Dream House IV
I couldn’t understand why but my wife was emphatically in favour of accepting the invitation to lunch – perhaps it was her sense of adventure or her love of an authentic curry. I was particularly glad to see that the curries were vegetarian after I had walked past the meat seller earlier – selling meat without a fridge means that flies are your best customers.
I felt so awkward as we sat down for the meal but watching my children be so at ease must have encouraged me to forget my questions and enjoy the moment. The kids were eating new foods without any drama although the heat of the spice was starting to affect them. I realised Sanjiv was there, obviously added to the party as our trusty translator.
My wife started to ask Sanjiv about his life and his family. His story did not at all reflect the beaming smile that seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face, or maybe it did. Sanjiv’s parents had both died within a few weeks of each other, seemingly of simple sicknesses that were never diagnosed and for which they were never hospitalised. Sanjiv spent time on the streets before finding extended family in this slum.
The real turnaround in fortunes came when Sanjiv learned that he could go to school. There was a bus that came each morning to pick up children for school. The school was free and just for children of the slum. They said it was paid for by Jesus and people in other countries who love Jesus. There Sanjiv was nourished, in his body and his spirit and in his dreams. He was getting good results and hoped in the future to become an accountant and get a home outside the slum.
I started to recognise the incredible generosity that we were receiving. It wasn’t just that they were sharing all they had, but their manner in serving us the food and attending to us was remarkable. I snapped out of this reflection as I heard Sanjiv share about his sister who had not been so fortunate. I watched my wife listening intently, I could see the emotion rising in her face, what could have been tears became an incredible resolve as she asked Sanjiv, “Is there anything we can do?”
Sanjiv’s sister, now 16, had been lured in and kidnapped by a brothel almost two years earlier. I had left the lunch quickly with Sanjiv and after finding his uncle we were on our way across the city in an auto-rickshaw, through traffic that flowed in a way that I could not understand. I was getting an emergency education in such a disgusting industry. Sanjiv’s family had recently heard word about his sister, that she was now quite sick, and this was an opportunity because it meant that her value to the brothel was much lower and maybe we could buy her out.
Sanjiv and I waited in the rickshaw that we kept while his uncle negotiated. I braced myself for whatever the cost may be – this day was a whirlwind in my mind but the purpose I felt in this was solid like stone. Sanjiv’s uncle came out looking positive and asked me for the equivalent to our thirty dollars. He was desperate. I couldn’t believe that it was enough - I was staggered to think that this could be what a life is worth – and how easy it was for me.
She really was very sick. There was relief in her eyes as she saw Sanjiv but there was such pain that stopped her from expressing her joy. We rushed her to the hospital where her uncle stayed with her. Sanjiv had a plan for her to be taken in by a women’s shelter that was run by the people that also run the school.
I was glad to see my family again as they were just saying goodbye to our lunch hosts. I was shaken by the day but felt something powerful, that we had been engaged in the most important things.
Dream House V
We woke again. As we had all fallen asleep in our bed we all stirred awake together. We rushed to the windows and the result was a mix of confusion, relief and loss. We were home – back in the suburbs.
We didn’t say much but we knew that things had changed, we had changed. Our minds and experience had been expanded explosively. Our world had become much bigger and much smaller.
Even as our house was less cluttered as we had found ways to share many things, our minds too were less cluttered. We were starting to see the world clearly and our place in it. And we couldn’t wait to go back.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
the shoe box and the baby grand
About ten years ago now, we packed up a few suitcases and moved to a foreign country. We arrived at night and drove for a few hours listening to broken English and our job being explained, while our eyes were hanging out of our heads with tiredness, trying to take in the new roles that we would fill, watching the lights of city homes packed up against each other as the drive went on and on.Finally our resting place was before us, a pre-war flat, two separate single futons on the floor, a few feet inside the front door. We crashed for the night, and waited until morning to take in our new home.
The whole entire one bedroom flat could fit inside the small loungeroom that we have now. The kitchen consisted of a tiny bench with a double gas cooker, squashed next to a gigantic laundry sized sink, and a bar fridge – no actual bench space. There was a tiny step up to the “dining room”, which was half filled with a small dining table (seriously, it filled half the room), a little bit of space to pull your chair out before you hit the cupboard. Sliding the paper walls along revealed the bedroom, which would only just fit in the futons. The toilet was a squat toilet, which had been westernised by putting a plastic seat on top of it – but when you tried to close the door it would hit your knees! And the shower … was outside … opening the frosted glass doors revealed a tiny backyard, about two metres square with a sort of demountable shower/bath room. And no running hot water! To have a shower we needed to go outside and turn on the gas flame under the bath to warm up the water (taking about fifteen minutes depending on the season) and the shower connected to the water from the bath. We boiled a kettle to do the washing up. When my sister and brother-in-law came to stay, they slept with their legs under the table. It was wall-to-wall futons. In the day we would fold up our bed and use it as our lounge.
I knew that Japan was crowded, but we were really surprised to be living in such small accommodation, ground level, with cockroaches! It wasn’t pretty, but it was cosy and easy to heat.
The best thing about living in such a cramped and dark home, was getting out! We walked in the snow on one of our first days there. We would go for amazing bike rides across the city, zooming down the riverside to all sorts of palaces and temples, mountain walks and ancient buildings. We met beautiful people everywhere we went. We loved to talk to Mrs Honda, an old lady in her purple tracksuit, purple shoes, purple hair and big shiny false teeth smile, who would speak to us every morning on our way to work, with her foreign country dialect that no one could understand. We had no choice, but to get out, to live, to explore, to make new friends, to meet new people and to go to new places.
One of my favourite things to do at night while Mark was teaching English was to go to the church and play the baby grand piano. If I had been comfy in my home, with lots of things to do and beautiful lounges to laze about on, I might never have learnt how to play or taken the opportunity to. Many nights were filled with playing music and learning a new skill.It was such a blessing to live in that home and to experience a different way of living. It forced us into the community, and it forced us to be thankful, it challenged our attitudes and character. I’m really glad that we lived there.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
How many peacocks can you fit into a 4WD?
Our friends Jo and Steve Peacock took their 4 kids on an adventure around Australia for twelve months. We asked Jo to write something for the excess exchange. Thanks so much Jo! You guys are an inspiration.
.....................
When our family of 6 took off on a year-long trip around Australia, we had an uncomfortably small space in which to cram our ‘stuff’. We each had a little underbed drawer in which to keep our clothes. For the whole year. This included jackets and warm stuff. Our 15-year-old daughter was a little disconcerted at the concept but managed to jam her small box with the clothes she needed. I downsized my kitchen requirements to an assortment of 4 pans, a colander and a grater. We simply could not fit anything else in. We also had a pantry not much bigger than an archive box. I found it alarming. How would I feed my big family? How would we survive?
It took 3 years for this ‘idea’ to become something that we confidently stepped out and actually did. 3 years of saving, planning, preparing and gathering the guts to walk away from life as we know it, if only for a year. We rented out our home, packed all of our ‘stuff’ into boxes and storage bags, and took only what we needed, only what would fit into our little camper trailer and our car.
We expected to see Australia, we expected to spend ALOT of time together, we expected our family to knit together like never before. What we didn’t expect was to discover the freedom that came from a life lived simply. We had so little, by choice, and yet in that bareness, that simplicity, we gained so much. It seemed as though all the ‘stuff’ in our lives had become noise, demanding a piece of our attention, creating mess and clutter, complicating family-life. When we drove away from that stuff with only the bare essentials, life as a family became so much simpler. We suddenly had the precious commodity of time. Time together. We started playing dorky card games, painting pictures together, going for random walks, collecting interesting artefacts from nature. We experienced peace among our children that hadn’t existed before. There really wasn’t anything to fight over.
Interestingly, there were no whines of “I’m bored” from our four kids, rather a hunger to create their own fun. They found rocks in a river bed to grind into different ochre colours to create paint, they found feathers on the ground and identified birds, they sat around with binoculars to watch the whales breaching, they assembled out the front of the tent to watch the sun set, they got up early to watch the sun rise. The created world became their playground and books became their downtime. We found a genuine contentment as the culture of ‘city life’ fell away. There was no pressure to have the right things, or to look a certain way. Contentment was easy.
