I understand that they’re all in good spirit and have good intentions, but I don’t understand why people have to go to third world countries to help out when there is poverty and trouble in our own community? A part of me thinks it’s all for show which kind of defeats the point. Also many, many, many of my friends on facebook who go on these mission trips to third world countries post all these pictures of them with the poor children… I feel like they do this in a way to brag? To show in some way that they’re closer to god? I just find it funny because in the bible says:
Matthew 6:2-4
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
I don’t know.. I just feel like it’s all hypocritical. Mabey I’m missing something? I don’t want to sound like I’m bashing peoples beliefs in anyway, I’m christian also, I just really want peoples feed back.
I did seven months in Cameroon when I was at Olivet Nazarene University as part of my Christian studies. It was really rough…seven months in a tent with no running water, electricity, etc. It was heartbreaking at times, but you also get a sense of accomplishment from helping.
Do I think there are many people here in the states who need our help desperately? Yes, I do.And I’m sure I could have done just as much good in rural Appalachia here, if I’d have been given the opportunity to go there with a group.
But Cameroon was one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. You see how people in other countries live (and, unfortunately, die). 80% of the world lives on less than $2 american a day.
I will be honest and say I’m no longer a Christian (for reasons totally unrelated to this question) but I have never forgotten what I saw in Cameroon or the children there…especially the two and three years olds dying of HIV in their mother’s arms.
As for bragging…I’ve nothing to brag about. I did nothing that another person couldn’t do…and I did much less than I should have done.
Now, I do not agree with church policies in sub saharran Africa. As I’m sure you know, the Catholic charities have taken over in that region and it has been a death sentence. They are of course discouraging the use of condoms, and that’s in a region where four million are dying per year of HIV and where 87% of the women contract the virus from their own husbands, but yet they are not allowed to use condoms to protect themselves from their husband’s virus.
I still want to help the poor, but now I give to secular organizations like UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, SHARE and OXfam. They feed the hungry and supply aid and medicine WITHOUT trying to convert the starving to a doctrine in exchange for a bowl of rice.
#1 by MegaMan on January 20, 2011 - 3:46 pm
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When I went on a mission trip to mexico when I was younger, it was pretty much about giving the girls back rub’s by a night campfire lol everyone did it.
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#2 by cebuana girl on January 20, 2011 - 3:54 pm
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they just want to let third world countries feel that they are with them,,,like that,,anyway whatever their reason is ,,it is good
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#3 by Hell-py New Year on January 20, 2011 - 4:05 pm
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The point is to convert to christianity in exchange to food and medicine.
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#4 by John on January 20, 2011 - 4:51 pm
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Could not agree more. It should be about helping someone, but not trying to help one’s reputation. That reading is awesome, and I think it should be in the morals in everyone, not just Christians; I don’t even tend to think of myself as a very good Christian anymore, but there are some great messages in the Bible regardless. Wonderful question.
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#5 by U Shoulda bought a Fern instead on January 20, 2011 - 5:13 pm
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If they are doing it to ‘gain the eyes of men’ then it is well established that they are not doing it for the greater glory of God.
However, only God knows their true motives and the intentions in their hearts. Just try and remember that. They may seem to be doing it so that others will think they are really charitable and good, but deep down they could very well be doing it for the ‘right’ reasons.
And, besides, who should care ‘why’ a person is doing a good deed other than God? Shouldn’t the care be that the good deed is getting done? Try and think of it that way. Regardless of why they did it someone was helped that wouldn’t have otherwise been helped and a good thing was accomplished. Take pleasure in knowing that even if it was for a selfish reason a selfless thing occured. It’s a much more peaceful approach, and from what I know peace is big to God.
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Transcendental Christian Mystic
#6 by B F on January 20, 2011 - 5:28 pm
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Basic Christianity 101 and you don’t know this???
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into ALL THE WORLD, and preach the gospel to every one.
