What I'd like to say to PIPPA

 

An interesting blog post on "missions" is being shared all over facebook.  It's one girl's reflection and opinions on her previous "mission" trips that she cleverly coins as "voluntourism."    While I greatly appreciate her honesty and openness - and her right to post whatever she wants on her blog- there are many things about the viral sharing of her blog post that make me cringe.  This is the best way I know how to communicate a response to her blog.

Dear Pippa, 

     If you're reading this, please know that it is written with love and appreciation.  Please don't dismiss it, but read all the way through.  

     Thank you for taking time to process your experiences in “voluntourism.”  You offer an authentic perspective.  You are wise to recognize that you ARE NOT the HOPE of the WORLD – the “WHITE” SAVIOR.  However, I do hope you will keep an open mind on the subject and continue learning as you go.  

     I am able to relate to a lot of what you have to say.  I too, happen to be a white girl who studied 5 years of Spanish in high school.  I now find myself living and working in a Spanish-speaking country with little ability to communicate verbally.  Which is ironic because my purpose here is to write faith-based curriculum for children in their native language.  (I am working hard with a private teacher to get a deeper grasp on the language.)

    While my lack of ability to speak the language is a big hit to my pride, I haven't let it send me home or stop the work I've been sent to do.  Actually, it has allowed me to step back and process the culture around me.  To understand what it feels like to not automatically excel because of my background, upbringing, and skin-color.  It has caused me to realize that I HAVE to rely not on my own abilities, but on the kindness of those I been sent to BE in ministry WITH and to rely on the ONE who sent me.  God.

    I moved to El Salvador with a lot of experience in short-term mission trips.  You could label them as voluntourism, but that's not what they were for me.  I was about 10 years old on my first trip.  I returned to my home in North Carolina with a heart full from the love of people in another "world" who loved me in spite of our differences.  While, at the same time, my heart was broken by eyes freshly opened to the fact there were people in this world who lived with so little when I had so much.  I began to feel guilt for the advantages I had.  Yet, I realized that the people I visited had things I didn't have.  Joy that comes not from owning a lot of stuff, but from being truly thankful for each blessing you do have.  Faith in God that is real because it's tested every day through struggles that I will probably never face.  And a love of family that is treasured as a valuable possession. 

 Pippa, I read your follow-up blog about how you broke the Internet.  I want you to know that I am truly thankful for you transparency.  You're right, this is a hot topic that needs to be discussed and dealt with.  And I am thankful that at 21, you're willing to initiate this discussion. I think you have a wisdom that you don't yet realize.  Please continue struggling through this topic and being authentic as you learn.

     You mention that you don’t want a girl across the world waking up thinking of you, thanking you for her education and so on…but I wonder, do you ever wake up thinking of her?  Did she have an impact on who you are today?  Have you considered that possibility?    

Is her memory inscribed on your heart?

     I believe that it is important to go to places where you are the minority – to go to places where you realize that you aren’t as special/important/accomplished/helpful/skillful/successful/needed than you thought you were.  I believe that stepping out of your normal, comfortable circumstances in order to touch the life of another person actually has equal, if not greater potential to change YOU as well as the other person.

    To the topic of racism:  We are ALL God’s children.  Some separated by geography, others by economics, others by education, and others by plain ignorance.  YET, we are CALLED to be together – to share in this mystery of life.  To live beyond the boundaries built by color, gender, preferences, up-bringing, and so on. 

Yeah, it may require an expensive plane ticket – but your PRESENCE is PRICELESS.

     I don’t know what your religious beliefs are.  I’m a follower of Christ.  I hope it's obvious!  I don't want you to feel like I'm pushing my faith on you, but it's an active part of who I am and why I do what I do.  I believe that God has the power to heal this world in one breath, yet he chose a different way – he chose to use us!  And chose to let us choose whether or not we’d participate.  He chose to come to us in the flesh (not just a check in the mail) – at a price way more costly than a plane ticket - first through Christ – and today through Christ followers indwelled by the holy spirit.  

     I believe you were sent to Tanzania and Dominican Republic not to build a library or offer medical care to very sick children. Like you said, there are other means for that.  If that's all you were there for, a financial donation is way more effective.  But, in the developing world, we give too much power and credit to money.  

 I believe you were sent to those places to BE.   

     To BE one with the people, to share in human love and kindness, to BE CHRIST in the flesh.  And, more importantly, I believe you were sent there for the people of those countries to BE the same for you.  

     I saw it clearly in your photos.  While the rocks of the wall weren’t perfect, the bond built while sorting rocks from beans in Tanzania was transforming.  And while your Spanish and medical knowledge were lacking in the Dominican Republic, the love and smiles you shared while making friendship bracelets offered eternal hope and healing that goes far beyond medical and language abilities.

How was your soul been HEALED through those relationships?

