here is the link to the thread for reference purposes:
To start off, here is the OP of the thread:
A group of 20 of us is coming for a mission trip to help in a Haitian refugee camp not far from the border. We would like to know what the attitude in country is to rich white people coming to help what could be considered illegal immigrants. We will be with a well organized and long stand missionary organization. Do the locals resent us helping the Hatians and not helping them? Is the government happy that we are there?
Several opinions were addressed, some friendly, others downright hostile. Seeing people on both sides of both the Dominican-Haitian border, the Dominican-American border and the Mexican-American border, and being somewhat of a migrant myself, I have my opinions on immigration, on border patrol, and on illegal immigrants. I also have been on both sides of the charity equation and have my 2 cents about that as well. They probably wont all be the same as yours, but that is alright, cause no one really listens to me... this is just one guys opinion.
first let me say a word to those that oppose "evangelizing, well digging and Bible distribution."
Well drilling is truly a great work... you are "teaching to fish" and not "feeding them a meal." Think of all the man-hours that were previously spent procuring water that can now be used to do something productive like work... sure, these man-hours can also be used to smoke dope, but that doesn't make you responsible if the recipients of these wells turn to crack... you gave them water, not drugs, right?
Now to the root of this question, you must realize that free speech is designed to work equally for everyone. You dont often see people "forcing" their religion on people. Maybe in "cult" compounds, but not in mountain villages with new "missionary-dug" wells. And in no way does the well obligate people to read the Bible.
With that said, I'm sure there are plenty of people (both the evangelizing well diggers, and recipients of these wells and Bibles) who will stand firmly on the belief that they are doing more good and are helping people more with their Bibles then they are doing with the wells. They are entitled to this opinion, and as long as we remain a free society where people have free speech, (would you really want to take this away?) they will continue to have the right to share their beliefs with others.
perhaps there is a miss-understand regarding economics. While the illegal immigrants are bad for the country, the so-called mission efforts to help them are nothing but healthy for the Dominican economy. They come here. From each plane ticket that is bought, about $300 of that is taxes... taxes that go toward paving your roads, feeding your poor, buying bikes and trinkets on 3 kings day, and mostly, taxes that are miss-appropriated by Dominican officials. This is neither the fault of the visiting "missionary" (tourist) or the fault of the illegal immigrants, so if your country is struggling, you should really take this up with your government leaders and not with the tourists who inadvertently help to pay their salarios.
And keep in mind that there are about as many Dominican immigrants in the U.S. mooching off of the system there as there are illegals here mooching off of the Dominican system. Most of these Dominican illegals are better cared for then your Haitians, send more money home to the D.R. then the Haitians send back to Haiti, and yes, both are a problem for their host country.
Finally, if you would like to go to Haiti and help the Haitians there, you are welcome to...
And if you do, you will see while you are there that there is far more of a white missionary concentration there in Haiti then there is in any town in the Dominican Republic.
If "charity from rich white people" was the main deciding factor when the Haitian decides where to reside, they would most likely all stay in Haiti, since there are far more foreigners there to mooch off from. The Haitians are here (for the most part) to work, and I firmly believe that unless both the Dominican and the American people decide that they would like to work and do these jobs themselves, they both really should make legal immigration an easier and less expensive process. The cost of legal working immigration, both to the U.S. and to here from Haiti, is higher then the working class can afford; this is the primary cause of the immigration problem, and its something that can only be fixed through better legislation.
None of this is to defend the illegal immigrant... an "illegal" by definition, is a law breaker.
And I guess that will be another post for another day...
2 comments:
I went back and picked up the original thread. Interesting. No one really answered his original question in how dominican's feel toward those that come and help out "illegals". Is there resentment there?
I've experienced some when innercity (and not a few suburbanite) people in CIncy found out that I was working with undocumented people here. "Why aren't you helping us? Why aren't you helping the poor here?" Most folks were quickly assuaged when they realized I was working in an innercity clinic serving everybody in addition to my ESL class. Though I don't feel that's necessary. In fact a focused ministry can and often produces more fruit.
