Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

For anyone interested in the kind of missionary work Jill & Derrick seem to be doing, there are some good books that are critical of American evangelical missionaries in Central America & elsewhere:

"Rethinking Protestantism in Latin America" by David Stoll
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rethinking-protestantism-in-latin-america-david-stoll/1019296754?ean=9781566391030&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Core+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP40&k_clickid=3x40&kpid=9781566391030

"Toxic Charity" by Robert D. Lupton

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11869727-toxic-charity

Edited September 8, 2015 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[BitterApple]

The Daily Mail has an article where a Christian Missionary couple had their newborn stolen out of an El Salvador hospital by human traffickers looking to cash in on light skinned babies. Jilly Muffin and Derick might want to hold off on having baby #2 until they're no longer living in a corrupt third world country.

Edited September 8, 2015 by BitterApple

[BetyBee]

What a horrible story!

[PityFree]

The Daily Mail has an article where a Christian Missionary couple had their newborn stolen out of an El Salvador hospital by human traffickers looking to cash in on light skinned babies. Jilly Muffin and Derick might want to hold off on having baby #2 until they're no longer living in a corrupt third world country.

They would actually have to spend some time in a third world country for that to happen. They go back and forth to the US so much, the kid would probably be born on a plane. (Note that their lack of time in Latin America is a benefit to the people of Latin America.)

[kokapetl]

That is scary. At least this couple has been reunited with their baby. Stories here and here. The woman was sent home from the hospital with a dark-skinned baby and now her doctor is under investigation for baby trafficking.

FWIW, the first link is much more concise.

[Ilovemylabs]

I agree strongly with these missionary trips being grifter vacations for all of the reasons you all have stated in the previous posts.

 

What bugs me or rather infuriates me about Christian missionaries, even the ones who actually do some real work is that they all come with a price which  of course is converting people to their beliefs.

         First, I don't believe ANYONE should give with expectations of something in return, an ulterior motive or both.  If that is the case, then it is not a true act of giving.

          Second, and why I am posting is that just because these countries are poverty stricken...etc. why should ANYONE assume or believe their cultures and beliefs are supposed to change or want to change? They might be poor but their cultures should be respected always.

       The Duggars and others like them Nike and hate monger everyone they deem evil and wrong , who don't believe what they believe, but expect people to listen to them?    

           Give with respect and keep your mouths shut.    Respect and listen to the people who are helping, you might learn something.

I must respectfully disagree.  Not ALL missionaries require or even request conversion.  I was a missionary to Malaysia a number of years ago.  We had been INVITED by the local Christian church to assist them with their English speaking ministry and teaching.  I was a teacher in the school and did not do any proselytizing whatsoever, even though a number of my students were not Christian.   I believe that most missionaries today are more about assisting those who need it and most are working in areas where the local people are already Christians.  I have always wondered what Derrick's mission in Nepal was all about.  And what the heck are they doing in El Salvador?  I do not believe their type of mission is typical (at least with the mainstream Protestant churches).

[doodlebug]

I, too, have done volunteer work with both the Catholic Church as well as with a Christian group in Peru, El Salvador and Kenya.  At no time did we ever proseletize anyone.  The Catholic group did have a priest who hosted us and provided translation, we also distributed rosaries to anyone who wanted one (had them displayed on a table near the pharmacy, distributed after the person had already received care).  At no time did we ever ask anyone about their own religious beliefs (or non-beliefs).  As a matter of fact, the priest in El Salvador made a point of welcoming everyone, including the evangelicals, to our clinic.  He was aware of other groups who forced the locals to attend a prayer service before distributing aid and he was strongly opposed to this approach (as is the Catholic Church, in general). We had a daily prayer before we started each day, in English, the locals weren't a part of it unless they chose to be.  I was there to provide medical care and that is all I ever did.  I attended services and did my praying on my own time.

 

That doesn't mean that Jill and Derek are doing anything worthwhile in El Salvador; I suspect they're not.  There are plenty of projects that a couple of untrained but young and healthy volunteers could do there; but I doubt they're interested.  I think they're the sort of 'missionaries' the priest warned us about.

Edited September 8, 2015 by doodlebug

[Missy Vixen]

It'll be interesting to see if they're home for the rest of the year.

 

In the meantime, the point remains that their "long term missions project" was a grand total of six weeks or so, right?

