I just finished my first posing for the day and I'm making a second already. I didn't want to combine them because the topic and mood is completely different but bear with me....I need to rant for a bit. I don't know that my true frustration will be able to come through the text but I will try.
For most of this week I've been in the warehouse "controlling" (making sure they're not broken and that they include the proper things) school bags. Before I started I laughed at the irony that maybe it was the school children and not the bags that would need to be controlled. Now that I've actually done some controlling I realize that it's the people who donate the bags that really need to be controlled. How, praytell, will a bag full of incomplete, broken, second-hand toys help a child in africa get through school? Or perhaps four pairs of jeans with holes in the knees and frayed hems? I remember hearing from my Aunt Shirley of the time she and her husband spent in misssions work in Haiti how it felt to receive used tea bags from the "caring" people in America. Is it perhaps that charitable giving is not so much a means of helping people in need as it is a way for western society to assuage the guilt we have of controlling over 80% of the world's resources. Or, perhaps, is it a way for us to unload all of our trash that is still too "good" to throw out and giving it to needy children is a way to feel good about getting rid of it. Have we no thoughts of the people receiving our "gifts" (I enjoy the irony the the german word "gift" translates to "poision" in english) and what they need and what they're reaction to what they get might be? Are we really trying to help needy people or are we simply smoothing over our own conscience? Paper and pencils aren't that expensive. Is it to much to ask that you don't send crayons half an inch long or pencils so short it's hard to hold them? Is it too much to ask that you send any school supplies at all!?
I must be honest, there are some very well put together school bags in the mix. It shows that there are some people who spent some time and money to include not only what was on the required list of contents but also many other optional things. It is bags like these that help to keep my faith in western civilization from being destroyed completely. These bags are less than 2% of the bags we receive.
Well...I feel better now, somewhat. Go on now, read my second posting, it's much more cheerful.
David
For most of this week I've been in the warehouse "controlling" (making sure they're not broken and that they include the proper things) school bags. Before I started I laughed at the irony that maybe it was the school children and not the bags that would need to be controlled. Now that I've actually done some controlling I realize that it's the people who donate the bags that really need to be controlled. How, praytell, will a bag full of incomplete, broken, second-hand toys help a child in africa get through school? Or perhaps four pairs of jeans with holes in the knees and frayed hems? I remember hearing from my Aunt Shirley of the time she and her husband spent in misssions work in Haiti how it felt to receive used tea bags from the "caring" people in America. Is it perhaps that charitable giving is not so much a means of helping people in need as it is a way for western society to assuage the guilt we have of controlling over 80% of the world's resources. Or, perhaps, is it a way for us to unload all of our trash that is still too "good" to throw out and giving it to needy children is a way to feel good about getting rid of it. Have we no thoughts of the people receiving our "gifts" (I enjoy the irony the the german word "gift" translates to "poision" in english) and what they need and what they're reaction to what they get might be? Are we really trying to help needy people or are we simply smoothing over our own conscience? Paper and pencils aren't that expensive. Is it to much to ask that you don't send crayons half an inch long or pencils so short it's hard to hold them? Is it too much to ask that you send any school supplies at all!?
I must be honest, there are some very well put together school bags in the mix. It shows that there are some people who spent some time and money to include not only what was on the required list of contents but also many other optional things. It is bags like these that help to keep my faith in western civilization from being destroyed completely. These bags are less than 2% of the bags we receive.
Well...I feel better now, somewhat. Go on now, read my second posting, it's much more cheerful.
David
posted by davidweaverking at 6:30 PM
4 Comments:
David,,
Sorry to hear that things are kind of difficult for you right now. Just rememberr that things get worse before they get better. In another 10 months you will be back in Kansas wishing that you were back in Germany. I keep you in my prayers. take care man.
John
I just went to this blog thing to check to see how you were getting on. Alhamdulilah, you are safe and sound in Europe. How's the language coming along (you might have already written about that, I just glanced through a couple of the blogs) I don't know if you reallized this, but I will be in Deutschland, hopefully if all goes to plan, from August to July of 2006. I have already started making the preparations. I will be around the München area.
Ich wünsche Sie gut.
Jenn
David, my man,it's good to see that you are keeping up with the blogs. I enjoy reading them and hope you stick to them. It sounds like "Heimweh" is loosening it's grip a bit. If I may make a suggestion: a three day weekend spent hiking with other trainees really turned the corner for me at about this same juncture.
I just learned yesterday that the Bethel College choir will be in Weierhof in February. They will be singing in the Mennonitischegemeinde. I'll try to the get the exact date for you. That might be worth checking out.
Keep on keepin' on.
Peter
David,
Do you check your gmail account at all?
John
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