The Great Omission, by Steve Saint

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Drawing on personal experiences, Steve Saint has written a book that is indispensable to anyone involved in mission work or poverty alleviation. As a child, Saint's family was among a group of missionaries who ministered to the Waodani tribe of Ecuador. As more and more people began to visit this once-elusive people, "ministering" to them, the author noticed a change in village life. The Waodani developed an unhealthy dependency on the foreign visitors who thought they were doing good deeds in Jesus' name. The implications of this story leave us with much to think about in terms of our role in missions. As we try to impact the world with the Gospel, we need books like this to keep us on the right track and prevent us from doing more harm than good.