Mission Trip-Related Rants Thread

[decafaholic]

After reading all the replies from my post about my friend who is raising money for a missions trip to greece, I thought maybe we could use a free-for-all thread where we vent our frustrations with the whole "missions trip" scheme.

 

May I start?

 

My pastor and his wife went on a "missions trip" to Honduras when I was in High School. Since I am good with video editing, she asked me to make a slideshow of the pictures she took. The slideshow was to be viewed by the whole church.

 

Going through her photos, I saw that there were quite a few pictures of kids (ages 3-7ish) full-frontal naked. I put on my Ethics hat and decided that since I would never make a slideshow of naked American kids (can we say PRISON???), the Honduras kids deserved the same protection. So, I only used waist-up pics of naked kids.

 

My pastor's wife reviewed the slideshow and didn't like it, so she re-did it herself to include all the pics with nude kids.

 

And that was the slideshow the whole church watched.

 

Our church ran a daycare for the city, and I KNOW there's no way we could flash pics of those kids nude on our church wall. However, because these were FOREIGN, POOR, SICK kids, I guess the rules changed.

 

The word "exploitation" comes to mind.

 

Let's hear your stories!!!!!!

[Zaphod]

Twice I went on mission trips to Ukraine. We weren't there for community service. We were there strictly for bringing people to Jesus, and our Church-of-Christ brand of Jesus in particular. This was in 1994 and 1995. The Iron Curtain had recently fallen and American Christians of every stripe were swarming to get their hands on some converts before all those other heretical denominations led the people of Eastern Europe astray. I have some great memories of meeting fantastic people, both the missionaries I traveled with and the local Ukrainians. Three incidents are particularly relevant to me now as an ex-Christian.

 

1. Once I was asked to explain from where exactly in the Bible we get this whole trinity thing. I confessed I wasn't sure and I promised I would follow up. I asked a guy who had traveled with me from Texas, and he told me that we saw the trinity in the story of the baptism of Jesus. We saw the Holy Spirit coming down in the form of a dove, we saw the Son personified in Jesus, and we saw the Father in the form of the voice saying, "This is my son, in whom I am well pleased." I remember thinking that was a pretty shitty (though I didn't think that particular word at the time) proof text, especially since the scripture never explicitly identifies the dove as being a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the story, it's just some dove that lands on Jesus as he comes up out of the water. There's actually whole lot more to the doctrine of the trinity than just that one scene, and the guy who explained it to me like this was a layman who was clearly just relaying something he'd been told, but I still learned that day that there's no single text spelling the whole doctrine out. Today I think the Trinity is just the result of some Christian leader around 150 AD suddenly realizing that their montheistic religion actually had three divine beings.

 

2. I had one elderly Russian Orthodox lady leave my classroom in tears because I had just about convinced her that she needed to be baptized in order to be saved (we didn't recognize infant- or non-immersive baptims), but she also felt like she would be turning her back on her Russian Orthodox heritage if she were to be baptized our way.

 

3. I had one skeptic in my class who wanted to know why we felt like we had to come and bring this foreign brand of Christianity to his country. He wasn't skeptical of Christianity in general, just us Americans. I ended up repeating the line that we were just teaching what was in the Bible, and if he knew of something we were teaching that wasn't biblical, I'd happily change my tune. I remember him walking away, still shaking his head, still not happy or convinced that we needed to be there, but I think he recognized that we were there with sincere intent. Today I understand where he was coming from.

 

Years later a friend of mine used a term for foreign missionary work that I think perfectly describes what we were engaged in: cultural imperialism.

[Legato]

White people to the rescue!!!

 

My dad was the youth pastor so I went on a trip every other year starting at age 10. These trips were huge and would have as many as 50-60 high school kids at once. Once, in Belize we built an extension for a medical clinic with mortar and block, later I found out that one wall was so poorly made, the locals tore it down and rebuilt it after we left, they were just too nice to criticize our efforts during construction.

 

Today I don't see the point of such trips. A lot of money is accumulated to send an oversized, woefully unskilled labor force by plane to work on a project that could be handled by locals in a more efficient manner. On top of that you have highschool kids with a very limited understanding of their own beliefs tossed into a culture with needs and customs they couldn't begin to understand. We should have just saved the money and sent it directly to the people who needed it instead of waiving our loud, American butts around their dirt roads, whining about having to put the toilet paper in the trash and not having hot water.

 

Really the only reason I went on those trips was to hang out with my friends in an exotic locale. It sickens me to think of how little effort I put into observing and understanding a different culture when I had the chance.

[ToonForever]

I actually think it's a valuable experience to have our young people see the condition of the world outside our borders, to see how billions live without the particular comforts our standard of living provides. Bummer that it often goes through a Jesus filter.

 

We sent my daughter to Australia for 3 weeks when she was 13 on a student ambassador trip with about 40 other kids. She was having some typical struggles with maturing, and she was a different person when she came home. That was Australia, which is probably as much like the US as you can find traveling abroad. I can see sending kids out to do good works just for the sake of being decent human beings, meeting some needs, and opening the eyes of these kids - teaching them to do good things just because they need to be done, not because Baby Jesus told them to do it.

