I highly recommend watching War Dance. It's the perfect example of how joy and suffering works together in our lives to bring out the deepest strength and the greatest beauty imaginable.
The film has us walk with a handful of Ugandan children who have experienced more pain than we will ever know. I was offered a glimpse of their aching hearts. It made me think of my students. They haven't suffered to the same extent, but many of them know pain. The Ugandan children, in this one particular school, found joy, purpose, and healing in their music and dance. They were preparing to compete in a national competition. I loved hearing them speak about the competition, because they sounded just like my students. Children everywhere are competitive and want to believe they are the best in the world. I was also moved by their understanding that this competition wasn't just about them, they were representing their whole tribe, their people. We are so individualistic in the US, that we miss out on this kind of connectedness.
It was beautiful!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Speed dating for Christians was a huge success!
Progressive Dating was a huge success!! I set the date when we had 5 men and 5 women. By the time we had the event, we had 9 and 9. As everyone was mingling, I was so pleased to see such a beautiful group of people. Everyone had a great time. I think Progressive Dating might actually happen more than just a couple times. I often get really excited about an idea and then nothing ever comes of it, but maybe this will be different. I raised $350 for my trip! I'm going to do another one in May. Then in June, we'll start raising money for other non-profits in Portland.
A couple of my girlfriends in Salem are going to host Bunco nights to raise money and my friend's sweet 13 year old daughter is going host a Wii game night with her friends to raise money. I love it!!
Thank you everyone who has supported me already!!
I have my first Lahash training this Friday night.
A couple of my girlfriends in Salem are going to host Bunco nights to raise money and my friend's sweet 13 year old daughter is going host a Wii game night with her friends to raise money. I love it!!
Thank you everyone who has supported me already!!
I have my first Lahash training this Friday night.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Progressive Dating
Over a year ago, I decided that Portland really needed a Christian speed dating event. I had previously gone twice and though I met some nice men, none were Christians. So, I started planning, with the help of some friends. I put it on hold for awhile. But recently decided that it would be a great fundraiser for my trip to Africa. We're having our first event this Monday!! I believe we will have 8 men and 8 women attending, which is amazing, since the men have been very hard to find! I'm excited to tell you how it goes.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Passport
Renewing my passport was a bit of an ordeal.
I set my old passport out months ago, so I wouldn't forget to renew it. However, when it came time to apply I couldn't find it anywhere. I called my mom in Arizona and asked her to FedEx my birth certificate. The day after I got my birth certificate, I found my old passport! Oh well.
Then I find out that the post office only accepts passport applications from 10-3 on week days, which means I'd have to leave during work. When I get to the post office, there are 2 sets of people in front of me, so it took forever. The guy behind me was grumpy, the passport lady talked too much, and one of the tellers got annoyed with me when I kept messing up the debit machine. I think it's a requirement to be grumpy at the post office. My process went smoothly.
When I got home and reread the application instructions, I found out I could have just mailed the renewal. It seems to be a habit of mine to make things harder than they need to be.
I set my old passport out months ago, so I wouldn't forget to renew it. However, when it came time to apply I couldn't find it anywhere. I called my mom in Arizona and asked her to FedEx my birth certificate. The day after I got my birth certificate, I found my old passport! Oh well.
Then I find out that the post office only accepts passport applications from 10-3 on week days, which means I'd have to leave during work. When I get to the post office, there are 2 sets of people in front of me, so it took forever. The guy behind me was grumpy, the passport lady talked too much, and one of the tellers got annoyed with me when I kept messing up the debit machine. I think it's a requirement to be grumpy at the post office. My process went smoothly.
When I got home and reread the application instructions, I found out I could have just mailed the renewal. It seems to be a habit of mine to make things harder than they need to be.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Reflections on Christian Leadership
In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen
"Nouwen was a Catholic priest and writer who authored 40 books on the spiritual life. After nearly two decades of teaching at the Menninger Foundation Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, and at the University of Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard, he went to share his life with mentally handicapped people at the L'Arche community of Daybreak in Toronto, Canada." - Wikipedia
I recently finished reading In the Name of Jesus. I believe I'll be reading the book again in the near future, because the wisdom I found there was encouraging, as well as thought provoking. I have a long way to go in order to be the kind of leader Henri talks about. But I think that is the whole point. Being a leader is a journey, not a destination. I wanted to share some of Henri's words with you.
"These broken, wounded, and completely unpretentious people forced me to let go of my relevant self - the self that can do things, show things, prove things, build things - and forced me to reclaim that unadorned self in which I am completely vulnerable, open to receive and give love regardless of any accomplishments. I am telling you all of this because I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self."
