Yes, Hunter realizes that he is being slightly overdramatic with that answer. After all, we can think of tons of things this country needs. Will these things ever "save" the country as a whole? No. But we can save a few people at at time and pray that God will use them to help save others. In the case of the CHCH, we are responsible for changing the lives of 62 kids. Raising them doesn't help the whole country, but it helps a few.
So as abundantly blessed churches in America, what is our responsibility? In a country full of hopelessness, what can we do to help? And how do we help without doing more damage than has already been done? What in the world does God want us to do here?
Watch this video from one of our favorite authors Bob Lupton. His book Toxic Charity has messed with out minds as missionaries on many occasions. He is also rather blunt on what works and what doesn't. And his honestly, although sometimes hard to digest, has made us re-examine our position here in Haiti many times. We have applied much of his advice to the way we help- and in some cases don't help- people down here.
Anyway, Lupton poses a question at the end of the short clip- a question that can be directed to his previous stats on mission work in Haiti. Please watch and share your thoughts below. What is your answer to his question: "What is wrong with the picture?"
The last time we came to the orphanage, we were in the airport waiting to go home, and we asked a Haitian man what he thought Haiti needed to get better. He replied, "Kill all the Haitians." We were shocked and saddened that he had such a dim view of his home and fellow citizens, and I'm definitely not encouraging you to follow his advise. There have been times, though, when I've wondered if what he was really getting at is the simple fact that there are no easy solutions. People, myself included, can be prideful and stubborn, especially when it comes to changing a long standing tradition. About a decade ago, another missionary thought bringing solar cookers was the way to go to give people a renewable source of cooking and to help prevent deforestation and soil loss...and I guess it went ok at first, but then the people preferred to go back to their traditional way of cooking. A doctor told us they work harded hard to teach sanitary practices, which were followed as long as the US nurses and doctors were around, but abandoned as soon as they left. And I'm not sure people are much different anywhere else- maybe it just manifests itself in a slightly different form. We live next to a reservation and while it's not quite like Haiti there are a few similarities...the ones that strike me most are poverty and struggling to keep their dignity and pride as a people. So I would think money could be needed and helpful but it also does seem to damage something inside an individual and produce an unhappy society when people can't provide for themselves long term. And Haiti has several other problems on top of that.
ReplyDeleteWhen we visited, we bought beans and rice and were surprised some of the food was from Idaho (we're from Wyoming so we're neighbors). At the time we thought that was neat, but since then I have wondered if food is imported because it's cheaper and then Haitians who might be farming can't compete and lose jobs...I don't know. I put Toxic Charity on my reading list because of your blog. Haiti seems to have so many problems, and my heart goes out to you and all of the people there. I don't know the answer, but maybe having people like you and Hunter there will help as you can see first hand what is happening and report back to those of us in the US if you do figure out the "best" way to help. Sharing the love of Jesus through your words and actions seems like an excellent place to start. I'm glad the orphanage has you there because you obviously deeply love God and the kids in your care, and we are blessed to have missionaries who think critically and are trying to sort stuff like this out.
What wrong is our definition of poverty. You can't fix poverty with money because poverty is more than a lack of material goods. We also harm people when we don't engage their culture, because we think our way of doing things is superior to theirs. I am afraid to think that I may have done more harm than good in the short term mission trips I have been a part of. The book "When Helping Hurts" by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert provides great example how lasting change can be accomplished and it is totally opposite to the way we as Americans think. I do think we need to change the way we do long term and short term missions. We need to be more humble in the way we deal with people from other nations. We are all screwed up, and should never think that as Americans we are in any way better than anyone else.
ReplyDeleteGeoff
DeleteLove your answer and I am going to think about this more. I have never stopped to think about what I believe "poverty" really is. I, too, have written off poverty as just a lack of money- but maybe that isn't correct. And how can we help those who are poor when we don't even understand what "poor" is. And I have to think- have we made Haitiens (and others in 3rd world countries of that matter) poor? I mean, has our opinion of them made them so poor? Would those I know in Haiti believe themselves to be poor if nobody ever told them they were poor to begin with? I look back on my short-term trips as well and cringe at the image of superiority I fear I carried along with me. I pray daily that God continues to change my heart and molds me into the image of Jesus- who humbled himself completely here on earth. Only then can I serve the way He wants me to here in Haiti.
Jillian I will pray for you!!
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