[Cherrio]

I, too, have done volunteer work with both the Catholic Church as well as with a Christian group in Peru, El Salvador and Kenya.  At no time did we ever proseletize anyone.  The Catholic group did have a priest who hosted us and provided translation, we also distributed rosaries to anyone who wanted one (had them displayed on a table near the pharmacy, distributed after the person had already received care).  At no time did we ever ask anyone about their own religious beliefs (or non-beliefs).  As a matter of fact, the priest in El Salvador made a point of welcoming everyone, including the evangelicals, to our clinic.  He was aware of other groups who forced the locals to attend a prayer service before distributing aid and he was strongly opposed to this approach (as is the Catholic Church, in general). We had a daily prayer before we started each day, in English, the locals weren't a part of it unless they chose to be.  I was there to provide medical care and that is all I ever did.  I attended services and did my praying on my own time.

 

That doesn't mean that Jill and Derek are doing anything worthwhile in El Salvador; I suspect they're not.  There are plenty of projects that a couple of untrained but young and healthy volunteers could do there; but I doubt they're interested.  I think they're the sort of 'missionaries' the priest warned us about.

I am happy to hear there are organizations who do help without any agenda's.     

[Fuzzysox]

It'll be interesting to see if they're home for the rest of the year.

 

In the meantime, the point remains that their "long term missions project" was a grand total of six weeks or so, right?

You gotta wonder if Boob held selling the house over their heads so they have decided to stay a while so they can't be kicked out!?

[Missy Vixen]

You gotta wonder if Boob held selling the house over their heads so they have decided to stay a while so they can't be kicked out!?

The correct response to that would have been "Thanks for letting us know, Dad. We'll be home long enough to pack/put our stuff in a storage unit, and then we're out of the US indefinitely. We'll see you when we see you."

 

Here's my theory. Life in El Salvador/"overseas" is not all that and a bag of chips. There's no Wal-Mart and definitely no OB/GYN. It's hard to imagine why language classes in the US are better than learning by immersion in the field. Sooooo, let's speculate. Pick as many from the following as you'd like.

 

1. Jilly Muffin is already pregnant, and thus begins the most high-risk pregnancy known to mankind.

 

2. Their cachet re: fundie celebrities has already worn off with SOS to the extent that they were told their services won't be needed for the near future. They're more valuable as a fundraising resource.

 

3. They're still attempting to negotiate a spin-off with TLC

 

4. Jessa Blessa's due date was significantly miscalculated and that baby is coming faster than we all think.

 

5. derickdillard thinks he made his point with his father-in-law.

 

Suggestions? Ideas?

[BitterApple]

Missy, if I had to make a guess I'd go with your initial theory that life in El Salvador is drastically different than Jill thought it would be. Derick has already proven he has the chops to do long term mission work, so I'm leaning towards Jill being the one who caved and wanted to go home.

In all honesty, I think moving back home is the best decision. From everything I'm reading, gang violence is off the charts in El Salvador. It's really not the place for a sheltered, naive Fundie and a year old baby.

Edited September 8, 2015 by BitterApple

[graefin]

Wait, I think I've missed something. How do we know they've moved back home?

[Lukeysboat]

Here's my theory. Life in El Salvador/"overseas" is not all that and a bag of chips. There's no Wal-Mart and definitely no OB/GYN.

I don't know where in El Salvador they have been living, but there are Wal-Marts in Central America (including El Salvador) and most certainly OB-GYNs. It's not all impoverished countryside and it is relatively small (smaller than Massachusetts) though mountainous. I imagine The Dillards have access to transportation.

[Missy Vixen]

Wait, I think I've missed something. How do we know they've moved back home?

They're home for their second "visit" in less than three months and derickdillard made comments over the weekend that they will be in the US "indefinitely".

 

Let's just say I have a hunch.

[doodlebug]

Yep, El Salvador has all sorts of American-type franchises, at least in and around San Salvador.  The priest who hosted our mission trips used to buy a lot of stuff at Costco there and I have eaten meals at Pizza Hut and seen a lot of similar franchises around town.  As I recall, his biggest complaint was that even Costco didn't carry bacon (not a common food in Central America).  Since the Duggars don't eat pork (or so they say), not an issue for them.   Even if Derick and Jill were in a rural part of the country, they'd be able to get to San Salvador in a couple hours tops.  For that matter, living in rural El Salvador is the best of both worlds; there is far less gang violence and crime in the sticks, San Salvador is scarily unsafe, even in the daytime. 