"... there is little praise and much criticism in the church today, and who can live for long in such a climate without slipping into some type of depression? The secular world around us is saying in a loud voice, "We can take care of ourselves. We do not need God, the church, or a priest. We are in control. And if we are not, then we have to work harder to get in control. The problem is not lack of faith, but lack of competence. If you are sick, you need a competent doctor; if you are poor, you need competent politicians; if there are technical problems, you need competent engineers; if there are wars, you need competent negotiators. God, the church, and the minister have been used for centuries to fill the gaps of incompetence, but today the gaps are being filled in other ways, and we no longer need spiritual answers to practical questions.""
"While efficiency and control are the great aspirations of our society, the loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression, and a deep sense of uselessness fill the hearts of millions of people in our success-oriented world."
"The leaders of the future will be those who dare to claim their irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation that allows them to enter into a deep solidarity with the anguish underlying all the glitter of success, and to bring the light of Jesus there."
"Knowing God's heart means consistently, radically, and very concretely to announce and reveal that God is love and only love, and that every time fear, isolation, or despair begins to invade the human soul, this is not something that comes from God."
"Contemplative prayer keeps us home, rooted and safe, even when we are on the road, moving from place to place, and often surrounded by sounds of violence and war."
"The central question is, Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God's presence, to listen to God's voice, to look at God's beauty, to touch God's incarnate Word, and to taste fully God's infinite goodness?"
"Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time."
"But when we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative."
"Living in a community with very wounded people, I came to see that I had lived most of my life as a tightrope artist trying to walk on a high, thin cable from one tower to the other, always waiting for the applause when I had not fallen off and broken my leg."
"But most of us still feel that, ideally, we should have been able to do it all and do it successfully."
"...it is Jesus who heals, not I; Jesus who speaks words of truth, not I; Jesus who is Lord, not I."
"...so also must they be persons always willing to confess their own brokenness and ask for forgiveness from those to whom they minister."
"Christian leaders are called to live the Incarnation, that is, to live in the body, not only in their own bodies but also in the corporate body of the community, and to discover there the presence of the Holy Spirit."
"Leadership, for a large part, means to be led."
"What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life."
"...Jesus has a different vision of maturity: It is the ability and willingness to be led where you would rather not go."
"The way of the Christian leader is not the way of upward mobility in which our world has invested so much, but the way of downward mobility ending on the cross."
"If there is any hope for the church in the future, it will be hope for a poor church in which its leaders are willing to be led."
I am young and still have so much to learn, but what I do know is that being led where I would rather not go has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I have seen the beauty of Christ over and over again and it's usually in the hardest, darkest, deepest places.
"Nouwen was a Catholic priest and writer who authored 40 books on the spiritual life. After nearly two decades of teaching at the Menninger Foundation Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, and at the University of Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard, he went to share his life with mentally handicapped people at the L'Arche community of Daybreak in Toronto, Canada." - Wikipedia
I recently finished reading In the Name of Jesus. I believe I'll be reading the book again in the near future, because the wisdom I found there was encouraging, as well as thought provoking. I have a long way to go in order to be the kind of leader Henri talks about. But I think that is the whole point. Being a leader is a journey, not a destination. I wanted to share some of Henri's words with you.
"These broken, wounded, and completely unpretentious people forced me to let go of my relevant self - the self that can do things, show things, prove things, build things - and forced me to reclaim that unadorned self in which I am completely vulnerable, open to receive and give love regardless of any accomplishments. I am telling you all of this because I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self."
"... there is little praise and much criticism in the church today, and who can live for long in such a climate without slipping into some type of depression? The secular world around us is saying in a loud voice, "We can take care of ourselves. We do not need God, the church, or a priest. We are in control. And if we are not, then we have to work harder to get in control. The problem is not lack of faith, but lack of competence. If you are sick, you need a competent doctor; if you are poor, you need competent politicians; if there are technical problems, you need competent engineers; if there are wars, you need competent negotiators. God, the church, and the minister have been used for centuries to fill the gaps of incompetence, but today the gaps are being filled in other ways, and we no longer need spiritual answers to practical questions.""
"While efficiency and control are the great aspirations of our society, the loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression, and a deep sense of uselessness fill the hearts of millions of people in our success-oriented world."
"The leaders of the future will be those who dare to claim their irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation that allows them to enter into a deep solidarity with the anguish underlying all the glitter of success, and to bring the light of Jesus there."
"Knowing God's heart means consistently, radically, and very concretely to announce and reveal that God is love and only love, and that every time fear, isolation, or despair begins to invade the human soul, this is not something that comes from God."
"Contemplative prayer keeps us home, rooted and safe, even when we are on the road, moving from place to place, and often surrounded by sounds of violence and war."
"The central question is, Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God's presence, to listen to God's voice, to look at God's beauty, to touch God's incarnate Word, and to taste fully God's infinite goodness?"
"Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time."
"But when we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative."
"Living in a community with very wounded people, I came to see that I had lived most of my life as a tightrope artist trying to walk on a high, thin cable from one tower to the other, always waiting for the applause when I had not fallen off and broken my leg."