     It’s absolutely AWESOME that you are now using your finances and talents to impact the lives of people across the world – and not hogging the spotlight by doing it in person.  You’re right, we can use our resources (no matter how big or small) to impact the lives of others that we may never actually meet in person.  An example more people in the "developed world" should follow.

BUT it isn't only the person traveling by plane or from privilege or with an accomplished skill-set who has something to offer - the people visited have just as much, if not more to offer those doing the traveling.

      Donations of money are useful and necessary, but your PRESENCE is a powerful gift of encouragement, hope, and LOVE that money just can’t buy. 

 

     The plane ticket you buy isn’t for the end result of being able to say you traveled to a far-away place and took care of some “needy kids” as some say.  (And it shouldn’t take away from the money you have already planned to invest in projects.)  Purchasing a plane ticket is a sacrifice you make because the people in that far-away place are YOUR FAMILY.  They are an important part of your life and you are an important part of their lives (whether you like it or not!)  And if you have the means to visit them - the same as you would your blood family – then by all means, do it!  Not because you offer the right skill set to meet their needs – but because all any of us need is connection to one another.

     I'm not saying that everyone needs to travel a plane trip away to create this connection.  But you do have to step out of your ordinary routine, comfortable surroundings, and learned skill-set to experience this connection.

Sickness. Poverty. Hunger.  

      These things unfortunately have been and will be with us for a long time.                             Possession of a perfect skill set will not end them.   

Yet, 

The hand of someone who cares will ease pain. 

The unexpected visit of someone who speaks a different language will                 stimulate the mind and imagination of a child.   

The smiles, hugs, and even tears of a person who can’t pay you a visit in return will change your heart forever.   

     Pippa, I hope you one day see yourself as more than an over-privileged white girl.  I hope one day you see yourself through the eyes of those around you who see beyond skin and status – but just see you expressed in love, friendship, and presence.  

     The transparency with which you write, is the best gift you have to offer the developing world.  To share in the struggles and triumphs of being human.  To not let the boundaries stop two people from sharing an authentic appreciation for one another.  To just have fun and laugh with one another in spite of not speaking the same language or having all the answers/solutions to the problems at hand.

     Pippa, may God continue to bless the impact you have on this world.  Use this forum you now have to make a difference, not just to enjoy the temporary spotlight.  And may you continue to allow the people of this world have a profound impact on you!

With lots of love,

Ellyn Dubberly

And... to those considering their next "mission trip"...don't ponder your skill set, as Pippa advised. 

 As a matter of fact, leave it at home.

Our perceived skill set is often the cause of failure of reaching the heart of missions.  It's not about what you have to offer. 

Simply ask the One, True, Living God to fill you with His PRESENCE today and use you and the very few, imperfect skills you do have to offer along with God's unending and perfect tool box of never-ending skills to bring healing, hope, and encouragement to someone this day!   

With or without the purchase of a plane ticket.  

Step back and see how CHRIST works through you!  And don't forget to look for Him working in your life through the lives of others. 

     And if you do end up traveling on a short-term mission trip, make sure you are working with a responsible host who is invested in the place you are working.  Who has taken time to know the people, culture, struggles as well as needs.  Who will be there to follow-up on the work being done.  Who understands that to give requires the ability to receive.  That sometimes we do fail, but we need to keep trying, learning together from mistakes, so that one day we will no longer be separated by the barriers of skin-color, economics, education, and up-bringing.

 

New Life in Brokenness

I get to enjoy this beautiful flower on my desk today because of a mistake!  It broke off while I leaned over a plant that I was watering in my garden.  Just when I began to feel disappointed that I had shortened the beauty of this particular bloom, I saw that right behind it another bloom was quickly forming.  It reminded me how God works in my life.  Just as I begin to mourn the loss of something I have come to enjoy, he gives me a wonderful vision of what is to come.  He is constantly working new things into our lives and the world around us.

“I am about to do something new. It is beginning to happen even now. Don't you see it coming? I am going to make a way for you to go through the desert. I will make streams of water in the dry and empty land.”  Isaiah 43:19, NIRV

God showed this verse to me a few years ago, during a time of changing seasons.  My time living and working in North Carolina was coming to a close and a new opportunity to serve in ministry in El Salvador was emerging.  Many things were uncertain, but God remained my steady rock.  I am now on the other side of that journey, enjoying the new opportunity in El Salvador, able to see how God does keep his promises and they are definitely worth the wait!

I know that God is working something new in your life, too!  Maybe you are in a season of dryness and desert living.  If so, trust that He “will make streams of water flow in the dry and empty land” you are experiencing.  I pray He will send you a simple reminder today of His great love for you and the many mercies He sends your way each day.  

If you are embarking on a new adventure, take courage in knowing that God is with you, leading you each step of the way.  Enjoy His sweet presence in the obstacles and blessings that you encounter.  Look for new life springing up all around! 

