Silver or Gold, I Have None

By Angela Kim.

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But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” – Acts 3:6

Acts 3:6 is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, but one that I never fully appreciated until writing this blog.  I actually think this verse could be a fitting mandate for Episcopal Relief & Development’s programmatic approach! It reminds me of Jesus’ ministry and how He never offered “silver or gold” to people. What He did offer was healing in a way that empowered them – the blind could see, the lame could walk, the dead were brought back to life! These hurting people, who once had to depend on others’ charity, were now able to be independent, making a life of their own with their newfound gift of wholeness and renewal.

All of Episcopal Relief & Development’s programs strive to cultivate the same gift of wholeness that Jesus provided, which is why we use the asset-based community development model. Program Officer Kellie McDaniel recently led an informative workshop on our micro-finance program for Episcopal Relief & Development staff, and one of the activities she engaged us in was role-playing in a savings group. The staff members were each given an index card with the description of a person who has participated in a savings group program through one of our partners around the world. My role was of a widowed, literate grandmother of six, from Angola, who sells fresh vegetables. Other personas included an illiterate passion fruit farmer, a young literate widow, and an illiterate 68-year-old woman who makes pastries and bread. As a savings group, we all discussed the reasons why we could not save money. Being a widowed grandmother with six grandchildren to provide for, it seemed impossible for me to save even just a dollar a week! However, through this group discussion, facilitated by Kellie, I discovered that I had an asset, my literacy skills, and I could use this asset for my benefit by exchanging it for a service, or even for money. Either way, I was using my own personal talent to sustain myself.

My experience with Kellie’s micro-finance workshop really helped me understand the multi-faceted work that Episcopal Relief & Development does in the communities that we serve. Our mandate to serve comes from Matthew 25: to address issues of hunger, poverty, disaster and illness. However, what is distinct about us is our methodology, in that we do not provide monetary solutions, or “silver or gold.” Instead, we offer partnerships with individuals and communities, to help them recognize their gifts, talents and their own abilities to create lasting solutions. 

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Angela Kim is the Intern for Marketing and Communications at Episcopal Relief & Development

Images: Episcopal Relief & Development's Savings Group Program in Angola.