Why we do Justice and Compassion

reposted from my friend and co-worker Curtis Doell. He also works for the C&MA and he is the Regional Leader for Justice and Compassion in the Sun region, whereas I am the leader for the Sand (Africa) region.You can check out his ministry at http://livepassion.ca.  I am always so encouraged by him and his wife Linda and he answers the question so well- Why do we do Justice and Compassion? This really is just the beginning of an important conversation but I think that this is a great start for getting us all to think and re-think!

What is Justice and Compassion?

“ I think it’d be good to have some sort of discussion, theological or otherwise, as to what “justice and compassion” means in God’s eyes.  I find that these are topics that most people haven’t considered theologically.  We know we’re supposed to have compassion and seek justice, but that’s about all we know.  The question of ‘why it’s important to God’ doesn’t get much play in Christian circles… “

The Problem

The problem is that public service is becoming “in-thing” to do all across North America. Our good intentions have unintended, negative repercussions. “Our free food and clothing distribution encourages ever-growing handout lines, diminishing the dignity of the poor while increasing their dependency. We converge on inner-city neighborhoods to plant flowers and pick up trash, battering the pride of residents who have the capacity (and responsibility)  to beautify their own environment. We fly off on missions trips to poverty-stricken villages, hearts full of pity and suitcases bulging with giveaways – trips that one Nicaraguan leader describes as effective only in “turning my people into beggars“ ” Excerpt from Toxic Charity ©2011.

The stories go on and on. A church in Mexico painted 6 times by 6 different groups in ONE summer. Villages that have frequent teams visiting having pre-planning meetings about who is going to “go forward” this time. Entire wardrobes are thrown out knowing that there is another team coming with “new” clothes. And the kicker, people heading back to suburbia or their city or their country feeling blessed by being able to help someone who is “less fortunate”.

Biblically…

God reveals himself as compassionate and just towards the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, the fatherless, and the widow. Throughout Scripture God instructs His people to be a community that reflects his nature; a people of compassion, justice, and mercy. Thus, acts of compassion and generosity are important spiritual disciplines that we must cultivate in our life; to care for the poor and oppressed; to live generously toward others’ needs.  In doing so, we carry on the ministry of Jesus and reflect an accurate image of God to the world.

Justice ensures that all people are valued and treated with dignity and fairness because all are loved by God and made in his image. Sin causes humans to have a distorted worldview that allows for prejudices that devalue others. As a result, people suffer injustice. Jesus came to redeem our relationships with God, one another and his creation. We are called to be ministers of this message of reconciliation and serve people, releasing them from spiritual, physical, social and economic bondages.

How Do We Move Forward?

So how do we become ministers of reconciliation and serve people to release them? How do we do this so our helping does not hurt? How can we build steps to sustainability and support?  I encourage you to comment.

I leave you with The Oath for Compassionate Service by Robert Lupton

1. Never do for the poor what they have (or could have) the capacity to do for themselves.
2. Limit one-way giving to emergency situations.
3. Strive to empower the poor through employment, lending, and investing, using grants sparingly to reinforce achievements.
4. Subordinate self-interests to the needs of those being served.
5. Listen closely to those you seek to help, especially to what is not being said – unspoken feelings may contain essential clues to effective service.
6. Above all, do no harm.

Loss

Psalms 40:1-2

I waited patiently for God to help me; then He listened and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God.

There are things in life that we just don’t understand. This past month has been undoubtedly one of the hardest, most heartbreaking times of our lives. Great joy turns to great sorrow. Dreams are lost and confusion sets in. I feel like after a month I am finally in a place where we can share it.

 

On November 14th we had great joy. We were only a few days away from carrying a beautiful much wanted new child into my second trimester. We were in great health, the baby was in great health, strong and moving with a strong heartbeat and I felt all the nerves start to fall away that come with the first trimester. Paul and I were just headed out on a much anticipated, long saved for and sorely needed vacation time away for the two of us. The 15th of November that all ended, in a hotel room in Toronto where we had a layover between flights, when we lost our baby. One day short of making it to the second trimester and he was gone.

 

We flew back to Alberta and a few days later we held, loved, and buried a perfect and tiny little boy. We named him David, meaning Beloved. We will never know the man he would have grown to be, but he will always be love to us. I prayed every single day, many times a day even, for this child while I was pregnant. I am unsure what went wrong and it hurts that so much prayer seems to have gone unanswered. But yet I know that is only my tiny little viewpoint in the much larger picture of my life. I try to step back from the emotion and remember that. Maybe my son Bennett’s birth was much more of a miracle than we knew, and the adoption of our daughter Arielle so much more a perfect blessing than we knew at the time. Our family is forever changed and I am so thankful for both of them in a new way this month.

