There is a movement afoot that is taking a look at how charity and aid might be done better at both the local and global levels. It is based on the 2009 book, "When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself", by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert.

The authors claim that the causes of poverty are often not truly understood, which routinely results in aid strategies that actually harm both poor people and the helpers themselves. Now, two years after the book's release, author Steve Corbett is on a speaking tour, presenting new ideas for helping the materially poor.

The suitably-named "Helping without Hurting" conference recently pulled into London, Ontario, and it attracted even more people than the organizers expected, showing great interest in this area for both secular and faith-based organizations.

At the heart of Corbett’s message is the need to:

• move more quickly from relief efforts to development efforts
• investigate what is truly needed by the people (rather than assuming we know what they need), and
• ensure that the people being helped are active participants in moving forward. As Corbett said: “Development isn't done to people or for people but with people.”

Corbett gave the example of the ongoing problems in Haiti, where he feels that relief money poured in for too long. Instead of using a work-for-benefit strategy, everything was given away for free (a very common strategy), which resulted in their local employers and food merchants going out of business. By ignoring the valuable human assets already there, the generous but misdirected aid funds actually deepened the poverty in Haiti!

In the past two years Corbett and his team has been busy, working with the Chalmers Center for Economic Development. On this site you can find freely usable new strategies for helping the materially poor.

A key element of an improved aid strategy is to recognize the importance of having helpers willing to walk together with the people in need — a process that takes time, listening and compassion. In an age where we often think that money will fix the problem, it turns out that really knowing and caring about people (and their dignity) is even more vital.

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I was with friends last night, and we heard a strange popping sound in the kitchen. We looked up, wondered, then continued talking. Another popping sound had us suggesting that the ice maker might be dropping ice cubes on the ground. But when two more quick pops occured our host headed to the kitchen and looked around.

There in the freezer were the shattered remains of Perrier water bottles, placed there for rapid cooling by our thoughtful, if not time-conscious, host.

As we gathered around the fridge to marvel at the sheer number of shards, I remarked: "The green glass will make it easier to find." My friend laughed and said to me: "Rob, leave it to you to find something good about broken glass."

It's a classic case of the glass half empty, half full, or completely shattered. The shattered glass was no longer a bottle, and if considered as a bottle the green shards were useless and dangerous. But in their new identity as shards amidst the frozen carrots their glass was definitely half full – I would much rather pluck green glass from a freezer than colorless, ice-like slivers.

And since there were seven of us together that evening we had efficiently gained some sharp insights into the dangers of rapidly chilling water in glass bottles.

Not every problem has a solution that's as straightforward as cleaning up glass, but many problems can be seen from different perspectives, which bring the scope of the problem into focus, clarify the new situation, and diffuse tension. They also remind us of shared goals, the benefits of teamwork, the joys of friendship, and the good things we often take for granted.

And as with all problem solving, the attitude of those involved can make or break the emotional severity of the situation, which directly effects the safety, thoughtfulness and success of the solutions. It's good to have a calm mind and cool (not frozen) friends in a crisis.

When it comes to trouble, here's to seeing the good in it.

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I came upon some images of heart-shaped cookies and a cookie-cutter image of a person with outstretched arms.

It reminds me that even though each of us is unique – with our own decisions and life journey – that we value the same good and basic ingredients: love, peace, freedom, harmony, joy, music and community.

And if you look past the fancy icing, sprinkles and the box we're in right now we are all humble, shortbread cookies.

While some people are in a happy place right now, many more are not. When you look at the cookie with the outstretched arms he is joyful, yet there are others around him, reaching out.

It is my hope that each of us finds new ways to bring joy and relief to people around us – so that, like heart-shaped cookies, we rise higher to fulfill good roles in the bakery of life and love.

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One of the most important milestones in a person's life is when we learn to walk. This usually happens around 14 months of age (not at "one year" as the round-things-off folks tend to say to worried young Moms). While crawling lets us move around the room a bit, it was only when we started to walk that the doors opened to the horizon and to our futures.

In our earliest days of walking we are always with our parents, as they show us the world nearby. Hand in hand, we are guided in safety. We get to see places that service our family's needs, such as grocery stores and gas stations; and we get to see entertainment venues, such as playgrounds and friend's homes.

But the first time we walk somewhere on our own is the real start of our journey of life. It is exciting! It is eye-opening. It gives us power — to be able to choose where to pause and where to look.

And as each of us learns, walking also requires care. When we walk we are choosing our destination, our direction, and even each step. Each of us has been en route, and wondered if we really should be going there. Each of us has paused en route, to make sure we are on the right road. And each of us has stepped on glass or stumbled on rough ground. Those are moments of being aware — that we are on the move, and needing to take care of ourselves.

Out on life's roads there are many opportunities and pitfalls, encouragements and distractions, friends and villains. We learn, through our own experience and others' good advice, to make progress.

For most of us, life has many journeys — some long and some short. Sometimes we complete them — to fanfare or with personal satisfaction; and sometimes we change our plan, or get forced off the road by events within or beyond our control.

