Communication Strategies (cont'd)

Continuing in my series of communication strategies for Christian Aid's "Christian Aid Week" I will now explore the element of letting the followers see where the money is going. This is powerful because it puts faith in the followers to know exactly where their money is going to and how it's effecting the world around them.


You can see by the graph that they break down every area where the money goes into Christian Aid. On top of that they also share stories about lives that have been affected by the money that has supported them. Testamonials can be a very powerful influencing tool, especially when followers read stories about how a portion of their money is making a difference. You can read the stories here.

Christian Aid also has a section for people to tell stories about what they are doing for their personal Christian Aid Week. This galvanizes followers and creates a hub to share ideas and spread innovation and creativity.

Christian Aid Continues to Network

Christian Aid is a very powerful organization that understand the power of networking. By working with many organizations, locally and globally, they are able to reach a larger audience.

During Christian Aid Week they are giving their followers many ways to get involved. According to their website you can get involved in a variety of ways:

• You can donate online
• You can host a fundraiser in your church
• You can host a fundraiser in your community
• You can host a fundraiser in your schools
  

By creating different opportunities Christian Aid has allowed their volunteers to lump together their volunteering with something that they are already a part of. So instead of asking them to throw something else onto their already busy plate, they are asking them metaphorically just add a topping to the plate they are already eating from.

They are not disturbing their "rhythm of life" by asking them to add something else, but continue in their daily rhythm and combine it with Christian Aid fundraising.

Another factor that they tap into by doing this is creating a grassroots feel to the movement. They are "putting it back into the hands of the people" in some senses. This is powerful because again it's a nonverbal sign that Christian Aid trusts its volunteers to come through for their organization. This empowers and puts a sense of urgency on its followers to want to serve and give back.

The Power of Rhetoric

Recently, I wrote about how Christian Aid Week was coming up and how it will be used as a fundraising campaign for Christian Aid. So in the next few posts I’m going to explore the different communication strategies employed by Christian Aid.

First, I want to talk about the rhetoric that Christian Aid uses. The implied we is lathered on heavily in their rhetoric. Take a look at this section from Christian Aid Weeks website, it states:

You are Christian Aid Week

It's the passion and dedication of hundreds of thousands of you who give, act and pray every year that makes it such an extraordinary stand against world poverty.

This is your chance to change the world.

How powerful is their wording? They begin by saying YOU are Christian Aid Week. That implies that Christian Aid is counting on you because this week is about you. Christian Aid is appealing to their followers seemingly saying that if we (Christian Aid) need you. They continue to stress that it’s their time, energy, effort and finances that go towards eliminating poverty in the world and how this is YOUR chance to change the world.

This is masterful wording on the part of Christian Aid because it makes their volunteers feel needed. The volunteer reads this and thinks to themselves, “Wow, they really need me individually to make this work. This is a combination of us working together to eleviate poverty in the world. I truly can make a difference.”

If organizations such as Christian Aid are able to create unity and create a need from their volunteers they are off to a good start. Christian Aid does this with their rhetoric.

Communication Strategies for Lobbying the 'Big Four'

In my last post I discussed how Christian Aid is beginning to lobby the 'Big Four' accounting firms to get them to change the tax laws, so that large corporations that work globally will be held more accountable about where their money is going.

They only way to change the laws though is to get the government and these companies on board. Christian Aid understands that the London-based International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) sets the rules for every company registered in Europe.

“The Big Four are key members of the IASB, with substantial influence on decisions that set the international accounting rules,” according to Christian Aid. So they know for changes to be made that must pressure the government, but also the members that have vital influence in the financial sector.

However, up to this point none of the ‘Big Four’ desire to change things. So Christian Aid is asking for all their followers to email these corporations to pressure them into making a change for the good of impoverished individuals.

Personally, I believe this to be a good step, but I don’t know how effective it truly is. You can show that your organization is truly passionate about the subject, but these corporations don’t truly care as long as they are making money. Christian Aid will probably have to do something more drastic to create a public outcry. However, I understand that exposure is a big deal and if they can get more exposure on the issue by sending out emails, press releases, You Tube videos it does create momentum.

I just don’t know how far their momentum can take them and this is the area in which having a variety of different causes can hurt them. I say that because with so many different followers there can be individuals volunteering in your organization that are more passionate about one area and not concerned with another. So Christian Aid might lose some of its force if it can’t gather all of it’s following to send emails.

Christian Aid Lobbies the Big Four

Christian Aid continues to lobby the ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and KPMG.

