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Tempe First United Methodist Church |
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and the Wesley Foundation at Arizona State University On the Arizona State University campus at Forest & University Avenues Tempe, Arizona USA |
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Weekly Message |
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India. That word fills me with a kaleidoscope of images and emotions. The people are beautiful, warm and welcoming. The country is dirty and polluted and poverty is widespread. However, God is at work freeing the captives! The culture of the people is such that those who have do not see those who have not. Destitution is the norm. In northern India, 98 percent of the people are Hindu and believe in a caste system which the dictionary defines as "one of the hereditary social classes in Hinduism that restrict the occupaion of their members and their association with the members of other castes." If you are born into the lower caste, it is evidence of great sin and you deserve your situation. Only the higher castes are educated and India is a leading nation in producing scientists, doctors and technicians from these castes. There is no social justice or "trickle down" effect to the enormous lower castes. I was often overwhelmed by the poverty and filth and I wondered, "How do we make a difference?" Then I remembered the starfish story. A man observes a little boy picking up a starfish on a beach at low tide and throwing it into the ocean. The man tells the boy that he can't possibly make any difference with the thousands of starfish on the beach. The boy throws another into the water and says, "I bet it made a difference for that one." That is the key. The people can be helped one at a time. Jesus came to set the captives free. The truth of the Gospel and the forgiveness of sins is freeing the lower caste people from oppression.
Years ago missionaries built and established Methodist schools in this region which are run by Indian Christians and they are reaching out to help the poorest. They operate on a shoestring budget with slate blackboards, but they are making an impact. The students are performing well and many have job offers before they graduate. Those who have come through the schools are giving back, serving and helping others to be fruitful, productive members of society. Christianity is less than 1 percent of the population in this region, but the people are bold about sharing their faith. A Hindu couple came to church because their Christian friend had prayed to God for the Hindu man to get a job and a job came open. Often we tend to be shy about our Christian faith and we are reluctant to share the Good News. We need to remember that Christianity transforms the world and encourages people to reach out and help one another. Be Christian boldly and humbly and openly live your faith. During this time of lent, a time of repentance, self-reflection and preparation for Easter--consider how you live the Christian life. Are you bold in sharing your faith? My husband and I will be sharing about our trip, telling the stories and showing photos on Tuesday, February 26, at 6:30 p.m. here at Tempe First. We invite you and your friends to join us for a great evening. Valerie Fairchild Associate Pastor
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