Episode 13: The Problem (Part 3)

Part three and final of our mini-series on the problem! Namely why we can hurt people when our intention is to help them. 

This week, we talk about the problem with emergency principals, and the difference between relief, rehabilitation, and development. 

By seeing poverty through a strictly material lens, and giving others ongoing emergency relief, not only do we assert ourselves as in every way superior, but we also undermine the God-given abilities of those receiving our aid. We become active participants of instilling cycles of hopelessness and shame within their lives, we undermine and destroy local business opportunities and market systems, and we create cycles of generational dependence. And this does very little if anything to bring about positive and sustainable change.

And thus, in order to effectively assist the global poor, we simply must move on from emergency principles. This is both much more difficult, and tremendously more effective - requiring not only our finances, but our lives, and our time. 

 This episode concludes with a Tuesday tip that encourages asking the following questions: 

1. Do I know, and can I measure the long term impact of my assistance? 
2. Am I involved in any method of helping that ultimately hurts the poor?
3. Am I doing for anybody what they could do for themselves?
4. Am I using emergency relief principles in non-emergency situations?
5. Are the recipients of my assistance an active part of the process?