Wandering Priest » poverty

Social Business

Doug — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:24:37 +0000

Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for his astounding work in microfinance, as told in his book, Banker to the Poor. His second book, Creating a World Without Poverty, was also a good read. His third book is entitled Building Social Business, and I believe the idea is very creative and is a perfect fit for so many who want to help in making positive changes in our world. A social business is one “that sustains itself but whose purpose is to create social benefits rather than to generate a profit” (pg. 34).

The book describes social business and how it is different from a profit generating business, or a non-profit that pretty much focuses on charitable endeavors. A social business is run to make money, but all of the money generated is used to cover costs and build the business. The products are those which benefit society. The investors are those who want their money to make a difference in the world. In time, the investors receive the exact amount that they invested (regardless of inflation), though there is no 100% guarantee. An example of a social business would be a tree-planting business. Trees would have to be sold as the business needs to be sustainable. Profits would pay for the laborers, for new product, and to pay the investor back over time. The investor feels good about her/his investment because of the trees that help to protect the environment, provide shade, provide employment, etc. Yet another example would be establishing a business that makes mosquito nets to aid in preventing malaria, or a water purification plant to produce clean water. Note, the nets or water is not provided to the customer freely; it needs to be purchased so that sustainability is achieved.

The book is available on amazon.com and can be purchased new, used, or in electronic format. I borrowed the book, but may purchase one because the idea is definitely worth chewing over.

Culture of Poverty

Dan Leinbaugh — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:49:21 +0000

We (CMF) are involved in research to minster with local partners in a ministry among the urban poor in a Latin American country. There has been “on the ground” research by some on our staff while I have been focusing on library research (pretty much, my own library, that is).

Back in college and seminary days I was introduced to the anthropologist Oscar Lewis and his notion of the “culture of poverty.” In 1976 I read his book, Five Families. I have reread the book, along with a UN book on urban slums in Latin America, as well as a master’s thesis by one working among the urban poor in Mexico City, Jean Luc Kreig. In addition, I have just completed the fascinating book The Culture Façade by Susan Rigdon (1988). In her book, she notes that Lewis’ concept of the culture of poverty was highly critiqued by other anthropologists. It seemed that the primary critique was that there was not a culture of poverty as Lewis defined it. Lewis also talked about the “subculture of poverty.” I wonder if the argument could have been avoided if he would have used a term like the “ethos of poverty.” Anthropologists have a long history of argumentation on the definition of the term “culture”.

The subject is of relevance because we have picked up from Kreig and the UN book the notion that by 2050, one half of the world will be made up of squatters and the urban poor. We have taken that idea, along with Lewis’ notion of the culture of poverty, to say that the urban poor constitute the largest unreached people group in the world.

I have five other books by Lewis writing about Latin America (assuming Puerto Rico to be a part of Latin America), so I have plenty more to read.

Input from any of you?

Cooking with Poo

Doug — Sat, 28 May 2011 17:11:32 +0000

Anji Barker, serving with Urban Neighbors of Hope in Bangkok, Thailand, is active in community development in the slum of Klong Toey. She has helped dozens of women on the road toward self-sufficiency. One of her great projects involves helping women to utilize their resources. One of the women Anji works with is named Poo (short version of her first name). Anji assisted Poo to use her talents in cooking to initiate a business. Poo has done marvelously and has built quite a reputation. People come from many places to sit in on Poo’s cooking classes. Her cooking classes are a great addition to a trip to Bangkok, and not only do you get some great cooking tips, you are also taken to a local market to pick out the food to be prepared. Best of all, you know that the minimal fee is helping the poor to help themselves.

Another aspect of the business was the publishing of a cookbook, entitled Cooking with Poo. The book has been published and was recently launched in Bangkok with an autographing session. Many books were sold, 300 I believe. In addition, T-shirts had been made, saying, “I cooked with Poo and liked it.” Some 60 T-shirts and aprons were sold.

A local press correspondent from Australia invited the international press corps in Bangkok to a gathering where the book was highlighted. Anji and her husband Ash were there and Ash got to share with the press corps about the plight of the poor around the world. After his short talk, he and Anji were asked many questions by the press. What a great opportunity to highlight ministry to the poor.

Good job Poo, Anji and Ash! Check out their website www.unoh.org and google Urban Neighbors of Hope for other stories.