Arriving back in civilisation hasn’t been what we expected. We have changed. We don’t fit like we used to. The thing that has become increasingly difficult the longer we have been back is to be ok with that. Are we prepared to continue to not quite fit? Our big home feels ridiculous and the boxes and boxes of ‘stuff’ are embarrassing. Were we so caught up in our ‘stuff’ that we didn’t even see the drain that it was on the fabric of our family? It was easy to create a new culture when we didn’t live in another, but can we maintain that now? I have already caught myself saying “what am i going to wear?” standing in front of a huge row of clothes in my wardrobe. My kids have gleefully unpacked their collection of a gazillion toys and have begun the process of arguing over their ‘stuff’. What a rare opportunity we have had to step back and see the possibilities of a life lived more simply, of a life focussed on relationships and discovery, rather than on acquisition and entertainment. I want the wide open spaces of time for meditation and long conversations. Time will tell. In the meantime I’m working on not quite fitting in.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Back to the heart
I guess this guy was hoping for a different answer -
“Someone out of the crowd said, "Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance."
He replied, "Mister, what makes you think it's any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?"
Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."
Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!'
"Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?'
"That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."” Luke 12:13-21 (The Message)
Maybe the man was hoping that Jesus would agree with his fight for justice and take up his cause. Certainly Jesus is for social justice, but He is even more interested in the heart of a person.
One person may have felt for the man and fought for his rights, another may have said that he didn’t deserve it anyway. Jesus, knowing this man’s heart and indeed all hearts, warns him about greed and the dangers of prioritising possessions over having a heart that is right with God.
Your life will be defined by what you focus on most – what is your life defined by?
“Someone out of the crowd said, "Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance."
He replied, "Mister, what makes you think it's any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?"
Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."
Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!'
"Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?'
"That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."” Luke 12:13-21 (The Message)
Maybe the man was hoping that Jesus would agree with his fight for justice and take up his cause. Certainly Jesus is for social justice, but He is even more interested in the heart of a person.
One person may have felt for the man and fought for his rights, another may have said that he didn’t deserve it anyway. Jesus, knowing this man’s heart and indeed all hearts, warns him about greed and the dangers of prioritising possessions over having a heart that is right with God.
Your life will be defined by what you focus on most – what is your life defined by?
Monday, January 24, 2011
Need?
The advertising industry has really messed with our concept of the word need. In a very blessed country like ours often the needs we talk about are actually wants.
Looking at what others have makes us feel that we need it. Advertisers cleverly engage our desires such that we start to imagine that we would have difficulty living without that thing we’ve never had before. An ad that I particularly dislike at the moment has one young boy boasting about his family’s car over the fence to his young neighbour – yuck! Surely this is something ugly in our culture.
As a parent, my young kids regularly tell me what they ‘need’. It has made me even more suspicious of the word. I catch myself using the word quite liberally but I have started to try and flag it and ask, ‘Do I really need that?’ I don't think there’s anything essentially wrong with having things we don't need but a think it’s good for our hearts and our minds to challenge the assumption in our words.
I heard a great message at church recently by Rob De Martin, which challenged some of our culture’s assumptions about the way we think about and use our money. Rob said in the context of financial planning that, ‘Our needs tend to be exaggerated.’ Our idea of ‘need’ can really drive our hearts to selfishness, despair and even financial ruin.
Paul in the Bible said, ‘I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ Philippians 4:11-13
The secret is that we can choose contentment. If we imagine that it is something that will fly in the window and land on our shoulder sometime we will be waiting forever. We have the choice to question our idea of ‘need’, and decide to be content. I know that I will surely keep catching myself saying the word, and hopefully keep learning how to choose contentment.
Looking at what others have makes us feel that we need it. Advertisers cleverly engage our desires such that we start to imagine that we would have difficulty living without that thing we’ve never had before. An ad that I particularly dislike at the moment has one young boy boasting about his family’s car over the fence to his young neighbour – yuck! Surely this is something ugly in our culture.
As a parent, my young kids regularly tell me what they ‘need’. It has made me even more suspicious of the word. I catch myself using the word quite liberally but I have started to try and flag it and ask, ‘Do I really need that?’ I don't think there’s anything essentially wrong with having things we don't need but a think it’s good for our hearts and our minds to challenge the assumption in our words.
I heard a great message at church recently by Rob De Martin, which challenged some of our culture’s assumptions about the way we think about and use our money. Rob said in the context of financial planning that, ‘Our needs tend to be exaggerated.’ Our idea of ‘need’ can really drive our hearts to selfishness, despair and even financial ruin.
Paul in the Bible said, ‘I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ Philippians 4:11-13
The secret is that we can choose contentment. If we imagine that it is something that will fly in the window and land on our shoulder sometime we will be waiting forever. We have the choice to question our idea of ‘need’, and decide to be content. I know that I will surely keep catching myself saying the word, and hopefully keep learning how to choose contentment.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
the limits of me
I believe that in every human heart there is the desire to love and to be loved, there is the desire in each of us to make the world a better place, we wish that life was better, we wish that there wasn't sorrow and disease and heartache. For some this stirs up a desire to do something, to change something, to achieve something significant, to help others, to share what we have or what we know. Others look inward and try to fill the hole in their own heart, before being able to think of the needs of others. Some give up all hope of being able to change anything. Maybe you've been in all of these places, I have.
Something that has dawned on me is how limited we all are in our own strength, with our own ideas, with our time and our resources, and our energy.
Together, we can do so much more. But even then, we are limited in what we can achieve.
Even Jesus needed something more. Before he started his work, he was baptised and the Spirit of God came upon him. His first public speech was as follows:
"16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus had a big list of things to do too. The power he had to do them with was by "the spirit of the Lord". It's actually God's world. He loves it. He loves the people. He wants to see the same things happen in the world that we do, thats because he actually put that desire in our hearts, and it's actually his plan to start with.
Its only by His Spirit that we can do those things that we really desire to do in the world.
Here's a link to a song about how powerful God is ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3L-GAsaITM
Something that has dawned on me is how limited we all are in our own strength, with our own ideas, with our time and our resources, and our energy.
Together, we can do so much more. But even then, we are limited in what we can achieve.
Even Jesus needed something more. Before he started his work, he was baptised and the Spirit of God came upon him. His first public speech was as follows:
"16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus had a big list of things to do too. The power he had to do them with was by "the spirit of the Lord". It's actually God's world. He loves it. He loves the people. He wants to see the same things happen in the world that we do, thats because he actually put that desire in our hearts, and it's actually his plan to start with.
Its only by His Spirit that we can do those things that we really desire to do in the world.
Here's a link to a song about how powerful God is ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3L-GAsaITM
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Interview with Jessi
We interviewed our friend Jessi, a year 11 student. Recently, and in spite of adversity, she has made some great choices to focus on others. I asked Jessi a few questions about her very first trip to the developing world.
Why did you want to go to India?
Being a regular, devoted Imagine Nations church attendee, monthly we have our missions Sunday which gives insight to the church, our missions offering giving and the work which is being done all across the nations. In hearing about missions in our school and how it links to our church, I challenged myself to think what it would be like to be a missionary. Whilst battling with my own insecurities and selfishness, with the strength of God pushing me towards doing so, I applied to jet set off to India. Since first thinking of going to India, to applying to go, to actually going, it was a growth process. I had some friends and family members in which I told of my decision to go to India as a missionary who judged upon the fact of my past rebellion to this spontaneous act. At times it brought me down but with God alongside, I made it through.
What did you give up to go there?
I’m currently a full time year 11 student, who also has a part time job. Weekends I work at KFC and when I can would see my friends whilst during the week I‘d dedicate my time to studies. I had been at KFC for a year upon application for India and never found a real want or must to spend the money I earned. I gave up my self centred -ness and gained the long want for the heart of God. After my first few deposits, I began to feel a loss and suddenly a want to spend my money on perishable things. It wasn’t long after though that I realised what had been consuming me, the sneaky attack of the enemy trying to steal my joy. I prayed and was instantly renewed with a generous spirit.
How did the trip change you? What did you receive in your life by going?
My first sign of change was seen internally. I noticed my prayers weren’t about me and protection only of those close to me, but also of those I had not even met yet. Until I met the residents of Jaipur and those from the Helping Hands School, I clearly saw the need for such prayer dedication. Every day was a new challenge. In comparison to the waking smell of coffee in the morning, I woke to the smell of polluted air and the smell of erupted sewers. The smell was quite confronting. Helping the kids in the school and seeing what joy they have, strikes me to think of their conditions. They live in absolute poverty and yet they’re the most bright, beautiful, most joyful people you’ll ever meet still managing to smile considering their circumstances. In challenging myself with that thought, I thought back to my life situation 10 months before my time in India. I was going through a hard time in my life with rejection, isolation and despair. My situation is quite common to those in countries like America and Australia, but in contrast to these poor little girls and boys who don’t even know their parents, who don’t have their own pillow to cry into, who don’t even have tissues to wipe their tears, gave me strength and courage to move on from my hurt. I asked Jesus to take it and replace it with peace and a heart for the lost and in that moment of prayer, my eyes were finally opened and fixed to the need of others rather than of me. I received a stronger, more stable relationship with Jesus and a lifetime experience which will always be referred to as a life changing testimony.
