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Worldwide Faith Missions is a non-governmental international Christian relief and development organization based in the United States of America with mission branches in India and Thailand.[1]
History
Worldwide Faith Missions was founded in 1972 under the leadership of Johannes Maas. During his round-the-world missionary tour for the Wesleyan Missionary Council, while serving as speaker at a large convention on the Indian coastal area of Andhra Pradesh, he received a request from a delegation of village leaders to start a home for orphans and homeless children. The first children's home was started with 25 children shortly later. The organization was incorporated in the State of Ohio as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and maintains its headquarters in Canton, Ohio.
The organization president, Johannes (Joe) Maas, was a platform guest of the Indian Prime Minister and United States President Jimmy Carter when the president give a speech to an audience estimated at one million at the capitol in New Delhi during his presidential visit on January 2, 1978.[2]
On December 9, 1980, Worldwide Faith Missions and its president were commended by the White House for their humanitarian work in India, and the contributions of counsel to the White House. This came as a result of an offical White House request for assistance in repairing the strained relations between Washington and New Delhi. These strained relations came as a result of the visit of Henry Kissinger to Pakistan in order to arrange the President Nixon trip to China [3]. Bob Maddox [4], White House Special Assistant for Religious Liason for President Carter, wrote a letter of commendation, "This is to introduce...Worldwide Faith Missions of Canton, Ohio.... I believe that time and resources invested in this ministry will be carefully and redemptively used." (signed, Bob Maddox, Special Counsel for Religious Liaison). [5]
Worldwide Faith Missions has been instrumental in rearing and educating children who have become pastors, social workers, and public officials.
Its mission
Recognizing the admonition of the scriptures to do good to all men, Worldwide Faith Missions is dedicated to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the orphans and widows, and furthering the spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing of needy humanity. It provides housing, clothing, food, education, and Christian supervision for the children in each of its homes. Worldwide Faith Missions has been recognized by "Christian Volunteering" as an eligible organization for part-time missionary laborers.[6]
The organization has a child sponsorship program, through which individuals, families, churches, or other groups sponsor a designated child, widow, or an evangelist in a developing country. Sponsors send funds each month to provide support for the sponsored individual. This proram is considered by the missionary organization as a response to the admonition in the Epistle of James to care for the orphans and widows.[7]
Its ministry
Worldwide Faith Missions has been responsible the establishment of over 25 orphanages, many of which are now supported and operated by various American missionary organizations. It is an active member of ChristianVolunteering.org, [8] and represents over 20,000 local ministries that serve over 30 million under-resourced individuals annually. It publishes a monthly magazine Mission of Mercy Magazine.[9]
Its locations
The organization maintains offices and conducts it's charitible ministries in Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam, Bhilai, and Sikkim, India, and Pattaya, Thailand.
External links
References
- ↑ http://www.feedtheorphans.org/
- ↑ http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/documents/jec/trips.phtml#abroad
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Nixon_visit_to_China
- ↑ Maddox,Robert.”Preacher at the White House”.Nashville:Broadman Press,1984.
- ↑ http://www.scribd.com/doc/17588023/Worldwide-Faith-Missions-White-House-Letter
- ↑ http://www.christianvolunteering.org/org/org21581.
- ↑ James 1:27 (NIRV)
- ↑ http://www.christianvolunteering.org/org/org21581.jsp
- ↑ http://www.scribd.com/doc/19085820/Mission-of-Mercy-Magazine-August-2009