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Giving that BUILDS

Giving that BUILDS

TIS the season for giving, but not just because Christmas is around the corner.

In the past few months, Malaysians have been wooed with "gifts" of financial assistance, infrastructure allocations, and the like from our government. In October, the national budget for 2012 was unveiled, and targeted the lower income and rural groups. Earlier, there was news that Members of Parliament of the ruling party would be receiving between RM500,000 to RM2.5 million to upgrade infrastructure and engage constituents ahead of the general elections. The amount received would depend on how "winnable" those seats were1.

Some call these strings-attached giving "election goodies" or even "bribes".

Christians have also been in the news for their "giving" through works of service and aid to underprivileged communities. Such work has been a long-standing feature of Christian charity. But of late, it has been alleged as a cover for proselytisation, a claim that has not yet been proven. Theologically and ethically, however, we as Christians should know that it is wrong to force or trick anyone into the faith, and that conversion is ultimately the work, not of humans, but of the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps it is an opportune time to assess the manner in which Christians serve the poor and needy. Presently, many churches run soup kitchens and provide aid on a charitable basis. Such an approach places little self-responsibility on beneficiaries, nor does it provide them with self-sustaining skills. Where appropriate, shouldn't we be challenged to help people feed themselves instead of relying on handouts? How might we do this creatively and justly?

The August 2011 issue of Christianity Today provides an inspiring example. The article "Feeding the Poor Through Pay- As-You-Can" tells of a church-based café in New Jersey as a model "ministry" for helping people get back on their feet. The "A Better World Café" was started in 2009 to meet the needs of the local poor.

Prices listed in the café are only suggestions, leaving patrons to pay according to their ability. Some do pay more than the suggested price. In addition to the priced menu, there is always one free dish, such a vegetable pasta or rice and beans, to cater to the desperately poor.

Meals can also be earned through volunteer work. For example, one hour of volunteering is paid with a voucher for one meal.

Beyond feeding the hungry poor, this concept also provides on-the-job training. Volunteers do tasks like prepare and serve food, wash the dishes, clear tables and man the cash register. They gain skills that help them find employment elsewhere.

As an enterprise, operating costs are kept low by using volunteers, minimizing wastage, using donated food, and stretching ingredients.

There are a limited number of such cafés in the United States and the model is not expected to replace the more common charity-based soup kitchens. However, pay-as-you-can cafés make a good complement to other urban poor ministries. Churches intending to embark on such a café concept would do well to partner with an experienced food and beverage service organisation.

Such a model will of course require greater investments of time, energy and resources. Teaching someone to fish necessarily takes more time and patience than giving them a fish. They would, however, be receiving more than just a temporary fill of their stomachs. In the larger scheme of the Great Commission, this model might also help us build disciples and not just believers who may have converted out of need.

 


1 BN MPs get extra funds as snap polls loom, The Malaysian Insider, 4 Sept 2011



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