What is poverty? I often think it’s lack of material resources. I conjure up mental images of third, world, African countries.
It’s more than lack of material resources. Brian Fikkert, co-author of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself
Do you know what it feels like to not belong? Do you know what it feels like to be invisible to other people? Would an extra t-shirt and hot meal from a stranger fix that feeling?
Did you ever wonder if putting material resources into a country would undermine its already struggling local economy? I hadn’t before this conference.
Are we thinking about the long term impact? Do you ever think that bringing in our high-gloss, full color VBS materials would undermine local ministry initiatives? Never occurred to me before last night.
Relationship with God, people, creation. Helping impoverished populations restore and redeem those relationships is the key.