Yesterday I was checking out a blog of an author I like who was describing his recent trip to Uganda. There he visited an orphan he sponsors through a Christian ministry called Compassion.
The blog showed some very serious needs and the trip is a great example of Christian outreach. My heart went out to them; I firmly believe that we are called to take care of every widow and orphan in the world.
Photo credit: louris.yamaguchi via Flickr
But here's where I began to have a problem: the bloggers described how small and scary their final plane ride was but it was a 20 passenger plane. They landed on a developed airstrip. They visited a slum (their word) where everyone had donated food and clothing. Compared to what I had seen visiting Congo (where my dad was born and my grandparents were long-term missionaries), the conditions didn't look so bad.
This last thought left me with a mix of emotions. I felt guilt for even making a comparison because missions is not a competition. I felt sad, wondering if it was pride that caused me to compare my own missions experiences with others. I felt selfish because shouldn't my automatic, instinctual response be to do everything I can to help out a need?
I'm not totally wrong though, am I? If you google "poorest countries in the world" you'll see that Congo is dead last on every list. Countries like Uganda, Haiti, India, etc., have serious needs but are higher up on the list. Anyway, as I'm feeling this mix of emotions I decide to click on the link for Compassion ministries and see the list of orphans I can support. As I check out the list I notice that Congo and Central African Republic are missing. And then it hits me:
GDP per capita, based on World Bank figures
The countries with the biggest needs are by definition going to be missing from those websites.
Because in order to send money, there needs to be a stable enough ministry presence that my dollars can be sent through an established orphanage or family center. The only way to get money to the more unstable countries is to send it to missionaries who are on the front lines, many of whom are evacuated when things get really bad.
I'll give you an example: the other day I received an e-mail from my uncle and aunt, who are missionaries in Central African Republic. They were happy that a recent shooting in the marketplace was an isolated incident because it meant the rebels weren't yet raiding the town. My aunt and uncle always keep a packed bag at the ready for when the rebels show up. Intense!
I have a problem I can't solve... with so much need in the world, how do I decide where to send my limited resources? How do I encourage others to give to needs that are outside the system? Am I responsible to tell the story of needs I have seen?
Fortunately we have a God who is present in all of these places. No one is outside the reach of His love and He loves those needy individuals more than I ever could. Praise God for His incredible faithfulness and lovingkindness.
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