Pan Dulce

Radical: Life and Death for 26,000 Children

I have been doing some reading and reflecting on a book titled Radical: Taking Back your Faith from the American Dream by Dr. David Platt. Dr. Platt says that 26,000 children die every day due to starvation (p. 110).

That is simply hard to believe.

I did a random search on Google and found that Bread for the World reported that 16,000 children die from starvation every day; Starvation.net reported in 2001 that 35,615 children died from starvation every day; Answers.com reported in 2003 that 25,000 children die from starvation every day; and Womenaid.org reported that 40,000 children die from starvation every day. The average of this random sample comes out to 29,128 so maybe Dr. Platt’s number is not so far from the actual number. Keep in mind that his book was published in 2010 so his numbers are at least a year old.

Let’s assume that Dr. Platt’s numbers are out-dated or overstated. Working with the lowest estimate would mean that 1 child dies every 5 seconds from starvation; 700 die every hour; 16,000 die every day; 6 million children die of starvation every year. This makes up 60% of all child related deaths in the world every year.

Some folks see these numbers and conclude there are too many people in the world; others look at these numbers and conclude there is not enough food for everyone; and others look at these numbers and don’t think anything about it.

So, shouldn’t we at least think about it? Shouldn’t we do something about this? What would it mean for us to be the people of God and know about this condition? Aren’t these children our neighbors in the global village?

At Buckner, we make life better for vulnerable children, orphans, families, and elders. As one of my colleagues says, before we can make life better, we have to save lives. Some of our programs in developing countries include feeding programs if the context requires it. Suzii Paynter, Director of the Christian Life Commission collaborates with Buckner through the World Hunger Offering among Texas Baptists to make a difference by providing resources for food among the poor. What else could we do to make a difference?

Dr. Platt says “Rich people that ignore the poor are not the people of God.”

Something has to change.

Blessing and Purpose

I am reading and reflecting on Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by Dr. David Platt. In his book he writes several one-liners that caused me to take a moment to reflect and re-think what I believe and consider how my faith shows up in my life, my actions, my attitudes, and my behavior as a Jesus follower. Here are some of the one-liners that made me think and rethink:

God delights in using me when I depend on Him.

I started preaching at the age of 16 and as far back as I can remember I have depended on God to work through me. There have been times when I have depended less on him and more on me. But the times I totally depended on him were supernatural moments of his presence. I knew that it could not have been me but God working through me. Obviously, I realize I must bring my best preparation and efforts to any task or assignment but there is a point when you offer the best you have and ask God to bless beyond your capabilities. I live for the supernatural and those moments when the Creator and Redeemer infuses an opportunity for the Kingdom with his presence. There is nothing in the world like it.

God’s blessing is tied to his purpose.

I absolutely believe this. I believe that we are blessed to bless others. God’s blessings on us are not only for us but for others. When we align with his purposes, blessings tend to pour on us beyond anything we could ever imagine.

One billion people in the world live on less than $1 a day; 2 Billion live on less than $2 per day; that is 50% of the world’s population.

You might argue that Platt’s numbers are lower than reality today since the data is about a year old. Even so, he makes a startling point. About 50% of the world lives on less than 2 dollars a day. The first thing I think about is re-defining what it means to be poor. This truth is not an abstract idea for me but it used to be. My work at Buckner has afforded me the privilege of travelling and meeting the poorest people in the world. I have met them in Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, Honduras, Guatemala, and in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

You just can’t stay the same.

Our slogan at Buckner is Go, Be, Do. It means Go Somewhere, Be a Voice, and Do Something.

Dr. Platt says: “Rich people that ignore the poor are not the people of God (p. 114). Those are hard hitting words. You may think that “Rich people” refers to somebody else. Think again. If you are eating three times a day, have shelter, clothes, transportation, and a way to produce income to support your family…you are rich, you are blessed.

This is not rocket science. All we have to do is show up and do something to engage in God’s purposes. Buckner will take you where Jesus would be if he was here, among the poor, among those that are vulnerable, among orphans, families, and elders. Go with us, Be a voice, Do something!

 

Radical Read

Every once in a while I come across a book that really grabs my attention. A friend of mine, actually, my Bible Study Leader, recommended Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt (Multnomah, 2010). The title intrigued me because, on occasion, I listen to folks that struggle with their two citizenships: The USA and The Kingdom of Jesus.

Dr. David Platt’s book is a straightforward, hard-hitting, sort of in-your-face (or should I say “in- your-faith”) kind of book. I really enjoyed it and I was challenged along the way. I have just a few pages left to finish the book but I wanted to blog about it and encourage you to read it. Platt questions everything you have ever believed by confronting you with the teachings and claims of Jesus. You may not agree with everything he says but that’s ok; you can take it up with Jesus. So, I plan to muse through a few things that stood out to me as I reflect over the next few blogs. And yes, I highly recommend this book for those serious about following Jesus.

Dr. Platt raises the issue of being desperate for God’s power and depending on God alone (p.48). He raises a question that I have applied to my work at Buckner: “What would we expect God to do through Buckner that only God can do to bring glory to himself?” You can apply the same question to your life or to your ministry.

When I was serving as a pastor in El Paso with limited resources Dr. Platt’s question was my reality because I had very little equipment, technology, staff, etc. I really did depend and expect God to do things through our core group as we planted a church in East El Paso. The Redeemer did show up and do some amazing things that could only be attributed to him. The same thing happened at Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio. Over and over we prayed, we asked, and we expected God to provide for the needs of this school. We worked as though it all depended on us and we prayed as though it all depended on God. The Lord took our best efforts and multiplied the blessing into provision for BUA at just the right time, time and time again. We literally lived by faith and looked for the next miracle God was going to do. And he did!

