I thought I’d share a quick excerpt from my Bishop’s latest conference wide e-mail where he reflects upon his trip in December to Nigeria. In times when money gets tight for us as individuals and communities of faith, this brought me up short. Maybe it will do the same for you:
Some have asked for the text that I read from my Journal. I wrote it during my December visit to Nigeria after visiting our mission hospital in Zing where patients desperately wait, sometimes two or three to a bed, for help....for a doctor....we no longer have one there. Next to the hospital complex is a new, state of the art (for Nigeria) eye hospital....also with no doctor....no funds....only a very dedicated nurse. When there was a doctor there, hundreds would come from as far as Cameroon....there are so many in Africa suffering from eye diseases carried by water and insects....many are blind....and waiting....waiting for help....no doctor....no mission funds.....waiting. The nurse asked me why the United Methodists in the U.S. could not provide more help....like it used to?
The day before I had been at a wonderful outdoor service of about 8,000 in a remote area where some of the people had walked for days to get there. Most of those who came are very financially poor, but very rich in spirit. When the offering time came, the music started....and then the dancing...the people from each area represented came joyfully processing, singing and dancing, up to the large offering basket....children, old folk, teenagers (who had climbed up into the trees so they could see), mothers with babies wrapped on their fronts....singing and dancing....led by the pastors dressed in their black robes and white stoles that fluttered and billowed like wings of the Spirit...singing and dancing....such joy....such generosity....such faith that if they risked giving their little, God would provide for tomorrow (no 401k plans here....many of the pastors and D.S.'s hadn't been paid for months)....the pastors we re leading...........And then they called on the Bishops!!! Bishop Ntambo (from the Congo where they do this almost always) and Bishop Weaver (from New England where they do this almost never.....I never have figured out how to get my right foot to follow my left foot in dancing....that's why a hundred years ago I did OK at the "twist"....but I didn't think that would work here.) But with God all things are possible.....and when the Spirit says "dance" (and be generous), somehow the Spirit provides.....and Bishop Ntambo and I danced our way to the offering...and the offering baskets and hearts overflowed....the "Lord loves a cheerful giver," (the Greek word used in the New Testament for "cheerful" is "hilarion." The "Lord loves a hilarious giver"....think about your church....your own giving.)
And after experiencing all of this on the day before, the nurse at the hospital that day asked me why the United Methodists in the U.S. could not provide more help??? That night I wrote in my Journal: "What shall I tell them?....that we are too poor with our multiple TV sets and cars...and our Christmas tables laden with more food than many in Nigeria will see in a month. What shall I tell them, who tithe what little they have, when they ask how our mission dollars can be declining if our American United Methodist's are tithing? What shall I tell the Nigerian pastors who lead the way in the offering dance...pastors who have not been paid for months...about our pastors who will not lead in stewardship efforts, or even give "Together for Tomorrow" a good faith effort? What shall I tell them about churches that tell me they cannot pay 100% of their Mission Share, and then show me their new kitchen? What shall I tell them about churches that disagree on this denominational issue or that issue and think they will make a difference by not sending their mission share dollars, when th e only impact they will have is to leave a child without a doctor in Zing? What shall I tell them about the too many Christmas gifts I will buy with my VISA card to honor the Christ who gave it all for the poor....and the poor in spirit like me?
O Lamb of God who takes away the sins of self centeredness, greed, waste, lack of boldness, gluttony, and reluctance to love our neighbors as we love ourselves....have mercy upon us." What would you tell them?
1 comment:
I was so torn by this post between my struggle to tithe when I feel like I don't have much and my feelings about Africa and western giving.
Because of the company I keep, I've become very aware of the plight of Africa. I have three friends in the Peace Corps there and several others who spent Watson years in French West Africa and Southern Africa. On top of that, I have the background from Professor Webb's African History class.
And I have to say that I agree that American Methodists need to tithe more and worry less. If we could fully grasp the giving that goes on in other places, we would feel less hesitant. As someone in my church pointed out, "We have to give until it feels good."
But...As Africa is concerned, I'm not sure that pumping mission dollars in is the answer. They probably do need more mission money from the US, that's true. But when I've totaled up all I've heard, read and seen of Africa, I'm left with this question. What's happening with the money that we are sending? There are so many kleptocrats for starters. On top of that, I worry that African nations have become too dependant on foreign donations. The idea of aid money is not to sponsor something permanantly. It's to give programs a kick-start.
There's such an expectation that foreigners have money and that they'll support these struggling folks forever. Is that the plan? Or is the plan to help them get started? To wean them off this money, but to support them in emergencies?
One friend who was in the Peace Corps in Togo told me that people in her village would move from church to church as aid money ran dry. That worries me, but it doesn't tell me we need to keep pumping money into these places in order to keep people around.
Of course, I can't understand the fullness of this situation about which your bishop is writing. Nor do I know the details of the UMC's missions in Africa. All the same, this story triggers so many thoughts about aid money, mission money and social services. And I just have to wonder.
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