Edited September 8, 2015 by doodlebug

[Julia]

I think the elephant in the living room here is that pretty much everyone assumes that Jill would have the same trouble in Central America as she'd have moving to an urban center in the United States: she doesn't seem at all qualified - neither of them do - to take care of herself outside of her very sheltered home environment, and there are some places where the learning curve is way steeper. The thought of Jill and one or two babies in any place where you have to keep your head on your shoulders seems risky to me, although at that I'd say she'd be no worse off in El Salvador than she would be in, say, Florida or Upstate NY.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Julia

[auntieminem]

They're home for their second "visit" in less than three months and derickdillard made comments over the weekend that they will be in the US "indefinitely".

 

Let's just say I have a hunch.

Where did he say that?  On his instagram he said they would be in US for a while and their pastor posted on his & Jill's twitter it was joy to pray for and commission them to Central America.  

[Missy Vixen]

Where did he say that?  On his instagram he said they would be in US for a while and their pastor posted on his & Jill's twitter it was joy to pray for and commission them to Central America.  

I realize there's a difference between "short time" and "indefinitely", but I know I have read more than once in the past weekend that it was stated they are here for longer than a short visit. ("Spanish lessons", you know.)

 

www.instagram.com/p/7QS005GCRz/?taken-by=derickdillard

Edited September 8, 2015 by Missy Vixen

[Fuzzysox]

So if Jill is pregnant again it can explain why she didn't look to happy yesterday church than at Amy's wedding. Morning sickness is a bitch. Jessa looked emotional. Is Jill going to steal her thunder again?

Edited September 8, 2015 by Fuzzysox

[birkenstock]

I can't believe that they are still asking for donations while they're in the US. It's shady to live off missionary funds while living in a mcmansion. Derick should really know better after being in the field and presumably doing real missionary work. I know they think they're special, but this is taking resources away from other missionaries and the communities they should be serving. 

 

I wonder if Jill thinks another baby would help with pr. Kind of a band aid baby for the public? The baby would be welcomed and very wanted (by the Duggar/Dillard families), but there will be no people magazine covers.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Cocka doodle dont

[Julia]

The baby would be welcomed and very wanted (by the Duggar/Dillard families), but there will be no people magazine covers.

 

Not so sure about that. I went three days back in Peoples' news feed and couldn't find the Amy story, but the Jessa story was on the front page. 

[leighdear]

From BetyBee over on the media thread

People are "starting to wise up" - we've been there for awhile!

 

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/people-wise-up-fans-starting-to-think-duggar-daughters-donation-funded-mission-is-just-a-scam/

I absolutely agree with the comments section that says the photo looks Photoshopped.  I live at the beach, and photos of folks posing on a windy shoreline just do NOT look that static and frozen.  The edges of them both are too sharp and there are shadows that look wrong.  I think it's faked for some bizarre reason. 

Edited September 9, 2015 by leighdear

[Loves2Dance]

I think the elephant in the living room here is that pretty much everyone assumes that Jill would have the same trouble in Central America as she'd have moving to an urban center in the United States: she doesn't seem at all qualified - neither of them do - to take care of herself outside of her very sheltered home environment, and there are some places where the learning curve is way steeper. The thought of Jill and one or two babies in any place where you have to keep your head on your shoulders seems risky to me, although at that I'd say she'd be no worse off in El Salvador than she would be in, say, Florida or Upstate NY.

Florida? What the heck is wrong with Florida that Jill wouldn't survive? We have everything from the most affluent people in the country to the poorest who don't speak English; we have beaches and we have farms; we have Southern Belles and we have hillbillies. Literally, there is no area in Florida that is identical to the next---Jill would do just fine in Florida. 

From BetyBee over on the media thread

I absolutely agree with the comments section that says the photo looks Photoshopped.  I live at the beach, and photos of folks posing on a windy shoreline just do NOT look that static and frozen.  The edges of them both are too sharp and there are shadows that look wrong.  I think it's faked for some bizarre reason. 

I don't think it's photoshopped; I think they've just edited it to the 9's and it looks photoshopped. 

[kandinski]

Yes, the donation thing was worked out by all of us weeks ago,these people are completely rotten to the core.As my mother said if the top of the iceberg shows distress,whats underneath is completely infested!

