It's been opined more than once that faith in Jesus is a crutch, something for the weak of spirit who can't deal with the pressures of life. True believers, it's said, just need something to look forward to when they die because they are so unfulfilled with their current lives. There may be some truth in that, yet when I look around at the cultural icons whose faces show up on t-shirts and posters, so many of them took their own lives (directly or indirectly) that it becomes obvious they could have used some crutches of their own. Just consider this short list:
Marilyn Monroe
Kurt Cobain
Jimi Hendrix
Elvis Presley
Jim Morrison
These are just the iconic ones; the ones most revered by our culture. There are literally hundreds of other celebrities who committed suicide because they couldn't deal with life. And of course, there are thousands of 'regular' people who try to kill themselves every year and millions more who are addicted to something that helps them get through the day - drugs, alcohol, food, sex, shopping.
So for anyone who says religion is for those who need a crutch my only answer is yes, you are probably right. But I'll take my Jesus as a crutch any day over a crutch that leaves me with a bullet in my head or a stomach full of sleeping pills.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Mall Thoughts
Spending hours on end working a sponsorship booth in a shopping mall gives you lots of time to observe and think. Here are a few of the thoughts I've thunk in the last two days...
Funny t-shirts are rarely funny.
People will do anything to avoid eye contact.
Europeans, even the young ones, will always greet each other with a handshake.
For all of the fashionable stores around, most people dress pretty much the same.
There are a lot of mentally unstable/socially awkward people in the world.
There is no designer clothing as beautiful as a traditional African dress.
Only 1 in every 100 people can really get away with skinny jeans.
Beauty has absolutely nothing to do with the clothes you wear.
Tattoo removal will be a booming business in about twenty years.
Teenage girls are still goofy. Teenage boys are still self-conscious.
Consumerism does not make people happy.
The razor thin beard from the sideburns under the chin looks like a hair net.
VBC (visible bum crack)...never a good idea.
Some people really want to encourage you (thanks Kevin!)
Trend watch - Girls: Flowers in the hair. Checkered shirts.
Trend watch - Guys: Same as usual...t-shirts and jeans.
The mall plays the same sequence of songs every day.
Funny t-shirts are rarely funny.
People will do anything to avoid eye contact.
Europeans, even the young ones, will always greet each other with a handshake.
For all of the fashionable stores around, most people dress pretty much the same.
There are a lot of mentally unstable/socially awkward people in the world.
There is no designer clothing as beautiful as a traditional African dress.
Only 1 in every 100 people can really get away with skinny jeans.
Beauty has absolutely nothing to do with the clothes you wear.
Tattoo removal will be a booming business in about twenty years.
Teenage girls are still goofy. Teenage boys are still self-conscious.
Consumerism does not make people happy.
The razor thin beard from the sideburns under the chin looks like a hair net.
VBC (visible bum crack)...never a good idea.
Some people really want to encourage you (thanks Kevin!)
Trend watch - Girls: Flowers in the hair. Checkered shirts.
Trend watch - Guys: Same as usual...t-shirts and jeans.
The mall plays the same sequence of songs every day.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Too Much Is Never Enough
Watching people at the market today I was struck by how many look sad, angry, anxious...joyless. All this sadness in the midst of such abundance. When will we learn that stuff - food, possessions, money, etc. - will not bring happiness? It's by giving ourselves away that we discover our joy.
A couple walked past my table today looking absolutely miserable. As they passed, I heard the lady say, "There's nothing that we've denied ourselves. Nothing." I believe they were speaking in reference to having seen all there is to see at the market, and yet, having "done it all" they still appeared to be so unhappy. Perhaps the one thing that they had denied themselves was the chance to give something away. To do something for the good of someone else.
There is such profound truth in Jesus' words, "If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms." (Luke 17:33 MSG) Pursuing all that life has to offer when it is only for our own sakes is pointless. Our appetite for more is endless. If I can quote U2 here, "too much is never enough." It's true. Those who spend their time and resources acquiring things for their own pleasure are, generally speaking, very unhappy at the core of their being. I know this is true because I've done it myself. There have been seasons in my life when I've thought, if I could just get a new camera, or a new iPod, or if I could just eat at that new restaurant, then I'll be satisfied. But the pursuit of ones own happiness can be just as addictive and unfulfilling as heroin. The hit feels good when you first make a purchase, but the satisfaction only lasts for a while before you need another hit to maintain your high.
