I think this thread can officially be voted in the worst thread on CC. So many JUDGEMENTAL people who have nothing better to do than bash kids who are on SERVICE/MISSION trips. Get over yourselves.
The fetishment of the word “service” is breath-taking.
“do post pics of my kids w/o permission on their personal social media accounts. Not going bananas here.”
That’s fine. Other parents would, especially if we’re talking about preschool and elementary aged children. Teachers, etc. posting those pictures without parental permission are taking a foolish risk.
No. Maybe delusional White Savior people need to wake up and smell the coffee.
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/15-03/short-term-missions-trips.html
Good try, @GMTplus7 — but getting in between people and their righteous images of themselves is a dangerous business, lol.
Opinions don’t equal facts. And multiple links to support opinions is similar to yelling as if someone doesn’t hear you. I “hear” you. I just disagree. Doesn’t make me or others who disagree delusional white savior people @GMTplus7. Yikes.
And yes @Hanna “some” is the key and point here whether we’re talking about some parents taking offense, some teachers taking foolish risks, or some youth service mission trips being contrived vs worthwhile. Much of this is subjective.
“some youth service mission trips being contrived vs worthwhile.”
You may be confusing me with other posters. I haven’t said boo about the trips themselves. 100% of my comments are about publicizing the pictures.
Perception is all relative to your experience - I have a strong belief that many of those kids on mission trips are doing so for the right reasons and providing a desired benefit to the recipients. Ask me my perception about Eagle Scouts and as the mother of 3 boys I could give you an entirely opposite viewpoint from the one I have towards mission kids.
Yes I read your posts/no confusion. No intention of attributing everything to any one poster. Sorry for misunderstanding by just tagging you in that para. We were just exchanging opinions on that subject and I expanded my thoughts beyond your comments.
@GMTplus7 I think the article you linked has merits, even if you accompany it with needless insults. I agree that it is important to understand just what the goal of the trip is and have realistic expectations about whether there are better ways to make a bigger impact. But just because there are programs out there that are poorly thought out and making little significant difference does not mean all service trips abroad are worthless.
An interesting point in the article you posted is that some folks delude themselves into thinking the trip is all about others when the real benefit of the trip is in their own personal growth. And I agree, it’s best to have eyes wide open to that fact. But the article also mentioned that there are good solid programs out there that don’t slap a few odd bricks together and call it a mission trip. The point is, be very clear about what you’re getting into and what the benefit of the trip will be.
Personally, we will have a service element in our next family trip abroad. Our trip will include 4 days of sight-seeing followed by 7 days of working in a special-needs orphanage. This work will coincide with that country’s holiday week in which that orphanage typically gives its local workers time off and typically relies on outside volunteers each year during this week. I suppose @GMTplus7 would prefer if we were to send money so the orphanage could hire local workers for the week, but it’s not always that simple. For one, travel will be paid with miles so only cash outlay for travel is ~$100 each for taxes. And in replacing what is typically a time for family vacation with a combo trip, we’re not reducing what we would otherwise give to charities nor are we participating in fundraising or other special activities. We’re just building a service portion into a trip we’d be taking anyways. And no, I’m not looking for a pat on the back nor will I be using the trip in any promotional way whatsoever. I simply want to point out that even if planned on your own, service abroad is possible in a way that is not negatively impactful in the ways the article mentioned.