'Uncharity': How do I help thee? Let me count the ways...

What does remembering the poor look like? Giving is usually the first thing that springs to mind. Tithing, making contributions at church, donating to a selected charity.

But what are the other ways of remembering the poor?
The Christian organisation Hope International reminded me of the act of walking side by side with the poor, and bringing them to Jesus.

For too long, we’ve underestimated the power of people living in poverty.
For decades—centuries even—we’ve tried to help those in poverty using our skills, our resources, and our ideas. But despite our best intentions, this approach has all too often done harm rather than good. Economist Dambisa Moyo reports in Dead Aid that Africa has received over $1 trillion in aid in the past 50 years, and in many countries, growth has stagnated--even plummeted. By ignoring the God-given creativity, abilities, and motivation of those living in poverty, we’ve created feelings of dependence that cripple dreams rather than expanding them.

I don't think that one way of helping the poor is always superior to another - we are each called by God to do his specific will moment by moment in our lives - but it is good to remember that sometimes stepping out and giving our time, our love, our witnessing and giving of ourselves in ways other than financially can be what God might call us to do.