Yesterday, Scott introduced our Complementary Interventions (CIV) program, and today he discusses his goals for CIV.
6. So would you say that CIV benefits the churches?
Absolutely. I believe that Complementary Interventions are one way we are equipping the Church to be the Church. Any of our 4,500 church partners can submit a proposal for a CIV grant. They assess the needs of the community, develop a strategy, and propose that strategy to us. They are then able to implement their solution in a way that blesses the entire community.
7. Besides the church, does CIV utilize any other partnerships in the field?
Often, other nongovernment organizations are in the field, doing things well that we can’t do. For example, Opportunity International is a wonderful ministry that provides financial services to the poor. We knew very early on that our partner churches should not become financial institutions. But by partnering with Opportunity International, we are able to network, to get the word out to the parents of our registered children, and to help them.
Partnership done right is a kingdom principle. We need to work with other organizations that are great at what they do so we can help as many people as possible.
8. How did you get involved with Complementary Interventions?
With my medical background, I first became involved with CIV through the AIDS Initiative. More importantly though, I was drawn to CIV because I completely believe in the mission of holistic child development. So many forces are conspiring against children in poverty. I wish $32 a month was enough to battle all of those forces, but more often than not, it isn’t. I just think about my own family. If I could pay for my son’s school fees, but couldn’t provide the medical care he needed, then it isn’t good enough.
9. What are some of your goals for CIV?
I would ultimately like to see CIV allowing us to care for each child registered with Compassion as we would care for our own sons and daughters. I don’t want to see them suffer unnecessarily. I want them to realize their God-given potential. I would like Complementary Interventions to become seamlessly integrated with each of Compassion’s core strategies.
10. Tell me about a time you’ve seen CIV work well.
I’ve seen so many examples of CIV working that it’s hard to talk about just one. There is one that may surprise some people about how CIV works, though. I heard about a boy in Kenya, whose brother was in our Child Sponsorship Program. This boy had already lost one eye to glaucoma, and the disease was rapidly taking his other eye. But because this little boy wasn’t sponsored, he couldn’t receive the medical care he needed. But what his family didn’t know was that a small allotment of CIV can be used for the medical needs of registered children’s families. So the church stepped in, asked for CIV funding, and now that boy, who would have gone blind, can see.