Follow Up to "Rich"

This is another example of percieved needs vs. actual needs:

I recieved a newsletter today from Leslie Rolling, a friend of mine who lives and serves Jesus in Haiti. She works with Clean Water For Haiti. Her blog is here.

This is what she said in her letter:

One thing that I often encounter when getting ready to return here [Haiti] is that people will ask me if they can send things, like books, toys or clothes to be given away. We have a policy at CWH to not do this because in a culture where people have gotten so dependant on being given things it can greatly affect any kind of relationship you may want to build with them, hindering the work we are trying to do. In fact, the first English phrase that most Haitian children learn is, "Hey blanc, give me a dollar!"

I believe there is a slow shift happening with how people are going to be involved with organizations such as ours. For many years the normal apprach to helping would be to ask, "What things can I give?" With the complications that arise from working in different cultures there is an even greater need to entrust those on the ground with the resources (most often financial) necessary to most effectively work in cultures that they are serving. Having resources available to be used where needed is an empowering thing that will allow missionaries and aide workers to work more efficiently and effectively in accomplishing their goal of getting helpt ot where it is needed most, and that is one of the greatest forms of helping.

She said it better than I ever could. This was my experience in Haiti. We were told as soon as we got there that giving people money or whatever does not help them. It took me a long to understand this.

This is all to say that we need to be careful when we assess a need because as we try to meet it, we may be doing more harm then good.