"What's been the hardest thing about being back in America? Is it the materialism? Do you get sick of seeing how we waste so much?" Those are common questions we get when we're back in the States. I understand the questions, but I sort of laugh inside because I've only been gone nine months, and in almost every way, I'm still as "American" as everyone I know. As a fellow waster, and someone who still struggles with materialism, I don't feel worthy to answer those questions.
For the first month, I didn't know how to answer those questions I got when we came home. None of my emotions seemed to make any sense. Not enough sense to solidify and slice into words. All I knew was that being at church was the hardest part of being home. Not our church in particular. I'm sure it would not have mattered what church I was sitting in. Church was simply hard. Sundays have been the time when I've felt the most turmoil in my soul. Coming home from Haiti takes one day. On Saturday I can be in Haiti, surrounded by tragedy and grave injustice. On Sunday I can sit in my home church. It's like being in a movie theater, watching a scary, disturbing movie then walking down the hall, a few doors down into a Disney movie. It's hard to process. It's also hard to stay in my seat or listen. What I want to do is stand up and tell people what is going on a few doors down. Right on the other side of the wall. While we're all sitting here in this new room talking about the weirdest topics, trying to convince ourselves that God is good and gracious towards us in our peaceful, thermostat regulated lives, horrible, horrible things are happening right down the hall to an unimaginable number of people.
The hardest part about leaving a place like Haiti and coming back to the United States is realizing that for the most part the church, God's messenger of justice in this world, does not seem to know what is going on outside of the US. Realizing this is painful. Realizing that two years ago, I had no idea what was happening outside our borders is more painful. Maybe sitting in church is hard because I want more people to know and care about human rights violations, rape, molestation, infant mortality, maternal mortality, genocide, honor killings, child slavery, and the many other horrors happening right now. Right this second. While I write a blog post, and you read it. These tragedies are playing out in real life around the world. Maybe the church not knowing grieves me. Maybe. What I know for sure is that my own life, my own self-absorption, my own lack of gratitude...the person I was two years ago, and the person I can be on any given day most certainly is hard to face when I'm in the US.
What can we do to love and care for the poor while living in the United States?
We can know they exist.
We can be educated about what is happening to women around the world. We can know how children are suffering. We can know...really know...how our brothers and sisters in Christ...our forever family is being persecuted...starving...dying needless deaths.
I truly believe that it is lack of knowing that leads us to do nothing. I can't help but believe that if people, who belong to God and have His Spirit living in them, begin to know the truth...to really see it...to study it...to seek it out...our hearts can't help but be spurred to action. As image bearers of God, I don't believe we can see...really see...other image bearers of God suffering and decide to do nothing.
How can we care for the poor while living here in the United States?
We can be informed.
Will this be easy? No. It won't. The truth is rarely told on the news at night. People are suffering in other countries because no one cares enough to report about what is going on...and continue to report about it. We will have to work hard to be informed.
I want to share a few ideas, and let others share ideas as well. If you are like me and know that you are too insulated, unaware of what is going on outside this Disneyland that is our country, then hopefully these ideas will give us all a way to be actively seeking out the truth.
Books
Half the Sky. Hands down the best book I've ever read that not only reports what is happening to women (and little girls) around the world, but also gives lots of ways to help. If you are a Republican, the author's obvious dislike of President Bush that is evident in sprinkles throughout the book may irk you. Sorry. The rest of the book is amazing, and I wouldn't let this keep you from reading this book.
Documentaries
These documentaries were eye opening for us: The Corporation. China Blue. The Dark Side of Chocolate. Invisible Children. We could not be the same people after watching these films.
Food Inc., and Fast Food Nation both caused drastic eating changes in our family, not only because of the health information they contain, but also because of how they "out" the food industry's treatment of immigrants.
Online
Nicholas Kristof's blog. Kristof wrote Half the Sky. He also writes for the NY Times. I've learned a great deal from him about issues facing the poor, women, and children around the globe. Have you read this article by Kristof? I thought it was incredible. Evangelicals Without Blowhards.
The Big Picture. Always click on "more pictures" under each new "story."
Nothing moves me like seeing something with my own eyes. It was The Big Picture's photos of Haiti that captured our heart right after the earthquake. I will never forget them. I could not get them out of my mind the weeks following the quake. I'm sure that caused me to pray. I'm positive those pictures have everything to do with where we now live.
Google alerts. Interested in sweat shops, fair trade, maternal mortality, child slavery, or a particular country? Google lets you set up alerts with key words that interest you. Then Google sends you an email with articles pertaining to your key words. Just go to Google Alerts. Type in the needed information. You can even decide how often you want the news delivered to your inbox.
BBC. I like BBC because they report about things going on all over the world. Most US news doesn't offer that option. You can also pick a certain country of interest and only subscribe to news for that region.
Real-life Relationships
What about the missionaries your family or church supports financially? A part of sending and being the one that stays is being connected to mission work through the missionaries that are being supported. When you support us, for instance, I hope you know that this is the way God connects you...personally...as if you were there...to what God is doing in Haiti through our family and through Heartline. If you have missionaries that you support financially, see if they have a blog. Actually read those long letters they send. This is a great tool...a way to really and truly be connected in an honest, hands-on kind of way with people who are serving the poor.
We have two incredible guest posts coming up from people serving the poor in the US. We'll let them tell you about some ideas for being involved and informed here on the "home" side of the stadium.
Now it's your turn. How do you stay informed? What books have opened your eyes to the plight of the poor around the world? What blogs really teach you...show you...help you to understand how to pray and how to respond? How do you connect with the least of these? What writers, reporters, and bloggers ignite passion in your soul for justice and mercy? What news sources do you use? Let's share what is shaping us and what moves us to action. Ready, set, go.