Jessi did something significant which redefined her life. Have you ever done something like that? Is there something you'd really like to do?
Why did you want to go to India?
Being a regular, devoted Imagine Nations church attendee, monthly we have our missions Sunday which gives insight to the church, our missions offering giving and the work which is being done all across the nations. In hearing about missions in our school and how it links to our church, I challenged myself to think what it would be like to be a missionary. Whilst battling with my own insecurities and selfishness, with the strength of God pushing me towards doing so, I applied to jet set off to India. Since first thinking of going to India, to applying to go, to actually going, it was a growth process. I had some friends and family members in which I told of my decision to go to India as a missionary who judged upon the fact of my past rebellion to this spontaneous act. At times it brought me down but with God alongside, I made it through.
What did you give up to go there?
I’m currently a full time year 11 student, who also has a part time job. Weekends I work at KFC and when I can would see my friends whilst during the week I‘d dedicate my time to studies. I had been at KFC for a year upon application for India and never found a real want or must to spend the money I earned. I gave up my self centred -ness and gained the long want for the heart of God. After my first few deposits, I began to feel a loss and suddenly a want to spend my money on perishable things. It wasn’t long after though that I realised what had been consuming me, the sneaky attack of the enemy trying to steal my joy. I prayed and was instantly renewed with a generous spirit.
How did the trip change you? What did you receive in your life by going?
My first sign of change was seen internally. I noticed my prayers weren’t about me and protection only of those close to me, but also of those I had not even met yet. Until I met the residents of Jaipur and those from the Helping Hands School, I clearly saw the need for such prayer dedication. Every day was a new challenge. In comparison to the waking smell of coffee in the morning, I woke to the smell of polluted air and the smell of erupted sewers. The smell was quite confronting. Helping the kids in the school and seeing what joy they have, strikes me to think of their conditions. They live in absolute poverty and yet they’re the most bright, beautiful, most joyful people you’ll ever meet still managing to smile considering their circumstances. In challenging myself with that thought, I thought back to my life situation 10 months before my time in India. I was going through a hard time in my life with rejection, isolation and despair. My situation is quite common to those in countries like America and Australia, but in contrast to these poor little girls and boys who don’t even know their parents, who don’t have their own pillow to cry into, who don’t even have tissues to wipe their tears, gave me strength and courage to move on from my hurt. I asked Jesus to take it and replace it with peace and a heart for the lost and in that moment of prayer, my eyes were finally opened and fixed to the need of others rather than of me. I received a stronger, more stable relationship with Jesus and a lifetime experience which will always be referred to as a life changing testimony.
Jessi did something significant which redefined her life. Have you ever done something like that? Is there something you'd really like to do?
Thanks Jessi for sharing your story with us!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Dream House II & III
(The link to Dream House I is here
http://notwant.blogspot.com/2011/01/dream-house-i.html)
Dream House II
It was completely jarring to feel such relief at seeing my kids smiling widely and yet to feel so awkward about them being so close to these kids that I didn’t know. Sure their smiles were endearing but their clothing, their hair, and their faces were less than clean.
My kids couldn’t understand their new friends but they were playing happily together with some kind of wooden puppet. One young man, perhaps twelve or thirteen years old, was obviously a bit of an organiser. He seemed to be gathering a crowd just below the back of our deck.
My wife appeared at the back door – half asleep and half in shock. We met side-by-side as we watched our children, she restrained herself from ordering the kids back inside as she noticed the ease at which they played with the local children.
At the orders of the organiser, a few children – some with long drums, some with puppets, and girls in dress costumes came up to the deck and assembled themselves for an impromptu performance. We were treated to an amazing performance, the children were quite skilled and they were obviously enjoying themselves immensely to have such a stage and a crowd in their own community. The colours weren’t quite the same as a Bollywood movie but the life and the energy were the same.
As the performance finished some of the key performers gave puppets to our own children. My wife and I were quietly shocked at the generosity but didn’t interfere as these experiences washed over us. I was very glad that my kids were so emphatic in their thanks and even tried some makeshift bows to show their gratitude. A spark of an idea in our oldest son quickly became a request whispered into our ears. And we were more than happy to go along with it.
We were so used to our kids’ more unattractive tones complaining about hunger and whinging for snacks, now they were busy gathering lollies and biscuits and all the leftover snacks from Christmas and bringing them out to share with everyone.
Now a middle-aged woman was moving determinedly through the crowd followed closely by the young organiser. I started to wonder about all the possible things she could be angry about.
Dream House III
I was beginning to wonder what this was all about, why this was happening. The woman spoke with the authority that all mothers have. Even without translation I knew I was to follow. I surprised myself by just going along with it as I slipped on some sandals and walked down our back steps.
The young organiser identified himself as Sanjiv. He spoke simple English clearly and confidently. He explained that we were walking to the house of a man who was very sick. Sanjiv apologised that he didn’t know the words to describe the injury beyond, ‘arm’ and ‘bad’.
We walked through alleys about one and a half people wide as we dodged the open drains. Finally we stopped and stepped inside a small concrete room. We went through and into another smaller room at the back. It was almost completely dark. A man lay next to the wall, he was obviously in pain. Another young man stepped into the room carrying a light globe which he deftly attached to the makeshift wiring on the ceiling.
The light revealed a wound that covered most of the man’s right arm. The flesh could be seen, pink and red. The movement on the surface was the tiny worms that were slowly consuming him. It was entirely disgusting. I wanted to vomit. I had never even seen anything like it. I hastily and whole-heartedly started to make it clear that I wasn’t a doctor.
Sanjiv began to translate for the woman. They were very sorry but they were even more desperate. They hoped that I might have some money so that Mukesh could be treated at a hospital. I learned that without having the money up front and purchasing the medicines and bandages yourself, the hospital did not have any means to treat you.
Mukesh’s brother took what I thought was a small amount of money and took him to the closest hospital. I was still dazed. I still felt quite overwhelmed by what I was seeing.
Now the woman had another request but this time I had no idea what it was she was asking. Sanjiv smiled and explained that she would like me to bring my family back to share lunch with her family.
There was no way that I wanted to expose my family to the kind of risks that such a lack of hygiene can bring.
http://notwant.blogspot.com/2011/01/dream-house-i.html)
Dream House II
It was completely jarring to feel such relief at seeing my kids smiling widely and yet to feel so awkward about them being so close to these kids that I didn’t know. Sure their smiles were endearing but their clothing, their hair, and their faces were less than clean.
My kids couldn’t understand their new friends but they were playing happily together with some kind of wooden puppet. One young man, perhaps twelve or thirteen years old, was obviously a bit of an organiser. He seemed to be gathering a crowd just below the back of our deck.
My wife appeared at the back door – half asleep and half in shock. We met side-by-side as we watched our children, she restrained herself from ordering the kids back inside as she noticed the ease at which they played with the local children.
At the orders of the organiser, a few children – some with long drums, some with puppets, and girls in dress costumes came up to the deck and assembled themselves for an impromptu performance. We were treated to an amazing performance, the children were quite skilled and they were obviously enjoying themselves immensely to have such a stage and a crowd in their own community. The colours weren’t quite the same as a Bollywood movie but the life and the energy were the same.
As the performance finished some of the key performers gave puppets to our own children. My wife and I were quietly shocked at the generosity but didn’t interfere as these experiences washed over us. I was very glad that my kids were so emphatic in their thanks and even tried some makeshift bows to show their gratitude. A spark of an idea in our oldest son quickly became a request whispered into our ears. And we were more than happy to go along with it.
We were so used to our kids’ more unattractive tones complaining about hunger and whinging for snacks, now they were busy gathering lollies and biscuits and all the leftover snacks from Christmas and bringing them out to share with everyone.
Now a middle-aged woman was moving determinedly through the crowd followed closely by the young organiser. I started to wonder about all the possible things she could be angry about.
Dream House III
I was beginning to wonder what this was all about, why this was happening. The woman spoke with the authority that all mothers have. Even without translation I knew I was to follow. I surprised myself by just going along with it as I slipped on some sandals and walked down our back steps.
