How to Help the Poor

Except for emergencies and crises, often the worst thing we do for the poor is give them a handout. I have blogged about this here quoting Fikkert who says: “one of the biggest problems in many poverty-alleviation efforts is that their design and implementation exacerbates… their feelings of inferiority and shame… In the process we hurt the poor and ourselves.” Still, the question is how to give people an empowering leg-up. Spending this weekend with a Kenyan woman from Nairobi gave us such a great snapshot of what people can do for themselves when given the opportunity. This woman drove us from one corner of this vast city to the other in order to help us find a possible location for our fall leadership conference. She used her car, her gas, and refused any help with expenses at the end of a long day. In the process I asked her at least a hundred questions about her own life trying to piece together how a woman, growing up in the heart of Africa, managed to step into both spiritual and material blessing. Her answers revealed the following, not-so-surprising pattern:

1. She had a foundation of hope growing up trusting in Jesus Christ’s presence in her life.
2. She was given the opportunity for a good education and took it.
3. She had good role models in her life, including her mother, who taught her that, with hard work, she could move up in life.
4. She used the resources that are available to women even in the poorest of countries: loans, groups who work together to provide revolving credit and savings for one another, and the advice of others.

This woman, though widowed for five years, is now putting her sons through college, owns her own home as well as one investment property. As I reflected on her example, it gave me hope that, with a holistic approach, we can give women who are trapped in poverty a true leg-up rather than a handout. This affirmed so much of what Brooks and Elizabeth (the director of the Women’s Center) are attempting to do:

1. A spiritual foundation. By discipling these women to Christ, their worldview becomes filled with hope instead of victimization.
2. Opportunity. By training them in job skills, they have the chance to improve their economic lives.
3. Modeling. By connecting them with Elizabeth and other women who are taking responsibility for themselves, these women can see the potential of where they can go and can receive great counsel and advice.
4. Resources. By teaching them business skills and connecting them to the resources that are available (loans, revolving savings/credit groups), these women can begin building toward a future that they could never have imagined before.

The point? Together with you, we really are seeing the transformation of women who would otherwise be completely trapped in poverty. As we head for Kitale this morning, we are looking forward to seeing the progress taking place knowing that God has so much more for the women, children, and leaders we will be seeing. We are very encouraged!