What is poverty? Who comes to mind when you think about "the poor"? How we think about poverty directly effects how we will engage the poor.
Whether you are preparing to serve in a developing country or just thinking about walking with your underserved neighbors in the city, we've found this resource to be a valuable tool. When Helping Hurts, a book by Steve Corbett and Dr. Brian Fikkert, covers a spectrum of topics from a biblical theology of poverty to practical tips and tools for development.
This book is currently available at our resource table on Sundays.
You can also learn more about the book and various accompanying study guides and classes by visiting their website: www.whenhelpinghurts.org
From Asia Harvest:
Dear Friends,
No doubt you have heard about the huge earthquake that struck a remote area of Qinghai Province, northwest China, last Wednesday.
The damage is centered on the town of Yushu, home to 85,000 people (see picture taken before the quake). More than 90% of the buildings in Yushu have collapsed. The latest reports from China have the death toll at almost 2,000, with many people still missing. The area has experienced more than 1,200 aftershocks in the last five days.
It is hard to imagine a more difficult and remote location for such a disaster to strike. Many of the villages that have been devastated lie at high altitude, and temperatures are below freezing at night. Some of the Chinese soldiers that were sent to help in Yushu have suffered from potentially-fatal altitude sickness. This part of China is home to the Northern Khampa Tibetan people. Most of them lead nomadic lives, herding sheep, yaks and goats on the plateau. In the past we have written about this unreached group in our prayer books. Here is a link to one of our profiles on the Northern Khampa people.
Within hours of the earthquake striking, a team of Chinese and a few foreign Christians travelled to the disaster zone to help. Most of these believers were involved with the earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan Province in 2008. The combination of their loving help and bold witness for Jesus Christ saw thousands of people in Sichuan come to faith in the living God.
In Yushu they [KEEP READING]
On Friday, President Obama signed a bill (H.R.4462) into law allowing charitable monetary donations given for Haiti relief from January 1, 2010 until March 1, 2010 to be deducted from taxpayers' 2009 tax return.
If you are still interested in donating toward The Austin Stone's Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, click here. Paypal has waived all transaction fees, ensuring that 100% of your donations will be directed to the immediate needs in Haiti.
This is a great way to partner with another church in Austin and help serve Haiti!
Hill Country Bible Church is organizing shipments of supplies along with a couple of medical teams they are sending out this Saturday. The flights they have chartered are able to carry up to 13 tons of supplies along with a team of 9 people.
The current need is for volunteers to help here in Austin anytime between this morning at 9am until Friday at 6pm:
If you are able bodied and willing, you are qualified - and if you have a pick-up truck, you will be really loved! You can come for a little while or all day!
Email go@hcbc.com to let them know you would like to help. They will contact you as soon as the supplies come in and the volunteers are needed.