The young organiser identified himself as Sanjiv. He spoke simple English clearly and confidently. He explained that we were walking to the house of a man who was very sick. Sanjiv apologised that he didn’t know the words to describe the injury beyond, ‘arm’ and ‘bad’.
We walked through alleys about one and a half people wide as we dodged the open drains. Finally we stopped and stepped inside a small concrete room. We went through and into another smaller room at the back. It was almost completely dark. A man lay next to the wall, he was obviously in pain. Another young man stepped into the room carrying a light globe which he deftly attached to the makeshift wiring on the ceiling.
The light revealed a wound that covered most of the man’s right arm. The flesh could be seen, pink and red. The movement on the surface was the tiny worms that were slowly consuming him. It was entirely disgusting. I wanted to vomit. I had never even seen anything like it. I hastily and whole-heartedly started to make it clear that I wasn’t a doctor.
Sanjiv began to translate for the woman. They were very sorry but they were even more desperate. They hoped that I might have some money so that Mukesh could be treated at a hospital. I learned that without having the money up front and purchasing the medicines and bandages yourself, the hospital did not have any means to treat you.
Mukesh’s brother took what I thought was a small amount of money and took him to the closest hospital. I was still dazed. I still felt quite overwhelmed by what I was seeing.
Now the woman had another request but this time I had no idea what it was she was asking. Sanjiv smiled and explained that she would like me to bring my family back to share lunch with her family.
There was no way that I wanted to expose my family to the kind of risks that such a lack of hygiene can bring.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Driven
Yesterday I listened again to a message by John Eldredge, he always shares about the heart and how we can be free. His messages challenge our assumptions from our culture and water the soul. The title of the message is, “The Spirit of the Age” which he identifies as drivenness.
Eldredge shares drivenness or unconsidered busyness is a significant enemy in our modern Western society. We are driven to be busy, to always be accessible, interruptible and switched on, and we just believe that it is normal, unavoidable and inevitable. We wear busyness like a badge that we accept as a substitute for real significance.
It’s like we have made an idol out of activity. We fill up the calendar. We work longer hours. We take more phone calls. We say that it is just a busy time. We keep checking email and facebook. We need to keep the kids busy. We need to watch that show. We need to write that blog. Then we complain.
It doesn’t have to be this way. If you have spent time in a culture that isn’t driven on busy then you’ll know what I mean. There’s a good chance that the laidback approach to life may even have bugged you. People take their time, service is slow, people just don’t seem to realise that you have another appointment to get to.
Here’s something that is worth exchanging, something that we can learn from our friends in less ‘developed’ nations. There is life without schedules, email, mobile phones and social networks – perhaps there’s even more life.
How do you think you would personally benefit from some time of solitude, uninterrupted by drivenness?
Eldredge shares drivenness or unconsidered busyness is a significant enemy in our modern Western society. We are driven to be busy, to always be accessible, interruptible and switched on, and we just believe that it is normal, unavoidable and inevitable. We wear busyness like a badge that we accept as a substitute for real significance.
It’s like we have made an idol out of activity. We fill up the calendar. We work longer hours. We take more phone calls. We say that it is just a busy time. We keep checking email and facebook. We need to keep the kids busy. We need to watch that show. We need to write that blog. Then we complain.
It doesn’t have to be this way. If you have spent time in a culture that isn’t driven on busy then you’ll know what I mean. There’s a good chance that the laidback approach to life may even have bugged you. People take their time, service is slow, people just don’t seem to realise that you have another appointment to get to.
Here’s something that is worth exchanging, something that we can learn from our friends in less ‘developed’ nations. There is life without schedules, email, mobile phones and social networks – perhaps there’s even more life.
How do you think you would personally benefit from some time of solitude, uninterrupted by drivenness?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Excess Stocktake
While we have been doing a bit of a clean out over the last few weeks, I thought I would do a little stocktake of things we have in excess, from my (Sarah's) perspective...
Things we have in excess:
- bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower
- toys
- maternity clothes (going to op shop or pregnant lady in need)
- long grass
- books that we may read one day (mostly Mark's)
- tupperware that's the wrong size
- one narky rabbit
- cutlery, particularly spoons
- dinner plates and mugs
- ants that have made their home with us
- daddy-long-leg spiders, that freak the kids out
- craft that the kids have made and won't let me throw away
- magazines collected - time, notebook, gourmet traveller (if that doesn't say something about excess!)
- space in the garden
- love, compassion
- dvds that we don't watch
- bills
- don't even start me on the pantry
And that is only the start of the list, there is so much that we don't need! We have a little home that's a bit too cluttered at times. We've been making good use of our op shop lately, and I hope some families in need are getting good use of our quality goods.
Why do we collect so much stuff?! We used to be able to fit everything we own into two suitcases, and had a little bit of storage at my mum's.
What do you have in excess at your house? Have you thought about it? Do you like it that way?
Best comment gets to choose a book off our bookshelf:)
Sarah x
Things we have in excess:
- bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower
- toys
- maternity clothes (going to op shop or pregnant lady in need)
- long grass
- books that we may read one day (mostly Mark's)
- tupperware that's the wrong size
- one narky rabbit
- cutlery, particularly spoons
- dinner plates and mugs
- ants that have made their home with us
- daddy-long-leg spiders, that freak the kids out
- craft that the kids have made and won't let me throw away
- magazines collected - time, notebook, gourmet traveller (if that doesn't say something about excess!)
- space in the garden
- love, compassion
- dvds that we don't watch
- bills
- don't even start me on the pantry
And that is only the start of the list, there is so much that we don't need! We have a little home that's a bit too cluttered at times. We've been making good use of our op shop lately, and I hope some families in need are getting good use of our quality goods.
Why do we collect so much stuff?! We used to be able to fit everything we own into two suitcases, and had a little bit of storage at my mum's.
What do you have in excess at your house? Have you thought about it? Do you like it that way?
Best comment gets to choose a book off our bookshelf:)
Sarah x
Monday, January 17, 2011
Wasted
½ container or rice from Thai, $1, Compost
¼ large tomato from Locky’s Dad’s garden, $0.50, Compost
Milk 1 litre, $1, Sink
Jam sandwich, $1, Compost
Biscuits, $0.20, Compost
Rice crackers, $1, Compost
Brown rice cooked, $1, Compost
Sweet potatoes x 2, $3, Compost
Butternut Pumpkin, $4, Compost
Hhmm… total of approximately $12.70 in value wasted, maybe about 5% of my weekly spend. Not as bad as I thought it would be but I was trying pretty hard – especially eating everyone’s leftovers!
How did you go over the past week?
¼ large tomato from Locky’s Dad’s garden, $0.50, Compost
Milk 1 litre, $1, Sink
Jam sandwich, $1, Compost
Biscuits, $0.20, Compost
Rice crackers, $1, Compost
Brown rice cooked, $1, Compost
Sweet potatoes x 2, $3, Compost
Butternut Pumpkin, $4, Compost
Hhmm… total of approximately $12.70 in value wasted, maybe about 5% of my weekly spend. Not as bad as I thought it would be but I was trying pretty hard – especially eating everyone’s leftovers!
How did you go over the past week?
Out of our hands and hearts
I hope this doesn’t come over like a rant.
I’m glad that I live in a democracy that is making an honest effort to make society economically efficient and equitable. But I have to take issue with one of the things I really don’t like about our welfare system.
Those of you sitting to the left are presuming I will say that we don’t do enough for those in most need. Those of you sitting to the right may presume that I want to point out that much of the money is wasted, rorted and doesn’t do enough to encourage people to pick themselves up and become ‘productive members of society’.
My issue is neither exactly and both a little. Our welfare system is very impersonal. A cut of my income is given to the government and becomes part of a massive pool ready for government spending. Some of this money actually comes back to me in the form of family assistance, education and medical costs.
The problem with it being impersonal is that it’s easy to become cynical about what we give and how it’s used. We don’t get to choose how we give, how much and what for. This process is quite separate from us.
Another problem is that we don’t appreciate what we receive as much as we could. We wonder why some get more than us and how they use it.
The interaction between need and generosity has been sanitised.
I can’t honestly say that I know a better system to make sure that everyone can be taken care of. Our system is about eliminating risks. But just imagine if I got to hold on to 100% of my income, then being able to use that money to support my family, including medical and education costs, and even chipping in for the aged care in my extended family. What if I could keep it personal?
Practically impossible in a large modern democracy but more philosophically satisfying.
Thoughts? Comments?
