Last night the University Ministries (UMin) hosted an event called Snack Attack. The premise was simple, if you offer free food in the lobby of a university dorm students will come. Sundaes, popcorn and nachos brought together athletes and members of the African Student Club, student senators and students on their way to social events, international students, individuals interested in ministry and those who didn’t know there was a University Ministries. As I stood in the lobby of Burgh Hall covered in nacho cheese I found myself smiling as I was reminded that sharing snacks is the key to good community.
I suppose I should have known it was that simple, after all I follow a God who gave his people food in the desert to keep them from revolting, who multiplied loaves and fishes to keep his people listening and who invited tax collectors and sinners to a dinner table to teach them about loving. From the beginning God believed it was good to share his goods with people and so perhaps it shouldn’t be shocking that when we share our goods that God thinks it’s good for his people.
- According to UNICEF, approximately 3 billion people live on less than US $2/day and 1.4 billion people live on less than US $1.25/day
- 25,000 children under the age of 5 die each day due to poverty-related causes.
- Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Nearly 900 million people do not have access to clean water.
- Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
What if we shared our goods?
This morning in chapel we are delighted to have Eugene Cho join us as we seek to be a sign that points to a God who shares his stuff. Eugene is the pastor of Quest Church in Seattle and along with his wife Minhee are the founders of an organization called One Day's Wages (ODW), a new grassroots movement that is seeking to do their part to alleviate extreme global poverty by teaching people to share.
The Chos made a decision to donate their 2009 income ($68,000) to the cause of fighting extreme global poverty and are now inviting the rest of the world to consider donating one day's wages so that the world might know a generous God. One day’s wages is equivalent to about 4% of your annual salary, for me it would be only $238.00 about what I spend on snacks in any given year.
- $20 can provide clean water for one person for 20 years.
- $10 can purchase a bed net to help prevent malaria.
- $45 can pay annual school tuition for one child.
- $100 can provide a woman with a sewing machine and job training.
What if we shared our goods? Pastor Eugene Cho is with us this morning as part of a week-long UMin initiative called THRIVE: a series of events to fertilize your faith in the midst of real life. It’s not too late to get involved, there are still opportunities this week to share your time, your life and your resources with this community and this world so together we could thrive.
