Missional Resources
Articles and Links
The following links give some background and information on issues of poverty and justice.
Poverty USA tour - The reality of poverty in America
Global Issues - This site provides great background information on many issues related to poverty around the world
“A Modest Proposal” - William Easterly and Jeffrey Sachs provide two different approaches to issues of poverty
Information on Specific Issues
AIDS - Global Strategies for HIV Prevention
Sudan - Genocide Intervention
Homelessness - National Coalition for the Homeless
Clean Water - Water Partners International
Organizations
The following organizations provide information and opportunities to serve and connect with different issues and areas of the world.
World Vision - Child Sponsorship and Community Development
HEAL Africa - Health, Education, and Community Development in Congo
Invisible Children - Involved with child soldiers in Uganda
Global Strategies - Preventing mother to child transmission of AIDS
Kiva - Micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries
Oikocredit - Invest in Oikocredit and earn a small return on your money while helping to provide micro-loans to families in developing contries
Kinship - Mentoring at-risk children in Minneapolis
The Global Fund - Fighting AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Reading List
We recommend several books to become more informed about issues of poverty and the church’s call to care for the least and forgotten of this world:
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger - Ron Sider
Mustard Seed vs. McWorld - Tom Sine
Good News about Injustice - Gary Haugen
The End of Poverty - Jeffrey Sachs
White Man’s Burden - William Easterly
Consumed - Benjamin Barber
Affluenza - DeGraaf, Waan, and Naylor
Movies to Watch
Several films produced over the past few years give a great perspective on poverty and issues of injustice around the world. As we seek to learn how to be agents of justice and mercy, these films help us to understand the world that we live in:
Hotel Rwanda
Innocent Voices
Blood Diamond
Invisible Children
The Constant Gardener
Invest
One of the most practical ways to be Kingdom bringers is to give of our financial resources. Upper Room has many ways to invest and to give. If you are interested in supporting one of our missional partnerships, please contact Steve Conrad
Another powerful tool for overcoming poverty is micro-finance. A small loan or grant of $50 to $300 can change the lives of a family. Micro-loans and micro-grants are used by a family to start a small business which provides regular income. We encourage you to explore and contribute to organizations like these:
Kiva - This organization connects donors with individual families. You can give to a specific entrepreneur in a developing country
Oikocredit - This is an investment company, much like a mutual fund. You get a small return on your investment (1-2%) and the money that you invest is given out in micro-loans
Make Your Voice Heard
While Upper Room does not advocate any particular political agenda, we do encourage people to make their voices heard, particularly about issues that affect those that we seek to love and serve in our missional partnerships. If you want to contact any of your elected representatives, you can use the following email addresses:
President Barack Obama – president@whitehouse.gov
Governor Tim Pawlenty – tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us
Senator Norm Coleman – use web form on coleman.senate.gov
Senator Amy Klobuchar – use web form on klobuchar.senate.gov
Representative Jim Ramstad – mn03@mail.house.gov
(For local representatives, please visit www.congress.org for contact information)
