My first visit to David’s house was a tiny apartment in the “immigrant” part of town that would have been small for this family of four let alone the extended family of members of his tribe that were there. It has been amazing to track the changes in his life by his moves to larger apartments to the house they are renting now. He is a hard worker.
Before coming to the US David had only ever known war and oppression. He was at home when his father was murdered. He heard the shots that killed his father even as he was escaping out the back. His mother was murdered some time later. He lost children in the refugee camps, and almost died himself of disease. He served faithfully as a minster and was ordained as a Free Church pastor there. He has story upon story that will increase your awe of God. The stories of his life also make me wonder if I have ever really known faith, true faith, real belief. Mine are the trials of a pampered faith pushing away the hands of the prostitute we call pop-culture. His is brutality, life & death, literally laying down his life for others.
Anyway…
When we entered into the Advent Conspiracy (www.adventconspiracy.org), I asked David if there were ways to bless him or his family. He said yes. His brother Matthew and his four children had left Sudan at David’s request to go and be with their younger brother. However, while the UN is repatriating the refugees back to southern Sudan they won’t take Matthew’s family because they went to the camps voluntarily to take care of his younger brother. David shared that they’re stuck with no way to get home, and that armed bands are entering the emptying camps to scavenge and pillage. It’s very dangerous, and David is very worried.
So we shared with the church that we were going to “pass the hat” to get money to send this family back home. We asked them to look at their Christmas budget and take the money from there rather than just spend more overall. Here’s the kicker, all we needed was every one to bring $5. So it wasn’t a lot we were asking. It amazes me that for the price of a super-sized fast food value meal we could get this family home.
I was little worried because we were smaller than normal this past Sunday. With only 55 of us I didn’t know if we would raise enough and I asked the Elders to let me know the count in case we had to pass the hat a second time. We didn’t need to. People gave 1,663,000 Ugandan Schillings ($994.71 US). My favorite part was first hearing, then looking up to see one of the senior members of the body shaking out her rather large change purse into the basket. Never despise the widow’s mite!
I was so blessed at people’s generosity. I was so happy for David. I sent the money yesterday.
But there is so much more to do. David’s second request after helping his family was praying for peace. There are people who have fled the north who have settled in their village because they were driven out to the refugee camps. With return there is tension. The south is telling the north to take back those that have fled so they can have their homes back. David’s request was prayer for peace to stop the 50 year cycle of violence, revenge, and never-ending blood-shed.
We prayed Sunday. We need to continue to pray. Being peace-bringers is one of our blessings to this world. I wonder if there is more to this gift the Lord has given to us besides prayer and giving. Whether there is or not, we must continue in prayer for Sudan.
Heavenly Father, Eternal Son, Majestic Holy Spirit; Blessed Trinity; we lift our prayer to you.
Shalom is a defining characteristic of your Kingdom. We are called to be peacemakers. It is part of our identity as your people. So we would pray for peace of Africa, the Sudan, and for the Acholi people in particular.
It is a dark story, Lord, full of demons and blood. But such is the purpose of the Kingdom in bringing your light and life, your freedom in grace and mercy. We pray first for the Holy Spirit to bring light and life to those in the Book of Life. We pray for the power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of grace to be fully present to do the work of love. We ask for workers, Lord; even among ourselves to go forth as peacemakers and servants to these hurting and needing people. For it is amongst these that you are present to heal and bring life.
Defeat the darkness, Great Lord. Bring life and healing, faith, hope, and love.
And thank you for your servant David and his family. Bless them with fullness of life. We don’t have any understanding for years of bloodshed and pain. Be close to them Lord, and let us be humble before the amazing work only you can do in a human life.
Amen
jadanzzy said
That was quite a powerful moment on Sunday. Left me in tears.
However, I couldn’t help but be bothered by a fear that I, as an American, was implicitly showing a non-American that I have it better. That is the criticism of the likes of Operation Christmas Child: we rich Americans give toys to children that need more than that.
How do I reconcile missional justice as a citizen of Empire?
Peter Choi said
jadanzzy!
awesome post, awesome question. we have to go beyond just a charitable gift. children need to know that it goes beyond the toy. let’s search for the answer to the question together!
littlesoulatthebigtable said
It’s a complex, and very good question. I don’t think I have an answer, but I do have some thoughts.
1. I think that relationship plays a part in helping us discern if we are just throwing money at a problem to indulge our need to feel good at Christmas verse embodying an ethic of love and incarnation. In this case, David is friend and participant in the ministry. We are not giving to a “cause” but to someone we know and respect and care for.
2. I think related to the first is time and circumstance. If it’s only seasonal, then something is really wrong.
3. I think distance somehow fits into this. That is, if we are sitting back with the metaphorical drawbridge up to keep us in our enclave and keep others out then we can question our motives.
4. Finally, I would say that it depends on whether we see engaging the world as a crown instead of cross. If it is all triumphal, feel-good PR; instead of sacrificial obedience. That is not to say that you don’t feel great about blessing and helping; but it does mean that there is more to it than that. It isn’t always about that. There a times when you do it when you aren’t affirmed, when it isn’t convenient, when it requires a price you don’t want to pay.
These are lessons that we are constantly learning. Even though we have begun the transformation that the Lord is calling OpenTable to, we still “aren’t there.” We still have lack of relationship, convenience, distance, and our own glory as major components of what we do. I think that in this particular instance and in the story of the trombone it is different. But we are all of us in a struggle to be more Kingdom than Empire.
What do you think?