On Poverty And Prosperity
I dislike the term “rethink” because it is so in tune with the fashionable Emergent movement which claims as its mission to “rethink the way we do church”. Not unlike the hundreds of Christian sectarian movements that came before it.
Last month I posted a short article asking if we should reconsider how we define poverty, as it seems contradictory for Christ to have defined it as a state of material possession. I am now more resolute in the opinion that we should define poverty not by material possessions or income bracket, but by oppression, disrespect, pain, and fear. Is it not obvious that those who embrace low income willingly often find more contentment? Does the classic cliche of “money doesn’t buy happiness” not apply?
Despite my distaste for it, the term “rethink” does seem to fit this circumstance because it suggests that we take a closer look at how we normally perceive poverty and prosperity.
Please Tip
The tip jar at one of my local coffee shops.
In case you can’t read it: “Please tip! We are trying to raise $700 billion dollars to help rich people.“
Art On Your Walls
I’m of the opinion that good art deserves a place on walls. I’m also of the opinion that as art is the expression of beauty in life, it encapsulates even more when it is used to support the love of something as beautiful as adoption.
I’ve followed Steven and Maris’s adoption story for quite some time. Steven is now selling prints of his photography in order to pay for the expenses of the adoption process, and I would greatly appreciate it if you were to visit his site and at least consider a contribution. (and if you talk really nicely to him and perhaps compliment his beard, he might do a special order for you if you’d like a photo size other than the 8×10 size he lists.)
Put some good art on your walls. Please help Steven and Maris adopt :)
Human Trafficking
(* The preceding stats are from International Justice Mission)
There’s a lot on this issue that I’m not terribly well versed at. The most I can hope for is to call more attention to its presence, especially as I let the reality presented by the stats above set in.
I got to know a fella by the name of Greg Althoff and his wife Janelle shortly before I moved out of Colorado. 
Both are very talented artists (graphic design and photography, respectively) and have a heart for the reality of human trafficking that is particularly present in southeast asia.
Greg and Janelle returned on Tuesday from a three week trip to Cambodia where they are working on a video project to help bring attention to the need. It was a pleasure for me to chat with them (though quite limited by a limited internet connection) on a couple occasions during their trip. In the agenda for the future is addional trips back to Cambodia as well as other parts of the world affected by human trafficking.
Please visit the Althoff’s blog for more information on their specific mission, as well as the following websites:
HumanTrafficking.org
Daughters of Cambodia
International Justice Mission
Gov Net
Wikipedia Info
Love 146
Free the Slaves: Kevin Bales
UPDATE: A friend on myspace pointed me towards this website as another resource, and one particularly dealing with child prostitution within the US.
Listen to Bono
“The only time Jesus is judgemental is when it is in reference to the poor.”
“Where you live should no longer determine whether you live.”
“Stop asking God to bless what you are doing. Start asking God what he is doing, because it is already blessed.“
- Bono
Brandt, Least of These
I’d like to point you all in the direction of Brandt Russo. I don’t know Brandt, have never talked to him, but would love for you all to see what he’s doing and even if just for a moment, take whatever you can of his idea and apply it to your own life. I don’t have much to say, please just watch the video and check out his website.
Hope For Haiti
I’m a couple days late getting really caught up in this discussion and movement, but I want you all out there to make sure you make it over to Aaron Ivey’s blog and please please please take part in what is being discussed about Haiti.
Aaron and some other bloggers are putting together a great focus on a place in the world that truly needs real love. Please get involved!
Not Needing Stimulation
I’ve been reading some lately about people receiving their stimulus packages from the government. Stimulus package is more likely just code for “free money in an election year”. But I don’t want to get into the silliness (aka politics) of it, especially the part about how stupid and deceptive it is.
Since its already happening, and already has been delivered to the lucky few out there who signed up for direct deposit, I’d rather talk about what happens next. The blogs and emails I’ve read and friends who’ve mentioned their plans have usually been along the lines of what they’re going to or already have spent the money on.
More than just a thought has occured to me about what to do with the money. I’m not in a situation in life where I can say I need the money. Even a year ago when I made considerably less would I have said do I truly need the money. Besides, “need” usually derives from saying I “need” something else and therefore need the money for it. Do I “need” more stuff? More dvds? More books? More $4 coffee? More toys, more hobbies, more furniture, more crap that continues to add to my mentality of materialism.
I’m not saying that there aren’t people out there who it will truly truly help in the most important of ways. But for the rest of us who know we’re just going to throw it into more stuff that we don’t really need, how about we give it away? Why not give it to someone who does, a friend with medical situations, a non-profit attempting to save lives, or for you Christians out there, a missions program to reach the world? Who cares if the purpose of the $100 billion dollars was meant to be spent within the US economy. Send it where it matters. What if instead that money had been put into humanitarianism, anywhere in the world. Even just in the US? Even 1% of it ($10 million) were spent more responsibly it would make a huge difference. Those are numbers way too big to comprehend.
I think selfishness is the most serious of vices. Begin looking into your life and true intentions and you’ll find it everywhere. Winston Churchill said that “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees all others”, meaning that basically all virtue derives from courage. I think similarly, on the opposite side of the spectrum, all vice derives from selfishness, either overt or covert. There isn’t a lot of true understanding into what the Fallenness of man truly is. Its one of the abstract ideas I’ve talked about previously. In a nutshell, man thinks he is God. The implications of this results in Fallen Humanity.
Anyway, I haven’t received my check yet. Neither have I decided where to send it. But I don’t need it.
Please let me know what you all out there think about this idea. Here’s a list of some causes I’ve seen around lately that could use it:
Riding a Bike Across America
I’ve recently come across Donald Miller’s latest project, a bike ride across America to raise money for building water wells in Uganda. I’d love for you to check out the project and what Donald has to say about it. Go to Donald’s website here.
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