They are calling for the members of Christian Aid to email the ‘Big Four’ to fight for new accountancy rules. “Currently, accounting rules only call for companies to declare one figure for the amount of profit they make worldwide,” declares Christian Aid. However, Christian Aid is demanding “multinational companies must account for their profits on a country-by-country basis.”

The changes that Christian Aid are demanding for are very reasonable. The way things are now, with the companies only having to account for their profit worldwide, allows the door wide open for tax dodging and evasion. In so doing, they are getting away with not paying billions of dollars in tax that should be pouring back into countries. This ultimately keeps poor countries from developing because the money they should have coming into their economy isn’t coming in.

Christian Aid is already lobbying the UK government to act, but they understand they must pressure the financial sector as well.

In the next post I will explore how Christian Aid is doing this and discuss whether I feel that it’s effective or not.

Upcoming Christian Aid Week

Christian Aid puts on a fundraising week called Christian Aid Week (very creative) from May 10-16 May 2009. So for the next few weeks I’m going to explore the different ways that Christian Aid fundraises and how they employ communication strategies.

You won't want to miss out!

Present Aid- Gifts that Keep Giving

Present Aid is a branch of Christian Aid's organization that focuses on giving gifts to the less fortunate. The site http://www.presentaid.org/page/home allows individuals to buy gifts ranging anywhere from animals, to education or transportation.

This is a great way for members to feel like they are contributing with their finances. For some members they may not be able to contribute hours upon hours of time, but they will donate money to the cause. Christian Aid makes giving more purposeful by allowing the shopper to donate for a specific cause.

Some organizations just ask for donations; however, with Present Aid the members can say specifically that they would like to buy an education gift pack so that kids in poverty stricken areas can expand their minds. This empowers the shopper and gives them greater say so in where their money goes. This was a brilliant move on Christian Aid's part.

Click here to watch the video to learn more.

The Benefit of Christian Aid's Press Releases

One of the communication strategies from Christian Aid is that they have a regular press release that discusses all that Christian Aid is doing throughout the world. It doesn't only describe what they are doing but it also describes areas they feel need more attention.

I believe this to be a great communication strategy and it's especially essential for group communication. When organizations get larger it's harder for individuals to hear all the different stories of what's going on within the different areas. However, when you have stories of great success the organization can write to all of it's "followers", so that all can be encouraged by the success. When individuals in the group here about the story it's fuel for the flame, or in other terms the inspiration to keep going. It also creates a team atmosphere because it motivates individuals that their team is making a difference in the world. It bonds the organizations followers together on multiple levels.

On the flip side they also can write about their failures to ask for support. At times when Christian Aid puts out a release of where they have fallen short it creates within the followers a resolve to keep pressing. It motivates them to keep striving until they get the "victory" they desire.

Overall, I believe having a press release to keep all of your followers on the same page is an effective communication strategy. I've seen it work at the company I work for and I can assume that it's effective for Christian Aid as well.

Passion for my Faith and Desire to Live It Out

I was baptized when I was in the 6th grade, but I feel that I became a believer when I was 15 years old at an FCA camp. Ever since then I've been passionate about my faith. I truly believe that Jesus died for my sins to give me life, not just life eternally but also abundant life right here and now.

Now when I speak of abundant life I'm not saying if I believe in Jesus I'm going to be rolling around in my Lamborghini and live in my mansion in Orange County. However, I believe that an abundant life is a life filled with joy and contentment. A life that has been redeemed and renewed. A life where the brokenness has been healed and forgiveness has been received and given.

That is why I love the prayer that Christian Aid wrote. I do believe that God is redeeming all things to Himself. That He desires to heal nations, to protect the vulnerable and to restore health and vitality back into His people. That because of His love for us we can dare to believe there is hope in this world. We can dare to believe that things can be different.

So I'm passionate about my faith and I'm passionate about living it out. I'm passionate about bringing "life" to all people through my faith in Christ, which I see the same heart and vision with Christian Aid.

Prayer for Sri Lanka

I really enjoyed the prayer written by Christian Aid in light of Easter for Sri Lanka

Pray for Sri Lanka this Easter Sunday.

Risen glorious king,
Healer of nations,
Heal Sri Lanka.
Raise up the poor, protect the vulnerable and restore to safety all who have fled in fear.
Give your peace to the people; your wisdom to the government; and your mercy to rebel and army soldiers alike.
As we celebrate your resurrection life, and your conquering of death,
May there be an end to the suffering and violence that threaten precious lives in Sri Lanka.
We ask these things because of all you suffered, crucified Lord.
We dare to hope for peace, because of your great love.
Risen, glorious king,
Healer of nations,
Hear our prayer for Sri Lanka.

