2009 | the hitchcockhill show

A few weeks ago I went to Istanbul for the first time in my life. The sunset image above was taken from my hotel room as my day in Istanbul drew to a close. I think its really interesting sometimes when things happen and we don't always know why. I became friends with a coworker and we decided to spend the afternoon together. We took the bus to go see the Mosque and the surrounding area and really just got into conversation that afternoon. We weren't as interested in seeing the sites as we were about our conversation. I don't know how the conversation got onto Christianity - but it did. I began to explain to her my current situation of being very far removed from the Christian culture in America. Since I identify with the gay community more than the Christian community - it makes things like the church and religious fanaticism a distant memory I hope to forget. We talked about why I feel this way about church and religion and I began to explain to her my time at Teen Mania Ministries. Within minutes of starting this phase of our conversation the founders of Teen Mania - Ron & Katie Luce - walked by. I was in shock.

I didn't approach them to say anything because I didn't know what to say. I could have done small talk and such, but I didn't really want to say anything. I wonder what the conversation would have been like - but frankly it doesn't matter. Maybe I could have asked them the question I bring up today. Why do Ron & Katie Luce bring home a combined income of $174,586? Not including any contributions to benefit plans or retirement. This information is public and was taken from the 2006 Tax Return filed by the organization.

Teen Mania is a non-profit parachurch organization that dabbles in youth ministry in many different areas. The interesting thing here is that the organization is practically run by free labor for Teen Mania. There is an internship program where 600+ young people come and work for Teen Mania and then pay them a monthly fee - for the majority is $600 a month - to live and work there. Teen Mania then has them work a full time work schedule throughout the year in various departments to then help the big ministry machine function. So by having these 600 worker bees hard at work in the hive - for a $0 cost to the organization, tons of money is saved for the 'share holders'. If each worker was compensated $12,000 a year (a little above minimum wage) - that would be an annual cost of $7,200,000.

My first two years while I was there I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I made so many friends, and I was doing such great work for the Lord (as I was reminded constantly). To my dismay - once in a while a friend would be called into the office to explain why their internship fees were drying up. They would then be forced to come up with the money or leave. But wait. Wasn't their presence of working free for a year saving them money from paying someone to do the labor? My third year there I began to see how it was really more a business than a ministry. I experienced this first hand as I attempted to have the organization live up to their half of a financial agreement that was made for my services rendered that year. Things did not end up like they usually do on a 30 minute sitcom. I left in March of 2003.

Many years after I left I saw the ministry featured on CNN and how they were coming under fire in the public sphere for their ultra expensive Battle Cry event in San Francisco. What the CNN report failed to report was how the ministry was hard at work soliciting all of their alumni for money since they were quickly running out. I was not on hand to dole out any cash, nor will I ever again.

Now should a man work hard for 20 years to build a ministry and not bear any fruit from that work? I think he should be fairly compensated - but I take serious issue when his labor force is manipulated and when his so called - staff labor force works for peanuts and he and several other members on the elite staff are rolling in high dough for an East Texas economy. What's up with the Acting CFO getting $35,000 and the CFO getting $63,000? Was the CFO paid for a year vacation while the Acting CFO came in to do all the work? The one thing Teen Mania made sure we heard over and over and over and over again was avoid the appearance of evil. There were so many rules and standards and brainwashed behaviors for many over this concept. I think they need to go back and read their own manual.

God is a product to sell. Just today I saw someone post how they had $40 tickets to go see Hillsong United in concert. Wait a minute? I love Hillsongs music - but their main 'product' is worship - so now they are charging $40 a head to come to a worship service? Not to mention the price they charge on their CD's? Well - let's call it a concert and make sure no one is worshipping and it will be okay. I wish we could look up their tax return. I won't pay to go to a worship service (now a conference may be a different story).

And to think all of this came out of small talk conversation on a layover in Istanbul, Turkey. Who will I see on my next layover?

A long time ago I used to blog on a regular basis. At some point I decided that I didn't want to do it anymore, but now that I travel and am constantly having new experiences, I thought it was about time I began to blog again.

Out of all the places I've been in the last year there is no place like Ireland. I love the green countryside and the demeanour of the Irish. They are such kind people and coming here is never dull. When I came here for the first time it was because someone didn't show up for a trip - so I was called out. On that trip I met a fabulous friend who I'll call Mel. I love Mel and I was able to get on another trip with her and today we are going to have some adventures around Limerick.

This job has been an adventure to say the least and in a way I'm still adapting to the schedule and lifestyle. I sometimes think back to the days before I was a flight attendant, and I'm hoping to do more film work in the future and take some time off from the skies. I love being an 'air hostess', but at times it does get tiring being up in the air constantly and opening coke cans.

I think that in June I may try to fly a little less. I'm working on some financial goals - but I think some time off would be a great idea. I have this screenplay idea for a romantic comedy, actually two of them, and I'm hoping I can develop the discipline to get them on paper. Nothing would be more great than to sell a screenplay and make some major cash. Until then can I have a guinness please?