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#7 by Rebecca Laurie on January 20, 2011 - 6:18 pm
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I did seven months in Cameroon when I was at Olivet Nazarene University as part of my Christian studies. It was really rough…seven months in a tent with no running water, electricity, etc. It was heartbreaking at times, but you also get a sense of accomplishment from helping.
Do I think there are many people here in the states who need our help desperately? Yes, I do.And I’m sure I could have done just as much good in rural Appalachia here, if I’d have been given the opportunity to go there with a group.
But Cameroon was one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. You see how people in other countries live (and, unfortunately, die). 80% of the world lives on less than $2 american a day.
I will be honest and say I’m no longer a Christian (for reasons totally unrelated to this question) but I have never forgotten what I saw in Cameroon or the children there…especially the two and three years olds dying of HIV in their mother’s arms.
As for bragging…I’ve nothing to brag about. I did nothing that another person couldn’t do…and I did much less than I should have done.
Now, I do not agree with church policies in sub saharran Africa. As I’m sure you know, the Catholic charities have taken over in that region and it has been a death sentence. They are of course discouraging the use of condoms, and that’s in a region where four million are dying per year of HIV and where 87% of the women contract the virus from their own husbands, but yet they are not allowed to use condoms to protect themselves from their husband’s virus.
I still want to help the poor, but now I give to secular organizations like UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, SHARE and OXfam. They feed the hungry and supply aid and medicine WITHOUT trying to convert the starving to a doctrine in exchange for a bowl of rice.
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#8 by Furyk on January 20, 2011 - 7:04 pm
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The point of mission trips is to spread the Gospel and show people the love of God. Mainline Protestants and Evangelical Protestants do this in different ways. Mainliners do good things and help people out to show an example of the love we are supposed to give. They want people to see their works and associate that goodness with the church. Evangelicals try to directly teach people about the Bible in missions. I’m guessing that you go to a mainline protestant church, maybe Methodist. Well I think that missions is incomplete without both of these approaches. Doing good deeds is helpful, but in the end you have to spread the Word.
To answe your question, there are mission trips to poor areas stateside. Plenty of them. But matthew 28:19 tells us why we have to go abroad for missions. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
The Word is accesible in the US but we were told to go to all nations to teach scripture.
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#9 by Skipping Stones on January 20, 2011 - 7:21 pm
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Good point, and good quote. There is even more wrong with it than that. But I shall refrain. I don’t put down missionaries, but there needs to be more thought put into what exactly they are doing.
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#10 by Liz on January 20, 2011 - 7:52 pm
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I agree with you. I knew someone who would go to Haiti and help orphans. For this person I think they could see the poverty was so real and the help was so needed and you could see the results of the help so clearly. Sort of like instant gratification if you get what I mean. In our country there are poor but even then we have some social aid and you don’t see people so unable to cloth themselves they walk around naked or shoeless as they do in other countries. We have hungry but rarely to the point of starvation or bloated bellies. When you help someone in Canada or USA its usually by giving money or food to an organization and you never actually see the person receiving the aid. In that way maybe people don’t get as many feel good from helping feelings
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#11 by Omg -- on January 20, 2011 - 8:00 pm
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If the volunteers work around the US, then there is no missionary work. Since the ones suffering here are already Christians. There is no way the volunteers can impress them with goodies as they are sold in the WalMart around the corner.
Here the need is not basic water and medicine (well, to some extent). In the poor countries out there, the whole place needs help.
And there is this real mission of converting those who are of different religion into Christianity. Especially if the local religion is shown as the bad one, it is easier to add to the count of Christians. This pleases the top people in the Church. They channel more money to such missions. Not all missions do the conversions but many have this as underlying agenda.
But then if the Face Book friends really want to help, they could have gone through Red Cross, UNICHEF or other non-religious organization, can’t they? (perhaps the Churches organize better site seeing…)
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#12 by Bianca on January 20, 2011 - 8:46 pm
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When you go to a place where the average person their is living in poverty yet they are content and happy. It stirs your heart, blesses you in ways that you can’t understand unless you have been there. I am a firm believer in helping at home first then going abroad. Its just going abroad make you realize how lucky you are to live in American and to be content with what you have. It should stir you because the average 10 year old here has more things that the average 30 year old in Mexico. Yet that 10 year old is not content.
