Monthly Archives: July 2012

Lopez Lomong: September 11, the day I became an American

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Guest blogger in Stories

In the first installment of the Lopez Lomong series, we shared Lopez’s terrifying experience of being ripped away from his parents by rebel soldiers at the age of 6. After his kidnapping, Lopez was taken to a camp where boys were forced to become rebel soldiers, killing other people, or dying themselves. From there, a series of miracles occurred. Lopez was befriended by three older boys in the camp, who rescued him and fled the camp on foot at night. After running for three days and nights, the boys found themselves at a refugee camp in Kenya. Lopez lived there for the next 10 years, dreaming of what else life might hold and growing closer to God each day. He...

[Sri Lanka Bloggers] A firsthand look at sponsorship from Sri Lanka

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Lindsey Minerva in Child Sponsorship

A firsthand look at sponsorship from Sri Lanka | World Vision Blog

Poverty: It’s a word everyone has heard. Much of the world understands it firsthand. Maybe you’ve personally experienced physical poverty at some point, with its life-depleting side effects — lack of nutritious food, clean water, safe shelter, medical care, or education. Or maybe poverty is a reality that feels distant to you — something you’ve heard of but never experienced for yourself. If you are in the latter category, you might have more questions than answers on the topic: What causes poverty? Why is it so complex? How does poverty affect families and communities? What can I do about it?...

World Vision’s teacher resource center: like Christmas for teachers

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Laura Reinhardt in Causes

World Vision’s teacher resource center | World Vision Blog

I love it when I get to visit any of World Vision’s teacher resource centers in cities across the United States. Maybe it’s because it reminds me of that sense of excitement I felt when I started a new school year, with my brand-new book bag filled with untouched notebooks and unsharpened pencils....

Building backpacks: A tangible demonstration of God’s love

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Laura Reinhardt in Christian Witness

One of the great joys in my job is getting to meet many of World Vision’s great church partners. I met one of these church heroes at a Renton, Washington, church. His name is Alex. He told his congregation that God had planted them right in the midst of people whom they wouldn’t reach if they didn’t get out of the church pews. So, Alex walked across the street and introduced himself to members of the staff at Northwood Middle School. This began a partnership with the school in which people from the church mentor students, and the church also hosts a year-end celebration of the teachers....

Lopez Lomong’s childhood story of terror

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Guest blogger in Stories

Today’s post is the first in a series that recounts the life story of Lopez Lomong, who will run with Team USA in the London 2012 Olympics, with dreams of bringing home a gold medal. While his current life sounds like a dream come true, his childhood was more like a nightmare. Born in war-torn South Sudan, Lopez was kidnapped by rebel soldiers at the age of 6 with two foreseeable futures: being forced to kill as a child soldier, or being killed himself. Part one of the series tells the story of this dark chapter of Lomong’s life. Follow along as we hear from him on his abduction, being adopted into the United States, and the realization of his Olympic...