John Shrader in Burundi

[RachelB]

I know that "concrete boat" is meant to be read as "a boat used to carry concrete," but every time I see that expression I interpret it as "a boat made out of concrete." That would be quite the conclusion to this missionary journey, and not out of character with the common sense displayed elsewhere by this guy: attempting to sail across Lake Tanganyika in a concrete boat.

There is an engineering competition every year to build a concrete boat that can float even when swamped. But I suspect anyone who believes that it's prayer and not engineering that keeps a plane aloft would have trouble in that competition.

[gustava]

The graph is on his Facebook. He updates it irregularly. In December 2012 it was at 38%. On May 26 he says they are around 60%. This is after he found another sucker to buy him a plane in Zambia. The one he can't fly yet.

I too wonder when the IRS is going to start persecuting him.

Thanks....and soon I hope.

[Palimpsest]

I'm beginning to think that John Schrader is reading here. He is such an annoying dolt. He is now emphasizing that he is getting lots of testimony on video to prove his efficacy. Barf.

When you think about it, 2 1/2 new converts (we don't need to count the precious woman as a full person) aren't much to show for a three week "mission." He promised a lot that hasn't come to pass. No meetings with presidents, no crusades to Rwanda and DR Congo, and at least one of his party turned out to be unworthy. I'm still wondering about Blessing/Bro Leonce. Wasn't he the one who was supposed to stay on in Burundi with family and dropped his passport accidentally on purpose into Lake Tanganyika? He hasn't been much in evidence recently. It is all Arcade, who came up from Zambia, Arnaud and Eddy.

So, at the very last minute, 2 new true believers turn up desiring to serve God. Enter Zak and Jared! Jared is great. He is a lawyer who quit his profession to follow Christ. Leaving your day job is quite a theme with John. These two are now on video saying that they don't need money, they just need teaching and discipleship. From Rea and Shrader, naturally.

In other news, Arnaud's mother cooked them a special dinner and David and John pigged out on goat. They also swigged down more expensive soft drinks and took a taxi home at Arnaud's expense. Again. I hope you took a very nice hostess gift to the party, John. Something useful like a sack of grain, a couple of chickens and a dozen eggs, or a crate of frigging sodas! You know that soft drinks are expensive in Burundi. :naughty:

John wishes to clarify that they have only asked Arnaud, et al, for a place to stay next time they are in Burundi. But these people have such "giving spirits" that I'm sure John will be able to parlay that into full board as well as lodging. He really is a quite spectacular leech.

Or perhaps Eddy and Arnaud will have come to their senses by the time John Schrader gets back to Burundi. I hope so.

And he is back to being Burdened in Burundi.

[uber frau]

And he is back to being A Burdened in to Burundi.

Fixed it

[javafriend]

I admit that I have not read the actual blog - just the recaps posted here- but I can't believe anyone could support this guy. So he spent 10 days in an already mostly Christian African country mooching off people. And now he is very proud that the results are that two people might (big skepticism here) be interested in his whackery :wink-penguin: :wink-penguin: ?

He sounds like a five year old playing grown up. "I want to be a daddy with lots of children!!! I want to fly an airplane to Africa!! I want everyone to pay attention to me and play my fantasy games along with me!!"

Edited to add that I don't know how the smilies got into my message and I can't tell exactly what they are doing.

[Hane]

All of which goes to explain why I've met a disproportionately large number of Catholics while doing volunteer work. However, I have yet to meet any fellow volunteers who attend one of the Mars Hill Church branches, or any of the other conservative evangelical megachurches around here--much less full-bore fundies.

I see the same kind of thing: I belong to an organization that works for immigration justice and reform, and virtually all the members are Catholics and UUs. In other local volunteer organizations, there are mostly folks from mainstream religious denominations--Methodists, American Baptist Convention members, and so on.

[gustava]

Clearly Satan is working through you, or you would not ask such things :angelic-halofell:

I was looking over his Team Zambia site (shrader.teamzambia.com/contact-us/) and he lists something called Global Independent Baptist Missions as his Support Address/Clearing House. I can't seem to find a functional website for that org, though. At first I thought this was it: ibmglobal.org/#2, but they don't lists the Shraders or the Reas under their list of missionaries. I can't seem to find a functional website for GIBM, but it's likely Shrader is funneling his donations through them as a non-profit.

