KSC’s Blog

It seems like every website or blog seems to be telling us to donate to the tsunami relief fund through various organizations. It’s everywhere. People are giving “self-lessly” to these organizations to help the victims as they read and hear the news everyday. But here’s a reality – Many times when these disasters and crisis happen, people have that impulse to give, and that inital large fund reaches the country but many times those countries don’t have the people or structure to taken in and manage these funds. So, sometimes these funds end up at the government level until they have the resources to manage those funds. But, as that takes longer, there is more chance for corrupt governments to squander those funds.

What many of these countries possibly need is a pledge spread out over time rather than a one-time donation right after the disaster. That money will go much further, months and years after the news has forgotten about the tsunami, when they REALLY need the funding. This is not to say that they don’t need funds now (they do!), but consider giving later too and if you can’t give now AND later, then consider giving just later. If you think about it, everyone will give now … give when no one gives, it will go further.

Listen to what one church is calling their members to do:

… while an immediate and sacrificial response is not to be degraded in any way, we’d like to take a moment to point out that, in many cases, people in our culture will throw “knee-jerk” aid toward a crisis, yet forget about it as soon as it ceases to make front-page headlines. The ripples of this particular crisis will last generations, and immediate effects of health and rebuilding will severely impact the next several years. Moreover, crises like the hurricanes in Haiti, the continued plethora of needs in the Sudan, and the AIDS crisis in Africa must not be overlooked because CNN shifts its focus; at the start of the new year, we would challenge each member household to give as they are led, but with wisdom and discernment and a scope longer than next week. Those with lots of liquid assets and a loving heart should certainly make a sizeable contribution now; for most of us, however, a smaller amount to one or numerous causes, pledged over time, may be a wiser course as needs will persist, and consistency will provide a stability that may otherwise fall through once the media goes home.

Wise words … I’ll take that challenge.

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