3371 Chattanooga Valley Road Flintstone GA 30725 706.820.2833

3371 Chattanooga Valley Road Flintstone GA 30725 706.820.2833

Monday, September 20, 2010

How Can I Help?

Responding in way that does no harm

The following are three responses for three specific situations of need. It is important to
know which is appropriate –and which is not- as this is the most common reason poverty-
alleviation efforts lead to harm.

1. Relief: the urgent and temporary provision of emergency aid. This is administered
in order to reduce immediate suffering from either man-made or natural disasters.
Dynamic: Provider-receiver (provider gives assistance to the receiver)

Seldom. Immediate. Temporary.

2. Rehabilitation: seeking to restore people and/or their communities to the positive
aspects of their pre-crisis condition
Dynamic: working with (victims participate in their own recovery)

3. Development: the process of ongoing change, moving all involved, via a promoting
and empowering process (helpers and those helped) closer to being in right relationship
with God, others, self, and creation. The goal here is that those involved are better able to
fulfill their calling to glorify God by working and supporting themselves.
Dynamic: working with (all involved become more of what God created them to
be!)

Questions to ask:

1. Is there really a “crisis” at hand? If I fail to provide immediate help, will there be
serious, negative consequences?

2. To what degree is the individual personally responsible for the crisis? (use
compassion and discretion here!) Allowing people to feel some pain resulting from
irresponsibility can be some tough love -and lead to an individual seeing a need for
lasting change! The point here is not to punish, but promote healthy learning and growth.

3. Can they help themselves? If so, a handout would completely undermine their
capacity to be a steward of the resources and abilities God has already provided them!

4. To what extent has this person already been receiving help –from you or others?
How likely are they to be receiving help in the future?

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