Adventists and Catholics - Charitable Cooperation

don · 06-09-09 7:31 am

Adventists and Catholics - Charitable Cooperation<blockquote>Adventists donate 28 wheelchairs to Surigao City by Fryan E. Abkilan <img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/messages/7/1400.jpg" alt=""> Surigao City (9 June) -- Some 28 persons with disabilities (PWD) in the city were the fortunate recipients of 28 wheelchairs donated by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in coordination with the city government of Surigao. Held at the city’s cultural center last June 5, the distribution was also in line with 2nd quarter meeting of the Regional Committee on Disability Affairs (RCDA). Rev. Ruel Arrogante, ADRA Director for Northeastern Mindanao Mission said the wheelchairs were originally from <a href="http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/pdf/newsletters/newsletter_20.pdf" target="_blank">the Wheelchair Foundation and the Knights of Columbus.</a> They just channeled their donations through their office, the <a href="http://adra.ph/index.htm" target="_blank">ADRA Foundation Philippines</a>. ADRA Foundation according to Rev. Arrogante is an independent, humanitarian agency established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the specific purpose to help people without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, or political or religious association. Mayor Alfonso Casurra in his short message, could not help but thanked the ADRA Foundation for there enthusiasm in extending their help to the Surigaonons. "It is really gratifying on my part. The one responsible here is ADRA. They are really eager in coming to Surigao City," said Mayor Casurra. Considering the limited resources of the city government, Casurra admitted that the city government cannot afford to buy all these wheelchairs. Every wheelchairs costs about P14,000 to P15,000. The only counterpart of the city government according to Mayor Casurra is the P500 freight and handling fee per wheelchair. Meanwhile, Mayor Casurra revealed that the city government will be giving a space in the Luneta Park exclusively for the PWDs Surigaonons. The said space according to the good Mayor will be used for their gatherings and entrepreneurship. (PIA-Surigao del Norte) <a href="http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p090609.htm&no=77" target=_top>http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p090609.htm&no=77</a> </blockquote>___________________________________ Some Thoughts/Observations Look over the (pdf file) <a href="http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/pdf/newsletters/newsletter_20.pdf" target="_blank">Wheelchair Foundation's newsletter</a>. They do an amazing work; 750 000 wheelchairs in 153 countries. Even though the 28 reported here seems such a small amount in the overall numbers of wheelchairs donated, for the 28 receiving them, the gifts are important. Third world countries are often thought to be backward and simplistic in faith. Here we find Adventists, who often use extreme rhetoric re: Prophecy and Catholicism, cooperating with them to bring wheelchairs to those in need. Adventism can rise above its apocalyptic voice and be civic-minded. The numbers should keep us humble, as well. ADRA can, and does, make a difference. It seems wise to acknowledge others in the process. For the purposes of our discussion on another thread, consider the role of faith groups in making a positive difference in the world. Do agnostic/atheist organizatons show the same level of impact on the world? Examples? .

neal · 06-09-09 8:58 am

Don That press release is very misleading. The Wheelchair Foundation donated the wheelchairs. They were not donated by Adventists. The Wheelchair Foundation, I believe, was founded by the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, wasn't it? Hopefully (although I doubt it) he is a faith-based person as he would make agnostics/atheists look bad! Nonbelievers tend to donate/volunteer individually, not as a group out blowing their trumpet "Hey, look how good we are!". The two largest philanthropists in the world are nonbelievers- Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. They immunize the children of whole countries their scale of giving is so large. They are spending millions on medical research. On the other hand, while the church's propaganda tool known commonly as ADRA is supported largely by government, not church, money, the flagship medical facility of the church, Loma Linda, is getting its church support cut off. Isn't that correct? Personally, I donated to 5 nonprofits last year in addition to the almost daily cash contribution to the homeless on the street corners of Boulder. Do agnostic/atheist organizatons show the same level of impact on the world? Examples? NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Center for Science Education, the American Civil Liberties Union, Greenpeace, Merck, Biogen, Amgen, Hollywood, Human Rights Watch, every secular university's biology/physics/astronomy/philosophy departments, CERN, every natural history museum, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, etc. La Sierra's biology department seems to be helping out also! Here is a breakdown of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's grants since it was founded (they have given away as much as the total take of the SDA church over the same period): <img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/messages/7/1403.gif" alt=""> (Message edited by neal on June 09, 2009) (Message edited by neal on June 09, 2009)

neal · 06-09-09 9:02 am

Here's the link for the graph in the post above: <a href="http://www.gatesfoundation.org/grants/Pages/overview.aspx" target=_top>http://www.gatesfoundation.org/grants/Pages/overvi ew.aspx</a> .

neal · 06-19-09 9:26 am

Don I have had a few minutes to peruse the latest annual report of ADRA. <a href="http://www.adra.org/site/DocServer/2007_Report.pdf/107185879?docID=2701" target=_top>http://www.adra.org/site/DocServer/2007_Report.pdf /107185879?docID=2701</a> It seems from their statement of activities for the last couple of years that the SDA Church pays for the General, Administrative, and Public Relations (why would ADRA need to spend 1/2 million $'s on PR?). The American taxpayers, via the government, kick in almost $40,000,000. Thay raised $11,000,000 in contributions of which about $1.1 million went to raising the contributions. Then there is donated supplies which are routinely used by companies to get rid of inventory, production overruns, obsolete products, or the company's own PR. Then, looking at where the aid went: ~$1.8 million to Switzerland yet $0.0 million to Pakistan? A big fat zero to Iraq? Sweden got as much as Sri Lanka? One-seventh to Niger as to New Zealand? More than 3 times the amount to Germany as Ethiopia received? Come on, man. Its a joke. A tool of the US Government by and large.

don · 06-19-09 1:30 pm

Neal, Thanks for the link to the ADRA report. Note Then, looking at where the aid went: ~$1.8 million to Switzerland (S) yet $0.0 million to Pakistan? Read <a href="http://www.adra-te.org/" target="_blank">this link</a> A big fat zero to Iraq? Read <a href="http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=1750" target="_blank">this link</a>. Sweden (S) got as much as Sri Lanka (I)? Note <a href="http://www.adra.se/" target="_blank">this link</a>. One-seventh to Niger (I) as to New Zealand (S)? Read <a href="http://www.adra.org.nz/" target="_blank">this link</a>. More than 3 times the amount to Germany (S) Note <a href="http://www.adra.de/home.html?&no_cache=1&L=1" target="_blank">this link</a>. as Ethiopia (I) received? Notes The link you have provided gives a report of ADRA's Central Office. There are two kinds of countries, supporting or implementing. The supporting countries develop programs in the implementing countries. This explains the high figures for countries like Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden, and Germany; they are all supporting countries. Note that Iraq and Pakistan are implementing countries but the Central Office did not finance the programs for those countries; other supporting countries did. People from affluent Western democracies want to help those people in dire need. These Western democracies utilize NGO's, such as ADRA, to manage their monies for international development. Public Relations certainly help the church's name to be known but it also helps any NGO to stay known and continue to receive substantial donations. ADRA must avoid evangelism as it implements government money, at least ADRA Canada is under such restrictions. Some Adventists are uncomfortable with this limitation. Come on, man. Its a joke. A tool of the US Government by and large. I disagree on both assertions. Talk to people who benefit from ADRA programs worldwide. Note these programs run just by ADRA Canada. <a href="http://www.adra.ca/wp/category/programs/" target="_blank">HERE</a> .

neal · 06-19-09 3:10 pm

I'll ck it out when I have a chance... on the road right now. before posting this morning I did ck the I/S relationship but some of the I's such as Madagascar received large amounts. The only difference I could find is that the I's submit their own grant requests to whoever they think appropriate. If you look at the 2 pages of partners it seems like the grant requests would go to the ADRA office in the USA. I'll ck into it. Thanks.

renie · 06-20-09 1:04 am

I've always had a lot of respect for ADRA. Have done volunteer work with them in both Thailand and Malawi. At camp meeting today we were told of a program in Thailand that is great. It's called Keep the Girls Safe. ADRA has a 'safe haven' home for little girls who have been caught up in the sex trafficing trade that is a horrible problem in Thailand. ADRA also goes out into the villages and warns the villagers about what happens to their little girls who, instead of being hired to work in some industry, are sold into the sex slave business and often shipped out of the country to be exploited, used and abused. renie

neal · 07-09-09 12:23 pm

Don I have spoken to ADRA several times over the last few days. Besides a lack of knowledge by the support staff and the main knowledge base being on vacation I was able to get a somewhat vague answer that the implementing countries have "projects" going on and the supporting countries "support" the projects. Although the answer doesn't make sense because some of the supporting countries have a large number of people helped it seems that the aid to supporting countries is in $ and the implementing get the production-overrun clothing, building materials, soon-to-expire drugs, etc (the donated "materials" like the wheelchairs). What IS interesting is to go through the countries on a political basis. The USA has a dispute with Argentina because of some unpaid bills- they hardly receive anything compared to other S American countries. Cuba- zilch. etc. I was going to email for a better explanation but don't have the time to mess with it this summer. Maybe in the fall.

elaine · 07-09-09 5:07 pm

A friend who is working for AHS West and has for many years, recommended World Vision as one of the best charitable organizations., rather than ADRA.

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#1 06-09-09 7:31 am

Adventists and Catholics - Charitable Cooperation

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