Amen.

Christian Aid's Network

As I've studied Christian Aid this year I've become more and more impressed by the work that they do. They challenge the government to radical accountability so that those in other countries can have a chance, a chance at equality, a change at getting their voice heard, a chance simply at life.

I feel that they are doing the best they can to get their message heard. They use the power of the media to their advantage and networking might be their most powerful tool. Christian Aid seems have their hands in many fields, but they also partner with many organizations to create synergy.

I love that they partner with other organizations to have a "louder voice" so to speak. By not just standing alone they maximize their resources and have the opportunity to resource small organizations that might not have the ability to spread the word as rapidly as Christian Aid does.

The importance of networking can never be stressed enough. Christian Aid is a perfect example.

Problem with Semantics?

So a friend of mine, who is a passionate activist, looked over my blog and had a question about Christian Aid's stance on rights and justice. She has an issue with the wording that they desire to give "power" to the people. She says that as an activist she desires to give the people resources to better their life, but not necessarily the "power" to become the dominant force. That we should strive to create equality within the government to where those who are in poverty have a chance to rise out of their situation and create a better life for themselves. That the word "power" has the connotation of being oppressive, which she admits is not always the case, but more often than not.

I would agree with my friend that we do have to be careful as activist to watch the semantics that we use. However, after studying further Christian Aid has this to say:

The victory is a good illustration of one of Christian Aid’s major concerns, giving people power - giving people the information, skills, tools and confidence they need to get what they need from those in authority and ensuring that local leaders and government officials listen and respond to people living in poverty.

I believe that Christian Aid would agree in social theory, yet choose different wording for the same idea. It seems as if C.A. desires to empower the people by education them and showing them that they can create a world in which their voice is heard and not drowned out. I don't believe their desire is to give them full reign or control over a government. More just control over their ability to be heard.

All a misunderstanding in semantics.

Issue Five: Rights and Justice

The last, but definitely not least, of the issues that Christian Aid fights for are rights and justice for those who are impoverished. To Christian Aid the “root cause of poverty is a lack of power,” and those who are trapped in poverty have little to no say in what the government is implementing. They say that corruption and human rights violations are the symptoms of the power imbalance. It’s estimated that $1 trillion spent each year on bribes-including bribes paid by firms and ordinary individuals.

Christian Aid helps by getting into the fight by helping those who have no voice get their voice heard. They strive to empower the people of the country to step up and hold their government accountable.

To date, C.A. has served in Afghanistan helping women get their voice heard while supporting Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic get access to health and education. They are also actively engaged in Bolivia, Colombia, and India just to name a few.

To study more in depth click here to read their policy papers on rights and justice.

Put People First March in London

Christian Aid supporters took part in the Put People First March in London, where they challenged the G20 leaders to raise the importance of jobs, justice and climate change at the top of their agenda.

Christian Aid’s agenda looks like such:

They desire a transparent economy- A transparent economy would look like institutions becoming more open with their books and business dealings, so that poorer countries will not be deprived of unpaid taxes. By holding organizations more accountable these poor countries will receive the money that should be coming into their economy in the first place.

They desire a green economy- Global warming is affecting affluent countries, but how much more is it affecting poor countries? When there is a drought in prosperous countries we just cut down on how much water we use. In poor countries a drought means loss of jobs, food and life. By challenging the government to work harder to create a ‘green economy’ we not only create a higher standard of living for future generations, but we allow those poorer countries to simply live.

They desire a fair economy- Poor countries must be empowered to work their way out of poverty. They do not need to “jump through loops in exchange for aids and loans.” By continually allowing unfair trade we create an economy where the cycle of poverty will not only not end but will continue to deteriorate.

Christian Aid Appealing for Help

Christian Aid has launched an appeal for the Sri Lanka Crisis. The fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger separatist has led to 100,000 to 200,000 civilians to be caught in between. Thousands of men and women are being killed daily while roughly 2,000 a day are fleeing the country to transit camps.

This is where Christian Aid has stepped in because these camps are not adequately prepared to provide relief for the mass influx of people. So they are calling out to the nation for help through funding.

You can help by donating here.

Issue Four: Trade

A problem that Christian Aid sees is the problem of unfair trade on a global scale. Ultimately, rich countries are exploiting poor communities in developing countries who will take any price just to have money. International trade is worth $10 million per minute, yet poor countries only account for 0.4% of this trade.