I need to constantly remind myself of this truth: consumerism ultimately will not bring me joy. It's only in giving my life away for the sake of others that true joy and happiness is achieved. I can think of no greater thing than to spend my life in the pursuit of serving others, particularly the "least of these" that Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:31-46. That is where we find life in all it's fulness - in serving others, in giving ourselves away. When God decides my time here is done, I hope to leave with an empty house and an overflowing heart.
A couple walked past my table today looking absolutely miserable. As they passed, I heard the lady say, "There's nothing that we've denied ourselves. Nothing." I believe they were speaking in reference to having seen all there is to see at the market, and yet, having "done it all" they still appeared to be so unhappy. Perhaps the one thing that they had denied themselves was the chance to give something away. To do something for the good of someone else.
There is such profound truth in Jesus' words, "If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms." (Luke 17:33 MSG) Pursuing all that life has to offer when it is only for our own sakes is pointless. Our appetite for more is endless. If I can quote U2 here, "too much is never enough." It's true. Those who spend their time and resources acquiring things for their own pleasure are, generally speaking, very unhappy at the core of their being. I know this is true because I've done it myself. There have been seasons in my life when I've thought, if I could just get a new camera, or a new iPod, or if I could just eat at that new restaurant, then I'll be satisfied. But the pursuit of ones own happiness can be just as addictive and unfulfilling as heroin. The hit feels good when you first make a purchase, but the satisfaction only lasts for a while before you need another hit to maintain your high.
I need to constantly remind myself of this truth: consumerism ultimately will not bring me joy. It's only in giving my life away for the sake of others that true joy and happiness is achieved. I can think of no greater thing than to spend my life in the pursuit of serving others, particularly the "least of these" that Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:31-46. That is where we find life in all it's fulness - in serving others, in giving ourselves away. When God decides my time here is done, I hope to leave with an empty house and an overflowing heart.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Labels
People watching is one of my favorite pastimes when I am out and about. There's never any shortage of interesting or unique people out there. Standing at a display table in a mall or at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market as I have been this week provides plenty of opportunity to watch people as they come and go on the way to do their shopping.
Watching shoppers go by, I'm always amazed by the number of people who wear brand labels on their clothing. It's a continuous stream of Nike, Tommy, Holister, Old Navy, Nautica, etc. For some, this is an unavoidable fact of life in our marketing-saturated society. Personally, I try to avoid being a walking billboard as much as possible. For others however, these labels are an identifier, a way to tell people what "tribe" they belong to or what lifestyle they aspire to. After all, it's hard not to walk into a Nike store and suddenly feel like you can swing a club like Tiger Woods or shoot a layup like Kobe Bryant. And let's face it, who wouldn't want to be toned, tanned, and sexy like a Calvin Klein model?
But what if our labels...that which we aspire to...were character traits rather than designer brands? Is it possible we could replace Adidas, Roots, and Aeropostale with things like Kind, Generous, and Merciful? Just imagine if these labels became more important to us than those of our favorite clothing designers. If we see someone wearing a brand-name sweater we automatically pass a judgement on that person, be it positive or negative, depending on any number of personal factors. But if I saw someone walking down the street with Patient plastered across his chest, I'd be intrigued and would want to know more about how he got that label and where I could get it as well.
Next time I pull on a t-shirt, I'm going to think about what label I'm wearing.
Watching shoppers go by, I'm always amazed by the number of people who wear brand labels on their clothing. It's a continuous stream of Nike, Tommy, Holister, Old Navy, Nautica, etc. For some, this is an unavoidable fact of life in our marketing-saturated society. Personally, I try to avoid being a walking billboard as much as possible. For others however, these labels are an identifier, a way to tell people what "tribe" they belong to or what lifestyle they aspire to. After all, it's hard not to walk into a Nike store and suddenly feel like you can swing a club like Tiger Woods or shoot a layup like Kobe Bryant. And let's face it, who wouldn't want to be toned, tanned, and sexy like a Calvin Klein model?
But what if our labels...that which we aspire to...were character traits rather than designer brands? Is it possible we could replace Adidas, Roots, and Aeropostale with things like Kind, Generous, and Merciful? Just imagine if these labels became more important to us than those of our favorite clothing designers. If we see someone wearing a brand-name sweater we automatically pass a judgement on that person, be it positive or negative, depending on any number of personal factors. But if I saw someone walking down the street with Patient plastered across his chest, I'd be intrigued and would want to know more about how he got that label and where I could get it as well.
