Noting that the commandment to give to the poor has been with the Lord's people throughout recorded history, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve said that Latter-day Saints have three different ways of giving to the poor.
His comments came Oct. 27 at a benefit dinner in Salt Lake City for Enterprise Mentors International, an organization formed 16 years ago by Church members with business experience to provide micro-credit loans and assistance to industrious but struggling individuals in developing nations.
It was Elder Oaks' advice that put Menlo F. Smith of St. Louis, Mo., a former president of the Philippines Baguio Mission, in touch with Warner P. Woodworth and Steven H. Mann at BYU, who had experience in setting up micro-credit organizations. That led to the founding in 1990 of EMI, which now works with associate foundations in five nations to provide character development and training, consulting and mentoring, and access to small-business loans to small, family-based businesses. (Please see Nov. 5, 2005, Church News for coverage of last year's event, at which the First Presidency was honored for their support of EMI.)
The three ways in the Church of giving to the poor are the Church's welfare and humanitarian service programs and through "people-to-people help epitomized by the work of individual saints and by the work of organizations like Enterprise Mentors International," Elder Oaks said.
The welfare program, supported by the fast offerings of members "is targeted almost exclusively to members of our Church" and "is managed through local leaders and through general Church officers and professional staff," he said.
The humanitarian service program, he said, "is administered in a way to make it distinct from Church welfare."
"In contrast to welfare assistance, Church humanitarian aid is intended primarily for those who are not members of (the Church). It is distributed without any strings attached. To avoid any risk that humanitarian aid might be misunderstood as a subtle inducement for recipients to join the Church, humanitarian aid is not distributed by bishops or other local leaders, by proselyting missionaries, or through the Church's missionary organization. The Church does not seek 'rice Christians.' Humanitarian assistance is a loving gift to help those in need without regard to their religious beliefs or interest in Mormonism. It is separately administered by professional workers and by specially called humanitarian missionaries."
The "people-to-people" work Elder Oaks spoke of is not done by the Church, he noted.
"There are thousands of examples of assistance to the poor by individual Latter-day Saints," he said. He shared one example he encountered while holding a stake conference in the Philippines. He said an older lady desired to serve a mission but had no savings or income to support herself. She sold her small home, one in which she had expected to live out her remaining years, and used the proceeds for her mission. When she completed the mission, she returned home to nothing, but the elders quorum in her ward honored her example of sacrifice and service by building a home for her, where she lives today.
"Here I praise the marvelous work of Enterprise Mentors International," Elder Oaks said, "not just the quantity of it but the way it is done."
Citing the organization's annual report, he said, "Your remarkable work in assisting families that struggle for self-sufficiency by providing training, character development, counseling, mentoring and small loans, is notable for the fact that it is done in such a way as to help those you assist 'to attain a self-reliant livelihood through small-enterprise activities and educational assistance.' As Menlo Smith's most recent letter states: 'EMI continues to cure poverty worldwide, one family at a time."'
Such principles and practices are entirely consistent with gospel teachings, Elder Oaks declared. Quoting a general conference talk he delivered three years ago, Elder Oaks said: "The growth required by the gospel plan only occurs in a culture of individual effort and responsibility. It cannot occur in a culture of dependency. Whatever causes us to be dependent on someone else for decisions or resources we could provide for ourselves weakens us spiritually and retards our growth toward what the gospel plan intends us to be."
Earlier in the evening the more than 960 attendees heard from Thelma Caparas, executive director of the Mindanao Enterprise Development Foundation in the Philippines, one of EMI's associate foundations. Involved in the work for 14 years, she said, "During that time one of the greatest pleasures and joys that I have derived from this work is being able to see the character transformation and life changes in our clients who understand and accept the principles of self-reliance that we teach."
She added, "The work of teaching and imparting knowledge, skills and principles can be quite easy, but to open people's minds and hearts to understanding, to teach hope and to motivate them to apply principles in their lives and in their livelihood is very challenging and demanding, and it gives me the best reward that money cannot buy."
EMI relies on donor contributions, with the entire proceeds being applied to the individual programs administered in five countries: the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru. The organization's Web site is www.enterprise-mentors.org.
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