Texas Baptists Committed Convocation, Houston, Texas, July 9–10, 2004

Partners in Hope
By Rick McClatchy,
Coordinator CBF in Texas

CBF started an initiative several years ago to address rural poverty, called Partners in Hope. This initiative sought to bring Baptist volunteers together with people from the 20 poorest rural counties in the USA in order to tackle some of the challenges of rural poverty.

The 20 poorest counties are found in four pockets in the USA: Anglos in Appalachia, African-Americans in the Mississippi Delta, Native-Americans in South Dakota, and Hispanics on the Texas/Mexico Border. Of course what makes rural poverty even more crushing is the lack of social assistance organizations and the lack of grants too. For example The Chronicle of Philanthropy (May 27, 2004) notes that although 20% of the population lives in rural areas, less than 1% of the foundation grants go toward rural development.

Of the 20 poorest counties in the USA, seven are in Texas: three in the Valley, three near Eagle Pass, and one near Presidio. So far we have work in three of the seven counties. We have been working in the three counties in the Valley.

What type of problems are we facing in these counties? In the 43 counties in Texas that make up the border region which runs from El Paso to Brownsville, you find some discouraging facts. Suppose you separated out these 43 counties and made them a new state what would happen?

• Highest poverty rate
• Highest percent of schoolchildren in poverty
• Highest unemployment rate
• Highest percent of adult population without a high school diploma
• Third highest death rate from hepatitis and other liver diseases
• Third highest death rate from diabetes
• Third highest number of female-headed families
• Fourth highest property crime rate
• Lowest in per-capita personal income

While problems tell one part of the story, there is another part of the story. These areas have strengths upon which we can build—the public schools, the community centers, local churches, strong families, and the people’s desire to improve life. Also we have Baptist Partners: Buckner, local associations, Texas Baptist Men, Baptist University of the Americas, and Baptist churches.

This partnership in the Valley has been called KidsHeart. It focuses upon transformation through addressing the spiritual and physical needs of people. Projects include VBS, youth recreation, home repair, computer classes, medical services, children’s sports, school supplies give-aways, food collection, and clothing assistance.

More and more volunteers are coming each year. At mid-point this year we have already had as many volunteers as we did all of last year.

Yet much remains to be done in these three counties and four more need our immediate attention. Simply put, we need your help. If you or your church are already committed to working some place else, please don’t stop working there and come to KidsHeart. Instead, start doing more and add KidsHeart to the agenda.

August 2004