In August 2022, monsoon flooding wrought devastation across the region of Odisha, India. Within 48 hours of receiving a request from the local Brethren in Christ conference, we released $12,500 from the Global Compassion Fund to provide basic food and hygiene items for 1,000 families in four districts within the region.
In 2022, we also sent money from the Global Compassion Fund to our partners in Pakistan, providing tarps, food, hygiene items, and blankets to families impacted by devastating flooding.
Providing aid to Odisha is just one example of how the Global Compassion Fund contributes relief and assistance to communities around the world. Although meeting physical needs is important, the heart of the Global Compassion Fund is deeper and can be summarized in Jesus’ prayer in John 17:23b: “So that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Our giving is motivated by the love we have received from Christ and now offer to others.
Structurally, the Global Compassion Fund is dependent on trust. Because trust exists, donations given in advance enable a quick response when needs arise. “It’s a relationally rich thing when we trust each other,” says Jonathan Lloyd, World Missions director. Extending compassion is a witness to what Christ has done for us and an invitation to understand and experience more about the one who is ultimately behind our gift.
An outflow of our shared investment, trust, and calling, the impact of the Global Compassion Fund goes beyond the dollar value of financial assistance provided and continues to impact lives for the Kingdom.
In 2022 alone, $97,947 in aid was distributed from the Global Compassion Fund. This provided relief for people experiencing natural disasters and large-scale emergencies ($62,592), families suffering the effects of hunger ($17,200), much-needed infrastructure projects ($6,851), and other urgent needs that arose throughout our global community ($11,304).
Learn more about the Global Compassion Fund and how you can get involved.
This article was first published in our 2022 Annual Report.
