Pet Peeve about "Mission Trips"

[Meeka]

I have a pet peeve about mission trips that you always hear many are taking. A lot of the people going on "mission trips" are people who have no special skills that can be utilized. I think its great when nurses, doctors, engineers etc go down to a poor country to help out the local people but I don't understand what the majority of mission trips accomplish. If you look at the cost of the person to go on a mission trip, say $1000 for airfare plus accomodations etc, it can easily add up to $3000. Why don't they take that money and use it to pay the local people to build their own school etc. To go to a poor country and pay $3000 to help paint and school or play with the children is ludacrius. If you donate the money you help out the people by providing jobs as well getting the task accomplished.

If you want to travel, just call it a vacation and enjoy. I love to travel and have been to many parts of the world but don't try to make it that I am actually helping people.

Maybe I'm missing something here but it drive me crazy when the Duggars go on mission trips and exploit the "poor people" so that they can feel good about themselves.

[Coconut Flan]

They "have" to go on the mission trips because for that type it's more about converting people or "spreading the Gospel" (their interpretation of the Gospel) than it is about really helping people.

[browngrl]

I also hate it when fundies go on "mission" trips to places that seem to have a reasonable standard of living for the average person e.g. San Francisco, Paris, New Zealand. Just call it what it is - i.e. a VACATION.

[Trynn]

I once went on a mission trip because it was the cheapest way to get to Florida and I was hoping to sneak over to sea world...

[formergothardite]

Kind of like how the bitchiest missionary ever, Lauralea from Of a Single Heart, is raising all sorts of money to go to Africa to teach ballet and shelve books? That money could be spent to do a hell of a lot more for the world, but then she wouldn't get the credit. I think most of these mission trips are like that, they don't want to do anything too hard, they don't really want to find out what would make the biggest difference in the lives of the people they are supposed to be helping, they just want the credit for being a good Christian.

[mlady]

Youth mission trips are really part social/part "get out and see that the world is different". They have no skills but I can't say it's pointless since getting out there is always a good personal growth tactic. However, money needs to be raised for them to go so it's not helping or changing anyone but them, and they aren't even changing that much if they are pushing THEIR culture rather than experiencing the one they are in.

[formergothardite]

Youth can get and out and see poverty/people in need in their own communities. They can get those skills without raising a ton of money and spending it on themselves all while pretending to be helping other people. Mission trips are usually about the people going, not the people who have missionaries inflicted on them.

[LucySnowe]

And why should untrained people go into orphanages and work with vulnerable kids? Who might not actually be orphans, in fact...here's one article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ys-madonna

[Sailing on Europa]

My cousin went on a mission trip to the Philippines as part of an evangelical christian youth organization, and he posted pictures of his "team" (meaning the other missionaries) going on field trips such as riding a zip line.

[FeministShrew]

One of exfi's friends went on a mission trip to New Orleans a couple of years ago. They painted some church for a couple of hours a day, then spent the rest of the time sight-seeing. This year he & his gf went to Puerto Rico. :roll:

I think he pays a couple of thousand per trip, too.

[Palimpsest]

I've ranted about this before. I count as a Missionary Kid (although my fundie-lite medical missionary parents left the mission when I was 5 and my father then worked for WHO.)

It's not just the teen missionary trips. Look at the Shraders (Anna Duggar's sister and brother-in-law.) The only skill they have to offer a developing country like Uganda is tuition in grifting. Church planting? Bullshit!

They will pop in and out of Uganda on 6 month tourist visas to avoid the need for work permits, while getting oodles of praise for their selfless Godliness from the US. I see them as parasites. The only saving grace is that they might help the economy of Uganda a little as they spend their grifted $$ there in maintaining their Western standard of living. Not much of that money will be donated to Ugandans in need of concrete assistance.

[August]

I noticed none of you heathen bastards have donated to my mission trip. May the hex be on your immortal soul that right at this minute there are people filling the museums of Europe without anyone there to share the word of god with them and aid them in, like, taking pictures of their whole group in front of the eiffel tower, or exactly which flavors compliment other flavors at that gelati shop in Florence by the Duomo and stuff. And it's YOUR fault.

[formergothardite]

I noticed none of you heathen bastards have donated to my mission trip. May the hex be on your immortal soul that right at this minute there are people filling the museums of Europe without anyone there to share the word of god with them and aid them in, like, taking pictures of their whole group in front of the eiffel tower, or exactly which flavors compliment other flavors at that gelati shop in Florence by the Duomo and stuff. And it's YOUR fault.

The people of Disney World NEED to have me there to witness to them!!!! Just think of all the souls that shall be lost because selfish people won't pay for me to go. :cry:

[GeoBQn]

There's a Christian college that offers a degree in "Messianic Judaism," which requires a mission trip to NYC. Yeah, that will go over well.

John Shrader update: He is leaving for Burundi, and G-d has blessed him with a new, free accordion.

[EmmieJ]

I have two sisters who became "fundies" while in college (and have remained so to this day). The older of the two got an Engineering Degree, married her college sweetheart, proceeded to have four children (one every two years or so), and she homeschooled them all. Because of their more conservative religious views and because they lived about 5 hours from most us, we didn't see them often, although we had some fun times with the kids when they were little. As they grew, we never heard from them, never got thank you cards for birthday presents sent, etc.

So I was irritated when the contact I did receive from one niece and one nephew were solicitations to help them fund their missionary trips. I chose to ignore those e-mails. Maybe if they'd had some manner drilled into them growing up and sent a measly thank you card or two, I might have sent $20 or so.

