From "Alleviating Poverty" to "Creating Prosperity"

An article on the "Q Ideas" website caught my attention recently, thanks to a friend.  It was entitled "The Shift from 'Alleviation Poverty' to Creating Prosperity'" by Michael Miller, Director of Poverty Cure.

I enjoyed Miller's call to Christ followers for thoughtful work among the poor or our world.  He challenged the reader to move beyond the knee-jerk responses to poverty and to dig deep and really investigate the responses that should be the markers of true charity.

What are some of our well-intentioned responses to the poor in our world?  Miller lists several- sending food, water, clothes; sponsoring children, building wells, starting schools and going on mission trips; wearing wristbands, signing petitions.

So how does true charity respond?  Miller says that a deeper look at root causes will reveal…

 ...that, "They are poor because they lack the intangible foundations of social justice that enable people to create wealth for themselves and their communities, things like clear property title, freedom to start and register a business, access to networks of productivity and circles of exchange, and the expectation that their business contract will be honored and they’ll receive justice and fair resolution if it isn’t." 

I sense that a more thoughtful response to poverty is happening and more are catching on.  Much has been written in the last several years to shine a spotlight on these things.  Believers are starting to understand the principle of "teach a man to fish" over simply "giving the man a fish".  Miller references that as well, but says that it goes further.  "What they need most is 'access to the (fishing) pond,' to the wider circles of enterprise and exchange that would allow them to multiply their energies and talents."

So, Miller suggest that Christian charity should include things like the following:

- Advocate for free and competitive markets

- Fight against unfair trade policies

- Work toward fair property rights and rule of law

That's a tough list.  It requires some deep research and knowledge of the local community and the government.  Fighting unfair trade policies alone makes my head spin having lived in a central African country for 5 years.  However, building on the strong local testimony of the faith community, I can see how the poor can start to have a voice.  May it be so.