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#13 by Christian on January 20, 2011 - 9:03 pm
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Well, alot of people do want to brag, and thats a huge purpose. But every now and then there is the people who really want to do good.
As for the poor in our own country, yes its bad, but at least in this country they have a chance, we have poor and needy both here, and in 3rd world countries but the needy in 3rd world countries are much more needy then those here.
And if we do nothing to help the world until all our people are perfectly well off then we will never help the world.
Im am not christian but i agree with the verse, if you give for show, then you arnt giving out of your heart, your paying for publicity. Then again they may just want to show who they are helping and show people of their trips
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#14 by Annie on January 20, 2011 - 9:20 pm
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Well, as in any organization there are those who have the *look at me* syndrome, but the majority of people who go on missions do so for the right reasons…. Have you ever thought that those who post pictures WANT you to see more than what you are ? Like maybe draw your attention to those who are in need ? and maybe to show you that it is not so bad to GO AND HELP people in other countries ?? How would people become aware if no one showed or told ??? I have a wonderful brother n law that goes to other countries , when needed , with the Southern Baptist Men Asc., he takes off work, paid for his own special training that is required, etc… and I can tell you first hand that this man NEVER makes a big deal out of it, seldom speaks of it, and is a CHANGED MAN because of it…. Long story !!! He has held crying babies in the night, feed hungry babies, and or just baby sat so mom could do what she needed to do… He has fallen through a thatched roof in a VERY rough country, hurt his back, but yet he still stayed and worked…. so please, do NOT base your thoughts on just a few peoples outward doings….. there is MORE than meets the eyes….. go in peace… God bless
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#15 by Fluer De Lis on January 20, 2011 - 10:07 pm
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you are right many people go on mission trips for the wrong reasons but helping other people who need help no matter the cost to yourself and without benefit to yourself will never be looked down upon by God. As long as the people who go on these mission trips are not doing it for the wrong reasons God will look down upon them favorably. This is message is repeated several times throughout the bible for example Acts 13:47 "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth." or Matthew 10:18 "On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles."
If you want to know more verses, visit http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/biblical.htm
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#16 by Ann on January 20, 2011 - 10:56 pm
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Eight men from our church (LCMS Lutheran) went to Communist China last year and visited villages where they dug water wells for the residents. This helped the people get water at central points in their villages so they wouldn’t have to carry it from a river in pots. The Communist government was aware they were on a mission trip and didn’t try to stop them. They didn’t hand out Bibles or anything because that was forbidden, but their example of using hard work to help complete strangers struck a chord with the officials. Every day they worked, the town officials (Communist party representatives) came out and watched them work. Before the week was over (it took a week for each well to be dug and there were three wells in three villages), the officials would start talking to them through interpreters. The officials wanted to know why they would come all the way from America to help people they didn’t know. Evidently this was a great puzzle to the officials.The men explained that they were doing it because this was a way of expressing the love of God for fellow humans. The officials never were abusive nor did they attempt to stop anything that was done. They seemed impressed that a God would want people who worshiped him to go halfway around the world just to do dirty work for no pay. Of course, the villagers were very thankful for the effort that went into this project. Another group is going this fall, and will be helping to refurbish school buildings and they will be teaching villagers how to dig wells for themselves. This is an example of unconditional love for one’s fellow man. They certainly didn’t do it to brag or to put on a show of any kind.
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#17 by lightperson on January 20, 2011 - 11:32 pm
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I am always fascinated by the critics. If a person doesn’t go out of their way to help others, they are considered selfish and uncaring. If they do go to lengths to help other people they are accused of doing it for self serving reasons. It is usually the hypocrites who are doing all the complaining.
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