I started to read a new book on the way home -- the title: The Hole in our Gospel. I've never been big on this type of book, but it came highly recommended, so I busily read as I flew home, and continued once I reached home. I highly recommend it if you're open to really thinking about your place in the world at large.
Richard Stearns is the author of this spiritual book. He left a cushy job as CEO of Lennox Corporation to accept a drastic drop in pay and a huge increase in travel and work (not to mention heartache) as the new CEO of World Vision. As he described the people, villages and Churches he'd visited in the third world -- the world where people struggle just to make it through to the next day -- I couldn't help but see Bora and the various other needy places I've personally seen in Africa.
I don't want to get too preachy, but the Hole Stearns refers to is the inability of those of us who live in the richest country in history to realize and be motivated to help those who are starving, dying from HIV, dysentery, Malaria, or have to carry contaminated water on their backs three hours a day and are still dehydrated, or are the victims of civil wars and unrest, or of exploitation. How can we call ourselves Christians, or even enlightened if you're not a person of faith, and let these things happen without lifting both hands to help?
I'm left with an empty feeling -- knowing I need to do more, much more, but am not sure where to begin. I'm certain it will become more evident with time and better listening to the needs of the world.
We've received so much, and I can no longer accept that others must have so little simply because of an accident of birth country, skin color or language.
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