Poverty is prevalent in much of Africa, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where we visited. Here are some thoughts on helping:
1. Poverty (as most of us understand it in the west) is not the problem. Being poor is not a problem - in fact, anxiety and depression are American problems that have increased in lock-step with our affluence. Don't feel sorry for the "poor" people in Africa - they don't feel sorry for themselves.
2. People starving is a different matter. Because of government mismanagement of economies, droughts, the devastation of AIDS, and other such things, there are often situations in Africa where people are truly hungry and people are dying. At times like these, we in the west need to rise to the occasion and share what we have been blessed with.
3. Bigger is not always better. Large scale actions might be well intentioned and make good news stories, but they also have many unintended consequences that are not always helpful. For example, the UN, Oxfam, and other large donor organizations must funnel their aid through the government. Food aid then becomes a political tool in the hands of the ruling party. Large shipments of clothes often find their way to the markets, where they are sold.
If large shipments of clothes are being distributed free (which does happen) it makes it next to impossible for the local merchants and manufacturers to compete and stay in business. A short-term solution short circuits the long-term solution.
Organizations with staff have overhead expenses, and that's money not going where you intended it to go. Institutions, once set in motion, tend toward existing for their own sake. This leads to the temptation of skewing facts for the sake of maintaining donations. (Can you imagine a major aid organization saying "don't send us any more money; the crisis is over and we are disbanding the organization.")
4. Small scale solutions work - on a small scale. When multiplied, they work on a large scale.
Late in 2008 and into 2009 there was no food in Zimbabwe. When we recently talked about that with people there, nobody mentioned the UN or any other large-scale aid program as a part of how they survived. They all mentioned the small donations and care packages that came into the country from abroad.
Small scale projects have no overhead, do not attract government attention, can be quickly changed, can be easily monitored, and accountability can be maintained.
More information about a crisis situation in Zimbabwe and how you can easily help is at www.cupsofwaterafrica.blogspot.com.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Role of Missionaries in Africa Today
Most African countries (the exceptions being Muslim countries) have had the good news of Jesus being preached for well over 100 years now. Most countries have well established, reproducing churches and strong leadership, along with smaller, weaker churches that need good leadership – much like here in the USA.
The weakest churches are generally the ones with a recent history of foreign missionaries and foreign money supporting their local evangelists. The stronger churches are the ones that are local planted, have local leadership, and minimal interference from foreign money. Think of parenting – not cutting the apron strings makes a child dependent – not strong and independent. The same is true in mission work, whether in church planting, benevolent work or schools and other organizations. (Missionaries have often helped a village by installing a well, only to hear a year later, “your pump broke; when are you going to come fix your pump.”) Emotional ownership of any endeavour is essential to it's ongoing effectiveness.
There is a very limited role for foreign evangelists and church planters in most African countries. There is a role for westerners in Africa, but humble wisdom is needed to define it.
God has not called everyone to go to Africa. But he does still call some, and he gives them specific tasks that contribute to the growth and well-being of His people. Some are medical workers, some educators, some are farmers, some are training and encouraging church leaders, some are caring for orphans, street children, and the hungry. Some are called by God to go, some to give, and some to pray hard.
Some of the greatest needs in Africa are skills that will make life, work and church growth more effective – things like learning to plow with an ox rather than a short-handled hoe; better sanitation and hygiene to prevent diseases. But as simple as that sounds, cultural norms change very slowly. (Just look at our culture – we know that our diet causes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, etc. But how easy is it to change our diets?)
One of the keys to effectiveness is to always go behind local church and community leadership. Begin by asking them, “what are your needs, and how can we help you meet those needs?” Channel your help and assistance through the local churches, not your own organization. Teach them to depend upon God to meet their needs – they have been taught to depend upon missionaries and foreign support.
Things that are free have no value. We work hard to teach that to our children – we need to incorporate that principle more in our mission work. Almost without exception, everyone can afford to pay something for things they need. (There are crisis situations where this is not true and that is a different matter.) Africans have learned from experience that Bibles are free. While the motivation of the donors is right, there are unintended consequences – things that are free have no value. This is true of Bibles, village wells, bicycles for preachers, and education, among others..
Pictures from our recent trip can be seen at www.picasaweb.com/meloniefudge87
The weakest churches are generally the ones with a recent history of foreign missionaries and foreign money supporting their local evangelists. The stronger churches are the ones that are local planted, have local leadership, and minimal interference from foreign money. Think of parenting – not cutting the apron strings makes a child dependent – not strong and independent. The same is true in mission work, whether in church planting, benevolent work or schools and other organizations. (Missionaries have often helped a village by installing a well, only to hear a year later, “your pump broke; when are you going to come fix your pump.”) Emotional ownership of any endeavour is essential to it's ongoing effectiveness.
There is a very limited role for foreign evangelists and church planters in most African countries. There is a role for westerners in Africa, but humble wisdom is needed to define it.
God has not called everyone to go to Africa. But he does still call some, and he gives them specific tasks that contribute to the growth and well-being of His people. Some are medical workers, some educators, some are farmers, some are training and encouraging church leaders, some are caring for orphans, street children, and the hungry. Some are called by God to go, some to give, and some to pray hard.
Some of the greatest needs in Africa are skills that will make life, work and church growth more effective – things like learning to plow with an ox rather than a short-handled hoe; better sanitation and hygiene to prevent diseases. But as simple as that sounds, cultural norms change very slowly. (Just look at our culture – we know that our diet causes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, etc. But how easy is it to change our diets?)
One of the keys to effectiveness is to always go behind local church and community leadership. Begin by asking them, “what are your needs, and how can we help you meet those needs?” Channel your help and assistance through the local churches, not your own organization. Teach them to depend upon God to meet their needs – they have been taught to depend upon missionaries and foreign support.
Things that are free have no value. We work hard to teach that to our children – we need to incorporate that principle more in our mission work. Almost without exception, everyone can afford to pay something for things they need. (There are crisis situations where this is not true and that is a different matter.) Africans have learned from experience that Bibles are free. While the motivation of the donors is right, there are unintended consequences – things that are free have no value. This is true of Bibles, village wells, bicycles for preachers, and education, among others..
Pictures from our recent trip can be seen at www.picasaweb.com/meloniefudge87
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