USA (MNN) — Are Christians obligated to do something about global poverty? Jennifer Vandermuelen with Mission India, says the answer is “absolutely.”
“God is concerned about poverty, and He’s concerned about Christians and what we can do about it.”
Poverty is a global problem and the battlefront is both near and far. Christians are called to fight poverty in Jesus’ name on local and international levels. Mission India combats one of the driving forces of poverty in India – illiteracy.
“A nation of 1.3 billion people, and one in every four of them are functionally illiterate,” Vandermuelen says.
Illiteracy affects nearly every sphere of a person’s life, including work, home, education, finance, and health. Mission India’s Adult Literacy Program helps individuals and entire villages overcome illiteracy’s handicaps. At the same time, Mission India invites U.S. churches to be part of the solution.
“Instead of being like the Pharisee that is on their way to church and passes by the wounded person on the road, I think God is inviting us to stop and to help. And, that provides an entrance to share the Gospel.”
Difference Makers: women helping women
Earlier this month, Mission India held a women’s event in West Michigan called “Difference Makers.” They wanted to mobilize US women to help their sisters in Christ in India. Three weeks later, response cards continue to pour in.
(Photo courtesy of Mission India via Facebook)
“There’s really a momentum that’s starting now, and we’re hoping to continue on with that,” says Vandermuelen.
“We are really excited and want to find some other ways to rally women around sharing the Gospel and breaking the chains of poverty in India.”
Mission India has regional representatives scattered throughout the U.S., Vandermuelen shares. You can start organizing an event at your church by contacting Mission India’s headquarters here.
“It would just be a matter of connecting and figuring out what that would look like in their church.”
Header and story images courtesy of Mission India.