Next time I pull on a t-shirt, I'm going to think about what label I'm wearing.
Monday, August 03, 2009
The Times They Are A-Changin'
The phrase "may you live in interesting times" is considered by many to be the English translation of an ancient Chinese curse. There is no doubt that we do live in interesting times and that the not too distance future holds many changes for most of us. Changes which, in large part, will be driven by China and its ever-expanding economic influence.
I've been considering lately just what kinds of changes we can expect in the next 10-20 years as we see our world adapt to shifting power structures and new realities that will impact us all. So with a great debt to many authors, journalists, and my own late-night ponderings, I present my "amateur futurist" predictions of how our world will change over the next two decades.
1) Unemployment will soar as North American manufacturing moves offshore, leaving uneducated workers in the lurch. This is no great prediction as this is already happening on a daily basis. But to all of those poorly educated men and women on the picket lines demanding higher wages for low skill jobs, I would suggest you start finding another line of work...quickly. Those jobs are not coming back, no matter how much pressure the unions exert. We can't compete anymore so let's just get over it and let the retraining begin.
2) Most of us will be driving Chinese or Indian made vehicles with the Japanese and Koreans continuing to hang in there. The North American automobile will be a luxury item for those who can afford them, much like the Mercedes and Jaguar are today.
3) Oil companies will lose their positions of power as more and more of us switch to electric and hybrid vehicles. As a result of this switch, electricity companies will replace "big oil" as the new power brokers. My advice? Invest in your local power generation corporation now.
4) Newspapers and magazines will cease to exist in print form as they head online with an as-yet-to-be-figured-out pricing structure.
5) Evangelicalism will no longer be the primary religious preference of Christians in North America as young believers align themselves with a more inclusive brand of "Jesus follower" without denominational boundaries.
6) As China rises to world economic dominance, our interpretation and application of democracy will change dramatically as will our understanding of free market capitalism. I don't expect any sort of socialist republic being birthed in North America, but those with whom we trade will not necessarily agree that Adam Smith was the father of all economic wisdom.
7) Watch for new economies to arise as developing nations embrace and appropriate China's economic vision for themselves. If (and only if) Africans will demand transparency from their scourge of corrupt leaders, we will see a new dawn for the millions living in extreme poverty in sub-saharan Africa.
8) The concept of personal privacy will become a thing of the past. And we'll give it away willingly! Think about all of those Gen-Y folks driving you nuts in the mall as they text and talk incessantly on their cell phones. Do you think they're going to have any issues with giving up their privacy? Heck, they'd gladly give it up now if it meant more cool ways to connect with their friends.
This list is by no means complete or conclusive, and Nostradamus I'm not. These are just a few areas of observation but there are so many more...How will retail adapt to advancing technologies? What effect will climate change have? How will media conversion influence our day-to-day understanding of the world around us? To what extent will religious extremism continue to inflame violence locally and globally? Will the middle class cease to exist? With fewer farmers and less arable land, how will we feed a growing urban population?
I don't know the answers to these questions, but one thing I am sure of - we are in a time of rapid upheaval the likes of which we haven't seen since the Industrial Revolution three hundred years ago. While there will inevitably be some folks walking around with sandwich boards proclaiming the end is near, I'm not convinced that is in fact the case. God is still at work calling the church to embrace our role as emissaries of His radical life-changing Kingdom built on grace, peace, and love. May we continue to stick to our mission and stand firm while the whirlwind blows around us.
I've been considering lately just what kinds of changes we can expect in the next 10-20 years as we see our world adapt to shifting power structures and new realities that will impact us all. So with a great debt to many authors, journalists, and my own late-night ponderings, I present my "amateur futurist" predictions of how our world will change over the next two decades.
1) Unemployment will soar as North American manufacturing moves offshore, leaving uneducated workers in the lurch. This is no great prediction as this is already happening on a daily basis. But to all of those poorly educated men and women on the picket lines demanding higher wages for low skill jobs, I would suggest you start finding another line of work...quickly. Those jobs are not coming back, no matter how much pressure the unions exert. We can't compete anymore so let's just get over it and let the retraining begin.
2) Most of us will be driving Chinese or Indian made vehicles with the Japanese and Koreans continuing to hang in there. The North American automobile will be a luxury item for those who can afford them, much like the Mercedes and Jaguar are today.
