Comments on: Slumdog Millionaire and Poverty Tourism

By: Dwight

Dwight — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:13:08 +0000

Mike…Your Philippine trip…
I would suggest taking a lot of clothes for your self or expect to pay at the hotel for them to be washed. It is hot and humid and I mean humid!!!!! Your companions on the trip will be thankful!
I would give your sponsored child an umbrella maybe some extra ones for family and friends. It rains a lot in the fall…and a sowing kit. I found a store in Manila’s mall of Asia that sold basketballs. I think I played 5 dollars. If you can find someone at church with an instant camera; one that takes the picture and develops them in a minute or two….the kids loved this… you could take pictures at the project and leave them behind for this kids. The Philippine children are very friendly and when you give them something small they will love it. I went to the dollar store and picked up some balloons and other small items to bring. They learn English is school starting in 1st grade so many of the kids will understand you when you speak. Bringing small thinks will help you interact with them. Because many people speak English as a second language it is a very different experience compared to other countries. Fhilipino’s really like Americans and they are very friendly expect to have a really really fun time.

If you’re single I would be very careful how you interact with the nationals. Unlike other countries English is widely spoken. And the idea of marrying an American is very appealing to many single women inside and outside of the church. It is not a place you want to flirt with the women. A single guy in our group had women literally asking him to marry them. No joke… With that said the Filipino women in the church seamed very Godly and nice. We live a very blessed life in America. I have heard it said that American is the only country that poor people are fat. 40% of Filipino’s do not have adequate food everyday.

This is a video on you tube from the slums. This Baptist church in the Philippines runs an independent program to help the kids and families that live in the garbage dump. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw6NdjJsMno

By: Mike Stephens

Mike Stephens — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:50:44 +0000

Kees thanks for that picture!!! It took me awhile to “see” it. I was thinking what is that red cirle of water around the dalmation and I was like oh it’s the life ring!!! Kees I agree that that picture sums up what the sponsorship experience is like!!! I experience it on a daily basis!!! The fruits of that “rescue” are not always evident right away but as the years go by I know it becomes obvious. Thanks again for sharing!!!

By: Mike Stephens

Mike Stephens — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:32:38 +0000

@Dwight –

Dwight you asked the same question I asked so I will answer it!!!

“The question I would have for compassion is why do they do tours? Why not mission trips to help the poor/ our sponsored children’s church and community?”

Dwight I agree with you. I have only been on one sponsor tour to Nicaragua. I am going on another one to the Philippines this June!!! My thought was this: I could still visit my sponsor child and do some crazy hard work on the same trip!!! My answer Dwight is they may in the future. But I think the reason is because it is difficult and people do not know what to expect!!! Too many variables and uncertainties is my take on it. I really do not know the answer why. It may be b/c they simply want the focus to be on fellowship and meeting the kids. I mean instead of doing a week of building you visit 3-5 projects to meet more kids. However I know I we go to the project and do some serious work whether it be painting building etc. I agree why not build something useful while the kids watch and we can interact on our water breaks!!! I asked the same question as you!!! I do not know the answer. I made a few guesses and speculations but I really do not know. I think the reason is more people that go on tours need to request “We want to WORK!!!” Once that happens I believe more work will be included in the Sponsor Tours. Dwight I would love to go to the Philippines after this sponsor tour with you and anyone else and build something, mix cement, paint, dig a lot!!! Talk about hard work digging is not easy. I greatly enjoy the tours and am thankful they have them. IT is a different experience than I have been used to in the past in terms of doing manual work like re-roofing a church or mixing cement and pouring the foundation for an orphanage/school back in high school in the Dominican Republic, but my focus is to get to see the kids I am sponsoring and supporting!!! I can easily see how we could add work and the visit and not miss a beat, and even visit projects while we work but that is not for me to decide. I am thankful they even have the tours!!! Let me know what you think Dwight!!! I have never been to the Philippines and my first trip will be this June on the Sponsor Tour. I would love to hear more about your experience what you thought etc. or just other advice you have for me. Things I should do, not do, or bring for the kids etc. this is my email. I think at the end of the day Dwight to answer my question and yours which are exactly the same is because the way the sponsor tour is set up we get to maximize time at the projects and with the kids. I agree that we could do work at many different projects and visit but by just visiting and interacting more relationship is built as opposed to trading that to do more work. While at one of the projects in Nicaragua we helped serve the kids their meal for that day so that was a special ineraction that looking back is better than painting a building or digging a hole for the foundation of a building. That is the best way I can explain to myself why we don’t necessarily have a work oriented trip. But Dwight if it was up to me I would integrate work!!! Some SERIOUS work!!! Like the kind that knocks you out at the end of the day like you were having surgery!!! Dwight I know we could easily organize something like this where we build a boat or a house or whatever for our sponsored kid’s family. This was my idea Dwight: Get some sponsors or just some people that want to go and and travel to meet and encourage the families and kids we sponsor as a group and do something for them. Like build a shed, purchase and build for them their own water well so they always have water. I don’t know what the project could or would be, but I don’t doubt if we showed up with 20 or so willing amigos saying “Magandang umaga po and we would like to help you in any way we can over the next week they would certainly tell us how we could help them with what they needed!!!” I realize we would need to pre-plan with Compassion and co-ordinating where we would be going etc. but it is very doable. The reason I say it is very doable is because the lady that cuts my hair here in Colorado said it only cost her $60 to fly from Manila to Zamboanga where she is from so travelling to each person’s sponsored child’s location would not be hard fiscally. But if we had 20 sponsors and going to 20 different sponsor children’s places it might be a little difficult to help that many doing a work project for each!!! I was thinking if we had 20 people and maybe 5-11 sponsors would could possibly manage to do that. Let me know what you think. My main purpose for going was to simply just to get to see the 3 boys I sponsor in the Philippines. Next trip I would like to visit their projects and meet more of their families, but I am thanful just to have gotten this far with this first visit this June on the Sponsor Tour!!! Anyone who wants to email me feel free and if you would like me to take a gift to the Philippines to leave with your sponsor child I will and leave will leave it at the country office. I did that for a fellow advocate in Nicargua and already have 1 taker so far on for the Philippines!!! I will be packing very light so I will have a ton of room!!! I had an AMAZING youth pastor when we went to the Dominican Republic who packed at 2-3 a.m. the day our plane left for the trip to the Dominican Republic and all he packed was a zip up bowling ball bag that looked like a shoe shine kit and had I think an undershirt and some socks. He wore a pair of clothes I believe and borrowed everything else!!! I didn’t even know until I saw his little bag!!! Well I am so thankful to have gotten to meet my sponsor child in Nicaragua and am thankful God let me pay for the Philippines Sponsor Tour!!! B/c I promised the boys I sponsor I would visit this June!!! So I am glad I didn’t make myself out to be a lier!!!

I Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for YOU!!!”

(michaelstephens56@yahoo.com)

By: Sri

Sri — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:42:59 +0000

As being a Indian living in US past 10 yrs and being coming from a middle class family myself I’ve seen slum kids and there lives first hand in my life for 22 yrs and when I heard about this movie and all about it I was more excited about it as I always wanted some one to make a documentary on the reality of slums in India and how children are exploited by all means for someone’s greed and corruption. I sponsor a child from India who comes from a poor family where they lived in one of the slums in big cities of India. I would think this slum tourism are fine but I would be more happy if the same people who saw the reality of life in slums and all the hardships those poor people and there kids are going through do something for them. I would one day in my life want to see India or any nation without slums and I would pray endlessly for that day to cause and help as much I can financially. This is a massive work to be undertaken and it comes with lots of hurdles and encountering many issues related to corruption and greedy politicians in some parts of the world. In the end I am so excited Slumdog won so many Oscars and there is some jubilant celebration in India even many in slums even don’t know what Oscar’s mean. Happy for all those kids…you all rock!!!

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:15:28 +0000

P.S. Have I mentioned that I left a big chunk of my heart in DR, in October? In two prior visits, a piece of me had stayed behind, but a much bigger piece is hanging around, down there, now. I do pray that I’ll be able to go back, sometime.

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Kees, how cool! At the table where they were handing out our Mis Valores in October, Kleber told me they plan to include art in the next one; then he added that he’d like to include music, so I said, “You bet! Then you could throw in a DVD!”

First, he laughed, then his expression changed to total delight, and he said he liked that idea, and I’d get the first copy! I’m not going to hold him to that last part, but I would love to have it.

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:56:08 +0000

Hi, Vicki,

That was from last year’s Mis Valores. It wasn’t included in the book. Kleber was telling my dad and I about the picture and then he sent it to me.

Kees

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:35:35 +0000

Kees, thanks for the picture! Is that from a newer Mis Valores than the one we were given at the conference? I also recognize the three men in the photo–Kleber, of course; David…whose last name I don’t remember, and the man with the girl, but I’ve lost his name, too. (I know I laid my mind down somewhere around here!)

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:18:53 +0000

Kind of along this line. I got an interesting picture in today. A Compassion child in the Dominican Republic made the following drawing. When she was asked what the drawing was about, she said that the dog in the middle of the river was a Dalmatian dog, who was drowning. The brown dog was a streetdog, who rescued the rich Dalmatian dog. The picture symbolizes the poor, who rescue the rich. In many ways, I feel that if the rich truly get to know a “poor” person, who has trusted Christ as Saviour, it will end up being an enriching experience for the “rich.” Because true riches are in Christ.

If you click on the link, you’ll see the picture and the girl, who drew the picture.

http://www.positive-entertainment.com/compassion/dr_dalmationdog.jpg

Blessings,

Kees

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:09:49 +0000

I’m with Michael: A personal encounter with someone living in such poverty would have the better chance to change someone’s mindset and heart toward the poor. Without the personal encounter, some would gawk and stare, as though the people they saw were not fully human–from there, it’s only a baby-step to “They don’t have a soul.”