Misssionaries With God Complexes

[Owl]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Shame on you, Owl.

The truth is, that while Americans DO give huge amounts of money to charitable and mission-oriented causes, we do NOT give as much as we could. Nor do we suffer poverty the way that those in third world countries suffer poverty. When we "give till it hurts", truthfully we are not hurting, and we still have our needs (and our families' needs) met.

The TRUTH is, only those who have sacrificed everything for the sake of the kingdom will understand these sorts of posts. Missionaries definitely endure more hardship and SEE more hardship than your average American Christian. Therefore, I respect what missionaries have to say, assuming that they have more experience with these things than I do.

The TRUTH is, we give to missions and charities, but we most DEFINITELY could be giving more.

The TRUTH is, we give our dollars, because sometimes that alleviates the guilt we feel for not actually DOING anything.

The TRUTH is, if something that was posted bothers you that much, maybe it isn't the speaker's motives you should be analyzing.

The TRUTH is, there's nothing productive in you coming here and maligning a very dear woman, simply because you felt a little guilt when you read her posts. Perhaps you should take that guilt and do something with it.

The TRUTH is, if you get out and start making concerted efforts to evangelize and do outreach, you will be unpleasantly surprised at how FEW American Christians really want to get their hands dirty. (statistically speaking) They might be willing to donate money to your cause--just so they don't have to wash their hands later.

You should be absolutely ashamed of this thread, Owl.

Sister,

The TRUTH is, I have not maligned anyone. I merely exposed the saccharine sweetness that insults and guilts good people into opening up the pocketbooks.

The TRUTH is, I have given my entire adult life to ministry, with little expectation of compensation. Yet I realize that lack and hardship is shared by millions of pastors and missionaries around the world. I don't get on the internet and whine about it incessantly.

The TRUTH is, no one is obligated to give homes and food to foreigners, although that would be nice. Our responsibility is not housing the lost, it's preaching to the lost.

The TRUTH is, your post smacks of judgment and "seer"ism.

[Sister Alvear]

Originally Posted by Owl

Sister,

The TRUTH is, I have not maligned anyone. I merely exposed the saccharine sweetness that insults and guilts good people into opening up the pocketbooks.

The TRUTH is, I have given my entire adult life to ministry, with little expectation of compensation. Yet I realize that lack and hardship is shared by millions of pastors and missionaries around the world. I don't get on the internet and whine about it incessantly.

The TRUTH is, no one is obligated to give homes and food to foreigners, although that would be nice. Our responsibility is not housing the lost, it's preaching to the lost.

The TRUTH is, your post smacks of judgment and "seer"ism.

I don't think I have ever whinned...give me your name and I will gladly take you off....I often tell of great victories, baptisims, people receiving the Holy Ghost and post hundreds of real life pictures to back up what I post. Yes, it is true we face many difficulties...went 2 years without a car, I do not have retirement or insurance...Raised 11 children plus others that ate at our table...No I am not complainning one bit but my FRIENDS always tell me, sister Alvear, let us know your needs...if you are not my friend please block me...I will consider you my friend anyway...

[whoami]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

. When we "give till it hurts", truthfully we are not hurting, and we still have our needs (and our families' needs) met.

This is the case for most, not all though. Just saying. I don't know Owl or Sis. Alvear, but I do remember a time several years ago when I was working 3 jobs and missing meals and my electricity and gas were turned off in the middle of winter, etc. I walked to the church in my neighborhood one night during this time to attend service and a missionary was there that night and railed at the congregation for not giving more, us rich lazy Americans. I am thankful that I live in a country where I was able to work myself up out of that situation. I realize that many people in third world countries don't have that opportunity. My point is though, the 'truths' you pointed out Mrs. B don't always apply to everyone, and when you're in a bad situation and struggling hard against cold and hunger, the broad brush used by people (usually people with good intentions) hurts.

From everything that I've seen of Sis. Alvear on here she appears to be a very kind lady who's doing a great work. I don't know Owl and don't know what their driving factor was for posting this thread, I just wanted to present another perspective.

[Owl]

Originally Posted by whoami

This is the case for most, not all though. Just saying. I don't know Owl or Sis. Alvear, but I do remember a time several years ago when I was working 3 jobs and missing meals and my electricity and gas were turned off in the middle of winter, etc. I walked to the church in my neighborhood one night during this time to attend service and a missionary was there that night and railed at the congregation for not giving more, us rich lazy Americans. I am thankful that I live in a country where I was able to work myself up out of that situation. I realize that many people in third world countries don't have that opportunity. My point is though, the 'truths' you pointed out Mrs. B don't always apply to everyone, and when you're in a bad situation and struggling hard against cold and hunger, the broad brush used by people (usually people with good intentions) hurts.

From everything that I've seen of Sis. Alvear on here she appears to be a very kind lady who's doing a great work. I don't know Owl and don't know what their driving factor was for posting this thread, I just wanted to present another perspective.

Thank you.

The insults are tough to swallow when you've already given everything you can give. I think it's wrong to assume that all Americans are greedy and stingy. Some of us have given everything we have.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by whoami

This is the case for most, not all though. Just saying. I don't know Owl or Sis. Alvear, but I do remember a time several years ago when I was working 3 jobs and missing meals and my electricity and gas were turned off in the middle of winter, etc. I walked to the church in my neighborhood one night during this time to attend service and a missionary was there that night and railed at the congregation for not giving more, us rich lazy Americans. I am thankful that I live in a country where I was able to work myself up out of that situation. I realize that many people in third world countries don't have that opportunity. My point is though, the 'truths' you pointed out Mrs. B don't always apply to everyone, and when you're in a bad situation and struggling hard against cold and hunger, the broad brush used by people (usually people with good intentions) hurts.

