Do Something

 Good morning!  A couple of days ago, I was privileged to attend an open house at ICT SOS, an organization born in Wichita over ten years ago.  Jennifer White is the founder and executive director of ICT SOS.  The mission of the non-profit is published on their web site.  It states:  Our Mission is to end human trafficking through prevention and awareness education; advocacy for survivors; and acting as a bridge between direct service professionals and community members who desire to help.

Although Jennifer is not the only one at ICT SOS, she is the hub of the organization…an organization that has grown exponentially in the last dozen or so years.  And that’s what I’d like to share with you in this post.

Jen got the impetus for the goal of ending human trafficking because of her daughters.  The older one was just getting to the age where she could be vulnerable to trafficking.  There were also accounts of human trafficking in the Wichita area.  She saw a need, put two and two together and, wanting to protect not only her daughters, but other children AND adults from the scourge of trafficking, decided to quit complaining and do something about it.  Thus, ICT SOS was formed and initially operated out of her home for a time.

Jennifer’s effort at starting a grass-roots movement gradually grew until she needed to get it out of her home.  She got an area on the second floor of the old Mead’s Corner at Douglas and Emporia, and continued her work.  That office area, although helpful and productive for her, became too small and confining.  The new Child Advocacy Center was by now more than a thought in the minds of those who work with trafficking and exploitation, and was being brought into existence in a remodeled school on South Emporia.  Jen was offered a space there, and moved her org to the Center.

She was able to expand her reach there by bringing on additional help, creating a board of directors to oversee the organization, increasing the organization’s educational and outreach efforts, and providing basic necessities such as the “Fresh Start Bags” that are a hallmark of the organization.  This move to the CAC was, in my opinion, the thing that started an exponential growth in ICT SOS and enabled Jennifer and her partners to “spread their wings,”…try new things, improve on what works, tap into grants and other forms of support, and get the word out on not only human trafficking and exploitation, but also the role of ICT SOS in combatting that evil.

The move to the CAC, while beneficial for a time, eventually became confining because of the lack of adequate physical space for a growing organization.  That mandated looking for yet another space that was more roomy as well as the funding and, eventually, a move.

A space was found on South Emporia that seemed to be a good fit.  There was office space, some space for small gatherings, and a storeroom area where Fresh Start Bags and other items could be safely stored for future use.  Moving into that building, ICT SOS grew even more, and within just a few short years outgrew that space.  In a move that can only be described as divine intervention, the space next door in that same office building opened up for lease.  That space, when taken over by ICT SOS, enlarged the original office area by at least 200 percent and provided many benefits that were much more than conveniences.

One of the major benefits was now the availability of more and better privacy for counseling or conversation with clients and victims.  Storage space was markedly increased as well as office areas for the people who would be working with the various outreach efforts of ICT SOS.  This new office space was the focal point of the open house Monday.

“I can’t do everything; but I can do something.”  This is what keeps Jennifer and her compatriots going in a never-ending battle against human trafficking and exploitation.  Jennifer and her co-workers are a great example of an ordinary person…wife and mom…Jennifer herself will tell you she’s nothing special…she’s a great example of “doing something” rather than just complaining about how bad things are and wondering when someone will finally step up and do something about it.  Jennifer chose to step up, in faith and in spite of her not being well-known, not well-connected, not someone famous.  ICT SOS stands out as an organization on the move, making a difference, and creating change.

I realize that not everyone is cut out for forming a non-profit, getting the groundwork done, pursuing a dream, and realizing the fruit of that work and dream in the way Jennifer White has done, and continues to do.  But everyone can, as she and others say, “do something.”  Instead of expending energy, time, and treasure on complaining and griping, do something productive.  Volunteer.  Donate.  Be a cheer leader.  Support.  Encourage.  Pray.  There is much you can do to make this world a better place for your having been here.

Start today.

 

Blessings.

