Why Do We Exist?

At 2nd Mile Missions, we believe everyone deserves to live a life free from suffering and that we are called to show love to others through taking action the way Rod and Nancy Wildman did when they built our organization in 2006.

We are all called to care for one another in love.

According to Proverbs 3:27-28, we are not to withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in our power to do it. The power of our humanity is realized when we all love one another the way Christ instructs us to.

Caring for others in this way isn’t an isolated action, it’s a two-way community relationship where both those giving and receiving care will benefit. If everyone truly loved their neighbor, we could change the world and replace the broken story of poverty with one of love and opportunity.

Caring for others requires a partnership built on understanding and cultural respect.

Empowering people to take care of themselves and their community is our focus. We do this by providing support to individuals and communities while respecting their unique culture and way of life. We work as partners with them – creating jobs within their communities and equipping them with the tools they need to ensure every member of their community lives well.

We all require the support of others to live a full life.

Everyone needs support. As human beings we are part of a global community that depends on each other to thrive. The people 2nd Mile Missions support have talents, capabilities, and gifts just like you. However, they’ve been born into a situation where they lack support and opportunity to use those gifts.

That’s why 2nd Mile Missions is committed to providing the opportunities they need to sustain themselves, their families, and build a stronger community.

Disrupting the cycle of poverty starts (and can end) with children.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

– Nelson Mandela

Poverty isn’t a simple problem that can be solved by a single action. Poverty is a cycle that starts with impoverished parents being faced with hard choices. Those choices often place children in dangerous places where they are neglected, malnourished, and uneducated. Those children grow into adults who then have their own children and are faced with the same difficult choices the previous generation faced.

Providing a Christian education to children and helping their parents become employed empowers an entire family. Children can grow into healthy adults and learn the skills they need to feed and care for their own children. These children will then be able to sustain their communities as adults, breaking the cycle of poverty.

Stories and experiences are a powerful part of our ability to connect with others.

Stories can change the world. Personal stories are how we motivate one another to change, try new things, and experience more of the world around us. By sharing the stories of the people we serve, as well as the stories of our staff and volunteers, we can motivate others to share in our mission.

Our values are the foundation of our existence and the pillars or our identity. We are dedicated to maintaining these values in all of our personal actions and corporate strategies.

We Value Christ-Centered Action

We will never compromise our ability to share the love of Christ with those we serve.

The teaching of Jesus is central to everything we do.

We want every person we serve to experience God’s love in action – bringing them hope and transforming them physically, emotionally, cognitively,and spiritually.

We Value the Ability to Impact the Lives of Children

We will never compromise our ability to impact the cycle of poverty through enhancing the lives of children. By providing life change for children we are impacting the cycle of poverty where it starts.

The heart of every service and program we offer should be tied to providing children with the freedom to live a fulfilling life, so that they can grow up to create a culture in which poverty is not a factor.

We Value the Ability to Intimately Understand and Empower Those We Serve

We will never compromise our ability to build meaningful relationships with those we serve.

Building relationships with the people we serve is at the core of what we do. Getting to know people and their unique culture allows us to rise above our own biases so we can help without hurting.

We partner with communities to provide effective long-term solutions to poverty while maintaining the dignity of their culture.

We Value the Ability to Connect Through Story

We will never compromise our ability to personally experience the situation and healing of those we serve so that we can tell their story – motivating others to experience the need and continue the cycle of healing.

Stories are what motivate people. Volunteers who partner with us are motivated to get involved by what they see, and their experience allows them to share their own story – in turn inspiring others. This cycle of experience and story is the foundation for the passionate commitment that will break the cycle of poverty.

We Value the Ability to Respond to Those in Need

We will never compromise our ability to see opportunities and quickly provide programs and solutions to meet these opportunities. It is our responsibility to respond when God presents an opportunity to meet a need.

We never want to miss an opportunity to change lives because we are hung up on unnecessary oversight or occupied by fighting red tape. As cultures and laws change and new opportunities arise, we will strive to be aware of these changes and maintain the organizational agility to respond quickly to those in need.