[blackpudd1n]

Our church ran a daycare for the city, and I KNOW there's no way we could flash pics of those kids nude on our church wall. However, because these were FOREIGN, POOR, SICK kids, I guess the rules changed.

 

The word "exploitation" comes to mind.

 

The words "child pornography" comes to mine.

 

Years later a friend of mine used a term for foreign missionary work that I think perfectly describes what we were engaged in: cultural imperialism.

 

I think "cultual imperialism" is a perfect description!

 

Today I don't see the point of such trips. A lot of money is accumulated to send an oversized, woefully unskilled labor force by plane to work on a project that could be handled by locals in a more efficient manner.

 

If I could +10 this, I would Oh, and I'd add one just because your profile pic always makes me feel happy

 

I can see sending kids out to do good works just for the sake of being decent human beings, meeting some needs, and opening the eyes of these kids - teaching them to do good things just because they need to be done, not because Baby Jesus told them to do it.

 

I agree. When I was 16, I went to China for 6 weeks on a cultural exchange through my school. It really opened my eyes, and that was the whole purpose of the trip, just to let me live in and experience another culture. I came home with an appreciation for how lucky I am to be born Australian, and, come to think of it, I've never felt like I have lacked for anything since. I've had other people tell me I am poor, because I live on the disability pension. I don't feel "poor", and quite frankly, I don't think that they have any idea of the meaning of the word to begin with. How can I feel "poor" when I have a roof over my head, hot water, electricity, a flushing toilet, and food in the cupboard? I even have a car, a computer, and a phone, along with clothes. Not to mention a fridge that works, and a washing machine. I am not "poor". Not after I saw real poverty on the back roads of China.

[owen652]

agreed. I went to India for only two weeks about twelve years ago, and that was enough to completely change me forever. I will never again complain about my lot here in Australia. We in Western countries have no idea.

[Paine]

I go to Africa two or three times a year with some buddies and a few dedicated, full time missionary friends (who trained us!) to dig wells with simple hand tools in villages where CLEAN WATER literally saves THOUSANDS of children every year. The tools are easily fabricated with LOCAL MATERIALS---(yes, you can get PVC and clevis pins in Africa), so replacement parts and technical assistance is "easy". The tools we travel with are simply made and get thru customs surprisingly easy---after three or four designs to squeeze them all in a single duffle bag! We have ONE TRAINED LOCAL who shepherds each region's wells with maintenance and support until we return again. There are three of these salaried "well jockeys" who travel a territory of 2,400 square miles, give or take. They are paid by the villages where they are assigned. This took some work, but now is the best system. Ownership makes for better outcomes....(witness housing projects in America...!!!)

 

We do not preach.

 

We do not even carry Bibles-a side benefit to our security, as well.

 

110% of the funding comes from a few of us **freethinkers** and businessmen who frequent a cigar shop in our small Southern, redneck town.

 

We were all sitting around smoking, talking about the poverty we saw on this exotic vacation or that fishing trip, and an idea to "give back" to these places that gave us all such pleasure was born. A bunch of dumb, white fuckers sitting around a fireplace smoking cigars that each cost more than the price of materials for ONE WELL. No shit. How could we not? The lawyers and vagrant assholes assembled in front of that fireplace formed an LLC and we dug our first well eight months later.

 

Churches have to pat themselves on the back in some feel good public way. Some NOBLE way. Nobody in our town really knows what we do. They think we have a "hunt club" in the most basic, Southern sense of the word. Maybe we own a big house in the country and plant food plats twice a year and throw big oyster roasts and dove hunts. And they all drop hints that they want to be asked to join, because all they think we do is travel to glamorous places and party........yeah, right.

 

All the Baptists that look down their noses at our cigars and debauchery don't know shit about what we do and that is the way we like it. Our cigar shop group just realizes that the needs are REAL, and for the five days we dig, the other five just happen to make a great safari, bird hunt or fishing opportunity >>>>AND WE WRITE OFF (ALMOST!) THE ENTIRE TRIP !!! We do a LOT of good and at least we are TOTALLY HONEST WITH OURSELVES about our motives.

 

We dig wells in villages where the "rich" folks have WINDOW HOLES in the sides of their mud huts. Mud huts made from the discarded (recycled) soda cans of foreign tourists. Impressive architecture, to be sure, but I NEVER take running water for granted. I even say a "prayer" of thanks for my damned WASHER AND DRYER about every other day!

 

One place in particular has seen a huge economic boost ....HUGE!..... all for having clean water and the productivity of the working age males has EXPLODED.

 

It is gratifying beyond belief. And its all kinda secret from our local community.....which is cool. So, NO, my children will go, one for the first time, with ME this summer. His friends at Youth Group (I'm still closeted) asked him why he wasn't going to their TROPICAL ISLAND>>>> read Bahamas>>>> "mission" trip this summer and he told them he "had something better to do than pretend he was helping some poor bastard in paradise." his words!.....makes a parent proud!