Other posts in this series on "Caring for the Poor While Living in the US":
Caring for the Poor While Living in the Good ol' U-S of A?
Who Are the Poor?
Looking for the Poor
Hi, My Name is Heather and I'm a Modern Day Slave Owner
Helpful Links
Barn Burning
First, The Purging
The Better World Shopping Guide
More Really Great Shopping Resources
Running Hard After Redemption
Seeko Sandals
Batik Boutique
12 comments:
A book that opened my eyes and forever changed me was, "It's Not Okay with me" by Janine Maxwell. Actually I've never blogged about it b/c it was too much for me to articulate, maybe someday I'll read it again and blog about it but I just couldn't do this book justice in my own words.
I cannot understand poverty completely because I have not experienced it. I have always had provision. But I am sensitive to poverty and informed. I have been a foster parent. I teach children who come from extreme poverty (in U.S. terms.)
I have read a lot about poverty. One of my favorite books is "Random Family." It really opened my eyes to the affects of poverty. Such as having to leave your children with drug addicted parents or questionable neighbors so that you can go to work. And how drug dealing is seen as an honorable profession because it allows you to provide for your family.
Ruby Payne also writes a lot about our culture of decision making based on the type of economic structure we were raised in. She explains that people that are generational poor often spend money on entertainment (i.e. big TV's, game systems) because there is such a need to escape the pain of poverty.
What always catches me by surprise is how callous people (including many Christians) are to people who are poor, especially children. Poverty is seen as a consequence and not a circumstance. It can be either or both.
I believe that many people avoid poverty because it shines a glaring light on our own selfishness and materialism. It is easier to have a lot of stuff if you can justify that you deserve it. It is easier not to help poor people if you believe they don't.
One thing I find very comforting about being around people with few means is their realness. They have neither the time or energy for pretense. It is refreshing. I also am overwhelmed time and time again about their willingness to share with others even though they have little. They know what it feels like to be without.
I appreciate these difficult conversations you are willing to have. Making people uncomfortable. Sharing your own weakness and struggle. Putting it out there that it is not okay to ignore poverty or "least of these."
you have no idea how much I have appreciated this series!! just finished reading "Half the Sky" last week--the last chapter literally made me sick. I've been wrestling through this topic and not sure how God is leading our family, we are currently foster parents with the goal of adoption. My husband works at a very affluent suburban church as a youth pastor. Thank you for all of your thoughts on these topics...it's been very helpful on our journey.
I too have read "Half the Sky" and it was very eye-opening. I also enjoyed "The Hole In Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns (president of World Vision).
I am so glad that you use your blog to help educate people about global awareness. It is so needed in our materialistic society.
In the past few months I've read "Half the Sky", "Not for Sale", "Radical", and I just finished "Tea With Hezbollah" this evening. I also have a long list of books I want to read on social justice and what Christians can and should be doing about it (I think this list is suggested by World Vision..??).
My heart is so broken over the condition of this world and the Christians in it. I'll be posting a blog soon about Radical and Tea with Hezbollah, because to me, they tie together oh so well.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord with everything we have, and the second is like it - to love your neighbor. Jesus says if we love Him, we will obey Him. Kind of cyclical, no? So what if we really take what He said and live it out? Loving others. The poor. The orphans. The widows. The defenseless. And not just them, but the heretics. The Muslims. The terrorists (Muslims are not all terrorists, by the way).
It's a lot to process. I feel as if my whole head has turned to mush, and my heart has been pummeled past recognition.
The call to love is just as radical and seemingly impossible today as it was thousands of years ago when Jesus commanded it. And it is just as vital today as it always has been.
Hmm. I just realized it might have come across that I was accusing you guys of thinking all Muslims are terrorists. Sorry! Didn't mean to do that - I simply wanted to make the distinction between the two, as I was not lumping them together into one category.
We've only begun to scratch the surface, but I feel like God has removed the scales from our eyes over the past year. All the things that God has revealed to us has led us to adoption and I often wonder if we'll be led to even more. Like you, I often feel like standing up and screaming in the middle of Sunday School as I hear everyone discussing their latest purchase and complain about trivial things. It's been hard to have our eyes opened and still be surrounded by people who don't seem to care. I've noticed lots of our friends seem "content to ignore."
kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com This is the blog of an amazing 21 year old girl who has lived in Uganda for the past 3 years and adopted 14 little girls who had nowhere else to go. I was shown this blog earlier this year and read it from the beginning like a novel. It's life-changing. She comes out with a book in October
I just finished half the sky. Yep, those parts irked me, as did some of his abortion comments...but I got over it and "enjoyed" the good stuff. Enjoy as in, I appreicated learning because no one really enjoys reading about the evils of the sin ridden world we live in.
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger and The Hole in our Gospel are 2 books that changed our lives.
They both are really practical.
WorldNextDoor.org is an online social justice "magazine". Their goal is to prod the suburban church into action by telling the stories of people and organizations around the world through words and photographs. Powerful stuff!
you are kinder then me......i think the church does know...people know...we cannot be connected the way we are through...cell phones... internet....media....etc....and NOT know....it easier to close our eyes and our hearts then to actually do....the holy spirit whispers to our souls the kingdom is now you must help....and we walk from the light into the dark and stay blinded... not so much by greed but i think by lack of self confidence and by laziness.....and "the what could i do to make a difference" mentality......christians are reading a lot of books...but then what?..what are we doing about the words we read? are hearts get stirred up a little but then the passion fizzles..we keep walking around dead...and i am so guilty of this!!...."there will always be the poor.....and we need to love our neighbor"...i think i remember reading that somewhere...in really the only book we absolutely need..
keri
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