John Shrader: Killing Snakes & Grifting Appliances for Jesus

[Handmaiden of Dog]

Another plea from me for updates.

3 days ago I finished reading all 4 Zambia threads. I was a very sad to see them end because this guy's misadventures read like a crazy novel. I told the whole story to my husband and he loved it-- he especially wants more "dueling missionaries." Rhea and Shrader fighting over the plane! Rhea vs. Shrader in the great Print Off of 2015! TeamZambia 1 vs. TeamZambia 2- who will have more converts!?

Plus, Esther must be pregnant by now. We can't miss the big announcement.

[happy atheist]

I was FB "friends" with the all-knowing, corrected Christianity, Bible-case displaying, inflatable pool baptizing, not-willing-to-assimilate-into-the-local-culture, there's-more-children-where-those-came-from, "De plane! De plane!" uppity John until I called him out on a church matter. I was gone in no time flat. I just don't have the energy nor inclination to create another FB personna to try to friend him again. I count on the FJ squad to keep me abreast of the lunacy that is John Shrader. He is certainly the epitome of all that a missionary should NOT be.

I so desperately want to make "all-knowing, corrected Christianity, Bible-case displaying, inflatable pool baptizing, not-willing-to-assimilate-into-the-local-culture, there's-more-children-where-those-came-from, "De plane! De plane!" uppity John" a post count title, but it's too long. :cry:

I might just go with "There's More Children Where Those Came From"

[slickcat79]

John has a new convert named Jolis, who is a friend of Arcade's from Burundi. Jolis survived a near-beheading in the Burundian genocide as a young boy. After hours of bible study and the "Seven S's of Salvation" (or something), John managed to convert Jolis to a true believer in ONE DAY. He reminds us that he is not like those fly-by-night preachers who do 1-2-3 conversion presentations, but wants the "fruit that remains"...just like JESUS HIMSELF. Guessing he is still feeling pressure to justify himself and pick up the convert count.

John posted a message for his dad for father's day, and shared a message that Esther posted on behalf of their kids. The kids sang "I Am My Daddy's Child"(?) in church on Sunday, and John played the accordion. Nothing else posted for this week.

[salex]

Meanwhile, David Rea has printed 24,000 tracts to ship or take with him to Zambia. On "that" printer, I presume.

facebook.com/reas.tozambia?pnref=story

[Gimme a Free RV]

John has a new convert named Jolis, who is a friend of Arcade's from Burundi.

After hours of bible study and the "Seven S's of Salvation" (or something), John managed to convert Jolis to a true believer in ONE DAY. He reminds us that he is not like those fly-by-night preachers who do 1-2-3 conversion presentations, but wants the "fruit that remains"...just like JESUS HIMSELF.

...and John played the accordion. Nothing else posted for this week.

The Gospel Accordion to John

[Howl]

Well, based on their facebook photos, the Reas are not afraid of getting out and about in Zambia:

www.facebook.com/reas.tozambia/media_se ... 278&type=3

On a related note, "De plane, de plane!" would also be a great post count.

[Gimme a Free RV]

It makes me sad and mad to see the Zambian men in coats and ties because you know that is a concept imposed on them from uber-fundamental missionaries. Dressing like a fundie American pastor does not make them holier or more saved. They should feel comfortable worshipping in the attire that is familar, comfotable, and affordable to them in their culture...and the missionaries should dress themselves like those in their host country; not the other way around.

[clearingthingsup]

Any new updates on john boy? :shifty:

[slickcat79]

John actually did something genuinely kind and generous last week. Apparently Brother Phiri's sister was very ill, and they brought her to Lusaka from her village in the hope of getting better treatment for her, but she unfortunately passed away. It was going to be very expensive for the Phiris to transport the body some 300 miles back home, so John volunteered his services and his "truth carrier" to help make it happen. He drove them all over the city to help make arrangements, then transported the body and a number of family members to the eastern province.

Of course, John had to make the situation largely about himself, as he "acutely knew" the pain of losing a sister. Plus he took the opportunity to try and convert people at the funeral, since he was horrified by their bad doctrine. But by Shrader standards, this is practically saint-like behavior :?

The rest of the week has been taken up by well-wishes for John's 38th birthday this past Monday.

[Clutched Pearls]

Of course, John had to make the situation largely about himself, as he "acutely knew" the pain of losing a sister. Plus

he took the opportunity to try and convert people at the funeral , since he was horrified by their bad doctrine. But by Shrader standards, this is practically saint-like behavior :?

To the bolded: OH HELL NO!!

Poor Johnny boy can't help but act like an ass.

[DaffyDill]

He and I are FB friends now. I am truly blessed :pray:

[Justme]

I saw The Book of Mormon on Bway yesterday. Boy, oh boy did I think of Johnny! "The previous Christian missionaries were not the RIGHT type of missionaries!" :lol:

[DaffyDill]

So, John and his son Enoch are off on a trip to Zimbabwe, and have been printing 2,000 tracts to take with them. This is apparently a Survey Trip (whatever that is).

The good folk of Zimbabwe are surely in for a treat, as well as all things wonderful, because lucky them, John has been praying for Zimbabwe for a long time. Why? He doesn't say. Actually, I stand corrected, he says in the comments that he has been praying for, and has had a great burden for Zimbabwe since before they met Joseph (a convert?). I guess John Is a great burden to many, including his old sending church, as well as his family (some of them, anyway).

