The Baptist World Alliance is calling for “urgent help” in the form of prayer, advocacy and donations in response to cuts in U.S. overseas assistance already driving up hunger and disease around the world.
“It is really a call to build global generosity and stewardship,” said Marsha Scipio,” director of BWAid, BWA’s global relief ministry. “We have no misconception that the church can fill that immense gap — the loss of federal funding — but there are ways the church can come together to do what the church has always done, which is to serve the community and show compassion to the least of these.”
Marsha Scipio
The appeal follows the Trump administration’s 90-day pause on all foreign aid, its subsequent gutting of the U.S. Agency for International Development and ultimately the announcement that all overseas assistance will be cut by at least 83%.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since announced some exemptions to the cuts, former USAID officials estimate the administration’s actions will deprive 1 million children of food, 17.9 million additional people will contract malaria and 166,000 will die from it, tuberculosis cases will increase 28% and 28,000 people will get Ebola and other infections, NPR reported.
Worse still, other nations are following the U.S.’s lead. Euro News reported the United Kingdom plans to lower its foreign aid from 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% by 2027. The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Switzerland are planning cuts, as well.
The situation has devastated faith-based and other nongovernmental organizations dependent on grants from the U.S. and other governments to fight diseases like malaria and HIV and to combat malnourishment and starvation.
BWAid is one of those organizations, Scipio explained. Until last August, it was the recipient, via World Vision, of USAID funds it then used to help the Ukrainian Baptist Union.
“That’s the trickle-down effect. It doesn’t just affect World Vision and or BWAid, it affects our partners in BFAD (Baptist Forum for Aid and Development). That means the global Baptist family has lost resources,” she said.
“There are people dying from a lack of medicine.”
“We learned that refugee camps in Bangladesh that were receiving $12.50 per person per month for food are now getting $6.50, and that some displaced persons in the Democratic Republic of Congo are not eating on a daily basis. And there are people dying from a lack of medicine,” Scipio said.
But there has been good news in places, she added. “Thank God, food and medical providers serving (Myanmar) refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border received a waiver from the U.S. for their work. That is a blessing, but we don’t know how long that will continue.”
In response, BWA has launched its “Stand in the Gap” campaign appealing for contributions and providing a related prayer guide and advocacy resources Baptists can use to spread the word.
“We cannot stress how dire the situation is for many across the globe,” BWA publicity says. “Together, we must hear the voice of Jesus calling us to stand in solidarity with the suffering. Together, we must stand in the gap to help sisters and brothers in desperate need.”
In a video announcing the campaign, BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown asks Americans to consider the shared faith of many of those in need.
“We’ve heard from many around the world, such as those in refugee camps. Along the Myanmar-Thai border, many of whom are in those refugee camps because they’re Christians, because they’re Baptist, and they fled from persecution by their military. They’ve shared how this rapid deceleration has led to the closing of hospitals, how people have died and how food has become scarce.”
“Many in those refugee camps because they’re Christians, because they’re Baptist.”
The campaign also emphasizes the importance of showing solidarity with overwhelmed churches in nations where the need is great.
“Our churches have opened their doors to welcome displaced families who are spending the night in our sanctuaries,” the publicity says. “However, we lack sufficient resources to provide them with adequate assistance, including food, clean water, mattresses and basic medical care.”
Scipio said BWA is coordinating a special day of giving March 30, the fifth Sunday of Lent, when congregations will be encouraged to share information about the campaign with neighbors and friends. A “Power of 10” social media campaign aimed at involving young people is planned for April.
Meanwhile, BWaid along with other faith-based partners, has been meeting with government officials on the issue of funding for foreign aid.
“There are always opportunities in times of crisis, and we have to ask ourselves how will we be part of a solution?” Scipio said. “We have faith, but faith has to be accompanied by works and this is an opportunity to demonstrate our solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are most affected by this crisis. We invite churches and pastors to join this movement.”
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