SOCIAL JUSTICE KURT DAHLIN WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008 Poverty and Global Development How does Jesus relate to social justice ? Matt 11:20-21 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. NIV
Transcript
SOCIAL JUSTICEKURT DAHLINWEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008
Poverty and Global Development
How does Jesus relate to social justice?
Matt 11:20-2120 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities inwhich most of his miracles had beenperformed, because they did not repent. 21"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!If the miracles that were performed in you hadbeen performed in Tyre and Sidon, they wouldhave repented long ago in sackcloth andashes. NIV
Social
relating to how society is organized relating to how people in groups behave living as part of a community or colony offering opportunity for interaction relating to human welfare (Encarta Reference Library 2003).
Justice
Fairness or reasonableness, especially in theway people are treated or decisions are made
application of law: the act of applying orupholding the law; the legal system
good reason: sound or good reason judge: a judge, especially of a higher court
(Encarta 2003).
Pastor Alan Chubwera – National Foursquare Leader
Our efforts have grown to bringwater to more than 150,000 people
Chipalanje Well, installed in 1997
Jesus Film Ministry - YearlyReport
2004 8 villages to 4,5502005 14 villages to 6,2002006 25 villages to 13,6002007 45 villages to 20,000
Total 92 villages to 44,350 souls
THE STATE of POVERTY:
2007/2008 Human Development Index rankings –Human Suffering Index: "Each individual countryindex is compiled by adding 10 measures of humanwelfare related to economics, demography, health,and governance: 1)personal income, 2) inflation, 3)increasing demand for new jobs, 4) urban populationgrowth pressures, 5) infant mortality, 6) nutrition, 7)access to clean water, 8) energy use, 9) adultliteracy, and 10) personal freedom."
Of thecountriesclassified as partof the'extremehumansuffering'category, 24 arein Africa
The State of Water:
Human Development Report 2006:Summaryhttp://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisisThroughout history water has confrontedhumanity with some of its greatest challenges.Water is a source of life and a natural resourcethat sustains our environments and supportslivelihoods – but it is also a source of risk andvulnerability.
In a world ofexceptionalwealth,almost2 millionchildren dieeach yearfor want of aglass ofclean waterandadequatesanitation.
Millions ofwomen andyoung girls areforced to spendhours collectingand carryingwater, restrictingtheiropportunitiesand their choices
“People need water assurely as they needoxygen: without it lifecould not exist.”
WATER IS LIFE
“Water gives life toeverything, includinghuman development
and human freedom.”
Women andyoung girlscarry adoubleburden ofdisadvantagesince theyare the oneswho sacrificetheir timeand theireducation tocollect water.
There is more than enough water in the world foragriculture and for industry.
The problem is that some people— notably thepoor—are systematically excluded from access bytheir poverty, by their limited legal rights or by publicpolicies that limit access to the infrastructures thatprovide water for life and for livelihoods.
In short, scarcity is manufactured through politicalprocesses and institutions that disadvantage the poor.
When it comes to clean water, the pattern in manycountries is that the poor get less, pay more and bearthe brunt of the human development costs associatedwith scarcity.
Malawi Statistics
1. Suffering Index: measures life expectancy, literacy,education, standard of living.
In 2004 Malawi ranked 166th out of 177th countriesevaluated on the Human Development Index.
Source: United Nations Development Program (UNDP),Human Development Report 2006 . Approximately 65%of Malawians live below the poverty line; majority ofhouseholds are unable to meet their foodrequirements.(http://www.undp.org.mw/discover_mw.html)
2. Document childhood death rates - note that thetreatment for dehydration is to give much water-- thesame bad water that caused the diarrhea/dehydration.
3. AIDS statistics
AIDS impacts 16.4% of Malawians aged 15 - 49, and is thecause of 70% of hospital deaths. What percentage of thosewho can't make it to a hospital to die? In 2006 there are anestimated 400,000 AIDS orphans. Source UNICEFwww.unicef.org/infobycountry
Malawi Statistics
Malawi Statistics
4. Longevity ratesLife expectancy at birth in years
“Across much of thedeveloping world, uncleanwater is an immeasurablygreater threat to humansecurity than violentconflict.”
In Africa an estimated 340 millionpeople, or half its population,live on less than $1 per day and60% have no access to safedrinking water. (60% of 340=204MILLION PEOPLE without safedrinking water).
Every year, Malawi faces thechallenges of diarrhea, choleraand other water-borneoutbreaks.
Our Response:
There are 2 components toJesus’ model of ministry. Thefirst, is our very clear mandatecalled the Great Mission - toevangelize the world and testifyto the truth of Christ’s savingsacrifice.
Matt 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of allnations, baptizing them in the name of theFather and of the Son and of the HolySpirit, 20 and teaching them to obeyeverything I have commanded you. Andsurely I am with you always, to the veryend of the age." NIV
Our Response:
The second is to show the love ofGod in tangible ways. There are twokey elements to the full gospel.
