Community Development

I am never disappointed by the Perspectives speakers. There is always Biblical Truth mixed with practical information having to do with working with a different culture, adjusting to minimal living styles, advice on living with other missionaries (conflict with other missionaries is one of the primary reasons for people leaving the field before their term ends), sharing the Gospel in an effective way considering the religious climate and the learning style of the people group, etc.


Tonight the speakers talked about community development. After looking at how Jesus and the disciples met physical needs and shared the Truth, we looked at practical things relevant in underdeveloped areas today. One speaker--who I have to label an "Inventor"-- has made a few devices to provide fresh water from contaminated water, cook with sunlight, use solar power to charge cell phones and provide a source of income for the people, etc. So inspiring! There is so much to the old adage, "Don't give them a fish, but teach them to fish."


Of particular note to me was Jesus quotation of the prophet Isaiah--"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." Luke 4:18-19. Jesus was about the whole person. In nursing school they talked much about "holistic nursing" where we assess and treat not only the physical needs, but the spiritual, social and emotional needs as well. I've been witness countless times where these are tied closely together with the physical reason the person seeks medical treatment. The recovery process depends heavily on how the person deals with the issues in all of these aspects. Some on the Mercy health care team are very good at addressing all of them. I hope we get better at it. North American culture teaches us to separate all the aspects of the person. Most other cultures see all of them together as making up the whole. All too often we are hacking away at the symptoms with medications and procedures instead of targeting the underlying causes.


Here are some power packed quotes from the evening. "It is a transformed person who transforms his or her environment. Transformation comes through a relationship with Christ. Deeds give credibility to the Gospel" AC Musopole and Dr. Ed Klotz

"God's church falters from exhaustion because Christians erroneously think that God has given them a mission to perform in the world. Rather, the God of mission has given his church to the world. It is not the church of God that has a mission in the world, but the God of mission who has a church in the world. The church's involvement in mission is its privileged participation in the actions of the triune God." Tim Dearborn