[wonders]

I agree that we shouldn't risk our soldiers' lives to rescue missionaries. The missionaries knew perfectly well the dangers and chose to go/remain there.

A couple of years ago, a friend asked me to try to talk his sister out of going to the Philippines as a missionary with her husband and three toddlers. (I had done humanitarian work in SE Asia and knew the health risks for young children.) I explained the risks to the children, but they went anyway. I asked her if they had any plans, anything to offer the people (such as health or nutrition education)besides trying to convert them from the Catholic Church to the Baptist. She was so surprised. No. Just turn them into Baptists.

Sorry, but I just couldn't see risking the lives of young children in order to convert people from one flavour of Christianity to another. Jesus is Jesus. I don't see risking our soldiers' lives either.

[LADYAK]

I have a Christian friend that used to live here in Alaska. She once said that when she died she wanted her life to have counted for something. Being a trained mid-wife she then opened a clinic outside of Manilla that delivered babies free to poor women and offered them primary health care.....many trips were made with folks from our church to help the people...visiting their dumps where some of the people lived and doing primary health care. She has since relocated to El Paso but still has the clinic in operation. The clinic also trained others in to become mid-wives. Her initial statement has always remained in my mind that you do not have to be a huge organization to make a difference only have a vision and put it into operation. While visiting this planet we are to be offering more to others-Christianity is service.

[alethia]

My guess is that the missionary rescue is the tip of the iceberg. It is a "reason" to engage in more than wargames. Here we go....

[alethia]

Reading the story of your friend's sister points to the fact that many, many Americans are extremely naive. And ignorant.