Global Abundant Health Campaign
In the past few years, United Methodists "Imagined No Malaria" and raised more than $70 million dollars, saving the lives of thousands of children whose lives would have been cut short by this preventable disease.
Now, we’re imagining Abundant Health.
Just imagine if the promise of John 10:10, that everyone could have life, and have it abundantly, was made manifest in our world today, said the Rev. Stacey Cole Wilson, the director of Congregational Excellence and Strategic Partnerships for the Baltimore-Washington Conference.
The BWC is accepting the denomination’s challenge, “Abundant Health: Our Promise to Children,” a General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) initiative, that was kicked off at the 2016 General Conference.
Abundant Health makes five promises to children:
- to ensure safe births
- promote breastfeeding and nutrition
- prevent childhood killer diseases
- encourage treatment-seeking behaviors
- and provide treatment and lifesaving commodities.
However, the Baltimore-Washington Conference is taking it a step or two further, promoting health for all people – in our churches, communities, and around the globe, Cole Wilson said.
“In the U.S., we’re calling on as many churches as possible to help us participate in global health work by addressing congregational health issues and reaching beyond the congregation to the community,” said Dr. Olusimbo Ige, Executive Director of GBGM's Global Health program. The goal is to engage at least 10,000 U.S. churches in promoting physical activity, healthy diet and nutrition, education for tobacco- and drug-free living, and mental health education.
Cole Wilson encouraged all congregations to sign up to be one of at least 10,000 churches to develop support systems for children’s health. Churches can contribute locally to the health of children in their communities, as well as to the health of children around the world.
She also encourages churches to assess their current programs to see how they might better serve young people. The GBGM offers a few suggestions for children’s health:
- Physical activity
- Spiritual formation activities
- Healthy diet and nutrition
- Tobacco and drug-free living
- Mental health education and promotion.
- See the list of suggested activities in each of these four areas, in which your congregation can engage.