Here is another great video--this time from The Advent Conspiracy.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Ordinary Radicals
Below is a promotional video for a movie called, "Ordinary Radicals." In it, you will see a few of my mentors--Shane Claiborne and Jim Wallis.
The Ordinary Radicals - Trailer from Jamie Moffett on Vimeo.
This holiday season, David and I have decided to try and live as ordinary radicals. It feels small and insignificant--but it is the only way we know how to start. For one, it means we are trying to be creative in our gift-giving and in what we ask for. We are trying not to ask for consumable goods--things that can be bought and thrown away. Instead, we are hoping to spend time with friends and family this holiday in a meaningful way. This seems especially appropriate since we live in Denver and are far from the people we love most.
Second, it means that the gifts we DO buy or ask for must support the values we uphold. Those of you who know me know I LOVE to shop at the GAP, but I have decided that this Christmas, I will not ask for GAP gift cards and will not spend money there. I have read about their sweatshops and human rights abuses, and have decided I cannot, in good conscience, wear items from their stores. As an alternative, I have found a company called Green Label clothing. Their tagline reads, "Respect Labor. Respect the Environment. Respect Yourself." The clothing items are more expensive and less fashionable (mostly t-shirts and hoodies) but I figure that will only encourage me to buy less, which is appropriate!
Third, our Christmas cards this year will come from Amnesty International. The boxed sets are more expensive than what we could buy at Target, but they are printed on recycled paper and a portion of the proceeds will go to Amnesty, an organization that supports human rights around the world.
I know it may sound crazy, like we are turning into hippies (although I'm pretty sure Jesus would have been a hippie!) but really we are just seeking alternative ways to celebrate Christmas that align with our values as Christians. Please leave a comment if you have other ideas! =)
The Ordinary Radicals - Trailer from Jamie Moffett on Vimeo.
This holiday season, David and I have decided to try and live as ordinary radicals. It feels small and insignificant--but it is the only way we know how to start. For one, it means we are trying to be creative in our gift-giving and in what we ask for. We are trying not to ask for consumable goods--things that can be bought and thrown away. Instead, we are hoping to spend time with friends and family this holiday in a meaningful way. This seems especially appropriate since we live in Denver and are far from the people we love most.
Second, it means that the gifts we DO buy or ask for must support the values we uphold. Those of you who know me know I LOVE to shop at the GAP, but I have decided that this Christmas, I will not ask for GAP gift cards and will not spend money there. I have read about their sweatshops and human rights abuses, and have decided I cannot, in good conscience, wear items from their stores. As an alternative, I have found a company called Green Label clothing. Their tagline reads, "Respect Labor. Respect the Environment. Respect Yourself." The clothing items are more expensive and less fashionable (mostly t-shirts and hoodies) but I figure that will only encourage me to buy less, which is appropriate!
Third, our Christmas cards this year will come from Amnesty International. The boxed sets are more expensive than what we could buy at Target, but they are printed on recycled paper and a portion of the proceeds will go to Amnesty, an organization that supports human rights around the world.
I know it may sound crazy, like we are turning into hippies (although I'm pretty sure Jesus would have been a hippie!) but really we are just seeking alternative ways to celebrate Christmas that align with our values as Christians. Please leave a comment if you have other ideas! =)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Older pics
I'm uploading some pics that we took a couple of weeks ago but were too busy with school to put on the blog! We've had freakishly warm weather here in Denver, so David and I squeezed in a bike ride a few Saturdays back. These pictures are taken along the Cherry Creek trail, which is David's commute to work. =)
The other pictures are of the Young Adult group at Trinity, taken at our recent outing to Casa Bonita. I have been at Trinity almost 6 months and am really growing to love it there. The Young Adult group is really coming together and there is both vitality and an eagerness to learn expressed in the group. We average between 10-12 people each Sunday, but we normally have visitors each week and a lot of those visitors are choosing to come back! =) In addition to Sunday School, many of the young adults are in the Disciple Bible Study that I co-lead on Thursdays. While David and I still miss Grace, it is nice to develop friendships with people at church here in Denver. I should note that David was at Casa Bonita too, but graciously agreed to take our picture!
The other pictures are of the Young Adult group at Trinity, taken at our recent outing to Casa Bonita. I have been at Trinity almost 6 months and am really growing to love it there. The Young Adult group is really coming together and there is both vitality and an eagerness to learn expressed in the group. We average between 10-12 people each Sunday, but we normally have visitors each week and a lot of those visitors are choosing to come back! =) In addition to Sunday School, many of the young adults are in the Disciple Bible Study that I co-lead on Thursdays. While David and I still miss Grace, it is nice to develop friendships with people at church here in Denver. I should note that David was at Casa Bonita too, but graciously agreed to take our picture!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
We need a dog nanny!
