Rushing in to save the day has been a sort of embarrassing theme in American Christian missions efforts over the past couple centuries. (READ:"We aimed for no more than to have dominion over every creature that moved upon the earth. And so it came to pass that we stepped down there on a place we believed unformed, where only darkness moved on the face of the waters." -- from The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver)
Its embarrassing because it positions those who go as superior in some way. While a more accurate positioning of any believer even vaguely aware of his or her own depravity and redemption is humility.
Rushing in to save the day is part of being a medical professional as well. That's why they say "stat" when they page doctors isn't it?
But instead of encouraging a sort of double rush at the Global Missions Health Conference some believers and medical personnel are being inspired by a different, and more powerful way of saving the day.
Success in the world of medical missions today looks less like a superhero comic and more like a narrative of how things change. Adam and Danielle Ready, attended the GMHC 2009 and heard about a model of ministry that empowers nationals. The Southeast Outlook reports this week about the Ready's, who ended up traveling to see this sort of work in action and signing on to partner with a ministry that strengthens local churches to meet needs in their own communities.
This idea has been around for a long time. But it seems that more and more people in global outreach are paying attention to the principles of empowerment and community development than ever before.
Talk about hand-ups rather than hand-outs, Stan Rowland of Lifewind will host a breakout at this year's conference about CHE--a model for community development that has seen so much success around the world with so little funding.
What other great models of empowerment are out there?
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