All posts by Rod White

Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

The Mission, , , , ,

We had a less-packed day today — a peaceful day devoted to peace clubs.

MCC peace worker, the prison’s teacher and the warden

A peace club in prison

I hope I have this story right because it seems like the greatest thing I have ever heard. An MCC service worker, Kajungu Mturi, from Tanzania was assigned to do peace work in the Choma, Zambia area. He was interested In applying the peace club curriculum in schools developed by Issa Ebombolo of the Congo. He had an inspiration to apply it to the local prison and asked the superintendent for permission. He met with skepticism. That man was replaced and the new leader immediately called him back to tell him he wanted the program implemented immediately. I felt privileged to hear from both men this morning.

The work is strangely successful. We heard from the most recent leader of the club from among the prisoners. He told us about the five modules: conflict, violence, cross gender violence, reconciliation, and trauma healing. They come at it as Christians (the Zambian BIC peace coordinator will probably be instrumental in keeping the program going when the service worker is gone). This is peace evangelism. People accept their wrongs. Often the offended are brought to the prison before the sentence is complete so amends can be made. They re-enter society as transformed people, not vengeful recidivists.

The MCC folks did a study that validated their success in fomenting transformation. When the President of Zambia does his general pardons to reduce prison overcrowding, members of the peace club are first to be pardoned. The warden is happy to repeatedly be number one in pardons. Now another warden wants training to start peace clubs. The warden and teachers would love it if donors built them a classroom In which they could hold their classes, including the ones that teach the peace club curriculum — they even hope to open the peace curriculum to the community to learn alongside the prisoners.

A SALTer and her peace clubs in schools

Brook Strayer took us to a BICC school to tell us about her work on peace clubs in school. Although she had never heard a sermon on peace in her home church growing up and her senior paper on the BIC U.S as a peace church did not encourage her, she still felt she should contribute to teaching the way of peace. She is applying the Issa Ebombolo curriculum as it was first intended, to teach children alternatives to unreconciled conflict and violence. In the boarding school, this is very useful. It is useful all over the world. There are not only clubs in Africa, they exist in Colombia and Laos, we heard. I wonder if they will ever move into the Northern Hemisphere more  widely? We could use them in Philly.

Apparently, one pastor answered Brook’s questionnaire for her research paper by saying he would discourage people from attending Messiah College because she did this investigation! Another said Jesus was not concerned with peacemaking so we should not be either. I suppose those responders need to be in a peace club, learning to deal with their anger, how to respond when they feel threatened, how to practically apply what it means to love people who are enemies, and how to follow the Lord, who is our peace — not just peace with God, but with others, the Lord who blesses the peacemakers.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

Choma: Showing God’s love in practical ways

The Mission, ,

Our day revolved around Choma, Zambia today, the home of the Brethren in Christ in Zambia and the new provincial capital. We found a new South African pizza chain for lunch (whatever); we walked the main street. I think we all felt a bit of the strain of understanding how foreign we are and how daunting being Zambia feels to us. For instance, the hotel just turned on the generator, since the country is on rolling load shedding and we only have power for part of the day — a problem most people do not expect to be fixed for years

But we were with people all day who like to fix things. They show God’s love in practical ways by helping people find inventive ways to survive and even overcome the crushing difficulties they face — love in action, not just words.

Innovative tomato farmer

More conservation farming

Conrad (do not expect “Zambian” names here) and his team introduced us to three farmers who are being trained to farm in a less invasive and more productive way. Their old methods use more scarce water and expensive fertilizer than necessary. They are committed to maize. It was interesting to tromp around fields and see how people farm.

My favorite was the proud tomato farmer who bragged that last year’s tomatoes were purchased by people as far away as Livingstone. He had taken the risk to learn tomatoes and stop planting corn altogether. The BIC farm consultants helped him with the knowledge he needed to do more with less as MCC supplied them with theory and practical support.

Ron s calling Todd out of the woodshop to meet with us

A self-sufficient training program

Todd is an MCC service worker from North America who feels the pull to use his advanced engineering and science degrees to serve in Africa. He was placed in a church-run job training program that has promised its European partners it would become self-sufficient for many years. It isn’t self-sufficient but it will be if he has anything to do about it.

