Archbishops Tito Zavala (South America), Onesphore Rwaje (Rwanda), & Stephen Than (Myanmar) stand with Bishop Richard Condie (Tasmania) at an ARDF meeting in Singapore

ARDF is in Wheaton, Illinois this week for meetings with our Global Trustees.

Our unique development model means that US stakeholders do not select which projects get funded by ARDF. Sure, we have researchers for due diligence and to ensure that the projects we fund will be sustainable and effective, transforming lives in measurable ways. But it is at the gathering of the Global Trustees where the actual decisions are made. This board of Archbishops representing orthodox Anglican Provinces in the developing world leads ARDF, determining priorities and approving each project.

“For the first time in the history of giving within the Church, we see true partnership, not patronage,” commented The Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, former Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda and a founding ARDF Trustee.

At this meeting the Trustees will consider six new projects. The ARDF staff only recommends projects that have been developed, designed and desired by the local community. All of these projects come to us from trusted partners and have been thoroughly researched to be sure that they are viable, achievable, and sustainable.

Most of these are building projects—a vocational training center, safe housing for girls who wish to attend school, a regional health clinic. Should these be approved, these projects will offer opportunities to minister to the poor in the name of Jesus.

Many of these Archbishops represent areas where it is not easy to be a Christian. But they all believe in partnering with the Western church—knowing they have as much to give us as we have to give them. You can see some of these ideas in this latest video from ARDF.

We at ARDF love that we can use the Anglican Communion hierarchy to empower local churches and leaders at the village level.

As Archbishop Rwaje told us, “ARDF honors the people in the community [where] there are projects. They listen and take what they have learned from the people. They [ARDF] do not decide, they learn. They learn from the community. Also respect. Investing in younger people with both social transformation and spiritual transformation.”

Stay tuned for the details of our newest projects. And join the partnership here.

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