The Schraders are in the Ozarks

[jenny_islander]

But that's the weird thing - there's plenty of evangelicals in Zambia.

But they're not from his country, and if they are they aren't from his exact denomination, and if they are they aren't from his exact church, and if they are they aren't him.

And if they're local people, they're, you know . . . urban.

[jenny_islander]

You should really check out local organizations and see if you have any qualifications to help them out. In Cameroon, where there is a lot of violence against women and children, I worked with a local organization on sensitizing kids to what constituted abuse and how to get help.We went to schools and did art projects with them with certain themes and hosted events in collaboration with similar groups in the region. We also worked with women who had been victims of abuse, and the abusers themselves so that they could learn about the line between cultural practice and human rights.

Part of the problem that I have with missionaries is that, aside from "witnessing", they also usually come in working with an American or other western organization instead of giving support to the struggling local groups. You should definitely research the country you want to go to (Africa is huge and so diverse! Account for language, weather, climate, specific history you're interested in...etc) and then get in touch with a couple of local organizations that appeal to your interests and work experiences.

(Sorry, I work in non-profit management and international relations. Haha)

For a look at how torqued off people can get when we are all "Here I come to save the DAAAAAY!" without bothering to see if sisters are already doing it for themselves, check the archives at Oppressed Brown Girls Doing Things. Warning: Some of the language there will fry your eyebrows.

If you do give to a non-local organization, check their practices. For example, the Heifer Project doesn't assume that they know what their recipients want; they ask first, and if the recipients decide to try something a bit risky, that's okay. I'm thinking in particular of some people in Central America who decided to see if they could jumpstart a mushroom industry because they couldn't grow anything outdoors during the rainy season anyway. Mushrooms were not a local thing, but they were willing to give it a shot.

[xReems]

According to John, you should avoid Starbucks because their logo is a sex goodess and their Christmas cups features father and son holding lights while displaying satanic hand symbols.

I've always had a problem with this company because if you carefully research it out, their logo is a sex goddess. Two-tailed mermaid that mated with men. More research turned up a Christmas cup that had a father and son hanging lights while flashing a satanic hand sign. Now they are committing a portion of every cup to the radical sodomite agenda and assault on biblical marriage. Those who mocked me on this...well, all I can say is...I hope this will convince you.

The site: dumpstarbucks.com

All I have to say is....what..the..fuck?! The Duggars drink coffee from Starbucks but holy fuck, this dumbass takes craziness to another level! I seriously pray that his children escape this stupidity when they get older. Whenever he speaks, stupidity comes out.

EDITED because it's "dump" and not "dumb". I love Starbucks way too much.

[salex]

there is also a dumpstarbucks facebook page. Mostly because starbucks is supporting marriage equality.

That said, John Schrader should not buy Starbucks by the cup because he can't afford to keep his kids and wife in a decent home. His boycotting starbucks is like me boycotting Lamborghini-- and if that is not the case, if he is out buying $5 cups of coffee with money people give him to promote God and (out of pity) feed his wife and kids, then any excuse for him to stop will do.

And, will someone please tell me how gays marrying is in any way an assault on my long lasting heterosexual marriage? It isn't as though only gasy will be allowed to marry.

[Buzzard]

Ok, who got into a fight with him and tried to talk logic (and then got banned?)

[nokidsmom]

Questions about whether or not the money might be spent to build homes, schools, or wells may lead to deletion and de-friending. Wonder if the IRS is aware of all this?

Wow, between this and the screen capped FB entry, he really doesn't want anyone raising any questions, does he? Seems like there's a few folks out there (besides us here at FJ) who are not buying this whole Zambia thing.

Those pesky questions. They are of the devil you know. :naughty:

[MamaJunebug]

....And these people have fans, then? People who look up to them and support them in their efforts?

OK, how are they different from the narcissistic parents of Jeannette Walls (read her memoirs in The Glass Castle), who put their own desires and needs way way way before their own children's? Three of the four Walls children did fine by themselves, the fourth is living as she wants - but had the parents' behavior been widely known, the kids would've been taken away quickly. It was the 1960s, so they weren't.

John and Esther seem no differnet from the elder Walls, save for their religious orientation.

Those girls from that family (can't recall the surname) sure have made some matches, eh? Duggar, Shrader, Pecanboy. Courtship works!!!!! works for what, I"m not at all sure.

[GodsKnickers]

Minor squabble:

[slickcat79]

^Love how he completely ignores the implication that he is a selfish prick while insisting that what he's giving these people is so much MOAR IMPORTANT than mere FOOD :roll: I'm pretty sure that Jesus made sure his followers had food and drink while they listened to the word (loaves and fishes, anyone?). It's kind of hard to concentrate on long-winded sermons when you can't think straight from hunger or your child is dying of a preventable childhood illness.

And the only way he's going to give his life while bringing "truth" to Zambia is if he crashes that jacked-up plane that he doesn't know how to fly.

[Joan of Snarc]

Ha ha Len Quinn. What a great comment.

:lol:

[ProfessorAndMaryAnn]

Hahahah! Len's comment was wonderful!

Why can't they preach the word but also help the communities? Maybe some of that money could dig wells or help with growing food? This makes sense to me...

[ProfessorAndMaryAnn]

I'm reminded of the, "give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish he'll eat for life" quote. John needs to realize that feeding developing nations doesn't necessarily mean handing them cans of food.

[lagenialester]

Ugh, maybe it's because I just finished my thesis on humanitarian aid and it's relation to colonialism, but his whole "I'M GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD BY CIVILIZING POOR AFRICANS WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?" mantra is really getting old and sickening.

ETA: Just so we're clear, I worked with several Cameroonian women ("uncivilized heathen Africans") who tried to evangelize me. To Christianity. To Evangelical Christianity.

[Buzzard]

Minor squabble:

Didnt we decide that Zambia is already a christian nation? So... pretty much... he's just going where he wants because HE decided thats where he needs to go. Fuck the needs of the people!

[chaotic life]

Zambia has a strong Christian population, mostly evangelical and not the evil Catholic genre (I do NOT think Catholics are evil, but I know John Shrader and his ilk do). I have a friend whose DH went to do pastoral training for their denomination for the denominations national headquarters in Zambia. They were FLOORED to discover that everything was MORE expensive in Zambia than the US. They did not budget well for food, housing, clothing, schooling, etc. They came back and had to spend more time upping their financial support from the US before they could go set up and live there. Even then, they struggled to stay in budget.

I knew a guy in college who was going to do what John Shrader is trying to do. He was single, thankfully. I still pointed out that he might as well stand in front of a bus and then blame God when he got hit. If you are going to do mission work, you have NO excuse to forgo the covering of an established organization and you have NO business ignoring social issues to drop Bibles on people's heads. Bible thumping doesn't make you right. It just proves how arrogant you are.

[Trynn]

I have a cousin who wants to be a mission pilot. The difference is, he's going to University (a Christian one, obviously, but a really good one as far as academics go) to learn how to do so. He will log hours of flight training, and learn how to repair the planes he will be flying.

I do not know what exactly he is planning on doing (and it's so far off into the future that I don't think he knows exactly either) but he is not the type of person to think himself better than others, and I know that if he had a family he'd be busting his BUTT right now to feed them, even if it meant postponing things, unless God provided.

I have a lot of respect for my cousin; he's a hard worker, and very humble, unlike Jon Shrader.

[nokidsmom]

This guy is a real winner (not!) I hate to say it but at least Anna and Priscilla did relatively better when daddy picked their hubbies. At least neither of them had to live in a pop up trailer long term, move around and rely on the kindness of others to keep afloat, while hubby refuses to support the family because he's got God and Jebus and he's going to save a bunch of people in another country that don't need his preachin' and convertin'.

[Buzzard]

Zambia has a strong Christian population, mostly evangelical and not the evil Catholic genre (I do NOT think Catholics are evil, but I know John Shrader and his ilk do). I have a friend whose DH went to do pastoral training for their denomination for the denominations national headquarters in Zambia. They were FLOORED to discover that everything was MORE expensive in Zambia than the US. They did not budget well for food, housing, clothing, schooling, etc. They came back and had to spend more time upping their financial support from the US before they could go set up and live there. Even then, they struggled to stay in budget.

I knew a guy in college who was going to do what John Shrader is trying to do. He was single, thankfully. I still pointed out that he might as well stand in front of a bus and then blame God when he got hit. If you are going to do mission work, you have NO excuse to forgo the covering of an established organization and you have NO business ignoring social issues to drop Bibles on people's heads. Bible thumping doesn't make you right. It just proves how arrogant you are.

He has a few pics up on his site commenting on how expensive essentials - like pancake syrup - are "on mission." Because man can live on the word of Jebus alone so long as he has high fructose free pancake syrup.

[Buzzard]

Praise GoD! The sole means of transportation for me and my family (including a newborn) is broken and I have to beg for money on facebook again!

Hey John, maybe god is telling you to quit the zambia shit and use the money to take care of YOUR OWN FAMILY. He keeps breaking your pop up, van, whatever to TELL YOU TO STOP. Get a job, dude! :angry-banghead:

[Buzzard]

Yeah, hint from god...

[ILoveJellybeans]

John needs to step up and support those kids and his wife who has recently given birth. Give up on the Zambia dream until the kids are all grown up, its obvious they cant afford it.

[xReems]

These people are so annoying and I'm so tired of them throwing in God for every little thing like He's on speed dial. If you're going to ask for prayers, ask for strength, good health, etc and not so the tow truck arrives on time and it won't cost them an arm and a leg. Guess what, Shraders?! God doesn't give a rats ass over things like that-He has other things to worry about.

I have no sympathy and I hope it costs them an arm and a leg. John wouldn't have to worry so much about it if he would stop being lazy and step up as a father and husband and get a J-O-B! I would feel bad for him if he was providing for the family, but he's not. His main focus is on getting to Zambia yet, doesn't realize how much his family is struggling. How these churches take them in is beyond me and but it's a miracle how he's still barely hanging on by a thread all these months.

He bitches about the government yet thinks it's perfectly okay to beg for donations. I'm starting to question his posts where he says people have been donating over $1100 or so to help buy the plane and help finish his pilot training. There must be some over-exaggerating crap he's been using to get people to feel sympathy for him.

[Chicken bones]

Omg, I could go pick them up! It's across the county, but I.could give him an earful!

[GeoBQn]

I'm guessing that the Schrader's SOTDRT doesn't cover Maslow's hierarchy of needs . . .

[SpicyCat]

I read all of this stuff and all I can think is the old saying "God helps those that help themselves." Then I mentally add on, not beg everyone else to help you out because you can't manage to do any of it for yourself. :cray-cray: