There's a tragedy in Myanmar this week, this time a natural one. Other tragedies to follow will likely be man-made as responses and permissions are slow or selective.I was watching news of yet another famine in Ethiopia several years ago with my grandmother.
I sensed her looking at me. She reminded me of Nancy Reagan; proper and ladylike. She was proud of me but often confused as to how I could respond to life the way I did.
When I looked her way, she asked, "What do you think when you see that on the tv?"
I said, "I want to go. I want to be there to do what I can to help."
She said, "I thought so." and then quietly added, "I want to turn it off, ignore it, because I don't know what to do."
We are human.
Humans should not endorse, whether by silence or in an overt way, injustice on other humans. If we erase the national lines and see ourselves as fellow humans under a theocracy, we are all brothers & sisters.
I see reference made to "the U.S. church" in various writings. The question is not "the church in the US" . . . . the Church is the Church! Define that and then look forward to how to respond.
That is the most basic level of our emotional and familial involvement. How does the word "stewardship" relate to gross and obvious needs being unmet in one part of the family while there is surplus in another part?
That's like your budgeting envelope for TIRES being full of money, but you won't spend it for medical needs cause IT'S IN THE TIRE ENVELOPE!
A simple and silly visual but it's not far off from how our impoverished brothers and sisters must feel when we visit them or when they visit in our homes.
Does God see the "American church" and the "Zimbabwean church" and the "Burmese church?" Or does He see some people suffering while others are getting fat and taking their freedoms for granted.
Anyone in Indiana worried about their house being burned after the voting this month?
We spend big sums in sending missionaries. Have we not invested our hearts as well? Is it ATM missions? Just send the check and wash our hands? I find it interesting that people will sometimes send me a long way away to work with people that they might not even cross the street to talk to. Hmmm.
How do we penetrate the armor of a military junta in Myanmar?
How do we get the attention of Mugabe in Zimbabwe, a man who is no longer listening?
Economic sanctions do not affect men who have all their wealth stashed in European banks, whose kids are in the best European schools and who can live a life of luxury when this is all over.
Economic sanctions will hurt every day Zimbabweans, thereby increasing the Developing-World resentment of American power holders.
I saw people stealing food from trucks during the drought in Zim in 91-92.
Was it right? No. Were their kids hungry? Yes.
Was any of that food, driven through their remote regions, going to return to them? No.
Would I have done the same thing if I had been a parent with starving children? Probably.
Life is messy.
Will I pray for Mugabe's demise? No.
Will I pray for him to be blessed and to remain long in office? No!
I can pray for justice. I doubt he'll get it here on earth, and God's forgiveness is big enough for even the crimes Mugabe has committed. Phooey.
Time is giving him opportunity.
Billy Sunday said, "More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent."
Mugabe has a purpose. He is threatened and uncomfortable.
Many of us do not. We are not threatened or uncomfortable.
Or we have no passion to match a purpose, therefore we do little or nothing.
Ouch. Do something.
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