Here's a couple of paragraphs from an article this morning from MSNBC:

Haiti has been a popular destination for missionaries at least since 1804, when Haitians threw off French rule. Catholicism, which had been imposed on them by the colonial power, was left on an uncertain footing, and the country became a spiritual battleground. Various Christian denominations and sects aimed to win converts and prevent Haitians from reverting to voodoo, a religion adapted from the beliefs of their African ancestors.

“Every church and mission group has a presence in Haiti,” said Wendy Norvelle, spokeswoman for the International Mission Board, which supports foreign missions for the Southern Baptist Church. “It’s very, very, very saturated with those who would want to go and share God’s love and do hands-on ministries providing humanitarian relief.”
-- Haiti awash in Christian aid, evangelism - Haiti earthquake- msnbc.com

How do you feel about this?

Perhaps the earthquake was the result of additional stress put on the fault line by fat headed, inflated ego missionaries. Perhaps we should send all missionaries to a place that isn't susceptible to earthquakes. I never hear about Canada receiving earthquakes. Ya, Canada seems firm enough to hold all the fat heads.

Who was it that said, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."?

(:raig

But Hell isn't IN Canada or Haiti! It's in Michigan!

Mixed really. On the one hand they are providing much needed aid, and are on the ground heliping and rebuilding, their hearts are in the right place, but their minds... We'll lets just say that Red Cross aid workers are not going to be accused of kidnapping any time soon...

Conversion is violence and should be treated as such.

SteveC wrote:
I hope that wasn't a categorical gross generalization re: ALL missionaries to Haiti. Certainly there have been many instances of horrors caused by even the best intentioned missionaries to Haiti. But I have friends from a number of faith traditions that have been going to Haiti for many years, running non-denominational schools, building clinics, and providing technical and agricultural help without remuneration. And nearly all of them carrying the full cost burden upon themselves!

Steve--Perhaps you would be willing to take a 3 month leave of absence to live among the abject poor to provide some relief there, instead of sitting on your own expanding assets criticizing those who give so much from the heart. Of course, that is an assumption on my case. Perhaps you could share what it is YOU specifically have done to assist the Haitians... --Steve---

How is conversion the same as assistance?

Do agree with this metis?

Should your daughter and grandchildren escape the violence and go back to whence they came?

In the end, for all the good work that missionaries can accomplish, at the end of the day the goal is about converting those they are aiding to their religion, period. If it was not, then they could join any number of aid groups (Red Cross, Oxfam, etc.) which do provide aid without the added aspect of missionizing.