Thank you for posting this. Is this the article? http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A42332-2002May31
This reminds me of two verses: 1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
John 15:16-27 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
It is challenging to know how to loose the chains of injustice and share our food with the hungry when we are far from the injustice and hunger. I think that while we are far away, the best thing we can be doing is to direct resources to the poor. One must describe the reality of poverty when there is a gap in the speaking of truth and paint injustice where there are blank spaces in the world. Sometimes it is the genuine purity and love we show that will teach others what kind of love God has shown that we must in turn show to those who suffer under injustice. That is to say, we might not always be speaking but a live lived well gives our words validity and force. A strong witness gives us more opportunities to speak, also. Many well-to-do people are ignorant to what is happening in the world and it is our responsibility to show them when we have the chance.
... and when the opportunity has come, we may go and serve the poor in-person.
Nope. This is the article I read. You can't read the whole thing here, but you can see part of it. Oh my gosh, National Geographic, you are so cool I can't stand it. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0211/feature3/
I believe if you want to help stifle poverty you must join something or create something bigger then yourself to do so. Try thinking of a new innovative way of going about it, something maybe you've missed, focus harder the gifts and abilities God has endowed you with, you have the power, Renee. And just remember, even Batman would have had an extremely difficult time tackling all the crime in Gotham without The Commissioner Gordon.
Dear Sweet Renee, I liked all your thought provoking questions, though they raised a plethora of more questions in my own mind. One of them is that I wonder if you have seen examples of extreme poverty in Korea, or does the government there provide options for those who are desperate? Have you seen any poor people? What are the socio-economic percentages in Korea. I am thinking that I might do some investigating. Also it WAS very good to see your face. I am concerned that you are not eating enough since you look even skinnier than usual. If you make another VLOG, try to stay a little further back from the camera, and hold a little bit more still (I know, I know, it is hard to talk w/o lots of body language). You were a little bit blurry. Thanks for calling earlier today. Love you Lots, Mmama Llama
Dearest Renee, It was so amazing to get to see your face. I miss you more than words can express. I miss your smiling face, and the way you talk with your hands, and most of all I miss your large, compassionate heart which is so evident in this video you posted. I think it's perfectly acceptable to end with a question. Sometimes in life, we don't always find answers. Sometimes we just have questions. In fact, most of this life is asking questions to which we may never find the answers. Frustrating I know, since we all like to have our questions answered. But I think the important part is that we keep asking, and keep finding things that make us ask questions.
PLEASE do more vlogs. Also, do you have Skype? If not, you should get it.
Being able to read only that much of the article is so tantalizing. It sounded really important.
I’m sure the desire to avoid poverty is exactly for the reason you say, because if you don’t confront it, it’s as if it’s not real. But seeing it personally makes it real, and then there’s no way to deny that it is real people with names and faces who suffer instead of statistics.
You ask good questions and I think it is to your credit that you are considering them in the way that you are. I’m not sure what answers I could offer, but I was struck by one particular avenue of one of the questions, and that is how does this mandate to confront poverty and injustice affect your role as a teacher? I’m not really sure what to say on this point, but it seems like there is some possibility there. Many people love you, Renée, and I think that because of that, when you are concerned about something (e.g. poverty and injustice), they are concerned about it too, or at the very least, it makes them think about it. How much more then your students? I would be curious to see what their thoughts about poverty would even be. How is it looked upon in their culture? Not sure if it could be worked into the classroom (and certainly don’t ask me how), but it could be a chance to be role model in what you are already doing. While you may not be able to see immediate signs of poverty in the sphere you travel, I’m sure you’ll still run into injustice. And I guess when you do, you can do what you can to be a person of integrity and defend those who are oppressed in whatever form that may take. Just some thoughts. It is good to hear your voice and see your face even if it is kind of blurry =)
Dear Renee,
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. Is this the article?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A42332-2002May31
This reminds me of two verses:
1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
John 15:16-27
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
It is challenging to know how to loose the chains of injustice and share our food with the hungry when we are far from the injustice and hunger. I think that while we are far away, the best thing we can be doing is to direct resources to the poor. One must describe the reality of poverty when there is a gap in the speaking of truth and paint injustice where there are blank spaces in the world. Sometimes it is the genuine purity and love we show that will teach others what kind of love God has shown that we must in turn show to those who suffer under injustice. That is to say, we might not always be speaking but a live lived well gives our words validity and force. A strong witness gives us more opportunities to speak, also. Many well-to-do people are ignorant to what is happening in the world and it is our responsibility to show them when we have the chance.
