I'm sure every missionary faces the challenges of helping the poor people and the Bible teaches us to have compassion on them and give generously but should we set limits? Some we help regularly now turn up on our doorstep every time they have a need [and all their needs are desperate!] and the landlord isn't that impressed. Even though we could help them every time, we want to avoid them viewing us as first stop every time they have a need. We also don't want to be seen as the "rich foreigners" who can always meet their needs. How do you people cope with this?
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I have just come across your question. You do not say where you are ministering?
I think indeed that the issue you are running into is very common for many missionaries to the 'majority world'. I don't know of a 'simple solution'. For a more complex solution, see vulnerablemission.org
We have a forum/discussion list in which we look at specific issues like this of resources called 'pearl'. Let me know if you are interested in joining.
I have just noticed that you question was asked not this year, but over 4 years ago! Maybe my above response will still be helpful, somehow!
Hi Norma,have you try to help few of them not with money only but with the tools to start a small business and those that you help to help some others and to go on and on.
You will never be able to help everybody because you are only one source. If you will create other sources then more and more families will be helped.Find few that they have a skill and help them to turn it to a small business after that it will flow alone and they will not come to your doorstep for money but because they will be ready to work and hold hands with others to come out of poverty.
Always you will come infront of the situations that you will need to say no.
It's a tough one. Whether you decide to give or not, it's a hard one to cope with. As you say there will always be another coming to the doorstep and there is the real risk of being seen as the 'rich foreigner'. Also how do you decide who to give to and who not to? I guess it also depends on the culture you are working in. Here in Uganda if people in the community know you give, they will keep coming and although the stories can be heart breaking, sadly not all of them are true. We have also heard many a story of locals who purposely seek out the rich mzungu (white) purely to get money.
I guess for me, we are fortunate to be involved in a community project, so we have chosen a particular group in poverty to work with and we don't give money but rather invest seeds and skills.
Some one told me a story once, asking what is best: to give a person a fish or show them how to fish. I found it a helpful story, though it raised a whole host of other questions too :-)
Norma Coles > Claudia SmithDecember 2, 2010 at 2:06pm
Thanks, Claudia. Yes it depends on the culture. Here in Macedonia, it's still Europe but so different from UK. We've brought families to the Lord so now they're brothers and sisters and we visit frequently and see the obvious needs so we can't just shut our eyes. There are no projects to help them and we've grown to love them and want to help them so they can have food and also go to school. Usually I go by how much peace I get when I give or if I feel I should say no. We usually set a limit too and say thus far and no further. I must say they themselves are so generous and whatever food we give them, they always insist on sharing with us. often the children put us to shame. They want to share everything and even if they have nothing, we can share that too! We also take all our UK visitors to visit them and they fall in love with the children and when they see the conditions they live in, they are also very willing to help them, so it doesn't always fall on us. God is teaching us so much through them and we feel very blessed. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I am finding that poverty is more complex than I ever thought. I work with refugees who do not have refugee status and so get no help officially cos they failed their interview with UNHCR. I dont give them money but I give them work and pay them for it. No hand-outs. I teach them crafts and sewing.
No easy answers. If you give work, you have to invest time in supervising it but you get to know them. If you get to know them then you get wiser.
Unfortunately you cant walk away from poverty. You must engage. 'There shall be no poor among you' (OT).......the poor will always be among you (NT)......' two bible verses that are so true.
Norma Coles > Wairimu KamauNovember 14, 2010 at 5:40pm
Yes the problem is we have got to know them very well and been well blessed by that but the more we get to know them the more they expect from us [ a particular gysy family] so we say no sometimes just to avoid the constant expectation. Also we don't want to restrict our resourses to one family. we can't give them work or teach them anything that would bring in income in this country or at least we've not thought of anything yet. Yes poverty is a terrible thing and we can't make a huge difference but as Heidi Baker says "Just stop for the one in front of you".
Replies
Hi Norma,
I have just come across your question. You do not say where you are ministering?
I think indeed that the issue you are running into is very common for many missionaries to the 'majority world'. I don't know of a 'simple solution'. For a more complex solution, see vulnerablemission.org
We have a forum/discussion list in which we look at specific issues like this of resources called 'pearl'. Let me know if you are interested in joining.
I have just noticed that you question was asked not this year, but over 4 years ago! Maybe my above response will still be helpful, somehow!
Jim
Hi Norma,have you try to help few of them not with money only but with the tools to start a small business and those that you help to help some others and to go on and on.
You will never be able to help everybody because you are only one source. If you will create other sources then more and more families will be helped.Find few that they have a skill and help them to turn it to a small business after that it will flow alone and they will not come to your doorstep for money but because they will be ready to work and hold hands with others to come out of poverty.
Always you will come infront of the situations that you will need to say no.
I guess for me, we are fortunate to be involved in a community project, so we have chosen a particular group in poverty to work with and we don't give money but rather invest seeds and skills.
Some one told me a story once, asking what is best: to give a person a fish or show them how to fish. I found it a helpful story, though it raised a whole host of other questions too :-)
No easy answers. If you give work, you have to invest time in supervising it but you get to know them. If you get to know them then you get wiser.
Unfortunately you cant walk away from poverty. You must engage. 'There shall be no poor among you' (OT).......the poor will always be among you (NT)......' two bible verses that are so true.