A VOICE FOR THE POOR

So I am back from yet another mission trip to a third world country-this time it was Haiti. It's always amazing to me the different reactions we get as we share stories and pictures of our adventure in a poverty-stricken country. Many are very supportive, some are relieved they didn't go, then the there are the ones who just don't quite get it yet. That's OK I was there one time myself, until I put myself in the midst of the poor.

For the ones who say things like "africa's just not my thing..." or "what about the poor here in our own country?", I would like to address that. Allow me to be a voice for the poor for you. Maybe 'Africa isn't your thing'. To that I simply ask 'What is your thing then?' Instead of shooting holes in my calling and telling me what you aren't about, how about living out what you are for?

To those who say 'what about the poor here in our country', I say this. Poverty is poverty, though there are different extremes of it. And I say there is no longer any excuse that children should die for lack of food, clean water or medicine regardless of whether the child is in Africa, Appalachia, or down your street.

There are no excuses for keeping blinders on either. The facts have been gathered. The government continues to sleep on the issue. The Church is finally catching on to the idea after a rock star kicked them in the butt.

If it is ignorance because of lack of knowledge on the matter I give one grace. I was once there also. But when you are presented with the facts of poverty and one still turns away from the problem with complacency then I have this to say.

The next time you and the boys stay home from church to watch Jr. run his Nascar machine around the track, make sure you invite the one you know who just lost his job and pass him one of your cold ones. Maybe that's a start for you. Make sure you give him one of those fine sandwiches you whipped up too.

The next time you plop your potbelly in the recliner to watch the big NFL game, and you reach for the 2nd helping of buffalo wings, remember the homeless guy you passed or the single mom struggling to meet her bills. Hey maybe call them up and invite them over...oh that's right they can't afford a cell phone. Well at least you thought about them...

Well, maybe Africa or Haiti is not your thing, but at least you are giving your tithe at church, right? I mean you are doing that right? So maybe some money is getting in the hands to help someone.

Oh and while I am going off, for those that can afford the skyboxes this year, don't forget to tip the guys that park your Escalade. And hey here's an idea, maybe throw the Vietnam vet on the street corner a quarter-that will make you feel so good.

So I'll keep travelling to the countries you don't want to go to or are not interested in helping. I'll hold the naked babies, preach through a translator to the ones that churches have turned away, and pray for the ones who will die barring a miracle because there is no doctor in their village. And you help take care of things back in good old USA and we both win. Because together we end up stamping out poverty.

I know what the bible says about the poor. I know what God has asked me to do concerning the poor. My question is what has God asked you to do? Have you even asked Him?