Through their local church, Jim and Sheila have been involved in missions and assisting missionaries for several years. In doing so, they realized that the spread of the Gospel worldwide has increased at an amazing rate, yet more than 40 percent of the world is still illiterate. Without reading skills, how can people read Scripture for themselves, let alone enjoy a book or engage in other print-based activities?

Without literacy, there can be no education. Without education, those who live in extreme poverty and/or under oppressive regimes cannot hope to improve their situation. Jim and Sheila believe the Christian faith should not only prepare people for eternity but also enable them to live life more abundantly and responsibly here on earth. By fostering a love of learning and providing a strong moral foundation, children have a chance to rise above the poverty and ignorance that keep them from fulfilling their God-given potential. Their experience with the Charlotte Mason approach has convinced them of its ability to produce these results.

A number of American governmental programs overseas as well as faith-based organizations work hard to provide schooling around the world and have truly made a difference in the lives of many children. Most of these programs, however, are based on the assumption that children are to be taught by a college-trained teacher, using textbooks, in a building exclusively dedicated to schooling. These assumptions have made the cost of providing an education prohibitive in many countries. Because of high overhead, the work of bringing education to many has not kept pace with the increase in population. By the year 2050, demographers project that the Earth's population will reach nine billion people—half of whom will be children.