Missionary Competition…Part 2

I’m way off topic on this one, but the title remains appropriate from a completely different take. My truck broke down last week in the most peculiar of locations. Actually I limped it over to where my mechanic, Carlos, was working for the day. As he peered inside the engine compartment, he whispered to me, “Don’t freak out, but they’re selling drugs on the corner.” “Nah, it’s all right,” I quickly replied to prove my street savvyness. I figured I hear about drugs and drug addicts all the time; I can handle this. I dropped the brim of my cap down on top of my glasses and sneaked a peek of the action. One look and look away! Good golly! Did I see what I think I saw?—I panicked to myself. I looked again. Miss Molly, they’re running a drive-thru operation with cars in wait. Blowing my cool, I queried Carlos about the scene. “All day long, Ben. They sell the whole day,” he informed.

For the next couple of hours I watched the sellers work the corner. They divvied the duties between six of them. One up top the hill keeping watch, one on the corner making sales, and four in wait down the street, playing cards. Like musical chairs, they shifted locations every five minutes. Once sold out, the seller would walk back down to the group with a wad of bills as the next vendor took position. Their operation was more efficient than the slickest of factories.

Here are some no-exaggeration statistics. 1) No talk was ever made in the sale, 2) The exchange of drugs and cash took approximately two seconds, 3) I never once saw the seller wait more than three minutes for the next client, and 4) At the max there were four cars waiting in line.

Word is they’ve been at it in the same spot for a couple years without a problem. Seven days a week, sunrise to sunset. All the local cops are paid off. I figured they serviced over 700 clients per day. It seemed (and seems) as if the entire area I work in is on drugs. What a depressing revelation. And what competition! Competition to the work of every person trying to do good—missionaries, pastors, and every person drug-free.

Yesterday evening I attended a “Sexuality Conference.”—nothing to do with this article. But the psychologist who spoke made the statement: “What my neighbor does, affects me.” Couldn’t be truer with regards to ministry in the area of El Florido (which translates to “Full of Flowers” in English). Who gave it that name? Beats me, cause I ain’t seen too many tulips around this desert. What is blossoming due to drugs, however, is theft, battered wives, sexually abused children, theft, awful diets, school dropouts, graffiti, theft, corrupt police and politicians, and did I mention theft?

All of that adds up to serious missionary competition. The deck is stacked against. What my neighbor does, does affect me.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 6:34 pm and is filed under Missionary Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.