I was given this article written in the Walla Walla University Collegian that speaks to the dangers of voluntourism. The principle is that the part-time work of volunteers in needy parts of the world may actually be hurting rather than helping. We are keenly aware of this in Zihuatenejo and have actually experienced some of it. In 2010, $211.77 billion was spent on international volunteering,3
creating an industry devoted to the volunteer’s personal experience.
The temptation to swoop in and fix a village’s hunger, poverty, and
disease seems simple enough and personally fulfilling, but it presents
Africa as “victims” and creates a feel-good spectacle for the
volunteers. The entire piece can be read here: http://aswwu.com/collegian/voluntourism-more-harm-than-good/
This article ought to grab some response - negative and positive. I think it is the difference between genuine empathy and the problem with enabling. Of course, enablers think non-enablers lack compassion, but my 25 years of working with criminals certainly convinced me otherwise. People (individuals and nations) need to feel the consequences of their decisions (e.g. Haiti). On the other hand, there are countless victims in dysfunctional families and countries (e.g. families at the Mexican dumps). What to do? Don't know. Really complicated. I'd like to read this article, and hear more about what you're learning. I think this is the one area that would move me to some sort of social Gospel, though we must preserve the Gospel of Salvation in its purest form. If humans cannot learn the need for virtue and repentance, they will cannot find any ultimate answers to their problems. Of course, this includes me. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting article and very relevant as I am involved in leading and going on short term trips after having lived in Mexico for 10 years. I agree with much of it but have a few thoughts.
DeleteOne is that the length of the trip makes a big difference in how much the travelers understand and submit to the culture. You guys can make a real contribution because you are there for several months, serving existing ministries and learning from them. . . your workdays with Lalo a case in point.
Another is that the author may not understand the enormity of the problem of children "orphaned" because their parents cannot afford them. There is a valid need for kids to be fed and housed, albeit they do need stable, caring foster parents. Their parents often are the ones to bring them to the children's homes, and some visit regularly.
Lastly, regarding handouts, I hope the author applies the same reasoning to handouts in any country. See what I mean by substituting "low income" or "homeless" for "village", "government" for "Westerners" and "social" for "African" in the chief's words below:
". . .you might not understand the gravity of handing something for free to someone who has never been handed anything. . .Now, give a village man a handout? You’ve just weakened him. You’ve increased his dependency; diminished his sense of self-esteem. One of the most widely-accepted notions is that Westerners are the solution to African problems."
I'm preaching to the choir. Wish I could get my opinions out of the church building!
I enjoyed reading that article. Well written. And the other comments were good: Things are more complicated than we often think, and Margaret added some good balance. Seems like establishing relationship with people is an important part of truly being able to help. That usually takes some time. Thanks for taking time to post this.
ReplyDelete