Oh, that’s right, it’s America. Let’s see who’s first on the scene from America? PBS? Greenpeace? PETA? Obama? SEIU? Hollywood actors? NOW? The Gay Straight Alliance?
On the news, with humanitarian efforts already in place in Haiti – they’re asking for help from whom? The government or government agencies? Think again. Their exact wording is “NGOs – Non-governmental organizations.” Why? Because from experience, they’ve learned that the money disappears when it gets donated to their government. That if you really want something done, give it to, brace yourself... faith based charity organizations.
At church last night, while acknowledging that we are struggling within our lives to deal with our own, perhaps personal, financial collapse, our pastor informed us a collection would be taken for relief in Haiti. No apologies. No vote. No referendum. No opportunities for questions. We were going to give, not from our surplus, but out of a sense of compassion to those who experienced disaster.
By the way, that money won’t be going to build Christian churches; it will go to help provide relief – in whatever form it is needed. Estimates of Haitians who practice voodoo? Some sources say 50%, others 90%. Will they get help from Americans who think that witchcraft is wrong? Uh, that would be a yes.
I’m glad we’re helping Haiti; it is the right thing to do. At the same time, I wonder how long it will take before we get blamed for doing it wrong, or with strings attached, or with selfish motives. Will our soldiers, sent to help with the relief and security, be blamed for excessive force? Will Chavez claim it’s just another example of colonialism or nation building? Will we not do enough, fast enough? Will we be asked to set up refugee camps and then blamed for the conditions? Are these reasons not to help? Absolutely not.
But the next time you are in the presence of a college professor (or any other person) who starts down the road of how America has a long history of imperialism, selfish motives, and “... it’s no wonder the world hates us,” ask them how our humanitarian efforts in Haiti fit in to that equation. Once they address that, ask them about the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 (Mostly Muslim and Hindu victims), the 1985 earthquake of Mexico City (you know, those Mexicans we’re so racist toward), AIDS relief on the continent of Africa, Hurricane Mitch in Central America – 1998, several earthquakes in India (Hindu) ... oh, just tell them to look up natural disasters on a Google search and pick a few (primarily non-Anglo, non-Christian people). Then ask them why we didn’t just take over the country when they were on their knees.
If Michelle Obama can’t think of anything she has been proud of America for, then I’d wonder if she ever lifted a finger to help or opened her Gucci purse to give out of her want. Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” (Luke 12:48). America has been blessed, and faith based organizations have been faithful to heed those words. Our Christian heritage has ingrained a sense of civic responsibility to help those in need, irrespective of their race, creed, color, religion, or politics.
What motivates Americans to help? Money? If that were the case, then these 10 people should be the most generous: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim Helu, Lawrence Ellison, Ingvar Kamprad, Karl Albrecht, Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal, Theo Albrecht, and Amancio Ortega. It wasn’t that long ago, that Gates finally made the plunge to become philanthropic due to the pressure of his wife, Melinda. Buffet has parted with a lot of money to help with population control, including abortion. As for the other 8 richest people in the world, you hear their names all the time on the news in connection to charity, right? Anyway, money doesn’t seem to be the prime motivator for humanitarian aid and relief.
President Obama stated that we are no longer a Christian nation. If that’s the case, and disaster-stricken countries do not want your donations to go to government agencies due to a monetary disappearing act but rather to faith based organizations, I wonder what this means for future acts of charity that have traditionally been based on a Judeo-Christian belief system.
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