Richard Stearns is the CEO of World Vision and, along with his wife Renee, has traveled millions of miles visiting children, adults, and communities helped by World Vision’s relief and development efforts. Along the way they’ve encountered amazing stories and have collected them in a book called . Rich has visited with thousands of children around the world and knows that God loves all the children of the world, regardless of their country, language, or economic status. Every child is gifted and resourceful, but the cycle of poverty prevents them from using their gifts. In Rich’s words, “We try … to liberate that God-given creativity” by freeing them from poverty in Jesus’ Name.

Renee shares her thoughts about traveling and meeting those living in poverty – far from being discontent, they are filled with joy and peace. “One of the things that always strikes me is… I love the thought that God can never truly be all you need until God is all you have. Because I have so many props to hold me up, I… depend on so many things daily that are not God, and I’m truly convicted about that.”

The remarkable truth is that poverty does not drain everyone of ambition and plans for the future. In Renee’s words, “In spite of … meager circumstances, these people have hopes and dreams for their children.”

So how can we see the world with God’s eyes? When Rich and Renee traveled through India, they encountered a group of women who asked pointedly, “Why are you here? What do you see when you look at us?” Renee points back to Scripture – when we belong to Christ, God looks at us with the eyes of a Father. He sees us as perfect, holy, and precious. Pray that God would open your eyes to see the needs, not only around the world but in our own communities.

While God calls us to care for the orphans and widows of the world, we should be discerning and humble. We are to serve orphans and widows, not save them. Pray for eyes to see and meet their material needs while pointing them to the only One who can meet their spiritual needs – namely, Christ.

This program has been pre-recorded.

Highlight – He walks among us

He walks among us