The cause of hardship and poverty

Dear Editor,

I cannot believe some of the churches in Samoa. There is no hope whatsoever with how they are treating people. 

As long as you’re forcing poor families to fork over their last pennies so you all can live in mansions and drive fancy cars, people of Samoa will continue to suffer. 

The church is the number one source of stress and doom in Samoa. 

There is so much stress and emotional turmoil in our people’s lives because of high expectations for church members who are already living in poverty to give, give give and give more money they don’t have. 

The E.F.K.S now has kaulaga (major donation) twice a year. It used to be once year in May but it’s now collected twice a year in May and November. 

On top of that is the fortnightly pay for the pastor and his wife that is announced from the pulpit to shame those who give too little or can’t give at all.

And then there’s the faamati when the pastor and wifey literally spell out what material wealth they want - a car, new fridges, washing machines, new beds, another new mansion (in some cases tearing down a perfectly fine “old” mansion just to keep up with his fellow pastor down the next village). 

The Village Voice is full of families living in deplorable conditions but they continue to hand over their last talā to the village pastor. 

These families go hungry. There is no soap to wash the kids. They can’t afford sugar for the evening laumoli. The kids go without school lunches. 

They walk for miles to school because the bus fare is too expensive. 

There are families that save their last $30 tala for the pastor instead of buying essentials for their kids. So sad.

The church in Samoa needs to tell their members not to give money if they can’t afford it. Tell them that and mean it. Don’t guilt or shame them either for not giving. Especially if these families are the poorest in the village with barely a crooked faleoo to sleep under. 

If these church officials have any heart they’d release these families from the burden of supporting their fancy lifestyle. That is compassion and the Christian thing to do. 

How do they sleep at night in their nice house, driving nice cars when some families in their aulotu go hungry? 

It’s disgusting how these so called men of God get rich on the backs of poor desperate families struggling to make ends meet. 

You hear many guys who used to work in dead end government jobs but resigned to go to Malua for the sole purpose of living a cushy, comfortable lifestyle after graduation. 

Supported by their parishioners, being paid a thousand talā twice a month tax free with their every demand granted at faamati, it’s a pretty nice gig for Samoa. How disgraceful!

 

Saute Lou

Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>