I’m glad that I live in a democracy that is making an honest effort to make society economically efficient and equitable. But I have to take issue with one of the things I really don’t like about our welfare system.
Those of you sitting to the left are presuming I will say that we don’t do enough for those in most need. Those of you sitting to the right may presume that I want to point out that much of the money is wasted, rorted and doesn’t do enough to encourage people to pick themselves up and become ‘productive members of society’.
My issue is neither exactly and both a little. Our welfare system is very impersonal. A cut of my income is given to the government and becomes part of a massive pool ready for government spending. Some of this money actually comes back to me in the form of family assistance, education and medical costs.
The problem with it being impersonal is that it’s easy to become cynical about what we give and how it’s used. We don’t get to choose how we give, how much and what for. This process is quite separate from us.
Another problem is that we don’t appreciate what we receive as much as we could. We wonder why some get more than us and how they use it.
The interaction between need and generosity has been sanitised.
I can’t honestly say that I know a better system to make sure that everyone can be taken care of. Our system is about eliminating risks. But just imagine if I got to hold on to 100% of my income, then being able to use that money to support my family, including medical and education costs, and even chipping in for the aged care in my extended family. What if I could keep it personal?
Practically impossible in a large modern democracy but more philosophically satisfying.
Thoughts? Comments?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Responding to the floods
The news over the past few days has been completely overwhelming, and it’s incomprehensible even to imagine what individuals and communities are going through in the flooded areas.
Here’s a few of my reflections related to the flooding and this blog:
- Australia is an amazingly resourceful nation. We are strong in community, resilience, communications, and infrastructure (and many other ways too that don’t include cricket at the moment)
- Australia is incredibly financially blessed. When there is a great and felt need we are blessed enough to be able to share a lot of money. I read yesterday that $392 million was given after the bushfires in Victoria. The money for the flood victims is now starting to pour in.
- It’s easy to not see what awful things are happening beyond our shores. Not least the flooding in Brazil where the death toll is above 500! Just looking for that update I read that Sri Lanka and the Philippines currently have flooding with greater death tolls than ours.
What are your thoughts on the floods and how we can respond?
Here’s a few of my reflections related to the flooding and this blog:
- Australia is an amazingly resourceful nation. We are strong in community, resilience, communications, and infrastructure (and many other ways too that don’t include cricket at the moment)
- Australia is incredibly financially blessed. When there is a great and felt need we are blessed enough to be able to share a lot of money. I read yesterday that $392 million was given after the bushfires in Victoria. The money for the flood victims is now starting to pour in.
- It’s easy to not see what awful things are happening beyond our shores. Not least the flooding in Brazil where the death toll is above 500! Just looking for that update I read that Sri Lanka and the Philippines currently have flooding with greater death tolls than ours.
What are your thoughts on the floods and how we can respond?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Your Global Impact
Back in the 1930s two brothers from Australia learnt how to make a difference in another nation. The Leahy brothers went to Papua New Guinea as explorers and adventurers. I learnt about the work of the Leahy’s and their impact on highland cultures when I studied anthropology in the first year of university.
The aspect of their story that stuck with me was about the value of shells in highland societies. The population of the highlands consisted of many people groups with diverse cultural beliefs and practices but the value of shells and trading in shells was something they had in common.
Shells were incredibly rare and impossible to find on the side of a mountain except through trade. Shells were dowries. Shells were power. The shells might pass through dozens of people groups through trade before reaching the heights of the mountains. With each trade, with each step further away from the coast, the shells would gain value and power.
The Leahy brothers came with a small truck and simply drove crates of shells up the mountains. It made sense to them. They could get what they needed, food and labour, easily this way. The locals were happy too. Getting the shells was easier and cheaper than before. This was a new opportunity for all involved. But of course the economy of shells and the value around it was ruined.
Nations and people groups are closer than ever before. Whenever we spend money, these seemingly small decisions are reverberating around the world. Our impact can be positive and it can be for the worse, but we will have an impact.
We can take advice from a Hebrew prophet who wrote:
“…what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Let’s act justly. Where we can let’s pay fair prices and support fair trade and always support the freedom of those who are powerless.
Let’s love mercy. Consider how we can shift the existing imbalance by sharing some of our excess with a farmer who can’t afford heart surgery for his sick child, or by investing in microlending to encourage small businesspeople in developing nations.
Let’s walk humbly. It’s so easy to be arrogant when you’re comfortable.
What other suggestions do you have?
The aspect of their story that stuck with me was about the value of shells in highland societies. The population of the highlands consisted of many people groups with diverse cultural beliefs and practices but the value of shells and trading in shells was something they had in common.
Shells were incredibly rare and impossible to find on the side of a mountain except through trade. Shells were dowries. Shells were power. The shells might pass through dozens of people groups through trade before reaching the heights of the mountains. With each trade, with each step further away from the coast, the shells would gain value and power.
The Leahy brothers came with a small truck and simply drove crates of shells up the mountains. It made sense to them. They could get what they needed, food and labour, easily this way. The locals were happy too. Getting the shells was easier and cheaper than before. This was a new opportunity for all involved. But of course the economy of shells and the value around it was ruined.
Nations and people groups are closer than ever before. Whenever we spend money, these seemingly small decisions are reverberating around the world. Our impact can be positive and it can be for the worse, but we will have an impact.
We can take advice from a Hebrew prophet who wrote:
“…what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Let’s act justly. Where we can let’s pay fair prices and support fair trade and always support the freedom of those who are powerless.
Let’s love mercy. Consider how we can shift the existing imbalance by sharing some of our excess with a farmer who can’t afford heart surgery for his sick child, or by investing in microlending to encourage small businesspeople in developing nations.
Let’s walk humbly. It’s so easy to be arrogant when you’re comfortable.
What other suggestions do you have?
Monday, January 10, 2011
Wired to share
Call me a cheapskate but I’ve always been keen to borrow wherever possible when I can avoid spending money on something – whether it’s a DVD or a wheelbarrow. I am blessed with a father and a brother who love buying new DVDs, and to have a generous neighbour whose shed puts Bunnings to shame. It has always seemed a bit silly to me that every guy wants to have a very similar set of tools and appliances sitting inside our suburban sheds unused.
I have become very optimistic and even excited about the way that the interweb has connected us, changed the way we think, and gives us opportunities to communicate and share easily. A friend posted on Facebook last weekend asking if anyone had bunk beds that they didn’t need. Within a few hours a thread of conversation appeared with promises of beds and even mattresses thrown in! We also benefited as we got to share a bed that no-one in even my extended family has a use for right now and was taking up space in my laundry.
I thought later how this could have worked twenty years ago. A request for spare furniture could have been passed around to family and a few friends as you see them over a month. If you’re fortunate someone might know someone who has something to spare. Through social networking it is possible to quite passively share a simple request that is whispered among hundreds of people.
I have been interested to get a small insight through some good friends about the way that the IT community itself has an incredible culture of sharing. Many who spend hours and years on a piece of code or software are very happy to then share it for nothing with anyone in the world. Instead of wanting control over their intellectual capital they are happy for the influence and to know that they have contributed to something greater. I have also noticed how the networks that most of us use socially are used seamlessly in their world of work to share ideas, post opinions, ask questions and receive answers in real time.
I ‘borrowed’ the title of this blog from a talk given by Rachel Botsman for TEDxSydney. Take 15 minutes to watch this video if you can, the link is below. Botsman uses many stories and examples to show how we are becoming what she calls ‘collaborative consumers’. Made possible by the internet, we are starting to use things according to their need and not simply be driven to own everything we might need at some time. A great stat she shares is that the average home power drill will be used for less than 13 minutes in its lifetime! She questions why we think we needed a drill when all we really needed was a hole. Botsman also speaks about the fascinating ‘trust mechanics’ that are being created between strangers across the world (exciting and hopeful stuff about the heart!).
What is something that you have received by this kind of sharing?
http://www.ted.com/talks/rachel_botsman_the_case_for_collaborative_consumption.html
I have become very optimistic and even excited about the way that the interweb has connected us, changed the way we think, and gives us opportunities to communicate and share easily. A friend posted on Facebook last weekend asking if anyone had bunk beds that they didn’t need. Within a few hours a thread of conversation appeared with promises of beds and even mattresses thrown in! We also benefited as we got to share a bed that no-one in even my extended family has a use for right now and was taking up space in my laundry.
I thought later how this could have worked twenty years ago. A request for spare furniture could have been passed around to family and a few friends as you see them over a month. If you’re fortunate someone might know someone who has something to spare. Through social networking it is possible to quite passively share a simple request that is whispered among hundreds of people.
