One Month

I leave one month from today.  This fact has little to do with this blog post, but it is nonetheless, monumental in my mind and deserves mention. 

I spent the last week Up North at Long Lake and, amongst other things, read two books.  One of them was a nice light beach read.  The other was the kind of book that can change your life, challenge how you live it, and stick with you forever.  The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns is not a heavy theological read.  I wish I could quote the whole thing to you right here, but I know I would lose my handful of readers.   Rich Stearns is the President of World Vision US and his book paints a picture of poverty around the world and what we are called to do about it.  I love the way he weaves quotes throughout the book- both verses from the Bible and quote from religious leaders and many others.  He starts by telling the story of how he came to World Vision from his CEO position and how seeing poverty close up has changed him and his family.  It's not preachy or judgmental, even as he shows how little effort it would actually take from the world's wealthy to make a significant impact on the world's poor.  For me, it changes how I pack for Thailand, how I plan to use my salary there, and my free time.  It changes what I do with many of the items I won't take with me, and I hope, how I will live when I am there.  I am quite willing, even eager, to loan out my copy of The Hole in our Gospel; let me know if you'd like to borrow it. 


So I won't bore you with long quotes from the book, but I will give you just this one.  When you see poverty in the world and are overwhelmed and feel useless in the fight, remember this African saying: If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.