3) Oil companies will lose their positions of power as more and more of us switch to electric and hybrid vehicles. As a result of this switch, electricity companies will replace "big oil" as the new power brokers. My advice? Invest in your local power generation corporation now.
4) Newspapers and magazines will cease to exist in print form as they head online with an as-yet-to-be-figured-out pricing structure.
5) Evangelicalism will no longer be the primary religious preference of Christians in North America as young believers align themselves with a more inclusive brand of "Jesus follower" without denominational boundaries.
6) As China rises to world economic dominance, our interpretation and application of democracy will change dramatically as will our understanding of free market capitalism. I don't expect any sort of socialist republic being birthed in North America, but those with whom we trade will not necessarily agree that Adam Smith was the father of all economic wisdom.
7) Watch for new economies to arise as developing nations embrace and appropriate China's economic vision for themselves. If (and only if) Africans will demand transparency from their scourge of corrupt leaders, we will see a new dawn for the millions living in extreme poverty in sub-saharan Africa.
8) The concept of personal privacy will become a thing of the past. And we'll give it away willingly! Think about all of those Gen-Y folks driving you nuts in the mall as they text and talk incessantly on their cell phones. Do you think they're going to have any issues with giving up their privacy? Heck, they'd gladly give it up now if it meant more cool ways to connect with their friends.
This list is by no means complete or conclusive, and Nostradamus I'm not. These are just a few areas of observation but there are so many more...How will retail adapt to advancing technologies? What effect will climate change have? How will media conversion influence our day-to-day understanding of the world around us? To what extent will religious extremism continue to inflame violence locally and globally? Will the middle class cease to exist? With fewer farmers and less arable land, how will we feed a growing urban population?
I don't know the answers to these questions, but one thing I am sure of - we are in a time of rapid upheaval the likes of which we haven't seen since the Industrial Revolution three hundred years ago. While there will inevitably be some folks walking around with sandwich boards proclaiming the end is near, I'm not convinced that is in fact the case. God is still at work calling the church to embrace our role as emissaries of His radical life-changing Kingdom built on grace, peace, and love. May we continue to stick to our mission and stand firm while the whirlwind blows around us.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Missional Defined
“The missional church vision is not a programmatic response to the crisis of relevance, purpose and identity that the church in the Western World is facing, but a recapturing of biblical views of the Church all too frequently abandoned, ignored, or obscured through long periods of church history. It is a renewed theological vision of the church in mission, which redefines the nature, the mission and the organization of the local church around Jesus’ proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom. Missional Churches seek to respond to God’s invitation to join Him in His mission in and for the world, as a sign, a servant and a foretaste of this Kingdom.”
As published by Forge Canada
As published by Forge Canada
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Scared
Have you ever asked any of these questions...
Are poor kids in Africa really as hard off as the charities claim?
Isn't the media just embellishing the problem because they need a good news story?
Why don't these poor people do something to help themselves?
Why should I help the poor in another country when I need to care for my own family here at home?
Why are all of these celebrities getting worked up over poor kids "over there" - aren't they just seeking publicity for themselves?
Why should I care...the problem doesn't affect me?
All of these questions and more can be answered by reading Scared by Tom Davis. I just finished reading Scared this morning and posted my review on Amazon. You can read the review for yourself, but, as someone who works for an NGO and cares deeply about children living in poverty, I ask you to please read this book. It will change your perspective. It will break you. It just might change your life.
Visit the book's website to see the trailer: Scared
Are poor kids in Africa really as hard off as the charities claim?
Isn't the media just embellishing the problem because they need a good news story?
Why don't these poor people do something to help themselves?
Why should I help the poor in another country when I need to care for my own family here at home?
Why are all of these celebrities getting worked up over poor kids "over there" - aren't they just seeking publicity for themselves?
Why should I care...the problem doesn't affect me?
All of these questions and more can be answered by reading Scared by Tom Davis. I just finished reading Scared this morning and posted my review on Amazon. You can read the review for yourself, but, as someone who works for an NGO and cares deeply about children living in poverty, I ask you to please read this book. It will change your perspective. It will break you. It just might change your life.