"But most of us still feel that, ideally, we should have been able to do it all and do it successfully."
"...it is Jesus who heals, not I; Jesus who speaks words of truth, not I; Jesus who is Lord, not I."
"...so also must they be persons always willing to confess their own brokenness and ask for forgiveness from those to whom they minister."
"Christian leaders are called to live the Incarnation, that is, to live in the body, not only in their own bodies but also in the corporate body of the community, and to discover there the presence of the Holy Spirit."
"Leadership, for a large part, means to be led."
"What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life."
"...Jesus has a different vision of maturity: It is the ability and willingness to be led where you would rather not go."
"The way of the Christian leader is not the way of upward mobility in which our world has invested so much, but the way of downward mobility ending on the cross."
"If there is any hope for the church in the future, it will be hope for a poor church in which its leaders are willing to be led."
I am young and still have so much to learn, but what I do know is that being led where I would rather not go has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I have seen the beauty of Christ over and over again and it's usually in the hardest, darkest, deepest places.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tanzania 2000
Route: Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Babati, Kiru, Tarangire National Park, Ngorogoro Conservation Area, and our last stop was a little town along the northern coast of Tanzania where we snorkeled in the Indian Ocean, maybe Tanga.
View Larger Map
These are some of the pictures from my Tanzania 2000 scrapbook.
Top left: A girl named Gracious, from the secondary school, befriended us. That's me on the left.
Top right: We spent some time talking with some folks from the local bible college in Babati.
Middle: Shopping in Arusha. I was a typical tourist and bought way too many things. I have many of the items displayed in my house and my office.
This is the secondary school. We taught some geography lessons and worked on one of their building projects. The students asked if Michael Jackson had his own village.
Top right: This is a very common way to travel in Tanzania. It was a very bumpy ride. All travel was an adventure.
After being in Tanzania only a couple days, we trekked up to Kiru for a two night stay in a mountain village. We divided into small groups, each with a translator, and stayed with a family. The pictures below show the family we stayed with. They lived in a 3 room mud house. The building the children are standing in front of is their kitchen and barn.
These 3 days were by far the most impactful days of my whole Tanzania experience. We ate tons of Ugali, walked through corn fields, herded skinny cows, went to a town meeting in which they were discussing a $10 tax, introduced balloons to the children, slept where critters tried to nibble on our toes, brushed our teeth with twigs, and had to stay inside at night because of possible predators. My greatest culture shock moment was singing and dancing in their little church and hearing them sign praises to God in their native language. It was truly amazing!!
View Larger Map
These are some of the pictures from my Tanzania 2000 scrapbook.
Top left: A girl named Gracious, from the secondary school, befriended us. That's me on the left.Top right: We spent some time talking with some folks from the local bible college in Babati.
Middle: Shopping in Arusha. I was a typical tourist and bought way too many things. I have many of the items displayed in my house and my office.
This is the secondary school. We taught some geography lessons and worked on one of their building projects. The students asked if Michael Jackson had his own village.
Top right: This is a very common way to travel in Tanzania. It was a very bumpy ride. All travel was an adventure.
After being in Tanzania only a couple days, we trekked up to Kiru for a two night stay in a mountain village. We divided into small groups, each with a translator, and stayed with a family. The pictures below show the family we stayed with. They lived in a 3 room mud house. The building the children are standing in front of is their kitchen and barn.
These 3 days were by far the most impactful days of my whole Tanzania experience. We ate tons of Ugali, walked through corn fields, herded skinny cows, went to a town meeting in which they were discussing a $10 tax, introduced balloons to the children, slept where critters tried to nibble on our toes, brushed our teeth with twigs, and had to stay inside at night because of possible predators. My greatest culture shock moment was singing and dancing in their little church and hearing them sign praises to God in their native language. It was truly amazing!!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Letter
April 2010
Jambo Friends and Family,
I hope this letter finds you well! I’m excited to tell you about my trip to Tanzania this summer. Some of you may remember that I went to Tanzania while in college. It was a very moving and even life changing experience. I’ve always wanted to go back. From mid July through August (6 weeks), that is exactly what I intend to do! I’d like to invite you to take this journey with me! Here are the details you need to know.
Who:
I am partnering with a small grassroots organization called Lahash International. I have had the privilege of knowing Lahash’s founder for several years and have always appreciated their approach to ministry. The Grace and Healing Ministry (GHMD) of Dodoma are partners of Lahash and I will be traveling to Tanzania to volunteer with them. Over the last two years, eight people from my church, Vibrant Covenant, have made this same journey. GHMD cares for a very impoverished city by providing home-based care for AIDS clients, sponsorship programs for vulnerable kids, and an exciting church outreach network.
What I hope to do in Dodoma:
* Keep the connection between my church and the Tanzania church strong and healthy. * Spend time at the church and volunteer with the various projects. * Go out into the community to listen and learn from the people. * Live with one of the local staff. * Join Home Based Care teams on their weekly visits to homes in the area caring for people with HIV or other illnesses.* Teach the Compassion International and Lahash kids at the church. * Learn how the Tanzanian church applies the principles of justice, advocacy, and compassion. * Teach English, computer basics, and tutor kids after school at the church. * Use my counseling skills with the children wherever they will be applicable.
Why do I want to go:
To be face to face with Jesus’ most vulnerable children, to see Jesus through their eyes, to walk with them in their grief and their joy, to offer the Jesus in me through service and presence, and to more freely give when I return home.
How you can journey with me:
· Let’s get together for coffee and I’ll tell you first hand about this journey I’m on.
· Tell others about Lahash and think about sponsoring a child in East Africa.
· Pray for me, my journey, the East African nations and what God is doing there.
· Host a fundraiser to help cover the cost of my travels.
· If you are willing and able to financially support my journey to Tanzania, I’d greatly appreciate it. I will be covering the plane fair on my own, but it will cost approximately $1000 for me to stay and travel in Tanzania. You can send donations directly to me at 12959 E Burnside St., Portland, Oregon 97233 or you can donate on Lahash’s website. Under “Lahash Travelers”, click on my name. All donations are tax deductable.
· If you’d like to hear more about my journey, check out my blog at http://erinweissjourney.blogspot.com/.
Upendo, Erin Weiss (weiss.erin1@gmail.com)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
What I might be doing in Dodoma
Partnership
- Keeping the Vibrant-Tanzania church connection strong and healthy.
- Continuing friendships begun during the Vibrant '08 and '09 trips.
- Dialoguing with CV and Amos about further trips and connections (pastors).
Exposure and learning
- Spending time at the church and volunteering with the various projects.
- Going out into the community to listen and learn from the people.
- Spending time in the hospitals seeing the needs and local structure.
- Live with one of the local staff.
Current Service Needs
- Joining Home Based Care teams on their weekly visits to homes in the area caring for people with HIV or other illnesses.
- Teaching the Compassion International and Lahash kids at the church on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Teaching some JAC principles to the local staff and learning from their experiences in Justice, Advocacy, and Compassion.
- Teaching English, computer basics, and tutoring kids after school at the church.
I also hope to utilize my counseling skills in some way, but I'm not sure if my skill set with translate.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Info from UNICEF
Tanzania, long considered an island of stability in the region, hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, due to conflicts in neighbouring Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The past decade has been marked by successful reforms and steady economic growth. Tanzania’s challenge for the future is to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and create better living conditions for the rural poor.
Issues facing children in Tanzania
* More than 400,000 refugees from other nations were living in camps in Tanzania at the end of 2004. Basic health services and facilities in the camps are good, but the rate at which refugees are returning to their own countries has slowed.
* Malaria is the leading killer of children.
* The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is nearly 9 per cent, though some studies say the infection rate is higher. The virus has orphaned nearly a million children and forced others to assume household responsibilities beyond their years in order to care for ailing parents.
* School enrolment rates have risen significantly since 2000. However, increased enrolment has led to a teacher shortage. Less than 20 per cent of students continue to secondary school.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Check out the links on the right
Vibrant Covenant has been my church, my home, my family for the past 5 years. We are an Evangelical Covenant church plant.
Here you will find some basic statistics on Tanzania
Progressive Dating is a fundraiser that I created. Tell your single friends!!
My Facebook Group is just another way to stay connected with me.
The Grace and Healing Ministry is where I will be serving, loving, and growing while in Tanzania.
Leisha is the sponsorship coordinator for Lahash International and she's living in Dodoma and working with the Grace and Healing Ministry.
Jim and Annette are dear friends of mine who have traveled to Dodoma with Lahash.
If you would like to support me financially, this link will take you directly to the online donation page. Under Travelers, click on my name.
Lahash International is the organization I am partnering with.
The Rice and Beans blog archives our challenge to only eat rice and beans for the month of March.
Here you will find some basic statistics on Tanzania
Progressive Dating is a fundraiser that I created. Tell your single friends!!
My Facebook Group is just another way to stay connected with me.
The Grace and Healing Ministry is where I will be serving, loving, and growing while in Tanzania.
Leisha is the sponsorship coordinator for Lahash International and she's living in Dodoma and working with the Grace and Healing Ministry.
Jim and Annette are dear friends of mine who have traveled to Dodoma with Lahash.
If you would like to support me financially, this link will take you directly to the online donation page. Under Travelers, click on my name.
Lahash International is the organization I am partnering with.
The Rice and Beans blog archives our challenge to only eat rice and beans for the month of March.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Widow's Offering
These are the words I spoke at Vibrant as I led the congregation into Communion.
