Current events.
My heart and prayers go out to the ten Americans, and their families stateside, being held and charged with kidnapping in Haiti. However, while I pray that the best of conclusions is reached in this difficult situation, I feel that our countryfolk being held must be some of the most ignorant, uninformed missionaries in recent memory.
I've considered how I, myself, might have behaved had I been down in Haiti, working to help orphans. I concluded that I would not have even remotely considered removing any number of children from their home-country at all, and if the decision to remove them from their country was deemed important and necessary, I would make every attempt to go through the proper channels. I know, I wasn't in their shoes. How can I judge?
I've taken into consideration circumstances that we may not be aware of. Were the children in immediate mortal danger? Were they being sexually, mentally, or physically abused? If those were real dangers that the thirty-three children were facing, then I would not consider it any problem to break national or international law to protect them.
But, if these children were not facing these specific dangers, then this group of missionaries, is either, at best, extremely uneducated and careless, and at worst, guilty of believing that the Will of God promotes sweeping orphans out of their Haiti Hell into the luxuries of the American Way. If these people and the church that supports them are truly convicted about helping Haitian orphans, they need to commit to a lifetime of support, in Haiti.
I don't believe these Americans were trying to steal these children in order to put them on the black-market. I believe they were honestly trying to act compassionately and justly. But, whether due to Baptist ideology or a collective gap in common sense, these folks behaved recklessly and foolishly.
To help these children, and the thousands of others, along with the millions of adults in Haiti, what Christians, Agnostics, and Atheists must do to help Haiti, or any other desperate state, is to aid in building the basic infrastructures that offer the basic necessities of life. Clean water, clean food, clean shelter, basic medical, and basic education. Evangelical opportunities will be best served by contributing to the physical and mental salvation of desperate people. You can't save the soul of a hungry person.
We need to teach people how to fish, not catch the fish for them.
Now, switching channels.
If you're not a tech person, or aren't aware of, or don't care about the high theater of the Apple Empire, the iPad was released on the 27th of January. If you're not aware, the iPad is a touchscreen computer tablet. It's coming had been gushed about for months in the press and Apple fans everywhere watched the calendar in anticipation of it's release.
Even the Fuhrer could not escape the fervor. Below is a profanity lace reaction to the newly released iPad by Mr. Hitler.
Caution:
This video is extremely funny to my sense of humor, however, it is rife with foul words, not to mention the fact that any performance, satirical or not involving Hitler, makes me squirm.
But, it's still funny.
Yes, technology can disappoint, especially the first generation.
Speaking of which, I've taken up an utterly unimportant cause. A personally specific disappointment I have in technology, is the business model used by the companies who control television media.
Cable companies sell a product so poorly constructed and conceived, that, of all the great wool-pulling schemes in consumer history, cable TV offers the worst product value for the money. i.e. You pay X-amount of dollars to receive 100 channels, of which, you watch 6. Why can't we pay only for the channels we want?
In coming weeks, as our house moves closer to completion, I will be building our wireless network to handle all of our internet and television watching needs, without the waste of a cable subscription. This will be done legally of course, and I'll share the results.
Side note:
I'm suspicious that parts of my posts in the past two weeks have had a slightly stormy air. I'll work to remedy that. Next week, nothing but gentle sarcasm and irony.
Have a good weekend, and Godspeed, John Glenn,
Dave
4 comments:
In regard to helping in Hati, or elsewhere, may I recommend giving through Compassion International.
This is a trustworthy organization with a long history of getting whatever is needed to wherever it is needed.
I was on my first mission’s trip to Panama and had just entered the country. We were on our way to the Darien jungle and stopped at a market to get some drinks for the long bus ride. A local Indian lady (for lack of a better term) with three children approached two ladies with us. She begged them in any way she could to take her youngest child (very cute) with them to the U.S... It turns out her Husband died and she had no way of providing for all of them.
We all ended up witnessing the event and were heart broken. We all chipped in and left her with money but I felt like it was so little knowing the resources that I have at home and the amazing wealth that I had in comparison. I also knew that this choice was born out of great desperation and that she and her children may suffer greatly. We did not make the same mistake that the Hatian group made but it would have been very easy.
They kind of remind me of Peter with his ready fire aim approach. It was wrong to break the law but I doubt there was any Baptist ideology or American luxury driving the decision. It probably was the overwhelming sense of our wealth and the desire (however misguided) to help especially the children in this awful time. I found out recently that at least some parents of the children were part of this plan and I can believe it is true.
I also agree with infrastructure building and of all the things most third world nations need is clean drinking water. I am again returning to Panama to the same area and we go with a group that is working systematically to help these people on a continuing basis. They are building homes and hospitals and providing medical relief. We will be speaking of Christianity, our beliefs and hopefully bring some to Christ. I believe this will provide for there souls as well. But love is hollow without action so I will go do, then tell why.
Joe
In defense of the missionaries... The woman who led the group had gone through the proper channels in the Dominican Republic to begin an orphanage and bring the children over to temporary housing that was ready to accept the children. Laws for adoption and taking children out of Haiti have changed dramatically since the earthquake (10 days before they were arrested). The missionaries were uninformed and, lets be honest, ignorant. They assumed, under the present circumstances, that they would only have to work with the Dominican Republic's government.
I completely agree that their efforts could have be much better spent, but when I look at the entire situation, I do not agree with how the Haitian government is handling it. I hope that if they are doing this to make and example of the missionaries, they will stop at that. The time and money are much better spent elsewhere.
Joe, Erin,
I've read of the situations you both refer to. You're both right. I've watched storys concerning both desperate families and confusing policy.
I do believe that this struggle the missionaries are going through will become a point of inspiration and girding for our detained countrymen, and for the rest of us who pray and work to help folks in need, here at home and abroad.
Haiti's government has the opportunity to show grace and mercy in how they move forward with our citizens. I pray that wisdom and compassion guide their decisions. While I understand that in today's world, being an American abroad comes with its built in dangers, that fact doesn't give us the excuse to stay home where it's safe. As believers, we've be given a gift beyond ourselves. And our mandate is to give that gift of light and new life away.
I'm always encouraged and hopeful when I hear my family and friends are leading the way in this example.
Thanks for your words, friends.
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