They teach people computer skills, tailoring, wood working, sewing and basic life skills that will help them turn skills into their own business. Most Zambian jobs are entrepreneurial. Probably only 20% of all workers are employed in trackable jobs. Todd got the center starting with Quickbooks so they could see if they made any money. He got involved with the cabinet-making shop when he discovered they made cabinets and furniture with some wet wood that warped. He turned a big shipping container into a solar-powered drying kiln. He is having the time of his life.

What should we do when our compassion seems like a drop in the bucket? — people don’t heed our advice, they misuse the resources we give, they don’t even honor or receive the love and generosity we show! We keep dripping, because the love of God overflows — not necessarily to produce results, although it surely does, but just because that is what God’s love does.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

Macha: The work of the Lord

The Mission, , ,

The last three days have been an intensive dip into the BIC homeland in Zambia. Keith Cober (gregarious connector, historian and much-needed plumber) keeps telling us how much has developed in Macha since he was first involved and even since 2000. The hospital, nursing school, and especially the Macha Malaria Research Institute have created something of a small city, which looks to me like it might reach some kind of critical mass of urbanism some day. To hear everyone tell the story, it is all the work of the Lord. As before, there is too much to tell you about it all. So let me theme it as: three ways we saw the work of the Lord, with the emphasis on the work.

Getting ready for worship in Macha with Phil and Elaine Thuma

Macha Brethren in Christ

Phil and Elaine Thuma and John and Esther Spurrier should probably be more famous than they are. They are the main engines of Macha Mission’s development since the 90’s, and before. I sat next to Phil during the fascinating and often moving church service we attended. It was a blessing to have him keep leaning over and explaining why things were happening. Odd things: The adult men and women sat on separate sides of the church, which is about as old school BIC as you can get. Some ladies were in the BIC uniform. Visitors have to stand in front of the church and explain why they are there (I gave them greetings from you, Circle of Hope, and they voiced their delight). Great things: Various musicians, including choirs, are invited each week to register to lead the church; we had five groups including a man who played a home made guitar, the extremely well-rehearsed youth choir and a woman’s choir with a solo by a 70-year-old that generated applause. We learned to sing traditional hymns in Tonga.

The church and the work of the Lord are central to everything we have seen. The work week begins on Sunday.

On the Spurrier’s porch for tea

We experienced the blessing of a history lesson on Macha Mission Hospital and the Malaria Research Institute by the Thumas and Spurriers on a beautiful afternoon. Here is an article on Phil from a main funder that can give you more. I have known the Spurriers for many years and the Thumas mainly by association. It was a treat to relate to them in their native environment. One of the encouraging things they reported is how they feel more supported as a mission than ever. They are delighted with Jonathan Lloyd as a leader. They think the relationship of MCC and the church in Zambia is exemplary and report the historic relationship between MCC and the hospital as invaluable. Their work is laced with friendship, humility and joy.

Jose lining up kids at Macha Central

Institutions: MRI, Macha Central school, Macha Hospital, the nursing school

Macha, Zambia is a hub for BIC-founded enterprises: schools, hospital, and the amazing Malaria Research Institute (which is a work of God but independent).

  • Let’s start with the MRI (also MRT and other names depending on the registration with various powers). Most of you do not know that this jewel exists in an extremely unlikely, out-of-the-way place in the world. Who would think the the BIC would come up with a world-class research institute in their remote mission station! Phil Thuma is a funny, lucid, salesman saint and the engine behind it. I wanted to sit and listen to him teach me everything I could absorb of what he knows about viruses of every kind and how to get a university to send you a $35K machine.
  • Likewise, John Sprurrier (and the two are a tag team) has been the work horse behind what appears to be a well-run hospital. Upwards of 10,000 HIV AIDS patients are in active treatment, among many other things. MCC provided all the linens and blankets for the 200-bed hospital; in the state-run hospitals, you provide your own.
  • When it comes to the schools, there is a consistent theme: not enough. At Macha Central school we learned that many kids get up with the rooster at 5am and start walking without breakfast. They arrive at school by 6 to a class of 40, at least. No food will be provided; the homes for teachers have no electricity; and there is no money to complete the needed classrooms or even the fence to keep the goats off the soccer field. MCC’s Global Family project helps, but also does not have enough. As I’ve said before, it is daunting.