In a couple of short videos, they have a printer which looks like an ordinary largish office laser printer, that John tells us is a Ricoh, churning out the tracts, (printed on both sides :o, says John) and some other machine that folds them. And little Timothy (John's son) gives the whole operation the thumbs up.

[formergothardite]

Things are going well for David Rea. He went to Zambia to get everything settled before bringing over the entire family.

I found a ToyotaNoah (a Japanese minivan) for sale for just over $5000. We were able to buy thisand get it licensed in just a few days

I was introduced to an immigration official and our paperwork was briefly looked at. The official signed a form and handed it to me. My two Zambian friends said, “Welcome to Zambia! You are approved.â€

After I got the car I started informal Zambian driving lessons with my Zambian friend. Let’s just say driving in Lusaka is exciting!

The homes we were finding were affordable – but they all lacked any place for the printing ministry.

Same problem the Rodrigues family is having. :roll:

Some of this equipment is large – like 3200 pounds large. The booklet maker (which now works 100%) is close to 15 feet long.

I got a notion to just drive into the country right outside of Lusaka. God led us to a home for rent. We

stopped and spoke with some people beside the road. Their teenage son got in the car and took us to a home for rent.

It is brand new, inside a secure property that is a commercial pig farm. We have a place for our container, a 16 x 16

foot garage for the press and a large garden area where we can grow our food, and raise some tasty animals! AND –

it is 1.5 miles from the city edge – where it is 100% built up and the streets are filled with people – 1000’s of people.

We get to have the ministry benefits of the city (access to MANY people, access to printing supplies and paper,

access to goods) but we get to live in the country.

We fly out July 27th.

rea.teamzambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/June-Prayer.pdf

John might have been there longer, but David gets points for being a better planner. So who is going to win in the missionary printing wars?

[StacyW]

Pig farms supposedly smell nasty for quite a distance. They might have a hard time getting people to visit.

[anjulibai]

So, John and his son Enoch are off on a trip to Zimbabwe, and have been printing 2,000 tracts to take with them. This is apparently a Survey Trip (whatever that is).

The good folk of Zimbabwe are surely in for a treat, as well as all things wonderful, because lucky them, John has been praying for Zimbabwe for a long time. Why? He doesn't say. Actually, I stand corrected, he says in the comments that he has been praying for, and has had a great burden for Zimbabwe since before they met Joseph (a convert?). I guess John Is a great burden to many, including his old sending church, as well as his family (some of them, anyway).

In a couple of short videos, they have a printer which looks like an ordinary largish office laser printer, that John tells us is a Ricoh, churning out the tracts, (printed on both sides :o, says John) and some other machine that folds them. And little Timothy (John's son) gives the whole operation the thumbs up.

Sounds like John is getting bored with Zambia and needs a new challenge.

[salex]

Sounds like John is getting bored with Zambia and needs a new challenge.

Two things come to mind. His visa may not be renewed or he may not want head to head comparisons between himself and David Rhea (sp)

[formergothardite]

A survey trip sounds like he is looking to see if he can move from Zambia to Zimbabwe. I bet he doesn't want to have to compete with the better organized David Rea.

[slickcat79]

Sounds like John is getting bored with Zambia and needs a new challenge.

Yeah, really. As many people as there are who live in Kafue (or even greater Lusaka), I can't imagine John has run through all his conversion prospects yet. Given all the time and other people's money he's spent getting established in Zambia, I find it hard to understand how he can justify trips to Zimbabwe just to do more of what he's already doing in Kafue. Maybe they'll take the plane! :lol:

Pig farms supposedly smell nasty for quite a distance. They might have a hard time getting people to visit.

That was my first thought too. Blechh

But props to him for much, much better planning and organization. I feel bad for the people of Zambia for having even more missionaries foisted on them, but no way could John compete with the Reas.

[Mango]

.... Having seen the picture of that printer? I'm 90% sure it's the exact same one I have. Mine was retired from a local commercial print shop when they upgraded. I got it for $25 worth of starbucks and the favor of NOT asking the shop guys to load it in my car. It's a serious workhorse- I've printed a gazillion pages of stuff for dog rescue groups on it (contracts, handouts, adoption packet stuff) and it was originally a thousands-of-dollars-printer but... it cost me $25 of starbucks and knowing someone. I can't imagine there aren't a lot of this type that get donated every year from commercial printshops which upgrade their stuff regularly.

[SoybeanQueen]

The Reas are definitely better at planning, but major points deduction for moving to the capital city. You can't even begin to pretend that Lusaka needs another missionary family to pass out tracts.

[SPHASH]

Daddy Rick posted a pic of Enoch with his fish in Zimbabwe. John Boy took Enoch fishing on his birthday. Also Daddy Rick posted some pics of Julia. Got more comments on Julia than Enoch.

[PrairieGirl]

Sounds like John is getting bored with Zambia and needs a new challenge.

How about finding a real job and supporting his family? Nah, too much work.

[RecoveringFundie]

It seriously makes zero sense for him to travel to Zimbabwe (where you actually are required to use American dollars if you are a foreigner--you have to use whatever is your currency, so it's actually very expensive). Why would you spend money on a trip somewhere new when you have barely accomplished anything where you actually live and spent thousands of other people's money to move to? He makes less and less sense the more I follow it. Like watching a train wreck. One good thing that's come out of it? I finally got around to reading The Poisonwood Bible---it's been sitting on my shelf for almost a decade, and John finally motivated me to read it.

[thoughtful]

I'm starting to think that a typical playtime in the yard looks like this for a Zambian child: