Posted by Eliza on: 05.10.2006 /
We’ve talked here about Making the World a Better Place (MTWABP), which people of different backgrounds and beliefs have expressed interest in working towards.
Do you think you, or a group you are part of, would/could find a way to get together with people whose beliefs are different, to work together on a project to MTWABP, without either side trying to challenge/change the others’ beliefs?
Does this seem like a worthwhile ‘interaction’ to try?
If so, how might you or your group go about it? If not, why not?
If you’re already doing this, or have done it before, do you have any outcomes or tips to share?
Leave a Reply
Comment by: Julie Marie
1 05/10/06 5:34 AM | Comment Link |Most communities have many service organizations and they are made up of people of all stripes. Sometimes I think we Christians may get too hung up on making sure God gets the glory, so we only look to what area churches are doing. Which is fine, most local churches do a lot for their community. But if you don’t care who gets the official glory when your fellow humans get helped, you have a lot more freedom to choose how you want to MTWABP. If you want to find out what is happening in your community, check out the list of a local philanthropic groups grant recipients. I did recently, in researching avenues for my idea to MTWABP, and I found there were already some agencies (Florence Crittendon Home, for one) doing a very similar service for unwed mothers. The success stories are heartwarming. And I discovered many other grass roots efforts too. It made me so proud of my fellow Charlestonians, and excited to push up my sleeves (and open my wallet ;). Any day you can lay down at night with a good opinion of humanity is a day well spent!
Comment by: Ir
2 05/10/06 5:48 AM | Comment Link |I think I said when this came up before (not that there’s any harm in addressing it again because it’s a very worthwhile topic to discuss, imo) that groups made up of parents with shared interests (PTOs or sports coaching teams) naturally combine people of different belief systems who are working together to MTWABP for their children.
As best I know their differences don’t prevent them working together effectively in that regard.
Comment by: Julie Marie
3 05/10/06 5:48 AM | Comment Link |ps I think that if the focus is truly on MTWABP and you have chosen an avenue that you are passionate about, then that would be the focus of conversation when the group gets together, rather than the spiritual orientation of the members of the group. At least I would hope the cause would be more important than any individual agendas.
Comment by: Ir
4 05/10/06 6:02 AM | Comment Link |An observation: anyone who thinks helping people in practical ways without preaching to them at the same time might be ‘leading them to hell’ is likely to have mixed feelings about joining with people who don’t share his/her belief system, to MTWABP.
That was basically what that pastor said to me a couple of weeks ago: “helping without preaching leads people to hell”.
Comment by: Julie Marie
5 05/10/06 6:33 AM | Comment Link |Yes, there is that, too. Their passionate idea to MTWABP is to save souls, and they are unable to lay that agenda aside. It is a very sad irony :(
Comment by: TXatheist
6 05/10/06 6:35 AM | Comment Link |Ir stated
Ir,
I will gladly stand shoulder to shoulder with a xian that helps on projects like hands on housing but when I get preached to and I ask them to knock it off and they state they must or I will go to hell and then they increase the prostelytizing then I don’t think I can take that level of pressure. The initial conversation isn’t the conversation killer, it’s the arrogance that he has the Absolute Truth when he’s just a man like me and definitely not more enlightened, just more arrogant in his ignorance. So grab the hammer fellow human and shut up about Jesus. That will MTWABP.
Comment by: Ir
7 05/10/06 6:55 AM | Comment Link |TX - I hear you.
If the person next to you’s preaching causes you to quit helping, then the people who need help will be the ones who suffer for it - which seems very unfortunate to me.
Comment by: Jim Henderson
8 05/10/06 7:06 AM | Comment Link |TX I agree - this kind of “so called evangelism”is so fake, controlling and non human that it deserves rejection-
And the arrogance is so not about Jesus that I’m glad to help expose that model.
Comment by: Lisa
9 05/10/06 7:38 AM | Comment Link |This is also why Habitat for Humanity does so well; no proselytizing.
