Which Church are they from?

You know the folks. The people who get their whites incredibly white and collect money on weekends at the intersection of the Libramiento and the Carretera, directly in front of Walmart. Have also seen them at the entrance to Jocotepec, the lakefront restaurants in San Juan Cosala, and more recently a small village in Nayarit.

I asked one of the fellows recently, in Spanish, which church he represents but rather than answer, he flipped his collection can around to an English version side which listed what services they provide and where the money goes. Before I could continue the light turned green and I had to motor on.

Anybody know which Church they're collecting for? Someone once said - or speculated - that it's a Church in Guadalajara. When I saw them in Nayarit, it got me thinking, and I'm beginning to suspect I know which one.

I do not know, either. But it sure is maddening when folks think they are donating to Cruz Roja Chapala, when they are donating to some church in GDL, who disguise themselves to look like Cruz Roja, right down to their little crosses.

I asked that same question maybe a year ago when some folks thought they were from the Red Cross. I was handed a pamphlet that I gave to Charlie of the Red Cross.

I don't remember which protestant religion it was. Perhaps The 7th Day Adventists.

I've been told it is Opus Dei. They are, I believe, a right wing branch of the Catholic Church. I don't like that those people on the road let people think it is the Cruz Roja.

I thought the money went to drug and alcohol rehabilitation for the local Mexican community.

Yeah, I don't think they are a church. Espiritu may be right, but they come out from Guadalajara, so I'm not very sure about the "local" connection. I'd really like to know, because they have stepped up their collection schedule.

The guys that come to my door looking to collect for rehabs will have proper credentials hanging around their necks, if they're for real.

Their documentation that they gave me, had the name of a protestant religion on it and they were getting money for that church. I will see Charlie of the Red Cross tomorrow or Friday morning and ask him if he remembers the name of the group.

I started a thread about these cons a couple months ago. If you intend to donate to Cruz Roja give it to Charlie @ Super Lake, otherwise don't give them a peso. Unless you feel good about donating to a church in GDL!

The whole con game sucks, just like the women sitting @ superlake beggin for cervesa for their husbands....these women get off the bus from GDL daily....collect from the gringos....LTAO riding home.

It would be good to know if it's an accredited church, in that case. Not just a non-profit set up for collections.

They are not with Cruz Roja. That has been well established and was obvious from the beginning if you took a good look at them. So...

THEY'RE NOT FROM CRUZ ROJA if you haven't figured that out by now.

Just wondering which organization they're with. The weekend is coming up, I'll ask them again.

It's a total mystery to me why anyone would think they were from CR.

I'm pretty sure they are collecting for some rehab facility, I've asked them in the past and that's what they say.

BTW LTAO=Laugh their ass off.....stealing donations from cruz roja.....and I don't give a flip what their church is......run em outa town

They are extremely offensive in their methodology.

Jim W wrote:

The whole con game sucks, just like the women sitting @ superlake beggin for cervesa for their husbands....these women get off the bus from GDL daily....collect from the gringos....LTAO riding home.

That's funny Jim,at least my wife thought it was when I proposed the idea to her just now.

Trailrunner wrote:
I'm pretty sure they are collecting for some rehab facility, I've asked them in the past and that's what they say.

The thing is, I'm almost certain I saw the same folks in a small pueblo on HWY 200 between Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita. Almost certain. And then 50 yards down the road, I spotted a small church which is part of a MUCH larger church headquartered in Guadalajara, a church that has spread far and wide. There was even a VERY modest version of it in the city I lived in the U.S. So that's why I'm so curious.

If it's a "re-hab center", then I wonder if it's something on the scale of the Salvation Army. Those were the types of services that we listed on the collection box as I started to read it, but then I had to drive off before I finished reading it or could continue the conversation.

I believe it Chris. and you are TFF...maybe I can get my wife to do it?

I always tell them "I just gave to my church" and they smile and move on.

But the handout they gave me identified which church they said they were collecting for. As I said above, I gave the handout to Charlie and when I next see him I will ask him if he remembers which protestant church it is.

But the white uniform they wear, yes there are red lines on them, does not look anything like the Red Cross workers or the uniforms they wear.

You keep saying "Protestant Church". But you don't remember which. Why Protestant?

Because they gave the name to me. And a brochure. It was a name I recognized. I just don't remember the name.

It wasn't mainstream like Presbyterian, Baptist, etc. Nor was it Mormon. It was a group that liked to knock on doors and talk about the bible.

I just don't remember. I will ask Charlie if I see him Tomorrow, or if you see him first, why don't you ask him the name of the church on the brochure I gave him and share it with us.

Rosa Venus wrote:

Trailrunner wrote:
I'm pretty sure they are collecting for some rehab facility, I've asked them in the past and that's what they say.

The thing is, I'm almost certain I saw the same folks in a small pueblo on HWY 200 between Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita. Almost certain. And then 50 yards down the road, I spotted a small church which is part of a MUCH larger church headquartered in Guadalajara, a church that has spread far and wide. There was even a VERY modest version of it in the city I lived in the U.S. So that's why I'm so curious.

If it's a "re-hab center", then I wonder if it's something on the scale of the Salvation Army. Those were the types of services that we listed on the collection box as I started to read it, but then I had to drive off before I finished reading it or could continue the conversation.

Well, that's interesting, I bet you're right. They do seem to have a certain amount of fervor or something. Conviction, maybe. Yeah, yeah, maybe something like the Salvation Army.

I must say, I am mesmerized by her hairdo and outfit.

Rosa Venus wrote:You keep saying "Protestant Church". But you don't remember which. Why Protestant?

Why Protestant?
Because I have never heard of the Catholic Church doing highway solicitation for donations dressed as?..... "nurses"?

"Why Protestant?
Because I have never heard of the Catholic Church doing highway solicitation for donations dressed as?..... "nurses"?." -- slainte

No Jews or Muslims either. They have their own head gear and they don´t go with nurses caps.

I've wonderd what treatment they might get at Cruz Roja if they were injured while standing in the middle of the road and delivered to CR in an ambulance in their white uniforms.

Trailrunner wrote:It's a total mystery to me why anyone would think they were from CR.

I'm pretty sure they are collecting for some rehab facility, I've asked them in the past and that's what they say.

Because they have red stripes on there uniforms and other things that make them appear to be cruz roja. To me they are on the border of bad
ethics but so a church has bad ethics nothing new there I guess.

Z

I have always wondered why Cruz Roja doesn't just roll out their own collectors on those weekends when the fake ones are there at the corner. Frankly I think Cruz Roja would do good to hire some local adults, get them readily identifiable shirts and khakis and set them out there and pay them an hourly or a percentage. Every weekend.

Those fakers annoy me and I think its 7th Day.

I believe they are from The Church of the Latter Day Saints. Isn't that the Mormons?