"MISSION TOURISM"

Growing up, I could read about Missionaries and meet some from the developed world coming pretty much to help spread the Good News in our developing world. These servants of the Lord, helped spread the Good News of the Lord by planting churches, they promoted education by building schools, promoted primary health care by constructing health amenities, fought against human sufferings by forming human rights societies, people who supported destitute children with all their strength and heart and never became “Orphanage Tourists”, etc. Generally, they did a very good job, very reputable and people loved them and from the articles and books I read about them, I grew up knowing Missionaries were up for some good causes in life and people loved them! I think I am one of the Missionaries’ products from their hard work they did while they first arrived in Kenya. But gone are the days when Missionaries were Missionaries! Today, I see a lot of people calling themselves Missionaries not really living a life that the Missionaries I read about and met lived. The old days Missionaries lived a very humble life, very meek people and may God bless them wherever they are. People who truly dedicated their services to the Lord, people who were really out to help good causes and people who made sure they did what brought/took them to their places of service, very humble and dedicated people they were, people who minimized their travels abroad to help support a good cause. What I see today are people who call them Missionaries but are out to tour the world, people whom I sometimes call, “Religious Tourists”. People who just volunteer to go round the world to make money and joyride in the name of missions, people who are out to do business, enjoy good services and finally decline to go back to their original countries and eventually buying houses in their host countries and ending up staying. I have happened to interacted with a few, many who come from North America. People who have either consciously or subconsciously explicitly showed racial/ social/political hatred. Some who have come to my place of work and asked,” And who is this?” People who have come to my place of work and after ushering them into the office, ignored to greet me and others. People who have conspicuously portrayed clear indifference between us and them by enjoying services that the hosts they claim to support should have. I will leave it at that point,you are welcome to criticize,comment and correct and respect my opinion.I would be for sure so happy to hear from you.