Comment by: Marty
10 05/10/06 8:24 AM | Comment Link |I think that probably everyone on this board has done and is doing many things to MTWABP and there are lots of opportunities where religion or lack of same is not known or important. It is a part of us realizing that everyone here are really good people and help us move through our label addictions and misunderstandings.
For me those MTWABP activities have included things like Hospice work (coming along side those who are dying), mentoring kids, being among 4,000 volunteers who built a major kids playground in five days, visits to juvenile hall, serving on the AIDS facility board, etc. I agree with those who spoke about the importance of listening - just listening. I am keenly aware that I have had more positive impact on others by my listening than anything I have ever said to them.
I am very involved with Interfaith work/programs and I have have thought about the potential of developing a dialogue between Atheists and those of Faith and am looking at when that might be best done. Right now we have been able to take a group of primarily moderate Christians, Catholics, Bahai, Quakers, etc. gotten the Jewish community involved and most recently gotten the Islam Community to not only get involved but to take a strong leadership role. The Board now includes representation from all of these - and has just added a Buddhist representative. Over 200 attend our meetings which are typically quarterly.
My sense is that Eliza may be thinking programs that are consciouosly and opennly bringing together people who are known to be Christian (and/or other religions) with those who are athiests/agnostics/humanists, etc and get together in ways that we can appreciate each other more and let go of our prejudices and stereotypes. Where we can experience making the world a better place together rather than just talking about it. I am very interested in this and am in the embrionic stage of exploring how that might look/work and developing a prototype of it here in Santa Barbara.
My sense is that in some ways - those of us who have gotten to know each other and appreciate each other on this board would very much love to get to know each other first hand and would make a great group to do a MTWABP project together.
Maybe we should all meet in Seattle for the OTM Meeting - and among other things - work a day or two on something like a Habitat for Humanity project. Seeing as how that is on November 4th, I hope that someone will bring me a birthday cake. :-)
When we work together to MTWABP it brings out the best of who all of us are - and when that happens we see that each/all of us are quite good. When we allow ourselves to battle over Christian/Atheist diferences, doctrane, dogma, prejudices, judgments, etc - we often bring out the worst in each other - and each of us have our own thoughts on how that looks and feels and does.
Comment by: TXatheist
11 05/10/06 8:46 AM | Comment Link |Lisa,
I thought hands on housing always started the daily work to be done with a group prayer and that’s why I’ve not helped that group. Am I wrong or might you be possibly?
Comment by: Eliza
12 05/10/06 9:05 AM | Comment Link |TX, good for you for helping on projects like that. Did that one guy evangelizing turn you off from volunteering with them again? That would be understandable, and ironic in the big picture of MTWABP.
Lisa, I donate to Habitat for Humanity (haven’t worked at a building site). They seem to be working on filling a very real need, for anyone who needs it who can work within their very reasonable requirements (time committment etc to the house - no requirement to be or become Christian). But I do notice that their mailings not only are open about their Christianity, which is fine - they assume that their donors are Christian too. (This isn’t exactly how they say it, but it’s not far off: “Yes! I do want to help you in God’s work! I’m enclosing $X”.) It’s somewhat off-putting, for me, to read that…
Comment by: Eliza
13 05/10/06 9:06 AM | Comment Link |(Oops, I meant: but they assume their donors are Christian too,)
Comment by: Lisa W.
14 05/10/06 10:39 AM | Comment Link |I just spoke with my mother who worked on a HforH house in Olympia. Yes, they do start the day with a blessing and there is a bit of ceremony and blessing when they hand the keys over to the new homeowners.
HH does not proselytize though and belief in God is not a requirement for helping out.
Comment by: Lisa W.
15 05/10/06 10:42 AM | Comment Link |I wouldn’t consider prayer at the opening/closing of a day of work to be proselytizing.
Just to clarify:
pros·e·ly·tize v. intr.
To induce someone to convert to one’s own religious faith.
Comment by: Lisa W.
