Who does it help???

We are accosted every day with the images of the horrors that happen half way around the world. Photos of people living in the most horrible conditions, without food, without proper shelter and without proper medical attention. These images break my heart. They make me think about the things that I do, and what I can do to better see the face of Christ in all I meet. These stories touch everyone in very different way and out of this great need, an interesting industry has developed – Evangelical tourism. Some open their minds, some their wallets and some take the time to travel to these places to try to make life there better because the other people in most of those photo’s are North American “missionaries” or celebrities. They spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to travel to these areas of the world to offer assistance. It is a wonderful thought – to want to DO something to help. I think the motivations are fantastic and epitomize what it is to be Christian! Here’s where I have a difficult time. The sheer amount of money spent on the travel, the hotels and the food is huge. But if it is going to be a life changing experience, something that they will pray about when they return, something that will act as a catalyst for more action upon their return, I think it is wonderful. It goes back to the gospel passage – Matthew 25;35 (ish) I was hungry and you gave me food, I was naked and you gave me clothing. One of the passages that strikes me very deeply. Here’s my little cynical side - most people go to these countries in the winter when in North America the weather is cold, but it is warm where they are going! They travel in packs and can often not do very much because they are struck with diarrhea, or jet lag. Also, it would be interesting to know how much good can you do in a clinic in one week? So what is the motivation – are they actually a help or a hindrance? The amount of money that is spent on travel could be donated to give work to a local person who is trained in the medical field, in the dental field, who is a bricklayer or a cement layer. In this instance you are handing a person a rod and some line and letting them get on with fishing!