For the last few days, we have been in the midst of packing up the apartment that we have lived in for 3 years. This is the only place Josh and I have lived together, and as a married couple, so it is kind of bittersweet to close this chapter in our lives. We have run into a scheduling conflict with the friend we are moving in with, and she will not have a room available for us for a couple of weeks. We can stay with Josh's parents, but our cats cannot stay there. Josh's dad is severely allergic, and could have potentially life threatening asthma attacks if the cats are in the house. So we are trying to find somewhere for the cats to stay for a couple of weeks, until we can move in with the friend we originally planned on staying with. So, it is a little uncertain where we will be going, and where our cats will go.
Also, as mentioned in my previous blog, I lost my job about a week ago. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions, but for the most part, everything has been okay.
We don't have internet or tv at home right now, and have given away most of our DVDs and books. So, being at home has been a bit boring. I found a copy of Reject Apathy, a social justice magazine by Relevant (check out their website: www.relevantmagazine.com), from several months ago that I hadn't finished, so I have been reading through the rest of that. The purpose of the magazine is to highlight social justice issues around the world, feature various non-profits working to respond to those issues, and how Christian response to these issues looks.
With all of these things combined, I have been thinking a lot about poverty, homelessness, materialism, and sacrifice. We have been donating the majority of our possessions, and we are keeping a few sentimental things. So far, other than things like our clothes and toiletries, we have two boxes of sentimental things. There are a couple of furniture type things we are keeping, such as my dresser, so I have somewhere to store my clothes, and a hope chest that was a gift to me. Everything else is going. I don't say this to pat ourselves on the backs, but rather to explain where I am at. This entire month, I have been overly stressing about what we are going to do with everything. My entire home life has been about trying to deal with all of our stuff. Rather than asking someone to store it while we are on the race, and have it take up space at their house, I would rather give it to a friend in need, or take it to the thrift store. With every item that leaves, it is one less thing I have to worry about what to do with it, and is a little bit of weight lifted off my shoulders. So, it really doesn't even feel like much of a sacrifice. I feel like people are doing me a huge favor by taking the stuff off of my hands.
I am really realizing just how little you need to live. Yesterday, I went through my shoes. I had 40 pairs. 40. Out of control. I got rid of half of them, and I will probably get rid of more of them before we leave.
I have also been thinking a lot about poverty. Many of the social justice issues that I have been reading about are a direct result of poverty. You have probably heard the statistic before, but about 2 billion people in the world live on less than $2 a day. That is 2,000,000,000. To put it in perspective for myself, I looked at a number that I can better understand. According to the 2010 census, the city we live in, Springfield, MO, has a population of 159,498. The current world population is just under 7 billion. If I did my math right, that would be like 45,570 people in Springfield living in that level of poverty.
Springfield could probably be described as a spread out suburb. It is the 3rd largest city in Missouri by population. It is definitely a college town, with a state university, community college, several private colleges, and Bible colleges. Most people are middle to upper class, by midwestern standards. But we forget that there are people living in poverty right here.
Just a little while ago, I was sitting in the Starbucks in Barnes and Noble, waiting for an outlet so I could plug in my laptop and write this blog. I was trying to concentrate on the book that I was reading, Radical by David Platt. Two men in business suits sat down at the table next to me, and drank their coffees and had a conversation. I couldn't help but overhear bits of their conversation. One of them mentioned that because his wife's minor surgery had been moved to tomorrow, they would still be able to go on their Carribean cruise next week. They talked of vacations, condos, the stock market, and other things like that. They also talked about going to church tonight. Before I go any further, let me just say this: there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a Christian and being financially successful. I am not condeming these men because they have money. It just happened to strike me as sad because of the state of mind I have been in lately.
This is also not to say that I don't use resources frivolously. Although this is hard to admit, I waste food on a regular basis. I am a small person with a high metabolism. I get full quickly, and get hungry not long after a meal. When eating at a restaurant, I almost never am able to finish the portion that is served. We take home a box that then sits in the refrigerator until it goes bad, and then is thrown out. I am notorious for refusing to eat food after the expiration date. This is an area of my life that I know is hypocritical. I know that much of the world goes without, and that I should be thankful that I have been lucky enough to have such a meal in front of me. It is such a waste of resources, but I still struggle with it.
The section of Radical that I was reading was talking about poverty. David Platt wrote:
"Suddenly I began to realize that if I have been commanded to make disciples of all nations, and if poverty is rampant in the world to which God has called me, then I cannot ignore these realities. Anyone wanting to proclaim the glory of Christ to the ends of the earth must consider not only how to declare the gospel verbally but also how to demonstrate the gospel visibly in a world where so many are urgently hungry….Frighteningly, though, I have turned a blind eye to these realities. I have practically ignored these people, and I have been successful in my ignorance because they are not only poor but also powerless. Literally millions of them are dying in obscurity, and I have enjoyed my affluence while pretending they don't exist."
We don't have to beat ourselves up that we have been born into a comfortable lifestyle, or that we have enjoyed success. What we are called to do, however, is to share those resources, if we have them. If we do not have them, we are called to give of our time and of our compassion. Many of my friends and family have expressed that they want so badly to financially support us, but they are not able to. I cannot express enough that I am grateful beyond words for their support, whether it is emotional, financial, with prayer, or just keeping us sane through this crazy time.
The same is true for those struggling with poverty. I have heard it said that the first step in fighting the problem of poverty is to restore dignity to those who are struggling with it. Instead of ignoring the homeless man on the corner, or handing him a few dollars, treat him like a brother. Listen to his story. Let him know that he is important. Pray for him.
Going on the World Race is Josh's and my response to being made aware of the social injustices in the world. We realize that there are problems such as poverty in the world, and we have been given an avenue to fulfill our calling to give of our time, compassion, and lives to help those who are in need. We have been blessed to know a God who has a special place in His heart for the poor, and we want to share this love with those who may not know. When we come home from the race, by no means are we done. We have no idea what it will look like, but we will continue to live our lives in a way that will facilitate serving others.
We have to raise $31,000 between the two of us to support our endeavor this year. Currently, we are around $1,500. We need to have $7000 raised by May 5th. If you have been blessed financially, please consider donating to our support account. You can do this by clicking the tab on the left that says "Support Us", and following the instructions to give electronically. If you would rather send a check, you can send it to :
Adventures in Missions
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
Please be sure to write "Josh and Jen Mendenhall-World Race" on the memo line, so they know which support account to include it in.
You can also support us in prayer, and just by letting us know that you care about and love us. The emotional support of our family and friends has been so super important to us, and we will continue to rely on that during the duration of our time overseas.
I'm not sure if the way this blog came together makes any sense, but these are just some thoughts that have been swirling around in my head lately. I can't wait for our opportunity to live out our calling to serve. I'm actually kind of obsessed with the thought of it. 🙂