16 05/10/06 10:44 AM | Comment Link |Eliza,
I can understand why this would be off putting:
but, I hope it would not get in the way of helping in such a practical way.
Comment by: Ir
17 05/10/06 10:49 AM | Comment Link |I agree - but both Eliza’s example of “Yes I want to help you in God’s work!” and praying at the opening and closing of a day presume like-mindedness among others and I can see why people who aren’t like-minded might find that irritating.
Comment by: Lisa W.
18 05/10/06 11:07 AM | Comment Link |Ir- I suppose. But it IS a Christian organization and I don’t think it needs to neuter itself to make others feel more comfortable.
Comment by: TXatheist
19 05/10/06 11:16 AM | Comment Link |It’s a xian organization that openly prays and I won’t join in and support that when it’s against my principle of honesty. Hands on housing is my thing and looks like it will continue.
Comment by: Ir
20 05/10/06 11:28 AM | Comment Link |I see your point Lisa.
It seems to me that there could be more respectful, less presumptive ways of handling both situations.
If a Christian organization wants the help and money of people who don’t pray or believe in God, perhaps they could change the wording on the offering sheet and take the word ‘God’ off there. So someone like Eliza can give money and check that box without misrepresenting herself, if she would like to give.
And perhaps before the prayer, they can say “We really appreciate the help of all of you. We’re going to pray now because we believe in God and want to commit this work to him. If you would rather not join us in prayer feel free not to. And we ask everyone here to respect anyone who makes that choice and not to make an issue of it.
TX, would it make any difference to you if they said something like that? Or would you not join unless they refrained from praying altogether?
Anyway, showing an awareness and sensitivity to the possibility of people being present who don’t share the beliefs of those running the organization might be advisable if Christians really want people who aren’t Christians to join with them in MTWABP
But that’s just my opinion.
Comment by: Eliza
21 05/10/06 11:31 AM | Comment Link |I agree, but it’s when they assume that I as a donor or potential donor must be Christian that irks me a bit. That’s not proselytizing, but it’s making an assumption about other people that’s not necessary (imo), and in my case isn’t true…and is off-putting. A prayer at the start of day of building, well I figure those who don’t want to join in can stand off to the side for a few minutes, then pick up a hammer and start working.
I’d prefer something like “Yes! I’d like to support the work you are doing!” on the donor form. But really it’s a small deal, not a big deal. They are who/what they are, and I can choose to support them or not.
Comment by: Bob
22 05/10/06 11:31 AM | Comment Link |TX,
Are you supporting the organization or the people being helped? I think if you’re focused on who you’re working with rather than who you’re working for, you’ve missed the point of trying to MTWABP.
Does Hands on Housing help out people who are Christians who may be thanking God for your help? Would that offend you into not helping?
Comment by: Eliza
23 05/10/06 11:32 AM | Comment Link |Ir, you said it better, Thank you! I just cross-posted with you.
Comment by: Lisa W.
24 05/10/06 11:37 AM | Comment Link |Granted, there are many ways to contribute, but at what point do we say, “I will help regardless of the fact that the person’s/organization’s beliefs are different than mine?”
At what point do we say, “You’re thirsty and I have water. Here, drink. You need a home. Hand me a hammer, I’ll help. period.”
Comment by: Ir
25 05/10/06 11:40 AM | Comment Link |Eliza, you said it just fine :)
I think it would be nice if both sides could figure out how to be so respectful of each other that neither side ever had to make the following choice (like Eliza currently does) “I guess I can make this small compromise because it’s worth it to MTWABP”
Comment by: TXatheist
26 05/10/06 11:44 AM | Comment Link |Ir asked
Ir, it still goes against my code of honesty. If the prayer happened at a church and they all showed up to help that would be great. Asking me to excuse myself so they can pray? No, it’s like the football prayer issue in Texas. You want to pray at a public school football game? Go out in the parking lot but get off the public announcement system or let an atheist have equal time on the microphone. It’s a xian organization that openly does xian praying. I won’t support that for that reason.