 

These mission trips are basically "fundie freebie holidays".I imagine they drove to the airport in air conditioned cars,casualy browsing on the Mac,speeding past people on the streets,starving in despair.

 

Thankyou Jesus.....

[MonicaM]

Talk about behaving foolishly!  They want to travel out of the country so they solicit funds for a so called "mission" trip.  However, they're still desperate to stay in the spotlight so they also publicize their every move, which includes numerous trips back to the US and having a sister and friend visit.  I'm surprised it's taken this long for some of their supporters to wake up and realize they've been scammed.  

Edited September 9, 2015 by MonicaM

[Satchels of gold]

The Duggars need to get off social media asap. It obviously hasn't really sunk in that life in the spotlight is over and it's not coming back in a way that they want. If they have such a strong faith why hasn't it occurred to them that this is Gods way of telling them to get off tv and live their lives. I'm not religious but I know that when everything turns to shit I have enough common sense to look at what I'm doing and start to do things differently. I think they perceive this as a bump in the road and not the end that it is.

Edited September 9, 2015 by nc socialworker

[BitterApple]

Wow, it took their leghumpers this long to figure out their mission trip is just a vacation with a few volunteer hours thrown in? We've been saying that since day one.

[galax-arena]

This is why I prefer Jessa's method of open rants about her religious superiority. Jill does the same thing, she is trying to convert Christians to HER religion, but she is much more subtle.  I really believe Derrick toned Jill down, while Ben is amplifying Jessa.

At least Jessa and Ben's rants are entertaining in how ludicrous they are.

 

Then again, Jill and Derick's purple sash skit was pretty hilarious. 

[Andalusian]

Florida? What the heck is wrong with Florida that Jill wouldn't survive? We have everything from the most affluent people in the country to the poorest who don't speak English; we have beaches and we have farms; we have Southern Belles and we have hillbillies. Literally, there is no area in Florida that is identical to the next---Jill would do just fine in Florida. 

I don't think it's photoshopped; I think they've just edited it to the 9's and it looks photoshopped. 

But then where is the rest of Derick's left arm?

[Fuzzysox]

What a bunch of dumba$$es. They thought the gravy train would last forever. I suspect Derick got fired and they came up with this brilliant idea to fleece people instead of Derick jumping into a job search. So sad for his mom who spent money on Derick's education if he plans on being a Duggar copy now with no job and nothing to do all day.

[sometimesy]

The Dillards will just stop instagramming their trips home. They won't stop 'to and fro' ing. They will be shiftier grifters.

[Loves2Dance]

But then where is the rest of Derick's left arm?

It's possible that it's bent at the elbow. It's an unnatural pose, but Derrick doesn't have the thickest body so an optical illusion with his arms are totally plausible with how small they are. Not saying it absolutely isn't photoshopped, but someone who spends 5 minutes in photoshop making the picture 'better' could ruin an imagine in 60 seconds and I think the Duggars look at that and think it's a good shot. 

[leighdear]

Ok, looking at this copy of the photo on their facebook page, it doesn't look as photoshopped.   I think they were on that beach.  It's just so hard to trust anything they say or do!  *LOL*

https://www.facebook.com/796856417062310/photos/a.796859077062044.1073741825.796856417062310/891637017584249/?type=1&theater

 

But poor Derick looks exhausted and haggard. 

[Patricia07]

What a bunch of dumba$$es. They thought the gravy train would last forever. I suspect Derick got fired and they came up with this brilliant idea to fleece people instead of Derick jumping into a job search. So sad for his mom who spent money on Derick's education if he plans on being a Duggar copy now with no job and nothing to do all day.

 

Makes sense if he got fired.  Remember all the time-off he was taking?  We were wondering about it at the time.

[Missy Vixen]

Florida? What the heck is wrong with Florida that Jill wouldn't survive? We have everything from the most affluent people in the country to the poorest who don't speak English; we have beaches and we have farms; we have Southern Belles and we have hillbillies. Literally, there is no area in Florida that is identical to the next---Jill would do just fine in Florida.

 

I don't think Florida is a dangerous or undesirable place. (I'd have a hard time because of the heat, but IMHO). I think Jill would have trouble in any setting that did not involve constant supervision and any requirement that she make an independent decision. She doesn't have the education or the coping skills to handle life anywhere else but the TTH, as evidenced by video proof that she doesn't know how to follow a recipe or read directions on how to correctly use a baby sling.

