Discussion Guide for

Take Your
Best Shot
A f t e r v ie w in g “ tak e y o ur b est sho t,” use this guide to research the effects of
poverty and illness, reflect on how the video impacted you, recall what you learned, respond in
tangible ways, reach out with life-changing help, resolve to follow God’s Word, and rely on His
goodness and power.

Research
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M o r e t h a n 1 b illio n children are severely deprived of at least one of the

essential goods and services they require to survive, grow, and develop. (Source:
UNICEF Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger)

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Th e r e a r e appr o ximat ely 145 million orphans ages 0-17 years worldwide.
(Source: UNICEF State of the World’s Children, 2009.)

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E v e ry day, o n av er age, more than 22,000 children under the age of 5 die
around the world, most from preventable causes. That is 8.1 million children each year.
(Source: UNICEF Levels & Trends in Child Mortality, 2010.)

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L o w b irt h weight, which is related to maternal malnutrition, is a causal factor
in 60-80 percent of neonatal deaths. (Source: UNICEF State of the World’s Children, 2009.)

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E v e ry day, more than 7,900 people become infected with HIV, and more than
5,400 people die from AIDS. (Source: UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, 2008.)

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s in c e t h e b eginning of the epidemic, 25 million people have died from AIDS-
related causes. (Source: UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, 2008.)

Reflect
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A us t in a s ked t he q uest io n, “What if I was a kid like Maggie? What if that
was me?” when he saw Maggie’s Story. Imagine you were a child like Maggie. How
would your life be different? What would it mean for your future? How do you
think you would feel?

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w h at do yo u t hink is the best way to help children like Maggie? What do you
think you can do to help as an “ordinary person”?

Recall
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The ne w s r epo rt er , John Larson, said, “A school is everything.” Why do you
think that a school is vital to a community? How does education make a difference for
people? How has education made a difference in your life?

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Yo u s aw in t he v ideo how Austin and his family and friends have helped
others. How do family and friends in your life help each other and help others in both
big and small ways?

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A us t in r a ised mo ney to help build a school and a medical clinic. What short-
and long-term effects do these projects have on a community?

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Respond
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A us t in br o ught his fr iends together to help make a difference in the
lives of others by doing something he loved. How can you and your friends help
children like Maggie by doing an activity or playing a game you enjoy?

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D is c us s w hy it is important to help people in other countries in both short- and
long-term ways.

Reach Out
Consider making a difference in the following ways:

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P l a n a H oo ps o f Ho pe ev ent by yourself or with friends. Visit
www.hoopsofhope.org for more information.

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Sp o ns o r a c hild through World Vision. For just about a dollar a day, you’ll
help provide your sponsored child with access to critical basics such as clean water,
improved nutrition, healthcare, and education. Your gifts will help make a world of
difference for one child and his or her family and community as they continue
development efforts. You may also choose to sponsor a HopeChild in an
AIDS-affected nation. For sponsorship information, visit
www.worldvisionresources.com.

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Be c o m e a n adv o c at e for children affected by HIV and AIDS. Urge Congress
and the president to respond to the crisis by increasing U.S. funding to combat the
global HIV and AIDS crisis and ensuring children and their needs are not overlooked.

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G iv e gif t s through the World Vision Gift Catalog to help communities with
development projects that will benefit their children for generations to come. Gifts
include items such as wells, contributions to water and sanitation funds, trees, goats,
mother and child health care, small business loans, school fees and even bicycles to
help children get to school. Visit www.worldvisionresources.com and click on
“programs and events” for more information.

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 Resolve
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But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The
victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. — Psalm 10:14

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The r e f o r e, as we hav e o ppo rt unit y , let us do good to all people,
especially to those who belong to the family of believers. — Galatians 6:10

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The r e f o r e, sinc e we ar e sur r o unded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on
Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured
the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will
not grow weary and lose heart. — Hebrews 12:1-3

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Re l igio n t hat Go d our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look
after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by
the world. — James 1:27

The Scripture in this

resource is from the
HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL
VERSION®. NIV®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978,
Rely
1984 by International Bible
Society. Used by permission P r ay t h at:

»
of Zondervan. All rights
reserved.
G o d w il l c o nt inue to use “ordinary people” like Austin to spread awareness
and make a difference for those who are affected by poverty and who are living with
During the preparation of
this resource, all citations, HIV and AIDS.

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facts, figures, Internet
URLs, and other cited F un din g and o t her r eso ur c es necessary for educational and medical
information were verified
for accuracy. World Vision projects will be readily available.

»
Resources has made every
attempt to reference current G o v e r n m ent leader s, humanitarian organizations, and policymakers will
and valid sources, but
we cannot guarantee the find effective ways to develop communities affected by poverty so that all people can
content of any source and have access to food, shelter, healthcare, education, and protection of their
we are not responsible human rights.
for any changes that may
have occurred since our
verification. If you find an
error, or have a question
or concern about any of
the information or sources
listed within, please contact Copyright © 2011 World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716,
World Vision Resources. wvresources@worldvision.org. All rights reserved.

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 About World Vision
W o r l d V is io n is a Christian humanitarian organization
dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities
worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of
poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World
Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of
God’s unconditional love for all people. We see a world where each
child experiences “fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. And we
know this can be achieved only by addressing the problems of poverty
and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World Vision is unique:
We bring 60 years of experience in three key areas needed to help
children and families thrive: emergency relief, long-term development,
and advocacy. And we bring all of our skills across many areas of
expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care for
children’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Partnering with World Vision provides tangible ways to honor

God and put faith into action. By working, we can make a lasting
difference in the lives of children and families who are struggling to
overcome poverty. To find out more about how you can help, visit
www.worldvision.org.

About World Vision Resources

E nding gl o b a l po v ert y and injustice begins with education:
understanding the magnitude and causes of poverty, its impact on
human dignity, and our connection to those in need around the world.

World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry of World Vision.

World Vision Resources educates Christians about global poverty,
inspires them to respond, and equips them with innovative resources
to make a difference in the world.

For more information about our

resources, contact:
World Vision Resources
Mail Stop 321
P.O. Box 9716
Federal Way, WA 98063-9716
Fax: 253-815-3340
wvresources@worldvision.org
www.worldvisionresources.com

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