Haiti Kidnapping

[temporal1]

DanZ:
.. There are very few of us who have spent significant time in Haiti who have not experienced personal violence and danger, at some level, in the normal course of doing what we believe is the work of Jesus. Some have even died.

But missionaries are there to serve "the least of these," who daily face even greater risks, and the risk vs ministry calculation is made all the time.

While safety must be considered, the work of the Gospel must go forward.“ ..

i think so.
in some other threads, there has been discussion of “what is best” for folks in troubled locations. (not always overseas.)
some believe most people very much want to remain in their homelands, so, ideal aid would be in those locations; “aid” includes the gospel Truth, not just gov funds.

the mainstream does not report fairly, they do not want to promote Christianity, which would surely result.
one example:

“Paprocki told the audience that the murder of his former church secretary, Mary Stachowicz” ..
https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/i ... x-marriage

.. Paprocki told the audience that the murder of his former church secretary, Mary Stachowicz, whose killer was a gay man, got little media attention compared to the 1998 homicide of Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teen killed in a hate crime.

Paprocki said the power of the gay lobby and favorable media reaction accounted for the difference.

He said the "gay activist lobby" forced the issue on the church and put the church in a defensive position. Still, he said, the church has one position, and it does not change.

"This event was billed as 'Two Catholic Views of Gay Marriage,' " he said. "But there is only one view that is authentically Catholic.
The other view is dissenting." ..

We can only imagine how hearts may be touched by unusual reports like this:

CAM staff member on ABC News today.

i want to clarify.
i don’t long for mainstream attention. i agree with the leaders at Nickel Mines.
i hope Christians will be wide awake about exploitation via media, to be aware of the double-edged sword it is.
Truth cannot be contained. the media wants to own it, define it, etc. it can’t. they want a monopoly, but this will not be.
proven over 2000 years since Jesus walked on earth.

[steve-in-kville]

From the wife:

I find it disappointing that this thread has devolved into a bash CAM/conservative Mennonites thread.

Nope. My comments are not bashing anyone. Its called being realistic.

[Aurien]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/new ... 135727001/

According to a Friday story in the New York Times, "a senior security official in the region with knowledge of the kidnapping said that so far, none of the captives had been harmed. Christian Aid Ministries is currently gathering the ransom money, the official added."

[Josh]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/new ... 135727001/

According to a Friday story in the New York Times, "a senior security official in the region with knowledge of the kidnapping said that so far, none of the captives had been harmed. Christian Aid Ministries is currently gathering the ransom money, the official added."

If CAM pays this, it will be open season on any of their staff in Haiti.

I also do not feel they should be raising money in order to send millions of dollars to criminals in Haiti.

[Josh]

From the wife:

I find it disappointing that this thread has devolved into a bash CAM/conservative Mennonites thread.

Nope. My comments are not bashing anyone. Its called being realistic.

Without going into detail, the people involved made a lot of mistakes that shouldn’t have been made. We need to be realistic about this.

[temporal1]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/new ... 135727001/

According to a Friday story in the New York Times, "a senior security official in the region with knowledge of the kidnapping said that so far, none of the captives had been harmed. Christian Aid Ministries is currently gathering the ransom money, the official added."

Welcome news.

i presume this report refers to “no physical harm.”
plenty of emotional harm has been done, lives have been harmed. very likely for life. this group is mostly women+children. men are traumatized, too. as well as loved ones not present in Haiti.

to explain,
after decades of reading reports of victims of various crimes reported to be “unharmed” in those crimes,
i began to realize, reports only refer to physical bodies. our physical bodies are probably the least of what we are.

i believe i was reading, once again, a report of (example, a father murdering his wife in front of their children) -
the children were reported to be “unharmed.”

no. that’s not possible.
the children were harmed, permanently, for life. the crime will deeply damage+affect their children, and loved ones.

i can no longer “breathe a sigh of relief” and accept, reports that say, there was no harm done.
there is plenty of harm. it will carry forward in ways that cannot be quantified. God, alone, sees all.

i’m not sure how words could be adjusted.
maybe by simply adding one word: “captives have not been physically harmed.”

[Ken]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/new ... 135727001/

According to a Friday story in the New York Times, "a senior security official in the region with knowledge of the kidnapping said that so far, none of the captives had been harmed. Christian Aid Ministries is currently gathering the ransom money, the official added."

If CAM pays this, it will be open season on any of their staff in Haiti.

I also do not feel they should be raising money in order to send millions of dollars to criminals in Haiti.

Easy for you to say. You don't have family, children, or grandchildren being held captive in Haiti. Sometimes there is no good way out.

What do you think happens if they don't pay? The other possibility is that they "make an example" of these captives and then it is still open season on westerners in Haiti.

[temporal1]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/new ... 135727001/

According to a Friday story in the New York Times, "a senior security official in the region with knowledge of the kidnapping said that so far, none of the captives had been harmed. Christian Aid Ministries is currently gathering the ransom money, the official added."

If CAM pays this, it will be open season on any of their staff in Haiti.

I also do not feel they should be raising money in order to send millions of dollars to criminals in Haiti.

i agree, but ..
It’s a volatile “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation.
Worsened by CAM’s recent history. Sins+crimes do not stay contained. The price goes on+on.

No, Josh, i don’t believe “it’s easy for you to say.” These are brothers+sisters in Christ. i do not question your heart.

The heavy load is on leadership, whether church and/or government, because those directly traumatized need leadership.
i have special prayers and respect for the leaders of Nickel Mines, i’m pretty sure there was extreme emotion just behind their stoic backs, they had to be strong in the face of evil, and for those left distraught and damaged. The hardest days of their lives.

The internet, itself, is a double edged sword. It invites Monday morning quarterbacking in the midst of action.
While lives are at stake, it’s not innocuous chatter.

It is the time for fervent prayer. Please, God, hear our prayer ..

[Josh]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/new ... 135727001/

If CAM pays this, it will be open season on any of their staff in Haiti.

I also do not feel they should be raising money in order to send millions of dollars to criminals in Haiti.

Easy for you to say. You don't have family, children, or grandchildren being held captive in Haiti. Sometimes there is no good way out.

What do you think happens if they don't pay? The other possibility is that they "make an example" of these captives and then it is still open season on westerners in Haiti.

Giving $17 million to a criminal organisation means they will be empowered to go kidnap and harm lots more people.

If they care about Haiti and the Haitian people, they won’t fund criminals.

[Bootstrap]

From the wife:

I find it disappointing that this thread has devolved into a bash CAM/conservative Mennonites thread.

I agree. This is a good time to be in prayer.