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What does it mean to be a World Vision supporter?
For a good many it means giving money to support the ministry World Vision does in development and emergency relief. For some it means connecting with friends and colleagues to encourage them to become donors, too. For other it means praying, since World Vision’s work cannot succeed without the help and intervention of God. For many it means giving, networking, and praying.
What about calling your Member of Congress?
One of our THRIVE Honduras donors, JD Slaughter, heard about the cuts in US Government funding to Central America and decided to help tackle the problem in a different way. Knowing how devastating those cuts would be to the work of ending both extreme poverty and violence – two of the key drivers of migration to the USA - he talked with his member of Congress. He told Michael McCaul about the World Vision THRIVE work that he and his wife Angie are supporting in Honduras, and about the broad scope of World Vision’s work. He suggested that a different way to address the issues might be to encourage the US Government to support groups like World Vision which have programs in place which are right now solving the root causes of migration to the USA. It seems that Congressman McCaul was listening!
Earlier this month, Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lead Republican of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Committee’s Democratic Chairman, introduced the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act, which supports the people of Central America and strengthens US national security by addressing the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Click here for more detail, including to a link to the full text of the bill.
This bill calls for US Government support for the type of work that World Vision is doing now. It calls for $577 million in funding. THIS is leverage! Nice work JD Slaughter! Now it is our turn.
As is implied from a bill introduced by both Democrats and Republicans in today’s House of Representatives, this bill does stand a chance of moving forward. A bill like this will live or die depending upon how much support it garners. We also know that members of Congress listen to their constituents. Imagine how a member of Congress would respond to something like this?
I writing to express my strong support for the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act (H.R. 2615). I am personally committed to economic development in the developing world. I am a donor to World Vision. I have traveled overseas to see their work. I have learned that it is possible to address the root causes of both poverty and migration. I have seen it. If possible, I would like to meet you to discussion my support for your efforts to support this important bill that is now moving through the House.
“What do I do next?” you ask. First, pray for the bill. Second, now it is time to reach out to your member of Congress and let them know – in writing, with a phone call, in person, all of the these – that this is a bill and an issue that you care about. World Vision has created an easy way to connect with your member of congress. However, consider connecting with your own message and your own voice! Here is one way to connect.
To understand even more, read the next section, too. It is from World Vision’s “Advocacy” team about the bill.
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