World on Fire

A number of people asked me about the video we showed during worship today. The song is called "World on Fire" by Sarah McLachlan. You can view the video here on her web-site of the same name. If you go here she provides a listing of the actual relief agencies she made donations to.

One of the coolest and most effective agencies that I've come across (and admittedly, they are few - not agencies, but ones that I've come across) that seeks to connect people like you and I to real need in the world through very practical means is World Vision. Through World Vision you can support children as well as purchase commodities like goats and medicines for families, villages, etc. We ordered 250 copies of their Christmas catalogs for people at Jacob's Well to have as we approach the celebration of the Incarnation of the Christ and seek to respond with generosity to our world. Our kids love buying goats for people (no pun intended).

I am filled with the hope that comes from experiencing the generosity and mercy of God. I am hungry to see my life as a means of demonstrating that same generosity and mercy in whatever way God would stretch me. I am even more hopeful that our community might begin to have a vision together of ways in which we can steward the enormous creative and material resources with which we have been entrusted.

Comments

[Jay]

World vision is very good and so is Heifer Project... We use them quite a bit during the holidays to give gifts of goats or chickens around the world in a family member's name. It has been great because I would rather someone buy food for families in my name than to get me a gift I will never use.

http://www.heifer.org/

[Lydia]

I loved the video. Yesterday was great, it put a lot into perspective. We are so selfish and so vain it's hard to grasp the concept that someone else is not. I own 4 winter coats Tim, 4! Ridiculous. Anyway, what's the point of being a christian if we don't get to give it (our faith, that is) away?

[Sivin]

our young four year old church has been supporting 6 kids the past few years with World Vision. I just saw a Christmas card form one of them today!

[ashley cleveland]

It's a powerful video, and the message last night was also powerful...What needs to be added is that there are 11 more months of the year when people are poor and need our help. My experience working with the working poor has taught me that we have abundance around the holidays -- everyone is dropping off food and having drives to provide a dinner or some gifts for a family -- and lack for many of the other months. The incarnation doesn't end after January 1, so if it means divestment and/or emptying of ourselves for others, then it means that every day of our lives...

[Brandon]

World Vision is great. I actually signed up at a Blinside concert Sept. in Lawrence. I have recieved 2 letters and a Christmas card from my adopted 9 year old boy so far. We ( western culture) are really fortunate people with so much abundance, that we shouldnt even think twice about it. I mean, Most people (including myself) spend as much on coffee a day for ourselves as it would to support and feed a starving child. I encourage anyone who has a dollar to spare each day should really consider it. It truly does bring freedom.

[Tim Keel]

Hey Ashley, that is a point well-taken. I think for many of us, Christmas/Incarnation becomes a wake-up call that then must be translated into practices that inform our discipleship throughout the remainder of the year.