This was found in a little book titled, "In the Heart of the World" by Mother Teresa.
"When you look at the inner workings of electrical thins, you often see small and big wires, new and old, cheap and expensive, all lined up. Until the current passes through them, there will be no light.
That wire is you and me. The current is God. We have the power to let the current pass through us, use us, produce the light of the world. Or we can refuse and let darkness spread."
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Things We've Learned - Some Mission Groups are Simply Doing Business
Some mission groups are simply a business and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Many provide help in organizing and transporting people. There is nothing wrong with this type of a business and many do a very good job at very little profit.
However, there are a few mission organizations and a few churches that simply exploit the poor for profit. We see fraudulent web-sites and we hear the stories from the poor.
Although I was aware of many situations where these people were exploited, I did not know that the poor were well aware of the scams and schemes. One day, a poor man in a colonia began warning me to avoid identifying our groups as 'being on a mission' in the colonias. As he spoke, a dozen people gathered around us. I was distributing food on a bright sunny day and families walked over to see what was happening. At first, they thought I was giving away the food at this particular intersection. They listened to what this man told me and eventually, I noticed the nodding of heads in agreement to what this man said.
"We are poor, but we are not stupid. We need the beans and rice that mission groups give to us. But we know what is happening. They come here after collecting money all year at their church. They take pictures of us and our children without asking permission. They take pictures of the house I worked so hard to build and shower me with pity. I don't want their pity and I don't want my family on display. They invite us to a church service and make it clear that we will receive the food we need for our children IF we come to hear them tell us about God. Look at our churches. They are filled. Tell me about the American churches. Are they filled? Why do they think we do not know Scripture?"
I was stunned. Several other people spoke. They talked about churches collecting money throughout the year 'for the poor in Acuña' and that very little of that money ever reaches the poor in Acuña.
More than one person nodded when someone said that they ran inside to get their Bible when they saw a mission group on the road. "I sit in my chair and pretend to be reading it."
I've found web-sites collecting money for shelters that we've supported for years and the house parents are appalled. They sometimes remember that the person in the photos came one time, many years ago, and have never returned. The fact that the photos are all very old was my first clue. When I telephone these thieves, they almost always back down and remove the reference to the shelters that I can prove are not receiving support. But their sites are still active with photos of the colonias and other children.
On one occasion, a lady on a Paper Houses Mission shocked me. As the little children come up to us on the road, we often give them small pieces of candy. This religious lady held each small piece of candy high in the air and told each child that they could have the candy if they said, "Praise to Jesus"! I warned her twice and then I took away her candy.
Although there are a few people in the colonias that may try to take advantage of us or scam us, the majority of the scams are from our side of the border. Most mission groups are very good and most do very honest work. It is a shame that some people are so low that they would take advantage of these poor people.
We are not a watchdog agency, although we do notify authorities and other groups about situations that jump out at us.
Paper Houses makes a point of continually explaining to the people, doctors, official, business people, and the poor that the help we provide comes from hundreds and hundreds of Americans. The board of directors contributes enough to cover our administrative costs and we are all volunteers. None of us receives a salary. There is no office. There are no vehicles. We use our own equipment and vehicles.
We also tell the people that there are thousands of churches and mission organizations working to help in the colonias of Mexico and we are a small organization that is still learning.
However, there are a few mission organizations and a few churches that simply exploit the poor for profit. We see fraudulent web-sites and we hear the stories from the poor.
Although I was aware of many situations where these people were exploited, I did not know that the poor were well aware of the scams and schemes. One day, a poor man in a colonia began warning me to avoid identifying our groups as 'being on a mission' in the colonias. As he spoke, a dozen people gathered around us. I was distributing food on a bright sunny day and families walked over to see what was happening. At first, they thought I was giving away the food at this particular intersection. They listened to what this man told me and eventually, I noticed the nodding of heads in agreement to what this man said.
"We are poor, but we are not stupid. We need the beans and rice that mission groups give to us. But we know what is happening. They come here after collecting money all year at their church. They take pictures of us and our children without asking permission. They take pictures of the house I worked so hard to build and shower me with pity. I don't want their pity and I don't want my family on display. They invite us to a church service and make it clear that we will receive the food we need for our children IF we come to hear them tell us about God. Look at our churches. They are filled. Tell me about the American churches. Are they filled? Why do they think we do not know Scripture?"
I was stunned. Several other people spoke. They talked about churches collecting money throughout the year 'for the poor in Acuña' and that very little of that money ever reaches the poor in Acuña.
More than one person nodded when someone said that they ran inside to get their Bible when they saw a mission group on the road. "I sit in my chair and pretend to be reading it."
I've found web-sites collecting money for shelters that we've supported for years and the house parents are appalled. They sometimes remember that the person in the photos came one time, many years ago, and have never returned. The fact that the photos are all very old was my first clue. When I telephone these thieves, they almost always back down and remove the reference to the shelters that I can prove are not receiving support. But their sites are still active with photos of the colonias and other children.
On one occasion, a lady on a Paper Houses Mission shocked me. As the little children come up to us on the road, we often give them small pieces of candy. This religious lady held each small piece of candy high in the air and told each child that they could have the candy if they said, "Praise to Jesus"! I warned her twice and then I took away her candy.
Although there are a few people in the colonias that may try to take advantage of us or scam us, the majority of the scams are from our side of the border. Most mission groups are very good and most do very honest work. It is a shame that some people are so low that they would take advantage of these poor people.
We are not a watchdog agency, although we do notify authorities and other groups about situations that jump out at us.
Paper Houses makes a point of continually explaining to the people, doctors, official, business people, and the poor that the help we provide comes from hundreds and hundreds of Americans. The board of directors contributes enough to cover our administrative costs and we are all volunteers. None of us receives a salary. There is no office. There are no vehicles. We use our own equipment and vehicles.
We also tell the people that there are thousands of churches and mission organizations working to help in the colonias of Mexico and we are a small organization that is still learning.
Teaching by Example
Real mission does not occur without teaching about the God of our faith.
Walking the streets and visiting the lonely; giving sacks of food to impoverished families; providing clothing and water; providing building materials; making surgery possible so that a child can walk; helping to bury a stranger - these are concrete ways of teaching love.
One of the things I learned as a cop on a foot-beat in Baltimore during the 70's was that people are always watching you. Even at 3 a.m. people take note. A couple of derelicts pointed this out one day when they told me that they saw me checking each business and looking for any hint of a break-in. "Man, it was raining and you were still checking!" I was surprised because with all my careful checking I didn't see these guys. They were probably in an abandoned building or car. The lesson was learned. Someone is always watching.
In the colonias, there are skeptical people, like anywhere else. They watch us carefully in expectation of us doing something wrong. However, when we simply do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing, even the skeptics begin to learn.
When people see the need, their first desire is to do something. When they come a second time, they feel committed. Within a few more visits they belong to the people of the colonias as they discover more about who they are and what it is that they can give.
Walking the streets and visiting the lonely; giving sacks of food to impoverished families; providing clothing and water; providing building materials; making surgery possible so that a child can walk; helping to bury a stranger - these are concrete ways of teaching love.
One of the things I learned as a cop on a foot-beat in Baltimore during the 70's was that people are always watching you. Even at 3 a.m. people take note. A couple of derelicts pointed this out one day when they told me that they saw me checking each business and looking for any hint of a break-in. "Man, it was raining and you were still checking!" I was surprised because with all my careful checking I didn't see these guys. They were probably in an abandoned building or car. The lesson was learned. Someone is always watching.
In the colonias, there are skeptical people, like anywhere else. They watch us carefully in expectation of us doing something wrong. However, when we simply do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing, even the skeptics begin to learn.
When people see the need, their first desire is to do something. When they come a second time, they feel committed. Within a few more visits they belong to the people of the colonias as they discover more about who they are and what it is that they can give.
Prayer
When one of my daughters was 5-years old she asked me about prayer. "You said that God answers all of our prayers. Am I supposed to hear a voice?"
That question haunted me for 25-years and I think the answer is, "Yes".
Prayer can be an act of worship, a petition for help, thanksgiving to the Almighty, and many things. At its root, prayer is communication between God and human. If this is true, we must ask, "Which of these two, God or human, is the most important speaker?" Obviously, the all powerful God is more important than his creation. We cause our own difficulties by not praying as a child and expecting an answer, a voice.
