I spent the morning hunched over my laptop talking to a friend in Nigeria. He has been working to bring Muslims and Christians together on the streets of Lagos for several years now. “Religious extremists like Boko Haram believe that the Christian faith and having a western education are sins. Many Christians believe that Muslims are the children of the devil.”
When I asked how I could help, my friend responded “Everything is muddled up Skyler. But I know it’s not helping with Western church leaders that are now involved. I know some cannot be exonerated. The root cause of our challenges is internal, and the solution will be found within.”
I quickly apologized for my quintessential assumption that United States involvement could solve his Nigerian problem adequately. How American of me! I thought. And my nuanced yet star-spangled reaction got me thinking: We are in a unique position as Americans: our brand of faith is being exported internationally. Some would call this good evangelism. Some would call this good “nation building”. Whatever the label, the commodification of American evangelism, along with its subtle cultural and political aspects in the developing world has directly caused problems.
While some millennials are beginning to realize this and push back, there exists a legion of Facebook profiles that have become plastered with photos from well-intentioned mission trips. As I understand it, having a servant’s heart doesn’t need to be shown off on a Twitter feed. It is clear from the photos of the white faces surrounded by adorable local children that the motivation has nothing to do with the children. Like buying a pair of TOMS Shoes, it’s to show that we are conspicuous consumers of making a difference. Not realizing that the messenger is intrinsically a message this has dire consequences — for both the mission and missionary.
Several months ago, the New York Times reported that a group of American evangelicals helped draft the controversial anti-gay bill in Uganda. The bill actually makes homosexuality a crime, and allegedly gay Ugandans can look forward to life in prison if they are found guilty. This bill’s sentiment was never an “issue” in need of governmental consideration until recently. It is important to note that the number of Christians in sub-Saharan Africa has grown more than 50 percent in the last century, the amount of tension has also risen within the timeframe as well.
I’m not saying becoming Christian is a problem in sub-Saharan Africa. I’m saying that the influence American Christianity wields in the area is staggering, and is more focused on its own interest than helping the local populations. Friends of mine in Nigeria, Kenya and Sierra Leone agree. As one friend put it to me:
“Digging wells and giving us old t-shirts are fine and well. Sending your young people to take pictures with our orphans for their social media profiles may make you feel good. But it won’t solve the problems we face on a daily basis. And to us it misses the point of the Gospel, and shows how out of touch the Americans are. We don’t need more American churches that offer help quid pro quo. We need to hear the Gospel of inclusion and we need to be empowered through love.”
As Gandhi intimated, importing the problems of the problems on the West solve nothing, and further lead to a very real disconnect between people and their culture.
Perhaps before we share the good news overseas we can first set our motivations to help in any way possible — even if that means we don’t go at all.
Skyler,
After spending a weekend with our American friends on mission in South Sudan who have lived there for two years, It saddens me to read your blanket assumptions and judgments. Can those issues be part of some people’s experience sure but your generalities demean, discredit and disparage beautiful families giving thier lives in loving service to Africans. Teaching English to Muslims, practicing medicine where there is no other option is a gift of education, wellness and friendship not agenda driven colonialism. Leaving heaven and coming to earth is the model of incarnation we follow as Christians. Leave and cleave to one another in community, shared suffering, service and hope. Celebrating cultures, rejecting isolation, white and wealthy privilege and choosing to be known as us not them. I cheer anyone who embraces the path of service in these ways. The world is more beautiful because they were called, sent and served.
Hi Eric,
As I said earlier, I think you may have missed my point.
I will pass along your comments to my friends in Nigeria to see what a native Nigerian would say. It may take a while, as half of his city is quarantined due to Ebola. I wonder if the average Nigerian, Ugandan or Kenyan would be able to tell the difference between the identities we hope people see when we are in their presence. I can tell you that many in subsaharan Africa would not make a distinction between a person who could claim to be Christian, white, American, republican, left-handed. How are they to know? This may be an assumption (though based on facts and first hand interviews I’ve had with people across the african continent) but I bet they would remember the last fifty years of their national, tribal or regional histories. I bet they would remember broken promises about a “better life” through capitalism, colonialism, or baptism. I bet they would know about how oil companies from the west have polluted their rivers, and funded dictators to control the populations so shipments of natural resources would not be delayed for American shareholders. I bet they would see our star-spangled prosperity on television. I would find it hard (while having an understanding of the geopolitical situation and identity politics in the area while also knowing that the homeless population and hardship in america is terrible) to hand out bibles and soccer balls. I’m not saying all missionaries are blind to these serious factors. But fickle millennials would rather have their profile pictures showcase cute orphans in Kigali over the local soup kitchen. I see a lot of inflation of ego, and missing the point of service. Selfless service. As Christ exemplified. Not in another hemisphere. Lets start in our neighborhoods, and let our efforts expand from there. Perhaps we can help solve civic disengagement and urban decay in our community. Perhaps we could send resources– what many REALLY need to our brothers and sisters in Nigeria through trusted NGOs and nonprofits, who are on the ground, and are trained to assist the needy. As far as I can tell, Christ was not in Gaul helping the tribes there. He was in his homeland. Maybe a true missionary needs not to bring dogma, doctrine or dolls. But understanding, two willing hands and a servants heart–down the street.