Is clean water the solution to poverty? Or is it health care? Education, perhaps?

In this audio episode, Wendy McMahan speaks from years of experience in serving vulnerable communities and observing transformational development through the work of Food for the Hungry.

Journey with Wendy as she unpacks what it means to “consider the poor.” (Psalm 41:1) God’s solution to poverty just might surprise you.

Items mentioned in this episode

• Generous Justice by Tim Keller
• Sponsor a child

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All too often, women are the face of poverty and injustice. More women and girls have been killed in the last 50 years by the hands of gender-injustice than men were killed in military battles in the last 100 years. At least one in every three women globally has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.

In this episode, Jayme Cloninger, Public Policy Consultant for FH, shares about the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA).

Read about the Learn, Speak and Give Campaign.

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Anne Brown reveals the invisible causes of poverty: ideas. Examples from Guatemala, Zimbabwe, and India show the transformational effects that biblical ideas can have on impoverished communities—and the tragic consequences of destructive ideas.

Anne Brown is Regional Manager of Global Engagement at Food for the Hungry. If you enjoyed this episode, listen to Anne share the benefits of having personal relationships with the poor.

Also mentioned in this episode! Audio from Summit 2010: The Truth about Poverty is now online. Check out the workshops below.

The Truth about Child Sponsorship with Jewel Anita Hendrix
The Truth about Physical Poverty with Victor Cortez
The Truth about the Human Soul with Paul Wilson
The Truth about Serving with Steve Corbett
The Truth about Prayer with Darryl Delhousaye
International Staff Panel with FH field staff

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There are 132 million orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. In some parts of Sub-Saharan Africa,  one of every ten children is an orphan. The need for orphan care is staggering. In this interview, Chad Mower shares about a unforgettable 13-year-old he met in Ethiopia while on an open team. It’s a story of finding hope in a tragic situation.

Chad Mower volunteers as an Advocate with Food for the Hungry. He lives in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

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Questions and answers about gifts in kind. Are handouts ever appropriate in community development?

Andrew Crawford and Cameron Calabrese work for Gifts in Kind Resources at Food for the Hungry, a department that handles non-cash items going to other countries. In this interview we discuss if and when “handouts” are appropriate, a case study in charging a small amount rather than offering a handout, and Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda. Andrew and Cameron ask, “When was the last time you thought about Bangladesh?”

E-mail Cameron to learn more about shipping costs.

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This episode is the first in a series called “Laying the Foundation,” an update on the introductory episodes of Poverty Unlocked.

Poverty started in Genesis. It was solved by the Christ’s work on our behalf. Because of Christ’s work, poverty can be overcome today, and it will be completely solved when God brings about a new heaven and earth. Understanding the Biblical story of poverty helps us to understand how Christians should respond to injustice and worldwide needs.

Read Walking with the Poor by Bryant Myers to learn more about these foundational concepts.

Contact Wendy to request the new Poverty Unlocked 4-week curriculum for small groups and Sunday School classes.

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People who live in poverty are experts on how to get through tough economic times. Here are some tips learned from people who live on less than two dollars a day.

Mentioned in this episode: Rooftop and Urban Gardening, a resource from ECHO

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Two billion people worldwide are affected by parasitic worms. These worms keep children’s bodies from absorbing the nutrients they need from the food they consume, affecting physical and intellectual development. In this interview, Karen Neiswender discusses the combination of interventions needed for children infected by worms: treatment, education and prevention.

Karen Neiswender provides technical support and training in the area of health to Food for the Hungry’s Child Development Program staff.  She develops health education curricula for FH staff to use with school age children.  Karen also collaborates with a Health Ministry Services Team to provide necessary support to other FH health programs.  Previously, Karen served as a Hunger Corps missionary for over four years in Guatemala, working with children and their families at the community level.  Karen’s professional background is in nursing and public health, focusing on maternal and child health.

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Ideas for getting past selfishness and self-absorption with our children.

God wants His people to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with (their) God.” (Micah 6:8) These principles are the opposite of our culture’s reality, where value is placed on possessions and exalting oneself. This episode offers principles and practical ideas for training up children with God’s heart for the poor.

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Carolyn Wetzel shares a tool called the Care Group Model, which mobilizes community members in developing communities to share health information with one another. It’s a low-cost, highly effective, far-reaching way to save children’s lives. Carolyn also discusses the biblical truths communicated by the innate structure of care groups.

Watch a PowerPoint presentation describing care groups.

Carolyn Wetzel is Health and Nutrition Programs Coordinator at Food for the Hungry.

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