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Two approaches, one purpose

Why MMS has two different child sponsorship schemes

ANUMBER of people have asked me, “Why does MMS have two different child sponsorship schemes?”

At present you can support a child through the MMS (Methodist Missions Society) for either $30 a month or $90 a month.

Here is the short answer:

 In our $30-a-month scheme, we identify families that are struggling to scrape together enough money to send their child to school. The child continues to stay with his/her family but is given the opportunity of receiving an education. The money is given to the head of the household by one of our pastors who ensures that the children do go to school.

 In our $90-a-month scheme, the child is either homeless (some children are orphans) or comes from a family who is unable to cope or who stays too far from the nearest school. In these cases, the child stays with us 24 hours a day. The extra money is required to pay the salaries of the house parents we employ and upkeep the premises. These homes are filled with the love of the Lord and you can see it in the children’s eyes when you visit them.

Fierce conflict

There is a longer and much more complex answer which I will summarise here (please get in touch with me if you would like to discuss this further).

I have spent many hours listening to the pain and frustration expressed by extremely sacrificial and dedicated people who have a passion to help the less fortunate. This has been the result of a fierce conflict over the best way to help a child.

• Some argue that we must use our limited resources to help as many children as possible and they oppose fiercely excessive expenditure which only goes to help a few children.

• Others treat the children like their own and will do anything they can to ensure that these children develop their full potential.

But in both approaches our purpose is the same: to share the love of Christ with these children and their families in word and deed.

You decide
In our Methodist churches we have many people who feel very strongly one way or the other.

The MMS has developed both schemes to allow for both approaches. You can make a real difference in the life of one child in China, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand or Vietnam through the MMS for either $30 a month or $ 90 a month (actually I have just received reports from the field that $90 a month is not sufficient for the intensive caring homes that we have in Cambodia and Nepal – so we may have to increase that figure in the next financial year).

You do not have to support the child for the whole year if you are unable to. If you can support a child for one month a year – I will look for 11 other Methodists and combine your efforts to give hope to one child. So you decide which approach you prefer and we will help you bring hope to one child.

The Rev Norman Wong is the Executive Director of the Methodist Missions Society.

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Thank you, mission partners and volunteers

ABOUT 80 MPVs (Mission Partners and Volunteers) turned up at the MPV Appreciation Nite 2007 at Sophia Blackmore Hall, Methodist Centre, on Jan 19, 2007.

It was a way for the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) to appreciate and thank all its MPVs who gave their time, energy, resources and expertise selflessly to serve God and His people.

Every MPV is important in the mission of building God’s Kingdom of Love.

An MPV, Ms Tan Wai Jia, 19, read her children’s book “Kite Song”, which she also illustrated. She wrote the book after a visit to Sophia’s Home in Kathmandu, Nepal, and staying with the home’s residents.

About $1,000 was raised that evening for the construction of Sophia’s Home and for the education of the home’s residents.

The Rev Dr Norman Wong, the MMS Executive Director, gave a quick run-through of the MMS’ vision, ministries and missionaries.

The evening ended with every volunteer receiving a Certificate of Appreciation and an umbrella as a token of the MMS’ appreciation.

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