Nevertheless, the people exude hope, competence, community, spiritual passion and invention. There has been a lot to learn on the learning tour.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

The food chain

The Mission, ,

We had a couple of days to travel and reflect. What stays with me at this point is what it feels like to be at the bottom of the power “food chain.” Of course,  I know I am disguised by white privilege and empire power. But our travels give me some small empathy for people in Zimbabwe and now Zambia.

We went to the game park and they took us to see the animals. That gives one the best idea of the actual food chain and how it works. New factoid: elephants crashing through the underbrush wrecking trees helps new trees to grow. They are like forest farmers.

I forgot to count how many police check points we went through on the trip out of Zimbabwe. It was at least 15. At each one the policeman might require a bribe to let us keep going. It was a bit exhausting to know that any minute a gun-toting young officer was in charge and held sway over what we could do.

At the border we had to get out of the Zimbabwe exit process, walk a mile of “no man’s land,” and then get through the Zambia entrance process. It felt tense. We were at the mercy of potentially capricious clerks. Our handlers were a bit anxious. The whole time vendors swarmed looking for a sale or a handout. At Victoria Falls (which is right on the border) the baboons swarmed looking to raid someone’s picnic. We felt preyed upon. It is an unusual feeling for us, but it is an everyday feeling for most of the people in the countries we are visiting. They adapt to being powerless. The U.S. dominates them. Their governments dominate them. The local police and corruption dominates them. Then there are the traditional chiefs who still allocate land in less organized areas. I think most people feel like they are at the bottom.

Zamian Bishop and grandson

We met the Zambian bishop yesterday Saturday. He seems like a good man. Our MCC guide made sure we paid him a courtesy call on the way into the country. He seems to be a bit like a religious chief. He’s the top of the local food chain. He told our moderator when he visited the U.S. Church should act with MCC like the Zambian Church does: as one mission. I somehow missed the report Alan Robinson gave on his travels. I hope one of you will forward it to me.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

Coming up against the powers

The Mission, , , , ,

So much happened today I could not possibly report it all to you, but let me trace a theme: how hard it is to come up against the powers that subvert love and undermine community.

Above is a picture that makes sure it does not show any faces of the girls at the home for abused girls we visited. The leaders are inventive,compassionate, determined women repairing the lives of broken girls, even becoming a self-sustaining project. MCC is helping them stand up against sexual abuse and bureaucratic madness. The government tries to undo their love, reportedly harassing them because their founder is white.

Vermiculture in bathtubs to grow skills to sustain abused young women.

We visited the new bishop of the BICC in Zimbabwe. His plan to consolidate compassionate ministries under a new leader and with new accountability is meeting with some resistance. MCC loves the plan. But he is risking the displeasure of the old regime to bring needed change I think. When men jockey for power it tends to undermine love. When we debriefed last night I found out that several on the BICC leadership team had privately expressed alarm that the U.S.  leaders might distance the denomination from MCC, since they work as one in Zimbabwe and they see MCC as a lifeline and expression of solidarity with them

We were visited by short-term program alumni from Zimbabwe: IVEP, SALT, GAMEN. What great stories of growth and subsequent impact! Their boundary crossing creates new community on a global scale and creates young people with the same kind of vision of love Jesus has. I continue to be amazed at the hope I get to participate in through the inventive ways MCC has perfected to subvert what undermines community.

Now on to Zambia. We wiIl probably be out of Internet range for a few days.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

Going around doing good

The Mission, , , , ,

In Acts, Jesus is described as “one who went around doing good.” And yet I regularly hear some suspicion about MCC because their main gift to the church is leading us to go around and do good — in a professional, creative , personal, inclusive way! They are accused of being unevangelistic, even though they stamp everything they distribute “in the name of Christ.”

Rather than being unevangelistic, I would say that MCC and other ways the church expresses God’s love in practical ways are the MOST evangelistic things we do in an age that is suspicious about words in general and particularly Christian ones. I don’t know how much personal evangelism you do, but when I get an opportunity I often hear about how uncompassionate the church is. Many people think we hate gay people and immigrants and anyone who does not agree with us. They think we are fierce competitors for government power to enforce the morality we don’t completely agree on among ourselves. We lament the shrinking church in the U.S. — I still think the antidote is intercession and compassion.

