The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And on the subsequent five days, made everything in and on the earth. This psalm, or sacred song, is an a lyrical reminder. The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.
In a few weeks, I’ll be travelling to Guatemala, where conditions will be very different. Landscape, culture, food, people, attitudes. What I see, and smell and taste and do. Coming from what is unfortunately considered a ‘first world country’ into what is more unfortunately considered a ‘third world country’, the differences can be stark and surprising. We light skinned people can see the differences from a position of superiority, and the darker skinned people can see the differences from a position of inferiority.
That is one of the scariest things for me about going on a mission trip, that concept that I have something better, or more. That somehow I’m more favored or blessed or good. If we well-intentioned light skinned people are not careful, we can perpetuate this sense of inferiority in the places we travel, because we perpetuate the idea that we are superior. As Robert Lupton writes in his book, Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, and How to Reverse It, , 90% of us in the US are involved in charity, either giving of our talent, our treasure or time, where we feel it’s needed. He writes, “We fly off on mission trips to poverty-stricken villages, hearts full of pity and suitcases bulging with giveaway goods, trips that one Nicaraguan leader describes as effective only in ‘turning my people into beggars’.”
This morning’s devotional reflection focuses on the sense of inferiority from our hosts; they may ask us if we think their home or church is ok. What they’re really asking is do we, the people of superiority see them as somehow ok, even though they may see themselves as inferior. Clearly, this is a false choice – they are no more inferior than we are superior. We don’t need to save them, any more than they need to be saved.
I don’t mean to suggest that there is anything inherently wrong with the intentions of mission trips in general or the wonderful trip I’m about to take. And there is always a risk that our desire to make ourselves feel good by helping those in need is a bigger motivation than doing God’s will. Loving God. Loving your neighbor.
This morning, I’m thinking about my motivation. What’s taking me to Guatemala? If I’m brutally honest, one of the greatest reasons I’m going is to see and spend time with a dear friend. I could just as soon go to NYC for a week with her. And the second reason is because orphanages, mission work, and Latin America each have a special place in my heart, and this trip combines all three. I adopted a US orphan, I’ve volunteered in an orphanage in Kenya, trained in how to lead mission trips to Latin America and we honeymooned and nearly adopted an orphan from Latin America. This trip is the convergence of many things I hold dear.
While I may have more cash resources than the people I’ll see, they are no less beautiful, perfect, children of God, with different gifts and skills and beauty. I hope that I’m able to spot any sense of disparity in all its ugly forms from the dark skinned people. And I hope I’m able to spot any sense of disparity from the light skinned people too. Figuring out how to name it and correct it will be the challenge.
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