... and when the opportunity has come, we may go and serve the poor in-person.
Nope. This is the article I read. You can't read the whole thing here, but you can see part of it. Oh my gosh, National Geographic, you are so cool I can't stand it.
ReplyDeletehttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0211/feature3/
Dear Renee,
ReplyDeleteI believe if you want to help stifle poverty you must join something or create something bigger then yourself to do so. Try thinking of a new innovative way of going about it, something maybe you've missed, focus harder the gifts and abilities God has endowed you with, you have the power, Renee. And just remember, even Batman would have had an extremely difficult time tackling all the crime in Gotham without The Commissioner Gordon.
Your Old Friend,
Jason Evans
Dear Sweet Renee,
ReplyDeleteI liked all your thought provoking questions, though they raised a plethora of more questions in my own mind. One of them is that I wonder if you have seen examples of extreme poverty in Korea, or does the government there provide options for those who are desperate? Have you seen any poor people? What are the socio-economic percentages in Korea. I am thinking that I might do some investigating.
Also it WAS very good to see your face. I am concerned that you are not eating enough since you look even skinnier than usual. If you make another VLOG, try to stay a little further back from the camera, and hold a little bit more still (I know, I know, it is hard to talk w/o lots of body language). You were a little bit blurry.
Thanks for calling earlier today.
Love you Lots,
Mmama Llama
Dearest Renee,
ReplyDeleteIt was so amazing to get to see your face. I miss you more than words can express. I miss your smiling face, and the way you talk with your hands, and most of all I miss your large, compassionate heart which is so evident in this video you posted. I think it's perfectly acceptable to end with a question. Sometimes in life, we don't always find answers. Sometimes we just have questions. In fact, most of this life is asking questions to which we may never find the answers. Frustrating I know, since we all like to have our questions answered. But I think the important part is that we keep asking, and keep finding things that make us ask questions.
PLEASE do more vlogs. Also, do you have Skype? If not, you should get it.
Lots of love,
Leah.
Awwww, thanks, Leah. I miss you.
ReplyDeleteLove you,
Renee
Dear Renée,
ReplyDeleteBeing able to read only that much of the article is so tantalizing. It sounded really important.
I’m sure the desire to avoid poverty is exactly for the reason you say, because if you don’t confront it, it’s as if it’s not real. But seeing it personally makes it real, and then there’s no way to deny that it is real people with names and faces who suffer instead of statistics.
You ask good questions and I think it is to your credit that you are considering them in the way that you are. I’m not sure what answers I could offer, but I was struck by one particular avenue of one of the questions, and that is how does this mandate to confront poverty and injustice affect your role as a teacher? I’m not really sure what to say on this point, but it seems like there is some possibility there. Many people love you, Renée, and I think that because of that, when you are concerned about something (e.g. poverty and injustice), they are concerned about it too, or at the very least, it makes them think about it. How much more then your students? I would be curious to see what their thoughts about poverty would even be. How is it looked upon in their culture? Not sure if it could be worked into the classroom (and certainly don’t ask me how), but it could be a chance to be role model in what you are already doing. While you may not be able to see immediate signs of poverty in the sphere you travel, I’m sure you’ll still run into injustice. And I guess when you do, you can do what you can to be a person of integrity and defend those who are oppressed in whatever form that may take. Just some thoughts. It is good to hear your voice and see your face even if it is kind of blurry =)
You are greatly missed.
-Matt