Development – This is required when longer-term need exists in the community. Often, the real need may be different than the presenting need (the need we see.) Now, I may not know that deeper issue with someone if I focus just on the need to which I respond. These deeper issues are often “community issues” – equipping the community and people to create change first from within an individual- then out to the community as a whole.
Plus, this is long-term transformation, greater than five years or maybe even generational in nature. Generally, faith groups, government, and larger agencies serve the community in development; probably 10% of serving in our community is in the form of development. Why just 10%? Development is relationship dependent and is often not easily measurable; so volunteers struggle to know if they’ve had an impact. Finally, building changing relationships takes time and resources.
Development can be described by this familiar saying – “the man fishes, knows where to buy bait, takes someone with him, feeding others today and tomorrow.”
Faithnet Groups are Development
Imagine sitting around with your closest friends and family, discussing how we could all get to a better place while we're all just getting by. This is what a faithnet group is - hope, hearts and tools to grow us all. Using Phil DeVol's "Getting ahead in a just Getting by World," a guide and a group investigate how to get there from here.
One Guides—the others investigate The Guide isn’t directive, doesn’t give solutions, doesn’t expect everyone to change. Its a time to develop relationships and solutions–and is open to everyone. Wouldn't you want to know how to make it work with what we've got? This is for you. And me.
