International Child Sponsorship as a Form of Holistic Ministry
Children in developing nations all over the world are currently living in situations of desperate poverty. Not only is poverty still a major issue, but poverty affects children more than it does adults. The majority of all children in the world live in developing nations, and living in such poverty during their foundational years causes these children to begin life at a disadvantage due to very tangible struggles. Without the resources that many in the developed world take for granted daily, children in poverty face challenges such as hunger, illness, and lack of education. Unless they receive outside support, many of these children find themselves struggling to just survive. Christians have a responsibility to care for the world’s poor, as is made clear throughout the Bible. International child sponsorship programs are an effective form of holistic ministry that have a positive long-term effect on the lives of children living in poverty in developing nations. Child sponsorship is holistic because it cares for every part of a person in poverty—spiritual, social, psychological, and physical. By not simply giving hand-outs, child sponsorship programs provide sustainable, long-term solutions to the problem of poverty by empowering people to break the cycle and improve their own lives, as well as their communities.
CMM 499, Capstone
Terry O’Casey
PFB 114
11:30 AM – Noon