Is the Majority World the Identified Patient?
Bono’s got me thinking this week.
He’s been at the World Economic Forum and is leading the charge on the “Red Label” campaign- a partnership with fashion designers that promotes raising money to fight AIDS in Africa.
The quote that grabbed me that I heard on NPR was this…
“Wanting to change the world is sexy.”
I couldn’t agree more.
I couldn’t worry more.
Call it sexy. Call it the right thing. Call it cool. Call it whatever you want. Wanting to change the world to be a better place is always a step in the right direction. There’s no use debating relief around the world when people are dying daily of deadly diseases like AIDS and from lack of simple essentials. Action is needed. Action must happen. There’s not much more to say. This is what Gospel is about and I believe the power of the Gospel (in its fullest sense) makes healing possible.
But I have one concern… everyone thinks that the majority world is the only problem- the identified patient.
Let’s go and fix the problems “over there.”
Let’s go over there and help “the poor people over there.”
Let’s travel far away and really make a difference.
Especially in youth ministry, I think we’re getting addicted to going “over there.” I sometimes wonder if a youth ministry is even considered legitimate by it’s peer community if the ministry doesn’t have an overseas trip anymore. And I wonder if this is the best use of our resources to help our world.
We raise thousands of dollars to give students a “vacation with a purpose” when that money could have been used by national leaders in much better ways. Maybe we should raise the money… then cancel the trip and send it over there instead. I think this is very sexy.
Further, I wonder if we can help our world by looking at our own dysfunctions- Our own consumption of resources; Our own use of time; Our own investment in our own community. These are the things that indirectly help our brothers and sisters in the majority world and, just as importantly, address the other part of the problem… us.
It’s sexy to want to change the world.
It’s sexy to admit that I’m part of the world that needs changing.
To quote Bono from U2’s song “Rejoice”
And what am I to do
Just tell me what am I supposed to say
I'll can't change the world
But I can change the world in me
If I rejoice
Let’s change the world. Let’s give ourselves to the world… and let’s not forget that we’re part of the world that needs changing.
posted by steve @ 11:21 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Dang, Steve - go on and tell it like it is! Great post...I'll be chewing on it today.
:Maybe we should raise the money… then cancel the trip and send it over there instead."
beautiful...
Hey Steve, great thoughts as usual. I was defensive immediately because of most former U2-fandom... but, you brought me back around. Luckily Bono backs up what he preaches by not asking for money, just action (he and Bill Gates are the primary funders for most of his Africa/Debt campaign if I remember correctly). Fortunately or unfortunately for my kids I am also not a huge fan of the vacation with a point-Mission trip to the bahamas (where I went as an intern). Thanks for reminding us of the point, and thanks for not claiming to know what THE POINT is... only the desire to point to the cross came across in your blog...
Yours,
Matt
Don't you think there's something to be said about using short-term mission trips as devices for raising awareness? It's true that money can be used better if sent to local church leaders, but what if part of youth groups' mission to the world is a committment to forming a global concern in students to make them part of our global community? And what pedagogical technique can replace personal presence? I guess you can have a mission trip "video cafe," but, come on. What if we looked at mission trips as long-term investments?
Won't your students begin to catch on after the first time you raise the money for the mission trip and then cancel it? And isn't it lying to get students to raise money for a trip when you know the whole time that there is no trip?
I guess in order to change my mind you would need to convince me that, given our only repsonsibility is not to those near us but to the world, that there's something that should (or could) replace personal presence. Do you think that Bono would be as committed to his work if he didn't stare at AIDS in the eyes of a little girl? And do you really think that the amount of money matters anyway? It's a structural problem that doesn't exclude charity but cannot be fixed through it.
Put me in my place if I'm wrong. You know more than me.
sean
Sean...
As usual, brilliant. I'll limit my response and we can talk more when we meet at Time Square in a few months!
I agree with you that we need to form global concern in students. My concern is that we use the globe to serve our own quest for self (spiritual) improvement. When the problem is only "over there" I think we are blinded to our own needs and end up exploiting the people we think we're helping.
Whether we "practice evangelism on people to grown in our faith" or "go overseas to get a bigger picture of our world" we can end up using the people we're intending to help and can even turn into exploitation.
Ministry of presence is essential. Video cafe is not. I just wonder if we try to do too much too quickly with our students. Mission trips to Africa are sexy. Mission trips to our own city's needs are not. Travel by plane is sexy. Travel by church van is not. There's a strange self-serving consumerism that is masked in christian-ese, I fear.
I certainly don't advocate lying about our projects (raising the money and canceling the trip), though it would be interesting. But is traditional missions fundraising really telling the truth either? When we go overseas on a "mission trip" and raise that money, is it REALLY a mission trip? The hotel, the shopping, the fun things, etc. etc. I'm not against fun or vacations with a purpose, but then let's call them what they are: "Hi, I'm Steve and I'm going to go see another country. I'm going to be a tourist there and I'd like you to pay my way." This is probably more honest.
Finally, research is showing that ST Mission trips are limited in their impact on forming global concern. Career missionaries often find these groups unprepared and more work than their worth, and Nationals I fear, endure these well-meaning groups.
