Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Rise of sunshine Samaritans: on a mission or holiday?

G. Jeffrey MacDonald in The Christian Science Monitor
Critics say impoverished people, especially overseas, often end up pandering to cash-wielding, untrained missionaries who leave a bad impression and don't make meaningful lifestyle changes upon return.

... Others are more hopeful. "We don't really know yet whether it's simply do-good tourism or a profound, life-changing experience for people who do these trips," says Dana Robert, codirector of the Center for Global Christianity and Mission at Boston University.


(via Christianity Today)

P.S. If there's a problem, it might not be that the mission involves a only a week or two. Lucy Fuchs in National Catholic Reporter asks Do helping hands in Appalachia do more harm than good?

(via Open Book)

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