Dictionary.com defines poverty as “the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; the condition of being poor.” It defines “poor” as “having little or no money, goods, or other means of support.”
Poverty means not having enough money. Right?
According to the World Bank, if you’re living on $1.90 a day or less, you’re living in extreme poverty. More than 750 million people fall into this category. But you can make more than $1.90 a day and still be poor. The World Bank has drawn two other lines.
Pause for a moment to reflect that eliminating extreme poverty is one of the original United Nations’ Sustainable Goals for 2030. We will still have a long way to go.
The UN has created a Human Development Index, the result of a complex calculation of the multiple dimensions of poverty that must be overcome. Not unexpectedly, the greatest measurable amount of poverty continues to exist in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Knowing that poverty exists is one thing. Knowing the extent to which it exists is another. There are several ways to view the data but here we will simply look at the ranking of the South Asian countries where, according to Gospel for Asia, the need is greater than most can imagine.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO — Samaritan’s Purse is providing tools, seeds, and agricultural training to farmers living with disabilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nicole Solvig, Samaritan’s Purse: We’re heading to one of our farmer’s fields to see the progress of their work. This is a group of farmers who are all living…
TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA — Samaritan’s Purse is building emergency shelters in the Tigray region of Ethiopia for hundreds of families who were forcibly displaced from their homes due to armed conflict. In the past month, their staff designed a basic emergency shelter that can largely be built from local materials. After securing a site, teams started…
TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA — As hundreds of thousands of people fled to more populated areas of Tigray in Ethiopia last fall, there were many stories of suffering and hunger. Thousands of children and nursing and pregnant mothers were increasingly at risk of malnutrition. Some families were reduced to begging for food, and many simply went days…
KOLKATA, INDIA — As we observe World Hunger Day this week (Fri May 28), a recent report from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) predicts a steep increase in food insecurity over the coming months across 20 ‘hotspot’ nations – with more than 270 million people at risk of starvation – doubling the pre-pandemic figure….
WILLS POINT, TX — India’s devastating “second wave” of COVID-19 is overshadowing another deadly tsunami of suffering — rampant hunger. Global humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) reports growing desperation across India as it supports efforts to feed those facing starvation amid the pandemic’s continuing onslaught. The Texas-based organization has helped feed hundreds of thousands…
WILLS POINT, TX – The COVID-19 virus is claiming 120 lives per hour in India, according to a CBS News report. With relatives of the dead waiting hours in line at the country’s crematoriums, many fear that the number of deaths is under-reported. Worldometers reports that the average number of new cases of COVID in…
MILWAUKEE, WI – City on a Hill is a faith-based organization located near the center of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is, according to an article in Time Magazine published on September 17, 2015, the 5th poorest city in the United States. City on a Hill’s mission is to break the cycle of generational poverty and bring…
INDIA — Christian humanitarian agency GFA World is distributing urgently needed food supplies to help families fighting for their lives amid India’s devastating second wave of COVID-19. GFA World Founder K.P. Yohannan says in the midst of such a tsunami of suffering their workers are also seeing an unprecedented response to the Gospel of Christ….
ONTARIO, CANADA — As COVID-19 deaths continue to grow exponentially in India, one Canadian NGO is stepping up to help that country’s most vulnerable people access the life-saving jab. Effect Hope is a Canadian Christian global health organization that supports people with neglected tropical diseases. Effect Hope will help Indians affected by leprosy and lymphatic…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World — one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide — is sending oxygen equipment and supplies to help people fighting for breath amid…
ETHIOPIA — The weight of the humanitarian crisis in Tigray is palpable, but it’s rarely in the news—even as urban areas in northern Ethiopia swell with traumatized families living in schools and tarp shelters. Samaritan’s Purse has been working in this region since February providing emergency food, cooking kits, and other relief. They have airlifted more…
PHOENIX, AZ – Grand Canyon University (GCU) and CityServe released a joint media advisory today announcing a new collaborative service to aid needy families in Arizona. A 35,000-square-foot warehouse on the university campus will be converted to become a distribution hub for food and essential household items for more than 100 points of distribution (PODS)….