Last week was finals week for me so the dogs have been super ignored! Here are some of their desperate attempts to get our attention! =) The bottom picture is actually a video, so click the middle to view. 
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Thanks for the quote, Patty!
Rosa sat
so Martin could walk
so Obama could run
so our children could fly.
so Martin could walk
so Obama could run
so our children could fly.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Carrie and Greg's visit
Carrie and Greg came for the weekend and stayed with us. We ate lunch on 16th Street and spent some time downtown before heading to the Museum of Nature and Science. Saturday we drove to Dillon, CO hoping to see the Aspen leaves. Unfortunately, they had already fallen off and there was snow instead! =) We had a great time hanging out and being together.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Update
We have been SO busy lately! School is in full swing for both of us, so we spend a lot of time at the table reading. =)
David is trying to fit two 12-hour shifts into his school schedule, which is proving harder than we thought. He tried working two night shifts during the week, but going to school, going to work, going to school and THEN coming home to sleep wasn't working very well. Now he's trying one night shift and Sundays. It stinks he can't come to church with me, but it means we have Saturday together.
I started a second job last week working for the Rocky Mountain Conference in the Peace With Justice office. They have a Social Justice Center in the basement of a nearby UMC so I help with mailings and educational pieces. It's mostly administrative work, but I enjoy being connected with peace and justice--if even in a small way!
I preached last Sunday in Nebraska and think it went really well! David was sweet and he and the dogs made the 4 hour trek with me to North Platte. We stayed in Greta's parsonage and the dogs enjoyed running around her yard. =) I didn't post my sermon, but I felt pretty good about it. The really scary part was that I actually loved preaching. Yikes.
David is trying to fit two 12-hour shifts into his school schedule, which is proving harder than we thought. He tried working two night shifts during the week, but going to school, going to work, going to school and THEN coming home to sleep wasn't working very well. Now he's trying one night shift and Sundays. It stinks he can't come to church with me, but it means we have Saturday together.
I started a second job last week working for the Rocky Mountain Conference in the Peace With Justice office. They have a Social Justice Center in the basement of a nearby UMC so I help with mailings and educational pieces. It's mostly administrative work, but I enjoy being connected with peace and justice--if even in a small way!
I preached last Sunday in Nebraska and think it went really well! David was sweet and he and the dogs made the 4 hour trek with me to North Platte. We stayed in Greta's parsonage and the dogs enjoyed running around her yard. =) I didn't post my sermon, but I felt pretty good about it. The really scary part was that I actually loved preaching. Yikes.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Chris & Kerry
David's friend, Chris, and his girlfriend, Kerry, came to visit us last weekend. We had a great time! =)
I'm going to preach!
My friend, Greta, asked me to come preach at her church on October 12th for Children's Sabbath. I agreed! YIKES!!!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Bakers
Steve and Patty came to Denver and we had a great visit! They finished the drive early Sunday morning and made it to Trinity in time for my Borderlands presentation, which was VERY thoughtful. Monday we went to Silver Plume and rode the Georgetown Loop on the train. We had lunch in Golden and then toured the Coors Brewery. We also did a lot of "hanging out" and visiting, which was nice. =)
Friday, September 19, 2008
It's Time For the Pulpit to Speak
Here is a recent statement by Jim Wallis, Editor-in-Chief at Sojourners, regarding the economy:
Everyone has heard the famous phrase, attributed to James Carville, which supposedly won the 1992 presidential election for Bill Clinton: "It’s the economy, stupid!" It’s still good advice, especially as the shocking collapse of the financial markets has turned the election campaign into a much more serious and somber discussion than lipstick on pigs.
But the issue is deeper than just the economy. I would now rephrase Carville and say, "It’s the morality, sinner!" And I would direct it to the people who have been making the decisions about the direction of this economy from Wall Street to Washington. Here is the morality play:
Aggressive lending to potential home-buyers using subprime and adjustable rate mortgages led to "mortgage-backed securities" being sold to investors at high returns. As housing prices dropped and interest rates rose, homeowners got caught, fell behind on payments, and millions of foreclosures followed. That resulted in the mortgage-backed assets losing value with banks unable to sell the securities. So the subprime lenders began to fail. Asset declines then spread to investment banks. We have now seen the sale of Bear Stearns brokered by the government, and last week the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as mortgage defaults threatened them. Then Lehman Brothers fell into bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch was sold. Now another bailout, this time of AIG, the largest insurance company in the country -- whose potential demise threatened the whole financial system even further.
During the height of the lending frenzy, many people got very rich, as they did during the previous technology bubble. Now with the collapse, experts say the most likely result will be further tightening of credit and lending standards for consumers and businesses. Home, retail, and business loans will become more expensive and harder to secure. And the consequences of that will spread to most of America.