Of course, that doesn't address any of the donations he's receiving now to support his family during "deputation" and I don't know how GIBM dispenses donations. And yes, a clear outline of goals and functional needs would make a lot of sense. The whole thing is very shady.

Slickcat-- I think that on the Popup Camper thread, we discussed this, and someone found some semblance of a link between Shrader and a GIBM offshoot. I don't have the fortitude to look for it, and it was a tenuous link, anyway.

[Palimpsest]

Fixed it

Thanks! :lol:

[Palimpsest]

I admit that I have not read the actual blog - just the recaps posted here- but I can't believe anyone could support this guy. So he spent 10 days in an already mostly Christian African country mooching off people. And now he is very proud that the results are that two people might (big skepticism here) be interested in his whackery :wink-penguin: :wink-penguin: ?

He sounds like a five year old playing grown up. "I want to be a daddy with lots of children!!! I want to fly an airplane to Africa!! I want everyone to pay attention to me and play my fantasy games along with me!!"

Edited to add that I don't know how the smilies got into my message and I can't tell exactly what they are doing.

He is an idiot. Incredibly immature and irresponsible. The worst kind of travelling evangelist. He has a few leg-humpers on Facebook who are praying for him and Praise the Lording, but I fail to see why anyone is giving him money. It is a total mystery.

You have two winking penguins there. I have named them David and John. They wormed their way into your post and want cokes, dinner and cash. :D

[javafriend]

Oooo penguins! Now that I've made friends with them, I think I'll invite them to a party-I know the Arndts would want to attend and maybe the Maxwells too. I know they accept free meals and cash and if I provide Coke instead of Pepsi...

[Cartmann99]

You have two winking penguins there. I have named them David and John. They wormed their way into your post and want cokes, dinner and cash. :D

Thanks for the laugh. I needed it after reading about this idiot and the latest on XGay Greg.

[Whipple]

Thanks for the laugh. I needed it after reading about this idiot and the latest on XGay Greg.

Yes. This thread was so depressing especially when I think about the children in that pop-up at home. I think the IRS and CPS need to be involved. Back to penguin parties. I think the Arndt's would really appreciate them stuffed so they can add them to their collection.

[thekate]

I see the same kind of thing: I belong to an organization that works for immigration justice and reform, and virtually all the members are Catholics and UUs. In other local volunteer organizations, there are mostly folks from mainstream religious denominations--Methodists, American Baptist Convention members, and so on.

There's your answer for why the more conservative denominations don't volunteer there. I imagine a local food bank might be less skewed, but I have no evidence or experience to back that up.

[Palimpsest]

Yes. This thread was so depressing especially when I think about the children in that pop-up at home. I think the IRS and CPS need to be involved. Back to penguin parties. I think the Arndt's would really appreciate them stuffed so they can add them to their collection.

Glad you liked it. :D

I'm cracking up at the idea of a party with the penguins, Arndts and Maxwells. Steve just wouldn't know where to look because of Mama Arndt's defrauding shorts. And what if she bent over in one of those low-cut tops? :pink-shock:

[Cartmann99]

Have there been any further updates about Esther and the children? I saw that vague one about her and the children living near friends and family which gave the impression that the camper was parked in the driveway of someone they knew.

[Palimpsest]

Have there been any further updates about Esther and the children? I saw that vague one about her and the children living near friends and family which gave the impression that the camper was parked in the driveway of someone they knew.

This is the latest news from Esther, I think. From Facebook, July 21. (I XXed out the names)

"Cxxx XXXX Where are Esther and the kids during this, and who is taking care of them? I pray they are staying in a real house with plenty of food. Is anyone helping Esther with the kids while you are gone?

Esther XXXX Cxx, we are in a very nice place next to family and great friends, so I have plenty of help! Our Wonderful Savior has always taken such good care of us, we have actually never come close to missing a meal, we are so very blessed!"

I'm glad someone asked. It is sad. Feeling so blessed because they have never completely run out of food but totally dependent on handouts from others. Eight children living in a pop-up camper unless someone asks them to stay in a house with AC and a bathroom. I suspect that John is moving them around frequently. Not only because he needs new churches to grift from; staying in one place too long might trigger a call to CPS.