What we learn is that we can't make progress without goals and determination. As Lewis Caroll, author of Alice in Wonderland, said: "If you don't know where you're going then any road will get you there."

It can be hard to know what to do with our lives. There are many choices, and our society douses us with competing demands and noisy voices, from the media and people in our lives. It can often seem easier to go with the crowd's ideas — to follow along. But we are all individuals, and unique, and our path through life must be the one for us.

I remember being in my second year of a Biology program, and all around me were excited students deciding to apply for medical school. It would have been easy for me to get wrapped up in that goal, and for a week or two I considered it. But after thinking about my own feelings of life as a doctor, with its long hours away from my family, I knew that path was not for me.

It was a classic example of the benefit that comes from calm, personal assessment and awareness. It helped me understand that we each need quiet time, to pause and consider.

We also know that life brings new situations, and those can lead to changes in our path and destination. Sometimes, when we are in the middle of a storm, it can be very hard to know where we are, let alone decide if we need to change directions or even start a new journey. This is when it helps to be honest with ourselves, aware of our feelings, and open to good counsel from someone who cares about us deeply.

Life can be better when we have both personal determination and a willingness to share our heart and feelings with trusted companions.

Sometimes we cannot see what others see, because we are wrapped up in our own thoughts, concerns and history. We might see a tangle of trees in our way, while someone else — with a different vantage point — can guide us to the edge of the forest.

Sometimes our path is solid and we need stay on track, while other times — particularly when we are hitting repeated roadblocks — we can help ourselves most by letting a caring person help us — to understand where we are right now, and to see if it's time for new choices.

For those who feel depressed or anxious about how their life is going, I offer two great encouragements:

1) There are people who can and will help you, if you let them. You probably already know who they are.
2) And a quote from the movie, Vanilla Sky: “Every second of your life is another chance to turn it around.”

No matter what mis-steps you've taken in the past, you can move forward with one good step.

As we wind along our crossing paths, the people we meet are all moving through their lives — on their journey to enlightenment and, hopefully, joy.

We are all travelers, moving through life, taking one step at a time.

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We see fire hydrants every day, fortunately not often in use. But there they stand, along our route and near our homes — silent, patient reminders of our shared commitment to safety and community.

The fire hydrant, or "fire plug", dates back to the 1600s, when fire crews would prepare a water source by digging deep into the ground to reach the water table. Afterwards, they covered the well with a plug, so that they were ready. When a fire broke out they'd remove the fire plug and use a bucket brigade — a human chain — to move the water to where it was needed.

Fire hydrants are a great example of how previous problems can lead to not only solutions but commitment to our shared success. While no-one wants to experience such trouble up close, knowing that there is a chance for relief and support can give us all confidence and security.

Recently I saw a truck with two new fire hydrants, on their way to being installed. Like much of the infrastructure we depend on, including our electrical supply, the strength of fire hydrants is hidden — supporting what is visible — built on the endless river of human experience, ingenuity and compassion.

While each of us has our own walk in life, it is good to know that our families, friends and community are there to help. We are each other's bucket brigade. We are the strength around us.

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There is a growing and excellent trend moving through our society: honoring our friends and family with special gifts for their birthday and on holidays. While there are still times when people need a new iPod, TV, or other gizmo, a lot of people already have a lot of things, and enjoy going out themselves and buying the particular model they want.

And while there are no shortages of sweet things and entertaining things we can buy for people we love, there is also no shortage of people in our world who really need our help, be it clothes, food, shelter, medicine or a micro-loan to start up a business.

One of the first organizations to realize how great we feel when we help others is World Vision. Their catalog includes the things that poor and starving third-world people really need, including goats, ducks, medicine and mosquito nets. And while we and our friends are unlikely to want a goat for ourselves (they're a bit noisy and tend to eat clothing while riding the elevator) I guarantee two things:

1) There are definitely people in the world who would love to own a goat, so that they can have milk for their family.

2) When you give your friend a print-out about a family that is thrilled to have that goat (and maybe suggest that goat might be named after them) they are going to laugh and appreciate what a cool and generous thing the two of you have done for our world – turning our good fortune and celebration into something important that we can share.

And since giving a goat to someone is a good idea, organizations like World Vision have already figured out who needs the goats. You don't have to wander around, asking people if they'd like a goat or a chicken — you just pay for the animal or medicine or shelter, and let them figure out how to get it to the right person.

You can find all sorts of alternative gift ideas
by searching the web for:

alternative gifts

Here are just a few of the many ways to give
alternative gifts:

Alternative Gifts International

Doctors Without Borders

Provide clean water

Plant a tree and encourage others

Mercy Corps: Gifts that change lives

Make a micro-loan to help someone start a business

World Vision: give a goat

Mission Services: A local Community-focused relief organization

The Salvation Army – helping the homeless

Adopt some wildlife

When it's time to honor a friend or family member this year, honor them with a gift you'll both remember and be proud of.

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One of my favorite summer flowers is the garden geranium, with its beautiful, summer-long color. It is the type of flower that you can count on, week after week, month after month. With only a bit of watering, and some essential pruning, they will continue to make your life brighter.

