What would you do? (Full Version)

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funny_girl -> What would you do? (6/19/2008 2:13:23 AM)

One of my Spanish ladies sat down with me today to pass on a message from a new lady in our church. Long story short, Youth With a Mission, built her a house with no bathroom and she's too poor to put one in. She's renting a location for $80 a month and can't pay the rent as a hairdresser. She placed a curtain up in the local, lives and sleeps there with her 15 year old daughter because there is a bathroom. There are government programs available and my Spanish lady told her to start saving up what is given by the government and eventually she'll get her bathroom. The new gal has been bouncing around church to church looking for one to build her a bathroom.

People, is this not a sad situation? I'm surrounded by it and it breaks my heart!



Szaftoo -> RE: What would you do? (6/19/2008 9:32:12 AM)

I can't imagine YWAM would build a house with no bathroom, however, has anyone contacted them to see if they can help?



buckifn -> RE: What would you do? (6/19/2008 10:13:41 AM)

That makes no sense at all...how did they pass codes inspection?



funny_girl -> RE: What would you do? (6/19/2008 10:48:05 AM)

CODES! LOL This is MEXICO, not the US!

I was just as shocked about the whole thing as you all. It's possible she went and asked them for help and they said they could do everything but the bathroom. They probably took the home to obra negra which is the shell of the house and let her finish it. That's typical here.



pbaribeault -> RE: What would you do? (6/19/2008 9:15:20 PM)

She has a whole house, and sleeps somewhere else because she lacks indoor plumbing? Don't most poor people in developing countries lack indoor plumbing? I was under the impression that most of them lack housing completely.

Call me cold-hearted, but I'm not sure what's wrong with a partial blessing. Why can't she find another solution to her difficulty?

What's wrong with a camping toilet (or bucket with a garbage bag in it)?

What's wrong with a wash basin? Does she have access to a source of water by bucket or jug?

Sorry - but people have lived without bathrooms for quite a lot of centuries, and I don't see why this woman needs to bounce around Churches with such a sob story about lacking an unnecessary amenity.



lindakaye -> RE: What would you do? (6/20/2008 2:46:12 AM)

How much would it cost for a bathroom.

This is sad. I'd be sleeping in my shop too.



Consecrated2God -> RE: What would you do? (6/20/2008 9:14:13 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: pbaribeault

She has a whole house, and sleeps somewhere else because she lacks indoor plumbing? Don't most poor people in developing countries lack indoor plumbing? I was under the impression that most of them lack housing completely.

Call me cold-hearted, but I'm not sure what's wrong with a partial blessing. Why can't she find another solution to her difficulty?

What's wrong with a camping toilet (or bucket with a garbage bag in it)?

What's wrong with a wash basin? Does she have access to a source of water by bucket or jug?

Sorry - but people have lived without bathrooms for quite a lot of centuries, and I don't see why this woman needs to bounce around Churches with such a sob story about lacking an unnecessary amenity.


Maybe that's why YWAM thought it was unnecessary. [&:] Maybe they figured that since she was poor, she should be grateful for whatever she got and wouldn't mind using a bucket.



Szaftoo -> RE: What would you do? (6/20/2008 9:25:36 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: funny_girl

CODES! LOL This is MEXICO, not the US!

It's possible she went and asked them for help and they said they could do everything but the bathroom.


You say it's possible, have you checked or confirmed for yourself? That is very unlike the way YWAM works.



pbaribeault -> RE: What would you do? (6/20/2008 8:35:23 PM)

quote:

since she was poor, she should be grateful for whatever she got and wouldn't mind using a bucket.

I guess that means you are thinking of me as cold-hearted indeed, becuase that's my opinion exactly.

I just think that everybody should be grateful for whatever they have and be capable of cheerfully making do without whatever they might wish for but are currently doing without.



buckifn -> RE: What would you do? (6/20/2008 8:52:50 PM)

sorry. I really wasn't thinking outside the U.S. on this one..and of course standards are different in other countries.