[nokidsmom]

Yeah, that's what I have noticed. They certainly move around a lot and I often thought this was keep the churches from catching on to their real situation. Wonder if they have dealt with any church or members that started getting suspicious and about asking what's really going on?

ETA: wonder if they have had any "near misses" with CPS.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I really feel for Esther and the kids :( Its so unfair for him to do this to them, they need a real home and some stability

[javafriend]

Sorry if this question has already been asked and answered but does anyone know anything about John's parents and siblings? Are they all just like him? If not, I hope they are trying to intervene on behalf of their grandchildren/nieces/nephews.

[salex]

Yeah, that's what I have noticed. They certainly move around a lot and I often thought this was keep the churches from catching on to their real situation. Wonder if they have dealt with any church or members that started getting suspicious and about asking what's really going on?

ETA: wonder if they have had any "near misses" with CPS.

For them, even worse than CPS would be donations drying up. If they stay too long in one spot, the locals may begin wondering why they are supporting a guy who seems to not do much of anything.

[Whipple]

Bad for the parents but great for the kids. I think CPS has to have been involved in the past. Maybe even now. I'm sure they see them as religious lunatics and question the safety of the kids. Any more babies in that pop-up and it will set off even more alarms. CPS is not strict about a lot of things but when people move around in order to escape further detection, they get very angry I have had parents threaten to pull their kid out of the school following a call to CPS. CPS' response has always been the same, "Don't even try it!" I'm sure they don't have that type of authority but what they are really saying is that if you pull something like that or try to move we'll be on you like white on rice.

[Guest]

Sorry if this question has already been asked and answered but does anyone know anything about John's parents and siblings? Are they all just like him? If not, I hope they are trying to intervene on behalf of their grandchildren/nieces/nephews.

I just spent awhile looking at his parents' Facebook page. His father seems to be a Baptist minister out of Texas who supports John quite a bit. It even seems like Esther and the kids are currently with him. He posted about the a/c going out in the camper on Monday...

John has 3 brothers, and I think only one is on Facebook. They don't seem to be fundie, and John's only sister definitely isn't. The sister, Sarah, is a new mother and is battling very advanced pancreatic cancer. Her last name is Waller, but there is no connection to Priscilla's husband. While his siblings don't seem to be fundie, the parents seem to support them, especially Sarah. John's mother seems to be spending a lot of time taking care of Sarah. John was homeschooled, and I've seen it mentioned o FJ that his family was involved with Vision Form, though I've never seen any confirmation of that.

[nokidsmom]

Bad for the parents but great for the kids. I think CPS has to have been involved in the past. Maybe even now. I'm sure they see them as religious lunatics and question the safety of the kids. Any more babies in that pop-up and it will set off even more alarms. CPS is not strict about a lot of things but when people move around in order to escape further detection, they get very angry I have had parents threaten to pull their kid out of the school following a call to CPS. CPS' response has always been the same, "Don't even try it!" I'm sure they don't have that type of authority but what they are really saying is that if you pull something like that or try to move we'll be on you like white on rice

Interesting, sounds like they are doing all the right things as far as CPS being onto them. And since they move around and are in various jurisdictions, sooner or later they might get into one where the agency might be more aggressive and actually remove the kids.

Upthread it was mentioned how John's family are with all this. I have asked the same question of the Kellers. Maybe there's some assistance from either side that is not known, but still how can any of them be OK with this?

[GeoBQn]

The CPS question (or whatever name your area calls it) comes up a lot in the Sparkling Adventures thread. If John and Esther aren't physically abusing the kids, what can CPS do?

[MsSaylor]

I work in child welfare in a state that has one of (if not the) highest removal rate in the country. In my experience the most common reasons for CPS involvement/removal is domestic violence and drug use the way CPS is notified of these is through contact with law enforcement. The next reason is physical/sexual abuse which almost always comes to our attention through family members and the school. There are rare cases of involvement due to extreme neglect or homelessness. I only know of a handful of these. And they usually come to our attention through school. For these reasons I have never and don't expect to ever come into contact with a family like the schraders. I'm also pretty certain that anything that came through the hotline where the persons Info is only coming through thd Internet would be screened out. Unless it was very extreme (death of a child or mortal danger) or unless they had prior run ins with the same family/numerous reports from a variety of people.