Inspired by the teaching and command of Jesus Christ that we should love and serve one another and spread the Gospel, the Original Trustees wish to create a Charitable Trust for the purpose of bringing glory to God by the extension of His Kingdom on Earth to include teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the translation and publication of Christian literature, providing financial help for evangelists, pastors and teachers, the relief of poverty, disease and homelessness, and to benefit primarily the permanent residents of Chile.
Extract from the Trust Deed
The name Chile is believed to have been derived from a Mapuche word meaning ‘the place where the land ends’. Since 1992 the UK registered charity Chile for Christ has supported churches and other Christian organisations, individuals and disaster victims in Chile, in response to God’s calling through Isaiah 49.6 “to be a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth”.
Relatively few charities in the West take an interest in the major South American countries, but their inhabitants need to know Jesus Christ as much as anyone else does. Chile suffers from frequent natural disasters – earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tidal waves and huge forest fires, while the enormous inequality between rich and poor means that many people live in extreme poverty, particularly some of the remaining indigenous peoples.
In practice we channel much of the help that we give to and through the leaders of registered churches in Chile who are personally known to us, in particular the Anglican Church of Chile, the Episcopal Methodist Church and the Iglesia Filadelfia. We do not exclude other churches, organisations or individuals, but in order to be accountable to our donors and to charity law we generally need to relate to some responsible organisation which can oversee in a reliable manner how our donations are used. We also provide support through prayer, counselling and personal visits where possible.
Currently most of our financial support comes from individuals in England and Wales who are known personally to one or other of the trustees, as well as from the trustees themselves. New donors, both occasional and regular, are always very welcome.