The Tension Between Art and Excess

 Writer, wife, mom, and my friend Kendra Broekhuis, in her monthly newsletter called “Present Tense,” writes a piece called, “The Tension Between Art and Excess.”  In it, she speaks of the great disparity that is often seen between those who “have,” and those who “have not,” and what the Christian response should be in those situations.

I have edited some of the post and will read it for you.  I’ll then discuss it briefly following my reading of her text.

 

Twelve years ago, I told my friend I couldn’t imagine painting our house.  Buying paint, rollers, and tape for the sole purpose of making a few rooms look pretty was just too frivolous.  A waste of money that could be given to the poor. 

My husband and I were living in Guatemala at the time, and for us, part of expatriate life was constantly processing how some people in this world lived with so much while others suffered with so little.  We wanted solutions, ones as simple as a math problem.  If we would only subtract excess from our lives and add it to the needs of the people around us, maybe we would finally scratch the surface of some of the world’s ills.

The house I was talking about painting with my friend was theoretical until seven years ago when we bought the one our family lives in today.

The reason I force myself to think about the tensions of my faith in this newsletter every month is because my brain tends to jump to extremes.  I believe that’s partly from the conditioning of living in environments with varying levels of poverty.  When the need around you is extreme, a lot of possessions, activities, opportunities, and yes—even the art of painting walls—start to seem like unnecessary excess.  Like an Ecclesiastes mantra: “Everything is meaningless!”

In Guatemala, for example, our elderly friends lived in a tin shack on the side of the hill next to the school where we worked, but back in the US we need homes with 1,000 square feet per person?  A man at our bus stop in Guatemala sold orange juice for a living to support him and his young son, but back home we need yearly, sometimes quarterly, vacations?  A woman once knocked on our door for bread and money for medicine, but a $30 million Mormon temple was built mere miles from our apartment?

It’s here in the United States too.  Three weeks ago, I came home from the grocery store to find a man eating discarded fast food from my neighbor’s garbage can.  It was the day before my book released into the world—a novel.  How dare we write novels.  How dare we paint rooms.  Is it all excess? Frivolous?

This is perhaps the tension I think about the most in regard to my faith.  On the one hand, we live in a world with both excess and suffering.  And as followers of Jesus, we’re told to not ignore that.  He said to not send a naked neighbor away with mere “hopes” if we have an actual coat to cover him with (James 2).  He warned us to guard ourselves against all types of greed (Luke 12).  He highlighted the peace that comes with contentment. (Philippians 4, 1 Timothy 6).

On the other hand, God’s first act of love for this world was to create it.  And what He created wasn’t a colorless, artless place, but. . .wait for it. . .a garden.  I imagine the first visual arts of that garden—flowers and fruits, vibrant and luscious.  I imagine the first arts of work and movement—the joy of sweating under the sun with my hands in the dirt, ending the day fully satisfied with my work instead of anxious from toil.  I imagine reaching the seventh day and experiencing the art of being completely at rest in mind, body, and soul in the rich depths of God’s love.  It’s all a reminder that the world God envisioned went beyond food and clothes.

This is Jay again.  I too, like Kendra, often wonder about the great chasm that seems to exist between those of us who are blessed with relative security and our needs being met…and yes, beyond our needs…and those who struggle to find an overpass to sleep under at night and make a daily trip to the Lord’s Diner for a meal, all the while suffering both physically and mentally.

I also know that just throwing money at a problem won’t necessarily fix it.  I know of people for whom $50,000 cash wouldn’t fix their issues.  And I certainly don’t have that kind of money.  What can I do?  How can I help meet the incredible need that is, as we say, “out there?”  And what is my responsibility as a Child of God to these people?  Just how far does loving one’s neighbor go?  Am I guilty of sending a naked neighbor away with mere “hopes” if I have an actual coat to cover him with (James 2).  And as Kendra said, Jesus warned us to guard ourselves against all types of greed (Luke 12).  And, he highlighted the peace that comes with contentment. (Philippians 4, 1 Timothy 6).  Just what does Jesus expect of me?

I’m not going to answer that question for you.  I’m struggling to find an answer for myself, and may never find one in this life.  The tension that exists between want and plenty is one each of us must wrestle with as we strive to become more and more like our savior and Lord.  May God bless you as you go forward “in tension” from this day.

Truth

 Good morning!

 Earlier this week, many of us saw one of the great celestial sights ever…an eclipse of the sun.  For those fortunate to be in the totality path, we witnessed darkness in the middle of the day, and were able to see the “atmosphere” of the sun…the corona…in all of its splendor.  Even those of us who saw only a partial eclipse were awed by the oncoming darker environment, the cooler temperatures, and the sight of a sun mostly covered by the moon.

Of course, there were those who said the eclipse was somehow connected to the occult, or to the seconding coming of Jesus, or the overthrow of the United States, or that God was trying to tell us something…and, of course they knew exactly what God was trying to say.  I’m not buying any of that.  Eclipses have been happening for millennium after millennium.  And should the universe survive in its present state, will continue to happen for many more.

It’s what is called a natural phenomenon.  That is, it happens because of the way the universe is wired.  It’s like a transit of the planet Venus across the face of the sun, which I also witnessed some years ago…or an eclipse of the moon, the appearance of a comet or the conjunction of heavenly bodies.  These things happen because of the way the universe is ordered, and because the laws of physics are what they are.  Not because of some attachment to the occult or some other rationale.

Good luck, however, trying to convince some of that truth.  Some folks are so set on believing what they want to believe regardless of the truth of the matter that they create their own version of the truth…alternative facts, if you will.  Alternative facts by definition are those which have been proven to be false either in part or in their entirety.  They are spread, however, by people who are not concerned about truth, but rather are bent on spreading an agenda of some kind, and will openly lie in order to do that.

The problem for these folks is that the message of truth is not changed into the message they want it to be just because they say so.  Truth is truth even if no one believes it.  Truth stands on its own.  It doesn’t need anyone to help it prevail.  In a post on a blog called “The Socratic Method” the author says this about truth.  “Truth, in its inherent nature, does not require the support of government or any external entity to hold sway over public opinion.  It is self-evident, resilient, and capable of prevailing against the waves of falsehood that may threaten to dislodge it.”

I don’t know your social or political world view.  And, for the purposes of this thought, it doesn’t matter.  It seems that many of the people who grab the headlines in the media today, regardless of their beliefs or political bent know how to, shall we say, “Massage” the truth in such a way that they can’t be accused of outright lying, but nevertheless they say something that is beneficial for them or their cause by providing just the right “twist” to the truth.  One has to be extremely careful in listening to ANY of these folk…read between the lines…determine what was NOT said as well as what WAS said…and even check for things like singular versus plural, present tense versus past tense, and other subtleties in order to determine if something may be the whole truth, partial truth, or a lie.

As one President of the United States famously said under oath some years ago, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is,’ is.”  Nuancing speech in this kind of way is something politicians and others in the public sector are well-aware of and practice regularly.  The media, who ask the questions, often are not thinking about the nuances of either the question or the response, and fail to ask questions, or follow-up questions, in the proper, nuanced way in order to gain the most truthful answer.

It is sad that we are this way.  However, it is nothing new.  Humanity has been a lying humanity for millennia, and will continue to be so as long as the lies work to our advantage.  But you can change that in your corner of the world.  Telling the truth…the whole truth…may be extremely difficult at times.  Hearing the truth may go against your current world view.  However, telling the truth, and aligning your world view with the truth are the right things to do, and must be done in order to preserve any sense of order and stability.

Be a truth teller.  Be a truth believer.  Be a truth supporter.  Whether politics, religion, societal issues, or just in relationships with one-another, be a champion of truth.

 Blessings.

Potpourri II

 Good morning!

 Today I’ll just share some thoughts and things that are on my mind this week.  There’s nothing earth-shaking in this post, but you might find something interesting.