Visit the book's website to see the trailer: Scared
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Hoops of Hope
I finished reading Austin Gutwein's book Take Your Best Shot a couple of weeks ago and posted a review on Amazon.ca. Today, a friend sent me the link to this video about Austin's organization Hoops for Hope and the amazing work that has taken place in Zambia (in partnership with World Vision) simply because a nine year-old kid decided to make a difference. I found this very inspiring. I hope you do too.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Interview with the Dunnville Chronicle
From the Dunnville Chronicle:
Ninety-one students of Dunnville Secondary School recently decided they could make a difference in the world and, by letting their actions speak, they did just that.
During the annual 30-hour famine they raised $5,560 destined for third world countries through World Vision.
Scott Rollo, who assumed the role of famine organizer as part of his position as Student Council Activities Coordinator, told the Chronicle, "It was good to realize that we had raised funds and to see where the money was going."
Rollo invited a representative from World Vision to attend the event and explain how the DSS effort could fit into a larger plan. It was a presentation by Brad Saunders of World Vision that helped the students see just exactly what they had achieved.
"It was a good presentation. It helped us realize how the money we raised would help," Rollo said.
And Saunders was impressed by the DSS effort. "It’s really quite amazing what the DSS students did. I’ve been at schools with over 5,000 students who didn’t raise the kind of money they did. And with the economy being like it is, it was really impressive," he said.
Saunders began his presentation asking the students if they had read the headlines that morning announcing the 25,000 people who had died the day before from extreme poverty.
Looks of confusion were exactly what Saunders anticipated as that headline never happened – even though the deaths did happen.
He pointed out that other events grab the headlines, such as the recent outbreak of swine flu, which claimed a few hundred lives, while this perpetual problem is largely ignored.
"I think people are aware of the situation but we need to make it a higher priority in terms of action," Saunders told The Chronicle.
"About five million children under the age of five die every year from malnutrition. That’s about 10 every minute," Saunders explained.
Saunders understands it is the staggering statistics that force the gloomy reality out of the news headlines.
"The numbers are overwhelming, but I like to say one person can’t change the world, but one person can change one person’s world," Saunders explained.
Saunders told The Chronicle he was recently inspired when he heard a former child soldier speak. "He was fired up and said, ‘We can’t wait for our governments or the UN to do something, it’s up to individuals’."
"World Vision is there to serve and help people who need it. We will help anyone regardless of race, religion or nationality," Saunders explained.
They provide an efficient avenue for individuals, or groups like the DSS students, to make a direct difference in the lives of others.
Members of World Vision make presentations to a variety of groups and he remarked that high school students tend to stay enthusiastic a little longer than adults. "They stay pumped up and that excites me. If we can influence a person when they’re young, hopefully they will keep the attitude for the rest of their life," he said.
He appreciated the opportunity to speak at DSS because he realizes it’s getting more and more difficult to be heard.
"It’s tough to get the story told. There are so many other voices out there telling us about Brittney Spears or Brad Pitt or whatever trashy entertainment stuff is happening," he explained.
Saunders said World Vision personnel understand that solving world poverty is a very complicated issue. "It’s a catch-22 because we need people to consume in order to generate enough income to be able to share with others. It’s a hard thing but if we in the developed nations live with a little bit less we can give third world countries more," he offered.
He pointed out that countries with emerging economies tend to display a lower birth rate. And the combination of increased income and lower birth rates raise the chance of survival for children.
In order to stay motivated World Vision staff maintain the approach outlined by their motto – "Change a life, change your own."
"I know the work I’m doing is saving lives on he other side of the world. But the flip-side is changing lives here by raising awareness," said Saunders.
The 30-hour famines, run at churches, schools, or through other groups, are one of three major annual World Vision initiatives. Sponsoring a child born into poverty on an ongoing basis is their second program and purchasing gifts from their annual catalogue is the third.
"The famine season is wrapping up. We begin to focus on the sponsorship program through the summer and then concentrate on the catalogue beginning late in September," Saunders revealed.
"I really love the catalogue concept," he said. "It helps us take the focus off ourselves and allows us to purchase something for someone who actually needs help."
He explained catalogue gifts are not one-time handouts. "The goal is longer term sustainability. The gifts may be a goat, chicken, cow, or fruit tree. They can breed the animals and sell them or sell eggs or milk to produce income, for example."
World Vision has a monitoring process in place to ensure the gifts purchased go into areas targeted for development.
Saunders made it clear that personal help from World Vision is a big part of the process. "Our staff work to train people on what to do with the gifts," he said.
Link to original article: Dunnville Secondary Students Share The Vision
Ninety-one students of Dunnville Secondary School recently decided they could make a difference in the world and, by letting their actions speak, they did just that.