 

This is not my first miscarriage. In fact, it is my fourth. The other three were before I had my son Bennett. With those I always still had time to keep trying. For this child, we had this one window of perfect opportunity back in Canada before returning to Niger next summer. For those of you who may say just quit- We are not considering leaving our work in Niger. This is the ministry God has prepared for us and we love it there, we love the people and the work. It is not a job, but a calling and a passion. We have looked at and thought about all the different options, and none of them are good. I feel left with only choices that suck to be honest. It’s hard to understand.

 

My mom said how common miscarriages are-that 1 in 4 pregnancies end of miscarriage apparently- 25%. But this is my 5^th pregnancy, and my fourth miscarriage. So I am batting 80%. 3 of them I lost just days or a week before making it to the second trimester. It is emotionally brutal. But God is walking with us and does not leave us in the challenges. Do we believe he is good no matter what? Paul said he received a word from God that this is not the end of the story. We don’t know what this story is, or what the purpose is in it, but we are comforted that no matter what direction or outcome, we don’t walk alone.

 

In some of our speaking engagements we have been challenging people to build their prayer support base and never underestimate the power of praying people to work in tough situations. We never underestimate the strength and value in being real and transparent with people. In fact, Paul and I always believe it is better to be open and honest and real before people. I am hearing my own words reverberate in my head and I ask...why would we suffer alone? There is no shame in pain, in confusion, in hurt, in miscarriage. It would be my own pride that would keep me to hide it, to not seem weak, but in reality, I am weak. Losing a life, a child, hurts everyone. We share because we want to be real and we are grieving and I just can’t be fake about that. It makes me sad and cry to see babies right now or to think about this child we lost, still everyday it wells up inside me. And that’s ok I think. Tears are ok. I grieve the marriage retreat trip Paul and I were supposed to take that is lost to us as well now. I know how badly we were looking forward to that time and saving for it and had planned it for several years. I don’t know why things happen the way they do.

 

Friends of mine often said- remember that God is good ALL THE TIME. In their own pain and stresses I saw a common theme in remembering God’s goodness and I cling to that in my own pain. There is no in-between. People with good intentions may say it’s for the better, or something must have been wrong with the child, or to just be thankful I have other children. Well meaning words, but empty. I don’t believe anything was wrong with the child as we saw him strong and moving just hours before another scan saw he had then died in the 8 hours after that first scan. I believe it is my own body that let go of his support system. I don’t think it is for the better. While I am grateful for my children to hold, it does not stop the grief of burying my tiny little boy who we desired to hold and have for life. My kids ask often about the baby. Bennett often goes out to his grave and even lays on the ground next to it, talking to his “little brother”. He pulls down branches and finds little berries and leaves flowers on top of the snow. They don’t understand any more than we do.

 

We can never escape pain in this life. We can never be promised a perfect, pain free life. I don’t think it is healthy to hide or try to be perfect and to have it all together. I don’t have it all together, that’s for certain. I miss my child deeply and think of him everyday. That’s just the way it is right now. But I cling to God as my refuge and am thankful for all your prayers.

 

Matthew 11:25-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

David’s grave

Enjoying seasons

One of the big things I miss in Niger is the changing seasons. Niger is basically always really warm, hot or super crazy hot. There aren’t a lot of trees and seeing real grass is a treat and hard to find in Niger. So while I don’t miss the freezing cold of winter, I do miss seasons like leaves changing, gentle rain and crisp air. So this fall our family has really been enjoying the beautiful colors of fall and riding our bikes and going for long walks.
So here, in photos, is what we have been enjoying in God’s beautiful creation this fall! (Oh, by the way- when i go bike riding I only bring my phone for a camera- so some photos look a little grainy! sorry!)

My Uncle passed away while we were in Niger and there is a memorial bench for him alongside a favourite walking path.

A old train bridge out in the country

Red Deer has amazing bike paths and we have been enjoying them a lot as a family!

Paddleboats on the pond

Long bike rides with my best friend!

Amazing sunsets

Enjoying harvest with a friend

First snow fall! Thankfully it didn’t last long!

Enjoying several weeks of puppy sitting the best dog in the World means lots of time on the parks!