Help me understand please! Third world countries...

[Dar]

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I've often thought the same thing. There's nothing wrong with wanting your money to go to Americans. I like to donate to my local foodbank/ clothing center. Everything I donate goes right back to my community. It makes me feel good knowing that is some small way I am helping the people I see everyday. On a larger local scale, we donate to a few homeless shelters and soup kitchens in the city, as well as to an afterschool program for disadvantaged youth.

On the other hand I also like donating to agencies that do global aid. Kiva is a great program! I can donate 350 dollars to someone and it makes a LIFETIME difference. 350 dollars doesn't go that far here. I remember hearing something a while back that someone was doing something similar in New York.

I think people should give where their hearts tell them to give. The point is to give.

Agreed..

I agree and I dont..here's why..

There was a neighbor of mine she worked for CPS, her DH was a mechanic, upper middle income level

each year she would brag that the CPS workers "get first crack" at the donated gifts that were meant for the children in their care. Remember when tickle me elmo was the rage?..well she scooped one from the toy drive box, and a nintendo colour when they first came out.

she also had 2 drivers licenses, one with her current address on it and the other with her former address on it, 2X a month she used to "hit up" the food banks, and the food vouchers that she was supposed to be giving to the families in need on her caseload she would take them so out of her own pocket she may have spent $50 a month to feed a family of 4 because the rest was from misused donations.

this taught me a very valueable lesson... corruption is everywhere!

so what I do now is I will sponsor a family from the community, the name usually comes from a shelter, or a hospital, NEVER any agency's because they are to corrupt

 

[redhen]

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I agree!
I can see if you fall on hard times..you get laid off..or lose a job due to the economy... and you need a helping hand until you get back to normal..
but to keep having children when you are on state/govt. support.. its just not right..
And thats part of our countries problem..we keep enabling this behavior..

 

[redhen]

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Agreed..

I agree and I dont..here's why..

There was a neighbor of mine she worked for CPS, her DH was a mechanic, upper middle income level

each year she would brag that the CPS workers "get first crack" at the donated gifts that were meant for the children in their care. Remember when tickle me elmo was the rage?..well she scooped one from the toy drive box, and a nintendo colour when they first came out.

she also had 2 drivers licenses, one with her current address on it and the other with her former address on it, 2X a month she used to "hit up" the food banks, and the food vouchers that she was supposed to be giving to the families in need on her caseload she would take them so out of her own pocket she may have spent $50 a month to feed a family of 4 because the rest was from misused donations.

this taught me a very valueable lesson... corruption is everywhere!

so what I do now is I will sponsor a family from the community, the name usually comes from a shelter, or a hospital, NEVER any agency's because they are to corrupt

Thats SO bad! UGH! THey should be in jail... talk about scary, creepy people!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Is this the World Mission your local thrift store is connected with, http://www.WorldMission.cc/ ? I'm not very familiar with them, but just glancing at their website I found mention of efforts to meet practical, physical needs in addition to providing Bibles. Here's a quote: "One specific goal of World Mission has been to take people out of their comfort zone and expose them to the ‘reality’ of cross-cultural missions. Each team has a work project that ties directly into the vision of the local church. We also attempt to touch a physical need in the community as each area has specific health related issues. Some are basic like providing readily available medical supplies while other scenarios are more intense such as the need to counsel victims of sexual assault. Finally and most importantly, every “Jesus Is Life” team delivers the Word of God through The Treasure. Our teams have distributed literally thousands of audio Bibles to illiterate people around the world. "

Certainly there is a long & shameful history of people using religion as an excuse to abuse, bully & terrorize others. And it's your privilege to patronize, or not, thrift stores run to benefit causes you don't support. But one could argue that Bibles can indeed be a practical help. In many countries donated food, medicines & other goods never reach the needy people for whom it's intended because other greedy unscrupulous people steal it or sell it. If those people could read the teachings of the Bible & apply those lessons of selflessness, generosity, honesty & consideration it would be a tremendous practical help to their country.

 

[EweSheep]

Where is the town chiefs and the country's government doing with their citizens? The more we give to the 3rd World, the longer it takes for them to be independent from us or any other countries that has been feeding them.

As cruel I may say this, everytime a commercial shows an African kid who is starving, the host (Sally Struthers) is begging you to support the kids, I simply said NO! I will NOT support those kind of sponsorships until we take care of our people first.

One thing I have not yet figured out, when you first sponsor the aid of a child in 3rd World, they will submit a letter and picture of the child you are "adopting". Is that picture of a REAL kid that is needing your help or something that they shoot photos at wandering kids out on the street????? How valid are they? What if you want to meet them personally, would they let you, give you the address or would they just say no, no or wait until futher notice from his mother/father? Where are their parents anyway?

Good forum here!

 

[Dar]

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I just want to say that my sister and I are polar opposites...lol but here's her experience with that situation

She "adopted" a child a few years ago..... she receives regular monthly updates on this girl, letters from her, she just got one saying that her foster daughter has now completed high school. One of her co-workers told her about this agency who she sponsored from and this co-worker has been doing this for years. Apparently the co-worker had a foster child actually come to Canada for a short visit while the church was traveling to promote the foster child program.

My question is this...
If I sponsored "Sally" how many others have sponsored the same child?..maybe hundreds? (I am just a skeptic)

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
I just want to say that my sister and I are polar opposites...lol but here's her experience with that situation

She "adopted" a child a few years ago..... she receives regular monthly updates on this girl, letters from her, she just got one saying that her foster daughter has now completed high school. One of her co-workers told her about this agency who she sponsored from and this co-worker has been doing this for years. Apparently the co-worker had a foster child actually come to Canada for a short visit while the church was traveling to promote the foster child program.

My question is this...
If I sponsored "Sally" how many others have sponsored the same child?..maybe hundreds? (I am just a skeptic)

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

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I think this is the bottom line. It's not an issue of who is the neediest or most deserving. It's not comparing apples to oranges, it's trying to compare every fruit in the produce section. There are people in need and worthy causes all over the world. You can place them in order to suit your particular perspective but other people may favor different priorities.

No one can do everything but everyone can do SOMEthing for someone somewhere. So follow your heart and give where it means the most to YOU. And like Redhen says, corruption IS everywhere, so use your head too. There are sources you can access to find information on the financial integrity of a charity, what percentage of their budget goes to the cause & what goes to administration. Take time to research their mission statement and learn what exactly they do & how they do it.

Better yet, take some TIME and volunteer to help in person! Even if you're swamped with chores, children, chickens & work, try to squeeze out a few hours here & there to help the charity of your choice however you can.

And if ever you have the opportunity to go off on a short-term missions trip, whether in the US or abroad, take it! There's something so broadening, so enlightening, so memorable about leaving your home comfort-zone to go help supply the needs of others.

 

[Nupine]

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WOW My family is in the top 0.85% of richest people in the world! Crazy.