The Philippines stole my heart, downright and almost completely. I have no idea what that even means for me in the future but the real evidence of NEED and POVERTY are there. It is a country I believe that is so ripe for the gospel and the love of Jesus because frankly the Catholic church there isn’t getting it done. The place where Racers stayed at was in the middle of the slums pretty much and the stories of the people we have seen changed while our hearts have been has just been incredible. But they receive no attention from the outside world at all, and a heartbreaking place to be, and leaving the bus on my last day was one that my eyes couldn’t hold back tears. It’s beautiful people and I will go back again someday and hopefully soon.
Second, we must stop being apathetic in our Western culture to the serious issue of Buddhism, Islam, humantrafficking, and atheism. There is no joke about it. There is a major need of missionaries to the 10/40 window where many people are not reached for the gospel of Christ. It’s so hard to watch people bowing to massive golden idols that do no live, speak, or eat food that’s laying there. To not know that there is a God that’s really alive and active and created them for so much more. And I’m not unAmerican at all, but we must face up to the reality of growing Islam in our world; it is now as big as Christianity as is having a huge influence. It’s not about war or putting them down, it’s about speaking Truth to them in love; not as a weapon. We must love them and show them that Jesus really is the Son of God, that they deny, and God loves them more than their works. A Racer recently told me on the trip, “I never realized how many people didn’t know God in this world until I came around the world.â€� We can no longer live in a bubble, and know that whether we live in the States or across the world we are seriously called to go make disciples and proclaim Good News; something that God thought was worth sending His perfect gift for us on the cross. Millions are literally giving their life away to the idols of gold, and themselves. We really must be open to God’s call whenever, however, and wherever without any conditions placed upon it of what we think is best because honestly God really knows what you need. “God I feel called, but…”; it may not be comfortable but you must trust Him. His faithful but He never promised it to be easy. There is a real war out there.
I then began to think about Africa and the serious issues concerning it. Africa has been the central topic of many countries from wars, AIDS, orphans, and poverty and I’ve come to realize (get ready) that one of the least things they honestly need are more Christians from America and money donations out of pity. In my three months of Africa I have met many “professed Christians�, more than I expected to and I believe the Spirit of God is active there, but there is a serious lack of training and structure that keeps itself from being better than what it is. Just like America there is a huge community of believers in Africa that have the responsibility to reach their own people groups for the gospel, but the availability of knowledge in the Scriptures and structure is honestly void. In my team there it was hard to see so many believers who didn’t honestly know the basics of what salvation meant to them and if they don’t know then how will they share to their neighbors. What they need are real deep relationships and empowerment.
Africa has money, maybe not compared to us, but they do. The problem is that it gets funneled into the wrong hands. The countries have grown up in civil wars for so long that when they receive money from our governments it never gets to the people who really need it but only feeds more into the “military government� to fight off rebels. In the last twenty five years or more the Western Countries have “pitied� and dropped money to them without any direction in how it should truly be spent. So instead of creating jobs, building better roads where the holes are as big as craters, and reaching the needs of AIDS and orphans, it gets wasted. And now wars ends, and we just leave them on their own like the war never happened by themselves only to have another one. As it goes, teach a man how to fish and feed him for a lifetime.
It has resulted in a serious case of dependency. Many children and strangers see us not just as dollar signs, but really BIG dollar signs; my contact in Tanzania told me. Because when the government put people in camps to stay away from the LRA and starved their own people to death, the UN helicopters would come and drop off food to them and then leave. And there’s a big difference between compassion and pity. Compassion is loving someone while helping, pity is like writing a check because “it’s a good thing” and now they have just become dependent on us instead of confident in their own things and self. So now since the wars have subsided and the West has run away, we now have people when they first see a “Muzunguâ€� (white person) often their first thought is money. And people suffer because we aren’t loving them enough to care about bringing a more foundational society that will cease many of the problems there.
Africa has received so much attention in the last ten years that I feel like the rest of the world has just been left out and overshadowed, but why aren’t we focusing on the rest of the world? Religion is dead in Europe and humantrafficking is huge in America. Even a favorite website of mine, wrecked.org has a special section on Africa but no other country with any of their issues (I promote this site). We’re enthralled by it, and would anytime send a team there for a week to a month (don’t assume I’m ruling out mission trips). But as Racer Nate Evans said, “You can’t come here and think you’ll change it; it’s a learning experience.â€� What Africa needs is people to show them how to become independent on their own self and accountability in how the money they are given is spent so it gets to the right people and changes lives. The Western Church needs to learn that the African Church is their brother and sister in Christ and needs empower them to reach their own people, not asking for more white missionaries or money.
Last, how can I when I go back home and we as people who are honestly blessed in abundance do anything about these issues? I think sometimes we are preached at so much about not spending or doing things because of what’s going on across seas. That we shouldn’t enjoy life in America because someone across the world is starving and therefore it turns many people away from giving and living a life in generosity. I believe instead of replacing our $4 Starbucks coffee with something out of guilt, there needs to be a life of balance. So tonight I challenged myself to something from here on. Whether in the next year I stay in the States or across seas, I’ve decided that the word “balanceâ€� is in everything in my walk with Christ. So my challenge and I make it yours: When ever you spend money on something that’s outside of basic living necessities (movies, clothes, christmas gifts, eating out, games) to take that same amount and put it in another saving account and at the end of the year give it to some type of missions, go on a mission trip, sponsor a child, or physically help someone or people with it. So starting when I get home, if I go out and spend $8 on a movie ticket, instead of feeling guilty, I’m going to also put $8 into a savings account. And at the end of the year you will have realized two things: First, we spend a lot more on unnecessary things than we realize. Second, you are going to be an incredible blessing to someone or people for the kingdom of God and that you really can give more than you thought. If I can spend $50 on a ticket to see a UK football game, then I better be willing to spend $50 to help get someone out of the slavery of human trafficking that’s destroying the lives of millions and breaking the Father’s heart; and not just willing but to do it. Willingness without action is just good intention, but it never changes lives.
So I want to challenge you and myself; these issues can’t be ignored at all. Either we treat them as stats and think our lives have no real connection at all or we get messy in the work of God. But now that I’ve been able to put faces with names, stories, and see them first hand the more I realize that one day we all will die and then face judgment of all of this. And the parable of the sheep and goats becomes real because my Father’s heart is real. Glorify God in your life, in your family, in your home area, in your church, country, and across the world and see His love transform you to others. May your heart, hands, and feet be the message of Jesus.
* The photos of humantrafficking were taken by World Racer Ricki Smith in Thailand
