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They're popular, they're challenging and enlightening...but are they a good idea? Short-term mission trips have become a key strategy for churches to engage in missions, and to engage thier people in missions. Yet sometimes we do not stop to ask ourselves why we're doing them and if we are doing them the right way. Fraser Scott and Bright Hope World's Southeast Asia Partnership Facilitator Emma Stokes take a long hard look at short-term mission trips and ask why we're doing them, whether they are giving us the results we're wanting and - most importantly - who we're actually doing them for. They discuss some of the key considerations in doing such trips well, and some of the key pitfalls to avoid. Resources discussed in the podcast include: When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert (Amazon) Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It by Robert D Lupton (Amazon) The Next Mile: Short-Term Missions for the Long Haul by Brian J Heerwagen (Amazon) Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

How long does it take to alleviate poverty and what kind of things should you focus on? Well, not surprisingly, the answer is not straightforward! It depends what stage of poverty you're actually talking about. Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore talk about the four stages of poverty, from relief after a disaster to intergenerational cultural reform. They discuss the timeframes that each stage involves and explore the things people wanting to get involved to help need to know. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

The church in many parts of the Majority (or developing) World is growing strongly, while in New Zealand and other countries in the west, the statistics are often a little less encouraging. Why is this? Is it just cultural factors, or are there things the church in places outside of the west is doing that we need to learn from? Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore look at five key things we can learn from what the church is doing in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America that might help us to turn things around.  Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

Whether you are working in the farthest corners of the world, or among the poor where you live, there are certain challenges and realities you are going to face. Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore talk about five core issues that will always present themselves when engaging with the poor. Understanding these issues and how to combat them can help avoid doing more harm than good when we're trying to be of service to the poor. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

As 2020 comes to a close, Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore consider how COVID-19 - which has pretty much defined the year - has impacted Bright Hope World's partners around the world. They look at some of the challenges and pain that partners have faced, as well as some of the amazing things God has done through faithful people. They also ponder what the future is likely to look like when 'the dust settles' and how Bright Hope World might need to change to adjust to 'the new normal'. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

Fraser Scott talks about the history of Bright Hope World with founder and Chairman Rob Purdue. Rob talks about his background and the influences as a young man that led him towards starting Bright Hope World. He shares stories about the very first partners that he and his wife Heather met, and how the ministry expanded from its roots in Eastern Europe, immediately after the fall of communism, to South America and Africa. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

Fraser Scott talks to John Vlaming (Bright Hope World's Agricultural Director) and Jerry Field (Bright Hope World's Zambia Partnership Facilitator) about the Foundations for Farming programme. Foundations for Farming helps people in developing countries to use their land more effectively so they can provide for their families. It emphasises sustainability in farming, as well as addressing mindsets that can impact farming effectiveness.  For more information on Foundations for Farming, visit https://www.brighthopeworld.com/who-foundations.asp. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

'It Ain't That Simple Mate!' takes a slightly different tack in this episode, looking at the role of the local church in tackling poverty. With so many agencies and government departments battling poverty, Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore ask whether there is anything unique the church can bring to the table. The podcast deals in practical terms with how a church that wants to address poverty can make practical steps towards doing so in a meaningful and biblical way. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore counter the last episode's list of the five worst ways to address poverty with a list of five really good ideas that are making a difference among the poor globally. Microloans and table banking are looked at, as well as agricultural development, empowerment of women and a couple of other strategies that are paying big dividends in terms of communities and lives being transformed. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

How do you build relationship with the poor and partner with them as equals to help alleviate poverty? Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore consider how the challenges of crossing cultures and forming sustainable relationships focused on addressing poverty can work. How do you deal with power imbalances? How do you prevent money from destroying relationships? How do you correct for the inherent influence that we as westerners carry with us as we seek to serve the global poor? Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore look at what is it like to be among the poorest of the poor. While not being economically poor themselves, Fraser and Kevin have worked among the poor for many years and share some of their observations as to what the experience of being poor is like, and some of the challenges the poor face that we might not be aware of. A key resource discussed in this episode is 'Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It'' by Robert D. Lupton (Buy on Amazon). Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

In this episode Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore ask the question 'who are the poor'?  Where do we find the poor, and when we go below the surface, who do we find are the 'poorest of the poor"? We look at the plight of women, children, refugees and the disabled, as they navigate life in difficult places. To see more about some of the poorest of the poor that Bright Hope World is working with, visit www.brighthopeworld.com. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

Fraser Scott and Kevin Honore look at the nature of poverty - is it really just a lack of resources or is there more to it than that? The discussion focuses on the relational nature of poverty and why that matters, particularly when westerners step into other cultures in which we see 'the poor'. A key resource discussed in this episode is 'When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself'' by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert (Buy on Amazon). For more information on our view of poverty - visit https://www.brighthopeworld.com/who-poverty.asp. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.

The very first episode of the new Bright Hope World podcast: "It Ain't That Simple Mate!". Hosts Fraser Scott (Bright Hope World's Executive Director) and Kevin Honore (Bright Hope World's New Partnerships Facilitator) explain why they're doing a podcast, and who Bright Hope World (www.brighthopeworld.com) is.  Fraser and Kevin look at Bright Hope World's vision, mission and values and how these impact how Bright Hope World works to help the poorest of the poor around the world. New episodes every two weeks. Send feedback or questions to podcast@brighthopeworld.com.