I have been interested to get a small insight through some good friends about the way that the IT community itself has an incredible culture of sharing. Many who spend hours and years on a piece of code or software are very happy to then share it for nothing with anyone in the world. Instead of wanting control over their intellectual capital they are happy for the influence and to know that they have contributed to something greater. I have also noticed how the networks that most of us use socially are used seamlessly in their world of work to share ideas, post opinions, ask questions and receive answers in real time.
I ‘borrowed’ the title of this blog from a talk given by Rachel Botsman for TEDxSydney. Take 15 minutes to watch this video if you can, the link is below. Botsman uses many stories and examples to show how we are becoming what she calls ‘collaborative consumers’. Made possible by the internet, we are starting to use things according to their need and not simply be driven to own everything we might need at some time. A great stat she shares is that the average home power drill will be used for less than 13 minutes in its lifetime! She questions why we think we needed a drill when all we really needed was a hole. Botsman also speaks about the fascinating ‘trust mechanics’ that are being created between strangers across the world (exciting and hopeful stuff about the heart!).
What is something that you have received by this kind of sharing?
http://www.ted.com/talks/rachel_botsman_the_case_for_collaborative_consumption.html
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Activist vs. Heartivist(?)
I didn’t know what to think when someone first described me as an activist. My image of activists has always been people who get blasted by water cannons. I was being interviewed by a guy who is doing his PHD on teacher motivation, he summarised my desire to work as a teacher as being an activist – someone who does things to try and make a difference.
I had never thought of it that way but I realise that I do like to do things. It is kind of where I come from in terms of my personality and motivations. It’s something that I value. I have been good at making things happen and getting things done. I have always thought that this quite an asset – but now I realise that it can also be a liability.
Being motivated to ‘do’ things can lead you to forget to simply ‘be’ someone. Trying to do too much will lead to stress, burnout and conflict in relationships. Sometimes what we do doesn’t work. It becomes easy to judge others by what they do, and when we start to compare ourselves to others.
I consider myself to be someone who can commit, work hard, get things done and achieve goals – but more and more I am valuing the heart over the actions. Without a heart that is strong, free and open I don't think our activities will necessarily amount to much.
On New Years Day I felt to read what Jesus said in Matthew (Chapter 6). Jesus tells His followers not to worry about life – clothing, food, our bodies and the future. I reflected that most of the goals I usually make ultimately could be described as worrying about these things. This year, on my journey, I want to worry less about what I do and make goals for my heart instead.
Are your New Years Resolutions about ‘doing’ or ‘being’?
(I struggled to think of an opposing word for activist – can you suggest something better than ‘heartivist’?)
I had never thought of it that way but I realise that I do like to do things. It is kind of where I come from in terms of my personality and motivations. It’s something that I value. I have been good at making things happen and getting things done. I have always thought that this quite an asset – but now I realise that it can also be a liability.
Being motivated to ‘do’ things can lead you to forget to simply ‘be’ someone. Trying to do too much will lead to stress, burnout and conflict in relationships. Sometimes what we do doesn’t work. It becomes easy to judge others by what they do, and when we start to compare ourselves to others.
I consider myself to be someone who can commit, work hard, get things done and achieve goals – but more and more I am valuing the heart over the actions. Without a heart that is strong, free and open I don't think our activities will necessarily amount to much.
On New Years Day I felt to read what Jesus said in Matthew (Chapter 6). Jesus tells His followers not to worry about life – clothing, food, our bodies and the future. I reflected that most of the goals I usually make ultimately could be described as worrying about these things. This year, on my journey, I want to worry less about what I do and make goals for my heart instead.
Are your New Years Resolutions about ‘doing’ or ‘being’?
(I struggled to think of an opposing word for activist – can you suggest something better than ‘heartivist’?)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Leaving off leftovers
I was really encouraged to see ‘The 7pm Project’s’ (6/1/11) story the other night on how people are sharing unsold food with those who need it. A problem that is so important is colliding with a very simple solution – and the idea is so good it’s becoming mainstream.
The day before I read an article from the BBC releasing data that showed that world food prices are hitting a new high. They explained that for some developing nations this issue can end up in civil war. The floods in Queensland were even mentioned as a factor affecting supply which drives up the cost of food.
I learnt from the World Vision video that we Aussies waste 20% of our food. I heard for the first time from ‘The 7pm Project’ that 20% of Australians are ‘food insecure’ (that doesn’t refer to how some people go to pieces when they see vegetables on their plate) which means that they regularly have times when they cannot put three meals on the table in a day.
So here’s another potentially simple solution. What if we personally try to waste less? Or perhaps we could share the extra food or the extra cash that we’re not spending on food we don’t need?
I’m going to start by trying to account for the food that is wasted in my home over a week.
What ideas do you have?
Links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12119539
http://www.worldvision.com.au/40HF/Videos.aspx watch the 14min video
The day before I read an article from the BBC releasing data that showed that world food prices are hitting a new high. They explained that for some developing nations this issue can end up in civil war. The floods in Queensland were even mentioned as a factor affecting supply which drives up the cost of food.
I learnt from the World Vision video that we Aussies waste 20% of our food. I heard for the first time from ‘The 7pm Project’ that 20% of Australians are ‘food insecure’ (that doesn’t refer to how some people go to pieces when they see vegetables on their plate) which means that they regularly have times when they cannot put three meals on the table in a day.
So here’s another potentially simple solution. What if we personally try to waste less? Or perhaps we could share the extra food or the extra cash that we’re not spending on food we don’t need?
I’m going to start by trying to account for the food that is wasted in my home over a week.
What ideas do you have?
Links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12119539
http://www.worldvision.com.au/40HF/Videos.aspx watch the 14min video
Friday, January 7, 2011
Poor on the inside
The fact that I came back from India feeling impressed by the spirituality and that I’d received more than I’d given doesn’t make me at all original. After all I only spent a total of six days in India getting to know one city a little bit and a small group of people slightly more.
I visited Jaipur almost two years ago with two other teachers. We were going to meet, spend time with and encourage teachers in a school that we support, a school that educates children from a slum community called Kathputli. I had seen photos and corresponded with the Australian man who runs quite a few programs to support Kathputli.
We were going there to share alongside the teachers there to have a spiritual / professional retreat. I shared with my friend there a few weeks earlier that it could be worthwhile to pray and even fast as a way to prepare for the time we would share there. I think I ended up fasting a few meals or Facebook or something incredibly radical like that. I was shocked and a little embarrassed when we arrived to share a meal which would break their week-long fast. The whole staff, full of faith and looking forward to the retreat had gone without food for a whole week!
God is truly gracious and we spent a wonderful few days together. I was impressed by how quickly we could form a bond as a group and trust in each other as we pursued a common goal. I was moved often by my new friends’ dedication to their students and to God.
I came home feeling that my city is a spiritual slum, that while we are rich in material things that we certainly have a lack spiritual riches. We have so much stuff and yet we are discontent and that drives us to gather more stuff. We seem to ignore or be unaware of what we truly need. We think we're okay but we have no idea.
I came home from Jaipur, after spending time in the slum, knowing that it is possible to be content, even happy, with little; and yet to be humble enough to know that you need something more.
What do you really need?
I visited Jaipur almost two years ago with two other teachers. We were going to meet, spend time with and encourage teachers in a school that we support, a school that educates children from a slum community called Kathputli. I had seen photos and corresponded with the Australian man who runs quite a few programs to support Kathputli.
We were going there to share alongside the teachers there to have a spiritual / professional retreat. I shared with my friend there a few weeks earlier that it could be worthwhile to pray and even fast as a way to prepare for the time we would share there. I think I ended up fasting a few meals or Facebook or something incredibly radical like that. I was shocked and a little embarrassed when we arrived to share a meal which would break their week-long fast. The whole staff, full of faith and looking forward to the retreat had gone without food for a whole week!
God is truly gracious and we spent a wonderful few days together. I was impressed by how quickly we could form a bond as a group and trust in each other as we pursued a common goal. I was moved often by my new friends’ dedication to their students and to God.
I came home feeling that my city is a spiritual slum, that while we are rich in material things that we certainly have a lack spiritual riches. We have so much stuff and yet we are discontent and that drives us to gather more stuff. We seem to ignore or be unaware of what we truly need. We think we're okay but we have no idea.
I came home from Jaipur, after spending time in the slum, knowing that it is possible to be content, even happy, with little; and yet to be humble enough to know that you need something more.
What do you really need?
