Missionary Work
The Good of Missions: I write this from personal experience about the missionary work in Africa.
'Operation Handclasp': During my days in the U.S. Navy, one of our missions was to deliver grain, toys, and books to the Horn of Africa. You would recognize any of the bags of grain, or boxes of the other items; they all had the emblem of the two hands clasping, which designated these items as part of the 'People to People' effort by Americans to the less fortunate in the world. Our part in this project was to deliver these supplies to several missions scattered throughout what was then called French Somaliland. I considered myself fortunate to have been one of the ones to help deliver this bounty to those missions. The experience was an eye opener and changed my opinion about missionary programs.
Feel Good Enterprise: The Missionaries are all sincere about wanting to help the poor. They feel like they are doing the Lord's work, and in most cases they are. These people put up with a lot of pretty sorry and dangerous conditions in order to carry out what they perceive is their life's work. So up front, I want to convey my admiration for this dedication to principle. My problem with these enterprizes is the results. The following is a summary of what happens whenever a group or a church opens up a mission.
Opening a Mission: It doesn't take long for the word to get around in the area that there is a new mission. The poor will congregate around the mission because they know that there is going to be food and some medical assistance. Like I said, feeding the poor is honorable, but making them wards of the mission is wrong. These people become totally dependent on these missions. The missions fully realize that there are a lot of people who won't eat unless they provide it. In U.S. churches there is always a portion of the receipts that go to a fund that helps the missions. It is this help along with goverments help that keep the missions supplied. And, no doubt if the missions were to leave, those who are dependent on the missions would probably starve.
A Different Direction: It doesn't have to be this way. The world has been donating relief supplies for decades and the situation has not improved. Part of the reason for the lack of progress is that the world is basically satisfying the needs of these people to the point that they have become wards of the world. Continuing to go down this path will only continue the same results.
Some Suggestions:
(1) Get these African Governments to institute some form of birth control. The China model is a good example.
(2) Have the scientific community come up with ways to irrigate enough of the dry areas to enable good farming.
(3) Establish a 'Core' of locals from each country to receive special education on food production. (A comprehensive education, not shake and bake).
(4) Starting with the missions, begin paying the locals for any of their harvest that they can sell, and establish markets for their products.
Rewarding: Making these people self sufficient rather than dependents would be a tremendous benefit for the African Citizens. The cycle of being dependent has to be done away with. The missionary's role would still be important but they would eventually get out of the food business. There are local traditions and superstitions that will need to be dealt with. The missionary community has only scratched the surface when it comes to helping with such huge concerns as education and stimulating the personal effort that these people are going to need. It is for certain they need more than soul saving and food hand outs to break the poverty-famine cycle.
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