Neither mission seemed to have any specific truly helpful goal - such as digging a well, helping build a school or housing, designing or putting in an irrigation system - something that would last beyond their brief mission visit. But they got to feel good about themselves, which is apparently what's important. :roll:

[snarkyjan]

The people of Disney World NEED to have me there to witness to them!!!! Just think of all the souls that shall be lost because selfish people won't pay for me to go. :cry:

And what about all the godless hedonists in Key West? They're having fun, sopping up demon rum and conch fritters and fornicating to beat the band while their immortal souls hit the skids. Mr. Snarky and I could be very persuasive in rescuing them from their lifestyle, while relieving them of their savings. Now, if only soneone would contribute for our airfare and hotel.

[ThisOlGirl]

The people of Disney World NEED to have me there to witness to them!!!! Just think of all the souls that shall be lost because selfish people won't pay for me to go. :cry:

Bless you, Former Gothardite for your bravery! I can't imagine going to a place where a special day is set aside for sodomites and their "families" to enjoy. The horror!

Do you have tip jar?

[formergothardite]

Bless you, Former Gothardite for your bravery! I can't imagine going to a place where a special day is set aside for sodomites and their "families" to enjoy. The horror!

Do you have tip jar?

We shall need to bring the children on this mission trip, of course. They need to experience this battle against the devil first hand and maybe for a week and during the winter because it is too hot during the summer and we will need the money to buy souvenirs that way we will be better able to witness to the employees at the den of the devil . God really laid the people of Disney World on my heart. :pray:

Actually knew a youth group that took a mission trip to Disney World. They even raised money for it. :lol:

[ilnh98]

I get annoyed with these so-called mission trips too.They are usually vacations that are financed by church members after an appeal is made during a Sunday service by the traveling "missionary". One young woman visited my church one Sunday and appealed for donations for a special trip she was taking. She was visiting 7 countries in 2 weeks so it was nothing but a jump on/jump off race. I don't remember what she said the cost was but I was totally turned off and gave nothing. She did get a pile of cash in the special collection plate. Sheesh. Besides the cost, the language and cultural barriers are enormous if not insurmountable, and they often are. The book, Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan is a real Eye-opener on this subject. Bottom line: your own community can be your mission field and you can help support missionaries in foreign countries with money. They already know the language, culture, and the needs.

[nelliebelle1197]

I get annoyed with these so-called mission trips too.They are usually vacations that are financed by church members after an appeal is made during a Sunday service by the traveling "missionary". One young woman visited my church one Sunday and appealed for donations for a special trip she was taking. She was visiting 7 countries in 2 weeks so it was nothing but a jump on/jump off race. I don't remember what she said the cost was but I was totally turned off and gave nothing. She did get a pile of cash in the special collection plate. Sheesh. Besides the cost, the language and cultural barriers are enormous if not insurmountable, and they often are. The book, Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan is a real Eye-opener on this subject. Bottom line: your own community can be your mission field and you can help support missionaries in foreign countries with money. They already know the language, culture, and the needs.

How did she explain her 2 week/7 country mission? That is nuts!

[ThisOlGirl]

What are you guys' thoughts on organizations like Habitat For Humanity, who do international builds? I mean, just about everyone can swing a hammer and do other manual labor. From what I can tell, part of what a person pays to go on the trip is set aside for future builds.

[nelliebelle1197]

My uncle, who is the deputy director of a state baptist convention, goes all over the place on mission trips. They build churches. Which is nice enough. But the Haitians might like houses better.

[SPHASH]

I knew of a couple that took a mission trip to Hawaii. Seriously. But they paid for out of their own pocket because they knew asking for donations would not go well. They worked in some school run by the Mormons (one was a schoolteacher). And they are Methodist.

[salex]

I have a pet peeve about mission trips that you always hear many are taking. A lot of the people going on "mission trips" are people who have no special skills that can be utilized. I think its great when nurses, doctors, engineers etc go down to a poor country to help out the local people but I don't understand what the majority of mission trips accomplish. If you look at the cost of the person to go on a mission trip, say $1000 for airfare plus accomodations etc, it can easily add up to $3000. Why don't they take that money and use it to pay the local people to build their own school etc. To go to a poor country and pay $3000 to help paint and school or play with the children is ludacrius. If you donate the money you help out the people by providing jobs as well getting the task accomplished.

If you want to travel, just call it a vacation and enjoy. I love to travel and have been to many parts of the world but don't try to make it that I am actually helping people.

Maybe I'm missing something here but it drive me crazy when the Duggars go on mission trips and exploit the "poor people" so that they can feel good about themselves.

My step mother-in-law is from Mexico. She hates these with a burning passion, especially the ones that send unskilled teens to paint some local church in Mexico... like you she says just send the money and hire local tradespeople. Not to mention, if protestants are going to the RC countries to convert the Roman Catholics...

If the teens need/want to do something, why not paint, pick up trash, mow lawns for someone all summer for free in their own town. I doubt any of these people live where there is not need within 30 miles of their home.

My dad's pet peeve was similar-- he hated "walkathons" saying the same amount of time, either with everyone who was walking doing something productive (clean out a waterway or park) or just donate a day's worth of what they would earn in the time it took to walk.

[Palimpsest]

What are you guys' thoughts on organizations like Habitat For Humanity, who do international builds? I mean, just about everyone can swing a hammer and do other manual labor. From what I can tell, part of what a person pays to go on the trip is set aside for future builds.

It depends on the organization and NGO. I think Habitat is legit and funds go where they are supposed to go. I'd look at any organization closely, however, big or small. Not naming names, but if the overheads are 90% and the money spent on houses/wells/food/bunny rabbits/schools or whatever is 10% then walk away. Fast.

The people who piss me off most are like the Shraders. They set up their own "mission" of one or two people. Have KJV Bible and promise to preach to the heathen. Why, I'm a Missionary!!