Mark 12:41-44 The Widow’s Offering
Also Luke 21:1-4
Vs. 41: Jesus sat down near the collection box in the temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money.
I can imagine the hustle and bustle of temple life, people coming and going, rich and poor, men and women. Jesus had been teaching all day, often being confronted by religious leaders. I can imagine that he’d be tired and frustrated. At this point, if I were Jesus, I’d be in my head, thinking of what I’d say next or how I’d get through to these ignorant people. Maybe I’d need to go off by myself for a while to cool off and recollect myself. But not Jesus. Not in this situation. Jesus is completely aware of what is going on around him. He is present and active in the moment. He sits and watches. He notices.
What he saw was a woman who gave everything she had to God… and the affluent religious leaders supporting a system that exploited her. There is no mistake or possible misinterpretation in the scriptures regarding God’s call for us to serve and take care of the widow and the orphan, yet the power, wealth, and influence in the temple actively took advantage of the poor.
I honestly never looked at this passage through the eyes of injustice, yet it seemed so obvious; how could I have missed it.
I believe this passage, this story, is infuriating to Jesus. Here is a woman who loves God more than her own comfort and wellbeing. She has the kind of devotion that we strive for and that he calls us into. Jesus has nothing but love for this simple, generous woman, who has no doubt seen much hardship. Jesus watches as the daughter he loves is cast aside and caused to suffer as she gives away the last of her resources.
I felt like God was calling me to look at this passage from Jesus’ perspective, a seat that I don’t usually take. I was drawn to the first sentence of this passage. He never would have saw this story unfold if he hadn’t stopped long enough to notice.
A friend of mine, who works for an organization called Mission Year, sends out a newsletter each month. The same day I was studying this passage, I also read his newsletter, and the passage he used was the Widow’s Offering. This seemed a little too perfect to be a coincidence, so I wanted to share his letter with you.
03/10/10 | Lifestyle of Offering
Dear Friends,
What do you think would happen if you gave a homeless man $250? Our team members in Houston recently found out.
They first met Don on a Sunday afternoon in the park. With friends at their church, our team members spend many Sundays at a local park, sharing home-cooked food. It isn’t a feeding program exactly, but more of a family meal with brothers and sisters who don’t have homes. They call it Simple Feast. Don is a regular, never without his sketchpad and pencil.
Early in her Mission Year, Sarah noticed that Don appeared to be sketching her and her teammate Andy while they patiently listened to the long, rambling story of another Simple Feast friend. Later, he approached her and gently offered his drawing. It turned out that Don was not only a talented artist; he was a kind and thoughtful friend as well. Before long, Don was a regular at the Mission Year team’s house, stopping by to play a board game, share a snack, or just talk.
Since their church has an art gallery, Sarah and Andy eventually arranged for Don to display some of his drawings at the church. A few pieces of his art were sold, totaling $250 that went directly to Don. So what did he do? Don promptly donated it all back to the church. Really.
"When Don gave that money," Sarah said, "I was so humbled that it brought tears to my eyes. I don't think I would have done the same. I probably would have kept some of the money for myself, justifying it by the fact that art supplies cost money. But Don, who has so little, gave everything. It was so beautiful."
Leroy
I believe this is an example of what Jesus wants to see. Sarah and her friends noticed Don. They were Jesus in that moment. The cool thing is Jesus was Don as well. Sarah and her friends saw Jesus in Don.
Jesus calls us to notice. Then he calls us to participate. Just like at the last supper he asked his disciples to notice the bread and the wine. He took the bread and he broke it. “This is my body broken for you.” In the same way, he took the cup, saying “This is my blood poured out for you.” Then he asked them to participate. “Eat this bread and drink this wine. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Mark 12:41-44 The Widow’s Offering
Also Luke 21:1-4
Vs. 41: Jesus sat down near the collection box in the temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money.
I can imagine the hustle and bustle of temple life, people coming and going, rich and poor, men and women. Jesus had been teaching all day, often being confronted by religious leaders. I can imagine that he’d be tired and frustrated. At this point, if I were Jesus, I’d be in my head, thinking of what I’d say next or how I’d get through to these ignorant people. Maybe I’d need to go off by myself for a while to cool off and recollect myself. But not Jesus. Not in this situation. Jesus is completely aware of what is going on around him. He is present and active in the moment. He sits and watches. He notices.
What he saw was a woman who gave everything she had to God… and the affluent religious leaders supporting a system that exploited her. There is no mistake or possible misinterpretation in the scriptures regarding God’s call for us to serve and take care of the widow and the orphan, yet the power, wealth, and influence in the temple actively took advantage of the poor.
I honestly never looked at this passage through the eyes of injustice, yet it seemed so obvious; how could I have missed it.
I believe this passage, this story, is infuriating to Jesus. Here is a woman who loves God more than her own comfort and wellbeing. She has the kind of devotion that we strive for and that he calls us into. Jesus has nothing but love for this simple, generous woman, who has no doubt seen much hardship. Jesus watches as the daughter he loves is cast aside and caused to suffer as she gives away the last of her resources.
