Jesse Medina

In the wake of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, opinions of how best to help the disaster-stricken nation recover are now emerging.

As Pastor Eric Foley sees it, those opinions all have one thing in common: the mistaken belief that amateurs need not apply.

“Donate money and leave the work to us: That’s the mantra disaster relief agencies chant in the media in their quest to raise funds,” says Foley, who is also a non-profit consultant. “But contrast the revolution of common people in Egypt with several failures by professional relief agencies in addressing recent disasters: It’s time to take seriously the peerless contributions that can be made by ordinary people.”