Celebrate Kickoff Sunday for focus:poverty on January 30, 2022

by Craig Waddell

To make a positive difference in the world, the BGAV family is focusing on poverty in the Chinandega Region of Nicaragua. As we introduced at the 2021 annual meeting, we have entered into a new partnership with Food for the Hungry (FH), an organization with a solid reputation for sustainable, mutually transforming community development. They work with local, indigenous leaders, engaging in community partnerships and child sponsorships. Their goal is “to graduate communities out of extreme poverty” based on a timeline of 7-10 years.

Already several BGAV churches have entered into partnerships with specific Chinandega communities. Grandin Court Baptist in Roanoke had the first launch Sunday on October 21. On December 5, East End Baptist in Suffolk and First Baptist Church of Alexandria will celebrate their respective launches. Several more are preparing for launches in early 2022.

All our churches and individuals are invited to be a part of this effort, and there are four main pathways for being involved:

1. Prayer – Prayer keeps us centered in God’s leadership and helps us rise in faith to the task at hand. You can pray for the communities of Chinandega as well as for this partnership. Pray that we could begin the new year with at least 100 BGAV churches participating at some level.

2. Church-to-community partnerships – Your church can assist a specific community as they work toward graduating from extreme poverty. FH can facilitate mutually transformative service trips or visits for you to be with your community, in which you can engage with community members as they work toward building a sustainable future.

3. Child sponsor Sunday - Host a Child Sponsor Sunday for children from the region we partner with. The welfare of its children is a good indicator of a community’s health, and everyone is served when a community is able to care for its most vulnerable members. That’s why FH does much of its work through child sponsorships.

4. Invest in sustainable change – You can donate toward a specific development project in the Chinandega Region.

Will your church participate in the kickoff for focus:poverty on January 30? Sign up at BGAVmissions.org/focus-poverty and your church will receive instructions, materials, and child sponsor packets for engaging with the communities in Chinandega. Please contact craig.waddell@bgav.org with questions.

Together for others--let’s make a difference!

Craig Waddell is BGAV’s Partnership Coordinator.