Johana

Recently I've placed a challenge before people asking them what $1 a day means. I believe that one dollar a day, or $30 a month can literally change lives in Torino. When speaking about this challenge many bring up supporting children in poverty-stricken countries. So, to contradict the "wise" proverb: "do as I say, not as I do," I decided to also take up the $30/month challenge - giving $30 a month out of my salary, in the place of whatever pleasure I may like - this time, however, by supporting a child a very impoverished situation through a Christian organization.

I'll call her Johana. She's eight years old and her parents can hardly provide for her and her brother. She does not go to school, but instead works at home by caring for the animals. She lives in a village in Europe. My welcome packet said the following: "Your sponsership commitment will help provide [Johana] and her community with clean water and improved healthcare facilities. Your support eill also help your child receive a quality education." In the letters I plan to write to her, I hope to shine Light in her life and Hope. But one thing is radically different between sponsering a child and bringing Light to Torino:

In my letters to Johana, I cannot name the name of Jesus.

The welcome packet told me that some countries are sensitive, and supporters are asked to refrain from talking about Jesus. So I wrote to the organization and asked if this was the case in her country. This was the reply: "At this time [her country] is considered a sensitive country and we ask that you refrain from mentioning Jesus or Christianity in your communications
with [Johana]."

And so while my $30 a month will help this child tremendously in this life - what about the next? What use is it to give someone fresh water and withhold Living Water (Jn 4)? Or teach them to harvest grain but tiptoe around the Bread of Life (Jn 6)? Give education, but not purpose (Eph 1; Rom 12, et. al.)?

I purposely chose a child in Europe so that after some time of communication I may visit the child and take the risk upon myself of sharing the Hope of life with Johana and her family. Money can only go so far. We can send money to dig wells, to provide food and housing, to improve cities. But unless we send people, unless we send the message of Hope, we do nothing but humanitarian aid. And humanitarian aid falls short of work that is of Kingdom value - that is, God's kingdom.

And that's why I'm not just asking people to send money to Torino, but to send me and my team so that we can share the good news of Christ's substiutionary death and glorious resurrection that brings forgiveness and hope to a people who, though they have running water, electricity, jobs and homes, do not have God.