Comment by: Ir
27 05/10/06 11:47 AM | Comment Link |Lisa I hope this doesn’t seem pointlessly nitpicky: I think it’s not that they are different but that they seem to presume we will happily go along with theirs. They don’t even acknowledge the existence of ours.
Comment by: TXatheist
28 05/10/06 11:48 AM | Comment Link |bob asked
To me that’s completely different. If I see a lady with flat tire on the side of the road I don’t ask if she’s xian before I change the tire. That actually happened last year, on my way to work a woman was on the side of road. I stopped, while many passed her by, helped her by giving her my cell phone to call her boss and her husband and as I walked away(after offering to stay) she said I was her guardian angel. I just smiled because she needed help and it didn’t matter I wasn’t xian. The people who insist on praying think that’s ok and necessary before they start working on the house. That’s the difference.
Comment by: Ir
29 05/10/06 11:49 AM | Comment Link |TX, sorry if this seems like a stupid question: can you explain what part of working with a Christian organization that openly prays goes against your code of honesty? (Assuming they are willing to openly respect your choice not to pray)
Comment by: Rose
30 05/10/06 11:57 AM | Comment Link |Here are a couple of ways my faith community helps to make the world a better place. I will own up front the reason we do these things. For us this is what makes our faith real. It is the way we live our faith. So, one way is we partner with social service agencies in our community that are making a difference no matter if they are secular or faith based. I guess I would add, it would be hard to partner with a faith-based org which makes it’s helping conditional on having to “hear” the gospel…we have tutored immigrant children in a low income apartment community in our neighborhood, hosted at the apartments a festival of lights (rather than Christmas) party for the kids in December..there are muslim children, hindu children, buddhist children, atheist children, all races, religions or not and other differences. What we all had in common was being with the kids…bringing educational gifts and having a very fun party…
Another way we have partnered in our community to make a difference is with a local shelter that houses homeless children. We become the night shelter one week per quarter…our facility which houses our church gatherings turns into a home for up to 4 homeless families with children. We provide bedrooms…dinner, breakfast, lunch foods to pack and community…there is absolutely no proselytizing allowed…
One of the times we hosted, the make up of the famiies was very interesting. We had a family that was Muslim…the man wanted to talk with everyone about his faith, at the same time we had a family were the husband and wife had been married for 20 years, 5 years prior the husband had a sex change operation so now he was a she and they stayed together…here is the amazing thing…by partnering with these agencies, we are meeting wonderful people that my everyday life would probably never run into…by partnering with agencies we are realigning our lives so we can run into people that need help and can teach us much!
Our facility which houses our congregation is set up very much like a community center. It does however, have paintings and a cross etc…You would probably know we are Christians when staying at our place…I don’t think that has deterred anyone from being with us…if it was offensive to someone, that would certainly be their choice not to stay and we would absolutely respect their decision…
So those are a few ways, we as a faith community have tried to MTWABP
Comment by: Lisa W.
31 05/10/06 11:57 AM | Comment Link |Ir,
I understand your point but why is it so important to be validated? I think we go over the line and start worshipping PC instead of just picking up the hammer and working. If a group has gone to all the work of setting up an organization and they happen to be Xian or whatever, I don’t think they need to make sure everyone is so dang comfortable and validated.
Comment by: TXatheist
32 05/10/06 12:00 PM | Comment Link |Lisa,
I realize you are talking to Ir but I agree with you. It’s why I despise the boy scouts. They do good work but their oath violates my code of honesty. However, no federal funding for bigotry. It’s also why I’m so against faith-based funding.
Comment by: TXatheist
33 05/10/06 12:02 PM | Comment Link |Ir asked a good and fair question:
My code of honesty realizes there is no god and that prayer absolutely doesn’t do anything. The house will be built exactly the same without the prayer happening. Or at least that’s my opinion:)
Comment by: Bob
34 05/10/06 12:08 PM | Comment Link |Rose in #30. Wonderful!!
Comment by: Julie Marie
35 05/10/06 12:08 PM | Comment Link |wow Rose, what a way to live the faith! I am very impressed.