LOS ANGELES — As a part of their mission to #RestoreLA, Pastor Matthew Barnett and the Los Angeles Dream Center have been focused on efforts that seek to sustain the community as Los Angeles get back on its feet. One of the ways they have sought to do this was by assisting individuals and families…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World, a major humanitarian agency founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, is calling for “eleventh hour” prayer as India suffers a devastating second wave of COVID-19 — and the world faces a growing number…
HUDSONVILLE, MI – The website of International Needs poses some interesting questions. What would happen if you had no access to safe drinking water? What if your children had no opportunity to attend school? We know that hundreds of millions of people around the world face these questions every day. But, the questions take on…
SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL – The title of this article may be a bit misleading. It is not intended to be. It is, however, intended to be intriguing. As well as providing an introduction to the Florida-based FBO, Hope for the World, I want to share how the Lord directed me to it. My Search…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide: Millions around the world are still waiting to get a life-saving vaccine — and it’s not the COVID-19 shot. Human trials of a new malaria vaccine are underway, with promising…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) has spent more than 40 years sharing the love of Jesus and ministering to the needs of millions of people in more than a dozen countries in South Asia. The COVID-19 pandemic engendered extreme hardships for the people in those countries during 2020. Families already faced…
LOS ANGELES — With the recent closure of the homeless encampment in the Echo Park neighborhood, Matthew Barnett and the Los Angeles Dream Center have a simple message for their neighbors: “You are welcome here.” This week the enforced closure of the Echo Park homeless encampment went into effect, and the police gave notice on…
BATTAMBANG – This is the story of Crossing Cambodia, an missionary work that began in an unusual way and that operates in an unusual way. You will want to read about it. An Unusual Beginning Founder Gregory Holz says, “I’ve lived in Cambodia since 2007 and started an NGO to reach out and support street…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide, one of the largest mission agencies in the world, is launching compassion projects in Africa (http://www.gfa.org/press/intoAfrica) for the first time — a…
NADI WESTERN DIVISION, FIJI – When you close your eyes and imagine an island encounter in the South Pacific, say in Fiji, what do you see in your mind’s eye? Let me guess. You see sun-splashed water, a quiet beach, and swaying palm trees. You can thank travel brochures for that. Let me ask you…
WASHINGTON — In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, CityServe, along with churches around the nation will be observing a National Day of Prayer, referred to as Blue Sunday, this April 25th. This day reminds faith communities to intercede in prayer for abused and neglected children and to open their doors to provide good homes…
SPRINGFIELD, MO – Rainbows. They draw our attention to the glory of God and of His loving promise to never destroy sinful humanity with a worldwide flood as He did in Noah’s day. We can be thankful for that promise every day, but we are especially so when we gaze in awe and wonder at…
ETHIOPIA — Samaritan’s Purse is helping to feed hungry children in northern Ethiopia who are at risk of acute malnutrition, due to food shortages caused by months of internal conflict. David Mbuguah, Samaritan’s Purse: This is Samaritan’s Purse team. We are here in northern Ethiopia in the Tigray region. Today, we are here to serve…
SUNRISE, FL – People respond with a bit of je ne sais quoi when they learn that SONSHINE GLOBAL PARTNERS is headquartered in Sunrise, Florida. If that doesn’t happen immediately, it almost certainly will when they discover that SONRISE is located on Sunset Strip in Sunrise. This story is not about how or why SONSHINE…
BUFFALO, NY – The MissionGO website leaves little doubt as to one aspect of their ministry in the African country of Sierra Leone. 1,489,343 People living in Sierra Leone don’t have access to clean water. 100% Need Living Water As you have already perceived, providing clean water is one aspect of the MissionGO ministry. You…
ETHIOPIA — Violent conflict in Ethiopia’s northernmost region of Tigray has sent hundreds of thousands of displaced Ethiopians fleeing from their homes. Samaritan’s Purse is working with local churches and other groups to identify and provide food for the most vulnerable families in their communities. Their teams and partners, including churches, are distributing food baskets…
WASHINGTON — CityServe announced today it has joined the online giving platform, Uncommon Giving, inviting individual and corporate donors to join its “Last Mile of Need” fundraising campaign to feed hungry families struggling through the pandemic. More families are struggling to provide enough to eat with the ever-increasing challenges of job losses and illness. By…
COLOMBIA — Venezuelan families who have fled to Colombia to escape their country’s crumbling economy give thanks to God for food provided by Samaritan’s Purse. Yancy: Things are becoming horrible in Venezuela. Food cannot be found. Maria: Venezuela was in crisis. I think the pandemic made it worse. Osmerys: It’s very difficult there to get…
GHANA — Christian charity Theovision International is seeing the lives of many uneducated young women in Ghana completely transformed through their textiles training program. Not only are many establishing their own successful businesses as a result of the training they receive, but they are also coming to know Christ after joining audio Bible classes. Young…
COLOMBIA — A Colombian pastor praises God for the ministry he shares with Samaritan’s Purse to help feed hungry families, many of whom are Venezuelan migrants, and share the hope of the Gospel with them. Pastor Yahir: Today Samaritan’s Purse delivered food in Maria Auxiliadora. It was a miracle from God. Today the heavens were…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by KP Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this Special Report update on the state of Modern Day Slavery amid the COVID 19 pandemic. In my original report, 21st Century…
STONEY CREEK, ON — Despite the difficulties of 2020, GFA World (Gospel for Asia Canada), together with Believers Eastern Church, collected Christmas gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need. 2020 was a difficult year. COVID-19 pandemic restrictions meant that many of the regular events of our lives had to be rearranged or maybe even cancelled altogether….
