One way to find out more, or get involved: World Relief. You can read more on their blog (World Relief Stories) about the people they help.
Another interesting organization that I don't know enough about, but may be worth your investigation Kiva.
After reading most of Muhammad Yunnus' Banker to the Poor, see my previous post, I came to a realization that this guy must come under fire all the time. A passionate advocate for the poor, anyone with such determination and focus must come under criticism. So I began reading what was available online (the following are a sampling):
The Micro-Credit Cult
Microcredit, Microresults
The Myth of Grameen
Grameen Bank: Taking Capitalism to the Poor
Is Micro-Credit a Macro Trap
Microcredit Globalization Unlimited
Grameen Transforming Lives
Social and Economic Impact of Grameen and BRAC
Personally, I found the Columbia University article, Grameen Bank: Taking Capitalism to the Poor, the most helpful. I felt like this had a good balanced perspective on Yunnus' work from a business perspective (while admitting it did not try to rate the social impact). It also fills in some of the missing years from the end of Yunnus' book, published in 1999, through 2003. It also addresses some of the setbacks Grameen faced (like a religious and political boycott in 1995) that I missed reading about in the book.
My evolving thoughts are exemplified in this quote from Yunnus about how one of his colleagues use to think that "governments were the savior (of the poor)" so "he turned to the private sector." Savior is the keyword. While micro-credit is an exciting option for helping the poor rise above their way of life from a capitalistic perspective, the ultimate Savior and Hope for the world is Jesus.
I say this not as a catch all, but as balance and a personal reminder. The second most mentioned subject in the Scriptures is the poor (number one is salvation). God is a god of the oppressed, forgotten, and poor. The establishment of the Kingdom of God through Jesus will ultimately heal the systematic brokenness of ourselves, our community, and our world that allows for their to be the oppressed and needy.
Our bats came alive this week. We scored 15 runs and made it through all 6 innings. However, our defense continued to struggle and we gave up 25. In previous weeks the "under-30's" on the team had struggled at the plate so we had been regulated to the end of the lineup. This week we started two rallies of 4+ runs. Personally I went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. Not great, but my hit was a double that a faster runner would have legged out as a triple. Needless to say Softball was a lot more fun this week.
FYI: Softball Sucks.
My adult league team is 0-2. We got slaughter ruled (mercy rule for kids so they don't get their feelings hurt) 21-1 after 4 innings in our first game, and then 18-3 in 5 innings in our second. Both times we were down one man in the field (normally you have 4 players in the outfield). So the first game we got creamed, but the second game was close, 8-3, before we lost Tony to an ankle injury. Then the other team unloaded 11 runs by placing the ball in between our outfielders. Softball Sucks. But I am still going to play this next Monday. Our goal is to field a whole team and make it to the 6th and final inning.
For those of you that missed Anne Rice's book Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, you can see the movie in 2009. Now I can't exactly recommend the movie, since there is no talent connected and the rights are owned by Good News Holdings, backed by Christian church researcher and author George Barna. Who knows whether this will actually be a quality film, or just another cheesy Christian film. We'll see.
I did actually read the book a couple years back. It is a very interesting read from inside the head of seven year old Jesus. The historical setting, daily life, and political climate are extremely accurate to the time of Jesus. This alone illuminates some of Jesus' teaching in the gospels. Rice forms here fictional story of Jesus on the rejected gnostic gospels, and she clings to Catholic traditions like the continued virginity of Mary. If you are looking for a fictional read that will spark some good conversation about Jesus and give you insight into 1st century Israel, pick it up.
Turns out I may not have been completely honest about my TV addiction. The truth is there is another show which I watch almost religiously. The Soup (formerly Talk Soup).
Now, I initially began watching this 30-minute weekly entertainment show because it was good research for pop culture and entertainment news, and was remotely humorous. I enjoy staying on top of these things since it helps me understand the influences of pop culture on the students I work with, and makes for humorous references during teachings at our weekly gathering. I must warn you, since it often has some questionable content. But I have to confess it's grown on me.
Joel McHale's personality, humor, and near apathy for his job have endeared me to the show. While I do watch to stay on top of current events, I have become more interested in Joel's journey as he has gained some success and notoriety and has appeared on Iron Chef America and Thank God You're Here. The guy is sort of a sad character (real person) and I am rooting for him!
Even as I write this my almost two year old daughter swoons over the picture of our Worship Pastor to the left.
For the last few months whenever we go to church (even days other than Sunday) she asks to see Daniel. She asks whether or not we will be able to hear his "'sic" (two year old for "music"). One time Daniel abliged by having a behind the scenes concert in his office. She was quite excited by the whole experience.
I am not so sure about how I feel about my daughter already batting her eyelashes at a musician. I guess as a pastor you would want your daughter to be enamored with a Christian artist.
