From: Erwin Siregar
How Should Respond to Injustice?
How Should YWAM Respond to Injustice?
How does YWAM respond to those who are in prison for their faith, particularly
those who have come to faith following YWAM activity?
By Steve Goode
.We want to review some of the issues raised at the Jomtien '98 Frontier
Mission, Urban Mission and Mercy Ministry consultation. Participants at this
meeting made recommendations on key issues for us in Mercy Ministry. These
papers* were adopted by our mission's leadership at last year's Global
Leadership Team meetings in Fortaleza.
One of the Thailand papers addressed the issue of justice. It started out by
saying: "We also affirm the importance of justice and reconciliation in God's
design for His creation. We therefore have concern for the way in which persons
are discriminated against and exploited."
Why are these areas important for us as Christians and missionaries? We are
called to take the gospel where it is yet to be heard or seen. These are areas
of high risk for us as missionaries and the risk is getting higher all the
time. Indonesia, India and Afghanistan are relevant examples of issues of
injustice for us as Christians.
In India, an Australian missionary and his two sons were burned to death
earlier this year for their faith and work amongst lepers for over 30 years.
Churches are being burned and Christians persecuted in India and Indonesia on
an almost daily basis by religious extremists. What do we as Christians do
about these situations other than pray? What place does advocacy or appealing
to governments or writing letters have to do with our role as missionaries,
relief and development workers, King's Kids?
Graham Fawcett, YWAM's training director for the United Kingdom, is working
with a public policy group which is looking into these issues. He says, "The
world has become a complex place with missionaries and aid workers possibly no
longer able to be 'neutral and impartial' as they used to be. In many locations
they have become targets of terrorist and local militia. How does YWAM respond
to those who are in prison for their faith, particularly those who have come to
faith following YWAM activity?
"In Central Asian countries, several nationals are now in prison as a result of
fundamentalist extremists. Do we pray ? Involve Amnesty International ? Involve
the UN? The more active we are, the more we may compromise our long-term work.
"How should YWAM respond to the new UN International Criminal Court? YWAMers
and other agency staff are at risk of being direct or indirect witnesses to
genocide; for example in Kosovo, Bosnia or Afghanistan. Do we cooperate with a
summons from the World Court to testify, and so compromise our impartiality and
neutrality, or do we refuse?
"What is YWAM's role in campaigning? Recent conversations with the UN and other
government officials indicated a strong desire for us as a mission to become
more involved and so utilize our size and impact as one of the largest mission
agencies."
We have recently had YWAMers taken hostage, witness atrocities and deaths in
several Asian and African countries, not to mention our ongoing work in many
high-risk areas. This involvement will increase, not decrease and we want to be
wise in our deployment of staff into these areas.
One of the recommendations of this consultation was for increased intercession
and the establishment of prayer networks to make these needs known. Our fight
first of all is not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers
which rule and reign in the spiritual dimension. We need to use prayer
networks. YWAMers and the wider Body need to be mobilized in prayer.
However, unjust actions also have serious consequences where we live and our
teams serve. What else should we do?
The consultation made several recommendations: to register YWAM wherever
possible at a national level as a Non-Governmental Organization, thus being
more a part of national development plans; to develop both open and secure
channels for discussion within our mission about justice issues; to inform
ourselves and others about suffering in the world; to network more within YWAM
on issues of justice; and to build operational and relationship links with
Christian organizations who use political influence to support and free the
poor and oppressed.
We want your input regarding these issues and how they affect us and you in
this mission and how we need to respond.
Steve Goode is YWAM's International Director of Mercy Ministry. *The Jomtien
Papers cover the following issues: justice; gender and life-span; best
practices in the management and support of personnel; best practices of
briefing and debriefing; best practices of placement of staff and students on
the field; best practices of training of long-term Mercy Ministry staff; and
the Jomtien statement. To get your own copy of these Papers, visit the Mercy
Ministry web site at: www.angelfire.com/ak/ywammmi
Written Feb, 1999
=============================================
From: Leonard Han
I'M IN DEBT
A shopper underestimated the total cost of her groceries. When the
cashier added up the items, the woman was $4 short. Then something unusual
happened. The man behind her in the checkout lane saw her digging thru her
purse & motioned to the clerk to put the amount on his bill. He modestly
refused to give the woman his name.
A few days later, the local newspaper reported that a charity
organization had received a $4 check with the following note : "This check is
for the man who helped me out of a tight spot. I came up with the idea of
giving it to you as a thank-you to him".
This incident illustrates a vital spiritual principle. We should feel an
obligation to pass along to others the kindnesses shown to us. That's how the
apostle Paul responded to God's mercy. Of course, he could never repay the Lord
for salvation, but that didn't stop him from openly showing his gratitude.
Because of what he had received, he showed the highest kind of charity -
sharing the gospel with others.
Let's not think that because we can't repay God for saving nus, we owe
Him nothing. We are indebted to Him for everything. The least we can do is show
our appreciation by telling others about Him. - Mart De Haan
How much I owe for love divine !
How much I owe that Christ is mine !
But what He did for me I know,
I cannot tell how much I owe. - Hamilton
Jesus gave His all for us.
Do we give our all for Him ?
Tuhan Memberkati !
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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