Recent Posts

A tale of two droughts

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Rich Stearns in Conversations

Two regions in the world are experiencing severe drought, and yet the outcomes in terms of human suffering are dramatically different. Do you know where these droughts are taking place? And can you tell what distinguishes one from the other? Drought 1: It began in the fall of 2010, yet it persists one year later. Forecasters say there is a 50-percent chance that weather patterns will not change for the next 12 months. In the last century, this region of the world has experienced its driest 12 months ever recorded. Extreme and exceptional drought covers more than 90 percent of the land. Combined with record-high temperatures, the drought is having an unprecedented impact on the region’s economy and the livelihood...

The moral imperative of humanitarian aid

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Kent Hill, Senior Vice President, World Vision International Programs in Advocacy

The following commentary is based on remarks Mr. Hill presented on September 5 at a forum entitled “Reforming Aid, Transforming the World,” hosted by Global Washington at the University of Washington. For more information on Global Washington, visit: www.globalwa.org. “I think back to what Camus wrote about the fact that perhaps this world is a world in which children suffer, but we can lessen the number of suffering children, and if you do not do this, then who will do this? I’d like to feel that I’d done something to lessen that suffering.” —Robert F. Kennedy, in response to a question, a few weeks before his assassination, about how his obituary should read From books to blogs, it has become...

I’ve met the face of AIDS

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Ange St. Hilaire, World Vision Experience: AIDS Tour in Causes, Stories

My name is Ange, and this is my story. The first time I stepped into Africa was in 2004. It was in Kitale, Kenya, on a mission trip. I met a young boy named Andrew. He captured my heart and my soul, and I still think about him often. The first time I “Stepped into Africa” was in 2007. It was at my church in Southern California. I met a boy named Kombo. He captured my heart and my soul, and I think about him often. I know both of these kids’ stories. I’ve seen where they live. I’ve seen their families. I’ve learned their stories. And I feel a strong connection and compassion for both of them. But what’s...

When vision is fueled by grace

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Bwalya Melu, World Vision U.S. in Microfinance

When I met Grace Kapila Shilimbwa in rural Zambia, I had no idea about the story behind the owner of the premier guesthouse in the area. Standing by the recently added feature, a swimming pool, I was deeply curious to find out a little more about Grace’s background and journey. Grace lost her husband in 1996. “My husband was providing for the family, and I was merely supplementing his efforts, but now, things were different; I had to provide all that was needed.” After making several attempts to start a business, Grace sought help from a World Vision microfinance institution called HARMOS. With their counsel, she decided to reposition herself and pursue her dream of starting her own restaurant and...

Report: U.S. poverty rate at highest level since 1993

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Phillip Neal, World Vision U.S. Programs in Causes

For some time now, the struggling U.S. economy has dominated headlines and shaped conversation among Americans. New data released Tuesday in a report from the U.S. Census Bureau, “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States (pdf),” paints an even starker picture of the challenges our nation faces: The U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent in 2010 — up from 14.3 percent in 2009, and to its highest level since 1993. About 46.2 million people are now considered in poverty — 2.6 million more than last year. That’s nearly 1 in 6 people. More Americans were living in poverty in 2010 than at any time since at least the 1950s. The situation has hit black populations the...