In the accounts and interpretation of these events, a word is slowly entering the discussion and analysis — greed. It’s an old concept, and one with deep moral roots. Even venerable establishment economists such as Robert Samuelson now say, "Greed and fear, which routinely govern financial markets, have seeded this global crisis ... short-term rewards blinded them to the long-term dangers."
The people on top of the American economy get rich whether they make good or bad decisions, while workers and consumers are the ones who suffer from all their bad ones. Prudent investment has been replaced with reckless financial gambling in what some have called a "casino economy." And the benefits accruing to top CEOs and financial managers, especially as compared to the declining wages of average workers, has become one of the greatest moral travesties of our time.
In the search for blame, some say greed and some say deregulation. Both are right. The financial collapse of Wall Street is the fiscal consequence of the economic philosophy that now governs America — that markets are always good and government is always bad. But it is also the moral consequence of greed, where private profit prevails over the concept of the common good. The American economy is often rooted in unbridled materialism, a culture that continues to extol greed, a false standard of values that puts short-term profits over societal health, and a distorted calculus that measures human worth by personal income instead of character, integrity, and generosity.
Americans have a love-hate relationship with government and business. The climate seems to shift between an "anything goes" mentality and stricter government regulation. The excesses of the 1920s, leading to the Great Depression, were followed by the reforms of Franklin Roosevelt.
The entrepreneurial spirit and social innovation fostered by a market economy has benefited many and should not be overly encumbered by unnecessary or stifling regulations. But left to its own devices and human weakness (let’s call it sin), the market too often disintegrates into greed and corruption, as the Wall Street financial collapse painfully reveals. Capitalism needs rules, or it easily becomes destructive. A healthy, balanced relationship between free enterprise on the one hand, and public accountability and regulation, on the other, is morally and practically essential. Government should encourage innovation, but it must also limit greed.
The behavior of too many on Wall Street is a violation of biblical ethics. The teachings of Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths condemn the greed, selfishness, and cheating that have been revealed in corporate behavior over decades now, and denounce their callous mistreatment of employees. Read your Bible.
The strongest critics of the Wall Street gamblers call it putting self-interest above the public interest; the Bible would call it a sin. I don’t know about the church- or synagogue-going habits of the nation’s top financial managers, but if they do attend services, I wonder if they ever hear a religious word about the practices of arranging huge personal bonuses and escape hatches while destroying the lives of people who work for them. We now need wisdom from the economists, prudence from the business community, and renewal courses on the common good from the nation’s religious leaders. It’s time for the pulpit to speak — for the religious community to bring the Word of God to bear on the moral issues of the American economy. The Bible speaks of such things from beginning to end, so why not our pastors and preachers?
Everyone has heard the famous phrase, attributed to James Carville, which supposedly won the 1992 presidential election for Bill Clinton: "It’s the economy, stupid!" It’s still good advice, especially as the shocking collapse of the financial markets has turned the election campaign into a much more serious and somber discussion than lipstick on pigs.
But the issue is deeper than just the economy. I would now rephrase Carville and say, "It’s the morality, sinner!" And I would direct it to the people who have been making the decisions about the direction of this economy from Wall Street to Washington. Here is the morality play:
Aggressive lending to potential home-buyers using subprime and adjustable rate mortgages led to "mortgage-backed securities" being sold to investors at high returns. As housing prices dropped and interest rates rose, homeowners got caught, fell behind on payments, and millions of foreclosures followed. That resulted in the mortgage-backed assets losing value with banks unable to sell the securities. So the subprime lenders began to fail. Asset declines then spread to investment banks. We have now seen the sale of Bear Stearns brokered by the government, and last week the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as mortgage defaults threatened them. Then Lehman Brothers fell into bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch was sold. Now another bailout, this time of AIG, the largest insurance company in the country -- whose potential demise threatened the whole financial system even further.
During the height of the lending frenzy, many people got very rich, as they did during the previous technology bubble. Now with the collapse, experts say the most likely result will be further tightening of credit and lending standards for consumers and businesses. Home, retail, and business loans will become more expensive and harder to secure. And the consequences of that will spread to most of America.
In the accounts and interpretation of these events, a word is slowly entering the discussion and analysis — greed. It’s an old concept, and one with deep moral roots. Even venerable establishment economists such as Robert Samuelson now say, "Greed and fear, which routinely govern financial markets, have seeded this global crisis ... short-term rewards blinded them to the long-term dangers."
The people on top of the American economy get rich whether they make good or bad decisions, while workers and consumers are the ones who suffer from all their bad ones. Prudent investment has been replaced with reckless financial gambling in what some have called a "casino economy." And the benefits accruing to top CEOs and financial managers, especially as compared to the declining wages of average workers, has become one of the greatest moral travesties of our time.
In the search for blame, some say greed and some say deregulation. Both are right. The financial collapse of Wall Street is the fiscal consequence of the economic philosophy that now governs America — that markets are always good and government is always bad. But it is also the moral consequence of greed, where private profit prevails over the concept of the common good. The American economy is often rooted in unbridled materialism, a culture that continues to extol greed, a false standard of values that puts short-term profits over societal health, and a distorted calculus that measures human worth by personal income instead of character, integrity, and generosity.
