THIS IS THE RESPONSE I WROTE ON MARTYS PAGE IN REFERENCE TO PIPPAS ARTICLE. We talked about Pippa a bit on the show, and she was quoted by the host as part of his preparation. It is a good article and she raises some excellent points. However, in almost 40 work camp experiences, with over a dozen of those being to foreign countries, I cannot relate to her conclusions. Here are some reasons: I have given over money to reputable agencies with the highest recommendations a number of times for projects that we were hoping to fund, only to find them not completed, or not completed well. I have also tended to return to the same places to build on former relationships. We are a known entity with the locales in which we volunteer. Little white girls and boys need exposure and deserve the chance to meet other people groups and work WITH them. And the WITH is essential. Last summer we invited residents to come on the roof and help out if they wanted to. Its great to help the little white boys and girls as the put the roof on your house that you waited 2 years for after Hurricane Sandy damaged it. The local contractors would not take on the roof. There was no money for a roof. We tore off and replaced three.Three families were able to FINALLY put the buckets away - the buckets catching leaks for 2 years. I could go on and on. We have been doing these work camps for over 30 years -way before there was a term voluntourism. So, I see Pippas story as her own story. With only a slight turn she could have researched better, taken longer to plan, raised a ton of money, gone to the places where she was needed and carried those heavy bags while she watches and helped the professionals she hired do the work she could not do. Not being a doctor, teacher, carpenter does not me she could not help hire one and work with the professional on the project. I could go on and on. Literally, for pages. My point is that we all have to do what we thing we have to do. But throwing money at problems is what Americans do all too well. So I do what I do and trust others to follow God in their own way. People have criticized me for year for these trips. But having built a school, three computer labs, two libraries, an art room (for the teachers who were the professionals and needed these things), reroofed probably 40 homes (for people who couldnt afford the locals), painted tons of houses for elderly and needy, and so many more things, Ill stack our works against their objections. Plus, to see the look on a young woman or mans face after completing a roof, stripping it, repairing it and nailing down shingles, is all I need to know that were God has led me is where I need to be. Id love for Pippa to come on one of our trips! 22 minutes ago · Like · 1 Mark Simone Plus, we hired a local in Canada from the Saugeen Reserve when we needed to apply a roofing component we were unfamiliar with. Best money we spent on the trip. He taught the kids how to do it and its done! 21 minutes ago · Like · 1
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 18:35:41 +0000
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