Growing up, our family hung white pails of red geraniums from the trees along our laneway. They were a cheerful sight for guests and part of the colorful backdrop for my early years.

What I didn't know then is that it is the pruning of geraniums that keeps them looking so wonderful. Yes, they'll survive if you just water them, but after a month they'll have a browning collection of old flower clusters — masses of former glory — that stifles the growth of the new blossoms.

On a geranium, removing the old flowers is easy. There's a single stem that holds each cluster, and you can quickly break off the old bits with your fingers.

But unlike flowers, when it comes to people's lives, former glories can be hard to prune away and leave behind.

Each of us has memories of great moments in our lives — our successes and our achievements. They were the times when we came out on top, either on our own or as part of a team. By the time we are adults, there can be all sorts of glory days to remember: Sports victories, school successes, business coups, art show ribbons, as well as outrageous but successful exploits of all types.

Memories of our past victories can be great fuel for our lives, giving us confidence, and reminding us that we can do it if we really try. They can boost our reputation, and help us reach new and better goals.

The problem with glory days is that they can become less of a trophy and more of an anchor, dragging us into the past. The change occurs when we stop using our previous successes as fuel for our future, and start thinking that either our best days are behind us, or that we can rest on our laurels.

A big part of moving forward with our lives is changing our focus from me to us — from our own victories to shared successes — from "I can do it" to "we can do it together." 

Life's best moments, for people of all ages, are usually the times we share. They are the times we are together, helping each other, and bringing our personal strengths, feelings and knowlege into play. Life's great times are when we are sharing the task and the fun. Sure we want to get things done, but it is the sharing of community that makes life special.

For many people, the years of competitive school, sports and work environments have left them thinking that their contribution time is over — that they haven't got what it takes anymore. But while youth does give an advantage when it comes to running a touchdown, people of every age can be a part of important projects, including social and community efforts.

And while it is true that it takes money to live, there is much more to life than money — and almost all of the really good things in life start with a smile and an offer to spend time with someone, helping.  Which would you prefer to say: "When I was 20 I won a football trophy" or "Later today a bunch of us will be helping fix up the community centre"?

Whatever your age there are opportunities for you to help make our world better, and for you to become happier.

Our glory days are still ahead — and we are going to share them.

Bruce Springsteen, in his song, Glory Days, talks about the problem of living in the past: Now I think I'm going down to the well tonight and I'm going to drink till I get my fill. And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it but I probably will. Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture a little of the glory of.  Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister, but boring stories of glory days.

Be a part of your community. Find ways to share your strengths and time on projects that matter to people.
You will find there is great joy in helping others, and that our glory days are still ahead.

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In celebration of Mother's Day:

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We have all heard the saying “You can’t take it with you.” The saying is very old, though not as old as the Egyptian pharaohs, who stocked their pyramid burial chambers with lots of goodies for the next world. The pharaohs thought of themselves as gods, so if they wanted to bring some golden cats into the next world then surely that was going to happen.

The recent touring of His Extreme Highness, King Tutankhamun (King Tut to us disrespectful peasants, and Tut to his buddies) showed lots of King Tut’s stuff, but no sign of his re-embodiment in the next world. Most likely he wouldn’t want to be hanging out in museums with cellphone-packing peasants anyway.

King Tut has moved on, but King Tut’s stuff is still available for ogling and historic analysis. In other words, he didn’t take it with him.

While Tut spent his pseudo-powerful lifetime building a pyramid and carefully planning his personal journey beyond this world, our own journeys focus on more local travel, powered largely by good will and moderate prosperity.

When we think about what we can take with us, we are mostly thinking about how much will fit in our luggage or the car.

What we maybe don’t realize, is that even for travel in this life, the most important things we bring with us are within us.

A friend of mine took a business trip into Mexico recently with his colleagues. On a drive between cities they came upon a bridge, on which there were many beggars — destitute and seeming without hope. As they drove across the bridge my friend spotted a pregnant woman, and felt a strong need to help her. Looking into his wallet he saw his last $20 bill, so his companions sifted through the ashtray change and gave that to the woman.

My friend felt the need to help, and did something.

He felt compassion, and took action.

As it turned out, when he checked his wallet later, he had two more $20 bills. It made him sad, realizing that he could have helped more than he did.

But he had sensed the need to help, and had done something. Not nothing, maybe not a lot, but something for someone in need.

The strong, deep urging each of us gets — to help someone — is built into us.  It is part of why humans have survived long past the days of the pharaohs, and it will still be part of us when our focus on money is over.

Along life’s highways, each of us can bring something important: a willingness to help others. And since no-one gets a smooth ride through life, each of us can benefit from being helped.

Which skills we have and what resources we have varies from person to person, and from moment to moment. But even the poorest of the poor can be willing to help, and to share a smile.

Studies have shown that the happiest people are not the richest — but regular folks who care about others, and who share in community.

Whether in small ways or big ways, wherever we go, we can be someone who helps others.

Here is a hand, reaching out to help.

Be the hand.

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