So I came across the most intriguing piece of work yesterday. A transcript of a piece by Monsignor Ivan Illich to the Conference on InterAmerican Student Projects in 1968. He was taking quite a stance on short term missions and service projects to Mexico. He was invited to speak at this conference, and pretty much let them have it.
His position, in a nutshell, GO the *%&# home.
He posits that Short term workers are little more than 'vacationing salesmen for the middle-class "American way of life". As such they assume that god (or whatever) has blessed them, so they need to help those less privileged than themselves. That things that make up our way of life, capitalism, two party 'democracy', free enterprise etc. should be given to everyone, regardless of whether or not they ever will be able to obtain them. In addition he adds that when there is not common language we never really ask or understand if the people being 'reached' really want or see the need for change, and they also do not have a way to tell us to go away. In lands where the average person doesn't even get a middle school education, the people who speak english are far more educated and therefore more likely to be middle or upper class, and therefore, effective and meaningful dialog is not possible with the poor we deign need our assistance.
The speech was biting and sarcastic, and very interesting. I'm not completely on his side, but I really see a lot of truth in what he's saying.
I heard a story recently about the first western factory that was built in Mexico. Ford built it. They constructed it in an area full of very poor people, postulating that they would want to work and better their lives. However, Ford couldn't find workers for their factory. Simply because no one saw the need to make more money. Most of them lived off the land and were content. Then the marketing geniuses at Ford figured out a way to staff the factory. They sent everyone in a certain radius Sears catalogs. Within a few weeks the factory was up and running. People now knew what they needed to earn money for. God Bless Consumerism 😦
My question in all of this is. Is our present immigration 'crisis' of our own making? Not, I mean, by failing to deal on our end, but instead by years of, as Illich puts it "vacationing salesmen of the Middle class" going to the poorest of the poor and pointing out their poverty, assuming, as we often do, that there is a better way of life for these people?
Illich made the point that we, in programs such as the Peace Corp, Youth with a mission, and others, spend money teaching our 'missionaries' how to deal with the culture shock. He believes that money should be spent teaching the indigenous peoples of Latin America how to deal with the culture shock of our best intentions.
Maybe our assumption that our life is better and naturally everyone else would want to aspire to it has bred an unhealthy desire in our brothers and sisters south of our border, and now they long for what we advertised for so many years, and they are seizing it the only way they can.
How much responsibility should be laid at our door?
If you want to read the full speech by Illich click here
Ah, I have heard about this speech as well! (Probably from the same source, I'm guessing).Short term missions are for the missionary, not the missioned. It's really that simple. And as for our crisis: Mexico has been spiraling downward for some time, and the extreme poverty is getting HORRIBLE. While the people may have been content twenty years ago, now there are people who are not really surviving, and they are dependent on their sons and husbands coming up here to send them the money to just get by. The countries surrounding Mexico (including US) need to pressure them to put an end to the class warfare and to start offering help to their poorest people and stop ignoring things like the squatter villages. If someone is squatting long enough to build a two story mortar house, there's a problem.Of course, I can't imagine our current President pressuring anyone unless it's with a bomb. *snort*
Very interesting premise. I know it’s the popular right now to lay the blame for just about everything at the feet of Christendom and I understand (and to some extent applaud) the urge. But the deepest and perhaps most altruistic of all human/divine endeavors is to show compassion and mercy. To be a participant in the world in general, and the community of faith specifically and refuse to respond to cries for justice and help, to refuse to show compassion and mercy when that is what is called for… that is a special kind of hard heartedness and cold bloodedness. But to go further to say that those who do break out of apathy and endeavor to make a positive mark on the earth are actually the ones to blame for whatever ills the earth presents at any given moment – well that takes good hearted intentions and dishes up some mockery and disdain – that is foolish at best with more than a touch of poisonous pride. As if it would be so reasonable to lay the blame for the world’s ills at the feet of those who actually care enough to try to effect change. Lay the blame at the feet of those who do nothing – not those who are actively engaged. Yeah, good intentions have led many people into evangelism for more causes than are actually worthy. But the heart’s desire to do something positive for someone who needs it is a good thing. And God is in the redeeming business anyway. Yes, we need to look at ways of helping people that does not pad our pride and contribute to the humiliation and spiritual poverty of the poor. We need to work at ways of engaging in a real conversation and not just “drive by evangelism.” But just because we’ve done it wrong from time to time doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. Underneath all the misplaced ideals and good intentions is a nugget of truth – that if we see someone in need and do nothing – that is a moral outrage. Perhaps that is the only aspect of this kind of debate that remains “pure and simple.”
