Comments on: Wess Speaks (Part III)

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:21:38 +0000

Well, there is a little difference. He didn’t say that he went into debt to sponsor his children, but he went into debt to continue his sponsorships of his children. There is a difference there. The children and the sponsors can have a very close relationship with each other. Some of my children call me “daddy.” I would do anything, as long as it it moral, ethical, and legal to continue my relationship with these children. They would be devastated if I dropped them. The children are hurt many times if the sponsor cancels. (I know I worked in the centers and I’ve seen the reaction, when a sponsor cancels) Even the sponsors that never write, many of the children are sad when they loose that sponsor. (Though I do know of one girl, who was in that situation and was actually glad, because now, she could maybe get a sponsor, who would write and she did get a sponsor, who writes a lot) But I do feel that I have to point this out. It’s not the same as going into debt to buy a big screen television. Because the sponsorship isn’t really about the money, it’s about the relationship. And that’s how the child looks at it.

By: Ken D

Ken D — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:04:55 +0000

Im a donor, my wife and I sponsor several kids via compassion. I Read through this post and noticed Jim and his story.
I cannot disagree more with Jim and i would most certainly not put this in a church bulitin Joseph. Going in to debt to sponsor children?(you might as well rob a bank from a biblical stand point) Do you know what the bible says about debt? Sure i could take out a line of credit for a half mil’ and give it away, but would that be what jesus would want? Absolutely not.
You cant take one aspect of the bible and run with it, while ignoring the rest of what it says. To do so if the foundation of most modern day cults. Having said that, To live a sacrificial lifestyle for charity would is awesome, just dont violate the bibles teachings to do it.

By: How to Get Rich While Serving the Poor « Journey Toward Justice

How to Get Rich While Serving the Poor « Journey Toward Justice — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:52:01 +0000

[...] referred me to their blog where their CEO responds to a question about his high salary. You can read it for yourself on their site, but this is what stood out to me: There are some decisions that I don’t make around here, [...]

By: James

James — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:25:20 +0000

Robert, we should totally exchange emails. We ‘real’ Christians need to stick together.

By: James

James — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:46:32 +0000

Yes, it is disgusting. It makes me sad, really. I would love to give to a charity that doesn’t operate in such a sickening fashion. There aren’t many out there. I have decided to give to Chalice even though I am not Catholic and disagree with many of the teaching of Catholicisms. They seem to operate on higher principles. Shame on you, Compassion.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 01:51:34 +0000

ROFL (if it wasn’t so sickening!) Poor Wesley, he doesn’t decide how much he gets paid, the board does. Aw, how sad. Oh, and he has bills to pay also, I just hope he can fulfill his financial obligations with a measly $267,000 salary. After all he has kids to put through college How charitable that you keep your salary inflated so that your underlings will receive their fair share.

What a smarky retort, Wesley. Shame on you, period! That salary is exorbitant despite your claim that you give it away (why take it in the first place then?). Of course you give some back, how else would you get that tax break on a 1/4 of a Mil +.

I really can’t believe people hand their money over to people/organizations like this, but it is an unfortunate fact. This guy is so out of touch with the average middle class that supports his high-rolling life style that he actually believe his own bs.

btw – working for Compassion for nothing would be termed, “Volunteering”, likely a foreign concept to you.

By: James Heil

James Heil — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 06:25:57 +0000

Yes, you could totally post it. Thanks!

By: Joseph Alba

Joseph Alba — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 06:42:30 +0000

Hello Jim, I’d like to ask your permission if I can post this on the church bulletin:

I’ve worked minimum wage jobs most of my adult life. AT one point (almost 3 years) I was working 60 – 100 hours a week at $7 an hour and giving half of my income to charity. The rest went to pay off debt from a bad business deal I got involved in. There were months on end where I didn’t get to sleep 3 nights a week (working grave yard shifts at my security job) and slinging popcorn during the day at a movie theater and yet still didn’t give up my sponsor children. When I came through this difficult time in my life, I scrimped and saved so I could support 28 sponsor children making less than $11 an hour at one job and $7 an hour at another. When work got slow and my hours cut, I slowly crept back into debt so I wouldn’t have to give up my sponsor kids. When my line of credit was finally maxed out I finally had to cut back to 12 and when I lost my job a few months later I went down to 4.
- Jim (quakers.org)

Also, in behalf of the student center of our church, I would like to say thank you so much for your love.

Blessings,

Joseph

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:08:37 +0000

There are a lot of Gurneyite Quakers in Bolivia. Glad to see they are helping out.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:06:30 +0000

I’m just going to sponsor my friend’s 3 nephews and one niece. She’s a pretty upright person and I will be visiting the family next February to see things for myself. I’m also looking at Childcare Canada. Their CEO in the States makes 77,000 a year and 96%+ of donor funds goes towards the projects. I think I am a little more comfortable with this. My online Quaker ministry is on pace to get 250,000 hits this year. Next year I will actually be putting some time into it and I need a charity to redirect people to. So I hope I will find a good fit by then.