Comment by: Bob
36 05/10/06 12:15 PM | Comment Link |TX said:
I disagree, TX. If they pray, you’ll walk off the job and that will affect the construction. :-)
Comment by: Ir
37 05/10/06 12:22 PM | Comment Link |Thanks for sharing, Rose. It sounds like your faith community is doing some very worthwhile things for your local community.
What’s so bad about making people feel comfortable? ;)
And why call the whole group to prayer first if it’s really about getting on with it and picking up a hammer?
The Bible says “decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother”. Doesn’t that mean, don’t do what causes someone else a problem? ;)
I do think that ‘the little things matter’ - Eliza’s point yesterday - both in a positive and negative way. Maybe calling the whole group to prayer first in a way that presumes everyone is ok with that is a ‘little thing’ that happens to bother some people a lot.
Anyway Lisa, I do take your point and it was only a few days ago I was arguing against being PC. I guess I change sides with the weather, huh? ;) And I won’t push my point any more.
Comment by: Ir
38 05/10/06 12:23 PM | Comment Link |Maybe they’re praying they can still get it done after TXatheist walks off the job ;)
Comment by: TXatheist
39 05/10/06 12:23 PM | Comment Link |Bob,
You’re thinking from the xian perspective again:). If they don’t pray I’d be there to help and the construction would be done exactly the same. Actually we’d be done a minute earlier because we didn’t pray.
Comment by: Bob
40 05/10/06 12:34 PM | Comment Link |*grin*
Comment by: Eliza
41 05/10/06 1:27 PM | Comment Link |Marty, I missed your post in #10 earlier - great comments.
I do think this could be a side-benefit of working together to MTWABP knowing that other people in the group have different beliefs. MTWABP in a group where noone talks about their beliefs seems like it just plasters over the differences instead of allowing for discussion about them, to help reduce the assumptions that go along with labels. Or, maybe it would just bollox up the whole event/group ;)
Wonderful! Like Rose, you’ve been involved in a wide variety of volunteer activities - do you tend to get involved on your own, or through the interfaith group you mentioned?
Our discussion in Little Things That Matter has made that more apparent to me. Listening, and responding to let the person know he/she has been heard, which may just be your body language, or nod, or smile, or touch, or maybe even a few words.
This is great! It would be amazing (to me) to see one of your meetings.
Yes, and having people talk about our differences instead of ignore, avoid, or argue about them. And recognize how much we have in common. I’d love to hear more about your prototype (maybe tomorrow?).
That would be great! I’m not sure how many people here could/would come, but we could try to gather some others too, who might otherwise not usually come together on a project.
Chocolate, carrot, or white cake? :)
I think I know how many candles, from one of your prior posts. :) :)
Comment by: Eliza
42 05/10/06 1:28 PM | Comment Link |Jim or Lisa, do you think it would work to try to connect a MTWABP work-day project with the OTM conference, for the day after, or before, the conference? I’d help arrange it…
Comment by: Lisa W.
43 05/10/06 1:38 PM | Comment Link |sounds like a great idea, Eliza!
Comment by: Lisa W.
44 05/10/06 1:58 PM | Comment Link |Here are some comments I made about last years conference
Comment by: Nicole
45 05/10/06 2:39 PM | Comment Link |Kiwanis International has managed to take what began as a Christian organization and really opened their doors to all individuals interested in MTWABP. Sure, if you go to older clubs you may still hear hymns sung before meetings but the younger generations (like the new DC Young Professionals’ Kiwanis Club - http://www.dcypkiwanis.org) are completely open and accepting of anyone - anyone that wants to make a difference in the community. Kiwanis has also gone from a local community focus to really effecting monumentous change on a global level. They have incorporated a new element called WorldLink that does nothing more than connect all of those millions of local clubs for collaborative efforts. As a result of these new trends, Kiwanis was able to VIRTUALLY IRRADICATE Iodine Deficiency Disorder worldwide during the last 5 years. When millions of communities work together you succeed at making the world a better place.