During the annual 30-hour famine they raised $5,560 destined for third world countries through World Vision.
Scott Rollo, who assumed the role of famine organizer as part of his position as Student Council Activities Coordinator, told the Chronicle, "It was good to realize that we had raised funds and to see where the money was going."
Rollo invited a representative from World Vision to attend the event and explain how the DSS effort could fit into a larger plan. It was a presentation by Brad Saunders of World Vision that helped the students see just exactly what they had achieved.
"It was a good presentation. It helped us realize how the money we raised would help," Rollo said.
And Saunders was impressed by the DSS effort. "It’s really quite amazing what the DSS students did. I’ve been at schools with over 5,000 students who didn’t raise the kind of money they did. And with the economy being like it is, it was really impressive," he said.
Saunders began his presentation asking the students if they had read the headlines that morning announcing the 25,000 people who had died the day before from extreme poverty.
Looks of confusion were exactly what Saunders anticipated as that headline never happened – even though the deaths did happen.
He pointed out that other events grab the headlines, such as the recent outbreak of swine flu, which claimed a few hundred lives, while this perpetual problem is largely ignored.
"I think people are aware of the situation but we need to make it a higher priority in terms of action," Saunders told The Chronicle.
"About five million children under the age of five die every year from malnutrition. That’s about 10 every minute," Saunders explained.
Saunders understands it is the staggering statistics that force the gloomy reality out of the news headlines.
"The numbers are overwhelming, but I like to say one person can’t change the world, but one person can change one person’s world," Saunders explained.
Saunders told The Chronicle he was recently inspired when he heard a former child soldier speak. "He was fired up and said, ‘We can’t wait for our governments or the UN to do something, it’s up to individuals’."
"World Vision is there to serve and help people who need it. We will help anyone regardless of race, religion or nationality," Saunders explained.
They provide an efficient avenue for individuals, or groups like the DSS students, to make a direct difference in the lives of others.
Members of World Vision make presentations to a variety of groups and he remarked that high school students tend to stay enthusiastic a little longer than adults. "They stay pumped up and that excites me. If we can influence a person when they’re young, hopefully they will keep the attitude for the rest of their life," he said.
He appreciated the opportunity to speak at DSS because he realizes it’s getting more and more difficult to be heard.
"It’s tough to get the story told. There are so many other voices out there telling us about Brittney Spears or Brad Pitt or whatever trashy entertainment stuff is happening," he explained.
Saunders said World Vision personnel understand that solving world poverty is a very complicated issue. "It’s a catch-22 because we need people to consume in order to generate enough income to be able to share with others. It’s a hard thing but if we in the developed nations live with a little bit less we can give third world countries more," he offered.
He pointed out that countries with emerging economies tend to display a lower birth rate. And the combination of increased income and lower birth rates raise the chance of survival for children.
In order to stay motivated World Vision staff maintain the approach outlined by their motto – "Change a life, change your own."
"I know the work I’m doing is saving lives on he other side of the world. But the flip-side is changing lives here by raising awareness," said Saunders.
The 30-hour famines, run at churches, schools, or through other groups, are one of three major annual World Vision initiatives. Sponsoring a child born into poverty on an ongoing basis is their second program and purchasing gifts from their annual catalogue is the third.
"The famine season is wrapping up. We begin to focus on the sponsorship program through the summer and then concentrate on the catalogue beginning late in September," Saunders revealed.
"I really love the catalogue concept," he said. "It helps us take the focus off ourselves and allows us to purchase something for someone who actually needs help."
He explained catalogue gifts are not one-time handouts. "The goal is longer term sustainability. The gifts may be a goat, chicken, cow, or fruit tree. They can breed the animals and sell them or sell eggs or milk to produce income, for example."
World Vision has a monitoring process in place to ensure the gifts purchased go into areas targeted for development.
Saunders made it clear that personal help from World Vision is a big part of the process. "Our staff work to train people on what to do with the gifts," he said.
Link to original article: Dunnville Secondary Students Share The Vision
Monday, April 27, 2009
Think Before You Buy
I've had NO time lately to even think about posting anything here. Anything beyond a few tweets once and again has just not been possible. That being said, watching this video tonight about the employment conditions of workers in Malaysia for a company contracted by Nike makes me sick.
