Wait - what?
Really?????
Now, obviously I know this is NOT true. Churches and medical teams are taking groups to Haiti all the time. There are thousands of people that are still all about Haiti and trying to help the people there. All I have to do is tell the story behind Apparent Project and what it's doing in the lives of the 250 Haitians employed there and I instantly have people collecting cereal boxes and buying jewelry. $75,000 worth in 3 years. That's not being "over" Haiti.
And honestly, this person has not offended me in any way. I know what my calling is and where my heart is and I'm firm in that.
So, why do I keep mulling it over and over?
I think it was just the flippant attitude in which the statement was delivered. It's not just about Haiti. I think it would be appalling if any other country or cause was put in that statement.
"I think people/churches are "over" Uganda."
"I think people/churches are "over" the Middle East, or Guatemala, or AIDS, or the homeless, or the poor, or maternal health, or sex-trafficking, or........
"I think people/churches are "over" the lost."
See? It just doesn't sit right. At what point do we have the right to get "over" any of it?
Obviously, one person or group of people cannot take on all of the items listed above. You would be spread too thin and nothing would be accomplished. But I do believe that God has put each of us here for a purpose. And I also believe that our purposes change over time.
There were specific periods in my life where I could not focus on anything beyond caring for my young children or my dying mother or ministering to a group of teenagers through puppets. Those seasons are over now but that doesn't mean that I no longer love my kids or I don't have compassion and a deep understanding for a family going through a terminal illness. That doesn't mean I am "over" teenagers. Ok - maybe that's our exception. I have one in the house now, ya know? Ha! No - seriously........
Each new season - each God assignment - is meant to grow us. To grow our faith and prepare us for the next thing. Why should missions look any different?
As Russ continued to sit there, each member of the meeting went around and mentioned different countries/causes that they were involved in. The problem comes in when we begin to think that our "cause" is better than someone elses. Or we become insecure and think that someone is doing something better or greater than we are.
Why is it so easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to others? We do it all the time.
Okay - so maybe this person was just saying that because of the earthquake, we poured our resources into Haiti for the past four years and people are looking for someplace else to minister to now. I get that, I guess.
But then I have to ask the hard question - what were you doing with your resources? How were you investing them? Are you TRULY investing or just doing what is easy?
It's easy to put our money, etc into the latest and greatest way of "helping." You can fill a bucket of food to send to Haiti but did you know that there are thousands of buckets filled with food that are sitting in warehouses to this day? They never made it to the Haitian people who needed it. Did you know that often when you send food to a needy country, you are causing the local farmers to go out of business and thus creating more poverty and need? Why buy local food when you can get it for free?
So often we do what is "easy." Filling a bucket or a shoebox. Sending money to an orphanage or using a week of vacation to go and love on them for a few days. Then we pat ourselves on the back and feel good about what we have done. No wonder it's easy to go from one thing to another. We get bored because we don't really see a change. The "helping" we are doing - isn't really helping. Not LONG term.
If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we haven't really invested. Investing would mean doing the harder thing. It would mean researching the country and culture and seeing what would work as a long term solution. It would mean more legwork - more homework. It would mean giving more of our time and resources. It would mean finding out why those children are in the orphanage to begin with. Do they have parents that love them? What will come of them when they turn 18? What are the long term affects of them being in institutionalized care? If they have parents, how can we help them so they can be a family again?
If you are sending money - do you know exactly where it's going? How long will it take to get there? Is it enabling an ongoing issue or is it truly solving a problem and then helping to invest in the future? Are you hurting the economy long term or helping to stimulate it? Are you creating dignity or are your gifts devaluing people?
See? Hard - Messy - Heart stuff. Sounds scary, huh? But it doesn't have to be. Find those organizations that are already answering these questions and invest there.
But, this isn't just about a specific country or people group. This is about YOUR calling. YOUR God assignment for right now. For this specific time in your life. What does that look like for you?
Maybe your a new mom.
Maybe you are called to be a Foster Parent.
Maybe you are called to Haiti. To Uganda. To the Homeless. Maybe you are to help fight against sex-trafficking or abortion. Maybe you are a teacher.
Whatever it looks like for you, know this - You are to do it with excellence.
Stand in it. Be confident in it. God has called you to it - right now. It doesn't matter what everyone else is doing. This is YOUR journey. YOUR assignment.
But, whatever it is that God has called you to invest in right now - INVEST in it.
Do your research. Do your homework. Be teachable. Be willing to look at what you are supporting and see if you are doing it the very best way. And if not - ask God to show you how to change it. Don't just assume because everyone is doing it - that it's being done right. Compare it to God's word - Ask the hard questions.
Be willing to stick around and be obedient even when it doesn't look like you thought it would or even like you think it should.
Be willing to have those life altering "Aha" moments!
Be willing to get dirty - to deal with the heart.
Because I guarantee that once you invest on a heart level, you allow God to use it to change you, and the people around you - you will NEVER get "over" it.