Comment by: Lisa W.
46 05/10/06 4:48 PM | Comment Link |I’ve been thinking about what Ir said here:
I don’t think it’s about respecting each other so that the result is we don’t have to make any compromises. I think it is about MTWABP even in light of the fact that we have to manage the polarity of differences and make compromises.
ie: at Rose’s church they don’t openly pray over the meal they serve to the visiting families (this is possibly a bit of a compromise). But, they also don’t remove their Cross and art from the walls either. This is who they are and they are not going to homogenize themselves in order to make people emotionally cozy. They do practice hospitality at it’s highest and with tremendous integrity.
Comment by: Ir
47 05/10/06 5:11 PM | Comment Link |Lisa, I don’t necessarily disagree with you…I need to think about it more.
Thanks for all your comments on this - I think it is important because people of differing viewpoints who want to MTWABP are going to face these sorts of issues.
Comment by: Rose
48 05/10/06 5:34 PM | Comment Link |I wonder if it were a “perfect world” then we could expect each side to never have to make compromises…being that we have not reached perfection or utopia or whatever the “perfect world” would be, it seems each of us has to decide where the line is in order to join in MTWABP in specific ways…i.e. I think someone stated they would not help Habitat for Humanity because they pray first…well that’s your line not to cross, hopefully you would find the place you could join in and MTWABP…maybe it is too tall an order to expect everyone to conform to whatever will not rock the boat with a particular group…I don’t know, isn’t that the beauty of living in a free society? If you don’t want to pray or wait while others pray before picking up a hammer them by all means go find a hammer and help without praying…
I don’t mean to be pugnacious…it just seems there is so much to do to bring good and wholeness to our world that if you want to be a part of MTWABP you would be able to find a group or organization to join in and work without having to change their culture…
Comment by: Eliza
49 05/10/06 6:47 PM | Comment Link |Nicole - thanks for the information on the Kiwanis Club. It looks like a great organization!
Comment by: Jim Henderson
50 05/10/06 10:35 PM | Comment Link |If we don’t bring our differences we will never have to experience trust or love. It’s our very real differences that hightlight the beauty of accomodation and understanding. Without those differences as our backdrop our story loses its luster,edge and ability to help each of us change on the deepest level.
Comment by: Ir
51 05/11/06 3:43 AM | Comment Link |Ok, I am trying to sort out what I do and don’t agree with…
Regarding what Lisa and Rose wrote:
If a Christian invites someone to their home who believes otherwise should they take their Christian things down off the walls? Definitely not. It’s their home and it’s fine for them to have in it what expresses their faith the way they want to. Should they be apologetic about having Christian things on the walls? No. (imo ;))
Yes…I agree with this and I think the question is, what does that look like in practice?
I think it looks like Christians keeping their Christian things unapologetically on the walls of their home no matter who visits.
But I also think it should look like: I give you space to be different. I don’t necessarily have to ‘validate’ you being different but I might need to address the differences to show that I acknowledge that they exist.
Here’s a personal example of mutually giving each other space to be different as we work together to achieve a common goal. The immediate common goal relates to my health - hopefully that indirectly contributes to MTWABP because I can do that most effectively if I am healthy.
Anyway, so my counselor is a Christian and prays and I do not pray at present [except in very rare/special circumstances]. Since he has been my counselor he has opened and closed each session with prayer.
I was honest with him as my beliefs/practices were changing and I wanted to address the prayer issue so I said “I don’t pray, but I want you to pray if you want to, because I want you to be comfortable and do what is helpful for you”.
He has continued to pray at the beginning and end of each session BUT he always asks me first if it’s ok. He never assumes it’s ok. I have always said yes but I appreciate that he asks.
Comment by: NCxian
52 05/11/06 5:28 AM | Comment Link |Ir: Your counselor sounds like a wise person. Which I guess I would assume to be the case since you have stuck with him despite your not agreeing with him on some of the fundamental issues that you talk with him about.