I felt like God was calling me to look at this passage from Jesus’ perspective, a seat that I don’t usually take. I was drawn to the first sentence of this passage. He never would have saw this story unfold if he hadn’t stopped long enough to notice.
A friend of mine, who works for an organization called Mission Year, sends out a newsletter each month. The same day I was studying this passage, I also read his newsletter, and the passage he used was the Widow’s Offering. This seemed a little too perfect to be a coincidence, so I wanted to share his letter with you.
03/10/10 | Lifestyle of Offering
Dear Friends,
What do you think would happen if you gave a homeless man $250? Our team members in Houston recently found out.
They first met Don on a Sunday afternoon in the park. With friends at their church, our team members spend many Sundays at a local park, sharing home-cooked food. It isn’t a feeding program exactly, but more of a family meal with brothers and sisters who don’t have homes. They call it Simple Feast. Don is a regular, never without his sketchpad and pencil.
Early in her Mission Year, Sarah noticed that Don appeared to be sketching her and her teammate Andy while they patiently listened to the long, rambling story of another Simple Feast friend. Later, he approached her and gently offered his drawing. It turned out that Don was not only a talented artist; he was a kind and thoughtful friend as well. Before long, Don was a regular at the Mission Year team’s house, stopping by to play a board game, share a snack, or just talk.
Since their church has an art gallery, Sarah and Andy eventually arranged for Don to display some of his drawings at the church. A few pieces of his art were sold, totaling $250 that went directly to Don. So what did he do? Don promptly donated it all back to the church. Really.
"When Don gave that money," Sarah said, "I was so humbled that it brought tears to my eyes. I don't think I would have done the same. I probably would have kept some of the money for myself, justifying it by the fact that art supplies cost money. But Don, who has so little, gave everything. It was so beautiful."
Leroy
I believe this is an example of what Jesus wants to see. Sarah and her friends noticed Don. They were Jesus in that moment. The cool thing is Jesus was Don as well. Sarah and her friends saw Jesus in Don.
Jesus calls us to notice. Then he calls us to participate. Just like at the last supper he asked his disciples to notice the bread and the wine. He took the bread and he broke it. “This is my body broken for you.” In the same way, he took the cup, saying “This is my blood poured out for you.” Then he asked them to participate. “Eat this bread and drink this wine. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Sunday, February 21, 2010
God is Love.
This is what I spoke at Vibrant today.
1 John 4:7-21
"If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."
"God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
This past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about why I want to go to Tanzania this summer. I’ve been struggling with the right words to wrap around my desire for traveling so far from home. This struggle was also coupled with a question I was asked, “Why go when you can give all that money to people who need it?” I also struggle with the concept of short-term missions trips and how they have been abused in our Christian culture.
However, I’m aware that my struggle is primarily with my own perception of external criticism and my need to justify what I do; rather than simply trusting that going to Tanzania is right for me at this time in my life.
Let me explain. I love Portland. I love my community and what I do for a living, but sometimes I feel like I can’t breath. I walk around in fear and worry. I fill my life with tasks to complete and hollow activities. I’m easily distracted and persuaded. I’m critical of myself and others. Then I wonder why I can’t focus when I pray and read the Word; why God isn’t the first one I turn to for guidance; why I can’t speak up when my heart is moved to share God’s love.
Ten years ago, I went to Tanzania and the people taught me what it meant to BE, and how to be still and silent, rather than always DO. This lesson was incredibly profound at the time and completely against my nature, and still is. The Tanzanian people showed me an aspect of Christ that I had missed simply by being who they are.
I’m viewing this trip partially as a sort of Sabbatical or Sabbath: a break from myself and my usual responsibilities, a chance to see Christ incarnate in my African brothers and sisters, a place to rediscover Christ in me. I believe this is a reasonable expectation when I’ll be going for 6 weeks.
However, I’m burdened with thoughts that say my primary motives for going are selfish. I feel like I should go because I simply want to serve. Is it selfish for me to want to go because I want to see Christ through them? I don’t think it is. I think God is pleased that I want to experience him. He’s pleased that I have chosen to experience him through his African sons and daughters. He knows that I have much to learn and room to grow.
God also knows my heart and knows that I will serve to the very best of my ability, that I will give all that I can give, even when I feel like it is such a small gift. But is it? If I believe that God is incarnate in all of us, is the gift of myself or the gift of Christ incarnate in me a small gift? I’m learning that the gift of myself is the most valuable gift that I can offer, whether I am home or far away. Not because I am particularly special, but because Christ lives in me. Christ does not reside in money, though it is a welcome gift at times. I intend to love, and serve, and build relationships, because that is who Christ is in me.