What is C.A. doing about this issue?

C.A. believes that “…[t]rade must be used to help bring an end to poverty—not deepen and prolong it.” So now they are demanding that that EU stop insisting that its former colonies open up their markets through the economic partnership program. They are also fighting for fair trade policies be put in place to protect developing countries from being subjugated to more wealthy countries and their demands.

Christian Aid using Celebrity Endorsement

Christian Aid has employed the use of celebrity endorsement to help create traction for their yearly Christian Aid Week. Soap Star Kara Tointon is endorsing “Quizaid” which is a fundraising event for C.A. to raise funds for the worlds poorest communities.

Kara said, “'I hope all the pubs, clubs, churches and community halls up and down the country get quizzing for Quizaid,” she continued, 'Having seen some of Christian Aid’s work myself in Zambia, where I saw children who have been orphaned by HIV given homes and care, I know how vital this money is.”

Celebrity endorsement can have a huge effect on organizations. We see celebrity endorsement ranging from star athletes and actors endorsing the well-known (Nike) to the obscure (used car lots).

The question I ask is should nonprofits be paying celebrities to endorse their “name” so to speak?

Personally, I don’t think they should. Unless the celebrity is willing to do it for free I don’t see the point. As an organization you are raising funds so that you can give to developing countries and those in need financial support. Not to mention money to support a highly underpaid workforce, an underpaid workforce of men and women who are giving up the pursuit of “riches and wealth” to serve the less fortunate. So to give a celebrity money just to endorse your name is not the best use of your finances as a nonprofit. Are there benefits to celebrity endorsement? Absolutely, I’m just against making the rich richer while the ones who you claim to support fail to find food for the day.

Here me out now: I’m not saying this is what Christian Aid is doing this is just a personal opinion of mine. I will have to study more to see whether Kara was paid or not. I’m just against nonprofits who support the less fortunate giving payoffs to already more than fortunate celebrities.

Issue Three: Conflict

One of the most devastating events to countries attempting to develop is conflict. Conflict destroys communities because instead of pouring money into economic development the money is going toward weapons or medical aid. Christian Aid has been involved with humanitarian aid since its founding in May of 1945 where it started to rebuild Europe after the effects of WWII.

Christian Aid (C.A) has been involved in many humanitarian efforts over the last 60 years from Vietnam to Darfur where they have helped those caught up in the middle of the conflict. However, they do more than just bring in humanitarian aid…they desire to speak out against what they feel is unjust.

Most recently they have speaking out against the Isreali blockade of Gaza. A blockade that C.A. states is “…[s]trangling the economy of this Paleistinian territory and denying civilians sufficient access to food, clean water and basic healthcare.”

They also call on the international community to exert politic influence on political parties involved in the conflict to find resolutions to end the discord.

A great aspect of C.A. is that they do more than just aid in the effort to end the conflict, but they also stay in the country to help them develop. To them “a return to peace is often just the beginning of our involvement in a country.” They understand that their goal is to help communities rebuild their lives and work towards “peaceful, long-term development.”

Overall, C.A. desires to sustain peace, provide a culture of reconciliation and then rebuild a stronger quality of life.

Issue Two: HIV

Another issue that Christian Aid deals with is HIV. HIV is a deadly epidemic known worldwide. 11,000 people are infected every day, and 7,500 die each day as a result. What we don’t calculate into those statistics is that those that die are fathers and mothers that leave millions of children with no parents to raise them.

How does Christian Aid help? Christian Aid has 250 partner organizations that they connect with in over 40 countries. Their priorities in dealing with HIV are:

• HIV work in fragile states, and in conflict and post-conflict areas
• HIV and nutrition/food security
• HIV work with and for young people
• Support for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV
• Community-based HIV care and prevention

They also implement the SAVE approach which incorporates the ABC approach (Abstinence, Be Faithful, and Condom use) as well as educating men and women in different countries about the disease.

If you want to get involved you can donate to the fund by clicking here.

Liberal Judaism Joins Forces with Christian Aid

Christian Aid just published recently that they would be joining forces with the Jewish movement Liberal Judaism to promote a new climate change in the Copenhagen Pledge. A climate change deal that would support the poor in the world that are feeling the effects of global warming more than developing countries.

Rabbi Rich, of Liberal Judaism, states: “Climate change affects everyone, irrespective of religion but the poor suffer disproportionately. The threat to ur world is so great that it is vital that Liberal Jews join people of other faiths to lobby for lawas that cut carbon emissions.”

Head of campaigns for Christian Aid Paul Brannen said: “I am delighted that Liberal Jews are showing solidarity with Christian Aid and joining us in crucial activism to stop global warming. We hope this will mark the beginning of ongoing cooperation on a shared campaign issues.”

The interesting element that must be studied here in looking at the rhetoric used is should Christian organizations pair with organizations of other faiths?

There are many fundamentalist that would believe if you call yourself a “Christian” that you shouldn’t do work with other organizations that aren’t of the same faith. So where do I stand as a Christian myself?

I believe to live healthily in a pluralistic society we must learn how to work together. We must be able to work together despite our deep seeded differences. Even though I stand firm in my faith I also stand firm in the fact that we are called to serve the poor. Overall, I don’t see a problem with Christian organizations working together especially over a topic such as working to better improve the world in which we live.

Thoughts?

Copenhagen Pledge

So I'm taking a slight detour from my study of the different issues of Christian Aid to focus on a project they are working on for climate change, which I discussed in my last blog post. They are mobilizing efforts to get people to take the Copenhagen Pledge. This is in response to the upcoming UN climate summit in Copenhagen that will discuss and decide on the methods used to combat the worlds climate change. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and to get as many people to sign the pledge so that they can send the prime minister a list of all the pledges to show the "demand for climate justice".

The pledge requires the people to:

1. Campaign for a fair and just deal in Copenhagen
2. Lobby the richest to repay their carbon debt.
3. Do all I can to reduce my own carbon footprint.
4. Pass this pledge on to my community, friends and family.
   

You can click here to learn more and watch a short video clip on the subject.

Issue One: The Climate

As stated in the earlier post Christian Aid has their funds and resources spread out all across the globe in a variety of different missions. On their website we see that they have five core issues which include; climate change, conflict, HIV, rights and justice, and lastly fair trade. The question that begs to be asked when organizations are this spread out is are they more effective focusing on a few core issues or is a wide spread network more beneficial? Today starts the first day of a series of blogs that will break down every element of those issues and how Christian Aid is involved, then at the end of the series I will diagnose whether I feel this is the most effective coarse of action. The list will not be based on the most important issues to Christian Aid just the format in which they are laid out on their website. Issue number one is climate change.

In many countries the people rely on subsistence farming or farming to make their living. In recent seasons as the dry seasons become longer and harsher the conditions of the soil have become drastically worse. The statistics and implications of this problem is disturbing.

From the Christian Aid website they list these statistics:

• "At the current rate scientist predict that at the current rate of carbon emissions tens of millions more people will go hungry in the next couple of decades as agricultural yields diminish across the globe."
• "If nothing is done to stem a rise of 2% in global average temperature by 2050-they say-250 million people will be forced to leave their home."
• "A one degree Celsius rise by 2020, would see an extra 240 million people experiencing water 'stress'-where supply can no longer be stretched to meet demand.
• "The predicted 1.3 degree Celsius rise by 2025 would see tens of millions more going hungry due to falling agricultural yields in the developing world and rising global food prices"

What is Christian Aid doing about this problem?

Christian Aid right now is partnering with villages in Bolivia, Bangladesh, India, and Tanzania to help create new methods of cultivating soil. Alongside of that they are "campaigning to ensure fair and effective deal for the world's poorest at Copenhagen Climate Conference in December of 2009."

Christian Aid's Large Network: Benefit or Detriment?

Christian Aid is an organization that has their hands in many cookie jars so to speak. Over the next few days I'm going to analyze the different areas in which Christian Aid is involved and then I'm going to wrestle through whether that is the most effective allocation of resources and time. Stay tuned!

Review of the Big Tax Return

Sorry for the lack of posting recently, but the flu and a stomach bug have taken me down; however, I'm back in business and ready to roll. 

I want to take a look at Christian Aid's implementation of the Big Tax Return. First off I just want to say that I think it's a great idea because I believe that business controls everything. Business is where the money circulation comes from by providing jobs and by providing goods to export. Look at the economic dilemma were in right now in the U.S. because business men weren't held accountable, but how much more does bad business ethics effect countries that are struggling economically to begin with? 

If we are able to hold business men accountable for their actions and are able to keep an eye on money we have the ability to limit the amount of business fraud that takes place while also being able to give countries the economic support they need. Sounds like a good plan to me. 

Life before Death: A Galvanizing Slogan

I was meditating on the slogan of Christian Aid which is "life before death" because in class we've been discussing how organizations can use slogans to galvanize or unify their "followers". We have all seen great slogans in our time from Nike's "Just Do It" to M&M's famous "melts in your mouth not in your hands" to most recently President-elect Obama in his slogans of "hope" and "change", but what about Christan Aid's slogan. As I've thought about it more and more I view it as a great slogan. There is a pathos appeal, or emotional appeal, to the phrase. It makes the assumption that all people have the right to life and life abundantly. In my first blog post on Christian Aid I said it like this, " The main claim of Christian Aid is that the desire 'life before death'. Life before death is a motto that is derived from the desire to eradicate all poverty and injustice in the world. They long to give the poor and margnialized of the world hope and now a shadow of hope, but hope that is tangible. Tangible hope through the means of food, clean water, education, health care, and a chance at making an income".

However, now as I've studied more about their organization it's about so much more than that and truly is a rallying cry for their organization. They don't just fight to make things bearable for individuals, they fight to drastically improve lives through many avenues.

As a slogan it grips the heart of their "partners" who desire to give the marginalized and less fortunate of society hope and a brighter future. Deep within their soul each partner feels that their contribution, ranging from being on the front lines to just raising awareness, can make a lasting impact on the world.

What do you think about the slogan?

Multinational Companies Keeping Poor Countries in Poverty

Christian Aid has started a new campaign called The Big Tax Return that is designed to hold multinational companies accountable to the amount of money that is flowing through their business.

Christian Aid brings to life a startling statistic that multinational businesses are getting by with unpaid taxes somewhere in the realm of $160 billion dollars. Yes, you read correctly $160 billion dollars. While this is great for the companies as their wallets get fatter this is continuing to destroy the growth of impoverished countries struggling to just get the simple necessities. That money that should be going back into their countries infrastructure is floating around in some CEO's mansion and yacht.

Look at more statistics provided by Christian Aid on what $160 billion could do for a poor country:

• Enough to reach the UN millennium development goals several times over.
• Enough to save the lives of 350,000 children aged five or under every year.
• Almost twice the amount poor countries receive in international aid.

So instead of our global economy working to bring each other up apparently our businesses are doing there part to keep people down.

Christian Aid reports that at the UN in 2008 British prime minister, Gordon Brown, said we need 'a new global financial order, [founded on] transparency not opacity.' So that's exactly what Christian Aid is striving for.

They are attempting to mobilize their followers to send letters to their representatives asking for the following:

• support an international accounting standard on country-by-country reporting so that companies have to account for where the make their profits and how much tax they pay on them.
• to use its influence to encourage other world leaders to do the same.
• to help the world's poorest countries pay for schools, hospitals, and road.

What do you think about the tactic?

Square One: Christian Aid- fighting for a world free of poverty and injustice

The saying goes that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so I guess you must start at square one before you can progress any further. The first plan of action is to define who Christian Aid is and what they do.

Christian Aid was founded in 1945 originally to offer relief and reconciliation for post-war Europe. Today it has evolved as an organization that focuses on international aid regardless of race or religion.

The main claim of Christian Aid is that the desire "life before death". Life before death is a motto that is derived from the desire to eradicate all poverty and injustice in the world. They long to give the poor and marginalized of the world hope and not a shadow of hope, but hope that is tangible. Tangible hope through the means of food, clean water, education, health care, and a chance at making an income.

While talking about Christian Aid it would be missing a crucial element of their organization if we didn't talk about their faith. The Christian Aid belief statement is as follows:

Christian Aid's work is founded on Christian faith and powered by hope. It acts to change an unjust world through charity, providing practical love and care for neighbors in need. It is driven by the gospel of good news to the poor, and inspired by the vision of a new Earth where everyone lives in justice, peace and plenty.

As one can see Christian Aid's faith is the driving element behind what they do. They desire to give of themselves because Jesus gave of himself. They actually believing in walking the walk and not just talking the talk.

Practically speaking Christian Aid desires to be an agent of change in this world. They have three practical aims which they define as:

1. To deliver real, practical benefits on the ground-they serve where the need is the greatest to end poverty and suffering. They strive for relief and long term development among nations with the greatest struggle.
2. To speak out when there is injustice- they speak out against the government, even at the peril of their own life, to bring about change for those in poverty.
3. To campaign for change-With nearly 100,000 campaigners and hundreds of thousands of supporters Christian Aid tells governments, companies and institutions what part they need to play in ending poverty.

So that's square one of Christian Aid and I will be looking forward to taking the next step with you all as we follow Christian Aid and their efforts to end poverty and injustice.