When working to alleviate poverty there is always a balancing act to be done. There are the immediate needs of the community- such as food in a drought, shelter after a natural disaster, or solar lanterns for a rural community without electricity- but there is also hope for development and long-term solutions.
So how does Mosaic meet both the immediate and long-term needs of impoverished communities?
The first step is to always connect our relief work with a local church. We want people to know their local church, to meet supportive and generous people, and to have a place to go when they need help. Ultimately, we hope a connection between relief supplies and the local church will bring people to know Christ in a loving community.
The second step is to make sure our relief work is sustainable. We have been in contact with many villages that have received our solar lanterns and water filters to check on their sustainability. Through continued connection and check-ins, we are able to learn the longevity of these supplies. Especially when solar lanterns are used as the sole source of light, they can wear out quickly! Continued connections with these rural or remote communities means that we can replace supplies that have worn out and rejoice when they are still functional 5+ years later!
We also try to enact multiple kinds of projects in a community. This means that, for example, there could be a tribal community in the midst of a severe drought. They need water now, so in the present time we try to provide the finances for bottled water in the community. In the long term, we try to reach out to different companies to see what it would take to drill a well in the community so that this particular tribe doesn't have to face the prospect of zero water (and I don't just mean clean water, I mean ANY water) in future droughts.
You may have heard us mention our four areas of work: Relief, Development, Discipleship, and Mobilization. Our ultimate goal is for all of these to work together. We hope that our relief work leads to opportunities for long-term development. We hope that by focusing on the local church to do this work, development projects lead to discipleship. Ultimately, as more people become disciples of Christ, we hope that it comes full circle as these same people who might have once received relief are now leaving the walls of the church to mobilize and help others in their community.
This is how we at Mosaic try to connect short-term relief with long-term transformation. Have any questions or want to become a part of our giving community, The Circle? Send us a message to connect and let's see how YOU can become a part of community transformation!