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Preparing for your SOWER Work Mission trip

Preparing for your SOWER Work Mission trip. S haring O ur W itness E nriching R elationships. Biblical v erse to consider.

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Preparing for your SOWER Work Mission trip

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  1. Preparing for your SOWER Work Mission trip

  2. Sharing Our Witness Enriching Relationships

  3. Biblical verse to consider • Give justice to the lowly and the orphan; maintain the right of the poor and the destitute! Rescue the lowly and the needy. Deliver them from the power of the wicked! • Psalm 82:3-4

  4. Why? Consider this… We reach out to our neighbors in need because it is what Jesus calls us to do. We ask that you come to the Epworth Center as a servant, willing to reach out to those who need help.

  5. A little bit about the area… There are so many things we could share about the area that Epworth Center serves. Here are just a few statistics and some info about Belmont County, Ohio and this Appalachian area.

  6. Belmont County Under Poverty % • Population: 70,151 (2011) • From 2007-2011 the poverty % was 14.2% • This means that out of the population of Belmont County about 10,000 people live in poverty

  7. US Population and Poverty % • Population is 311,800,000 • Poverty % is 15.0% • This means 46,200,00 people are in poverty • Poverty is a real concern.

  8. Unemployment Rate 2012 – 8%

  9. Union Local School District (Bethesda area) - Free & Reduced Lunch Program Number of students in UL= 1,500 % of students on Free or Reduced Lunches= 48% Number of students on program= 720

  10. What does living in poverty mean? Poverty isthe state or condition of having little/no money, goods, or means of support. “Generational poverty is defined as being in poverty for two generations or longer. Situational poverty involves a shorter time and is usually caused by circumstance (i.e., death, illness, divorce). Sometimes generational poverty began with situational poverty. There may have been a series of life events that created a spiral-down effect.” [Bridges out of Poverty]

  11. Did you know? Most Americans (51.4 percent) will live in poverty at some point before the age of 65. Eighty-four percent of low-income families have at least one working family member.

  12. But why? People do not always end up in poverty because of poor choices or lack of work ethic. Sometimes people and areas are taken advantage of by others. Sometimes it is a lack of jobs or education. There are many reasons for poverty. Regardless of the reason, we are working to reach out and make a difference to those in need.

  13. The Bible tells us to… Love the least and the lost [Matthew 25] Love our neighbors as ourselves [Mark 12] Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly [Micah 6]

  14. Appalachia The Epworth Center is in Appalachia – a region in the United States (see picture on following slide)

  15. Appalachia MAP Belmont County

  16. Appalachia / Bethesda area There may be different mindsets. Remember, we don’t all have the same life experiences and ideas. People are generally private.There may be some who have a hard time receiving help. Sometimes people think that “we take care of our own” so they wait to ask for help. This is rural poverty. There aren’t necessarily sections of poverty– you may have impoverished homes in between middle/upper class homes.

  17. Appalachia / Bethesda area Not everyone we help is in poverty. Some people are above the poverty level but are struggling to make ends meet; they may make a decent wage but are unable to afford a home repair. Some people are on a fixed income.This may make it difficult for them to afford repairs on their homes. Sometimes it’s about lack of resources. Tragedy or crisis can hit, making something like a handicap ramp a necessity, but a family has nowhere to turn for help.

  18. “Unspoken / Hidden Rules” People in the middle or upper class sometimes make assumptions that people in poverty do not make. Consider this for an example of mindsets: Some people in poverty would know how to... keep clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat; look for problems in a used car; live without electricity and a phone; use a knife as scissors; entertain a group of friends with stories; move in half a day.

  19. What would Jesus have us do? Remember, we meet people where they are. We may not agree with some of the things they do, but we show them the love of Christ anyway. We may not understand the how or why of what they do, but we reach out to them as we are able. We are the hands, feet and smile of Jesus. Many of our neighbors need more than a building repair – they need relationship. They need relationships with others and, most importantly, with Jesus Christ.

  20. Having a servant’s heart While we work together to make real life change, we know this cannot happen overnight. Sometimes the best we can do is reach out and take a step to make a difference… And that’s okay! Remember that we aren’t all the same, and it’s important to meet people where they are – showing them the love of Jesus Christ through our words and actions. Allow God to work in and through you – and you can and will make a difference in someone’s life through SOWER [and you will find that through reaching out, God will work in your life too]!

  21. Resources used • http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/poverty • http://www.ahaprocess.com/files/StudyGuide_BridgesOutofPoverty-012012.pdf • http://www.ahaprocess.com/files/Quiz-HiddenRules.pdf • http://www.ministrywith.org/learn/us_poverty.html • http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/39013.html • http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/OHBELM0URN • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Ohio • http://www.wvablue.com/diary/3664/ • A special thank you to Becki Smith, a deacon candidate in the Ohio Valley District UMC, for her help in pulling together information and statistics!

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