Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/ADRA/Rural Development

Rural Development
ADRA General Conference	Skill Level 1
	Year of Introduction: 2005

1. Explain to your instructor why some nations in our world are called "developing" countries and why others are called "developed" countries.

Those countries called developed or industrialized nations are those with common use of western medicine, wide systems of paved roads, structured education for children through adulthood, stable economies and governments, provide large portion international aid for developing nations, provide portions of international military assistance, commonly provide scientific advancement and fund scientific research, and the majority of whom's population lives out of poverty.

Developing nations are formerly known as third world countries. These nations are not stable in economy and government, often needing financial and military intervention for any form of stability. Some have no regular government in place that is fully recognized by the people of the country - for example Somalia and The Sudan. There is often ongoing civil war, little or no education opportunity, even in the most basic systems of living. There is limited access to medical assistance in these nations and they rely primarily on foreign aid in this aspect as they do all others. From the government to the people, they are often countries that have become total welfare states and are in fact not developing, but rather waiting for their next handout. They rely on Non-governmental Organizations (NGO's) and foreign nations for their survival. Those that are developing such as Kenya, suffer set backs in which they seek assistance such as a current (2006) widespread drought there but have a largely stable economy and government.

2. Name ten developing countries and list two things that ADRA is doing in these countries that would fall under the description of "relief" and three things that would fall under the description of "development."

The best sources for up to date information on ADRA's work is your ADRA Country Office or the ADRA Really Useful Gifts Catalog. Emergency Management and Food Security are relief effort categories.

3. Read what Ellen White has written about why we have the poor with us in Desire of Ages, Chapter 70, entitled "The Least of These My Brethren." Summarize what you have learned from this chapter in 50 words or less.

Most of Ellen White's writings are available online. This particular passage can be found at http://www.whiteestate.org/books/da/da54.html

4. View an ADRA video reporting on development activities in other countries than your own, and participate in a discussion about what you see for at least 20 minutes following the video.

The ADRA Presents series of videos includes very good introductions to ACS and disaster resoponse in short video segments. These videos are available through AdventSource.

Rural Development
ADRA General Conference	Skill Level 2
	Year of Introduction: 2005

5. For advanced work (Skill Level 2), participate in one of the following field trips or group projects:

a. Work as a volunteer in ADRA's Global Village program when it is operating.

Unless ADRA decides to resurrect the Global Village program, you will not be able to use this option. When it was operating, ADRA's Global Village was an exhibit featuring several life-size habitats. In 2002 these included a southeast Asian stilt house, African Masai kraal, and Latin American choza.

The Global Village was developed by ADRA as a way to expand children’s world views and to foster an understanding of universal human needs, equality, interdependence, and the importance of cultural differences. - Adventist News Network

b. Go on a mission trip to a disadvantaged rural area in another country or within your own nation.

There are many ways you can use this option, from going on a mission trip with Marnatha Volunteers International to working with Habitat for Humanity. Unless you are blessed with abundant financial resources, you will have to do a lot of fund raising well in advance. Daunting as it may seem though, it can be done and is well worth the effort.

c. A project in your community to collect a truck-load of clothing, hand tools, medical supplies, tents or other items that ADRA can use in rural development projects overseas. This includes raising sufficient donations to transport the collected items to the nearest ADRA warehouse.

This project can be completed within the NAD. By truck-load this is a standard semi-trailer of goods in new or near new condition that meet the needs and current requirements of ADRA's on going projects. The cost to have these items shipped outside of the NAD to the closest wharehouse will vary by location and can be exceptionally high. This effort will require dedication to both collecting goods and funds. For specific information on the ADRA project closest to you that you can assist contact ADRA through www.ADRA.org .

d. A 24-hour group fast and educational "lock-in" session with your youth group focused on understanding the needs of the poor in developing nations, and designed to raise funds for rural development.

A "lock-in" is an indoor sleep-over held in a public place (such as a church). Lock-ins can create an environment conducive to spiritual learning and group bonding. A lock-in organized for this honor should focus on the needs of people in developing countries, and nothing should be eaten during the session expect perhaps at the end of the 24 hours.

During a lock-in, your club could actually complete every requirement of the standard (i.e., not advanced) portion of this honor.

Activities might include:

• Clean water discussions: Have your participants filter their water before drinking it (even if it is pure tap water). You may also wish to use a little food coloring to make the water look brown (use a drop each of red, blue, and yellow). Filtering colored water will not remove the color. You may also wish to add some safe "pollutants" to the water before it is filtered, such as wood shavings.
• Videos: Watch DVDs that talk about the plight of people living in undeveloped nations.
• AIDS Awareness: Discuss the problems associated with AIDS and how it is spread in the developing world.
• Women's Rights: How are women treated in developing countries? In many places, women are expected to do all of the household work including the work of growing and harvesting food.
• Land Mines: Land mines are devices which continue to kill innocent people even after a conflict (such as a civil war) ends. Lay one hundred sheets of construction paper on the floor in a 10x10 grid. Cut a dozen or so "landmines" out of sheets of paper and place them on randomly beneath the sheets of construction paper. To begin the game, have each child step out into the mine field, choosing a square to stand on. Then have them check under their square to see if they hit a mine. If they did, they are out. Leave detonated mines exposed. Then choose two random numbers (a pair of dice or a spinner will work well for this). The first number is how far each person must move forward. If they reach the edge of the field they should turn around and head in the other direction. The second number is how far to either side they should move (allow each participant to choose left or right). Play until all the mines have been found. Conclude by asking everyone how they felt during the game.
• Gathering Food: In this game, each person must gather enough "food" to feed his family. "Food" could be ping-pong balls or potatoes. The catch is that everyone will have a handicap to deal with. Handicaps might include blindness (use a blindfold), loss of one or both hands (tie them behind the person's back or make them keep their hands in their pockets). You may also have each participant lug around a sack of flour (representing an infant) as they attempt to gather a dozen potatoes or ping pong balls - they may not put the flour down.

All of these activities will help to raise the participants awareness of the problems facing people in developing countries.

To make it a fund raising event as well means that each participant will sign up donors, similar to a bike-a-thon or a walk-a-thon. Choose a project to give the proceeds to ahead of time, as that will make it more real to your club.

6. Write a letter to a person of your same age and gender in a rural, underdeveloped area in another country. Ask questions to learn about how they live their life and express your concern for supporting development in their country without using condescending language.

Ask your conference office for contact information. They should be able to put you in touch with missionaries. Then make contact with the missionaries, asking for first names, ages, and gender of children they work with. Be sure to ask them about their needs as well, and make meeting those needs a project for your club. If possible, try to integrate this activity with the option chosen in requirement 5.

References

• Who is My Neighbor? by ADRA International, Silver Spring, Maryland (1995)
• Christian Relief and Development by Edgar J. Elliston, Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas