Our Own Backyard

I saw a post on a discussion group I follow about a church group raising money for a mission trip. Local church youth groups have been doing these for years. The usual program in recent years has been for these trips were to Mexico,  just across the border, to do repairs or construction work. Well this fund raiser is to build a house in Uganda. UGANDA? Seems like a long trip to build a house.

The reason I bring this up is not to criticize the youth group. It follows the theme of an earlier post where I talked about focusing charitable activities and donations to local charities. While there is no comparison between living standards in Lockhart and Uganda one just needs to hang around the local food bank to realize there are a multitude of opportunities to impact lives right here in the BBQ Capital of Texas. A trip across US 183 will expose you to living conditions that would apall you.

So why not do your good works here? We are developing a local chapter of Habitat for Humanity and they have many opportunities for volunteering. Our local Kiwanis clubs build wheelchair ramps for disabled folks. Meals on wheels, the food bank, and just about every church will put you to work if you let them.

So why go to Mexico or Uganda? Travel costs alone will gobble up a significant amount of resources.  Appalachia has some pretty grim situations if you feel like Texas isn't bleak enough for you.

Okay I'll quit whining!  It is great that these young people want to make life a little better for the less fortunate.  It's just that there a lot "less fortunates" that you have to pass by to get to Uganda.