Unaffected
Here is a question to think about - what does it take to move me? Imagine that there is a poor man on your doorstep. How would you act and live differently if your house was next door to a slum? Would I take on their hunger and need as my own? Or would I go my own way and do my own thing - unaffected? Jesus told quite a scary story about a rich man who was unaffected by the poor man laying at his gate. It's a challenging read @ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2016:19-31&version=NIV .
In our global village, the poor truly are on our doorstep. The problems of this world are only a mouse click away, you may even get a phone call from India today. At the moment, half of the state of Queensland is covered in flood waters. Lives have been lost, homes have been lost, crops have been lost, families are devastated. But in my cosy home, it's easy to be unaffected, to see a natural disaster as just another news story.
With so much media, we have been desensitised to the problems in the world. They seem like somebody else's problems, somebody else's world.
Brooke Fraser: "Now that I have seen, I am responsible."
A.Willis "Comfort raises tolerance for injustice."
Consider what moves you...
compassion
anger
fear
injustice
love
need
revenge
desire
greed
kindness
Last night there was a story on the 7pm Project about waste and need in Australia, have a look at the link if you like: http://7pmproject.com.au/food-glorious-food-recovery-program.htm#embeddedforumform
Is anything like this happening in your local area?
In our global village, the poor truly are on our doorstep. The problems of this world are only a mouse click away, you may even get a phone call from India today. At the moment, half of the state of Queensland is covered in flood waters. Lives have been lost, homes have been lost, crops have been lost, families are devastated. But in my cosy home, it's easy to be unaffected, to see a natural disaster as just another news story.
With so much media, we have been desensitised to the problems in the world. They seem like somebody else's problems, somebody else's world.
Brooke Fraser: "Now that I have seen, I am responsible."
A.Willis "Comfort raises tolerance for injustice."
Consider what moves you...
compassion
anger
fear
injustice
love
need
revenge
desire
greed
kindness
Last night there was a story on the 7pm Project about waste and need in Australia, have a look at the link if you like: http://7pmproject.com.au/food-glorious-food-recovery-program.htm#embeddedforumform
Is anything like this happening in your local area?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Dream House I
When I awoke I knew that something was different. The air felt different. I couldn’t quite pick why. I thought that I must have left the window closed – or open. It wasn’t that I was thinking again last night about how this house could never be our dream house. It was a new kind of disorientation.
Everything looked the same but the world felt more cramped. Like the air had become more crowded-in. The feeling wasn’t subtle. It felt very real. I could hear a buzz, well actually that makes it sound somehow electrical or mechanical. It was more of a hum – a sense of people and activity.
This feeling warned me that things were different but I was still surprised when I went to the window to see the noise I could hear. The whole world had certainly come closer. Instead of the familiar sights of the fence and my neighbour’s house I could see the ramshackle tin roofs of tens of, well, some kind of dwellings. All our space was gone, replaced with small laneways and homes heaped on one another – and people moving everywhere.
Our suburban house had been picked up and dropped into the middle of a slum. The sky was hazy, the air was hot and full of the noise and sweat of ten thousand people living in a space the size of a city block. My brain was already peaking with all this new information. I could see sick looking dogs, an open sewer gutter, and everything seemed so dirty and broken.
For the people walking near I could tell that it was out of their routine to see a large white house, brick footings and all, in the middle of their community. Their faces showed bewilderment and confusion. I rushed to check on my own family. My wife was still sleeping soundly but the kids were unaccounted for.
I rushed towards the back door hoping the kids would be playing on the deck. As I got closer I could hear the sound of children, but it was that slightly hysterical sound that without seeing was hard to tell if it was crying or laughing.
Everything looked the same but the world felt more cramped. Like the air had become more crowded-in. The feeling wasn’t subtle. It felt very real. I could hear a buzz, well actually that makes it sound somehow electrical or mechanical. It was more of a hum – a sense of people and activity.
This feeling warned me that things were different but I was still surprised when I went to the window to see the noise I could hear. The whole world had certainly come closer. Instead of the familiar sights of the fence and my neighbour’s house I could see the ramshackle tin roofs of tens of, well, some kind of dwellings. All our space was gone, replaced with small laneways and homes heaped on one another – and people moving everywhere.
Our suburban house had been picked up and dropped into the middle of a slum. The sky was hazy, the air was hot and full of the noise and sweat of ten thousand people living in a space the size of a city block. My brain was already peaking with all this new information. I could see sick looking dogs, an open sewer gutter, and everything seemed so dirty and broken.
For the people walking near I could tell that it was out of their routine to see a large white house, brick footings and all, in the middle of their community. Their faces showed bewilderment and confusion. I rushed to check on my own family. My wife was still sleeping soundly but the kids were unaccounted for.
I rushed towards the back door hoping the kids would be playing on the deck. As I got closer I could hear the sound of children, but it was that slightly hysterical sound that without seeing was hard to tell if it was crying or laughing.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thoughts from Karen on chocolate
Karen wrote a comment, I thought I'd publish it in case you missed it. Thanks for being an inspiration Karen!
Karen said ...
I found giving up Milo ridiculously hard at first! But now I don't crave it at all. I just find it sad how many people don't want to know or don't care that the chocolate they are treating themselves or their kids with was at the expensive of a child in slavery.
There are so many inexpensive fair-trade products available now. Aldi has lots of inexpensive fair-trade chocolate (and their fair trade tea bags are good) - so when fair-trade does not cost you any more (blaxland IGA fair-trade tea-bags are not any more expensive than normal tea) - then why do people not choose compassionately?
Apparently Nestle kit kats are now fair-trade in Australia this year, and cadbury has it's plain chocolate fairtrade.
Writing letters to companies and supermarkets helps them know that you want fairtrade and you appreciate their efforts.
It can be overwhelming but just doing a little bit at a time - focusing on one thing at time makes it manageable. And it is making a difference!
Karen said ...
I found giving up Milo ridiculously hard at first! But now I don't crave it at all. I just find it sad how many people don't want to know or don't care that the chocolate they are treating themselves or their kids with was at the expensive of a child in slavery.
There are so many inexpensive fair-trade products available now. Aldi has lots of inexpensive fair-trade chocolate (and their fair trade tea bags are good) - so when fair-trade does not cost you any more (blaxland IGA fair-trade tea-bags are not any more expensive than normal tea) - then why do people not choose compassionately?
Apparently Nestle kit kats are now fair-trade in Australia this year, and cadbury has it's plain chocolate fairtrade.
Writing letters to companies and supermarkets helps them know that you want fairtrade and you appreciate their efforts.
It can be overwhelming but just doing a little bit at a time - focusing on one thing at time makes it manageable. And it is making a difference!
the value of you
I don't know if you have ever been to hear a symphony orchestra play, or a concert pianist. You may have had the experience of closing your eyes and being swept away by the music, like the ocean washing over you.
I used to play the violin, and practise for hours and hours perfecting every note, and getting carried away in the melody. This last week, I've begun to play again. Although I can still play, I've noticed that my technique and tone are not what they were. I hope all those thousands of dollars in lessons and hours and hours of practise haven't been wasted while my beautiful antique violin has been sitting under my bed collecting dust for the last few years.
You see the value of the violin is not in its price, but it is in its playing.
When I play, I feel alive, connected, inspired. When I'm not playing - the violin is simply something pretty collecting dust.
Our lives too are of so much more value than an income, a paycheck, a skill or an ability that can be given. Your life can't be measured in monetary value, and neither can anyone else's.
You are worth far more than that.
There is a beautiful exchange in playing a beautiful piece of music that others can hear and experience. When you pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket, what do you get to take home? Nothing? Maybe.
For me, what I receive from the experience of listening to an orchestra play is sometimes immeasurable - the connection my soul feels, healing for my heart, experiencing the wonder of something magical.
I have given money for their skill, but they have given me something so much greater, and together we have experienced the beauty of music together.
Is life not more than food and clothing?
If we reduce our giving to simply meeting others simple and basic needs, then we have missed the point.
If I don't give something of myself, my love, my beauty, my voice, my song, then have I given anything at all?
There is something in you that is of so much value - its worth more than the money you can give. Its something that will inspire others, its something that will heal others, its something powerful, and it will make you feel alive and connected and healed when you give it.
Maybe you have a gift that you haven't been using lately, or maybe you haven't really believed in yourself. But God has given you something special and unique to share with others.
What is it?