The more humorous side of this infatuation is that if during a worship service anyone pauses the music for prayer she interupts, often yelling, "Amen! More 'sic!" When the band is through playing she raises her hands in a questioning manner and says, "Daniel? All done?"
I hope the other pastors aren't jealous.
It's time for me to express my commitment and love for PTI. This daily TV show is really the only TV I feel I am addicted to. The rest of TV I can leave behind, but don't take away Tony and Mike!
ESPN's Pardon the Interruption gives you an overview of sports stories. Tony Kornhesier (Wikipedia/Washington Post) and Mike Wilbon (Wikipedia/Washington Post) give their commentary on the events, the culture, and the implications of sports news. It is far more insightful than you might think, though sometimes it does stoop to the glitz and glam of entertainment news.
Rebecca, my wife, says that Tony and Mike just yell at each other. I say you can turn down the TV if you think they are yelling.
Okay, okay. So I read a lot of books, and I say that a lot of books are really good. I am going to have to temper future statements about most books so that when I come to one like this people will realize that whether they are a book person or not they need to pick it up.
Banker to the Poor is a must read. Muhammad Yunus was the first Nobel Peace Prize winning economist and it all stems from his concept of micro-lending which has lifted nearly 2 million Bengali people out of poverty. His concept has spread to over 100 countries and is really changing the world.
Most of you have already checked out, but if you haven't you are in for a surprise. Yunus is a great author! In the midst of his economic perspective he weaves a beautiful story of life and hope. I was whisked off into the third world by the powerful images invoked by Yunus' words. If you have never been to a third world country, Yunus captures not only the visuals and smell, but the heart tweaking reality of poverty.
Yunus admits that his economic idea was simply a way to cope with his personal guilt for those that were literally dying on his doorstep. He never intended for the idea to spread beyond his personal work with the poor and the hearts of his students. Instead it caught on like wild fire and became an integral part of the national bank in Bangladesh.
Take some time to visit a Borders or Barnes & Noble and read the Introduction (you can also read an excerpt of the first chapter online). Let Yunus' words grab you, transport you, and inspire you to be a part of ending poverty.
I have to admit I have been very interested in the "new" pope, Benedict XVI. He is releasing a new book entitled Jesus of Nazareth which is an expression of his "personal search for the face of the Lord." He specifically sites that he began this work while still being a Cardinal so is not part of Catholic dogma and "everyone is free, then, to contradict me." (whole article). He is basically saying that his words are human words. An endearing quality for a pope!
Just got back from 5 days in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. We took 39 people (27 high school students and 5 junior high students) to serve at City Impact. Basically we spent the week caring for the physical and spiritual needs of the homeless, poor, and hurting in the inner-city.
The challenge for me this year is encapsulated in the words of Dallas Willard (I believe from The Divine Conspiracy), that "we can offer anybody a blessed life with God today." Paraphrased from a year or more of meditation, these words express the challenge of communicating the hope that I have experienced in living under the healing, power, and rule of Jesus. Specifically the last three years have been a journey of grace (the power of God to be able to do what I can not do on my own) where the lingering sin of worry and anger have been brought under the covering of Jesus' work (the cross, resurrection, and ascension). I see now that there is hope for all of me through the broken power of sin (the work of the cross), the power for a new life (the work of the resurrection), and the authority to bring this new life to others (the work of the ascension).
I am certain that one can have a blessed life with God, I know that through the process of my life I have come to experience. What I struggle to trust is that anyone can have it TODAY.
My thoughts go to a young woman (26, who looked 40+) I met on the street named Rachel. It was nearly 10:00pm as we walked down Jones, and as I was approached by a drunk for money, she cried out kneeling on the street for prayer. This was unique in my experience this last week since it was normally me asking to pray for others. Her cry was muffled by weakness, but clearly desperate and true. I looked her in the eye and the words "a blessed life with God today" came to mind. She then began whispering her plight. I had to kneel on the ground and lean in to hear her. She spoke of an addiction to heroine and crack and how she had been comfortable destroying her own life, but now she was pregnant. She wanted freedom and help from God. All I could offer was prayer. My friend Kirk joined my kneeling on the street, and we prayed together. How can she have a blessed life with God in the next couple hours of this day? My prayers were passionate, desperate, and tear-filled as I knew her cries had been. I offered her the hope of breakfast tomorrow and the assistance of Chaplain Earl (who has helped many break their addictions). We left, longing for her to be protected, and longing to see her the following morning. The morning came, but she did not.
I do not know where Rachel is tonight. I may never know. But I will continue to pray.
The only consolation I had for my heart were the words I read the next morning from John 1:16: And from (Jesus') fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The life of Christ has forever altered history (the way we count history reflects a small piece of that), and we continue to receive from him all the fullness of his life. The fullness of his life is the ability to do what we cannot do on our own, grace upon grace. If history turns on Jesus, so can my history, or any person's history.