Does that mean we throw out ST Missions? Not necessarily, but I think we need to rethink a lot of things and take seriously the responsibility of being guests in a foreign country (across the street or around the world). Global awareness and ministry of presence probably needs to start with our own posture to learn from our friends, rather than teaching, telling, or even serving.
I think Bono is committed to his work b/c he's had a growing sense of justice for 25 years. It probably started with what he saw in his own town in Ireland. We talk at church about developing an "informed activism" and I think this is what needs to be instilled in young people.
Thanks for your thoughtful response, Sean. You know it speaks love to me. Peace.
Steve,
I love the ideas you are putting out here. Maybe, instead of raising the money, we can reduce our expenses by cutting things out of our lives that would be considered a luxury to most, and sending the money we save "over there".
That wouldn't be very sexy, but it would be a great way to live out our faith and get a taste of what other experience daily.
This would also eliminate the need to ask friends a relatives to support "through prayer or donations" our exotic christian vacations.
I would be happy to embark on that sort of missions trip.
Steve et al,
Speaking as one who's self-proclaimed journey to "save the world" has currently got her stuck in a dorm room in a rich suburb, I couldn't agree more with the idea that this quest is a noble and sexy one, but that it has a definate need to be bolstered by education, information as well as personal experience. The fact of the matter is that most people aren't even generally aware of the "problem areas" of our world and would like to keep them just that way. They also don't realize just how close these "problem areas" are. For example, Waukesha, our good ol' neighbor from back in Brookfield has a homeless community of over 1000. And back in high school I still couldn't figure out why for the 30 hour famine we needed to go to Chicago to see this kind of pain (not that I minded then of course). It is somehow much more palatable to deal with "the other" in a place other than our own home. Further, I think that we further propetuate this idea of "the other" when we do ST missions trips. We come in with a messiah complex that automatically seperates us from any real community with those we are "coming to serve." This attitude is easily recognizable and oftentimes resented by nationals who although appreciative of their presence, are often de-humanized by the experience. This is only furthered by our conversations after the fact. We talk about these real humans as if we were the highlight of their lives. Who ever gave us the right to be so important?
In all honesty it is easy to poke holes in the system. It's easy to criticize the "american isolationism" which truly exists, but only in thought and deed can it be changed. Maybe that starts small, starts at home--realizing what true love, Jesus'love is really about it an loving, sacrificing community. And hopefully it moves out. Our global community is getting smaller and smaller. It's not as easy to seperate ourselves from "the other" around the globe. But I hope and pray we do this with an informed and sacrificial heart. The problems are big and the people are real. Maybe ST missions can help with this, I know for me they were a formulative part of my life and I would be no where near where I am today without their affect. However, I think format and function need to be prayerfully reconsidered. We cannot ignore the problems at home and then magically switch on the love of Christ when we step off an airplane.
Maybe this was more for my own catharsis than discussion, but I appreciate the post steve and the good discussion your blog invites :)
Still trying to figure out how to save the world,
Angie
Steve...
I agree with you about "informed activism." It must be gospel-informed activism. I wonder what would happen to some of the problems you talk about if evangelicals adjusted their paradigms for evangelism, preaching, and even learning. Normally, evangelical churches teach their parishoners that they must stand as an advocate for the gospel, passionately persuading the jury of the world. They must bring in whatever witnesses they can to attest to the saving truth of the gospel. After all, eternal souls are at stake. This is how much preaching is done, also. Maybe they missed the Johannine insistence that God already sent an Advocate.
What if we taught ourselves that, in evangelism and preaching, we do not stand as a persuading laywer. Instead, we sit on the witness bench, testifying to what we have seen and heard. I can neither manipulate the message for my purposes nor use the message to manipulate others (even to believe it). The message does not finally belong to me, and I have no control over what happens when I tell it. All I can do is tell it faithfully. Nothing more. But I am not less than a witness and therefore have an obligation to tell.
What if we taught and allowed students to experience poverty (whether at home or around the world or hopefully both) and commissioned them as witnesses to go back to their homes, preparing them for an educational opportunity that they are responsible to use for the healing of the world?
Our trips (and evanglism back home) would take on the character of testimony and not the strange combination of consumerism and salesmanship we see in most evangelical churches.
scl
Sean, Angie...
I couldn't agree with you more.
You both have pointed out that the ST expression is a symptom of bigger issues. We are wise to explore these in oder to shift our thinking and living. I think we'd see more healing in our world (personal and global), as a result.
Both of you inspire me. Thanks.
Ben...
I appreciate your comments. There must be creative ways to help students embrace the globe without perpetuating the concerns that have been raised.
Teenagers have a beautiful activism about them, and I think it's up to us to help them channel that in the right direction.
Peace to you-
s
wow. Thanks so much for this post. Hi i'm joy. I'm a friend of Heather Hammonds. I'm in Lynchburg. I will definitely keep reading you. Why do i always want to change things around me but have the hardest time changing myself. Learning to train myself in the disciplines of the Kingdom and recieve His grace thru them is probably the hardest thing for me. It's just easier to see what others need to change before i change my own. It's a sickness really.
God bless you Steve. Thanks for taking care of Heather and David. i love them so much!
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