Help-Portrait

Here’s a cool video of a project called Help-Portrait, which is adding value and worth to people who have fallen on hard times. Really inspiring stuff.

http://www.help-portrait.com/

Looking for a Summer Internship?

Are you looking for a summer internship? Do you know someone who has a heart for journalism and social justice? Do you enjoy world travel?

Well, if you (or someone you know) fits that general description, here is an opportunity…

Every summer, World Next Door takes several interns for a 2-3 month immersive cultural experience abroad.  Interns “embed” with local organizations and ministries in the country, live with host families, eat local foods and write as journalists for the World Next Door online magazine.

Jessica Shewan and Christine Sullivan, two of 2009’s summer interns.

Each intern’s experience is tailored to his/her own personal, spiritual and emotional development, as well as to the development of skills in writing, photography and cross-cultural interactions.

Interns are responsible for raising $4000-5000 to cover the costs of their trip (but will receive training in effective fund-raising techniques as part of the program).  This is not a paid internship. However, we would be happy to work with colleges and universities to fulfill internship requirements.

Ideal interns will be energetic, creative and good at communication (written and verbal).  Experience with photography is not a pre-requisite, but a willingness to learn definitely is!  Most importantly, our interns must be life-long learners, approaching the world with open eyes and open hearts in a spirit of humility.

Last summer we headed to Nairobi, Kenya to work with four different social justice ministries in that city.  In the summer of 2010, we will be heading to Zhytomyr, Ukraine!

Scott Quigley, a member of 2009’s internship team.

To apply, or for more info, head to World Next Door.

Haiti Articles Are Live

Over the next week, head to World Next Door to read about our journey to Haiti. What an amazing place. My prayer is that aid groups and missionary groups continue to flood this country with acts of justice. My first article will appear on WND on Sunday.

From Haiti

We’re in Haiti with World Next Door. What a place.

It’s heartbreaking to see poverty that toes the line of hopelessness. I’m thankful for Nehemiah Vision Ministries, that they are tackling this monster in the small town of Chambrun, offering hope to the hopeless. We’ll be posting articles, videos, and photos next week on World Next Door.

Until then, thank you for your prayers. God is definitely opening my eyes to seeing His kingdom on a level that I’ve never known. Visiting a young orphan boy the other night nearly broke me down. He is very ill after having hernia surgery. Please pray for him that he’ll recover.

Jesus is the only thing many have here in Haiti.

Album Review–Your Kingdom Come, by Matt Papa

My friend Matt Odegaard is king of album reviews. I was going to write one of Matt Papa’s album, but Matt O. beat me to the punch, so here’s his review re-posted from his blog. He says it better than I can, and I couldn’t think of anything to add. Seriously, if Just Wallpaper had a soundtrack, this album would be it. Check it out, and consider buying it…

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I randomly came across Matt Papa when he followed me on Twitter a week ago.  I thought, hey, a cool songwriter.  I clicked through his website and listened to the album preview and was BLOWN AWAY!!!

Not only are his lyrics straight out of scripture, his melodies are super creative and original.  It is also the most eclectic album I’ve ever heard.  It goes from driving rock, to what sounds like orthodox Russian, to  pseudo-punk, to instrumental hymn.

I am going out on a limb here to say this is my favorite album of the year so far!!!

Awesome Acapella Ghostbusters Theme

This is incredible. I thought it would be something good to post on a Sunday afternoon…makes me want to capture some ghosts or something.

Weekend of Service

Over the next few days, you can read stories from Grace’s recent Weekend of Service over at our friends at World Next Door. Today I share my story of my experience traveling to various project sites and what I sensed God doing in the midst of 3,000 people serving the least of these. Check it out by clicking here.

Burn It Down

Next Tuesday I’ll be going with two friends to Haiti with World Next Door to hang out with Nehemiah Vision Ministries. This is one of many incredible stories of what God is doing through NVM in Haiti, and can be found on NVM’s blog.

Christiane is in her fifties and has been serving Satan her entire life. She had a special dress she wore daily as a sign of her commitment to Satan. She believed that Satan would always protect her and save her from her troubles.

Christiane has lived with a man by the name of Benjamin for over 30 years. He has been a Christian for a long time but has not been able to convince her to come to Christ. He told me that many times when he is in bed, he would pray to God but she would ignore him and his prayers because she did not believe in God. But still in spite of her attitude, “I keep praying to my God”, he says to me.

It is believed that they were not married legally because Christiane had made a marriage vow to the spirit she serves and therefore could not marry Benjamin because the spirit is jealous and could kill Benjamin.

This past Thursday around noon, Christiane’s daughter Eliana, who is a member of our church, ran to me to have me go pray for her mom who had just asked for help to become a Christian. They have been waiting a long time for this day. Unfortunately I had to go to the airport to meet the team coming from Indiana, but Pastor Gary of our church (Nehemiah Worship Chapel) who has a weekly bible study on Thursday was on his way to Chambrun. Upon arrival he went straight to her and led her to Christ. It was such an awesome time.

She took out her dress and said “Please BURN IT DOWN”.  For many years Christiane had worn it but it could not help her and neither did all the other fetish things (bottles, dolls with pins and small wooden things). Christiane was so upset and tired of those things that she was happy to see them in flames.
This Sunday morning she came to church and testified that she is no longer the same person and that she is now a Christian. She and Benjamin came to church and they are now talking about getting married soon.