Lisa commented that Rose’s church operates with “integrity”. Regarding the expression of differences, I am thinking that personal integrity is important. Being your authentic self is a part of being emotionally healthy (someplace else we called it “100% grown-up inside”). The tension is to be who you are and at the same time to allow others to be who they are (”give them space”, as Ir aptly put it).
Of course, if one of the parties believes that they have an exclusive truth (e.g. “the way to God is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ”), and if they further believe that kindness requires that they try to convince others of this truth (otherwise they are selfish with the truth to the eternal detriment of the folks around them), the tension of being authentic versus giving the other their space becomes a high wire act.
Has anybody ever seen that balancing act done well? What did it look like?
Comment by: Ir
53 05/11/06 6:17 AM | Comment Link |Great observations and question, NCxian.
It’s been observed on this blog before by Christians that MTWABP can’t reasonably exclude trying to share an essential truth with other people, if you believe you possess an essential truth others don’t yet accept.
Comment by: Marty
54 05/11/06 11:39 AM | Comment Link |I get involved on my own - while at the same time I look for natural connections. Although I am very entrepreurial and have started a number of things - some of which live on and are helping MTWABP, I have moved more to becoming an enabler, supporter, championer of other people’s dreams - that resonate with me. I know that both you and I and many others feel that way toward Jim and his work and are champing at the bit looking for how Jim/Lisa, etc move this program toward being all that in can and is meant to be - and how we can be a part of making that happen.
A couple of other things that speak to me and I am involved with are:
Light Up the World Foundation - where I have had the privelege of hosting the founder (Dave Irvine-Haliday) from Calgary for three days in my home and through several meetings over the three days. (Hint-Hint Jim - you know I would love to do the same with you coming to Santa Barbara). There are two billion people in the world without light in their homes, schools, etc - and Dave (an electrical engineering professor) is committed to doing what he can to make a positive impact on that through a solar panel - battery - LED light system that he has integrated and costs about $100 to provide light to two rooms of a villagers home.
More recently I have gotten involved with Lifewater International whose offices are just 100 miles up the road in San Luis Obispo. As I have learned - the need for clean water and sanitation is even greater than the need for light - in that one can not survive without clean water and sanitation.
But now to what is really important:
Angel food cake with chocolate icing.
Comment by: Jim Henderson
55 05/11/06 1:09 PM | Comment Link |Marty
Thanks for the invite although I am not sure what I would have to talk about for 3 days - maybe we could make it one hour and even at that I would need for you to do a lot of the talking.
I love ideas like these two guys are fronting - bringing electircity and water into needy areas are such simple and easy to understand ideas.
Regarding getting involved with these kinds of projects, here’s what we started wondering about (we=OTMers) a few years ago. It was triggered by our awareness as Cs that ECs particularly liked BIG projects (admittedly evangelism programs is what I am referring to not Habitat for Humanity)to us they seemed “addicted to drama”. Get people involved in a project and then send them home to write checks to the org they visited or program they used.
We noticed that a lot of ordinary people were not participating and/or could not sustain commitment to the programs. They needed something to do that they were already doing- something they did in the course of their ordinary life.
We began to focus our experimentation around asking people to gve away small amounts of their attention - we called it free attention giveaways - Intentionally asking someone’how are you and really listening or “being unusually interested in others” or in our case “praying behind someones back (this may be offensive to As to know that Cs are praying unauthorized prayers for them but we encourage it anyway :-)
we called this Ordinary Attempts and doing whats doable. My only problem with programs is that most people cannot commit longterm to them. OTM has sought to provide an ongoing approach to connecting for those people who are limited by time, money or personality to be grateful when they can do something in the context of their ordinary life. it is like taking a formal dialog process out into the street or into real life- that is what we are trying to figure out how to do
Comment by: Justice and Compassion
56 01/3/08 2:52 AM | Comment Link |[...] you agree with ONE that in electing a new U.S. president we have a big opportunity to help MTWABP over the next four years? Why or Why [...]