1. Words: The gospel is proclamation ofthe truth about Jesus.
2. Works: The gospel is incarnation ofthe works of Jesus.
James 2:14-17 Faith: Dead or Alive
14 My brothers, what good is it for someone tosay that he has faith if his actions do not proveit? Can that faith save him? 15 Suppose thereare brothers or sisters who need clothes anddon't have enough to eat. 16 What good isthere in your saying to them, "God blessyou! Keep warm and eat well!" — if you don'tgive them the necessities of life? 17 So it iswith faith: if it is alone and includes noactions, then it is dead. TEV
I. Spiritual Development:
Revelations tells us we will be judged by ouractions in this life. There will be a final exam forlife.
Rev 20:11-1211 Then I saw a great white throne and him whowas seated on it. Earth and sky fled from hispresence, and there was no place for them. 12 And Isaw the dead, great and small, standing before thethrone, and books were opened. Another book wasopened, which is the book of life. The dead werejudged according to what they had done asrecorded in the books. NIV
II. Social Development:The Cheat Sheet
What kind of works does God expectfrom Christians? The answers to thefinal exam are given by Jesus asrecorded in Matthew 25. We get to seethe answers to final test. What thingsare we encouraged to do to help othersright now?
Matt 25:31-36
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, 32All the nations will be gathered before him,
"The King will say to those on his right, 'Come,you who are blessed by my Father; ….
you gave me something to eat, you gave me something to drink, you invited me in, you clothed me, you looked after me, you came to visit me.'
Matt 25:37-40 What you did
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord,when did we see you hungry and feed you, orthirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite youin, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 Whendid we see you sick or in prison and go to visityou?'
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth,whatever you did for one of the least of thesebrothers of mine, you did for me.'
The New Testament Examples ofMinistry to the Poor Luke 3:10-11 10 The people asked John the Baptist, "What are we to do, then?" 11 He answered, "Whoever has two shirts must give one to the
man who has none, and whoever has food must share it." TEV
Matt 5:14-1614 "You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannotbe hid. 16 In the same way your light must shine before people,so that they will see the good things you do and praise yourFather in heaven.TEV
Mark 9:4141 I assure you that anyone who gives you a drink of waterbecause you belong to me will certainly receive his reward.TEV
The New Testament Examples ofMinistry to the Poor Luke 16:19-24
19 There was once a rich man who dressed in the mostexpensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day. 20There was also a poor man named Lazarus, covered withsores, who used to be brought to the rich man's door, 21hoping to eat the bits of food that fell from the rich man'stable. Even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 Thepoor man died and was carried by the angels to sit besideAbraham at the feast in heaven. The rich man died and wasburied, 23 and in Hades, where he was in great pain, helooked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at hisside…. 31 But Abraham said, “If they will not listen toMoses and the prophets, they will not be convinced evenif someone were to rise from death.” TEV
The Old Testament Examples ofMinistry to the PoorProverbs 19:17 When you give to the poor, it is like lending to
the LORD, and the LORD will pay you back. TEV
Proverbs 22:9 Be generous and share your food with the poor.You will be blessed for it. TEV
Proverbs 17:5 If you make fun of poor people, you insult theGod who made them. You will be punished if you takepleasure in someone's misfortune. TEV
Proverbs 14:31 If you oppress poor people, you insult the Godwho made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act ofworship. TEV
Our Vision for the Poor
Jimu 1 has 128 familiesthat use this water pit.800 people will walk upto 1 ½ hours to getwater from this opensource. When this driesup they walk 4 km tothe next source ofwater. There is a churchof about 60 people inthe village and theyhave never seen theJesus Film. This is anarea of greatest need.
Leno Village
Leno 1 has80 familiesthat use thismuddy pit.Water is veryscarce andthe cause ofendlesssickness anddisease. Thesmall churchof 45 peoplehas neverseen theJesus Film.
Leno Village 2
Leno 2 has 100families that usethis seasonalcreek for water.Cholera,diarreha,malaria, hungerare just a few ofthe ongoingstruggles theyface everyday.The church of 45have never seenthe Jesus Film
Chinzama VillageChinzama has 40 familiesof about 200 people thatdraw water from the ShireRiver. They will walk onehour to get dirty water fordrinking and householduse. Cholera, diarreha,AIDS, malaria, rashes,hunger, orphans anddemonic curses are just asample of their dailybattle for survival. Weshowed the Jesus Filmwere in 2006 and thechurch has grown toabout 150. This is anarea that desperatelyneeds evangelism and astable, clean watersource.
Siyankuni VillageSiyankuni village in the lowerShire district of Nsanje has65 families that use aseasonal creek for water.They dig pits in the streambed and scoop out waterdish by dish into a bucket.When these ever deepeningpits dry up they will walkdown stream up to an hourto dig for more water. Wevisited this mountainousarea in the summer 2007and discovered 5 villagestucked away with about5,000 people needing water.We plan to finance 4boreholes in this area
you just need a big heart
We have recently completed a survey of138 villages in southern Malawi that needwater.
Our goal is put in 1,000 wells that will help 2million people.
2 million kids die every year from bad water.That means 5 thousands kids today will diefrom a sickness that is preventable.
More children die each year from diarrheathan from malaria.
A Little can do a Lot
What if each church adopted a nationand began to love the poor?
You can do a lot with a little to makea big difference.
You don’t have to be a big church tomake a big difference you just need abig heart.
