Giving

It's Thursday, so it is time for my post on giving. This week I am choosing to highlight an organization, that again, is taking small gifts and doing huge things with them. The five for fifty campaign, began by Tom Davis. This man has a God given passion for the poor, the orphan, the sick, and the widow. A life changing visit to Russian orphanages was the spark that began this passion. This man loves Jesus and is daily striving to be His hands and feet to a lost and dying world. The basic premise of this campaign is this:

• Spend 5 minutes praying for the poor, orphaned, sick, and widowed
• fast 5 hours per week for these same people
• Give $5 a month to 5 for 50
• spend 5 days a year serving these same people
• Get 5 people to join you

Simple easy things we can all do for the least of these. Want to know what you $5 to five for 50 will do?

• $5 will feed 1 orphan for a MONTH (100 meals)
• $5 will educate 1 orphan for a year
• $5 will buy new clothes for an orphan

Seriously, five bucks will feed a child that is currently STARVING for an entire month. We can't even get one meal at a fast food restaurant for that here. When that money is given to 5 for 50 a child eats for an entire month. How is that for multiplying our "talents" using what God has given us for His kingdom and His glory.

Someone asked, "Well isn't the biggest problem not lack of food, but government corruption that keeps the food from the people?" While this may be true to some extent, it is no where near the complete truth. Believe it or not, there is still famine in the world today. Places like Ethiopia and Haiti are experiencing severe famine today. There simply is no food. Even in the places where there is plenty of food, extreme poverty prevents many form having even one meal a day. There are no food stamps or government programs to provide food for these folks....they simply go without. That is, UNLESS someone like you or me steps up and gives.

Let's assume for a minute, that all the starving people of the world are hungry not because of a lack of food, but government corruption, or even the exporting of their goods to the USA, Europe, and other wealthy nations is why children go hungry. Let's assume this IS truth. Does this excuse us? Will I be able to stand before a holy God and simply reply, "Well Lord you gave them the food and their government took it...it is really not my fault." I don't think so.

I don't think it is any more of en excuse than not sharing the gospel in the USA because Bibles are everywhere, people can read about the gospel for themselves...therefore I am not responsible to share.

We have a responsibility to help the hurting. To reach out and serve them in real and tangible ways. Giving to the 5 for 50 campaign is just one of the many ways to do just that.

You can find out more about Tom Davis and his ministry HERE.

You can find the 50 for 50 campaign HERE.