This piece assumes you are familiar with the story of Renee Bach, which was recently depicted in the documentary Savior Complex on HBO, but also in the 2020 podcast series called The Missionary.
I have a lot of sympathy for Renee Bach because I could have been her.
I remember questioning whether a college education was worth the price when so many in Africa urgently needed that money and my help. If I had gotten the notion in my idealistic head that it was possible to go to Africa at age 19 and start a charity, I might have jumped on the next plane.
Did Renee Bach have a Savior Complex? Absolutely. So did I. So do a lot of young people. It might not be about missions for all of them – it might be climate change or racial reconciliation or anti-sex trafficking or gender equality or whatever is the current hot-button topic – but young people are known for their passion and idealism. Renee’s intentions were noble, and she helped to save babies’ lives. Isn’t this a good thing? It sure is a lot more inspiring than playing video games in the basement.
But young people don’t know what they don’t know, and this is what the adults in their lives need to help them see. So when I consider Renee’s story, that’s the part that strikes me as the avoidable tragedy.
I’m not sure what was in the water in Jinja, Uganda, that caused dozens of young American women to zip over and start charities all by themselves. (We never saw this trend in Tanzania.) Renee moved to Uganda the same year that Katie Davis published her New York Times bestseller Kisses from Katie about doing the exact thing. Katie was the darling of the evangelical world that year, so why would Renee question if this was a wise move?
But the adults in her life should have. This is where I see the glaring problem: the American church lacks an understanding of poverty alleviation and cross-cultural community development. When Helping Hurts was published the same year Renee moved to Uganda. If only her pastor (and future board director) had read it and recognized, Whoa, this young lady is in way over her head. We need to bring her home, get her trained and equipped, and send her back with the oversight and accountability of a mission organization.
She would have gotten a nursing degree. She would have gained fluency in the local language and have spent several years serving under Ugandans or experienced missionaries. She would have learned from failure in circumstances where the stakes were low and had time to grow the humility and wisdom that come from years of cross-cultural learning. Then she would have been ready to start something on her own.
It would have taken a lot longer. But the story could have gone much, much differently.
I think that most American Christians don’t see the need to understand the dynamics of poverty alleviation because they don’t interact with it daily. It just isn’t a priority, and I get that. We’re content just to give (often generously) to “good causes” and feel like that’s enough.
But what we don’t think about is that since we are the country that holds 30% of the world’s wealth, we wield massive power and influence just by how we give. At its height, Renee’s charity collected three-quarters of a million dollars annually. That’s a heck of a lot of power and influence. Renee had good intentions but made some big mistakes – but her donors enabled her to make them. They’ve got to take responsibility too.
Why didn’t Renee’s donors recognize that she needed training, accountability, and oversight? Maybe because I’ve never heard of a pastor preaching a sermon on wise discernment in giving. I’ve never heard of an adult Sunday School class that teaches the dynamics of cross-cultural service or poverty alleviation. These topics aren’t discussed outside of missions/development circles. And that means that the collective American Church is wielding a powerful financial sword with little knowledge or wisdom.
We need to be better stewards. If we’re supporting missionaries, filling shoeboxes, or donating to food pantries, we must do our homework first. We can start by reading When Helping Hurts or watching the excellent 6-part video series on the same topic. That’s a strong first step.
I could have been Renee Bach. Thankfully, my parents, my church, and my missions organization would have never allowed it. I grew up in a robust missions culture, so the people in my life loved missions – they just wanted me to do it the right way. That meant attending college, applying to an organization that valued humility and local partnerships, getting trained, and having regular accountability. Don’t get me wrong – I made mistakes. But the repercussions could have been a lot worse.
And for those of us who serve cross-culturally, I hope we can consider the story of Renee Bach and turn the finger back on ourselves. Ironically, Renee’s biggest accuser, Kelsey Nielsen, was forced to step down from No White Saviors due to her own arrogance and ethnocentrism. Certainly, all of us can see at least a little of ourselves in Renee. Are we asking ourselves the hard questions, the ones that dig deep into our motives? Are we teachable, humble, willing to listen, and ready to step aside and elevate others? May we never presume we are above the lure of usurping our Savior.
Related posts:
Am I White Savior Barbie?
Saying ‘God Called Me’ Can Be Dangerous
When Missionaries Think They Know Everything
Is Missions a Joke? Answering the Critics
How to Help Your Kids Become Poverty Fighters
Comments