ETHIOPIA — Samaritan’s Purse has airlifted 1,800 cases of ready-to-use supplemental food supplies to help feed suffering children in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. Hundreds of thousands of families have fled their homes in the region due to violent conflict and are living wherever they can—in schools or on the side of the road….
CHARLESTON, SC – I am going to assume that you know as much about Burundi as I did before I began to investigate the benevolent work of GLO (aka Great Lakes Outreach). So, before I can introduce you to GLO, I need to familiarize you with the African nation of Burundi. Burundi Burundi occupies less…
SILOAM SPRINGS, AR – Earth Mission was founded in 1982 as a short-term mission platform. The mission projects were specifically opportunities for engineers, engineering students, and technicians to assist and support missionaries in countries like Mexico and the Dominican Republic. They not only built and equipped structures, but they also created businesses that would benefit…
WILLS POINT, TX — Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide –Reporting on GFA World mission agency offering online 40-day lent devotional to help Christians pray, fast for unity, end to pandemic and other…
STONEY CREEK, ON — GFA World (Gospel for Asia Canada) joins with their community to provide for citizens in need during the COVID pandemic through food bank donations. Imagine if you didn’t have enough money to put food on the table for your family. This is a difficult reality that many families have faced this…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — Since the United States Department of Agriculture Farmers to Families Food Box Program launched in May 2020, the Faith-Based Community for Farmers to Families, facilitated by CityServe, has distributed over 12 million food boxes to families living in the “Last Mile of Need.” Currently comprised of over 1400 HUBs, the collaborative network…
RUSSIA — An annual event launched by Slavic Gospel Association in 2002 — is on target to distribute Christmas gifts, children’s Bibles, and personalized ornaments to 50,000 Children in Russia. Despite lockdown restrictions SGA church partners are reaching out into hospital, orphanages and the homes of vulnerable children as part of their Immanuel’s Child outreach….
RALEIGH, NC – If your family is like mine, hardly a day goes by without at least one email or snail mail soliciting donations to support charitable organizations whose work is to feed hungry families. Will it never end? Not the solicitations – the hunger. The earth has more than enough food to feed the…
KINGWOOD, TX – The New Hope Initiative (NHI) is a faith-based, non-profit organization that has a compelling desire to bring real positive change to some of the poorest communities in the world, according to their website. The New Hope initiative promotes self-sustaining projects to break the cycle of poverty by partnering with local leadership in…
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Tent Schools International (TSI) demonstrates the love of Jesus Christ for displaced children “by making education accessible, exchanging chaos and loss for peace and opportunity.” The United Nations estimates that there are currently as many as 35,000,000 displaced children around the globe. They comprise half of the entire population of displaced…
WESTERVILLE, OH – Lifeline Christian Mission offers a unique opportunity for groups of believers to actually participate in one of their mission projects. Lifeline’s vision is Pray. Give. Go. These are the most typical ways that faith-based outreaches suggest that individuals, families, and churches can participate. And there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing at…
ROMANIA — God tells us to remember the orphan, the widow, and the stranger. This exhortation has been put into practice by the Evangelical and Charity Association “Jesus Hope of Romania” in Timisoara, which carries out several social projects. One is the “Manna” project, a mobile social canteen that operates daily home deliveries of cooked…
COLORADO SPRINGS – “What Matters” is an interesting phrase. Devoid of punctuation, it could be a statement, a question, or an exclamation. Regardless, it is important that we all know what matters . . . what really matters. What Matters Ministries and Missions is the faith-based organization founded by Ivan and Kim Tait in 1997….
WILLS POINT, TX — Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing new report stating how COVID 19 pandemic has “cemented human trafficking as the 3rd biggest illicit trade on the planet.” COVID-19 is feeding the “growing evil” of human trafficking, pulling more of the…
CHAMPLIN, MN – Settled is a faith-based organization that “equips faith communities to pursue homes with the homeless through sustainable housing, purposeful work, and supportive community.” On any given night, there are nearly 600,000 people in the United States who are sleeping in cars, under bridges, in makeshift tents, and in abandoned buildings. That’s right….
IMPERIAL VALLEY, CA — Each week, in a region close to the Californian/ Mexican border, Lupita Bawarski helps lead a CityServe ministry in the Imperial Valley of California. When talking with her, she will humbly tell you stories of lives being transformed by the love and hope of Jesus through her work and others. She…