When I was connecting with the BIC about 30 years ago one of the main reasons I did it was because they were part of MCC. My friends had been to Kenya to study.  One of the things they described were these great missionaries who went about doing good, were close to the people, and had a better reputation than other missionaries who seemed more concerned with building their organization than serving –they were called MCC, whatever that means. So I am glad we are hanging in there with MCC in a rather selfish age. I want to show people Jesus, especially the neediest.

I guess that’s what people say while on an MCC learning tour. We see a lot of good being done in our name. Today we visited the Zimbabwean bishop, were taken by his wife to visit the needy, visited with a peacemaker trying to undo the trauma visited on Matabeleland (having been in prison for his passion) — and that was just part of the day. The church is making a lot with the little they have. Jesus saves.

Here are two other special moments.

Sibo Ncube has been leading the BICC Compassionate Development Services for three years. My poor picture does not reveal what an articulate, passionate, intelligent leader she is. She is combining the elements of the hospitals, MCC projects and other efforts in a coherent framework. It is part of a new commitment to compassion by the church. She laments the lost generation who have grown up without integrity in a sea of corruption. She sees them enslaved by an atmosphere of fear and despair. She plans to lead the church to restore their historic character as a peace church and so restore the country. I pray she succeeds.

The National Parents of Disabled Children Organization has a big name for their struggling but blessed ministry. MCC had been funding a larger organization of parents with severely disabled children. The director stole the organization’s money and sold the van!  A segment of the betrayed parents reorganized, found a man to build them a house and donate a van! In a country with completely inadequate and unaffordable health care, this is what you do. I am moved by them. They radiated joy. As we said our goodbyes several workers sang a song of love and danced in praise. That was worth the whole trip.

These people are going around doing good with Jesus in a needy, traumatized, and abused place. I am delighted MCC is in league with the BIC in Zimbabwe and so allows me to go around (and dance) with them as they do it.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

Being poor is tough

The Mission, , , , ,

Today we took a trip to the Mtshabezi mission station that was hard on our energy but even more exhausting for our emotions, I think. Today was one of those days that I think should be mandatory for North American Christians. The people we met outside Bulawayo trying to run a school and a hospital with next to nothing reveal just how absurd we are when we are mad our wi-fi is running slow. A lot of us don’t get it. Being poor is tough.

The Ekuphileni Bible School wants to train leaders for BIC churches in the rural areas of Matabeleland. It could house 60 students, but only 22 are enrolled, mainly because it costs $900 a year to attend and few rural people or churches have anywhere near that kind of money. Above is part of the school where they are tilling for the next season’s crop. We offered tips from yesterday’s lessons on conservation farming!

At the Mtshabezi Hospital the morale seemed to match the deteriorating buildings. Above we are lined up getting a tour from one of the spotlessly uniformed nurses (Even the male nurses are called”sisters,” if you know why comment. I don’t know yet). This is a 120-bed hospital, but few stay overnight, since they can’t afford to. The main business, which I think justifies the mission, is the 22 babies a month that are born there and the 1800 people who are in HIV AIDS treatment. MCC was about to ship a bunch of kits for people to use.

There are layers of issues with these missionary-founded now locally-run enterprises. I would not pretend to be very knowledgeable. But I was sad today. I suspect most of you reading this only theoretically know what you have in comparison to places like the rural areas of Zimbabwe. Just imagine this one fact. Since Robert Mugabe became the strongman, reportedly HALF the population has left Zimbabwe. Once productive farmland is fallow. A doctor is hard to hold at the hospital we visited because work in neighboring countries is so much better.  Healthcare is hard to find even if you could afford it, education is similar. Being poor is tough.

I thank God for the good people who give their hearts to meaningful work in trying situations! I am glad the MCC and the BICC in Zimbabwe collaborate so well. I look forward to doing that better myself.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

 

First thoughts from Zimbabwe

The Mission, , ,

I am hesitant to think that everyone cares about my travels, much less about Zimbabwe. But we are here with the BICC church members who make up our MCC workforce in the country, so it seems like there OUGHT to be some innate interest among my friends connected to the Brethren in Christ.  Now that I have my first taste, I REALLY think we should stay interested. So I have some questions:

1) Why are U.S. BIC churches so generally disengaged with MCC? Might be because we don’t know what is going on. We own an amazing relief, development and advocacy agency. I also know that some leaders  feel concerned it has “Mennonite” in the title (they could call it “mutual Christian compassion” and get over it), but in Zimbabwe it is all BIC people running things in the Matabele homeland.

