How to give

One thing I've learned as a missionary is that I must be careful in giving. I don't want to create dependency. It's the old "teach the person to fish" idea. Living in a developing country, means being constantly surrounded by need. It screams out at me from every side. I cannot fix everything, and I cannot alleviate every need. Nor can I just ignore them. I have to be sensitive to God's voice, so I know when and how to give. I don't want to harm people with my giving, but I do want to be generous and give appropriately. I am always seeking the right balance.

The mission I'm on is one primarily of training. That is one of my favorite ways of giving. It's pretty low cost, because I'm mostly giving what's inside my brain. Dominican teachers glean through the training I give, and choose what works for their classroom. I show them how they can make teaching materials out of everyday items, like the caps off soda bottles. I show them how to speak with their hands in the Sign Language of the deaf community, so they can participate in their education. I explain to them how to reach children who are locked inside themselves with no communication skills.

This is the kind of giving that I hope contributes to a brighter tomorrow for this Dominican Life.