Warriors First Ministry Walks Alongside Veterans and First Responders With PTSD
And other ministries making a difference
At MinistryWatch, our mission is to help Christians become more faithful, generous, and effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. It’s why we advocate for the transparency, accountability and efficiency of Christian ministries.
Because of that, we cover a lot of stories we’d rather not have to—stories of waste, fraud, and abuse. We do it unapologetically, because aside from exposing evil, we also believe these stories offer lessons and examples for ministries and donors to learn from.
But we also seek to amplify stories of ministries doing excellent work. That’s what this column is for—to spotlight ministries making a difference in their own communities and around the world. We pray it is a blessing to see the many creative ways God’s people are working for His glory and for their neighbors’ good.
With that, here’s this week’s roundup of ministries making a difference:
Photo via Church of the Nazarene
Communities in Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti continue to reel from the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa last month. Nazarene churches in those areas sustained damage ranging from roof damage to complete destruction. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is partnering with churches on the ground to ship and distribute Crisis Care Kids, medicine, food, and other emergency supplies. A Nazarene pastor in Jamaica said, “Everything right now is a mess, but God is good, and he is daily clearing our minds and relieving us of fear that came to us as a result of the onslaught of Melissa.” NCM is one of MinistryWatch’s Shining Lights, with 5 stars, an A transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100.
Photo via Operation Blessing
Also responding to the continuing needs in Jamaica, Operation Blessing’s Global Disaster Response Team has opened an emergency medical clinic in Montego Bay. On its first day of operation, the medical staff treated 51 patients, quickly growing to over 250 in the following days. On top of free medical care, Operation Blessing has partnered with World Central Kitchen, Jack Brewer Foundation, YWAM and others to provide hot meals, water treatment supplies, and hygiene items. Operation Blessing has 4 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 90.
Photo via AG News
As an Assemblies of God chaplain, Jerry Hightower started a ministry to veterans and first responders called Warriors First Ministry. As a veteran who struggled with PTSD and depression, Hightower felt veterans and first responders needed specialized support. In the two years since launching Warriors First, he says he has worked with thousands of men and women through community dinners and other outreaches throughout the country. He helps them fill out paperwork, apply for benefits, and connect with local resources, like medical care and housing. He is also working on a 12-week program to help veterans and first responders work through PTSD. He estimates that he has directly helped in preventing 70 people from committing suicide.
Sudanese refugee women and children / Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Nuba Mountain Bible Institute in Cairo (NBIC) is supporting Sudanese refugees in Egypt, many of whom are single moms, by hosting a year-long women’s program focusing on holistic care—psychological awareness, women’s health, spiritual and theological training, and leadership training, according to Mission Network News. NBIC also offers a three-year refugee assistance program. Some of the single moms are victims of rape, and NBIC is working to bring awareness and restore dignity for survivors.
EDITOR’S NOTE: MinistryWatch rates nonprofit ministries based on three criteria: financial efficiency, financial transparency, and donor confidence. To learn more, click on each related link for a detailed description.
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