From everything that I've seen of Sis. Alvear on here she appears to be a very kind lady who's doing a great work. I don't know Owl and don't know what their driving factor was for posting this thread, I just wanted to present another perspective.

whoami, I appreciate your post, and our family has also been faithful in giving when our finances weren't plentiful. I understand hardship. It's just that hardship as defined in America isn't quite the same as hardship in India or Brazil.

It's impossible for me not to minimize with this next statement, so no apologies: There are people all over the world who are cold, starving, and have no transportation. So while I understand that when you are struggling, statements like that can be upsetting, it still is not the NORM for most Americans. In other countries, what you describe is the norm--not the exception.

Statistically speaking, most Americans have never experienced poverty as it is experienced in third world countries, even in what we would consider the most difficult of circumstances.

From a missionary perspective, then, the small amounts that may be doled out may be hard to take, considering the lifestyle differences. It must be appreciated nonetheless, but I can definitely understand the frustration.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Shame on you, Owl.

The truth is, that while Americans DO give huge amounts of money to charitable and mission-oriented causes, we do NOT give as much as we could. Nor do we suffer poverty the way that those in third world countries suffer poverty. When we "give till it hurts", truthfully we are not hurting, and we still have our needs (and our families' needs) met.

The TRUTH is, only those who have sacrificed everything for the sake of the kingdom will understand these sorts of posts. Missionaries definitely endure more hardship and SEE more hardship than your average American Christian. Therefore, I respect what missionaries have to say, assuming that they have more experience with these things than I do.

The TRUTH is, we give to missions and charities, but we most DEFINITELY could be giving more.

The TRUTH is, we give our dollars, because sometimes that alleviates the guilt we feel for not actually DOING anything.

The TRUTH is, if something that was posted bothers you that much, maybe it isn't the speaker's motives you should be analyzing.

The TRUTH is, there's nothing productive in you coming here and maligning a very dear woman, simply because you felt a little guilt when you read her posts. Perhaps you should take that guilt and do something with it.

The TRUTH is, if you get out and start making concerted efforts to evangelize and do outreach, you will be unpleasantly surprised at how FEW American Christians really want to get their hands dirty. (statistically speaking) They might be willing to donate money to your cause--just so they don't have to wash their hands later.

You should be absolutely ashamed of this thread, Owl.

Couldn't agree more.

[Owl]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Couldn't agree more.

Bless me father, for I have sinned...

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Very sad.

To many of these countries, just living in the US seems to them we are rich. Is there needs in the US, of course, but as a whole, Americans are blessed.

A friend I work with just returned from Peru - a very poor nation. It was a vacation not a missions trip. They visited a school while they were there and gave $7 US to provide the children a "treat" that day. Each child was giving a small piece of cheese and crackers and he said they were so excited.

He stood and just cried to witness that.

Are there needs in the US - - yes, of course and we do need to take care of our own too. But, I wasn't offended at all by what was said - - these countries live in huts with dirt floors - they don't have government programs helping them provide school lunches, provide groceries, etc.

I think some were a little hyper sensitive to the heart of what was being spoken.

You can say that again, Sista. Oh. You just did.

[berkeley]

great post Renda

[missourimary]

I went to Brazil for a few weeks in 1997. I didn't meet the Alvears, but I was very impressed with the work in Manaus that I witnessed. Did everything make sense to me? Absolutely not-but then again, I hadn't lived there for 30 years like the missionaries I visited had. I couldn't even speak the language. Nothing seemed unsensible to me, either, though.

Missions has been rather glorified in some American churches. We see the missionaries fly in, nice suit, nice dress, going out to eat at nice restaurants... we see pictures of their homes and hear about the church that donated a brand new vehicle to them. I'm not sure any of us-even me, even after having lived with missionaries for a few weeks-really has any concept what the daily life of a missionary is like. That's not a sob story either. Here's some of what I saw during my trip though:
The missionaries had several people who worked for them in their home. (but I overheard later that they had been hired to take care of us for the time we were there, since we couldn't operate the wringer washer and didn't have time to cook...) I saw those workers debone the chicken that they put in our soup... and ask permission to take the bones home to put in soup for their own families.
I watched people brush their teeth in water straight out of the Amazon, and knew that the facilities in the missionaries' home had been installed specially so the water to the house-pumped into most homes without proper purification-wouldn't make the Americans who visited sick.
They had air conditioning for the comfort of the Americans who visited too. Actually, the missionary slept out in the front room in a hammock while we were there because he couldn't stand the air conditioning-he was too used to not having it.
The vehicles the missionaries drove us in weren't the nice Land Rovers and such that I'd seen in missionary pictures. They were rattly, dented vehicles they could drive through the bumpy streets. If they had nice vehicles from mothers memorial or whatever, they were in service at some of the other works-the missionaries weren't driving them, certainly.

I went back to America with a different concept of what it might mean to support missions, what missionaries face in their countries, and the value of an American dollar. Not everyone in America has it easy. But not every missionary does either.

If missions work were easy and lucrative, there would be a lot more missionaries.



*I don't know Sis Alvear, I am not on her FB, and I'm not trying to guilt trip or guild anything. I just think the original post is very sad, and at least somewhat misinformed.