We sometimes get questions from donor partners about whether a primary goal of World Vision's work is to bear witness to Jesus. The answer is a resounding YES. This commitment is reflected in our mission statement: “World Vision is an international partnership of Christians whose mission is to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice, and bear witness to the good news of the kingdom of God.”
We provide clean water in the name of Jesus Christ in response to his words in Matthew 25:35, “I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.” That's why we're committed to reaching 50 million people with clean water by 2030 and finishing the job of reaching everyone, everywhere we work in Rwanda, Zambia, and Honduras with clean water. And that's why we're committed to improving health for 18 million people by upgrading 2,000 health clinics by 2023.
We respect the dignity of all people as fellow image bearers of God, so we do not exploit the vulnerability of the people we serve or use our programs to force conversions. Rather, we serve every person we can, of any faith or none, and seek to work in ways that encourage people to respond to the gospel–often taking opportunities presented by our water and health work to share about the living water offered by Jesus.
Here's an overview of how World Vision bears witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in life, deed, word, and sign:
Life: Through our Christian identity and presence, we confidently witness to the truth of the gospel in ways that are appropriate to each context, with the hope that people will see Jesus in us and be drawn to Him (Matthew 5:16).
Deed: Through our water and health work, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God's unconditional love for all people, and in response to Jesus' call in Matthew 25:40 to serve "the least of these brothers and sisters of mine." We help ensure access to clean water and health for all people in the name of Jesus.
Word: World Vision invests in training to help equip our staff to share their Christian faith as opportunities arise. In the implementation of our programs, there are many opportunities to share our faith and the reasons for the work we do. We call these “recognizing sacramental moments” and they may include community gatherings prior to drilling a borehole or when commissioning a new water point, health clinic, or school. In addition, we partner with local churches and organizations to provide biblically based resources and training to support ongoing ministry (more on this below). This investment in training applies to both our international and U.S. staff. For example, all U.S. employees are trained on how to write and speak about the Christian faith that motivates us.
Sign: We pray for and expect answers to prayer, pointing to God's miraculous provision–and He does provide! You only have to look at the miraculous impact of our water and health efforts to realize He is enabling more than we could ever have expected.
"Jesus: The Source of Living Water"
As part of our witness through word, we have developed a tool that helps build the capacity of local Christian churches through the lens of water. "Jesus: The Source of Living Water" was initially created by Dr. Emmanuel Opong, retired World Vision water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) leader for southern Africa, following a vision he received from God. This biblically based training of 90 Bible stories was initially developed in Zambia and is now being used in several other countries. We prepared a 4-minute video to show the impact of this resource that is narrated by Reverend Andoni Phiri of Zambia. He shares how this tool helps people both physically and spiritually. He explains how Ruth, one of the children who received the training, brought her entire family to Christ. And Reverend Phiri shares how, in partnership with World Vision, he has become a more effective evangelist, leading to the significant growth of his church. Here’s the video link: "Jesus: The Source of Living Water"
Christmas greeting from Reverend Phiri
The above video was prepared several years ago. I visited with Reverend Phiri this November and saw that he is doing very well. He calls himself the ambassador for "Jesus: The Source of Living Water" and provided this Christmas greeting.
Prayer requests
Pray for our local operations staff as they work in the toughest-to-reach places in order to follow Jesus' example to love and serve the most vulnerable.
Pray that World Vision's service in communities will bear witness to Christ so that all people can receive His gift of everlasting water.
Pray for God's continued favor on World Vision's water and health programs so that we can continue to be the leading nongovernmental provider of clean water and improved healthcare to the most vulnerable.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
In 2021, 90% of World Vision's total operating expenses were used for programs that benefit children, families, and communities in need. Learn More.
World Vision, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063