A Few Opinions about Money

After lifting weights with my friend Stephen, we went over to the Waffle House and replenished our protein. Over eggs and bacon, we had a good conversation about money, how it affects us and what we think about managing it. I had three opinions which I thought I'd relay here:

• I feel like it would be wise for some people to ease up on giving to ministries until they are out of debt. A lot of people make commitments with money they don't really have, and they compound their debt with religious giving. And as one who lives off donations, I would rather have someone knock out their debt, free up their money, then be able to give consistently, even if it makes things a little tighter in the moment.
• It's good to determine how much money you need before the money comes in. Once the income starts flowing, it gets easy to think you need more and more. I want to sit down and figure out a healthy amount of income, and if it is surpassed, I want to put the extra money back into my faith and neighborhood communities.
• It's important to be involved with ministries you support. Encouragement, prayer, accountability, and hands-on service are all crucial to missionaries. We appreciate checks, sure, but they mean way more coming from friends, family, and ministry partners. Plus, it's more rewarding for the giver if she/he can see the fruit.

I don't know a whole lot about money, so I wouldn't encourage my readers to go out and make huge life decisions based on these things, but you gotta fill up a blog with something or other, so now you know what I think about money.

Emo

Does anyone remember when the word "emo" referred to a genre of poetic, emotionally driven punk rock? When the word "emo" referred to the music of bands like Fugazi and Sunny Day Real Estate ring any bells?

The word has a different meaning to the kids we work with.

The other day, I was talking with Tito and Betsabe about my iguana, Rockette, and how she scratches me all the time. I showed them where her claws had cut into my forearm.

They responded, "Oh. We just thought you were emo."

Apparently, the subculture that formed around the music has evolved into a label for those who cut themselves.

Yesterday, one of our fellow missionaries heard one of the girls talking about how awesome it was to be emo. We've heard reports of a few other kids cutting themselves as well.

As far as we know, all of the kids who do this have made professions of faith.

I get so frustrated sometimes when churches think they can just drop in, do an evangelistic SWAT operation, then vacate. These kids, Christian or otherwise, need stable, longsuffering relationships.

Please pray for us as we try to introduce and demonstrate a love that heals. It sometimes feels like we're in over our heads.

CCDA Conference Bonanza!

Ruthie got to attend the annual Christian Community Development Association conference in Cincinnati this weekend. She traveled up in a caravan with some of our friends from Open Table Community.

She got to talk with hundreds of people from around the world who are interested in living out the gospel by living with and serving the needy.

Her aunt Laurie, who has been a huge supporter of Refugee Arts, traveled from Virginia to join her:

The group rushed from session to session, soaking up ideas and talking through them:




There was time for rich conversation and some deep relational bonding.


Ruthie also set up a booth for Refugee Beads there, and attendees helped support the refugees by purchasing handmade necklaces, earrings, and accesories. The Open Table people helped to man the booth so that Ruthie could enjoy a few sessions:

Um, whatever this picture is of also happened:

It was a great time to affirm or rethink aspects of the work here, grow relationships, and help the refugees financially, all in one weekend.

The Future of Awesome

So for those of you who don't know, I was raised in the Philippines.

The only reason I mention it is because the single most awesome plant ever known to man was recently discovered back in my homeland. Hint: it eats rats.

Click here for more.

Friday Night/Saturday Morning

At 42 minutes past midnight, I begin this post. It has been a crazy week.

I'm working on a novel which has moved forward a great deal in the past month, and I chipped away at it this week, reading it to a critique group and getting some good ideas for how to make it work.

I haven't screwed up at my day job for a while, so all's well on that front.

Ruthie has been checking in from Ohio where she is attending a CCDA conference and selling Refugee Beads jewelry. So far, the refugees have earned over 300 dollars each in sales, and there's still one day left to sell. She's also having a great time meeting like-minded people from around the world. She's told me specifically about conversations with people from Uganda and South Africa who were inspired by Refugee Beads.

So, with those brief synopses of the events of the past couple of days, I sign off, so that I can battle my iguana for the use of my pillow tonight.

Grace and peace,

Ian

Kid Stuff

When we first moved here, and people asked us how long we planned on staying, I said, "I want to see these kids graduate from high school."

Right now, Ruthie's up at the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) conference, and I'm here alone at the complex. Today, after finishing work, I pulled into our parking lot and saw four guys all wearing matching black shirts and blue shorts, strutting around and jostling each other. They were headed toward the playground.

I pulled into my parking spot and hopped out, ready to chew out these gangsters who thought they could mess with the kids on our playground. Turns out, two of them were Melvin and David, the two guys I've been pouring my life into lately.

"Wassup, Ian?" Melvin called.

"Not much. Are you guys in a gang now?"

"No," said David.

"So you're dressed up in matching colors by accident? All four of you?"

"Yeah, man. That's it," replied David.

With that, they turned and strutted off. These guys are in fifth grade.

I remember forming a gang in fourth grade at our missionary school in the Philippines. We had a big brawl on the playground. A bunch of my best friends were on an opposing gang. It was a generally fun time until recess ended and we got caught.

The reason I can't shrug it off when David and Melvin and some of the other kids from the complex start strutting around in matching outfits without a decent explanation, is that their default is different than mine was.

Our families were usually there to catch us, give us a talking to, and make sure we straightened up. For these kids, with parents who don't speak the same language, whose schools are violent places, the default is not such a sure thing.

If you talk to them in group, you don't stand a chance. But I have one-on-one relationships, so I'll be getting involved. When I said I want to see these kids graduate high school, I knew that I might have to dive in to help them make it that far.

Books Music Movies

So I've been interacting with a lot of media lately, and I felt like I would like to write about it, but this and my other Ghost Town Revival blog didn't seem to have room for in-depth personal reactions to books, music and movies.

So I started a new project called Books Music Movies. Instead of giving media thumbs-up, thumbs-down type reviews, I aim to dig in, digest, and respond to creative pieces regardless of the quality, although I may make mention of it from time to time.

The first entry is up. Enjoy.