Today, I will meet with a first cousin whom I haven’t seen for about 60 years.  I was a teen the last time we were together, and time and distance have kept us apart ever since then.  She’s coming to Kansas this week, and we will meet in Hesston for lunch and get re-acquainted.

Her dad was my mother’s older brother.  I know that in our brief visit we won’t be able to go through all sixty years of separation, but it will be good to see her and visit for a time.

Some of you may be wondering why I would want to visit a cousin I hadn’t seen in six decades.  Well, if you are familiar with my Mennonite heritage, you may know that Mennonites are known for keeping track of relatives, family histories, and maintaining relationships with even what many would call “shirt-tail” relatives.  It’s just kind of a “thing” that we do.  Second cousins once-removed are family, just as are aunts and uncles.  And first cousins…well…they’re part of the “close family” that we claim.  So, when this opportunity arose to meet up with my cousin, I jumped at the chance and she agreed.  I think it will be a great visit.

The first of next week, a celestial phenomenon will take place…a total eclipse of the sun that will be visible through the heart of the US.  Happening on Monday, the eclipse has received more publicity than the Super Bowl, and will be viewed by millions.  The totality path just happens to pass over several large population centers, and is quite extensive and long-lasting, compared to other eclipses.

If the weather is good, we will go to the Dallas area where my brother lives…his home is in the path of totality.  However, early forecasts are saying that area will be covered with clouds and the eclipse will not be visible.  We will wait until probably Saturday for the updated forecast, then decide whether or not to make the trip.  But even if we stay in the Wichita area, we will be able to experience an 85% or so partial eclipse, which in itself will be special.

And, I’ve seen an eclipse…the one in 2017 that passed through Nebraska.  If I don’t see this one, it won’t be the end of the world.  It would just be nice to be able to see one more in this lifetime.

On a more serious note, as you may know, I handle most of the benevolence requests that we receive at RiverWalk Church.  We have policies and procedures in place to operate that program in ways that we believe will provide the most benefit and do the most good.  There are many churches and agencies that work with those who are in need.  Food pantries, places that serve hot meals, agencies that help with rent, basic medical needs, clothing, laundry, and other needs are available.  We decided we didn’t need to re-invent the wheel, so we have tailored our benevolence to help in ways that not many other programs do.  We like to  primarily help those who are housed, but may be in danger of losing their housing because of an inability to pay a utility bill or purchase fuel for a vehicle so they can go to work, medical appointment, or school.  Our resources are limited monetarily, and we can’t help everyone with everything.  We do what we can with what we have.  And, although we have some leeway in our benevolent help guidelines, we try to adhere to them as much as possible.

One thing we insist on is that the person requesting help come to the building for an interview.  It is important for us to meet them, and for them to know where the assistance is coming from.  It is also an opportunity for us to dig a little deeper into their situation and perhaps offer some guidance, and even spiritual help if they are agreeable.

So, it happens that sometimes we hear of a benevolent need which is certainly genuine, but we have to decline because the need is not in accordance with our guidelines, or the need is much greater than we are able to help with.  That decision is usually mine alone to make, and is not a decision I make lightly.  I know something of the real world these people are living in.  I am well aware of the daily struggles to just find a meal or a place to stay for the night.  I am cognizant of the high cost of utilities, food, and transportation.  And I often hear defeat and tones of yet another rejection in the voices of those I’ve had to decline.  So, it’s not something that I approach with a cavalier attitude.  Nor is having to decline help something I enjoy, especially when children or physically or mentally challenged individuals are involved.

Those kinds of interactions…the ones when I have to decline help…happen regularly.  And each time they happen, I mentally review the situation and ask myself if I did the right thing.  I know that I will be held to account for what I do in these situations…if not from the church, I know that I will ultimately have to answer to God for my decisions.  It is an awesome thing, and also a bit scary, to know of the responsibility I carry for the decisions I make.

Take care the rest of this week.  Don’t look at the sun without eye protection.  Check up on relatives you may not have heard from in awhile.  And above all, be kind one to another and love your neighbor as yourself.  As the Jackie Deshannon song says, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.”