Perhaps the most important part of prayer is hearing what God says to us. Not only should prayer be two way communication, but if what God has to say is more important than our part of the conversation, it seems that the time we spend silently listening should exceed the time we spend talking to God.
Also, God may communicate to us through others and to others through us.
I wonder about how our thoughts may be directed at times by the spiritual. A theologian once suggested the possibility that Satan can project thoughts into our minds. He suggested that sometimes very good people have a very terrible thought seem to pop into their minds and they can't explain why such an evil and vile thought would occur. He went on to suggest that God also 'puts' thoughts and ideas suddenly into our minds. In any case, we must constantly search for the answers that God sends. They take many forms.
A mission experience is a prayer. Here, communication between God and human continually occur on deepening levels. Here communication between God and human occur through other humans, through the nature of poverty, through the simplicity of the lives of the poor. An amazing aspect of this communication is that you can deny it is happening and that you don't believe, but the communication still occurs.
That question haunted me for 25-years and I think the answer is, "Yes".
Prayer can be an act of worship, a petition for help, thanksgiving to the Almighty, and many things. At its root, prayer is communication between God and human. If this is true, we must ask, "Which of these two, God or human, is the most important speaker?" Obviously, the all powerful God is more important than his creation. We cause our own difficulties by not praying as a child and expecting an answer, a voice.
Perhaps the most important part of prayer is hearing what God says to us. Not only should prayer be two way communication, but if what God has to say is more important than our part of the conversation, it seems that the time we spend silently listening should exceed the time we spend talking to God.
Also, God may communicate to us through others and to others through us.
I wonder about how our thoughts may be directed at times by the spiritual. A theologian once suggested the possibility that Satan can project thoughts into our minds. He suggested that sometimes very good people have a very terrible thought seem to pop into their minds and they can't explain why such an evil and vile thought would occur. He went on to suggest that God also 'puts' thoughts and ideas suddenly into our minds. In any case, we must constantly search for the answers that God sends. They take many forms.
A mission experience is a prayer. Here, communication between God and human continually occur on deepening levels. Here communication between God and human occur through other humans, through the nature of poverty, through the simplicity of the lives of the poor. An amazing aspect of this communication is that you can deny it is happening and that you don't believe, but the communication still occurs.
The Mission Experience
A mission trip occurs during the Mission Experience. The Mission Experience for Paper Houses begins as the individual travels from considering participation to the realization that they are signing up for a specific mission date.
We strongly urge people to begin a Mission Journal. By writing down the 'who, what, where, and why' of this decision to walk the streets of the poor, we open our hearts and senses to the experience. Slowing down the hectic pace we live is part of the experience and it takes some prep-work.
Often, we host mandatory mission workshops. We encourage families to talk with friends, relatives, people at work and people at church about their decision to participate in this mission experience and to explain what you are doing on this mission and why.
Participants in our mission experiences and our supporters are not thought of as volunteers or donors. They were chosen by God and accepted what He offered. Participants enter into a sort of sacred contract with God.
We strongly urge people to begin a Mission Journal. By writing down the 'who, what, where, and why' of this decision to walk the streets of the poor, we open our hearts and senses to the experience. Slowing down the hectic pace we live is part of the experience and it takes some prep-work.
Often, we host mandatory mission workshops. We encourage families to talk with friends, relatives, people at work and people at church about their decision to participate in this mission experience and to explain what you are doing on this mission and why.
Participants in our mission experiences and our supporters are not thought of as volunteers or donors. They were chosen by God and accepted what He offered. Participants enter into a sort of sacred contract with God.
Welcome
As the accidental founder of Paper Houses Across the Border, Inc., I am often asked about to evangelize during our mission experiences and to use the typical 'mission trip model.'
I this blog, I hope to explain my personal feelings, beliefs and thoughts about out mission experiences and hope to answer these two questions with the respect and thoughtfulness they deserve.
Paper Houses Across the Border (Paper Houses) remains a mission without religious requirements or beliefs.
Bob Decker
http://paperhouses.org
I this blog, I hope to explain my personal feelings, beliefs and thoughts about out mission experiences and hope to answer these two questions with the respect and thoughtfulness they deserve.
Paper Houses Across the Border (Paper Houses) remains a mission without religious requirements or beliefs.
Bob Decker
http://paperhouses.org
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