We have been involved with Beyond Ourselves
as a church for about 8 years now and I was asked to write about why churches
should get involved with the work that they do. There are many answers (none of
them short!) to the question but I’ll give it a go and hope you last until the
end of the blog!
Firstly, BO has been there and done it
(they probably also have the T-shirt –there’s definitely a pen because I have
one!) Over a period of years they have worked with, alongside and for the
people of Zambia to make a difference in the lives of children and their
families. Yes, there have been mistakes made and learnt from and Beyond
Ourselves has developed and changed to be the organisation it is today.
However, primarily, BO is about relationships-with the church leaders in
Zambia, the staff, the children, their families and also with schools ,
churches and individuals in the UK.
The charity is not just a bunch of
do-gooders who are inflicting their well-meaning charity on ‘poor Zambians’,
they are a group of people who want to empower Zambians by working with them to
set up schools so that children can get an education and a better start in
life.
Some of the things we as a church have been
involved in are building, painting, medical clinics, registering children for
child sponsorship, holiday clubs, playing, praying, preaching and running Sunday school in the churches,
HIV education…are you still reading?
It’s never really about what we as a church
get out of it, but I honestly believe we receive more than we can give. I
challenge anyone to spend time at one of the schools with the welcoming Zambian
people and not have their life seriously transformed! Challenge to live more
simply, to be grateful for what we have, to have a heart of generosity, to live
a life where faith in God is at the heart of everything. To live only briefly
among gorgeous children who have so little materially but will share what
little they have with you is a life changing experience.
So, if you’re a part of a church that has a
heart to see people empowered to transform their own community, take a second
look at Beyond Ourselves-there are some fantastic people you can meet and
journey with…
By Chris King from Restore Community Church
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