To Chew On

Keith, whom I've never met nor conversed with, put up a thought-provoking post. Here's an excerpt. The comments are worth reading as well.

Have we lost sight of God, or re-made him in our own image? These unsettling and provocative observations and questions come from an evangelical Christian friend, who has given me permission to share them with you.

"I find myself in the place where my view of God is shifting. Well, maybe that's premature. I guess I've realized that as much as I would try to deny it, my God is very white & very Western. I've been reading outside my comfort zone lately, and have realized that I can't reconcile my God to the world I see. Clearly the problem isn't with God, it’s with me.

How does one understand God when your whole village has been starving for as long as you've been alive? How does one understand God when your country has been destroyed by war, and He doesn't seem to intervene...

…I guess what is rolling around in my head is the uncomfortable exposure I've had to evangelicals who laud God for providing them a parking space when they need it; or when getting a good deal on a manicure, call it a "Holy Ghost deal". Not to say that I believe God isn't interested in the details of our lives... but...

... when millions of women pray for food for their starving children, or that someone would take care of their children when they've died of AIDS... or water to drink... or seed to plant...”

On the heels of this, we sent out this email on behalf of David Kaya in Sudan:

An urgent request for prayer has come today from David Kaya in the Sudan.

David has asked for prayers for his health. He is “sick suffering with malaria” since his trip to the Aweil Diocese last month. It was a difficult journey to an area where “the condition of health is very, very poor compared to the rest of the world.” David was not able to take enough clean water or food with him, so he had to do the same as the Dinka do for survival. The Bishop of the area told him, “This is the end of the earth. Be ready to hear and see for yourself what it means to be born a Dinka in the heart of the Sudan. The people eat and drink anything that can occupy the stomach – even dirty water and leaves from trees. The water is the greatest contributor of all the sicknesses in that area.”

Please take a few minutes right now to pray for David Kaya’s health. He also requests prayers for clean water for Aweil and for the health situation there to improve.

Blessings.

Kaya Prayer Captain

KayaPrayerCaptain@e3partners.org