Anne makes a good post about the waste of resources that many mission trips are. What she fails to see is that many of these people are radically changed in their worldview and many do make the changes she suggests are a better use. Its hard to suddenly "see the light" when you live in a power outtage. When we see, touch, and love with our own senses it awakens within many of us a real affection and desire to instigate change.
I think you're dead on in seperating evanglism/free speech from illegal activity. There's nothing in the Bible about only caring for the law-abiding citizens
I would be interested in your thoughts if there is any resentments toward missionary groups working with illegals. Secondly if you would suggest an outreach to those surronding the refugee areas.
Yes, Jason, judging by the fact that most of the people in the thread that frowned on the idea of people coming to help the illegal immigrants are Dominicans, it is safe to say that there are in fact people that that does bother. And if these people feel this way, it is undoubtedly a sentiment shared by others, but I don't think that it is the dominate view. In addition, I would add for the record, that I personally, nether here or in the U.S. or anywhere else for that matter, would want to encourage illegal immigration. I think that it is harmful to the homeland of the illegals... sure, the immigrants send money home, but that is not the same as helping to build a functioning society by using your skills locally places where the majority of the skilled people leave to work elsewhere, by my observation, (Mexico, Dom. Rep, Haiti) suffer financially,socially and politically because of such immigration. I also feel that it is bad for the illegal... often displacing them from their families, forcing them to submit themselves to situations where they are taken advantage of, stripping them of their dignity and respect, and often even resulting in there personal loss of life & limb in their illegal border crossings. Furthermore, the argument that you hear the most carries a lot of weight... yes, they are often a burden to the host country. They take advantage of the public facilities and help paid for by taxpayers. They don't pay taxes, and probably more significantly, their "employers" don't pay taxes or benefits for them ether. There also is the issue that by entering a country illegally, they have already disregarded the law and have made themselves lawbreakers... where do you draw the line and say "no, that is a crime I won't commit"? there are a lot of reasons that illegal immigration is a bad idea and should be discouraged. You may be saying "I thought that you were on the other side..." I am for doing what is right. Two wrongs don't make a right. Nether do 3. I am for "the wall," deportation, the "fair tax" (this would tax all consumers, legal or illegal, regardless of how or where they make their money), I would probably also be against giving citizenship to people born to illegals simply because they were born in a country... there is no reason their parent's "crime" should better their chances at a brighter future... that seems a lot like "ill-gotten gain" to me. With all of that said, people are people and should be treated as such. I am entirely against "citizen border patrol"... a very bad idea empowering vigilantes to harass people is a terrible thought. I also think that healthcare should be provided to both rich and poor, legal and illegal, at ether no cost, or at very most, at a fair cost that is the same for everyone. I do try very hard not to go off on my political views, as I realize that I don't share them with everyone. There are other factors in the equation that many don't see... For one thing, the process for legal immigration is both ridiculous and economically unfeasible for those who are wanting to travel and work. This is only begging people to cross illegally. and because of this, there are just as many people out there looking to take advantage of legal immigrants as there are people looking to take advantage of the illegal ones. It is not all cut and dry. What is cut and dry is one thing. Don't blame others for a problem that they didn't cause. A helping hand to someone in need who is already breaking the law isn't the same as helping someone break the law. It is very interesting your comment on "better usage of mission funds, etc..." This is an ongoing back and forth issue in christian circles, but I will have to totally agree with you on the issue. True, airfare, lodging, etc. for a week or two's worth of "impact" really does drive the price up... and in some cases, I'm sure that there are people who go back to their comfortable lives totally unaffected by the whole experience. But it is quite often is a life-changing experience that gets people interested in, involved in and giving to mission work and is often the start of a life-long dedication to service. Besides that, for anyone financially supporting any work, it is only responsible to make a visit and see for yourself that this investment is being well spent. It is a matter of stewardship. Now as for the outreaches that minister to locals surrounding the "refugee areas," there are a couple of things here to consider. One... we don't exactly have "refugee camps..." there are "cane villages"... not near as many as there used to be. These people are not slaves. They are here of their own free will. They do make very meager wages. Not all are here illegally or even immigrants for that matter... many are Dominican born, which just like in the U.S., makes you a citizen. We have worked in areas with large Haitian populations and areas without. I do think that it is very crucial to consider the effects of the work you are doing regardless of who the recipients of your service are...
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