I used to play the violin, and practise for hours and hours perfecting every note, and getting carried away in the melody. This last week, I've begun to play again. Although I can still play, I've noticed that my technique and tone are not what they were. I hope all those thousands of dollars in lessons and hours and hours of practise haven't been wasted while my beautiful antique violin has been sitting under my bed collecting dust for the last few years.
You see the value of the violin is not in its price, but it is in its playing.
When I play, I feel alive, connected, inspired. When I'm not playing - the violin is simply something pretty collecting dust.
Our lives too are of so much more value than an income, a paycheck, a skill or an ability that can be given. Your life can't be measured in monetary value, and neither can anyone else's.
You are worth far more than that.
There is a beautiful exchange in playing a beautiful piece of music that others can hear and experience. When you pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket, what do you get to take home? Nothing? Maybe.
For me, what I receive from the experience of listening to an orchestra play is sometimes immeasurable - the connection my soul feels, healing for my heart, experiencing the wonder of something magical.
I have given money for their skill, but they have given me something so much greater, and together we have experienced the beauty of music together.
Is life not more than food and clothing?
If we reduce our giving to simply meeting others simple and basic needs, then we have missed the point.
If I don't give something of myself, my love, my beauty, my voice, my song, then have I given anything at all?
There is something in you that is of so much value - its worth more than the money you can give. Its something that will inspire others, its something that will heal others, its something powerful, and it will make you feel alive and connected and healed when you give it.
Maybe you have a gift that you haven't been using lately, or maybe you haven't really believed in yourself. But God has given you something special and unique to share with others.
What is it?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Saleeby Question
A kind-hearted friend thought out loud, “How can I justify spending $2000 to visit India for two weeks to help with aid projects when I could send that money to a missionary friend there who could live off it for a year?”
Good question. It’s a question that captures many of the challenging decisions that must be made when want to help others. It can even be a little paralysing and depressing to think about. But it’s worth it.
How can we best use our excess?
$2000 dollars could:
- fund a new hobby like scuba diving that we’ve always dreamed of;
- take our family on a well-needed holiday;
- dig a well for clean water for a village in a developing nation;
- support four orphans for a year;
- fund a trip where you see projects, encourage locals, and come back inspiring others to give and go;
- buy about 500 happy meals (can’t buy happiness though)
I’m still working on a great answer. But here are some thoughts so far.
Remember the purpose of your heart, that God-given desire to help and put others before yourself.
If you are led by need it could do your head in (or make you a hero like Mother Teresa?). I try to pray about financial decisions and be led by God.
In Ecclesiastes, a Hebrew book of wisdom, it says, “There’s a time for everything under the sun.” As long as money is not your god then it’s just money, it comes and it goes.
What are your thoughts about how we can best use our excess?
Good question. It’s a question that captures many of the challenging decisions that must be made when want to help others. It can even be a little paralysing and depressing to think about. But it’s worth it.
How can we best use our excess?
$2000 dollars could:
- fund a new hobby like scuba diving that we’ve always dreamed of;
- take our family on a well-needed holiday;
- dig a well for clean water for a village in a developing nation;
- support four orphans for a year;
- fund a trip where you see projects, encourage locals, and come back inspiring others to give and go;
- buy about 500 happy meals (can’t buy happiness though)
I’m still working on a great answer. But here are some thoughts so far.
Remember the purpose of your heart, that God-given desire to help and put others before yourself.
If you are led by need it could do your head in (or make you a hero like Mother Teresa?). I try to pray about financial decisions and be led by God.
In Ecclesiastes, a Hebrew book of wisdom, it says, “There’s a time for everything under the sun.” As long as money is not your god then it’s just money, it comes and it goes.
What are your thoughts about how we can best use our excess?
From the outside or the inside?
I vividly remember the feeling I had in my Catholic primary school when we were learning about Mother Teresa. I wanted to be like her, and I began to think that maybe I would be a nun when I grew up – something I’d never aspired to be before, as we had sisters as the school’s leadership. But there was something special about Mother Teresa. She was living an adventure. She was truly helping people. And maybe it was the first time I had actually learnt that there were poor people in the world. For the first time I realised that I wanted to be someone who helped people, not in a general way, but in a life-consuming self-sacrificial kind of way.
As I became a teenager, I didn’t still want to become a nun (my husband is thankful for that), but the thoughts I’d had about helping people and changing the world had become foundational in my view of life and the many things I wanted to do.
Most people considered then, and do now, that Mother Teresa is a true hero, someone that we look up to and admire. We may see her as someone wonderful, but are we prepared to walk in her shoes?
There’s a book, Something beautiful for God, about Mother Teresa, that I read every now and again. I thought today I’d post here some of the thoughts from it that have inspired me.
Something Beautiful for God, conversations with Malcolm Muggeridge
Malcolm:
Beautiful is almost your favourite word isn’t it? You were saying, when we asked you to do this programme… ‘Well, let’s do something beautiful for God!’ … How can you make other people see this, that it’s not just to pity, it’s not just to meet physical needs, material needs which are desperate and should be met, but that there’s something more that gives it its reality?
Mother Theresa:
In our work we have many people whom we call Co-Workers and I want to give their hands to serve the people and their hearts to love the people. For, unless they come in close contact with them, it is very difficult for them to know who the poor are. That’s why here in Calcutta especially we have many non-Christians and Christians working together at the Home for the Dying and other places. We have groups who are preparing bandages and medicine for the lepers. For example an Australian came some time ago, and he said that he wanted to give a big donation. But after giving the donation, he said, ‘That is something outside of me, but I want to give something of me.’ And now he comes regularly to the Home for the Dying, and he shaves the people and talks to them. He could have spent that time on himself, not just his money. He wanted to give something of himself and he gives it.
Malcolm:
In other words this other part is really in a way a greater gift.
Mother Theresa:
It is the harder part.
...........................................................................................
In the famous words of Paul the apostle, “If I give all I have to the poor, but have not love, I am nothing.”
What things do you do or give for others that are outside of yourself, and what things are really giving of yourself?
Is there something you can dream and resolve to do this year that is truly doing something beautiful for God or for others?
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Affluenza Epidemic
I first heard the clever term, ‘affluenza’ from a fantastic short film created by World Vision’s youth branch called Stir (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFZz6ICzpjI&feature=related ). Yesterday I read an article in the Herald about a guy who has written a book about affluenza (http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/people/privileged-and-a-pain-how-to-cure-affluenza-20101230-19are.html ). While the book focusses on the super-rich and how the wealth seems to become a curse to their family and future generations I think that there is a warning there for all of us in western society.
I was shocked a few weeks ago to hear another term for the first time, actually a phrase, it was, ‘diseases of affluence’. I heard it in a serious context but at first I thought it was a joke. Then I read the list of these diseases – obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of alcoholism, heart disease, asthma, allergies, cancer and mental illnesses. As you can imagine these sicknesses don't tend to occur as often in the developing world where people live on less than $2 a day.
Turns out being rich can ruin your family and make you sick. It’s enough to make you want to take a vow of poverty! Being as affluent as we are should come with a warning. As a society it doesn’t help if we buy into enjoying our excess and then have to pay more to keep our health system afloat.
The answer is as simple as what I am always telling my young children and as complex as the feelings I have when I open my wallet. We need to share. We have been blessed with more than we need. This means we are blessed to be in a position to share it with others.
St. Paul in the Bible put it this way when he encouraged the church in Corinth to help out the Macedonians who were struggling, “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.”
Sounds like a fair exchange. Share my plenty and all the risks that go with it for better health, family, society and even a better world.
Do you have any ideas for 2011 about how you can share your excess?
I was shocked a few weeks ago to hear another term for the first time, actually a phrase, it was, ‘diseases of affluence’. I heard it in a serious context but at first I thought it was a joke. Then I read the list of these diseases – obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of alcoholism, heart disease, asthma, allergies, cancer and mental illnesses. As you can imagine these sicknesses don't tend to occur as often in the developing world where people live on less than $2 a day.
Turns out being rich can ruin your family and make you sick. It’s enough to make you want to take a vow of poverty! Being as affluent as we are should come with a warning. As a society it doesn’t help if we buy into enjoying our excess and then have to pay more to keep our health system afloat.
The answer is as simple as what I am always telling my young children and as complex as the feelings I have when I open my wallet. We need to share. We have been blessed with more than we need. This means we are blessed to be in a position to share it with others.
St. Paul in the Bible put it this way when he encouraged the church in Corinth to help out the Macedonians who were struggling, “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.”
Sounds like a fair exchange. Share my plenty and all the risks that go with it for better health, family, society and even a better world.
Do you have any ideas for 2011 about how you can share your excess?
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