Blog numero 32.

Para contar mis experiencias en ecuador voy a escribir un articulo acerca cada uno de los libros que he leido aca.

Lei muchos libros cuando vivi aca, y estos eran un grande parte de mi educacion, y tambien tengo que revisar mis notas y decidir en que debo cambiar en mi vida real - tengo que encontrar que estos pensamientos significar por mi vida.

Entonces, primero, voy a discutir el libro que lei primero: "angels and demons" por whatshisname Dan Brown.

jaja, solo un chiste.  este libro era divertido, pero yo no aprendi nada de este.

el libro primero es "when helping hurts," acerca de desarrollo comunitario.

Primero son mis decisiones.   Los puntos claves de este libro son después todo, en ingles.

Decisiones:
- no debo sentirme pecaminoso por mi riqueza relativa.  Sin embargo, debo reconocer que porque hay este desigualidad con riqueza hay un grande problema con el sistema economico del mundo y de mi comunidad, y debo hacer algo con mi riqueza relativa para arreglarlo.
- pobreza no es un estado de los poseciones materiales solamente.  Debo reconocer que si alguien se falta algo en qualquier relacion es pobreza en este relacion.  Entonces, en mi Vida yo debo enfocarme en los relaciones en que estoy pobre relativamente, como mi relación espiritual.
- una cosa muy muy importante.  Tengo que recordar que dinero no es tan importante.  Debo disminuir su importancia en mi vida.
- yo quiero enfocarme en desarrollo mas que alivio.  La problema es que desarrollo es fácil en ecuador cuando los comunidades vienen a ti.  En los estados unidos, donde la gente ya tiene las cosas necesario por la vida, es mas difícil a motivarla.
- voy a enfocar en los bienes de los comunidades mas que los problemas.
- no voy a trabajar por un comunidad, solo con los comunidades.
- voy a saber cuando voy a salir un comunidad, y ellos del comunidad van a saber también.


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Blog number 32.

To tell my experiences in Ecuador I will write an article about each of the books I've read here.

I read many books when I lived here, and they were a big part of my education, and also I have to review my notes and decide what should I change in my real life - I have to find that these thoughts mean for my life.

So, first, I will discuss the first book I read: "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown whatshisname.

haha, just a joke. This book was fun, but I did not learn anything from this.

the first book is "when helping hurts," about community development.

First are my decisions. The key points of this book are after this in English.

Decisions:
- I should not feel guilty for my relative wealth. However, I must admit that because there is this unequal wealth there is a problem with the economic system of the world and my community, and I must do something with this relative wrealth to fix it.
- Poverty is not a state of only material possessions. I must acknowledge that if someone is missing something from Any relationship it is poverty in this relationship. Then, in my life I must focus on the relationships that I am relatively poor, as my spiritual relationship.
- A very important thing. I have to remember that money is not as important. I should decrease its importance in my life.
- I want to focus on development rather than relief. The problem is that development is easier in Ecuador when communities come to you. In the United States, where people already have the things necessary for life, is more difficult to motivate the people.
- Going to focus on the assets of the community rather than the problems.
- I will not work for a community, with the community only.
- I know when I will leave a community, and they of the community will know too.



We do not need to feel guilty about our wealth.  By we do need to wake up every morning with a deep sense that something is terribly wrong with the world and yearn and strive to do something about it.  Catch that?  Yearn and strive.  Strive being key.
First you must get them to listen to you.  Then you must convince them that there is a worthy end goal. Then you must teach them what to do to achieve said end goal.
The great reversal: this is the name given to the precipitous shift if the American evangelical church away from social programs.  They interpreted the social gospel movement (which equated humanitarian efforts with bringing in Christ's kingdom) as part of a developing theological drift.  They attempted to distance themselves from the social gospel movement along with other unwelcome theological challenges and changes.  This ended up removing them from the lines of poverty alleviation.  Note: they did NOT drift away because govt stepped in, that happened much later.  There was no safety net, they left for theological reasons (stupid ones, to me).
North Americans often see poverty as material insufficiency.  Actually, as you read the responses of those experiencing poverty offered in "Voices of the poor" you find that there are significant other effects and sources of poverty.  The poor express deep seated feeling of shame, inferiority, powerlessness, humiliation, fear hopelessness, depression, social isolation, and voicelessness.  (Note: we have 4 Chief relationships: relationship with god, self, others, and environment.  Poverty in any or all of these areas leads to feelings of poverty, and can be the root cause of a material insufficiency which will not be fixed with infusion of materials.)
The pursuit of material possessions as a source of happiness leads to huge amounts of time devoted to work and money, limiting the time spent on marriages, god and children.  This leads to torn marriages and broken families.
Given that there are 4 principal relationships community dev should focus on repairing these relationships to alleviate poverty (material, emotional, social poverty all are sourced in poverty of these relationships). We repair these relationship through Christ.
When considering poverty alleviation you must ask if they need relief, rehabilitation,or development. Relief is urgent and temporary aid to reduce immediate suffering from a natural or man made crisis.  This is a stop the bleeding scenario, relying on a provider receiver dynamic.  Rehab is restoring communities to the positive elements of pre crisis conditions.  This dynamic is working with an empowered populous.  Devius improving pre crisis conditions.  Moving all involved closer to harmonious relationships with self, god, others, and environment.  Before offering aid we must decide which type of aid is appropriate.
Good relief responses:  immediate.  We do not have time to find resources or figure out what to do.  You need to stop the bleeding.  Immediately.  So have resources, or even just a referral book for immediate assistance. Have your financial, human, and material resources organized and available. Respond only when the needs of an affected population are unmet by local people or organizations due to inability or unwillingness to help. Target assistance based on vulnerability and need.  Provide it equitably and impartially.  Aid workers should have appropriate qualifications,experience, AND attitude.
Rehab:  ensure participation of the affected population in the assessment, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the assistance program.  (Treat people like the responsible stewards we want them to be).
Avoid paternalism.  Don't do things for people that they can do themselves.
- resource paternalism: financial or material resources.
- spiritual paternalism: don't assume you can teach them about god,  often their relationship is better than yours.
- knowledge paternalism:  when we assume we have the best ideas about how to do something. We might, but we rarely understand the cultural contexts into which these ideas must fit....making them less appropriate.
- labor paternalism: when we do work for people that they can do themselves.
- managerial paternalism: planning, managing and directing initiatives when local leadership can do it themselves.  (They might not take charge because they know we north americans will eventually - already dependant, they lack confidence when we are there, they know the project is a dud in their community)
It is hard to provide all the stages because you develop a reputation with each one.
Asset based community dev: identify and mobilize the capabilities,skills, and resources of the community or individual.  Look for solutions and resources tho come from within the community.  Look for problems only after discussing resources.  Develop relationships first.  Weigh individuals, associations, churches, businesses, schools, governments,etc.  Bring in outside help only after asking "is it too much, is it too soon?"
Abcd:
- asset mapping/inventorying.  Write down all your assets (prepared sheets and categories) and then have the community draw links between existing groups and individuals.  You go door to door and ask : what gifts do you have?
- participatory learning and action.  Group based exercises.
- appreciative inquiry.  Ask what has worked well in the past.  What has the community done right and how have they overcome?  This worked especially well to overcomes the despair and shame common to poverty stricken communities.
In development participation is not a means to and end but perhaps the most important end in itself.
Savings and credit associations: microfinance its best.  Encourage a church group to start it.  Every 6-12 months a group saves a given amount.  They save that much weekly and decide how much to loan out, to whom, and on what terms.  At the end of six months they collect and have their option of putting it back in.