Americans have a love-hate relationship with government and business. The climate seems to shift between an "anything goes" mentality and stricter government regulation. The excesses of the 1920s, leading to the Great Depression, were followed by the reforms of Franklin Roosevelt.
The entrepreneurial spirit and social innovation fostered by a market economy has benefited many and should not be overly encumbered by unnecessary or stifling regulations. But left to its own devices and human weakness (let’s call it sin), the market too often disintegrates into greed and corruption, as the Wall Street financial collapse painfully reveals. Capitalism needs rules, or it easily becomes destructive. A healthy, balanced relationship between free enterprise on the one hand, and public accountability and regulation, on the other, is morally and practically essential. Government should encourage innovation, but it must also limit greed.
The behavior of too many on Wall Street is a violation of biblical ethics. The teachings of Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths condemn the greed, selfishness, and cheating that have been revealed in corporate behavior over decades now, and denounce their callous mistreatment of employees. Read your Bible.
The strongest critics of the Wall Street gamblers call it putting self-interest above the public interest; the Bible would call it a sin. I don’t know about the church- or synagogue-going habits of the nation’s top financial managers, but if they do attend services, I wonder if they ever hear a religious word about the practices of arranging huge personal bonuses and escape hatches while destroying the lives of people who work for them. We now need wisdom from the economists, prudence from the business community, and renewal courses on the common good from the nation’s religious leaders. It’s time for the pulpit to speak — for the religious community to bring the Word of God to bear on the moral issues of the American economy. The Bible speaks of such things from beginning to end, so why not our pastors and preachers?
Update
Yesterday David took his Pharm final and is OFFICIALLY done with his first quarter of nursing school! I am SO proud of him!!! He's waiting to hear about his grades, but he is confident that he passed all his classes. (You have to have better than a 74 to pass and if you fail ONE class, you're held behind and get off track) He is working today, but will have the next two weeks off before starting a new quarter October 6th.
I finished week 2 of classes yesterday, which in quarter world, means I'm already 1/5 done! On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have "Christianity in the Modern World" and "Reformation to Enlightenment." On Wednesdays I have my Advanced Field Education group and "Exodus." Yes folks, in seminary you can spend 10 weeks on Exodus! =) I am really liking my classes so far and doing pretty well keeping up with the reading. I am also co-leading Disciple Bible Study at Trinity on Thursday nights.
Last weekend my mom came to visit and we had a great time. She entertained me while David studied for finals! =) We are looking forward to Steve and Patty's visit in a couple of days.
I finished week 2 of classes yesterday, which in quarter world, means I'm already 1/5 done! On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have "Christianity in the Modern World" and "Reformation to Enlightenment." On Wednesdays I have my Advanced Field Education group and "Exodus." Yes folks, in seminary you can spend 10 weeks on Exodus! =) I am really liking my classes so far and doing pretty well keeping up with the reading. I am also co-leading Disciple Bible Study at Trinity on Thursday nights.
Last weekend my mom came to visit and we had a great time. She entertained me while David studied for finals! =) We are looking forward to Steve and Patty's visit in a couple of days.
Monday, September 8, 2008
It's Clovis!
I was able to squeeze in one more visit with Lauren before she and Rusty move to Scotland at the end of September. I had a great time in Clovis, New Mexico hanging out with her and the fam! =)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Borderlands Trip: "No More Deaths"
We arrived in Tucson and were greeted by John Fife and Gene Lefavbre. John and Gene are retired Presbyterian pastors who started the Sanctuary Movement in the 1980's and provided sanctuary to Central Americans fleeing Civil War in El Salvador and Guatemala. They have a long history of getting into trouble! They are AMAZING people and I learned so much from them. They're pretty darn funny too. =)
The "No More Deaths" camp is in Arivaca, south of Tucson and north of the border. Each day we divided into patrols and hiked the trails to deliver water and food. Volunteers date the water and this helps them know which trails are being heavily used. The area is enormous...over hundreds of thousands of square miles. No More Deaths services about 180 square miles.
One of the volunteers had brought tags that were made by migrants who have successfully crossed. We tied the tags around the water. Each tag had a different message on it. For example, one tag read (in Spanish) "You are beautiful and strong. Remember this when people here tell you that you are less."
There were many difficult moments on the trip, but an especially difficult one was visiting Josseline's shrine. Josseline was a 14-year-old girl from El Salvador who was trying to get to Los Angeles to reunite with her mother and grandparents. She was traveling with her 10-year-old brother and along the way, she fell behind and could travel no further. Her brother made it safely and the family contacted "No More Deaths" to plead for help in finding Josseline. She was finally found, three weeks after she separated from the group, and the coroner discovered she had survived alone for two weeks. She was 14 years old, and she died alone in the desert. Since recovering her body, a shrine has been erected and all NMD volunteers carry her picture in their pockets.
