Compassion and Colonialism

"Currently, Africa is like a child that immediately cries for its babysitter when something goes wrong. Africa should stand on its own two feet."- James Shikwati, Kenyan economist.

In it's broadest sense, colonialism is, 'a policy by which a nation maintains or extends its control over foreign dependencies.' I wonder if Christians like myself have sometimes been guilty of a form of colonialism in Africa...creating dependence rather than strength. There are more African intellectuals speaking out against foreign aid then ever before. I just read this article in SPIEGEL and it gives me a sinking feeling.

As those who believe in God, we need to serve in a manner that gives God center stage. If we are doing Christian work in Africa and we train people to be dependent on us rather than on God, then we are failing in our mission. Does that mean we quit giving and going? I dont' think so. But it means that we need to spend time soberly considering how we are giving. As I wrote earlier in my article on Live 8, we need to make leadership development a priority. Even more importantly, we need to keep directing the people we are serving to God. In Isaiah 48:8 God states that He will not "give His glory to another." If we allow people to see us as the means for their provision and the solution to their problems, we are making a god of ourselves. We shouldn't expect that the true God will continue to help us in Africa if we are not teaching people to depend on Him. We will only be with the people of Africa a very short time - God is with them all the time. More on this later.