Mike, one of the things I admire about the US is that it doesn't bash gongs and cymbals when it gives charity and nor does it expect obsequious praise. Much of it is very quiet and humble, a behavior pattern that outsiders find very attractive. I've had personal experience of this generosity at the Mt Selinda mission on the Mozambique border which is funded by ordinary American Christians who never ask for anything in return and some of whom sacrifice their careers to go and tend to the needy. I was only there for some months but some of these people give up years of their lives. It won't ever appear in a graph and you'll never hear unless somebody else brings it up as I've just done. This happens countless times and for the benefit of Dragan ;-) yes it is almost always religious groups behaving this way.

Ironically many of the medicos at that Mission are from the Netherlands as well as the US(!) though there is a very occasional New Zealander. ;-)