One of my favorite moments in camp was our dinner on Tuesday night. The "No More Deaths" camp is located on the land of Byrd Baylor, a famous author of children's books. She came for dinner and we enjoyed Pad Thai and fried rice, brought to us by a Buddhist monk who brings meals every week to the camp. Our guests of honor were the three migrants who were resting and rehydrating in the NMD camp. It rained most of the time we were in camp, but let up for dinner, and in fact, there was an enormous rainbow to entertain us at dinner. Byrd read us one of her articles, and we laughed, sat by firelight, and dined on Pad Thai. My heart was full of joy.
Unfortunately, the next day when we returned from our morning patrol, we were greeted by Border Patrol agents who had raided the camp. The migrants who had been recovering were taken and deported. Gene was held in custody for over 2 hours and it looked like Border Patrol might arrest all of us for "harboring migrants."
The Saturday before we came to camp, NMD volunteers had finally convinced a migrant staying in camp that he needed to seek medical help. He was in the early stages of renal failure and the volunteers told him that if he didn't get to a hospital, he would die. He finally agreed and as he was being wheeled into the ambulance, Border Patrol intercepted and took him away. I think this recent incident helped us avoid arrest. Plus, we think Border Patrol knew it would be a media nightmare if they arrested 12 seminarians!
After our time in Arivaca, we drove to Altar, Sonora in Mexico. Altar is a staging area for migrants and is about 60 miles south of the border. Most migrants are coming from Central America or southern Mexico so Altar is where they rest before crossing the border. The Center we stayed at gives migrants a place to sleep, eat, shower, get clean clothes, and receive medical care. Enrique, the coordinator of the center, gave us a tour and one of the group members asked him why he does what he does. His response? "Mateo 25." (Matthew 25: "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.")
One of the migrants I met in Altar is named Martin. Martin is from Honduras and migrated to the US 7 years ago to work. He recently returned to Honduras to see his two girls (now 9 and 10 years old) and to bury his mother. He told me his daughters wanted desperately for him to stay, but there is no work and he must return to the US if his daughters are going to eat.
There are so many more stories to tell. I don't pretend to be an expert on Border issues and the more you learn, the muddier the water gets. It is a complex situation. However, here's what I believe to be true:
*The US needs to revisit NAFTA and take responsibility for the greed and self-interest that has contributed to the economic crisis in Mexico. Since NAFTA passed, the US has flooded Mexico with products that drove down prices and caused farmers to lose their land. Farmers who had supported their families by growing and selling corn could no longer afford to do so.
*In 1994, the US initiated a Border Policy that tightened security in major US cities along the border and forced migrants to cross through the deadly Arizona desert. The American people were told that migrant deaths would result, but it was "collateral damage" for ceasing illegal border crossings. The policy has not been effective and has been recognized by the international community (UN) as a violation of human rights. Let me repeat, the international community condemns our current border policy!
*Over and over we heard the familiar rhetoric "They choose to come here and it's their fault if they die in the desert." I met dozens and dozens of migrants who did not choose to illegally cross the border. To apply for a visa or work permit would take 7-15 years and there's no guarantee of approval. Most of the migrants I met couldn't afford to wait 7 years. It was cross or starve.
I don't know what the solution looks like or should be. What I DO know, is that in the meantime, I salute "No More Deaths" for taking Matthew 25 seriously.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
I'm home!!!
Wow. I just woke up from a long nap in MY BED!!! Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. I made it home safely this afternoon and am waiting for David to get home from work.
I will definitely post pictures and stories soon. I am still processing everything we saw and did. I talked to some of you right before I left last Saturday and you know I did NOT want to go, however, I am SO glad I did. I was pulled and stretched and it was great because it just made more room for love and blessings to fill my life!
Last Sunday we worshipped in Tuscon and we sang a hymn I hadn't sung in a LONG time. The chorus has been running through my head all week.
"There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.
And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face,
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
Sweet Holy Spirit,
Sweet Heavenly Dove,
Stay right here with us,
Filling us with your love.
And for these blessings,
we lift our hearts in praise.
Without a doubt we'll know
that we have been revived
When we shall leave this place."
I will definitely post pictures and stories soon. I am still processing everything we saw and did. I talked to some of you right before I left last Saturday and you know I did NOT want to go, however, I am SO glad I did. I was pulled and stretched and it was great because it just made more room for love and blessings to fill my life!
Last Sunday we worshipped in Tuscon and we sang a hymn I hadn't sung in a LONG time. The chorus has been running through my head all week.
"There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.
And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face,
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
Sweet Holy Spirit,
Sweet Heavenly Dove,
Stay right here with us,
Filling us with your love.
