Doing Short-Terms Missions without Doing Long-Term Harm

Mandate eNewsletter: Doing Short-Terms Missions without Doing Long-Term Harm

Given the explosion of Short-Terms Missions (STM) trips to minister to low-income communities, it would appear that STM is the most effective way to minister to poor people. Right? Wrong! In fact, most STM trips violate basic principles of effective poverty-alleviation and have the potential to do considerable harm both to low-income people and to ourselves. However, by being cognizant of these principles and more intentional about our actions, the downsides of STMs can be reduced and there can be greater hope of long-term benefit for all involved.

PROVIDING RELIEF INAPPROPRIATELY DOES HARM

As discussed in the previous issue of Mandate,1 one of the key principles for effective ministry in low-income communities is discerning whether the context calls for “relief,”—short-term handouts to people in an emergency situation—or “development”—walking with people over time in a way that brings reconciliation of foundational relationships with God, self, others, and creation. Relief and development are very different sorts of interventions, requiring different skills, approaches, human and financial resources, and time. It is not always easy to discern which intervention is appropriate, but a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself the following question: Are the people in this community capable of helping themselves? If the answer is “yes,” then relief is not the right intervention. For example, the Good Samaritan appropriately provided relief to the man who was bleeding on the side of the road and completely helpless. But most low-income people are not in this situation and are suffering from chronic issues that affect their self-image and sense of purpose. Such feelings of inferiority, hopelessness, and meaninglessness cannot be overcome by handouts from a STM team or anybody else.

Unfortunately, STM trips often make the serious mistake of providing relief in contexts in which development is the appropriate intervention. Providing handouts of goods and services in such a situation can do enormous damage by undermining the willingness and capacity of low-income communities to be stewards of their own human and physical assets. Doing relief in a development context isn’t just ineffective; it’s damaging!

EMPHASIZING NEEDS INSTEAD OF ASSETS DOES HARM

STM trips also tend to use “needs-based” rather than “asset-based” approaches.2 Instead of focusing on the gifts and abilities that God has placed in low-income communities, the implicit assumption of many STM trips can be, “We must come in and build houses for you, because you don’t have the materials or know-how to do so yourselves. You need us to show you how to run Vacation Bible Schools in your community because we know more than you do.” This “needs-based” approach exacerbates the feelings of inferiority that are rampant in many low-income communities and can inflate the sense of superiority of the STM teams. In addition, these assumptions are not always true! There really are gifts and assets in low-income communities that the poor can use to improve both their lives and ours!...

...LEARNING FROM THE POOR AS SERVICE TO THE POOR

Despite these words of caution, STM trips can play a positive role in the lives of all those involved, but a different paradigm is needed. Rather than going as “doers,” some powerful dynamics can be unleashed if STM teams go as “learners” from the poor or as “co-learners” with the poor. Consistent with an asset-based model, going as a learner emphasizes the gifts which poor people have to share with others: the spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social resources that God has already placed in their community. Listening to poor people and asking them to share their insights affirms their dignity and reduces the tendencies towards pride on the part of the outsiders. Furthermore, the poor really do have something to teach us, for they have unique insights on what it means to trust in a sovereign God to “give us this day our daily bread.”...

Comments

[Ivy]

Michael, I couldn't agree with you more. I worked with some other folks in the West Bank (Bethlehem specifically) from 1983-1989. More often than not, those that joined us for a short term did more harm than good. It took time to become acclimated to the religious/political situation there. I always cringe a bit when I hear of those going short term. Peace.

[Denis Hancock]

I guess it all depends on how the short-term mission is planned and conducted.

This isn't something that can be slapped together. Team building, prayer, study need to be a part of any trip preparation.

Once there they need to observe and listen. An for those whose ministry involves making a lot of sawdust, take some time to relax and look around.

Groups I have participated in often have people who are not able to participate in strenuous work, but who CAN sit down and listen to people. These people are arguably the key people in the group.

For many, this is an eye-opening experience and one that leads to a life of true service.

[Michael W. Kruse]

I think this article does a wonderful job of identifying the potentially destructive impact of these. I agree with comments. Relationship and partnership should be the central aims and frankly I'm often embarrassed for the church.

[Audio Bible]

I think somethings that need to be added to the discussion here is the need for heart-language ministry and the need for a long-term, positive effects of a short term trip.

Many people and organizations continue to rail on the ineffectiveness of short-term teams, in fact there is a recent article in the Washington post {http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/04/AR2008070402233.html}.

But, truth is, there are lots of short term trips that go where large organizations do not, and now with the launch of the Every Church Every Village project by Faith Comes By Hearing, churches and short term teams can take heart-language audio Bibles to the field with them for free. The teams will be instructed on how to train locals to start listening groups where people gather to hear the Bible in their language, no interpreters, no preaching, just the Word.

The free audio bibles, called Proclaimers, are solar powered and have no moving parts, so they are a spiritual development tool for those who can't, don't or won't read -- which is about 70% of the world's population.

The project is underway, but the ministry is yet to officially announce it.