Choose to be a sign of Hope in the life of someone today.  Offer them encouragement in your words, actions, and spoken prayers.  Send a note to a friend who you know is going through a difficult time.  Make a point to speak kind words to the person who bags your groceries today.  Ask God to give you an opportunity to be a reminder of the HOPE we have in Him today! 

Poco a Poco: Little by Little

“My times are in YOUR hands.”  Psalm 31:15

So, after being in El Salvador for 6 months I can say that the most difficult adjustment for me to make has been one of language.  I study with a teacher 3 days a week and usually have homework in between.  I attend church gatherings to be immersed in Spanish and talk as much as I can with the cashiers and baggers at my neighborhood super market.  I can see great progress in my Spanish and conversational skills, yet I am forever aware of how much more I need to learn.  I can usually get my point across, but can’t make complete sentences yet, and often just don’t say anything at all because I don’t know where or how to begin. 

I have to admit, not being fully competent in the language of the people around me is very difficult.  It’s hard to be in a conversation and realize that everyone else understands what’s going on except me.  It’s also difficult to understand parts of a conversation, but not the whole…or to have something to add, but not know how to say it.  

Praise God that communication is SO MUCH MORE than words alone.  Body language and context are at least 50% of it!  I praise God that while I’m struggling with the language of Spanish, the language of His love is spoken with very few words! 

I share all of this to set the stage for sharing with you how God spoke to me today.  I was walking to the grocery store to buy ingredients for dinner (homemade chili and cheese scones) when I saw some friends from our neighborhood church and the women’s Bible group I attend.  A mom and her two girls.  We smiled, waved, and stopped for a few greetings.  I asked how they were doing and they asked the same of me.  I told them I was on my way to the grocery store and they told me they were on their way home after waiting a long time to see a doctor.  The mother showed me her youngest daughter’s hands (she’s around 3 or 4 years old) and the rash that has been growing on them for 8 days now.  She’s a bit worried about it since it’s been there so long.  They went to the free clinic, but the line was so long, she knew they wouldn’t see a doctor today, so she decided to take her girls home and try again tomorrow.  I asked her if the rash was anywhere else and it was also on her bottom.  I actually knew what it was!  Hands, foot, and mouth disease, a common rash that young children get in the states.  I knew that a simple trip to the clinic would enable them to get the relief needed to clear up this rash.  Yet I didn’t have the words to explain that.

I asked her if she had been to the Methodist Clinic and she told me “no.”  I suggested she should try there and that I would call Brian to see if he could help her with a ride.  She explained to me that the $3 fee to see the doctor would be impossible for her to pay.  I told her I thought we could help.  So I called Brian, told him what was going on, and he quickly said, if she goes to the clinic I will pay for it.  I can go by there now and tell them she’s on her way.  When I asked him where he was, he was just around the corner, actually at the grocery store I was walking to.  We hurried over to where Brian was so they could get a ride to the clinic, improving their chances to see a doctor today. 

Once they were on their way to the clinic with Brian I went on my way to the store to begin preparing for dinner.  Once I got home and started cooking, I had time to reflect on what had just happened.  I was actually helpful to that mom and her daughters!  I couldn’t help them directly, but I could help connect them to someone who could.  I couldn’t fully express all my thoughts in Spanish, but we were able to communicate enough to get her the help she needed.  Each day God allows me small glimmers of progress in which I can rejoice!!!

Many days I feel so un-useful here.  What good am I to the people God has called me to serve alongside in El Salvador if we don’t speak the same language?  Am I wasting God’s time being here when I could be of so much more use in North Carolina where I speak the language, know the people and the lay of the land.  I understand the context there so well.  Here, it’s almost like starting from scratch.  And then I was able to help a mom get her child to the doctor.  Nothing major, but a tiny glimpse that God is working in me and preparing me to do His work, but I must not be in a hurry.  He’s still preparing me for what He knows lies ahead.

And that’s all the motivation I need to continue spending my days learning the language, getting to know the people, and soaking in all the information I can about El Salvador.

Poco a poco (little by little) God is working a great work in me, teaching me Spanish and guiding me to appreciate the people and culture of His beautiful country El Salvador.  Each day He speaks to me and ministers to me through the people I encounter.  I can’t wait for the day that He allows me to give back all the great things He is preparing in me.  Until then, I shall wait in Him!

I have been so programmed to be constantly “doing” that I find it hard to be in my current position of “receiving.”  Yet, we can’t be doers of God’s Word and work without first being receivers of it.  I can’t even begin to count the many times before that I have run ahead of God with the mindset of doing His work…without ever really waiting long enough to fully hear His instructions.  Through my language deficiency, God is teaching me a lot about waiting for His perfect timing.  I pray He’s giving you awareness of the glimpses in your life through which His perfect timing is being revealed!

Prayer Request:

That I don’t become impatient and don’t give up on waiting.

For clear vision and direction in Sunday School Lessons for the Lenten Season.  (My goal is to have them ready to share with the Methodist Churches in El Salvador by their Annual Conference at the end of February.)