 

IMHO.

[Julia]

I can't believe that they are still asking for donations while they're in the US. It's shady to live off missionary funds while living in a mcmansion. Derick should really know better after being in the field and presumably doing real missionary work. I know they think they're special, but this is taking resources away from other missionaries and the communities they should be serving. 

 

I wonder if Jill thinks another baby would help with pr. Kind of a band aid baby for the public? The baby would be welcomed and very wanted (by the Duggar/Dillard families), but there will be no people magazine covers.

from the S.O.S. Ministries website:

 

In addition to airfare, in country expenses (food, housing, transportation) are $650 for the first week and $300 for each additional week (Central America only).

 

 

Do you figure that her fans sent Jill more than ~$1,200?

[Missy Vixen]

Makes sense if he got fired.  Remember all the time-off he was taking?  We were wondering about it at the time.

I think he walked in the day he was supposed to be back from paternity leave or whatever it was called, told his bosses that he was going to need some more time because his wife could not be left alone with their son while her entire family was dealing with Joshgate Part One, and they told him that they were denying his request, he would either show up for work or they would release a statement that his leaving was a mutual decision.

 

One can imagine they had quite a savings account after a year of People exclusives, wedding and baby gifts, and he thought it was his big chance to hit the "mission field" again. Fully subsidized by leghumpers and what they thought was going to be a TLC spinoff.

[JenCarroll]

Ok, looking at this copy of the photo on their facebook page, it doesn't look as photoshopped.   I think they were on that beach.  It's just so hard to trust anything they say or do!  *LOL*

https://www.facebook.com/796856417062310/photos/a.796859077062044.1073741825.796856417062310/891637017584249/?type=1&theater

 

But poor Derick looks exhausted and haggard.

Some high-res digital photos have that hyper realistic look. And/or it may have been taken with a wide angle lens. When you take portraits that way, they tend to produce that strange effect -- like cardboard cut-outs stacked one in front of the other.

[yogi2014L]

I don't think Florida is a dangerous or undesirable place. (I'd have a hard time because of the heat, but IMHO). I think Jill would have trouble in any setting that did not involve constant supervision and any requirement that she make an independent decision. She doesn't have the education or the coping skills to handle life anywhere else but the TTH, as evidenced by video proof that she doesn't know how to follow a recipe or read directions on how to correctly use a baby sling.

 

IMHO.

ITA. Can you imagine never being outside your family's direct supervision, never having to make a decision by yourself ect?

I think most of us with normal childhoods/adulthood's ( going off to college, being independent in your 20s ect) have any idea how truly stunted these adults are.

Given that with their horribly lacking education you have a recipe for disaster.

 

Now add in the danger, cultural differences/ignorance ( on Jills part), language barriers ect of El Salvador - Im surprised they even made it 6 weeks!!!

[Missy Vixen]

ITA. Can you imagine never being outside your family's direct supervision, never having to make a decision by yourself ect?

I think most of us with normal childhoods/adulthood's ( going off to college, being independent in your 20s ect) have any idea how truly stunted these adults are.

Throwing this one out here: Can you imagine being married to someone who had no coping skills and no ability to make an independent decision on any topic? Ever?

 

One must wonder when this dawned on derickdillard... Bin's too stupid (and too ruled by the small head) to figure out what he's in for.

[Wellfleet]

I think he walked in the day he was supposed to be back from paternity leave or whatever it was called, told his bosses that he was going to need some more time because his wife could not be left alone with their son while her entire family was dealing with Joshgate Part One, and they told him that they were denying his request, he would either show up for work or they would release a statement that his leaving was a mutual decision.

 

One can imagine they had quite a savings account after a year of People exclusives, wedding and baby gifts, and he thought it was his big chance to hit the "mission field" again. Fully subsidized by leghumpers and what they thought was going to be a TLC spinoff.

 

Agree. It's just a gut feeling, but I have a whole LOT of trouble believing that Derick would willingly leave Walmart at this stage. Unless he really is dumber than we think. Maybe the fact that [at that point] he had TLC income as a safety net was a factor, but I just don't think he'd leave on his own. And IIRC, we did not know about the molestation until AFTER Derick "quit." I thought both the Derick and the Josh "things' happened within about a week's time - end of May.

