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5. Social perspective and participation\u000ATo widen the approach to how the NPL think about and are involved in social issues and inquiry was made about the projects they have and how they are involved in them. They debate between their ideas and the struggle to put them into the practice.\u000Aa. Social aid projects\u000AApart from discovering the NPL\u2019s vision about the relationship between the church and social problems, an inquiry was made about which social aid projects existed and their participation in these programmes. The idea was to contrast their opinions and commitment with the social problems within and outside of their church. Most of the NPL named some social projects their churches were involved in. The GSNPL reflects the same tendency with some differences. Only a small percentage affirmed that their churches do not have projects and a similar group indicated that they ought to have them [Table 5.4]. Gooren in his study of an LDG church in a marginalized area found that in effect these churches provide social aid although they do not have programmes that stimulate socio- economic development of their members (1999: 95).\u000AThe researcher found a similar situation in the central LDG which abandoned a foundation that was trying to promote economic, social and spiritual development of the members. According to the pastors the project was abandoned through lack of resources. However they do provide bags with food supplies to needy families through the family groups (A7LDG). The majority of churches concentrate their resources in favour of evangelism, numerical expansion and the construction of mega-churches. A similar case was found in IFD. The pastor affirmed that he had not been able to establish a centre for the elderly because of the lack of a suitable building. However, even after opening up the mega-church they have not done this.122 Other pastors have projected their social vision as\u000A122This church uses most of its resources to help to pay for Channel 27. The aim of this channel is to\u2018reconcile Guatemala with God\u2019. They believe that this is the way that they can contribute to transforming the nation. Annually this channel raises between four and five million quetzals to sustain the station (about $600.000).\u000A 255\u000A