Whether I am going because I want to experience Christ in them or I am sharing the Christ in me, God is pleased. Alternately, whether I am going because I want to experience the love in them or I am sharing the love in me, God is pleased.
In a moment, I’ll ask the communion servers to come forward. It is our custom at Vibrant for you to come to the front when you feel ready. You can tear off a piece of the bread and dip it into the cup. We have grapes here if you are stilling figuring out what it means to walk with Christ. Everyone is welcome to this table. You can eat it here or take it back to your seat to reflect. We don’t have candles for us to light just yet, but I encourage you to lift up your prayers to God during this time.
Let’s pray.
Lord, forgive us our cynicism, our anger, our fear, our worry. Forgive us for suppressing your spirit in us. Forgive us for not allowing you to utilize our hands and feet, our eyes and ears, our heart, our voice. We ask for your grace and mercy. We ask that you teach us to set ourselves aside and put you in the forefront. Let others see you and not us. We ask that you open our eyes and our heart to your presence in others.
Amen
1 John 4:7-21
"If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."
"God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
This past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about why I want to go to Tanzania this summer. I’ve been struggling with the right words to wrap around my desire for traveling so far from home. This struggle was also coupled with a question I was asked, “Why go when you can give all that money to people who need it?” I also struggle with the concept of short-term missions trips and how they have been abused in our Christian culture.
However, I’m aware that my struggle is primarily with my own perception of external criticism and my need to justify what I do; rather than simply trusting that going to Tanzania is right for me at this time in my life.
Let me explain. I love Portland. I love my community and what I do for a living, but sometimes I feel like I can’t breath. I walk around in fear and worry. I fill my life with tasks to complete and hollow activities. I’m easily distracted and persuaded. I’m critical of myself and others. Then I wonder why I can’t focus when I pray and read the Word; why God isn’t the first one I turn to for guidance; why I can’t speak up when my heart is moved to share God’s love.
Ten years ago, I went to Tanzania and the people taught me what it meant to BE, and how to be still and silent, rather than always DO. This lesson was incredibly profound at the time and completely against my nature, and still is. The Tanzanian people showed me an aspect of Christ that I had missed simply by being who they are.
I’m viewing this trip partially as a sort of Sabbatical or Sabbath: a break from myself and my usual responsibilities, a chance to see Christ incarnate in my African brothers and sisters, a place to rediscover Christ in me. I believe this is a reasonable expectation when I’ll be going for 6 weeks.
However, I’m burdened with thoughts that say my primary motives for going are selfish. I feel like I should go because I simply want to serve. Is it selfish for me to want to go because I want to see Christ through them? I don’t think it is. I think God is pleased that I want to experience him. He’s pleased that I have chosen to experience him through his African sons and daughters. He knows that I have much to learn and room to grow.
God also knows my heart and knows that I will serve to the very best of my ability, that I will give all that I can give, even when I feel like it is such a small gift. But is it? If I believe that God is incarnate in all of us, is the gift of myself or the gift of Christ incarnate in me a small gift? I’m learning that the gift of myself is the most valuable gift that I can offer, whether I am home or far away. Not because I am particularly special, but because Christ lives in me. Christ does not reside in money, though it is a welcome gift at times. I intend to love, and serve, and build relationships, because that is who Christ is in me.
Whether I am going because I want to experience Christ in them or I am sharing the Christ in me, God is pleased. Alternately, whether I am going because I want to experience the love in them or I am sharing the love in me, God is pleased.
In a moment, I’ll ask the communion servers to come forward. It is our custom at Vibrant for you to come to the front when you feel ready. You can tear off a piece of the bread and dip it into the cup. We have grapes here if you are stilling figuring out what it means to walk with Christ. Everyone is welcome to this table. You can eat it here or take it back to your seat to reflect. We don’t have candles for us to light just yet, but I encourage you to lift up your prayers to God during this time.
Let’s pray.
Lord, forgive us our cynicism, our anger, our fear, our worry. Forgive us for suppressing your spirit in us. Forgive us for not allowing you to utilize our hands and feet, our eyes and ears, our heart, our voice. We ask for your grace and mercy. We ask that you teach us to set ourselves aside and put you in the forefront. Let others see you and not us. We ask that you open our eyes and our heart to your presence in others.
Amen
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Thoughts on “Short Term Missions”
December 17, 2007
By Dan Holcomb
There is a big and healthy debate about the impact, quality, and effectiveness of “Shor-Term Missions.” The term as I’m using it in this paper can be defined as the following:
A group of people traveling to an area in the world for a short period (2-4 weeks) for the purpose of sharing their lives and faith with the local people or missionaries of that region.
Many question the entire concept of this rapidly growing subsection of missions. Some of their critiques are below:
* The trips cost too much money. Often this money could be used for other critical local needs.
* They are primarily beneficial for the “sending” churches and teams. Often the impact is minimal on the local people and the change that occurs only shapes and enhances the faith and worldview of the “senders” and “travelers”.
