Recent Posts

Blogger interview with World Vision on tornado response

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Guest blogger in Disaster Relief

Family photos amidst the rubble in Joplin, Missouri. ©2011 Laura Reinhardt/World Vision

Editor’s note: On Tuesday evening, World Vision blogger Dan King conducted a Skype interview with Romanita Hairston, World Vision’s vice president of U.S. programs, about how World Vision plans to help those affected by tornadoes in the U.S. Heartland, and her recent experience in the tornado zone in Joplin, Missouri. I was sitting in the delivery room with my wife early on the morning of April 28, and we turned on the TV to pass a little time. Flipping over to the news, we saw video of a mile-wide tornado ripping through Alabama. It was part of what’s been termed the “2011 Super Outbreak.” As we were about to welcome a new life into the world, our hearts broke for...

‘The Hole In Our Gospel’ inspires football coach to sell his home

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Lindsey Talerico-Hedren in Stories

My email inbox is notorious for housing second-hand articles from my colleagues about new technology, philanthropy, trends in new media, or nonprofit stories — my typical work-related interests. But last week, several work friends sent me the UGA Sports Blog article, “Mark Richt sells Lake Hartwell property.” When I first started reading it, I was thinking that my colleagues who sent me this must think I’m an avid Georgia sports fan, even though I went to college in California, and have never even visited Georgia (nor do I keep up with college football). My short attention span had just about given up on the article when I read this paragraph about half way down: “Within the last year, I read...

You are remembered

Posted on May 30, 2011 by John Schenk, communications, World Vision International in Stories

Schenk's Uncle Wilfred and his bomber crew. Photo courtesy of John Schenk.

Editor’s note: This Memorial Day, we honor the sacrifices made by men and women in the military — as well as others whose service and sacrifice is equally worthy of recognition, even if it wasn’t done in military uniform. There’s a movement in some quarters to expand the roster of those honored on Memorial Day beyond the veterans of formally declared wars. My uncle returned from World War II a decorated bomber pilot for 24 completed missions, and my father, his younger brother, came back shell-shocked and on the brink of ruin. But for me, it takes nothing away from their sacrifices to honor others this day who suffered and/or died to make a better world, even if they didn’t...

6 reasons to tune into Comrades

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Michael Chitwood, national director, Team World Vision in Child Sponsorship

Runners during the 2010 Comrades ultra-marathon near the 60-kilometer mark. ©2010 Andrea Peer/World Vision

Fifty-six viciously long miles of uphill and downhill, racing a 12-hour ticking clock that could result in either one of the most rewarding or disappointing experiences of your life. Complete the track in time and cross the finish line — but one second too late, and your name won’t even be recorded. That’s the challenge seven Team World Vision runners are up against this weekend at the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. After running the race last year, we’re returning to take up the ultimate cause once again — 56 miles for 56 sponsored children; one sponsored child for every mile of the race. That may be the only reason we need to be at Comrades this year. But here’s...

Why care about the G8 Summit?

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Robert Zachritz in Advocacy

Jennifer holds her baby, Gladys, after washing her with water from the gravity-fed water system installed by World Vision in her village. ©2011 Suzy Sainovski/World Vision

Every year since 1976, the heads of state of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Russia (which joined the group in 1997) have been meeting to discuss the global economy, security, and, increasingly, development issues. These leaders, known as the G8 (or Group of Eight), will hold their annual summit in Deauville, France, today and tomorrow. It can be difficult to understand why citizens of these countries should care about high-level policy meetings like this one. But these meetings set the course for critical priority decisions that affect what programs and issues are addressed, and which ones are set aside. These meetings result in financial commitments made by individual countries....