2) Can we somehow get out some more info about what Circle of Hope gave $500K towards in the last five years? Just today I learned we built new schools and teachers quarters last year so kids would have a school closer than 20 miles away. We supported a transformation project that is not public knowledge that is totally inspiring. We taught people how to do conservation farming among the neediest people in one of the poorest nations on earth.  That’s just part of the first day.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

 

Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

The Mission,

We are off to Africa! Ten people from the Brethren in Christ have been invited by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to learn about how our relief, development and advocacy arm acts with and through  the largest concentration of Brethren in Christ people in the world in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The ten include Rod and Gwen White, who helped organize the tour (Gwen is secretary of the MCC U.S. board), Joshua Grace and Bethany Hornak.

I intend to do some blogging about it here. We’ll see how my internet connections work out!

Today I am writing because people have asked to follow along with our itinerary and pray. It is a rare occasion when a loved one connects you with a faraway and relatively unknown place. From the look of our schedule, it appears that our hosts are making sure we don’t suffer too much hardship.

After 20+ hours in the air, we get to rest at the eMseni Retreat Center in Johannesburg, South Africa.

On Sunday the 17th we fly to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and settle into Sethule Lodge. Monday to Thursday we are in and around Bulawayo, the center of the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe. On Tuesday we will take a day trip out to Mtshabezi school and hospital. On Friday, we head to Zambia by car, stopping at the Hwange National Park and then Victoria Falls on Saturday!

In Zimbabwe an estimated 1.5 million people – 16 % of the population – are projected to be food insecure at the peak of the 2015-16 lean season, the period before the next harvest when domestic food stocks get scarce. This represents a 164 percent increase in food insecurity compared to the previous season. Nearby Malawi declared a state of emergency today due to scarce food supplies after prolonged drought. The Brethren in Christ sent missionaries to Zimbabwe in 1905. MCC started working there in the 1980s. The BIC is active in renewing the life of the Church amidst the country’s prolonged struggle for social, economic, and political welfare. The leaders of the BIC Church not only urge their people to embody a life modeled after Christ, but urge other members of the global Anabaptist-related churches to walk with them in their struggle. The BIC Church- Zimbabwe has 317 congregations. Historically, the Church was based in the Matopo Mission region with extensive membership in Bulawayo. The Church sponsors the Ekuphileni Bible Institute and the Mtshabezi Mission Hospital. Lobengula BIC Church in Bulawayo is known to be the largest BIC congregation in the world.

On Saturday the 23rd we are in Zambia and begin our time at Macha Mission/Hospital. Tuesday and Wednesday we are in Choma making connections with the BIC in Zambia and MCC work centered in that area. Thursday we travel half a day to Lusaka (the capital) where we will meet with MCC staff and BIC leaders. On Saturday it is back to the airport for an all day and night travel experience.

Zambia is one of the 20 poorest countries in the world. 60% of its people live in poverty. The Brethren in Christ Church sent missionaries from Southern Rhodesia to Northern in the early 1900s. MCC started a program in 1962. Throughout the 50+ year history, MCC has had an ongoing relationship with the Brethren in Christ Church. The church has congregations and ministry throughout the country, but has its headquarters in Choma, Southern Province. The majority of the church congregations remain in Southern Province. The BIC has about 180 congregations with about 15,000 members, and administers 12 schools, a hospital and nursing school in Macha, and a pastor’s training institute in Sikalongo. In recent years, MCC has focused the placement of MCC workers in Southern Province, because of the ongoing commitment to work with the BIC.

That should get your prayers started! We see ourselves as your representatives on this trip. So we will try to keep you informed.

The other Africa posts:

April 13
Circle of Hope travels to southern Africa.