My friends and partners, I am convinced that our joint efforts are making a difference. Today the entire mission team of 18 plus a few members of our church went to pray at Christiane’s home. The house was approximately 10 feet by 16 feet but we all went in. It was very hot inside but the celebration of her new life made the heat much easier to bear.

Please keep praying for us as we continue to lift up Jesus and He faithfully draws others into him. Once again thanks for your partnership.

In Christ in Haiti,
Esperandieu and Dianne Pierre
Founders of Nehemiah Vision Ministries

Compassion Quote of the Day–Nouwen

Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it. As busy, active, relevant ministers, we want to earn our bread by making a real contribution. This means first and foremost doing something to show that our presence makes a difference. And so we ignore our greatest gift, which is our ability to enter into solidarity with those who suffer. Those who can sit in silence with their fellowman, not knowing what to say but knowing that they should be there, can bring new life in a dying heart. Those who are not afraid to hold a hand in gratitude, to shed tears in grief and to let a sigh of distress arise straight from the heart can break through paralyzing boundaries and witness the birth of a new fellowship, the fellowship of the broken.

Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart

How can you enter into someone else’s suffering and share compassion with him/her?

The Day I Walked Out of the Southern Baptist Convention (part 2)

(This is a continuation of yesterday’s post. To get caught up on the story, click here.)

I answered the door. A rain-soaked man stood on the other side, homeless. He introduced himself as Percy, a guy who had fallen on some bad luck. I decided to let him in, and he asked me if I had any dry clothes he could change into. I ran upstairs and found a pair of brown cargo shorts, a pair of socks, and a Pacers shirt to give him. These weren’t exactly clothes that were in the Goodwill pile; they were some of my favorite shorts and a shirt I recently got at a Pacers’ playoff game. He said he liked basketball, so I gave it to him. Now, dressed like a college student, he asked me to help him find a place to stay. That didn’t sound like too big of a request for me, so we got in my car and drove.

The first shelter we found looked promising. It had a picture of a lighthouse on the sign. Normally during the summer, Indy’s homeless shelters would be at half capacity, because the homeless people could sleep outside, fashioning makeshift beds under overpasses and on park benches. On wet days like this, you’d be lucky to find an available bed at a homeless shelter, and we weren’t lucky enough to find an open bed at this shelter. We kept driving.

We decided it might be a good idea to get something to eat. Percy said he knew of a good place. On the way I learned more about his life. He told me about drugs, alcoholism, no father figure, losing his job, and living on the streets, but how God still loved him. I blurted out, “Wow, I wish my testimony was interesting like yours…my life is pretty boring.” Percy told me that I should be thankful for my “boring” testimony, and that God could use me just as much as he could use someone who had a complete turnaround. Wait a second, I thought, I’m supposed to be helping him, and he’s the one encouraging me!

The Country Kitchen came into view, which sounded fine to me. This was what you would call a “soul food establishment”, which I knew nothing about. Earlier that morning, I was in a room full of white people; now I found myself the only white person in the entire restaurant. Percy ordered, among other things, collard greens and pig’s feet. I stuck with fried chicken. I didn’t expect him to have money to pay for his meal—he didn’t. I paid and we left in search for an available bed at a shelter.

My view of homeless shelters changed at the second place we visited. The rain had picked up, and the place was crowded. Percy and I both tried to explain his situation to the people at the front desk. “Sorry. Full,” was the only answer they gave us. They didn’t bat an eyelash at our situation. Strike two.

Percy and I shook it off. He told me he wanted to go talk to his son. I started to feel like the chauffer for the homeless, but I had made up my mind that I was going to help him in any way I could, because he needed help. We drove to some shady apartments, and Percy had me wait in the car while he looked for his son. While waiting, I watched as two guys approached each other and made a drug deal. Wow, this was a day of firsts.

What felt like an hour later, Percy returned and thanked me, because it was usually too far for him to walk to go talk to his son. This made me sad because, in Oklahoma, I lived very close to my parents, and could drive to see them every day. We were driving out the parking lot slowly over speed bumps, and I saw another first; a lady was arguing with a guy, probably her boyfriend, and they began to yell back and forth at each other. She tricked out a switchblade and slashed his arm faster than I could realize what was happening. I couldn’t believe it; I had just witnessed a stabbing. I immediately grabbed my cell phone and began to call 9-1-1. “Don’t,” Percy said, grabbing my phone, “they’ll find out it was you.” That was enough for me to run the red light and speed off to the next shelter.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but this shelter was full as well. Rainy days make for packed homeless shelters. I decided to put Percy up in a cheap hotel for the night, and on the way to the hotel, I bought him a bicycle at a pawn shop. He had told me that the biggest hold up for him getting back on his feet was his lack of transportation; he wanted to get a job and get a new start. I did what I could to help him, and I honestly don’t know what happened to him after I helped him check in to his room for the night.

Looking back on this day, I realize that my morning represented a Christianity I wanted nothing to do with. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not against Southern Baptists, but my perceived attitude of the collective group of people who represented all Southern Baptists more than rubbed me the wrong way. I feel like this type of attitude and seemingly condescending approach to people who don’t fit in is the one glaring problem many people have with Christians.

What I did after I walked out represents how I’d like to live the rest of my life. I’m not saying I want to give all my money to anyone who knocks on my door, but I would like to be compelled by compassion, whether it is triggered by someone who is grieving, hungry, or hurting. My faith demands action, not boycotts. I’m far from perfect in this approach, but I would like compassion to be the defining characteristic of my life.