I will carry this week with me. I will carry with me a continued commitment to the process of grace in my life. I will carry with me Rachel who needs this grace today.
This being Easter Sunday there was a lot of focus on Jesus at church. One of the songs we sang had a line that repeated itself saying "You are my King" and how I can't believe you "died for me." Good thoughts, but they sparked a question I have been thinking about after spending sometime focusing on the Lord's Prayer. From Matthew it reads:
This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." - Jesus, Matthew 6:9-14 (emphasis mine)
Notice anything? Not hard to so so when I bolded it I guess. This prayer of Jesus is on behalf of a community. No where does it refer to just one person. I realized this when reading about a rabbinical teaching that anyone who prays simply thinking of himself sins! Most of the Bible refers to "you" in the plural sense (which is clear in the original Hebrew and Greek, but lost in English translations). Of course this is man's commentary, but it is an interesting concept and it seems to still apply to Jesus. I don't think this eliminates first person prayers, but it brings up some good questions for the way we pray, worship, praise, and think that God relates to us.<
Could Jesus' death and resurrection have individual implications ONLY as I realize my connection with all people and take on the identity of the community of God?
Would I still think Jesus loves me if he didn't "think of me above all"?
Okay, so I don't want to go too far, since I do think we get to relate to God on an individual basis. However, it is interesting to consider how communally focused the Scriptures and God are compared to some of our expressions within the church.
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - Jesus, John 14:6
I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. - Paul, Acts 24:14
To the Jewish way of of thinking there wasn't even a word in Hebrew for religion, because to them its simply a way of living. - Dwight A. Pryor, "Principles & Patterns of Jewish Prayer"
We are reading Acts as a church right now, both through teachings on Sundays and in our yearly read through the Bible plan. I have been paused by the few times that the group of people following Jesus have been called "the Way." Mentioned more than "christian" I have been perplexed by this, even a bit uncomfortable. It seemed perhaps I was missing something that was natural about following Jesus. I of course thought of Jesus' own words from John about how he is "the way." But it was listening to a teaching by Dwight Pryor that really caught my attention.
I have always struggled to express why Christianity is not a "religion" as classically conceived and often experienced. And I am sure many have heard the Evangelical idiom, "Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship (with God)." While, Dictionary.com expresses the idea of religion as primarily being a "set of beliefs" and the groups or practices that form from this "set of beliefs." Both left me with an incomplete way of expressing what Christianity means to me. It is certainly a relationship with God, which leads to certain beliefs, particular allegiances, and some disciplined practices. However, I have come to see much of what might be labelled in my life as sacred by Christians or religious by others, is simply "practice" for actual living.
This is why Pryor's words help pull together my struggle with "religion" and the haunting words of Acts about the early Church and its name "the Way." Perhaps now I might adopt this Jewish perspective of life with God as simply a "way of living." I would then be more comfortable to identify the practices and beliefs that I adopt on this life with God as "religious."
It would then serve to note that I recognize most of the disciplines of the Christian life as merely "practice" and not actually "counting" towards living. They serve as a means to receiving God's power (grace) to do what I cannot do on my own. This practice of grace then perfects my "play" on the field of life, where living counts.
Also, I would want to distance the group of people I journey with from such a rigid word as religion, for they are as family to me, and it would seem to limiting a word to express that gathering.
I believe in both faith and reason. The more we learn about God, the more we understand how magnificent this universe is. There is no contradiction to it. When I look at history, I would disagree with Sam: Christianity has done far more good than bad. Altruism comes out of knowing there is more than this life, that there is a sovereign God, that I am not God. We're both betting. He's betting his life that he's right. I'm betting my life that Jesus was not a liar. When we die, if he's right, I've lost nothing. If I'm right, he's lost everything. I'm not willing to make that gamble. — Rick Warren, "The God Debate," Newsweek
Rick Warren is a trendy defender of the Christian faith these days. The Christian world is not to sure what to think of that, and neither is the rest of the world. I personally appreciate Rick. Having visited his church, Saddleback, a number of times I find a reassuring level of authenticity and depth to a way of life that might appear simplistic and naive to the casual reader of The Purpose Driven Life.
In article the "The God Debate," from Newsweek, I think you'll find an intriguing exchange between Sam Harris, an evangelizing atheist, and Rick. It's a pretty fair depiction of both sides (having read numerous Christian apologetics and some of the recent atheistic works like The God Delusion and Moral Minds). I pretty much think that if you come in an atheist you'll think Sam nailed Rick, and if you come in a Christian you'll think Rick exposed Sam for he really is. Both views might be right. But Rick's final words, quoted above, should raise some flags and hard questions for anybody reading.
