Bribery on the Mission Field

Many cultures are bribe cultures, from the bottom to the top. People in those cultures often dislike the practice, but recognize it as a part of life, plain and simple (whether or not they partake). Should a missionary ever give a bribe? Here are some random thoughts:

• Learn about the culture and how people see bribes. Some countries give "tips" with no more sense of guilt than we give tips to waitresses. Ask locals about this! Ask the opinions of national believers and experienced missionaries or other expats.
• Learn how people in your culture ask for bribes. For example, in my country they offer you a "coffee" if they want something done. Sometimes the "coffee" is a lot more expensive than Starbucks!
• I would always judge the issue of "tips" based on principle, not price. There is no price you can put on principle.
• Most of the Albanian believers in our churches decided early-on in their Christian journeys that they will not be like the world in this area. I've never preached about the evils of bribery; the Word of God and the Spirit make it pretty plain. If national believers just coming to faith are making this conclusion, how then could their missionary partake in illegal bribery?!
• So am I saying there is "legal bribery"? Well, that depends on what you mean by a bribe. My online dictionary says that bribing is "to persuade someone to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement." I am OK with persuading someone to act in my favor. I am not OK with doing it illegally or dishonestly.
• A missiologist friend of mine recommended that I read Strange Virtues: Ethics in a Multi-Cultural World by Bernard Adeney. I haven't read it yet, but its introduction, which can be read by the "search inside this book" section on the amazon.com link above, makes an incredible point by telling a story of a real-life situation where thousands of dollars would be wasted and needed medical surgeries left undone by refusing to tip some customs officials preventing a container of medical supplies to clear. The introduction makes a terrific point that it is easy to blurt out "No, never under any circumstance!" But a real life scenario affecting real people is more complicated for the missionaries with boots-on-the-ground in places where the rules of the game are completely different.
• An elder missionary friend of mine explained his philosophy of bribes this way: bribing an official to disobey a law or to give you preferential treatment is wrong; but tipping a corrupt official to get him to obey or apply a law may be necessary from time to time.
• A practical story of the above: once I went to Germany to buy a vehicle, since most local vehicles for sale in Albania were stolen (at that time). Customs was about 40% of the purchase price! For this reason, most Albanians were falsifying their bills-of-sale in order to pay less customs on import (or, in the case of stolen vehicles, just creating bogus bills altogether). When I presented my bill of sale, the customs official himself objected, saying "Hey, that's the original bill!! Do you know how much you're gonna pay? Quick, go over to that kiosk over there and he'll make you a new bill of sale: you pay him some, he wins. I get a cut, I win. You save about $3000, you win." Then the Albanian non-believer who made the trip down with me said, "No, no, he's a believer," to which the customs official said, "Oh, one of those, too bad." I could have saved three grand (!), but I chose not to because this was clearly a breaking of the law. The customs official understood that believers don't do this; what a good testimony--and good thing I didn't shatter it! After my long trip to Germany, much driving, and four hours waiting in lines for customs officials at the port, it came time to embark on my four hour trip home over pot-holey roads--and it was already 9:00 p.m. I was tired and missed my family. On the way out of the customs zone, we had to stop at three police checkpoints, so they could verify all our paperwork--yes, three road blocks to verify the same papers. My Albanian friend said, "Put $5 in with your paperwork." I said, "For what? I already paid $3000!" He said, "Do you want to go home this week?" In this instance, the little "tips" had nothing to do with breaking a law, but motivating the crooked policemen to actually do their job, check my papers, and let me go home (instead of continuing to play dominoes and drink vodka). I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I did slip them a $5, then twice more at the two final checkpoints, wished them well, and was on my way for 15 bucks. My conscience was clear, and even my unbelieving friend understood the clear difference between the first and second scenarios.
• Most countries in the world have an abundance of bureaucracy. Most bribery happens while trying to cut through the red tape. I've discovered a force more powerful than bribery to persuade people to help me navigate the red tape: relationships! The more you meet people, treat them well, pay them well for their services, and offer to help them, the more you can use your relationships to avoid tips. For example, I've worked to develop a great relationship with some lawyers and notaries (who know everyone), and if I know I'm going to be in a situation where I might be asked for a bribe, I seek their counsel beforehand, playing the naivety card and asking, "Can you help me understand how to react if they ask me for a bribe, or how to know if they are expecting it, because I don't understand the bribing culture." Often times, my friends will simply handle the situation for me, saving me both a bribe dilemma and precious time! What is important here is not to use people for their clout, but to genuinely care for people. I see every influential government official as a dying person going to Hell, and often when I have developed relationships and witnessed to them, they have sensed and appreciated my sincerity, though they be icy cold to my message.
• Another powerful way to cut through red tape and avoid bribes is to take your cute little children with you to government offices, but I'm digressing a bit from the main theme.
• Suffering is part of Christian living; the consequences of not paying an illegal bribe can be tough. So was the cross.