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God’s call to help fatherless, orphans, widows
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Orange, California – The Bible promises that we will see disasters – earthquakes, pestilence, famine, war. In the United States alone, we watched as hurricane Ida ripped a swath through Louisiana and then into the Northeast where dozens of people lost their lives. Fires continue to ravage the west, water shortages proliferate, and homelessness continues to grow.
Across the globe in Afghanistan, nearly 60,000 people have left the country as the Taliban emerged as victors following the hasty withdrawal of American and allied forces. In Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 2.6 million live below the poverty line ($1.90/day). When hurricanes or earthquakes sweep the country, the suffering grows – especially for children.
Lance Wood is a businessman and a numbers guy. He’s a CPA and has spent over 30 years in public accounting (formerly a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers). He is now an area director for the National Christian Foundation (NCF). His specialty is microfinance and as a Christian, he uses it to help the poor, enabling residents to become self-sufficient. Though we expect to see human suffering in the end times, says Wood, we also want to help those hit hardest by disasters . . . and that’s children.
Wood collaborated on a book forwarded by Jim Daley of Focus on the Family that identifies ways to impact a child’s life. In $4.84, The Cost to Impact the Life of a Child, Wood explains how dependency is never healthy – not for adults, children, communities or nations. He has concluded that Christ-centered microfinance is holistic, has the highest impact, and is the most cost-effective way to help kids. Period.
Wood explains that natural disasters (and this doesn’t include war) affects 160 million people globally – every year. Though he believes that immediate handouts are often needed temporarily, the most devastated people need something more. This is where microfinance makes a difference between other-dependency to self-dependency. This builds self-esteem, keeps families together, wards off hunger and disease, and keeps children in school. “Through microfinance, people use small amounts of seed capital to fund viable businesses such as selling tomatoes, baking bread or sewing school uniforms.” In the end, says Wood, we want to reach those who are most vulnerable.
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To schedule an interview contact Don Otis at 719.275.7775
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