Humanitarian Aid: Change Your World for Good

You cannot separate humanitarian aid from evangelical work, or the work will fall on deaf ears. Christianity IS humanitarian work, hospitals, schools, water wells and shoe projects, the list is endless.

Biblically, the ministry to orphans and widows is paramount, one small example was that every farmer was asked to not reap the corners of his field, so less fortunate people could come and reap those portions. ‘ first recorded miracle of Jesus, he was helping a couple who ran into a bad situation at their wedding so Jesus helped them by turning water into an impressive wine. Then you have you have Jesus feeding the 5 thousand in Matthew 14;13 and 4000 people in Luke 9:10, Stephen in Acts 6:5, is elected to oversee the administering of food to the widows in the newly formed church, There is Dorcas who made clothes for people in, Acts 9:36 and that is besides the healing the sick and raising the dead that we see in both old and new testament..

But let’s take a look at the specific works that our Evangelists have been a part of.

John Smithwick is an evangelist out of the Tulsa, OK area and has done evangelistic work on every major continent including praying for sick folks and seeing many miracles of healing and deliverance. The ministry he oversees conducts service projects not only to meet the physical needs of people but to be an outlet for reaching entire communities with the love of Jesus. In certain countries, we assist with projects that address specific and practical needs of communities. One such opportunity came when they were in Nepal, finalizing plans for a fall crusade, and the huge earthquake struck, (April 5th, 2015) while his team was in the country. Because of the devastation, the people of Nepal were disoriented and very fearful. But, the team immediately sent video back to Tulsa, OK and made a TV plea for help and finances, which brought food and water to many vulnerable areas. Their quick thinking got trucks on the road very quickly to purchase and deliver temporary housing materials, water, and food to thousands of families. When the team returned in the fall, they handed about 800 water filters that could provide clean water to multiple families for years. This was a unique opportunity that in essence, showed what their team is made of. Other projects that John Smithwick and Vision 2020 has been a part of is a water well in Gujarat, India, for all people. Some many water wells across India do not allow minorities access. John and his team were a part of helping free children taken into the sex slavery trade, on the border of Thailand and Laos and also got to love on many of the adults caught in it, letting them know that there is a God who loves them and wants to help them. Many first ever gifts/toys to orphanages they have visited, and many, many water filter projects, including Peru, last summer (2016), Mirebalais, Haiti, 3/11-18/17. and Thailand in June, Cambodia in July. For more on these and other stories, please visit https://globalventures.tv/watch/ .

Evangelist, K. A. Paul has a successful orphanage that is 325,000 square foot called Charity City. This orphanage and schoolhouse up to 1,000 children. It also contains a separate training center to house and train another vulnerable part of Indian society, widows who they training as Little Teresa’s, emulating “Mother Teresa”.

K.A. Paul has also been instrumental in forming the Global Peace Initiative, which has been instrumental world-wide, to bring peace to areas of war and unrest. For more information on these efforts, please visit his website. http://www.globalpeacenow.com/

Pastor Boimah Duwah is a crusade evangelist/Pastor that Vision 2020 supports in Liberia. He and his wife opened a school for the local orphanage, to give them an education and an opportunity to succeed in life. They are just now finishing up a building project that will be used by the children by day and adult Bible School education at night.

Evangelist/Pastor Brian Essary, in Azua, Dominican Republic, the poorest area in the country, brought a team of doctors and dentist for a free clinic. Brian also would often have crusades in rural areas and would employ the local farmers to “buss in” people in their hay wagons and carts. Seems like a small thing, but the added income can be a game changer for many of these families.

Other humanitarian aid includes: food distributions, book distribution, construction projects, i.e. building orphanages, repairs, concrete floors poured for poor families, pastoral training and equipping with bicycles, motorbikes, and books.

Every crusade evangelist reached out to help the communities that they visit. In Gujarat, India, where a water well was dug in front of a Christian church, there was terrible opposition from the 88% Hindu population. There were protests, destruction of property, threats which ended up with the crusade location being changed three times and ending up outside the city due to the outcry. But many people came, and there were wonderful documented healings that occurred and there was a church built with a water well for anyone to use. What a wonderful display of Christian charity. Because of kindness just like this, many areas have become peaceful with their Christian neighbors.

What kind of humanitarian aid would you like to be a part of?