Over the last couple of years, my appreciation for Mission Resource's approach to ministry has only deepened. We offer microloans to struggling businessmen and women - mostly in Ghana, West Africa. Many have pointed out that there is a huge difference between offering a hand UP and a hand OUT.
I saw plenty of handouts during my time in Haiti - some coming from my own pocket. And there is a time and place for straight up gifts of money and resources.
But you sure do see a lot of helplessness fostered by such handouts over time. Not to mention dependency and even entitlement.
I was thinking the other day that we often assume the cure for poverty is just an injection of money. But it's rarely that simple and straightforward. Poverty is at least as complex as any disease and every situation is different and deserving of careful diagnosis.
And the missionary/philanthropist ought to abide by the rule which governs medical doctors: First, do no harm.
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