Biblical Background
The people of Zambia are dependant on God for their day-to-day needs, and are very open to hearing the gospel. We see it as a wonderful opportunity to be able to share the love of Jesus with children in particular, and to be able to attribute any assistance they are getting, to the fact that God cares for them and uses us (who are blessed) to help them. When we educate children in the future, our own school will be focused on biblically based education, with Christian teachers employed. This is so that we know the children are being grounded in what we see as the most important thing in life – understanding that Jesus is their Saviour.
We believe that Christian education is the most important step in giving children a future filled with hope and good prospects. Giving children a good education will enable them, in the future, to help others in their communities.
There are many verses and passages in the Bible that talk about helping those in need. Some of the biblical references that guide the thinking behind our organisation are:
1. In regards to giving and helping those in poverty / need:
Proverbs 21:13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Jeremiah 22:16 "He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD.
Acts 20:35 ...by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive."
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
Matthew 25 (The Sheep and the Goats)
31When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
2. In regards to the understanding of Jesus as our Saviour and the importance of teaching this to children in our care:
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
3. In regards to the importance of education:
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
*Taken from the New International Version
So when children wonder what motivates us to help them, we can respond in a way that helps them understand Jesus’ love for them.