In Reply to: communications & James Seemore posted by FRED on November 03, 2005 at 12:31:57:
You are very right to call this a hostile environment, as all along in my posts I stuck to what I think about my own local situation. What I didn't appreciate is posters coming along and trying to get me to fess up to a subject I had nothing to do with - you know, the abuse they suffered and who was guilty. I shared what I thought about Mama Maria (even if she is a bit dumb on subjects), what I thought of Dad (I won't say Mo as then you might think I am fake). I also said I would most likely stick with the Family even if Maria and Peter left. What does that say? Simple, it says that things are not as bad as some try and make it sound. Even if someone left just last month, does not mean my situation was or is like theirs. I know some of you know that there are certain fields where one could say that the local shepherds are more into controlling the situation, but then again that's what I have heard, as I have neither been there or lived there. As much as some want to make us believe, we do have a lot of leeway, for example we can choose what home we want to be in, what country, what ministry, who we want to date, who we want to vote into the home, if we want to have sex or not (as long as both parties agree and not underage), if we want to memorise Key quotes or verses. Sad to say my memory work is out the window, very rusty. I may go out fundraising, but it doesn’t mean we suffer hunger, or can't buy things we need. At the same time I have "heard" and visited other homes that are having a real difficult time. They live hand to mouth. They read the same letters, they live for the Lord, so why is this? Simple, they run their own show, their own ministry.
About "good works" - some folk’s knock what most family people do in the CTP work, saying we miss-represent ourselves, we lie for gain. Sorry, but that's a BIG FAT LIE, if I ever heard one. Granted, maybe there are some homes that don't represent themselves just right, but not everyone is a PR genius. I've worked in some pretty heavy countries in times past that went through war, and when I was there we where driving a dump of a vehicle while most other aid agencies had their guys driving around in new aircon jeeps, plus each one had their own house or apartment. They did their activates, but not 24/7. On top of all that they got a salary. Who was paying for that??? Little old ladies and so forth back in the rich west. So, stop yapping at the mouth that we are guilty of using money for our own gain. Sorry to say, but that is the real world of charity, not every single cent goes to the poor little boy on the street corner. If a person lives on a mission field, then it's pretty plain to understand that money they raise goes to support their work. That is what most of us on the front lines do, go out and tell people about Jesus, help people with things they need etc. Can't really witness to a person who has an empty stomach.