Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 01 April 2025

At jwclark.org (‘we,’ ‘us,’ or ‘our’), your privacy matters to us. We are committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with applicable international laws. These include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Botswana’s Data Protection Act of 2018, and other relevant data protection laws in the United States, Botswana, the European Union, and various African nations.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website, engage with our ministry, or use our services. By using our website and services, you agree to the practices outlined in this policy. However, if you do not agree with this policy, please refrain from using our services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect both personal and non-personal data in order to provide you with an improved user experience. Specifically, we collect information that you provide to us directly and information that is automatically collected during your use of our services.

a. Personal Information You Provide:
– Full name
– Email address
– Phone number
– Postal or physical address
– Donation information
– Prayer or ministry-related messages
– Any other data you voluntarily submit through forms or communications

b. Automatically Collected Information:
– IP address
– Browser and device information
– Site usage data (pages visited, duration of visit)
– Geolocation data (where applicable)

In compliance with Botswana’s Data Protection Act, we do not collect or process sensitive personal data such as religious beliefs, biometric data, or personal health information without your explicit consent and a legal basis for doing so.

2. Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR)

We process your personal data based on several legal grounds. These grounds include your consent, the performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, and our legitimate interests.

The legal bases for processing your personal data under the GDPR include:
– Your consent (e.g., subscribing to a newsletter)
– The performance of a contract (e.g., processing a donation)
– Legal obligations (e.g., fulfilling tax or financial reporting requirements)
– Legitimate interests (e.g., improving the outreach of our ministry or website performance)

You may withdraw consent at any time, which will not affect the legality of any processing done before the withdrawal.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to provide you with services, improve your experience, and communicate with you. Specifically, your personal information may be used to:

– Respond to your inquiries and prayer requests
– Process donations and provide receipts
– Send newsletters or updates (if you have opted in)
– Improve our website and ministry services
– Comply with legal, financial, and reporting obligations
– Prevent fraud or abuse of our services

In addition, we may use your data to personalize your experience with us, ensuring that the content you see is relevant to your needs.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and gather information on how our website is used. Cookies allow us to personalize content and ads, provide social media features, and analyze traffic.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings. However, please note that disabling cookies may limit some of the functionality of the website. Therefore, we recommend allowing cookies to enjoy a full experience.

5. Email Communication and Marketing

If you opt in to receive communication from us, we may send you newsletters, devotionals, or ministry updates. You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link provided in each email.

We value your privacy and will never send unsolicited messages. Furthermore, we will not share your contact information without your explicit permission.

6. Disclosure of Information

We do not sell or rent your personal data. However, we may share your information with trusted third-party service providers to support our ministry. These include services such as payment processors, email platforms, and web hosting services. All third parties are required to adhere to strict privacy standards.

Additionally, we may disclose information to legal authorities when required by law. In such cases, we will only disclose the minimum amount of data necessary for compliance.

7. Data Transfers and International Users

As part of our services, your personal data may be transferred to or processed in countries outside your own, including the United States, Botswana, or other regions where our service providers are located. Data protection standards may differ in these regions.

To ensure your personal data is protected, we utilize mechanisms such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) under the GDPR, and adhere to Botswana’s Data Protection Act and other local privacy laws.

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on your location, you may have specific rights under data protection laws, including the following:

For EU/EEA Residents (GDPR):
– Right to access your personal data
– Right to rectify or erase your data
– Right to restrict or object to processing
– Right to data portability
– Right to lodge a complaint with your Data Protection Authority

For California Residents (CCPA/CPRA):
– Right to know what personal data we collect
– Right to request deletion of your data
– Right to opt-out of data sharing (we do not sell your data)

For South African Residents (POPIA):
– Right to access, correct, or delete your data
– Right to object to processing

You may exercise your rights by contacting us using the details below.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including for legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Once your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

10. Security

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. While we implement industry-standard security practices, please note that no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. Therefore, we encourage you to exercise caution when sharing sensitive information.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a child under 13, we will take immediate steps to delete such information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make significant updates, we will notify you through our website or via email. You are encouraged to review this policy periodically to stay informed.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us at:

James and Wendie Clark
Phone: +1 (971) 533-8633
Mailing Address: PO Box 1958, Beaverton OR 97075
Website: https://www.jwclark.org

Data Protection Officer (Botswana Compliance):
Phone: +1 (971) 533-8633

Our Contact Us page.