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Take Up the Christian Man’s Burden
Renee Bach is a prime example of why good intentions do not negate harm.
Even when I was younger, the idea of going on a mission trip never sat well with me. Sending unsolicited “help” to various areas of the world just seemed like a recipe for disaster. Even under the best of circumstances, mission trips didn’t seem like they would solve any problems such as corrupt politicians or supply chain kinks. It seemed that little to no consideration went into actually listening to these people and understanding their needs before trying to hit them over the head with the Gospel.
Sometimes, this even goes as far as disregarding a country’s laws and the dignity of its people. Renee Bach, an American missionary, opened a treatment center for malnourished children called Serving His Children with no medical training or certifications. Witnesses saw Bach draw blood, prescribe medications, administer intravenous injections, insert catheters, and perform other advanced medical tasks without training. During her time treating these children, Bach answered to “mussawo”, the Ugandan word for doctor.
A total of 105 children died in Bach’s care and, after being sued by the parents of the deceased children, she agreed to pay them $9500 each with no admission of liability. After the lawsuit, Bach apologized…
