The Schraders are in the Ozarks

[nokidsmom]

I am not very familiar to how these missionary groups are organized, funded, etc. So you are right, to someone like me, this is very bizarre. But I am glad that you are taking the time that to give me an intro to all this. I was one who thought that somehow this was a scam.

Same here, I was not familiar it either and so it didn't make sense to me, which is why I also suspected scam. I do appreciate the explanation of how the missionary funding process works, though it seems even if the Shraders' Zambia mission funding is on the up and up, John still manages to mooch off a lot of people. I wonder how many folks have told him that maybe he needs to get a job?

[Mama Mia]

Same here, I was not familiar it either and so it didn't make sense to me, which is why I also suspected scam. I do appreciate the explanation of how the missionary funding process works, though it seems even if the Shraders' Zambia mission funding is on the up and up, John still manages to mooch off a lot of people. I wonder how many folks have told him that maybe he needs to get a job?

The people who are donating money/food/clothes/shelter probably feel that he does have a job - raising money to be a missionary - and that they are helping him to do it.

[formergothardite]

Having been raised in an IFB church where missionaries came begging for money on a regular basis, Mrs S2004 is correct, going around getting people to support them while they try to get money to be a missionary is considered a job. How it would work is that the missionaries would travel(for years sometimes) around the country begging churches to support them. After the presentations the churches would vote and decide if they want to support them and how much money they would send each month. So after they agree to support the missionaries the church would pledge to send a certain amount of money each month once the people actually get to the missionary field. Then they would take up a love offering where people would give money to support the family while they travel in America getting churches to pledge their support. But the money to actually support them one the mission field wouldn't start coming in until they actually got to the mission field.

The major problem with this is that it wasn't uncommon that by the time the missionaries actually got to the mission field the churches would have had membership drop off and they wouldn't be able to send the amount that they originally thought they could send. Smart missionaries factor this in and get more monthly pledges then they actually need to survive on the mission field so when a couple churches don't send money they can still survive.

[nokidsmom]

Mrs S2004 and formergothardite, my thanks to both of you for clarifying further about the missionary money-raising.

[xReems]

This man will not shut up with his posts, regarding billions of people without Christ! I would post the update but it's too damn long. It's stirring in my heart to send him a private message.

What irked me about this update is the fact that it "hurts" him that billions are dying without Christ in their lives. Okay, so my grandmother, a devout Hindu, who passed away 6 years ago, is burning in Hell because she didn't know about Christ?! Is that what he's telling me?! Well, sir, fuck you, for saying such a selfish and heartless thing. He claims to be a Christian, yet, he sits there and judges those who aren't toeing the same beliefs as him. I'm okay with people of different backgrounds telling me about their faith and beliefs but don't ridicule those who don't follow what you do. Christianity is NOT the way nor is it the "right" or "true" religion. Whatever you believe in, whether it's Christianity or no God, that's what is right and true FOR YOU and not for everyone else.

This reminds me of one time when some missionary when to my grandparents' hometown in India to convert those ebil Hindus into Christians. They were there to help after an earthquake struck but they were also passing out tracts and telling those that this happened because God is angered by so many who do not believe in Christianity. This one missionary had the audacity to tell my grandmother how God is MAD because she's not following the "right" religion. Seriously?! If someone doesn't believe in what you believe, we're all going to Hell?!

Going back to John-I find it amusing, though, that he keeps defending his Starbucks post. I'm guessing he stirred up lots of controversy with it and has been receiving hate mail for it. Welp, that's what you get for posting your beliefs-not everyone will agree with you.

[Joan of Snarc]

What mind-numbing drivel he posts. This man is a festering boil on the butt of life.

[xReems]

I don't get the whole end of the world type posts lately, as well. It's almost like he's just gone off the deep end since his Starbucks posts. It's almost like if he does not follow the Bible exactly than he's a bad Christian and will be condemned to Hell. God gave us a brain for a reason yet he refuses to use it. Using your brain means you're thinking which means you'll start questioning things and that's Satan talk.

