Dump Day 2010

Note: See updates at the bottom of this post, including information on how you can give.

When a massive tsunami struck Indonesia in late 2004, the world reacted with an outpouring of support.  More recently, when a massive earthquake rocked Haiti’s capital, killing thousands, the world once again was moved to action.  In times past, before television, catastrophes would strike but only stories would circulate, generally much later, to the greater outside world.  Now with 24 hour news shows transmitting on-the-scene footage live around the globe it is much harder to turn our eyes away from devastation.  Really, we shouldn’t ignore the truth of what’s out there.

The reality that we don’t see from cable news networks and most online news sites is the ongoing, daily degradation of humanity.  We try to hide from it, look away and pretend it doesn’t exist.  Some of us are so safely ensconced in our cozy little worlds that we can’t imagine anyone being crushed beneath the weight of the corrupt world system (the very one that keeps us comfy).

Since just words can’t communicate the gravity of the situation, let me give you some pictures.  The following were taken at the Tegucigalpa dump in Honduras:

That last picture, the most heartbreaking of all, was taken recently.  The guess is that the child, a little girl named Sisia, is about 18 months old.  Her hair shows the reddish tinge of malnutrition and she is obviously quite filthy.  She lives with her young mother (who is pregnant) and father in a shelter made out of tires, located in the dump itself.

Why do some people live like this?  Are they victims or just stupid?  They aren’t lazy, given how hard a life they have just to survive.  Many factors come into play, but these folks aren’t criminals.  They are doing the unpleasant but necessary things they believe they must do in order to survive.

Marc and Terri Tindall are missionaries working in Honduras.  Although they were already involved in in other ministries that deal with the well-being of both body and spirit,  when they saw for themselves the horror of daily life for the “dump people,” they knew they had to act.  They began organizing to feed the hungry out in the dump, hauling sandwiches, rice and beans and whatever they could get together.

Trey Morgan, an evangelist in Texas, got on board after he heard about the situation and began declaring “Dump Days” and otherwise promoting the mission work in Honduras.  ”Dump Day” is an annual event held on May 5 in which people will pray, fast and make contributions to keep food going to the hungry.

Here’s what you can do to help the poorest of the poor in Honduras:

• Pray for the hungry around the world, and especially for those who live off of what they can find in the Tegucigalpa dump in Honduras.  Pray for the Tindalls and others who seek to minister to those in need.  Pray for those in power, whether governmental, corporate or otherwise, to make wise decisions that give people a door out of this kind of poverty.
• Fast from Tuesday afternoon (May 4) until Wednesday evening (May 5) as a sign of solidarity with the people at the dump, to accentuate your prayer and to set aside whatever you would have spent (and perhaps a bit more) on food for yourself to send to Honduras instead.
• Give whatever amount you can to help feed the hungry.  Go to Trey Morgan’s blog on May 5th for more details.  You will be able to give via check, money order or paypal.

This is not a major operation.  I make no profit whatsoever from sharing these pictures and appealing for support.  No one does, other than the poor and hungry in a Honduran dump.

Make a commitment to make a difference this year.  Pray, fast and give to help the “dump people.”

“…and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” – Galatians 2:9-10 (ESV)

See Also:

7 Questions About Dump Day (treymorgan.net)

Terri Tindall’s Blog

21st Century Third World Gehenna (igneousquill.com)

Update #1 (05/04/2010)

The following video came from Steve Tucker’s blog.  He went down with a crew last Christmas to help feed the hungry.

Update #2 (05/05/2010)

Here’s how you can give:

Torch
PO Box 9222
Columbus, MS 39705

(Please make all checks payable to “TORCH” and add somewhere “DUMP FUND”.)
Your check is tax deductible.

or

Via PAYPAL

Update #3 (05/06/2010)

This is pretty incredible.  Last year, as I understand it, around $12,000 was raised to feed folks at the Tegucigalpa dump in Honduras.  Food is taken out to them once a week, unless I’m greatly mistaken.  Once a year, in December, a “Jesus Banquet” is held to give a really good, full meal to these folks.  So, how much money was pledged/contributed this year on Dump Day?  Over $25,000!  Even better, towards the end of the day a charity called Bread for a Hungry World stepped forward and promised $25,000 if the fund were to reach $25,000.  You got that right.  All told, over $50,000 was raised to feed the hungry in Honduras!

Now what?  The following is from today’s update on Trey Morgan’s blog:

“WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THE EXTRA MONEY? With more money that we ever thought, someone asked what can we do with the extra? Marc Tindall, missionary in Honduras, said this, “I recently met with the city of Tegucigalpa and started planning for a health center – a place where medical brigades can come in to help with the needs of the poor in the dump and a place where we can minister to people. With $50k, we can feed people and begin construction.” He also mentioned with those funds we could start getting kids out of the dump. God had bigger plans than we did yesterday.”

With the foresight and initiative of a missionary and the guidance and blessing of God we are moving beyond basic benevolence and taking first steps towards sustainable development measures.  Where will it go from here?  Let’s hope, pray and work.

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” - Ephesians 3:20, 21 NRSV