Awwww Snap! You Got Her Started.

Whenever I hear about people starting up missions in Central America, I always think “Yay! Someone’s paying attention to my beloved tierra.” But at the exact same time, a big part of me really wishes they wouldn't. It’s a bit like having a stranger do your laundry – you appreciate the thought but they shrunk all your pants.

For so long, the way the Church has done (and continues to do in many cases) mission work has, well…sucked out loud. So while I love the idea that religious organizations are spending their time and resources in countries with profound needs, I worry that they’re really doing more harm than good.

As I mentioned previously, I’m highly interested in ending world poverty. The old model of fighting poverty has failed but where can I find a new model that works? This can be done. God calls us to the possible. 

My ponderings on the subject always start in Nicaragua for obvious reasons: I know the most about it and it’s where I have, as they say, skin in the game. And instead of focusing on how much I do NOT know about my ridiculous windmill tilting, I am going to talk about what I actually DO know.

I know it starts with families. I heard a podcast by Pastor Joel Biermann, a guy who knows infinitely more things than yours truly. He said that families are the foundation of society. As the family goes, so goes everything. I saw a lot of broken Nicaraguan families. The number of children I personally saw raised by other relatives or only their mothers vastly outnumbered the children living with both biological parents (and many of those lucky few lacked the stability of having married biological parents). Part of the reason for this is economic. Fathers (and in some cases mothers too) can’t support their families with local jobs and must immigrate to Costa Rica, Spain, the US, or somewhere else in order to find work. Another piece of the reason is cultural – there is no social stigma against being a deadbeat dad. Or mom, I guess. Who are we kidding though, this is a Papa Problem.

My sister in law got pregnant at fifteen by a guy God loves and values but in my (worthless) opinion is a total piece of shit. He tossed her and his two-year-old son on the streets when he got tired of being with her. I take back my original opinion – I do not wish to give shit a bad name.

Her story is normal. This simply cannot be. 

Any program aimed at poverty extermination has to promote and protect strong family units. If the foundation is no good, the whole building will crumble.

I know toxic cultural norms must be addressed.

Any serious discussion of culture as it contributes to poverty has to include the topic of machismo – chauvinism. This is not the opinion of every Latin man and I never want to imply, even accidently, that it is. But I’m talking in broad terms here, and the terrible fact is that all-too-many men place little to no value on women. They see women as disposable. This attitude manifests itself in families abandoned, widespread domestic violence, and women denied access to education and jobs outside the home. I can’t give you hard data on this (and there’s always a good chance that I’m totally talking right out my butt) but I’m pretty sure any system without gender equality is a one-way street to Poortown.

A small but important step to redeeming this part of Latino culture is for the Church to recognize the problem and start speaking against it. Or at the very least, stop actively participating in it. Our family attends a Lutheran church on Sunday mornings (or gringo church as we call it) and goes to a Hispanic Assembly of God church Sunday evenings. I used to help lead worship in the Hispanic church as there is a real dearth of people willing or able to sing. They kicked me out for wearing the scandalous clothing referred to as “pants.” 

Wha?

1920 called. They want their dress code back.

That offended me in a myriad of interesting and colorful ways but the main objection I had (at least for the purposes of this blog post) is the propagation of injustice within the walls of a building dedicated to a God of Justice! Despite what the proof-texters may post in facebook memes, I firmly believe that the Bible radically promotes women’s rights.

But Liz, you may be saying, the Lutherans don’t allow women to preach or be pastors. Why aren’t you calling them out?

Well, I’ll tell you – that’s a hill for someone else to die on, I’m busy trying to end poverty! Also, hitherto, no one in the Missouri Synod has ordered me to clad myself like a Puritan.

Also, where is the outrage when a man in the congregation won’t let his wife learn to drive? Where is the sound and the fury for the douchebuckets who abandon their families? No, really, let’s focus on what I use to shield my booty from prying eyes!

I have wandered somewhat from my original point and that is this: misogyny contributes to poverty. Cut it out already!

I know problems must have locally based and locally led solutions. No matter how much this crazy white girl rages against the machine, the machista attitude towards women will not change until godly MEN come alongside these guys and teach them how to BE MEN.

In the exact same way, a bunch of rich United Statesians cannot waltz into a poor Central American country, dictate the Best Way to Live and expect anything good to happen. It sounds pretty stupid when you say it out loud but lordy, have we ever been doing it that way for a reeeeeeeeeeally long time!

How many mission programs ever sit back (assuming programs have sitting capabilities) and think about what it’s like to be in need?

A few weeks ago I got an email from a church thing that upcoming event-type information as well as a list of things to be in prayer for. One of them was to seek out ways to be in ministry to my family. And that kind of seems like a good thing – I mean, I understand the intention. But my only thought was: “Ick! We aren’t a ministry opportunity, we’re a family.”

People in materially poor countries may not always be able to articulate that sentiment but I guarantee you they feel it. It’s embarrassing to lack things that everyone else seems to have.

Ok, so maybe I don’t know anything about locally based or led solutions. But I know about needing help and feeling terrible about it.

There’s an old song, one of the few I know how to play on the guitar. It has two chords; I’m pretty sure mice can be trained to play it…Anyway it contains lyrics we would do well to tattoo in front of our eyes whenever we endeavor to minister:

                And we’ll guard each man’s dignity

                And save each man’s pride

                And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.