The Sad Truth

[statsphil]

I have looked and looked and I find it extremely difficult to find evidence that people want to talk about helping the third world online. The biggest forum I could find has ~500 members but doesn't get a lot of discussion. Most successful forums rely on people having a common interest and wanting to talk about it. I think that people who want to help the third world find it difficult to talk about. How do you help people if you don't communicate.

It is my opinion that the online communication is one of the most underated methods of fighting poverty and also one of the most cost effective.

Why don't people like discussing poverty online?

Do people care?

 

[Janitrol]

Google search for wooof

 

[heron]

The people I know offline who have a passion for this, tend to dive into missions and take off... they just do it. Then they find themselves in a situation where they have an hour of internet access per week, or are not free to use religious terminology online.

I am surprised, though, that you did not get much response in so many weeks. (Thanks Janitrol.) Maybe you should just start posting questions, and then see what the response is.

A lot of people get passionate about helping when there is a sudden crisis, like after the tsunamis and hurricanes. These events make discussions less vague and the scope less overwhelming.

I know a few people on this forum who are helping in third world communities right now. But their posts tend to focus on questions relating to running Bible studies and worship services.

If you are feeling like no one in the churches are interested at all, you might be encouraged to hear that I can name about 100 acquaintances who have given years of their work life to practical missions overseas (medical, building wells, teaching). The people are out there.

How about starting a forum with that focus?

 

[heron]

Some of the subforums here that might lead you into more discussion with people on third world needs --

Missions & Evangelism - Christian Forums
Christianity and World Religion - Christian Forums
News & Current Events - Christian Forums
Ethics & Morality - Christian Forums
Regions and Languages - Christian Forums
Full-Time Ministry - Christian Forums
Christian Current Affairs - Christian Forums
Christian Philosophy & Ethics - Christian Forums

 

[harringtonfamily3]

I agree. I think when it comes to ministires like this, the people involved are more action oriented. Less talk more Action. Amen, and amen

 

[savedandthankful]

I don't think online communication is the best method of fighting third word poverty. The best method is to get off the net (unless you're making an online donation of course) and do something.

The net serves it's purpose because it's a place where we can vent and go deep into discussion on issues that we might not get to chat about in person. In reality forums are not really going to make a difference to third world povery. If anything they are likely to keep people on the net and stop them from getting out there and making a real difference.

Many Christians donate, volunteer and write letters to people in power. I don't think it's that people don't care, rather that they are already doing something. Charity volunteers tend to discuss these issues with each other so they don't really feel the need to join a forum to discuss it.

 

[The Fourth Horseman]

The only way to truly save the third world is to go back in time and stop the European colonization or at least stop the Decolonization. Africa and South-East Asia are all as bad as they are because the Euros messed them up, left, drew up boundaries no one living in the country cares about and put in weak governments that are corrupt and collapse every five years or so.

Most aid sent to these countries never reaches the people and most of the food is sent to parts of Africa like Kenya that are already self sustaining.

Not to sound super pessimistic but you either go all out (which no one is willing to do) or nothing will be accomplished.