Reality Check
For months we heard little else on BBC than the global financial crisis. But all the while we lived under the illusion that it would not make a huge impact on our ministry with the Mzuzu Crisis Nursery. Perhaps we were living in a bubble. Maybe we have become so attached to our 18 little charges that we could not imagine this vital ministry faltering, even under the weight of collapsing international money markets. Living in this subsistence economy it is difficult to comprehend the enormity of change taking place back home.
No doubt it was inevitable. Sooner or later the global financial crisis was going to become a local budget crisis for those already in crisis—the orphaned/abandoned babies of Malawi. Here at the Mzuzu Crisis Nursery the new global reality has finally hit home. Now the crisis is ours as well.
A recent e-mail from Ministry of Hope (MoH) in the U.S. addressed some financial challenges that lie ahead. “The MoH finance committee met tonight to go over the end of year figures and the financial crisis in the U.S. is having its impact on MoH. Giving is way down and we are having to reduce our monthly allotment. … This is impacting the Mzuzu Crisis Nursery because we thought we had a 5 year commitment from one church and it appears that we do not. We found that out this past week. Thus, at this point, we will need to fund the Mzuzu Nursery from the reduced undesignated pot of money that Ministry of Hope receives every month and is shared." (Among two Crisis Nurseries and 5 orphan care centers).
As you can imagine this creates some formidable challenges. Options being talked about include an equal % salary reduction for all staff. Another suggestion is for MoH to consider illuminating staff positions through a process of “right sizing”. However, many staff members are supporting an unbelievable number of people on their already modest incomes. At best, this is going to be very, very difficult.
Desperate times call for compassionate measures.
We are convinced it is God who has called this Crisis Nursery into being, it is God who has called us to Mzuzu to help guide this vital ministry, and it is God who will see to it that these vulnerable babies are cared for.
“Though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will take care of me.”
Psalm 27:10
To you who have supported these orphaned infants in the past, “may the Lord bless you.”
To you who will decide to continue your support for these little ones, “may the Lord keep you.”
To you who will increase your giving or initiate a gift in this crisis time, “may the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.”
To you who through prayer and action continue to care for the least of these who are member’s of Christ’ family, “may the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
No doubt it was inevitable. Sooner or later the global financial crisis was going to become a local budget crisis for those already in crisis—the orphaned/abandoned babies of Malawi. Here at the Mzuzu Crisis Nursery the new global reality has finally hit home. Now the crisis is ours as well.
A recent e-mail from Ministry of Hope (MoH) in the U.S. addressed some financial challenges that lie ahead. “The MoH finance committee met tonight to go over the end of year figures and the financial crisis in the U.S. is having its impact on MoH. Giving is way down and we are having to reduce our monthly allotment. … This is impacting the Mzuzu Crisis Nursery because we thought we had a 5 year commitment from one church and it appears that we do not. We found that out this past week. Thus, at this point, we will need to fund the Mzuzu Nursery from the reduced undesignated pot of money that Ministry of Hope receives every month and is shared." (Among two Crisis Nurseries and 5 orphan care centers).
As you can imagine this creates some formidable challenges. Options being talked about include an equal % salary reduction for all staff. Another suggestion is for MoH to consider illuminating staff positions through a process of “right sizing”. However, many staff members are supporting an unbelievable number of people on their already modest incomes. At best, this is going to be very, very difficult.
Desperate times call for compassionate measures.
We are convinced it is God who has called this Crisis Nursery into being, it is God who has called us to Mzuzu to help guide this vital ministry, and it is God who will see to it that these vulnerable babies are cared for.
“Though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will take care of me.”
Psalm 27:10
To you who have supported these orphaned infants in the past, “may the Lord bless you.”
To you who will decide to continue your support for these little ones, “may the Lord keep you.”
To you who will increase your giving or initiate a gift in this crisis time, “may the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.”
To you who through prayer and action continue to care for the least of these who are member’s of Christ’ family, “may the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
posted by Paul and Darlene Heller at 5:21 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home