 

***sorry....this may not be the thread for this, but it is so gratifying to be able to admit this project "out loud" and know that it doesn't have anything to do with trading Jesus for a glass of water on a hot day....the water flows and flows....and all because of heathens who like to hunt !***

[Akheia]

Paine, that was awesome to hear. Yes, you have every reason to be proud! And I hope your town finds out one day what you guys do--and feels properly ashamed of themselves. (Reminds me of a roleplaying game I ran once where an internationally-famous brothel madame was actually the biggest charity in her country; she took dues from wealthy clients and used it to fund well-digging and educational missions and none of the clients had any idea. I didn't realize this anti-hellfire-club existed IRL! You go gal!)

 

I always wondered why people would go on trips to places where the people clearly already knew about Jesus and where it seemed far more useful to actually DO something to improve lives, not just preach--but didn't realize the extent of the disgusting white-privilege involved. I don't think I'll ever look at missions in the same way--which might be problematic, since I live in an area that is very religious and more or less forces all its young people to go on missions to scary, heathen lands like Cincinnati and Jamaica. You guys really do show me something new every day.

[decafaholic]

I go to Africa two or three times a year with some buddies and a few dedicated, full time missionary friends (who trained us!) to dig wells with simple hand tools in villages where CLEAN WATER literally saves THOUSANDS of children every year. The tools are easily fabricated with LOCAL MATERIALS---(yes, you can get PVC and clevis pins in Africa), so replacement parts and technical assistance is "easy". The tools we travel with are simply made and get thru customs surprisingly easy---after three or four designs to squeeze them all in a single duffle bag! We have ONE TRAINED LOCAL who shepherds each region's wells with maintenance and support until we return again. There are three of these salaried "well jockeys" who travel a territory of 2,400 square miles, give or take. They are paid by the villages where they are assigned. This took some work, but now is the best system. Ownership makes for better outcomes....(witness housing projects in America...!!!)

 

We do not preach.

 

We do not even carry Bibles-a side benefit to our security, as well.

 

110% of the funding comes from a few of us **freethinkers** and businessmen who frequent a cigar shop in our small Southern, redneck town.

 

We were all sitting around smoking, talking about the poverty we saw on this exotic vacation or that fishing trip, and an idea to "give back" to these places that gave us all such pleasure was born. A bunch of dumb, white fuckers sitting around a fireplace smoking cigars that each cost more than the price of materials for ONE WELL. No shit. How could we not? The lawyers and vagrant assholes assembled in front of that fireplace formed an LLC and we dug our first well eight months later.

 

Churches have to pat themselves on the back in some feel good public way. Some NOBLE way. Nobody in our town really knows what we do. They think we have a "hunt club" in the most basic, Southern sense of the word. Maybe we own a big house in the country and plant food plats twice a year and throw big oyster roasts and dove hunts. And they all drop hints that they want to be asked to join, because all they think we do is travel to glamorous places and party........yeah, right.

 

All the Baptists that look down their noses at our cigars and debauchery don't know shit about what we do and that is the way we like it. Our cigar shop group just realizes that the needs are REAL, and for the five days we dig, the other five just happen to make a great safari, bird hunt or fishing opportunity >>>>AND WE WRITE OFF (ALMOST!) THE ENTIRE TRIP !!! We do a LOT of good and at least we are TOTALLY HONEST WITH OURSELVES about our motives.

 

We dig wells in villages where the "rich" folks have WINDOW HOLES in the sides of their mud huts. Mud huts made from the discarded (recycled) soda cans of foreign tourists. Impressive architecture, to be sure, but I NEVER take running water for granted. I even say a "prayer" of thanks for my damned WASHER AND DRYER about every other day!

 

One place in particular has seen a huge economic boost ....HUGE!..... all for having clean water and the productivity of the working age males has EXPLODED.

 

It is gratifying beyond belief. And its all kinda secret from our local community.....which is cool. So, NO, my children will go, one for the first time, with ME this summer. His friends at Youth Group (I'm still closeted) asked him why he wasn't going to their TROPICAL ISLAND>>>> read Bahamas>>>> "mission" trip this summer and he told them he "had something better to do than pretend he was helping some poor bastard in paradise." his words!.....makes a parent proud!

 

***sorry....this may not be the thread for this, but it is so gratifying to be able to admit this project "out loud" and know that it doesn't have anything to do with trading Jesus for a glass of water on a hot day....the water flows and flows....and all because of heathens who like to hunt !***

I'm proud of you and your son!

[Paine]

When I come out as an ExChristian, it sure would be nice to tell all the Frozen Chosen in my town what my friends and I have been doing for the last five years, but that is just not my style. It is much more delicious as a secret.

 

I really want Christians to have a positive view of "atheists" and "agnostics". Most of us are very willing to put "feet to our prayers" as I used to say.....but you can't even convince Christians that we have MORALS without The Book, much less that we are capable of loving and giving to a fellow human stranger. And then we have to work against a very (and sadly) well deserved stereotype that atheists are self-serving buttheads.