Carol* is an attorney working in the federal court system.  A long-time supporter of WWCS with a heart for India, she recently corresponded with us about why she feels compelled to help others, and how she does it.  These were her answers to our questions.

WWCS: What (or who) inspires you to give?

C: Scripture, which teaches sacrificial giving, and a desire to share life’s bounties with less fortunate people.  It is only fair to do so.  Certain heroes of mine, including Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Archbishop Oscar Romero, who gave their lives for oppressed people, have also inspired me.  Frederick Beuchner said, “The life you clutch, hoard, guard, and play safe with is in the end a life worth little to anybody, including yourself, and only a life given away for love’s sake is a life worth living.”

WWCS: Do you have a particular region or population you are passionate about? Why?

C: I am deeply passionate about the plight of poor women and children because they often are the most vulnerable members of a society, and statistics indicate that they are disproportionately poor among the world’s population. I wish that I could do more to help them.

WWCS: You are a long-time supporter of WWCS. Why have you chosen this particular ministry?

C: I choose to support WWCS because it makes the Good News of the Gospel available to people without forcing it on them.  WWCS works with, through, and for people regardless of race, faith, denomination, or age, and provides education to children who might not otherwise have access to schooling. The education is a tool for jobs, which in turn provide income for basic necessities.  WWCS directly or indirectly protects, nourishes, and sustains children physically, emotionally, and spiritually. For example, in India, WWCS provides lunch money for poor children, many of whom have an alcoholic parent.

WWCS: How is it that generosity has remained so important to you in these hard economic times?

C: I have been blessed immeasurably with a job that permits me to continue giving even in difficult economic times. Beyond that, the needs of the poor are greater now than ever. There is an ongoing global food crisis due to drought and natural disasters, changes in the global economy, and the use of crops for bio-fuels. Education gives people the tools needed to break the cycle of poverty.

WWCS: What would you say to someone who thinks they have nothing to contribute?

C: Read Scripture (especially the Gospels) and walk with the poor. Educate yourself about the causes of poverty and the issues facing indigenous populations; serve in a soup kitchen; build a school through WWCS or construct a house for the homeless; go on a mission trip or minister to those in your own community; and, above all, pray for the poor, for the people and organizations who serve them, for people in positions of authority here and in other countries, for permanent solutions to poverty, and for increased sensitivity to those in need.

*At her request, this supporter’s real name was not used in the published interview.  She wishes to remain anonymous.

Do you feel compelled to give?  Tell us why by commenting on this post.