* The relationships are short lived. Most teams travel to a region, have an intense experience, and then leave with little or no follow up contact or relationship with the people.
* Many times they are used as a spiritualized vacation time.
* Often the visiting teams are unprepared culturally, spiritually, emotionally, or linguistically. The groups will barge in, take pictures, offend the local culture, judge the local workers, and become a burden to their local hosts or missionaries.
We at Lahash believe there is hope in this model even if many broken pieces should be fixed. When Short Term Missions are done right, the following occurs:
* Prepared Teams: The teams are prepared before they travel, are connected to a “sending community”, undergo a rich new experience, and have follow up after returning. This means that both the sending community and the local community have a rich experience with minimized miscommunication.
* Financially: Regarding the costs of traveling:
o A Lahash partner recently was asked whether money we had should be used for travel or local projects. He responded quickly, “If your father was sick in the hospital, would it be better to visit him or just send money.” Often times we Westerners look at initiatives merely from the productivity standpoint. If we are a global family, we need to be caring for people not just with presents – but with presence.
o From my experience it is extremely rare that a person would get involved with the global church – or donate several thousand dollars without first traveling to the area. Often times STM trips are a gateway where people realize deep love for projects or people around the world and will continue to support them after returning to their homes.
* Dignity: Another South African pastor recently told a friend of mine – “When you people travel, you give our people dignity.” If these trips are done in the right manner, it can be an intensely honoring experience to have a traveler come from around the world to love an AIDS victim – praying for them and holding their hands while they lie in the hospital. It gives them back their sense that their frail body is in fact created “in the image of God” and has inherent value.
* Deep Involvement: Lahash has about 85% of past travelers volunteering, praying, emailing, writing, advocating, and planning follow up trips. Many times with the right pathways this community tie means a life-time bond with the people of the local region.
* Future lives as Missionaries: The younger generation in the church has a problem with committal. But often a trip to a region will capture a person’s heart and they will understand that their life’s mission is international service. One of our first travelers – Imago Dei member Kim Davey – is now traveling with World Venture to Sudan to live long-term.
* Local Lives are Matured and Worldviews Expanded: Many of the people we travel to visit have very little education or perspective on the world. Many of them are too poor to travel more than 40 miles from their homes. Sharing several weeks with them teaching computer skills, Bible study methods, sports, sharing books, talking through cultural differences, and teaching English all enhance the lives of the local leaders and community members tremendously. Furthermore, when families travel the local people see a new perspective on marriages, on how parents treat children, and what older people can do after retirement. It can be a huge gift of hope to the local people.
The Present of Presence
The Present of Presence - by Dan Holcomb, Lahash Founder
On our last trip to Kenya, we were sharing a conversation with our friend and partner Edwin Angote. We had been talking about the costs of traveling to East Africa - and Erin asked him a question. "Would you prefer that people from the West use money to travel and visit vulnerable friends here - or is it better that the travel money is directed toward the most pressing needs?" Edwin didn't even pause to think about his response: "If your father is sick in the hospital, is it better to visit him in person - or give him gifts?"
Sometimes our life situations dictate that we can't visit our global family members who are orphaned, widowed, sick, or under siege. Often our gifts are all we can offer. But whenever possible, we at Lahash encourage people who are privileged with resources and time to make a personal visit.
God with us. Emmanuel. Hope burst back on the scene when a baby's cry was heard in Bethlehem 2000 years ago! He proved he was a loving, active, and personal God who demonstrated his love not just by presents - but by presence.
Thank you for partnering with us this year as we've continued our mission. Thank you for allowing our partners and travelers to become the presence of Christ in some of the most hopeless situations on our planet. Thank you for the kindness, generosity, friendship, and prayers for my wife, Erin, and I. May Christ's presence be with each of you this December.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Lahash Banquet
The first Lahash Banquet was tonight. It was a semi-formal event in a lovely ballroom. It was fun to get dressed up and see so many people I know. Hearing the stories of Lahash and their African partners was moving. I forgot how much I valued the mission of Lahash.
Two summers prior, I had fully intended to travel with some of my friends to Tanzania. I wasn't able to go due to my work schedule, but I told myself I'd go soon. However, I have said this before. I traveled to Tanzania in 2000 with George Fox University. The experience was incredibly impactful. It opened my eyes to the vastness of God. He burst right out the box I had made for him. The opportunity to return didn't present itself until I met Lahash. I felt like the chance to go slipped through my fingers 2 summers ago. I don't intend to let another 10 years go by without following this pull I have towards Tanzania.
Before I left the banquet, I made sure that Lahash, Dan and Erin, knew that I wanted to go to Tanzania and that I needed them to encourage me. I asked them to follow up with me after the banquet. We'll see what happens.
I really want to go to Tanzania. It feels right.
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