Essential Faith

In September 2000, world leaders from 189 countries showed an unprecedented act of solidarity as they subscribed to eight Millennium Development Goals, the first of which was to cut in half the number of people in the world who live on less than a dollar-a-day by the year 2015. As Canadian Baptists, we are striving to work in line with these relief and development objectives through integral mission, because God cares for the poor and to be a disciple of Christ means that we must take poverty seriously. Working in partnership with local churches in the developing world, we are committed to sustainable community development as a fundamental part of the ministry and mandate of the Church. Are we making an impact? According to the World Bank’s most recent report, 986 million people now live on the less than one dollar a day. This is the first time it counted less than a billion people in such dire poverty since it began to keep record in its 1990 World Development Report. Good things are happening, but the progress is slow.

Erica and I recently had supper with the director of an International Christian relief and development organization for Eastern and Southern African. As we learned about their work, he made an interesting statement: “Governments and other NGO’s are beginning to realize the importance of faith in development”. In other words, governments are coming to realize how much faith matters. I am convinced that one of the greatest barriers to effective development work is the lack of faith.

This was hit upon in the most recent issue of the journal of economic perspectives in an article by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, of MIT. They investigated communities living on less than a dollar-a-day in an attempt to get at how they spend and how they make their money. They were struck by the gap between potential and actual use of resources. In fact, economists who study the developing world are commonly puzzled by glaring inefficiencies, for instance: Why do the poorest of the poor not take advantage of development education, such as the farmers of Western Kenya who continue to farm without utilizing fertilizers which have been demonstrated to increase their yield? Why the people of Ghana have failed to switch their crops to pineapple when it would increase the average farmer’s income by 250-300%? Why so many hard working people in Africa and India continue to labor ineffectively at several (sometimes as many as six or seven little jobs) rather than committing to one profitable skill or trade? Why do even the poorest communities continue to waste 30% of their available finances on “alcohol, tobacco, and festivals” rather than food when nearly 65% of the adult men are underweight, and over half are anemic (The numbers are even worse for women and children)? Why is it that so many displaced people who receive adequate rations to meet the minimum of a 2,250 calorie a day diet continue to have malnourished children? Even from a completely financial perspective, economists are left to conclude that something is preventing people living in poverty from taking nominal risks that would improve their lives. The answer is faith.

“Poverty” once wrote George Orwell “annihilates the future”. Many people living in poverty, experience a wearing away of fundamental human dignity. Without the hope of a better tomorrow, extreme poverty not only attacks the present it erodes faith in a better future. Each day we enter Eastleigh, we are confronted by young men in rags sniffing solvent from old pop bottles. They are among the many who have surrendered to poverty. Despair, fatherless-ness, and addiction are just some of the realities of those living in the slums of Mathare Valley and Eastleigh. Is it any wonder why it is so difficult for them to aspire to a better-life?

What many experts are agreeing on is the fact that “faith” can no longer be left out of the equation in the struggle against poverty. Faith is central! One can have all the resources in the world laid at their feet, but without faith what good is it. In order for communities to turn the corner, they must believe! Believe that justice is possible. Believe that a better future exists for their children. Believe that God is at work in the lives of people like them. That God is moving to draw people into harmony with him and with one another. That a spiritual struggle is going on at the root of suffering. And hold onto a faith in the power that can overcome such oppression.

As we see the homeless boys who wander through the filth of Juja Road along the edge of Eastleigh, we can not help but wonder what the gospel could mean to them? What must hope look like? One thing is for sure, it must never become just escapism. Jesus did not come into this world to get us out of it. Jesus came to redeem! And so the Church is commissioned to enter the places of death, and to bring the light of grace and mercy, the gift of the redeemed life! The message that: “Your life matters”; “That you are not alone”; “No one should live in such poverty” and “By the love of God, you matter to me!”

As the late Rev. Dr. Richard Coffin had said, “The Church is in the business of hope!” Erica and I are praying for the Lord to lead us into expanding our working in Eastleigh to address issues of poverty. God’s love for the poor is never in question. Our love and commitment often is. Please pray with us for wisdom and direction as we seek practical ways to bring sustainable help to the people of this community in the powerful love of Christ. We would also love to hear your stories of how your church or community is making a difference in the lives of the poor.


“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me, I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me into our home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me… I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you were doing it to me.”
Matthew 25:34b-36,40b