And for these blessings,
we lift our hearts in praise.
Without a doubt we'll know
that we have been revived
When we shall leave this place."
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Disclaimer
I just posted about my trip to the border and thought I should offer a disclaimer. I know immigration is a hot issue and not everyone who loves me and reads our blog will agree with my choice to go on this trip. I wanted to offer the following:
I do not view the immigration debate as a Republican or Democrat. I approach the issue as a person of faith, wrestling with what it means to provide "hospitality to the stranger."
I believe the crisis at the border is indeed a humanitarian crisis. I am hopeful to learn more about why people migrate and how Christians can drive public policy toward a solution that is fair and just.
I posted earlier about my belief that Christians are called to the periphery to be in solidarity with the suffering people of the world. I am trying to respond to God's call to "be present at the bleeding points of humanity."
I will have no access to a computer while I am gone, but I am planning on journaling and will post when I return!
I do not view the immigration debate as a Republican or Democrat. I approach the issue as a person of faith, wrestling with what it means to provide "hospitality to the stranger."
I believe the crisis at the border is indeed a humanitarian crisis. I am hopeful to learn more about why people migrate and how Christians can drive public policy toward a solution that is fair and just.
I posted earlier about my belief that Christians are called to the periphery to be in solidarity with the suffering people of the world. I am trying to respond to God's call to "be present at the bleeding points of humanity."
I will have no access to a computer while I am gone, but I am planning on journaling and will post when I return!
Borderlands Trip
I leave on Saturday with a group of Iliff students to go to the Arizona/Mexico border to work with the organization "No More Deaths." (Just in case you don't know, I've embedded the link so click on No More Deaths for more info!) I received a schedule from my professor and thought I would post it!
Saturday, August 23: Arrive at the Tucson airport at 4:26 P.M. Dinner at the Fife's. Get acquainted. Sleep at the Lefebvre's and the Desert House.
Sunday, August 24: Background orientation, Worship at Southside Presbyterian Church. Volunteer training for NMD. Travel to camp near the border. Get acquainted with other volunteers.
Monday, August 25: Training in use of gps and map reading. Afternoon patrol looking for migrants and setting out food and water. Evening de-brief.
Tuesday, August 26: Morning and afternoon patrols. Evening de-brief.
Wednesday, August 27: Morning patrol. Pack and leave for Tucson. Rest. Evening de-brief of camp experience. Pack for Altar.
Thursday, August 28: Leave for Mexico. Stop at NMD Aid Station at the border. Travel to Altar, a staging area for migrants who will enter the U.S. Stay at a church migrant center. Conversation with staff and guests at the center.
Friday, August 29: Visit with migrants at the plaza in Altar about their experience. Return to Tucson . Rest. De-brief aid station and Altar trips.
Saturday, August 30: Morning trip to the Tohono Oldham reservation and the cultural center. Talk with Mike Wilson who saves lives in the most deadly section of the border. Return to Tucson. Rest. Dinner at the Lefebvre's and de-brief of the whole trip.
Sunday, August 31: Return to Denver
I am excited to go but VERY nervous! Prayers are always appreciated! =)
Saturday, August 23: Arrive at the Tucson airport at 4:26 P.M. Dinner at the Fife's. Get acquainted. Sleep at the Lefebvre's and the Desert House.
Sunday, August 24: Background orientation, Worship at Southside Presbyterian Church. Volunteer training for NMD. Travel to camp near the border. Get acquainted with other volunteers.
Monday, August 25: Training in use of gps and map reading. Afternoon patrol looking for migrants and setting out food and water. Evening de-brief.
Tuesday, August 26: Morning and afternoon patrols. Evening de-brief.
Wednesday, August 27: Morning patrol. Pack and leave for Tucson. Rest. Evening de-brief of camp experience. Pack for Altar.
Thursday, August 28: Leave for Mexico. Stop at NMD Aid Station at the border. Travel to Altar, a staging area for migrants who will enter the U.S. Stay at a church migrant center. Conversation with staff and guests at the center.
Friday, August 29: Visit with migrants at the plaza in Altar about their experience. Return to Tucson . Rest. De-brief aid station and Altar trips.
Saturday, August 30: Morning trip to the Tohono Oldham reservation and the cultural center. Talk with Mike Wilson who saves lives in the most deadly section of the border. Return to Tucson. Rest. Dinner at the Lefebvre's and de-brief of the whole trip.
Sunday, August 31: Return to Denver
I am excited to go but VERY nervous! Prayers are always appreciated! =)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Interfaith Worker Justice
Friday was the last day of my internship and tomorrow I leave for debrief in Chicago. I realized I haven't written anything about the work I've been doing this summer! Here is some basic info:
The internship I did was through an organization called "Interfaith Worker Justice." Their philosophy is:
1.The US faces a national crisis in terms of the rapid increase in workers earning poverty wages and the vast number of workplaces that routinely violate workers' rights. This crisis requires a broad-based approach to the work.