CHE Training

Doug — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:14:26 +0000

This week we are offering training on CHE and are pleased that twenty-two people have come for the training, one from as far away as Colorado. CHE is a kind of Christian version of ABCD, “Asset Based Community Development.” (Actually, maybe I should have said that the other way around.) As an organization, CMF partners with FAME, a medical mission group. FAME is a strong proponent of the CHE strategy toward community development. CHE stands for Community Health Evangelism, but CHE is not limited to health issues.

Those doing the training this week are Linda Brock and Judy Fish. Both have extensive service in Africa and nowadays spend a good deal of their time in teaching CHE around the world. Some of those taking the training are missionaries, some of members of church missions committees, and some are recruits to work in other countries.

Our CMF home office is fortunate to have a room, the Charles Cook Center, where we can have training sessions for this many people (but not many more!). Charles Cook was an early leader of CMF who stayed with us in a variety of roles for over fifty years. He and his wife Barbara’s photo are on the wall of the room.

A New On-Line Journal

Doug — Thu, 12 May 2011 11:55:45 +0000

I want to introduce you to a new on-line journal: Missio Dei: A Journal of Missional Theology and Praxis. The link is http://missiodeijournal.com You can download the journal to read or save in pdf format. The issues are themed. The theme of the first issue was “Rediscovering Missio Dei” and the second issue’s theme was “Good News to the Poor.”

The articles are stimulating; as are the responses. Each issue includes book reviews. I discovered the journal when I was asked to submit a book review. When you look at the book review, you can actually hit a button and purchase the book (from amazon I suppose). The journal is in color on your screen.

The editors deserve our thanks for the effort they put into this journal. I hope you will take a look. You do not need to subscribe, the issues are free to read on-line.

My First Webinar

Doug — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:20:44 +0000

This year CMF is hosting six webinars related to short term mission trips. Two have already taken place – one on tips for planning a trip, and the second on spiritual preparation for the trip. Thursday will be the third webinar, and it is one that I am doing. The subject is “cultural intelligence,” or, what are some of the cross-cultural dynamics in short term mission trips. Later in the year will be one on dealing with interpersonal issues while on trips, another one will be on helping rather than hurting by our giving while on trips, and the final one will be on what to do after the trip. Information can be found on the CMF webpage.

I’ve sat in on a few webinars; isn’t it amazing at the mushrooming ways of delivering content? You’ve likely seen those “Go To Meeting” commercials on television. That is exactly the program that we are using for these webinars.

I guess I need to prepare what I am going to say, so I’m outtahere!

The Poor You Will Always Have With You.

Doug — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:12:59 +0000

I preached on “Good News to the Poor” recently and heard that a study group was using the sermon and discussing poverty and what to do about the poor. The verse about “always having the poor with you” came up in the conversation as it often does, which led me to do a little studying.

The passage is found in a couple of places in the New Testament. Matt. 26:11 reads, “For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not have me.” (NRSV)

The other passage is Mark 14:7, which reads: “For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me” (NRSV). I underlined the section that is not included in Matthew, because I think it is critically important to how we interpret this passage.

Many people have taken the phrase, “The poor you will always have with you” as a statement of fact. Some then go on to reason, “Since we will always have poor people around, what is the use of trying to help them? We’ll never be able to help them all, so why even try?” Therefore, the verse ends up being used as a sort of rationalization for not helping the poor.

But I believe this passage is saying just the opposite. 1) Since you will always have the poor with you, you will be able to help them anytime (or always). 2) But since you will only have me (Jesus) around for a while, it is OK that this woman used her ointment on me, even though it could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor.

I would venture that Matthew’s point in the passage was not about how to deal with the poor, but was about the kindness of the woman and then Jesus’ comment about not being with them much longer.

I would venture that Mark included it, making the same points as Matthew, but also adding the extra phrase to emphasize how we should interact with the poor.

It is likely that the phrase, “the poor will always be with you” that Jesus uses comes from Deuteronomy 15:11, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’ ”

Do you have any thoughts? Please comment.

Making a Big Dent in Sex-Trafficking

Doug — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:17:39 +0000

The following quotes come from an article in Time magazine, Feb. 14, 2011. The article is written by Nancy Gibbs and is titled “The Best Investment” (page 64).

