This post is aimed at discovering whether or not humanitarian aid has proven to help or hurt the people to whom it is given. There are many articles to view on the internet and many books which discuss this issue. It is obviously important because missionaries want to be effective and churches want to give wisely. However well intentioned these things may be, there are two sides that argue strongly for and against humanitarian aid.

The debate is usually centered on the problem of dependency. When aid is given, such as vehicles, inexpensive rice, etc., it often creates dependency so that the people become worse off than before if it ever ceases. However, most peoples of the world are holistic, meaning that they do not see the separations that are given in western culture between body and soul. Thus, if someone cares for the soul they care for the body as well, and to do otherwise communicates a contradiction.

So, I am interested in hearing what others have read, heard, seen, or experienced in some way regarding this issue. Have you heard of or been involved in situations where aid did not seem to effect the people towards Christ, or have you seen aid to be quite effective? After the aid was gone, did the people remain interested in Christ and His church or did they leave? I am interested in what missionaries, churches, and individuals have learned regarding this issue and communicating that so we might be effective for Christ. For some reason many missionaries and churches do not seem to communicate this issue with one another. So I hope this might be of benefit to many.

As a follow up, please include how this issue might be balanced, how to decide what ways to help in aid.