Questions for short-termers (and long termers too)

Over the school holidays one of the Khmer teacher aides from our children’s school did some translating for a short term team from Australia. He’s a great young Christian man and the team really enjoyed their time with him. Before they left, they invited him to go to Australia to study, indicating that they could sponsor him. He is now working through the mountain of paperwork required and telling all his mates of this amazing opportunity.

You might be surprised to hear that this story makes me cringe. What possibly could be wrong with such extravagant generosity? Perhaps, nothing!

An Aussie friend of mine met a Khmer guy studying at a Bible College in Sydney. They are now married and serving here in Cambodia – he is a lecturer at the Bible College. To me, they are an example of what great things can happen.

But I am concerned that taking young Khmer Christians, educating them in our secular Universities and introducing them to our gods of materialism and individualism may ultimately be unhelpful for the country that these short-termers were seeking to serve.

The Chalmers Center for Economic and Community Development wrote an article entitled “Doing Short-Term Missions without Doing Long-Term Harm” which my friend Gretchen kindly summarises (thanks Gretchen!). She highlights, “Most STM (short term mission) trips violate basic principles of effective poverty-alleviation and have the potential to do considerable harm both to low-income people and to ourselves”.

Further, each team needs to ask themselves some key questions.

“Are the people of this community capable of helping themselves?” If yes, then relief (ie handouts) is not the right intervention as it will only exacerbate issues of dependence and low self-esteem. Leave the work to those doing development.

“What are we doing to the testimony of the local church that already exists in this community?” Local churches cannot compete with glossy programs so STM teams should seek to be less on the front stage and instead look for ways to support the local church and its ministry.

Rather than focusing on the needs of the community, ask “What are the gifts and abilities that God has placed in low income communities?” Then seek to be learners and listeners rather than inflating our own superiority by giving and serving.

I wonder if the abovementioned team would have been so quick with their offer if they had considered these questions and the potential impact of this adventure on the young man, his family, fellow workers, local church and community.