When is Charity Not a Good Thing? Part Two
Inspired by a meeting with Wahu Kaara.
Last month we wrote about going beyond charity and acting to see that justice is done. This requires understanding of the root causes of poverty and injustice, and then acting to address those root causes. I recently had the privilege of hearing Wahu Kaara speak. Wahu Kaara is an extremely dynamic, knowledgeable Kenyan woman. Since retiring as a teacher she has been a Kenyan presidential candidate, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, a spokesperson for Jubilee and ecumenical coordinator for the Millennium Development Goals among many other things. She speaks all around the world on global social justice issues, but more than that she “walks the talk”. This lady who is called on for her knowledge and expertise around the world chooses to live modestly with her family in her home village in a home without electricity and without running water.
I was fortunate enough to have a few minutes to speak with her and asked her what she felt Americans could best do in response to extreme poverty. Her answer was not surprising to me as it reflected the answers of most people from the global south I have met. She told me; “We do not want your charity or your sympathy. We want you to speak out for us, and with us, to learn about us and from us.” She pointed out that those in poverty in the global south have much to give us, in terms of spiritual depth and trust in God. We have much to give them because of the material and political power and stability we enjoy. In other words she would like us to enter into relationship with her and her people; a partnership of mutual respect not of donor and dependent. She emphasized that climate change was a significant root cause of poverty and had to be addressed.
Ways that we can speak out are varied but include writing and visiting our representatives in support of development aid, and in support of fulfilling our obligations to the Millennium Development Goals that address the root causes of poverty, this would include fairer trade policies (such as farm subsidies included in the farm bill,) supporting the Education for all Act and relief of crippling international debt.
We can tell our friends and acquaintances at church about the desires and goals of this humble yet very wise Kenyan lady. We are to speak out about poverty, inequality and climate change. This was perhaps the most surprising impression from her talk: climate change and poverty are inextricably linked and must be addressed as a root cause of poverty.
may we suggest you get to know someone from the global south or someone who is or has lived in poverty. Perhaps you might even be able to visit the global south and build a relationship with a community there. Not as someone going to hand out resources, and solve other people’s problems before you even get to know them, but as a friend willing to learn about them, their dreams and goals and the resources they have to work with. Then work together to reach the goals you set together.
So, wake up to poverty, speak up about poverty and join hands with those living in poverty as equal partners in the battle to overcome poverty.