Dr. Platt points out that George Muller’s purpose was not to start an orphanage to serve children but to glorify God (p.54-55). God does things in the world to bring himself glory. So what would we expect God to do through Buckner that only God can do to bring glory to himself?

I would expect God to open up unprecedented opportunities for Buckner to serve over a million children, orphans, families, and elders. I would expect God to introduce us to new friends and donors with abundant resources that want to make life better for the poorest of the poor. I would expect the Redeemer to bring the best and the brightest talent our way to build our capacity to become a global presence for the Kingdom in some of the most desperate places in the world. I would expect the Lord to generate new ideas, creativity, innovation, and energy through our staff. I would expect the Lord to develop new avenues for creative collaboration with like-minded institutions, organizations, individuals, churches, and agencies to do more for the Kingdom than we could do by ourselves. I would expect the Lord to transform Buckner into a global ministry with cross-cultural excellence for the global village. None of this is possible unless God intervenes in our lives and ministry to bring glory to himself.

Chips for Change

This past Monday I shared a few devotional thoughts with our staff at Buckner about Innovation. I spoke to encourage our staff about creativity with the following:

In the summer of 1853, Native American George Crum was employed as a chef at an elegant resort in Saratoga Springs, New York. On Moon Lake Lodge’s restaurant menu were French-fried potatoes, prepared by Crum in the standard, thick-cut French style that was popularized in the 1700s France and enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson as ambassador to that country. Ever since Jefferson brought the recipe to America and served French fries to guests at Monticello, the dish was popular and serious dinner fare.

At Moon Lake Lodge, one dinner guest found chef Crum’s French fries too thick for his liking and rejected the order. Crum cut and fried a thinner batch, but these too, met with disapproval. Exasperated, Crum decided to teach the guest a lesson by producing paper-thin potatoes, soaking them in ice-cold water, and then dumping them in a hot vat of cooking oil. He removed them, sprinkled them with salt and sent the order back out.

The dinner guest was elated, ecstatic and requested another order and another order. Soon other guests came in and requested the same. Saratoga Chips became a house specialty and began appearing on the menu as a regular item.

The industry that George Crum launched in 1853 continues to grow and prosper. Potato chips have become America’s favorite snack with retail sales over $6 billion a year. In 2003, the U.S. potato chip industry employed more than 65,000 people.

Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes. Innovation has become a habit at Buckner with the advent of the Greenhouse at Buckner Retirement Services locations. The Greenhouse is a new approach to nursing care that provides a home-like atmosphere that provides a sense of community and excellence.

Foster Care is another innovation that Buckner has developed across the globe. In 1995 Buckner introduced the practice of Foster Care in Russia. In 2003 Buckner introduced the practice of Foster Care in Kenya and became a legal provision through the National Children’s Act. Buckner also introduced Foster Care in Latvia in 2004; Peru in 2007; and on February 25, 2011 Dexton Shores and Claudia Leon of Buckner Peru appeared before the Minister of Social Services in Peru to hear the decision to integrate Foster Care as a matter of national concern. It is expected that Foster Care will become an official government policy by June of this year. Buckner offers its expertise to governments across the globe to make life better for vulnerable children, orphans, and families.

We do this because we are people of conviction, compassion, and courage. Our convictions arise from the teachings of an obscure 1^st century follower of Jesus that said “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” We are innovators because at the core, we have been changed.

Scotsdale Baptist Church: Legacy of Missions

On the last Sunday of February Belinda and I attended the 50^th Anniversary Celebration of Scotsdale Baptist Church in El Paso, Texas, hosted by Pastor Bill Fuller. I was called by Scotsdale in 1992 to serve as a mission pastor to start a new church on the East Side of El Paso called Pueblo Nuevo. We enjoyed a fantastic celebration of God’s blessing on a generous and mission-minded church.

The biggest surprise of the weekend was to learn that Scotsdale Baptist Church was started by the historic First Baptist Church of El Paso. Scotsdale continued this legacy by starting numerous churches including Vista Del Sol Baptist Church, now called Del Sol Church, pastored by Walter Mueller. Del Sol is now one of the largest churches in El Paso. Scotsdale Baptist Church also started Pueblo Nuevo Community Church. We served there for 7 years followed by the current pastor, John Roman (Arnie Adkison served as Interim Pastor).

The first public worship service was held on January 14, 1994 with over 150 in attendance. After 17 years of continuous service, Pueblo Nuevo started 5 new congregations with two (New Horizons Community Church and El Divino Salvador) that remain ministering to their communities. During that time, Pueblo Nuevo served from different locations and settled permanently in Clint, Texas just east of El Paso where they have a vision for ministering to the least of these in the lower valley and colonias of El Paso.

Our new church start made the news and caught the attention of a young pastor and his wife. Ruben and Gayla Ortega were starting Sierra Vista Community Church (SVCC) in Las Cruces, New Mexico and heard about Pueblo Nuevo. They came and visited the church and we began a friendship that remains today. Over the years, Ruben asked me to coach him as he started the new church. Today Sierra Vista has about 400 in attendance and has spun off four new congregations. SVCC is a globally minded church with ministry in Nepal and openness to serving the least of these in Egypt and other parts of the world. Ruben and Gayla travelled with me to Egypt and Israel last year and members of SVCC support Buckner work in Mexico.

Rev. Guy White, a resident of Baptist Memorials Ministries in San Angelo, Texas now a part of Buckner Retirement Services, was our pastor when we arrived at Scotsdale. Dr. Bob Meyers also served as our pastor and now serves Del Norte Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Scotsdale Baptist Church is a generous church with a big missions heart and global influence. May the Lord continue to bless and multiply their work for the Kingdom.