“In sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than 1 in 5 girls make it to secondary school. Nearly half are married by the time they are 18; 1 in 7 across the developing world marries before she is 15. The leading cause of death for girls 15-19 worldwide is complications from pregnancy. Girls under 15 are give times as likely to die while having children than are women in their 20s, and their babies are more likely to die as well.

“An extra year of primary school boosts girls wages by 10-20%. An extra year of secondary school adds 15-25%. Girls who stay in school for seven or more years typically marry four years later and have two fewer children than girls who drop out.

“When girls and women earn income, they reinvest 90% of it in their families. They buy books, medicine, bed nets (to prevent malaria). For men, the figure is more like 30% to 40%. Investment in girls education may well be the highest return investment available in the developing world.”

The CMF/Hope Partnership project in Nairobi, Kenya, allows girls (and boys) to be sponsored so that they can go to school. Over four thousand children are being sponsored. In the last two years, the first years the project had kids old enough to reach the eighth grade, 96% of the eighth graders passed their high school entrance exam, more than doubling the national average of 40%. Both girls and boys are going to high school.

The project also has a microfinance program. Currently there are 1144 people who have loans. The repayment rate for the loans is 98%. Two out of three who receive a loan are women.

I don’t have to tell you what would happen to these girls now in school or these women if they were not able to receive loans. This project is doing much to end child slavery, sex trafficking, and prostitution in the slums of Mathare Valley, one of the poorest places on the earth.

BigDent.org

Doug — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:42:37 +0000

One of the best ways to address poverty is to use the “three-E-strategy.” One E is for evangelism, because Christ brings abundant life and offers hope for a better future. A second E is for education, because education helps us to see beyond ourselves and also is important is being able to secure the third E, employment. But how do the poor secure employment?

One answer is that they can receive loans, usually small loans, with which to start small businesses. Among slum dwellers, not a lot of money is required. Many people, all over the world, have been able to make a living once they have received a loan. A good book describing this process, called microlending, is Muhammad Yunnus’ book, Banker to the Poor.

In our work in Nairobi, Kenya CMF has a microfinance program, and the return rate for loans is a whopping 98%. These loans have all been made to the poor who live in the urban slums. Many have been able to change their lives due to the 27 hours of training that precedes the loan and the weekly follow-up meetings after the loan has been secured. Individuals form themselves into a group who meet together and who hold one another accountable.

Within the next week or so we will be live online so that potential donors can make a contribution to our microfinance program. They will be able to choose the one to whom they wish to make a loan, as well as the amount needed for the loan. They will be able to fund the entire loan or a portion of the loan. They will be able to know what business is being envisioned. And they will be able to immediately get their tax deductive receipt online.

Our site is called Big Dent because we believe that with a small gift you will be able to make a big dent in poverty.

Many microfinance programs leave out the all important spiritual component in their endeavors. We do not. In fact our program is but one aspect of a holistic ministry that involves health, schooling, justice, care for the environment, and Christian teaching. Prayer is a part of every group meeting.

Check it out: www.BigDent.org

Writing Assignments

Doug — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:57:29 +0000

When I was in Oregon last March I had a workshop at Mayfest, a day-long event for Seniors. Accompanying me was my trusty side-kick, LeRoy Lawson, who had main billing. My workshop focused on trends in missions and how those trends related to seniors wanting to be involved in mission efforts. LeRoy read my notes, offered some suggestions, and then encouraged me to write up the workshop and publish it. I sent the article to Christian Standard this week. We’ll see it is makes it to press.

A long time friend, Stephen Burris, edited a book back in 1995 titled Completing the Task. He is editing another book in the same vein, and has asked me to contribute five chapters (3 on anthropology, 1 on strategy, and 1 on holistic missions). So I’ve got my work cut out for me.

For the last eight years I have worked from home on Fridays. I use the time for reading and writing, though sometimes I also work on the CMF archives. I found it is easier to read and write (serious writing, not memos or letters) from home than in the CMF office. Since my computer is linked with the CMF system, I can respond to emails while at home.

A couple of other assignments include an upcoming workshop on Creation Care at the National Missionary Convention, and a workshop on Global Poverty and Biblical Justice at the 2011 North American Christian Convention.

Finally, there is my ongoing project of editing and publishing (many of) the primarily unpublished works of the late missiologist Alan Tippett. Five or six books have been completed and are getting ready for publication.