If someone has already given her a new home I do believe she should be very happy with that and have someone help build outside bathroom facility (outhouse) until she can do more for herself.



funny_girl -> RE: What would you do? (6/21/2008 9:55:35 PM)

The person from our church that invited this woman went to see her home and the place she is renting. The woman claims it would cost $18000 pesos, which is about $1800 for a bathroom. Lulu, from our church, said that seemed to high. Lulu reminded the woman that the government has programs and told her that she needed to start saving up the materials as they are given to the needy. I guess this lady was crying and complaining and begging Lulu to talk to ME and tell me that she needs a bathroom. Lulu said the lady claims her house leaks and now is the rainy season but Lulu doubted that.

As the one gentleman mentioned that she could do something temporarily, I agree, and that did make me feel better.

Yes, it's very sad and heart breaking when we are used to so much.

I'm disappointed because I invited her 15 year old daughter to come to the youth class today and she didn't show up. They've only been coming 2 weeks in a row now.



hjemerson -> RE: What would you do? (7/7/2008 12:40:31 PM)

True the story is sad But again from what you have said ,In the area you are she has a nice place. I have friends that just retrun from Mexico on a missin trip and I know of the types of home/shack many have to live in , I belive the lady does have a need true but in the line of going from place to place /church to church to get somthings, like this is a problem (even have people that do that here in the states.) I would keep in touch with her and her daughter keep praying for her but she will have to help her self as she has been doing, I sure she is not a lone in this problem and will learn to work thur it,(as she has in the past) I would encough her to work with the govement program if their is one and help her help her self. It would also be a strong point to show the community that christian can and will help each other ,not give hands out. Reaching out to the teen is a strong point for this family!



earthless -> RE: What would you do? (7/7/2008 12:44:02 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: pbaribeault

an unnecessary amenity.


says the person with indoor plumbing and probably more than one toilet...

And just an FYI - the majority of Mexico have homes that rival any middle class home here. Not everything is shanty town'esque.



Zhi -> RE: What would you do? (7/7/2008 1:32:31 PM)

My husband grew up for 3 years in a house with no running water, yes, in the US... and he would tell you that there are plenty of inexpensive alternatives until you can save enough for the plumbing. Would I want to live without a bathroom? Well, no, but if we had to, we would make do until we could fix it.

I just don't think bouncing from church to church trying to make one put in a bathroom for her is appropriate. Making her needs known is fine, but choosing a church based on what they will buy for you instead of their spiritual foundation is just... inappropriate.



rcjames -> RE: What would you do? (7/7/2008 2:53:49 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: lil_gringa

CODES! LOL This is MEXICO, not the US!

I was just as shocked about the whole thing as you all. It's possible she went and asked them for help and they said they could do everything but the bathroom. They probably took the home to obra negra which is the shell of the house and let her finish it. That's typical here.


In many many places in Mexico indoor plumbing is not the norm, but an outdoor one holer or a bucket indoors is.

What is the norm where the house was built.

Thanks
RC



funny_girl -> RE: What would you do? (7/7/2008 3:23:08 PM)

The norm would be to have something, which she claims was not given to her. No plumbing, just a room because she was homeless. Something is fishy with this lady. I went to visit her because I heard that someone was looking for a maid and wanted to know if she wanted the job. Then, she began to tell me a whopper of a story which included another lady in the community who is a pastor's wife and has a charitable children's home. I called the pastor's wife the following morning and she didn't even know this lady but was more than willing to meet with her and make any wrong right between them.

I had a good talking with the woman about being faithful to tithe, obedient and committed to be a servant of the Lord. She didn't come to church last week, but she did come yesterday. I'm not handing anything out to her. She had a good hour of hair cuts going when I went to visit her and she claimed that was the first work she'd had in a month. Hard to believe but that's what she claims. Neither she nor her daughter look like they're starving.



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