Jesus himself insisted, preached and practiced social work. Here are a few claims to support this plight. In Luke Chapter 4, Luke gives the account of Jesus reading from Isaiah 61: 1 - 2. Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed One, proclaimed the following mission through the Isaiah passage in Luke 4: 16 - 19, as jotted below.
- proclaim the Good news to the poor
- bindup the broken-hearted
- proclaim the freedom for the captives
- release the prisoners from darkness
- comfort all who mourn
Micah 6:8 gives the call to all Christians and all social workers: “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
History records the commendable role of Christian Missionaries from the East in bringing about enormous social reforms in our nation of India over the past 2000 years. Few of which that could barely evade human observation are,
- Abolition of Sati
- Abolition of Child marriage
- Abolition of Devadasis
- Abolition of Female infanticide
- Introduction of education
- Encouraging girls to be educated
- Setting up of mission schools
- Home for mentally ill
- Home for the Orphans
- Home for the lepers
- Introducing self-help groups
- Introducing hygeine
- Promotion of inter-caste and inter-communal amity
- Banning untouchability
- Breaking castesim
- Breaking seclusion of women
- Banning human sacrifices
- Employing faculties at educational institutions
- Eliminating fear from Adivasis
- Bringing the barbarians to civilisation
- Introduction of free medical treatments
Overcoming Language and Communication Barriers in Social Work
Language barrier has been a prime challenge in fulfilling social work across ages in our land which is rich in language heritage. Here are a few proven tips to overcome language and communication barriers while carrying out social works.
- Speak Slowly and Clearly
- Ask for Clarification
- Check Often for Understanding
- Try Not to Use Jargon
- Bring Along an Interpreter
- Vary Your Ways of Communication
- Be Patient enough to repeat what you wish to convey