Any ideas on how we can make this stop? Personally, I think we can complain and protest all we want, but until we start hitting these companies where it hurts the most (their profit margin), I don't really don't think they could care less. To take it one step further, maybe we need to take on not only Nike, but those who accept multi-million dollar sponsorship deals from them. Tiger Woods seems like a decent guy, but if he's being paid $20 million for wearing Nike clothing while the person who made that clothing is making $6 per day and is living in squalor, is he not at least partially responsible for the injustice?
I need to think about this some more, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on how we can educate all of those who endorse Nike so blindly. Is there something more powerful than money? A little bit of bad publicity maybe?
Any ideas on how we can make this stop? Personally, I think we can complain and protest all we want, but until we start hitting these companies where it hurts the most (their profit margin), I don't really don't think they could care less. To take it one step further, maybe we need to take on not only Nike, but those who accept multi-million dollar sponsorship deals from them. Tiger Woods seems like a decent guy, but if he's being paid $20 million for wearing Nike clothing while the person who made that clothing is making $6 per day and is living in squalor, is he not at least partially responsible for the injustice?
I need to think about this some more, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on how we can educate all of those who endorse Nike so blindly. Is there something more powerful than money? A little bit of bad publicity maybe?
Friday, April 03, 2009
Canada Turns Its Back
Read this article in today's Globe & Mail (follow the link for the complete story.)
Although International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda says the government's recently announced foreign-aid realignment will continue to support people in greatest need, finite development resources are being shifted to better-off countries with a bigger trading potential to reinforce Ottawa's preferred focus on Latin America.This new policy abandons Canada's traditional emphasis on reducing poverty in the world's poorest countries, notably in Africa. It will hurt some of the world's most needy people and diminish Canada's stature in the developing world. According to the announcement, eight African countries have been removed from the list of priority recipients of Canadian aid: The losers are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda and Zambia. They have been replaced by Colombia, Peru and the Caribbean, middle-income countries with whom Canada has entered into or is negotiating free-trade agreements.
The new policy has understandably dismayed representatives of the countries diminished by the new thrust. They had been given no hint by Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon when he met the heads of African missions in Canada a month before Ms. Oda's announcement. His commitment to the group that Canada would continue to be an active development partner with Africa now has a hollow ring.
This is unconscionable. Aid should go to those who need it most. Not where it is politically expedient.
Although International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda says the government's recently announced foreign-aid realignment will continue to support people in greatest need, finite development resources are being shifted to better-off countries with a bigger trading potential to reinforce Ottawa's preferred focus on Latin America.This new policy abandons Canada's traditional emphasis on reducing poverty in the world's poorest countries, notably in Africa. It will hurt some of the world's most needy people and diminish Canada's stature in the developing world. According to the announcement, eight African countries have been removed from the list of priority recipients of Canadian aid: The losers are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda and Zambia. They have been replaced by Colombia, Peru and the Caribbean, middle-income countries with whom Canada has entered into or is negotiating free-trade agreements.
The new policy has understandably dismayed representatives of the countries diminished by the new thrust. They had been given no hint by Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon when he met the heads of African missions in Canada a month before Ms. Oda's announcement. His commitment to the group that Canada would continue to be an active development partner with Africa now has a hollow ring.
This is unconscionable. Aid should go to those who need it most. Not where it is politically expedient.
Just The Facts #25
It's Famine Day in Canada!
Fact: Proverbs 31:8-9 says, Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
This will be my last poverty fact now that we've reached the National 30-Hour Famine date. There is still lots of time though to support your local famine group as there are many groups who aren't doing their famine until late April or early May. So please do what you can to help the 1.4 billion people who live on one dollar per day or less. They need YOUR help!
The End Poverty Concert is April 25!
Canada: www.famine.ca
U.S.: www.30hourfamine.org
U.K.: www.bugonline.org
Australia: www.worldvision.com.au
New Zealand: www.famine.org.nz
No one to support locally? Support me!
Fact: Proverbs 31:8-9 says, Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
This will be my last poverty fact now that we've reached the National 30-Hour Famine date. There is still lots of time though to support your local famine group as there are many groups who aren't doing their famine until late April or early May. So please do what you can to help the 1.4 billion people who live on one dollar per day or less. They need YOUR help!
The End Poverty Concert is April 25!
Canada: www.famine.ca
U.S.: www.30hourfamine.org
U.K.: www.bugonline.org
Australia: www.worldvision.com.au
New Zealand: www.famine.org.nz
No one to support locally? Support me!
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