NGOs... Providing Relief with a Dose of Religion?
Looking at the Philanthropy 400 reveals a large number of NGOs that are Christian relief and development organizations working in impoverished areas in Africa, Asia, and beyond.
Feed the Children (#3), Food for the Poor (#13), World Vision (#15), and MAP International (#37) are just a few of the top fundraising organizations providing relief and Christian education throughout the world.
This Christian Science Monitor article discusses some of the concerns that countries impacted by the December 2004 tsunami had about Christian organizations, such as "offering money, food, employment, or other inducements to convert people to Christianity."
Vince Isner with the National Council of Churches USA commented, "When others offer aid and ask, 'By the way, do you know why this happened to you? There's a better way,' it becomes a delicate power struggle."
Can religious organizations truly be faithful (sorry, no pun intended) to their values if they are banned from bringing religion to their NGO relief work?
Feed the Children (#3), Food for the Poor (#13), World Vision (#15), and MAP International (#37) are just a few of the top fundraising organizations providing relief and Christian education throughout the world.
This Christian Science Monitor article discusses some of the concerns that countries impacted by the December 2004 tsunami had about Christian organizations, such as "offering money, food, employment, or other inducements to convert people to Christianity."
Vince Isner with the National Council of Churches USA commented, "When others offer aid and ask, 'By the way, do you know why this happened to you? There's a better way,' it becomes a delicate power struggle."
Can religious organizations truly be faithful (sorry, no pun intended) to their values if they are banned from bringing religion to their NGO relief work?
posted by Richard @ 3:01 PM
1 Comments:
At 12:18 PM, September 25, 2006,
Richard said…
I posted the original comment--not because of my own feelings toward the organizations mentioned or religious NGOs in general--but because it raises a very interesting question given the debates that are being held in these foreign nations.
I do have some questions lingering over what the article calls the "10/40 Window" - the Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist nations between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude. A lot of this area covers significant portions that were impacted by the tsunami.
If it's being debated by foreign governments with discussions of banning as is the case with World Vision in particular, then there clearly is the perception of a "problem."
Can one NGO employee or volunteer who insists on introducing a faith to those s/he is serving--even if it is not the mission of the organization--cause that much harm to the NGO work?
Maybe so!
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