Community Development

[ElElohe]

Without slaughtering too much this idea, I'd like to put forth my meager knowledge on this topic in this forum.

Community development deals with a wholehearted approach to "social justice." Perhaps the best way for me to put it is "If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. If you teach him how to fish he'll eat forever." Community development in a missions sense strives not to provide food aid, but to train local indigenous people to cultivate the land they have so that they can "work with their own hands, so they don't have to rely on anyone else." (I Thess 5 I think).

This wholistic approach is not perfect but strives for an ideal. Where the idea was first introduced to me was in the anthology Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.

Has anyone else studied such ideas or been a part of such projects? I think if I understand this forum correctly, this is an integral part.

 

[pmcleanj]

Community development in a missions sense strives not to provide food aid, but to train local indigenous people to cultivate the land they have so that they can "work with their own hands, so they don't have to rely on anyone else."

If I recall correctly, many of the early failures in this kind of mission failed because of the false assumption that we know how indigenous people should be cultivating their own land. In fact, indigenous people very often know better than we do what they need. What has happened though is that something -- climate change, war, economic developments related to trade globalization, natural disaster -- has destroyed their traditional infrastructure or rendered it inadequate.

NGO's quickly learned that their first action on coming into a community must be to listen to the community's perspective of what their needs are. Even then, many projects failed because the missionaries consulted with the village headmen. Now, typically, they consult with both the men and the women. Since women do the majority of the agricultural work and small-industry work, they often have the clearest perspective on what the community needs are.

Missions that use this approach include the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund and Lutheran World Relief . And, of course, Canadians of my age can all remember the poignant appeals of Lotta Hitchmenova on behalf of the Unitarian Service Commission!

 

[ElElohe]

As you point out the history of missions is key to our present strategy.

There is no perfect social work, NGO strategy or community development. Missionaries, whether out of eager goodwill or lack of cultural research, have certainly made mistakes in every realm of cross-cultural ministry. And every culture and every locale will vary.

Speaking to the women is probably very wise, but one must be very sensitive to the culture you are aiming to assist. The men may come to resent this if it is seen as underhanded, or they may see it as foolish. It depends on the view of females in each culture.

You're also correct in pointing out that outside factors usually drive a need of this kind. However, these are most often factors we can do little about. Unless we are scientists with a God-like hand, political movers with armies to back us up, or mega-philanthropists with means greater than a country's GDP (and willing to sacrifice that, which often is the problem) we have to approach poverty and lack of education and lack of food from a different angle.

I'll have to check out those links you've mentioned; but I don't remember any "Lotta," not being Canadian

If I recall correctly, many of the early failures in this kind of mission failed because of the false assumption that we know how indigenous people should be cultivating their own land. In fact, indigenous people very often know better than we do what they need. What has happened though is that something -- climate change, war, economic developments related to trade globalization, natural disaster -- has destroyed their traditional infrastructure or rendered it inadequate.

NGO's quickly learned that their first action on coming into a community must be to listen to the community's perspective of what their needs are. Even then, many projects failed because the missionaries consulted with the village headmen. Now, typically, they consult with both the men and the women. Since women do the majority of the agricultural work and small-industry work, they often have the clearest perspective on what the community needs are.

Missions that use this approach include the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund and Lutheran World Relief . And, of course, Canadians of my age can all remember the poignant appeals of Lotta Hitchmenova on behalf of the Unitarian Service Commission!

 

[ElElohe]

Just saw this today on Brigada:

10) TRANSFORMING NATIONS . . . COMMUNITY BY COMMUNITY -- Are you

interested in establishing a Community-Based Health Care Program which

integrates the physical and the spiritual? Medical Ambassadors

International's Training of Trainers (TOT) introduces people to

Community Health Evangelism (CHE). This strategy teaches concepts,

gives vision and practical How Tos for implementing and managing CHE in

your ministry. Training dates for USA: September 14-19, 2004.

Additional information can be found at http://www.medicalambassadors.org/Training_Dates.htm

or email Helen(AT)med-amb(DOT)org [replace (at) with @ and (dot) with