Traveling Missionaries/ Youth Groups?

[mstee]

So, I get these guys coming into my workplace every so often (I'm in Ohio if that makes any difference), asking to support their "youth group". They look to be in their early twenties, and usually are Asian. They are very polite, and always ask me to buy some sort of craft that they've made (today was window decor). I always say that I cannot purchase the item because I don't have cash on me (they said that they now accept credit cards) and the owner isn't in either and that they can come back and ask her on a day when she's in. And then they always tell me that they are "traveling missionaries" and that they are moving onto the next city tomorrow. What's the deal with this? Is it just a money scam or are there traveling youth groups like this? When I ask them what the money is for, I get vague answers about using the money to help the youth further their relationship with Christ. 

[refugee]

I know it's not PC to call people gypsies, but when we were living in Europe, there were youth who did this on a regular basis. Our landlady warned us not to give them money, ever, because they were "gypsies" (she used both the local language and English to make her point) and they were just scamming for money.

[mstee]

I figured it must be some sort of scam. But since we come across some very weird fundie sects on here, I thought I'd ask. I did have one guy come in once and give me a pamphlet on his yoga group. And I recognized the name and remembered reading about it. And how they were an actual cult. (I don't remember the name now). Anyways, that was the only person who wasn't from this "traveling missions group" that has come into my job asking for money or recruiting. 

[lilwriter85]

13 hours ago, refugee said:

I know it's not PC to call people gypsies, but when we were living in Europe, there were youth who did this on a regular basis. Our landlady warned us not to give them money, ever, because they were "gypsies" (she used both the local language and English to make her point) and they were just scamming for money.

A friend of mine had a similar experience when she visited Italy and stayed with a relative who had been studying there. The relative told her not to give gypsies money. She ended up giving an older woman at a market money. She said she felt bad about it and then days later she saw the same lady at a restaurant in nice clothes.

 

On the topic of traveling missinaires or youth groups, there are groups here in the US that get by with donation help There is a ministry group called something City Conquest. They are based out of Colorado and travel here to New Mexico quite often. It's run by an older minister with people in their 20s traveling with him and they do religious retreats at churches and youth groups. I had fundie lite neighbors that hosted some of the ministry members during retreat for their church. My neighbors said the churches would do love offerings for them.  Some of the members in that group were divinity students.

Sometime back a high school friend of mine posted a gofundme link on Facebook for her cousin who wants to start a traveling music ministry. The gofundme was taken down a few days later.

[mstee]

It just seemed so weird to me to travel around asking for money. Gas, food, lodging, etc gets so expensive. It seems counter productive. But I guess people do it.