I really would like to send some money to the starving kids in Africa. Is this biblical and do you think that ‘Feed the Children’ is a good place to send this money too? If you know of a more trustworthy one, please let me know.<\/p>\n\t
“For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always<\/em>” (Mark 14:7).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It is a Christian’s duty to help the destitute when he has the opportunity. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith<\/em>” (Galatians 6:9-10). The key, I believe, is in taking advantage of the opportunities that arise. It is easy to get distracted with reports of disasters on the other side of the world and miss the small, kind deeds we can do for the people right around us. Not that helping others in distant lands is wrong; it is very much a part of helping as well.<\/p>\n
The problem with giving to an institution is that it distances you from the people you help. One of the advantages of helping someone in a time of need is that it gives you an opportunity to let the light of God shine through you. But when you put an institution between you and them, they only see the institution or the money. They lose out on your personal care and concern. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world<\/em>” (James 1:27). The word “visit” is very important. It means personally going to see that their needs are met. Sending money is not visiting.<\/p>\n
If you can’t make it over to Africa to lend a hand for a time, then I would suggest that you find someone you personally trust to carry what you want to send over for you. This is how Christians did it in the first century. “And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us — providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men<\/em>” (II Corinthians 8:18-21).<\/p>\n
One of the questions which always arise when sending money is whether it actually reached someone in need. Again, institutions often fail here by keeping a portion of what you give to help finance their own operation. But when you give the money to someone you trust he can make sure all of it reaches people who need it, and better can tell you on his return about how the people benefited from your gift. If you don’t know of anyone personally, I know of preachers who travel to Africa often.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: I really would like to send some money to the starving kids in Africa. Is this biblical and do you think that ‘Feed the Children’ is a good place to send this money too? If you know of a more trustworthy one, please let me know. Answer: “For you have the poor with you…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[194],"class_list":["post-17954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-benevolence"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":91738,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/employing-our-opportunities\/","url_meta":{"origin":17954,"position":0},"title":"Employing Our Opportunities","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Greg Kline via\u00a0Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 \"Eat your food. There are kids around the world who are starving.\" This may be one of the most clich\u00e9d lines a parent can give a child who is resisting their vegetables. Frankly, it is an attempt to shame\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18989,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/good-credit\/","url_meta":{"origin":17954,"position":1},"title":"Good Credit","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Zeke Flores When I was a much younger man, I wrecked my credit. I made foolish decisions, borrowed more than I should have, and made late payments. Soon, the only ones who would lend me money were the high-rate lenders and even they were wary. It took years to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Good-Credit-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":39988,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-leave-my-money-to-help-the-poor-and-spread-the-gospel-without-it-being-used-for-other-things\/","url_meta":{"origin":17954,"position":2},"title":"How do I leave my money to help the poor and spread the gospel without it being used for other things?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If someone has no family and wants to make a will leaving his estate for benevolent work (helping the very poor, but also spreading the Gospel), how can this be accomplished? I know how to retain a lawyer and get the legalities performed, but who, in the churches of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43351,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-should-i-help-the-homeless\/","url_meta":{"origin":17954,"position":3},"title":"How should I help the homeless?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Sir, I live in a city where there are a lot of homeless people. I need to know what I as a Christian need to do to help them. I give money at my local grocery store that goes to a food bank for those in need, I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50125,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-nephew-spends-everything-he-makes-and-is-always-begging-for-money-to-pay-bills-what-do-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":17954,"position":4},"title":"My nephew spends everything he makes and is always begging for money to pay bills. What do I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read\u00a0your article on giving. Someone asked and you gave a lot of discussion around widows and orphans and want versus need. I have family members who look for ways not to work but continually seek help from us. My nephew and his wife do not go to church.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40453,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-do-volunteer-work-that-may-interfere-with-attending-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":17954,"position":5},"title":"Is it wrong to do volunteer work that may interfere with attending services?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Jeffrey, I want to ask a question concerning non-government operations (NGOs) and volunteer groups. I have this desire to be part of such organizations and groups to help humans and contribute to society and humanity in general. 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