What have we learned in twenty-two years?

There are two great-unmet needs in the world of giving.

1>A thorough global analysis of the effectiveness of various agencies in coming to terms with fundamental problems affecting humans. Who is truly making progress and what are they doing differently?

People are ready and willing to give, especially if they are certain that the agency receiving their gift will deliver results and have a high impact on the suffering. They are often far from certain that this will be the case. Charities with noble aspirations often have poor organizations with inadequate infrastructure to achieve them.

2>Finding ways for people to personally participate. Over the last twenty-two years we have learned how much people actually want to play a personal role, want to give on a ‘hand-to-hand’ basis. Most can’t find a place to start. Many organized charitable institutions don’t even offer an opportunity for personal involvement. Even fundraising has become more and more professional rather than volunteer driven. In looking hard at problems and opportunities one cannot ignore the immense resource or volunteerism, people seeking self-expression through acts of love.

We have learned, from our annual forays into the world of human need, that suffering and it’s underlying causes cut across all geographic and societal lines. The pain will not be hemmed in or kept away by race, colour, creed, language, environment or even wealth. Spiritual poverty, drugs, family breakups, rampant use of abortion, violence, crime, homelessness, racism and suicide levels comprise heart breaking testimony at proving that wealthy society is no defence. In many areas wealth seems part of the problem.

If the problems are global so perhaps are the solutions. The Lazarus Project is Brendan Wood’s way of harnessing business capabilities, especially our investigative creativity and perseverance in the service of those who suffer. At Lazarus it is our mission to group causes on a global basis and thoroughly investigate the performance of any organizations and approaches which are achieving high impact on suffering. We also attempt to root out and develop opportunities for volunteers who want to give the ultimate gift, themselves.

If we do these two things well Lazarus will be able to tell givers where to give for maximum effect on the suffering client and we will be able to tell caring people how to get personally involved activating their prayers, mental energy, moral support, creativity, and labour.

This investigative approach, which has led BWI’s intelligence business into some forty countries around the world, seems ideally suited to producing information clearly focused on agencies and approaches which produce highest levels of success. To do this job we need energetic missionaries who will dig hard and find the people who are doing the job best. Lazarus funds and underwrites such missionaries. As well, we ask other companies and friends to join us in doing so. Where appropriate we both fund and seek further support for scholarships focussed on studies related to advancing the wisdom and effectiveness of charity.

Lazarus helps corporations and individuals to select a portfolio of giving which meets their innermost priorities with confidence. Lazarus will eventually attempt to help striving charitable organizations improve their effectiveness by sharing the knowledge and expertise of “the best of the best” with them. Lazarus tries to give the poor and suffering the voice to tell us all what they need and who can fill that need best throughout the world. Please call if you want to help.

Why Lazarus?

In the New Testament there are two important personalities named Lazarus. Our project is dedicated to both of them. The first Lazarus is the poor and wretched figure covered in sores who waits patiently at the gate of an opulent house owned by a very rich man given to feasting on a daily basis. Upon his lonely death, poor Lazarus is welcomed into heaven. The rich man who also dies is neither allowed to cross the abyss between eternal suffering and heaven, nor is he allowed to send Lazarus to earth to warn his brothers of the fate awaiting them. Abraham, in whose arms Lazarus is held, tells the rich man that his brothers on earth have Moses and the prophets to teach them. Failing that, even Lazarus returned from the dead will not convince them. We chose this Lazarus because it is his voice we want to hear and his sores we want to heal. He also reminds us not to behave like the rich man but to see our duty here on earth.

The second Lazarus is the dear friend so beloved that Jesus intervenes in his premature death. With a sigh and the miracle words “come out Lazarus”, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead as if he were only sleeping. We chose this Lazarus because he reminds us that we can all be awakened even from the deepest sleep. He reminds us that love can raise us up and bring us to life again. That our love, albeit with help from the divine, can awaken the joy of life in others as well. He reminds us not to accept anything less than life, to the full for all.

Please call if you want to help.

If you are interested, the actual biblical stories of Lazarus can be found here.