Monthly Archives: May 2012

Fighting famine is ineffective aid

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Rich Stearns in Disaster Relief

It’s popular in the press to judge a charity by its efficiency. Donors want to know whether their money is being used effectively, and journalists play a valuable part in keeping organizations accountable. Without downplaying the important role the media play in this respect, I believe the public’s concerns about effective aid would be better served if the press also paid attention to slow-building disasters early on — before they begin claiming lives. Inefficient responses to disasters can cost as much as 80 times more than a well-planned early response....

Change a community: Start with one child

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Shannon Rise in Child Sponsorship

World Vision is at work within 400 different communities in almost 100 countries. That’s where your support becomes food for people who are hungry, clean water, education to give children a better future, and care for the sick. What you see when you visit these places is love in action. You see the manifestation of the love that sponsors have for people they’ve never met. You see it among World Vision staff serving those whom society has brushed aside. While it might not be possible for you to travel to where your sponsored child is, we want to paint a picture of life within his or her community. It’s important to us that you know how your support is impacting...

One year later: Rebuilding normal in Tuscaloosa and Joplin

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Laura Reinhardt in Disaster Relief

Last year at this time, I came home to find an urgent message on the phone from my manager. “Can you be on a plane at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning?” I could, and I was — heading to Joplin, Missouri, after a catastrophic tornado ripped through the town in the late afternoon of May 22, 2011. During my first day on the ground there, a Joplin resident asked me whether I’d ever seen anything like it. Sadly, I had to answer yes. It was the second time in just over a month that I’d covered the aftermath of a deadly tornado....

Shining example: The shoeshine stand that delivers clean water

Posted on May 21, 2012 by James Addis in Stories

Leon McLaughlin’s story might make a script for a feel-good kids’ movie. The plot goes like this: A humble shoeshine man operates from a stand in an important city building. As he shines the shoes of top city officials and business people, he shares his passion for bringing clean water to children around the world....

G8 leaders: Take a lesson on heroism from “The Avengers”

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Rich Stearns in Advocacy, Causes

An evil force was threatening planet Earth. Thousands were dying every day. Millions more were threatened by hunger and starvation. Mothers and children fled the onslaught, but could not escape it. But there was hope. A small group, invested with superhuman abilities, could change everything. If they chose to overcome their personal priorities, this small group could do amazing things. They could save the day. I got back from watching “The Avengers” last weekend. Since that day in 1963 when I bought the first issue of the comic for 12 cents, I’ve been a fan of those superhero tales. But I might just as easily have been talking about this week’s G8 Summit, where world leaders have the power to...