Left Behind

In my most recent post I talked about those who will be left behind as we make the transition from the way we have done charity to a new way that doesn't create dependency and the crushing impact of benevolent oppression. Now that you've had some time to decide if I'm heartless or not, let me explain what left behind looks like.

I used the example of the ministry in Kenya where the man in charge refused to come up with a plan that would move them toward sustainability and self-sufficiency. When we run into people at the leadership level who have been so irreparably damaged by our benevolent oppression that they cannot do anything but receive charitable gifts those must be left behind. We must seek out people in leadership or who are capable of leadership, that have an entrepreneurial spirit, are teachable and are eager to do for themselves all that they can.

There will always be those who will need transitional help. The children under the care of the man in Kenya should not be abandoned. They must get meals, have secure housing, get an education and have regular medical attention. At the same time it is important to find someone to lead that ministry who understands how crucially important it is to build a sustainable model for the long term viability of that ministry.

A few posts ago I talked about the two questions we need to ask. The first is, "How can I help you?" Based on experience the answer is almost always, "Give us money." That's why I have the second question ready, "If I'm not going to give you money, how can I help you?"

The ones who get left behind are those who have no other answer, regardless of the question, but to say "Give me money." Those are the people we need to stop giving money. They are the ones who will be left behind in this very difficult transition. They are the ones who will be angry with us and may even try to stop us. They don't realize they are living under the oppression of our charity. And we may never be able to help them understand.