We live in a generous nation

by Durwood Snead - Marietta Daily Journal

DEAR EDITOR:

I spend 25 percent of every year traveling to low-income nations where I talk to scores of people about their lives, hopes and dreams. Wherever I go, I find we have more in common than we have different. We all want our children to thrive, have enough to eat, go to school, get a good education and have access to necessary medical care. These are examples of obstacles those living in extreme poverty face daily.

There is good news. Generous churches and our generous nation are helping dramatically.

Because of North Point Ministry churches’ big-hearted vision, we can offer help to developing nations. Thousands give generously to help our partners go further and faster, with 1,500 using yearly vacation time to serve poor communities in countries like Kenya and Uganda.

We also have a generous nation. Since 1990, the United States has led the fight to eradicate extreme poverty — those living on less than $1.25 a day. American leadership has helped cut extreme poverty by a historic 50 percent. We lead the world in global health and development, providing clean water, access to food, medications for those living with HIV/AIDS, bednets to combat malaria, and vaccines for millions of children. In so doing, we have halved child deaths worldwide since 1990. And we have done it by spending less than 1 percent of the U.S. budget.

Champions in Congress, including Sen. Johnny Isakson, have been at the forefront of maintaining U.S. leadership in global health. He has supported U.S. leadership in global health and development for years, and his legislation, the Global Food Security Act, is critical in advancing U.S. leadership to help alleviate global hunger.

Recently, we were elated to learn Congress is considering an increase in funding for global nutrition of the highest level in a decade! In 2017 alone, USAID reached 28 million children with nutrition programs. New funding allows us to reach even more, meaning that during a famine, we can save millions more lives with this increased funding.

Alongside our church’s amazing work through partners in community development, clean water, education and economic development, we have the important work of advocating for federal funding for the world’s poorest. We thank Sen. Isakson for his leadership in global health and development and his wisdom to increase food security for a safer, healthier, more peaceful world.