Comments on: Holistic Child Development

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:47:09 +0000

Hi, Rebecca,

I just read this myself. I don’t know what old school or new school missionary is all about, but I do know what Christ is about.

The real deep issue of poverty isn’t so much a lack of food, or a lack of water, or a lack of employment. Those are symptoms of the real poverty, which is a lack of Christ.

In reality, if someone has Christ they are rich, if someone doesn’t, they are poor. I’ve worked with actors in Hollywood community. Some of them are financially rich beyond compare. They might get lunch in another state with a private plane, because they like the food there. Yet, though they might spend thousands of dollars on a meal, if they don’t have Christ, the little child in the shack, who has Christ is far richer. And there will come a day, when that actor will look at the child with jealousy.

Kees

By: Rebecca Kearney

Rebecca Kearney — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:51:15 +0000

@Kees Boer – Just read this and felt really shocked by the narrowmindedness of it. This is old school missionary speak – Christians release you from poverty and you owe them worship of their god. Dear me. Christianity has caused an awful, awful amount of damage to children since it came into being. Not so holistic, then.

By: Elkana

Elkana — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:49:53 +0000

love children by action not talk only…live with them

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:44:28 +0000

Holistic child development is something akin to helping a child to eat,read/write,learn in a healthy enviroment,just let them be kids 4 awhile and be somewhere safe and where they are loved..Letting them see Jesus in actions and not only words..On a more amusing note “holistic” usually refers to health food and odd alternative therapies!This post I had to read..

By: stephanie joy

stephanie joy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:53:27 +0000

giving them new life on earth (= physical & mental & social needs) and offering them new life with Jesus. hope for today, and hope eternal.

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:11:14 +0000

Yep, that’s it, Mary! Thanks!

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:21:51 +0000

Hi Vicki,
I think the organization you are referring to is Opportunity International.

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:44:54 +0000

You’re absolutely right, Kees. I’ve seen the faces, as you no doubt have, of children whose sponsors do not write. I’ve heard their pleas: “Please tell my sponsor to write to me!” And I’ve listened to a graduate who gradually decided she didn’t have a real sponsor, because other sponsored children received letters and little gifts; not surprisingly, this young woman graduated from the program without Jesus’ having become real to her, either. The letters are the most important part of sponsorship, in terms of what we offer.

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:59:26 +0000

Vicki,

I think that is very thorough. I think that only one part was not mentioned and maybe because in some sense Compassion itself doesn’t provide it, but the sponsors’ letters become very important to the children to help them see that they matter and it teaches them how to express themselves in writing.

Kees

By: Tom Easterday

Tom Easterday — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:21:32 +0000

There is saying, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Holistic child development is teaching children how to break the cycle of poverty rather than just covering up the symptoms of poverty.