What is the Focus of our ministry in Tanzania
We are going to Tanzania to care for the poor and the orphans, people who need to be shown the love of Christ. Lindsey’s mission will be working hands-on with children who have already been victimized by poverty. Children who have lost their parents because of AIDS, hunger, preventable disease and other problems related to poverty. Our ministry will include working closely with the local orphanage to ensure that the children are receiving all the love and care we can provide.
It is clear that poverty is killing the people of Africa. Men and women created in the image of God. People we consider to be our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we go to Africa and just love and care for the people who have been effected by poverty we will be doing something very noble, but once we leave nothing will have changed. There has to be a better way to fight poverty.
Fight poverty
In order to fight poverty we have to understand where it comes from. There is a culture of dependency in Africa that has been created by decades of colonialism, socialism, heavy-government control and foreign aid. The people of Africa have been given just enough to survive for generations; they have lost their entrepreneurial spirit. In many cases they have lost their dignity. While the people of Africa still have a need for education and foreign aid, we believe the only way to really change the community is through business. There is a tremendous need for Christian business people to come into the mission field and use their talents to teach others to run Christ-centered businesses that can change the community.
Business as mission
In the last 50 Years more than a trillion dollars has been given to Africa and it has had almost no effect on poverty. Business as mission is a new way to look at restoring dignity to the people of Africa. The whole concept is based on the idea that in order for the people of Africa to rise up out of poverty they need to develop their business community. The West cannot continue give able-bodied, employable men and women food and money; this is creating a welfare culture. It is apparent that the problems in Africa can only be permanently fixed when Africans tackle them on their own.
When African, Christian businessmen and women are running successful, Christ-centered businesses, they will fight poverty by creating jobs. The money that they bring into the community will support the local church, the local schools and the local orphanage. We believe that business as a mission is the best way to help orphans, the poor and the community as a whole.
Matt will be helping to develop a Christian business training that will teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to start a business or take their business to the next level. The 12-week training will provide many people a new avenue to hear the message of the Gospel that cannot be reached by the traditional church.