Edited September 10, 2015 by Wellfleet

[GeeGolly]

But then where is the rest of Derick's left arm?

 

This is from the same day. The Dillard's missionary work looks exhausting.

[Julia]

Throwing this one out here: Can you imagine being married to someone who had no coping skills and no ability to make an independent decision on any topic? Ever?

 

No, but Jim Bob can, and his girls wrote a book about how that's the kind of wives they wanted to be.

 

As the kids say on the internets, does what it says on the label.

[birkenstock]

Not so sure about that. I went three days back in Peoples' news feed and couldn't find the Amy story, but the Jessa story was on the front page. 

100% Speculation ahead: I don't know that Jill's second child would garner enough interest to get a magazine cover only because there may be Duggar fatigue and many already think of them a baby machines. There's also the question of whether there will be any interest in 6-9 months time. I could see a cover if Jill did an interview about how she is moving on with her life post-19 Kids and regrouping with baby #2 on the way. I think that People.com would track all things Duggar because it gets clicks.

 

from the S.O.S. Ministries website:

 

 

Do you figure that her fans sent Jill more than ~$1,200?

I hope not, but I'm guessing that there are fans who've become their "prayer partners" and are donating monthly. People have randomly sent the Duggars gifts over the years and they may have thought they were supporting the family and helping people in need by donating to Jill/Derick. If they're inclined to support missionaries, they may have given to the Dillards rather than a real missionary family. They trusted the Dillards. Derick has cred because he was a long-term missionary before. He may have tapped his previous donors. Plus, it's shitty that they're still at it asking for money online and going to church to get love offerings. 

[Churchhoney]

From BetyBee over on the media thread

I absolutely agree with the comments section that says the photo looks Photoshopped.  I live at the beach, and photos of folks posing on a windy shoreline just do NOT look that static and frozen.  The edges of them both are too sharp and there are shadows that look wrong.  I think it's faked for some bizarre reason. 

 

It's either Photoshopped or they're standing in front of a poster. Look down to where their feet would be and then try to figure out where the pictured beach would be at that location. Not only are the edges all wrong but the perspective makes no sense when you try to figure out the ground level..... Maybe they took a picture at the beach and thought they looked terrible, so they did a phony beach picture in which they looked better?

[Julia]

It's either Photoshopped or they're standing in front of a poster. Look down to where their feet would be and then try to figure out where the pictured beach would be at that location. Not only are the edges all wrong but the perspective makes no sense when you try to figure out the ground level..... Maybe they took a picture at the beach and thought they looked terrible, so they did a phony beach picture in which they looked better?

 

I wonder if it isn't just bad retouching? Because the pixellation inside the curve of Israel's arm, where they wouldn't have had to silhouette, is the roughly same as the pixellation where they meet the background. I haven't seen anything from them so far to make me think someone in that circle has that kind of photoshop skills. The stuff I've seen, they seem to have barely mastered drop shadows.

[Wellfleet]

The Dillards will just stop instagramming their trips home. They won't stop 'to and fro' ing. They will be shiftier grifters.

 

Derick & Jill may not post photos of their non-mission activities, visits home etc. But these days other people - and their mobile devices - are always watching. Others may do the posting for them. Then the Dillards will really need to go underground. I see a vehicle with tinted windows in their future, and blankets to hide under when John David carts them from the airport to the family compound to see Ma & Pa. No, kids - despite what Daddy's training has been. the gravy train cannot last forever.  Sooner or later you will have to EARN the money you need for living, like all the rest of God's children...

Edited September 9, 2015 by Wellfleet

[Churchhoney]

I wonder if it isn't just bad retouching? Because the pixellation inside the curve of Israel's arm, where they wouldn't have had to silhouette, is the roughly same as the pixellation where they meet the background. I haven't seen anything from them so far to make me think someone in that circle has that kind of photoshop skills. The stuff I've seen, they seem to have barely mastered drop shadows.

 

Yeah, that makes sense.

 

Whatever it is, I guess the bottom line is that it looks kind of strange. Wonder whether they wanted to make it look special, instead -- maybe to use in their pr campaign for the ministry in some way. Quite often, attempting to make photos special ends up making them strange.

[leighdear]

Their Facebook page has the same photo that hasn't been messed with.  They were definitely there.