The Sad Truth about Water

Water is a luxury that we (Americans/the Western world) take for granted.  Showers, dishes, drinking water, car washes, toilets, washing machines, swimming pools, water fountains, ice cubes, decorative fountains---all things that take water, whether or a lot or little, that we don't bat an eye at.  Water is plentiful---for us.  In the majority of the world, clean water is scarce.  Do you realize just how scarce it is?  Check out these facts from Compassion International:

*50% of the world's hospitalizations are due to water-related illnesses such as cholera.

*One in five children (TWENTY PERCENT OF ALL CHILDREN!) worldwide die from diarrhea---that's more than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined.

*Poor people living in the slums often have to pay five to ten time more per liter of water than wealthy people living in the same city.

*2.5 million people do not have adequate sanitation facilities.

*800 MILLION PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER.

*1.5 million children die of water-borne illnesses every year.

These numbers are absolutely staggering.  I can't even comprehend the suffering that is happening worldwide.  Life is cozy and safe here.  Kids aren't dying because they don't have water.  People aren't begging in the streets for clean water.  We are isolated from this worldwide epidemic.  We can choose to not be isolated.  There are ways to help.  Blood Water: Mission is a ministry that our family supports that builds wells for impoverished areas of Africa.  Check out this video to learn more about what they do and how you can help.

Our friends the Palms have a heart for Uganda and particularly an unsanitary holding area for orphans that lacks clean water.  Read their story here and get involved by giving $20 to their cause.

We all need to do something.  Please, get involved and save a life.

Music: The Avett Brothers- Various Songs

Sometimes, we need to appreciate art because it's beautiful, and good.  If every good and perfect thing comes from God, then we can definitely find God in art and music.  As I was watching the Avett Brothers rock it tonight, I was reminded of how creative God is and how creativity is such a reflection of who he is. We are made in the image of the Creator God, so our creativity comes as a result of being made in his image.  Long story short, I really appreciate the Avett Brothers music and I'm posting it because it is art and not because of some deep spiritual teaching (not that I am saying I provide that here, but you get my point).   Enjoy some of my favorites.

"Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise"

"I and Love and You"

"The Ballad of Love and Hate"

"I Would Be Sad"

"If It's the Beaches"

Music: Jon Foreman- "Revenge"

I really enjoy this song and have heard multiple intriguing explanations of the meaning of some of the writing.  What do you think?

Righteous Indignation

Maybe it shouldn't make me proud to hear my students expressing some righteous indignation, but I admit that I felt that way today.  Righteous anger can sometimes really be nothing more than pride not-so-subtly rearing its ugly head, but it can also be a sign of maturity.  So, let me explain what happened and why the attitude of my junior and senior Bible class encouraged me that they are growing.

Today, we had a speaker come into our chapel to share about the 30 Hour Famine ministry of World Vision. (http://30hourfamine.org/) He actually seemed like a really solid, humble guy and I enjoyed his presentation on social justice stemming from Micah 6:8.  I want to be totally clear here and state that I think the work that World Vision does to create awareness about hunger and to raise funds to feed the needy is wonderful.  The purpose of the speaker's visit was to encourage students to attend a 30 Hour Famine event at a local church.  (To summarize this event, students get pledges for every hour that they don't eat during this teen-centered event.  They do some community work during the night and a lock-in is held where kids hang out and fast.)  I think it's a good way for kids to become aware of a need in a tangible way, so I support the kids participating.  What I found a little off-putting---and I later found out ruffled my students feathers as well---was that after a great presentation the students were encouraged by the speaker to attend the event because they would have a "sweet juice bar" and several great bands for the kids to listen to.  Now, it probably sounds like I'm just picking everything apart and being a jerk.  I'm not.  I just know that my kids don't need that kind of incentive to help others.

Later, when I talked to my class, they were quick to mention how they felt a little patronized by the incentives to participate.  One student said, "I don't need all that to do what's right..."  Another commented that it didn't sound like "suffering if I get a juice bar."  Sometimes, I think, we don't give teenagers enough credit.  We assume we have to put together a cool event or flashy worship service or attractive youth room in order to get kids to be willing to do something "Christian."  This isn't true.  Kids are spiritually astute enough to know that something is missing in their lives when God is not there.  They are hungry for significance and wholeness.  They aren't opposed to considering Christ as an answer to the void in their lives.  When you get a solid group of Christian kids like we have at VCA, their hearts are already moved towards helping the helpless.  They need awareness.  Awareness IS the incentive to act.  


These principles apply to adults too.  People know they are missing something.  If what we provide is more about aesthetics and less about authenticity, we will find people quickly becoming unamused and moving on to the next form of entertainment.  If we're really the Church, we don't need the bells and whistles to be moved by the Spirit.  That goes for our kids too...