Raj was separated from his parents when he was eight years old.
He spent the next several years of his life in Mumbai, India, stealing and selling drugs to survive on the streets.
But in an encounter that would change his life forever, his only thought was:
“This must be what love looks like.”
Wellspring Ministries is unique in its method of outreach.
The organization empowers individuals to give directly to the spreading of Christ’s love by connecting them with international ministries that “care for some of the most vulnerable people of humanity.”
The organization was founded by Ravi Zacharias, who grew up in an impoverished part of the world himself. Zacharias “has always felt a particular burden for those living in poverty, injustice, and tragedy” — like Raj.
Raj’s life changed when he encountered the staff of a local children’s home sponsored by Wellspring Ministries. Although he repeatedly ran away from the staff, they kept pursuing him, expressing their desire to care for him and protect him.
“This must be what love looks like,” Raj admitted, and he finally accepted his place in the children’s home.
Thanks to the funds that came to the home through Wellspring Ministries, Raj’s story had a happy ending.
Wellspring Ministries strives to make happy endings happen all over the world. As the missional arm of Ravi Zacharias’ RZIM ministry, the organization “was established as a meaningful way…to respond to some of the prevalent wounds of humanity.”
Zacharias recognized that there are many people who, like him, want to respond to some of the tragedies of this world in meaningful and Christ-centered ways.
However, it’s often hard for those people to know how to engage with issues and groups that aren’t close to them.
In other words, there’s often a disconnect between a family in the United States and someone in need like Raj. Zacharias founded Wellspring to bridge that gap.
“Through a comprehensive process of due diligence, we identify international grassroots efforts and effective organizations operating with integrity to meet a legitimate local need,” says the organization.
Wellspring locates and researches organizations that are doing God’s work in their local communities, then connects donors with these “grassroots” ministries.
This unique approach to ministry offers donors a sense of transparency that encourages them to keep funding kingdom work. When donors are allowed to see and hear about the work their gifts are directly funding, it’s transformational.
So how does Wellspring accomplish this?
The process of finding local ministries involves applications, reviews of financial records, and on-site visits. Wellspring wants to make sure that gifts from donors will be unequivocally used to meet the material and spiritual needs of people around the world.
As the partnership between Wellspring, the donors, and the grassroots ministry grows, Wellspring continues to monitor the ministry, funneling field reports back to donors and donor messages to the mission field.
The organization does everything in its power to ensure that “the integrity of [every] donation” is preserved – and this commitment has resulted in many joyful stories like Raj’s.
The organizations aided by Wellspring Ministries include hospitals, orphanages, arts ministries, human trafficking and domestic violence shelters, and more. Through Wellspring’s mission, people all over the world have encountered Jesus in powerful ways that speak directly to their situations and locations.
That’s the ministry’s end goal: to form partnerships that lead to kingdom opportunities.
“By connecting you to a genuine need, together we impact a world far beyond ourselves,” writes Wellspring.
“The need is vast, but it is also imperative that we be willing to follow the example of Jesus and meet the need,” continues Ravi Zacharias.
He goes on to say, “Wellspring International is ‘practical apologetics.’ Love is the most powerful apologetic. It is the essential component in reaching the whole person in a fragmented world.”
What better work to do than connecting those in need with the love of God through the gifts of His people?
To learn how you can be a part of this life-changing work, visit the Wellspring Ministries website.
(h/t Christian Life Daily)