I'm going to address this in terms of volunteerism (service projects) and not mission as I am did not grow up nor am I part of a church. While I do have agree with him on certain levels (who are we to say our life is better?, look at the people swooping in and then leaving), I do not agree that helping others on a short-term basis is merely for the helper. Of course it is in part. Humans intrinsically chose activities that will fulfill or benefit them, even if they are altruistic activities. I do not believe that only that person who decides to devote their entire life to working with others has a right to help. I have volunteered in many different areas and I chose not to do it full time. Why is that? Well, I needed to work to earn money to live. i loved volunteering but doing it full-time as a career would have meant major burn out. I do believe that going to other countries to help people with their health needs is important and not presumptuous in the way. People need clean drinking water, they need food and they need medical care no matter their beliefs or culture. Some of us are fortunate enough to be able to take time away from our daily lives and help people obtain that. What I personally don't agree with is attaching that help to hearing about a "better" way of life, Christianity or any other religion. I realize I do not come from the same place as you or many other people who will comment here. I hope I have not been out of line. As always, thanks for the interesting discussion.
NO INDEED! Not out of line. I don't agree with everything this guy said, and have some of my own, but I thought what he said was interesting, and made me think. If it makes me think, I tend to believe it will spark something in others too. Your opinion and experience are very welcome.I even agreed with most of it.
As a church member, I tend to think of short term missions in the way that I saw them growing up- that is, taking eight or nine days to go to Mexico or Guatemala, spending four of them painting or re-roofing an orphanage and then the rest of the time at the beach. In terms of the impact it makes opposed to the fun the "servant" has, I really do think the churches would be better off just sending the money they spent on supplies and plane tickets and letting the helped help themselves. It really isn't helping anyone. That being said, I've also seen these kinds of trips, when done several times a year with a smaller group of people and focused on fostering relationships that really bring people up in the world- (yikes, run-on) be really effective. My father does short term missions, but he does them EVERY MONTH to the same three places and always with three or less people, and he helps businesses and households instead of churches. He's literally brought people out of poverty and moved squatters in to the city. That makes a difference.Of course, where volunteerism is concerned of course it helps and the world needs it. The question simply becomes who are we thinking of- honestly? Ourselves, or the needs of others?
Oh! Thank you for sharing your experiences with short-term missions. That puts things in perspective for me. I would love to hear more about these. I have a very extensive history of donating my time for causes. I can honestly say I was thinking of both myself and those I helped. The causes for which I have been active are those that matter to me. Yes, that is selfish. I can't see many people choosing to spend their time doing something they absolutely dislike or for something that doesn't matter to them. I do believe that the needs I tried to fulfill were important to others and that my efforts did not only help me. They helped individuals. I will say that my three years of volunteering as an animal adoption counselor was the hardest for me. Quitting that was all about my needs and a pretty selfish act. I wonder this: even if a person goes into a mission or volunteer opportunity for completely selfish reasons, does it really matter if they truly do good for someone/thing other than themselves?
Here is the video of Craig as Bono! Brilliant!<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SqsMidwbsfw&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SqsMidwbsfw&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
ok, that didn't work, but check out my new post! I know you'll like it!