ZIMBABWE

April 18
First thoughts from Zimbabwe

April 19
Being poor is tough

April 20
Going around doing good

April 22
Coming up against the powers

ZAMBIA

April 25
The food chain

April 25
The work of the Lord

April 26
Showing God’s love in practical ways

April 27
Will the northern hemisphere ever grow peace clubs?

April 30
Will we concede Southern Africa to Islam?

Impending doom? Time to shine.

The Mission, , , , ,

It is a great day to be a young church….

…And it is not the first time. I hope I won’t lose you in the third sentence, here; but let me remind you of our encouraging ancestor, Benedict. His era might have been even more challenging than ours.

Benedict of Nursia’s society is falling apart in the 500s after the Roman Empire has finally disintegrated. Warlords are fighting for territory in Italy. Before he dies, the Byzantine emperor from the east, Justinian, will increase the violence even more when he attacks Italy as part of his grandiose and short-lived plan to reunite the empire. Local systems are overburdened. There is recession. There are major outbreaks of the bubonic plague. Back on March 21 (Benedict Day), I sat with him and God and prayed, “This all sounds very familiar.” We’re experiencing the same damned things he did.

Benedict did not just lament, lash out, or defensively react in some other way. He built something from faith. He saw that there were people, like him, who wanted to follow God. They banded together and created the basis of European monasticism: what became the Benedictine Order. It was a simple idea: we’ll seek God together in community, set a rhythm of work and prayer, be self-sustaining and make a safe place for the beauty and healing of Jesus to flourish. The Rule of St. Benedict has been guiding people ever since.

Our world seems like it is falling apart from the inside and out. People are tempted to escape into vidiocy or drugs, and are lured into enslavement by corporations or the military because they don’t know where to turn. Just list the large problems that everyone is talking about and it seems like any one of them could run us over:

  • The economic system is rigged for the rich.
  • The cities are rapidly gentrifying with rich, childless people.
  • The government and educational institutions indoctrinate people with hypermodern philosophy.
  • Debt seems to drag down every young person, especially if they go to college.
  • More technological connecting is resulting in less human connecting.
  • Men, especially, are indoctrinated for sex by porn.
  • Global warming is changing everything.

But just like in the time of St. Benedict, it is a great time to be a young church. In every era of the passing-away world, Jesus manages to find people with an eye on the age to come. Jesus followers are immensely creative at being the presence of the future. As an historian of that fact, I’d say that the worse things get, the better some Christians will get. Would you say things are deteriorating? Then it must be time to shine.

We can react to the disasters around us with judgment and fear, or we can create something wonderful to make a safe place for the truth and love of Jesus — a place for beauty, for healing, and for creative kingdom of God building. We are trying to do that. Working together with Jesus will build something beautiful right where it is most needed.

We have a lot of great people. Can they stay together and work together? We have a great workable paradigm. Will we work it and evolve it or let it calcify?

philadelphia, philly, south jersey, church, churches, non-denominational, Christian, Jesus, St. Benedict, non-denominational, radical faithPlus, we have a great niche. I don’t mean we have the “latest thing” to sell to people who have everything. Our niche is “next” — what’s “new” when all the stuff you thought was newer and greater is worn out (again). I keep finding out about just what we’ve got when I am around other Christians who are still fighting the battles of yesterday, or who have to watch their words all the time lest they offend the powers that dominate them. Thank God we are not stuck looking for Ted Cruz or Bernie Sanders to save us, as if either of them can or would! We have the Way of Jesus to keep discovering and completing.

We have a wonderful opportunity. And we are about ready to begin mapping it. Who knew Philly would transform and repopulate, and our whole region (the whole megalopolis!) would be the center of development? We find ourselves, like Benedict, at the center of the empire as it falls apart into something new. He and his friends made such a creative and courageous stand for Jesus in the face of what was happening that people are still inspired by it and even following his rule! If unexpected barbarians find me, I hope they find me doing something like that!

philadelphia, philly, south jersey, church, churches, non-denominational, Christian, Jesus, St. Benedict, non-denominational, radical faithIt seems like everyone and everything around us is getting shaken up in the Yahtzee cup of who-knows-what. When we find out what has been rolled, will we trust God? Even more, will we get into God’s game and perfect unshakeability? I think we will.

[Original post appeared last week at circleofhope.net/blog]