls for long-term development.

For more information, you can go to their website: www.wvi.org

Thanks to whomping willow and Audrey T. Moon who edited this article!