Haiti

"I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others." Luke 21:3

January 12, 2010, Port-au-Prince, Haiti experienced a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. And by January 24^th fifty-two 4.5 or greater aftershocks had been recorded. February 12^th brought the estimation that over three million people were affected by the quake and most likely 230,000 are dead, 300,000 are injured and over 1,000,000 are homeless.

The book of Romans says that “for those who love God all things work together for good.” I thought to myself “in the midst of all this tragedy God, where is the good? Where is your hand in all this? Show me where you are working.”

Economically, times have been tough. It just isn’t a US phenomenon, it is everywhere – travel to India and hear about it, travel to Africa and hear about it, travel to Canada and hear about it. Financial strain is world-wide.

Unfortunately, when finances tighten giving stops; stops cold. People start to hoard and stock and store – preparing for their future and caring only for themselves and/or their immediate loved ones. Caring for the needy, the less fortunate, the poor, the widow and the orphan goes out the window.

This isn’t God’s model. God is a giver, a lavisher, a generous benefactor, a benevolent backer – and he works through us to make it happen. But, if greed, materialism, gluttony, self-indulgence, hording enter stage left generosity is killed and dismissed from the scene.

But, fortunately for the world, Haiti happened. And giving started. The US, European Union, Brazil, UK, France, Canada, United Nations all gave funds toward the relief efforts. Italy forgave Haiti a $55.7 million dollar debt. Senegal has offered the Haitians free land if they want to move. Countess relief agencies have flooded into Haiti – most working endless hours to bring medical aid, food, build shelter, and provide care and clothing for the senselessly rocked native Haitians.

The world is in economic crisis and yet it responds not in hording, but in giving. This is God’s model.

God’s model also battles fear. Fear of not having enough for tomorrow. Fear of failing to provide for your family. Fear of falling short when you need more. Fear. Fear. Fear. God’s word says what you sow you reap…sow fear, reap fear – conversely, sow generosity in times of want and reap generously in times of want.

Are you a giver or a hoarder? Are you generous or greedy? Do you tithe 10% back to God? Check your credit card statement – how much is spent on you vs. on others? How much of your income is “discretional” and is given where God wants it to go?

What is the Haiti in your city? What is the disaster your giving could help? Where can your time, talents, money, and creativity be invested? Where are you philanthropic?

Updates:

Living – We hit a bit of a snag in the final closing of the condo…construction is about a month behind due to weather delays and other unforeseen schedule delays. Good news, the buyer is staying with the sale even though we broke the contract delivery date. I am hoping to be “done” by mid-June

Work – The Big Weekend – went really, really, really well. It was the smoothest I have ever experienced – but I did sleep for 12 hours after I got home!

Requests:

Living – that construction on the building will finish by the end of May and the buyer’s financing can be solidified without delay.

Work – for all our upcoming travel…Seattle, Kala Lumpur, Chennai, Kochi, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos, Connecticut, LA, Texas are just a few of the places we are heading!

Fundraising – if this blog or any of the past entries have touched your heart please donate toward my upcoming trip to Africa. Visit http://gdop.inst.net to find out what I’ll be doing while in Cape Town. To contribute, please go to http://repurposing.biz/contribute for details.

Update #122 Lyric Shock

"Shine your light and let the whole world see…" Praise Chorus Lyric

Have you ever been singing a song and suddenly realize what words you are vocalizing? Lulled by the melody or the rhythm the lyrics don’t hit you until one day, humming in the car to 80’s tunes, you grasp the true meaning of the song...and you are shocked!

This happens to me a lot; in, of all places, church. Hymns I know well, worship chorus’ I don’t have to read the words to, stanzas of music I recognize and can sing along without prompting…worship songs dedicated to God that flow out of my soul without really realizing what I am saying. Occasionally some of the words hit me and I’ll stop singing and think about them – like the ones above… “Shine your light and let the whole world see…”

Is this what I really want God to do? Do I really want to let the whole world see? Do I really want him to blaze his light full-blast through me? Do I really want to make that claim? I stood there and counted the cost of what the lyric implied.

Because the way my mind works I made up a few more lines to go with the first one - sung by me a third below melody – “As long as you don’t embarrass me,” “As long as it you leave my plans be” “As long as there is no fee” “As long as it benefits me…”

I quickly came up with conditions to God using me as a lighthouse.

I sat down in the pew (well, actually theater seat – but you get the picture). Was that how I really felt? God can use me as a light beacon to others as long as I don’t get embarrassed, my life isn’t messed up and a cost isn’t incurred? Yikes – who am I to give God a “can and cannot do” list?

I have gotten to a point in my life where if I feel God is telling me to do something I do it, no questions asked – sell your car (check), move to California (check), sell your condo (almost check) go to Africa, India, Asia (check, check, check), tell that person this from me (check), walk up to that stranger and pray for their knee (um, um, um, stall, um, ok um, check?).

This reflection, based on a nine word line of a song, brought about revelation. In team I am great with faith-based adventure – praying for the sick, encouraging the poorest of the poor, chatting with strangers about Jesus – but on my own – by my solitary self, I ain’t so bold. If I know you are a Christ follower no problem – but if you aren’t, I don’t want to risk offending you, embarrassing myself, or making either of us uncomfortable.

Does this make me a spiritual chicken?

Fortunately my revelations are usually followed by action - see and area of “ick” in my life and do something about it. So I got a book (for those who know me stop saying “surprise, surprise, surprise”) The Ultimate Treasure Hunt by Kevin Dedmon. This form of evangelism makes sharing Jesus palatable to the sharer and the receiver – the receiver walks away knowing God loves them, cares about them, and you walk away knowing that God had them earmarked for you to intercept them.

I don’t what to have lighthouse restrictions. I don’t want to have a “can and cannot do” list pinned to my spiritual chest for God to read when he comes around with assignments. I want to be bold and share the faith, hope and love that I have found.

What about you? Is there a condition keeping your light from shining full, bright and steady? What “can and cannots” do you have pinned on your chest? What would it take to have those removed?

Updates:

Living – I am in the final month of condo ownership! By the 12^th of May I should be “condoless”!

Work – The Big Weekend – our bi-annual retreat starts at 7pm tonight, and I am in charge! We have a speaking engagement at Google on the 13^th, and we have three more books to get to the printers before May 1^st (one was sent Wednesday – Praise God!)

Requests:

Living – that the sale with go through without issue.

Work – for the retreat this weekend – that people will feel God’s hand in their lives hear his voice in their ear

Fundraising – if this blog or any of the past entries have touched your heart please donate toward my upcoming trip to Africa. Visit http://gdop.inst.net to find out what I’ll be doing while in Cape Town. To contribute, please go to http://repurposing.biz/contribute for details.