Uh.. what did you say?

We have had a few meetings here at GFA to promote transparency between leadership and the staff. Last week a student stood up and talked about how she felt uncomfortable about carrying money into India during her student trip.  My jaw dropped I was floored what the what... Leadership continued on to say how it was "fine" receipts were given and all logged in according to the rules.  But the student was concerned "What if I had lost it, or it got stolen?"  Leadership then said well we would have had to declare it as lost or stolen.  They went on to say "We have discontinued the practice."

Here I sit, my heart in my throat, my mind blown to smithereens. This is not right screams the emotion of integrity in my heart. What about the appearance of evil clause we had to sign.  My mind my thoughts are going boing, boing, boing.   What has happened to my precious ministry...

My freak out arises from the fact students were carrying money by hand.  I always stress out when I pass though customs. If I was carrying a sealed envelope of money for anyone, as an adult I'd be freaking out or having a panic attack.  I think this is due to the scrutiny we have been through when we go through customs as new adoptive parents. It is not easy and always gives me the heebie jeebies. I barely rescued Sweet Potatoes stuffed pig with the rattle in it from customs.  Take note don't take stuffed animals with things inside them through Indian customs. 

My pride of place is devastated I have always been so proud, so pleased, to work here. A place with a high level of integrity.  The 100% goes to the field really drew me here. I used to hate it when high levels of funding went to an organizations administration.  Well 12 years later I see the balancing act of costs to run the organization and cost to serve and I understand it better. 100% to the field is so difficult when you have people that need to feed their family, pay medical bills and etc.

Raising our own support over the years has been difficult. If we had a different policy and allowed a percentage of money coming in to go to the staff what a difference it would make. In reality when we do not have 100% in our account the general fund kicks in the difference. Which is great oh look a percentage of the money coming in does go to help staff yet that isn't the message K.P. preaches from the pulpit. For years it has been like a loose tooth something I prodded at wondered at and explained away thinking we were one of just a few families not at 100%.  Imagine my surprise when I accidentally got someone else's support sheet to discover they were 90% supported by the ministry.  I discreetly put it in the proper box and continued to wonder.

Over the years there has been pressure to be at 100%. In Colorado a guy from another ministry discussed with us an idea he had for full time staff fund raisers. He proved to me the man hours saved alone would be astounding.  On average my husband spends over 120 work hours a year on fund raising.  That's a lot of time it's 5% of his working hours.  This is not including all the Sunday services and Saturday meetings he scheduled, or the additional vacation we would take to fit in an extra weekend so we could stump at more churches.   Just running some numbers in my head 80 families at 120 a year = 9600 work hours that is over 4 people here working on fundraising full time. The guy's point was; If ministries hired 2 people full time to just raise staff support they could do it more effectively and efficiently. Families could still "Friend Raise" but when they hit the plateau and no more financing is forth coming the "staff support" would come in to play and assist.  But I digress...

I'm so concerned this just looks wrong it feels wrong, it may be illegal????  but is it right... the bible verse 1st Corinthians 10:23 "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. " keeps running around my brain.