[jenny_islander]

I don't get the whole end of the world type posts lately, as well. It's almost like he's just gone off the deep end since his Starbucks posts. It's almost like if he does not follow the Bible exactly than he's a bad Christian and will be condemned to Hell. God gave us a brain for a reason yet he refuses to use it. Using your brain means you're thinking which means you'll start questioning things and that's Satan talk.

I haven't read all of his stuff. Is he all "Yay! Gonna fly an airplane! Gonna give out 1 jillion Bibles! Gonna SAVE THE WORLD in a pop-up camper!" and then "Oh, such a sinner, such a sinner . . . this whole world is Hellbound and I'm at the head of the wagon?" Like, alternately, and repeatedly? Because that would be kind of diagnostic.

[Wolfie]

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.

This is why I like groups like Heifer International, and Mennonite Central Committee.

[Markie]

I know it is the fundy way to be cheerleader for every harebrain scheme your husband has, but I wonder how Ester feels about having 8 kids in a camper and moving around the country pimping out herself and the kids for John's dream? Surely she must crave some structure and a sense of home. Are those children having any sort of schooling at all? Together, they have made 8 children, but seem to have not taken those kids into account for any decesion they have made. :(

[Marilla-Cuthbert2013]

Yep and yep. I wasn't told about hell from infancy only because my parents hadn't gotten into it yet. Awana was our gateway. My parents used it for free child care so they could have date nights. The belief system took over our whole lives because of Awana. From there we went fundie.

Thank y'all for sharing. I have never really experienced anything like that. But then again, the culture I grew up in, parents prefered to scare us by saying things like: "If you are outside after dark, La Llorona will come and get you." But, I was never concerned about my salvation.

Maybe it was because I was baptized as an infant? I never worried about what would happen if I died. Maybe it was because we were always taught that it is never too late to ask for forgiveness, and as part of your Last Rites you have your last Confession (Catholic Guilt-it really does last a lifetime).

That being said, which kid flipped out at their First Confession (face to face), when she saw the Priest and thought it was Jesus (he had long hair and a full beard) and was so scared that she would not Confess unless she got to sit on her Dad's lap.... That's right this Kid.

[DarkAnts]

Thank y'all for sharing. I have never really experienced anything like that. But then again, the culture I grew up in, parents prefered to scare us by saying things like: "If you are outside after dark, La Llorona will come and get you." But, I was never concerned about my salvation.

Maybe it was because I was baptized as an infant? I never worried about what would happen if I died. Maybe it was because we were always taught that it is never too late to ask for forgiveness, and as part of your Last Rites you have your last Confession (Catholic Guilt-it really does last a lifetime).

That being said, which kid flipped out at their First Confession (face to face), when she saw the Priest and thought it was Jesus (he had long hair and a full beard) and was so scared that she would not Confess unless she got to sit on her Dad's lap.... That's right this Kid.

La Llorona stories are suppose to scare you to keep you safe. Arroyo's can be dangerous especially if a flash flood comes through while you are near one. Going out after dark is not safe for kids. Many cultures have these kinds of stories.

[Marilla-Cuthbert2013]

La Llorona stories are suppose to scare you to keep you safe. Arroyo's can be dangerous especially if a flash flood comes through while you are near one. Going out after dark is not safe for kids. Many cultures have these kinds of stories.

Thank you so very much for giving me a cultural lesson about La Llorona, because as an adult it never occured to me to research Ll Llorona, and why parents use to scare me with her story (even though I still think she is real). Since, I must be such an ignoramus, please tell me, why my parents would tell me if I didn't go to bed on time, of if I was being naughty, El Cucuy would come and get me, or if I was out past curfew I better watch out for Mal Hora?

Honestly, I think keeping me safe from harm was a benefit, but I think most parents tell their children El Cucuy will come for them is to scare them in to obidence. But what do I know?

Oh wait, but most importantly, thank you so very much for enlightening me about Arroyos, because in the twenty years I called the Southwest home, I had no earthly idea what Arroyos were and why they were so dangerous.

[SPHASH]

John posted some pics on FB of them at the Meremac cave. I wonder if they stopped by the Smuggars since its pretty close to NW AR. If so do you think they partook in some filming for 19KAC so John could pimp out his mission trip?