2.All religions believe that workers should be paid fairly and treated respectfully.
3.People of faith want to help low-wage workers but generally do not know how to get started. Getting people involved is an organizing challenge, not particularly an ideological one.
4.The majority of people of faith wants to help low-wage workers but do not see unions as vehicles for economic justice. Talking cannot change these negative stereotypes. Rather, people of faith must get to know workers who are struggling for unions and union organizers who are on the front lines of justice, which is why building local interfaith committees is so important.
This summer I worked at Service Employees International Union. SEIU is the fastest growing union in the U.S. and represents service employees like janitors, security guards, and home healthcare workers. Here are some things I learned about unions this summer:
1.In the 1950's union membership stood at a high of 35%. Unions helped negotiate social policies that helped all working people rise out of poverty and helped bring about Social Security, the 8-hour work day, paid overtime, vacations, and pensions.
2.Union membership now stands at 12% (8% in Colorado) which means there is less negotiating power. It also means that most workers don't know anyone personally who has benefitted from a union.
3.Unions are blamed for increasing costs and causing outsourcing. However, what has increased is CEO salaries, not low-wage worker salaries. Between 1973 and 2003, the average member of the top 1 percent of wage earners saw an after-tax income increase of 129%. During the same time period, the bottom 20% of wage earners saw an after-tax income increase of 4%. Regarding outsourcing, Sweden is 87% union and does not outsource.
4.In Japan, the average CEO makes 11x more than the average worker. In England and Germany, the average CEO makes 13 times the average worker. In the United States, the average CEO makes 540 times the average worker.
5.Unions help close the gap for women and minorities. Nationally, the gap between men's and women's pay is 32%, but between union men and women, the gap is only 5%. Latino union members earn 45% more than nonunion Latinos. African Americans earn 30% more if they are union.
6.Workers in the United States face some of the weakest worker protection laws in the industrialized world. In the US, over 10,000 workers are illegally fired each year for union activity.
7.80% of employers hire high-priced anti-union consultants and lawyers when they find out their workers are trying to organize.
8.Workers who try to organize are often punished by the employer. Employers change their shift, cut their hours, threaten job loss, and sometimes threaten deportation.
Here are some pics from Chicago and Denver:
The internship I did was through an organization called "Interfaith Worker Justice." Their philosophy is:
1.The US faces a national crisis in terms of the rapid increase in workers earning poverty wages and the vast number of workplaces that routinely violate workers' rights. This crisis requires a broad-based approach to the work.
2.All religions believe that workers should be paid fairly and treated respectfully.
3.People of faith want to help low-wage workers but generally do not know how to get started. Getting people involved is an organizing challenge, not particularly an ideological one.
4.The majority of people of faith wants to help low-wage workers but do not see unions as vehicles for economic justice. Talking cannot change these negative stereotypes. Rather, people of faith must get to know workers who are struggling for unions and union organizers who are on the front lines of justice, which is why building local interfaith committees is so important.
This summer I worked at Service Employees International Union. SEIU is the fastest growing union in the U.S. and represents service employees like janitors, security guards, and home healthcare workers. Here are some things I learned about unions this summer:
1.In the 1950's union membership stood at a high of 35%. Unions helped negotiate social policies that helped all working people rise out of poverty and helped bring about Social Security, the 8-hour work day, paid overtime, vacations, and pensions.
2.Union membership now stands at 12% (8% in Colorado) which means there is less negotiating power. It also means that most workers don't know anyone personally who has benefitted from a union.
3.Unions are blamed for increasing costs and causing outsourcing. However, what has increased is CEO salaries, not low-wage worker salaries. Between 1973 and 2003, the average member of the top 1 percent of wage earners saw an after-tax income increase of 129%. During the same time period, the bottom 20% of wage earners saw an after-tax income increase of 4%. Regarding outsourcing, Sweden is 87% union and does not outsource.
4.In Japan, the average CEO makes 11x more than the average worker. In England and Germany, the average CEO makes 13 times the average worker. In the United States, the average CEO makes 540 times the average worker.
5.Unions help close the gap for women and minorities. Nationally, the gap between men's and women's pay is 32%, but between union men and women, the gap is only 5%. Latino union members earn 45% more than nonunion Latinos. African Americans earn 30% more if they are union.
6.Workers in the United States face some of the weakest worker protection laws in the industrialized world. In the US, over 10,000 workers are illegally fired each year for union activity.
7.80% of employers hire high-priced anti-union consultants and lawyers when they find out their workers are trying to organize.
8.Workers who try to organize are often punished by the employer. Employers change their shift, cut their hours, threaten job loss, and sometimes threaten deportation.
Here are some pics from Chicago and Denver:
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Denver Urban Gardens/SAME Cafe
The group of young adults I work with at Trinity UMC have been studying Shane Claiborne's "Simply Enough" DVD series. In response to the lesson on "food," we decided to visit Denver Urban Gardens and volunteer at Delaney Farm. Delaney Farm is in the middle of a suburban/urban community and grows organic produce for the community. Never being much of a gardener myself, I have a whole new appreciation for the work that goes into producing food. We were pulling weeds and I bent down and there were carrots popping out of the ground. I nearly shouted! It's pretty cool to see the vegetables in the ground/on the vine/on the plant! =)
After pulling weeds, we had lunch together at SAME Cafe. SAME is an acronym for "So All May Eat" and is a restaurant in Downtown Denver that was started by a husband and wife. They were frequent volunteers at food banks and shelters and were discouraged by the quality of food served and the fact that people who ate there had no choices. They decided to open a restaurant that uses local, organic produce to create healthy (and delicious!) meals, and the best part is that it's "pay as you can." There are no set prices so people who can't afford to pay a lot don't have to. If people can't pay at all, they can trade an hour of work at the restaurant (washing dishes, serving, cooking) for a meal. Pretty cool! =)
After pulling weeds, we had lunch together at SAME Cafe. SAME is an acronym for "So All May Eat" and is a restaurant in Downtown Denver that was started by a husband and wife. They were frequent volunteers at food banks and shelters and were discouraged by the quality of food served and the fact that people who ate there had no choices. They decided to open a restaurant that uses local, organic produce to create healthy (and delicious!) meals, and the best part is that it's "pay as you can." There are no set prices so people who can't afford to pay a lot don't have to. If people can't pay at all, they can trade an hour of work at the restaurant (washing dishes, serving, cooking) for a meal. Pretty cool! =)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Protesters and Prophets
Last night I went back to Aurora to support the day laborers at El Centro. Again, we held a rally outside of City Hall before the city council meeting. At first, the turn out was small, but slowly workers and religious people began to congregate. I've only been twice, but some of these folks have been coming to every city council meeting for the past couple of months. I sometimes wonder at my own ability to persist when the "newness" of an issue wears off. I admire people who continue to come and continue to struggle, even when an issue gets "old."
I lost count of how many people spoke at the meeting, but we filled the speaker podium for over an hour. Three gentlemen from the Colorado Minutemen spoke angrily about illegal aliens who break the law and deserve the despair they experience, but most of the speakers were "El Centro" volunteers, faith leaders, and day laborers themselves.
I was SO proud of the group I was with. They spoke articulately and respectfully about the plight of day laborers in the community. The clergy I am proud to call my friends quoted Amos and Isaiah. One of my bilingual friends at Iliff told the council that the name "Aurora" in Spanish means "new beginning." She asked the council members to vote against the bill that would prevent "new beginnings" for so many people. She called for a "new beginning" and new relationship between city government, local businesses, and non-profit groups like El Centro, and pleaded with them to vote against the bill and instead come to the table and talk about a solution that works for everyone. Another of my Iliff friends spoke about being a woman of faith and a mother, and she told the council she wasn't sure how she would explain this to her children.
At the end of the night, city council voted to pass the bill 7-3. El Centro and the day laborers lost.
After leaving the meeting, we stood on the steps where we had rallied a few hours before. Even though we lost, there was a good spirit in the air. I am confident that El Centro will continue to serve day laborers in Aurora, whether it is illegal or not. Hopefully, city council will reconsider their invitation to the table.
What struck me the most about the evening was the significant difference between protesters and prophets. Shane Claiborne says we have too many protesters and not enough prophets. While protesters complain, prophets point us in a better way. I am grateful for the prophets I saw speak at the City Council meeting last night.
I lost count of how many people spoke at the meeting, but we filled the speaker podium for over an hour. Three gentlemen from the Colorado Minutemen spoke angrily about illegal aliens who break the law and deserve the despair they experience, but most of the speakers were "El Centro" volunteers, faith leaders, and day laborers themselves.
I was SO proud of the group I was with. They spoke articulately and respectfully about the plight of day laborers in the community. The clergy I am proud to call my friends quoted Amos and Isaiah. One of my bilingual friends at Iliff told the council that the name "Aurora" in Spanish means "new beginning." She asked the council members to vote against the bill that would prevent "new beginnings" for so many people. She called for a "new beginning" and new relationship between city government, local businesses, and non-profit groups like El Centro, and pleaded with them to vote against the bill and instead come to the table and talk about a solution that works for everyone. Another of my Iliff friends spoke about being a woman of faith and a mother, and she told the council she wasn't sure how she would explain this to her children.
At the end of the night, city council voted to pass the bill 7-3. El Centro and the day laborers lost.
After leaving the meeting, we stood on the steps where we had rallied a few hours before. Even though we lost, there was a good spirit in the air. I am confident that El Centro will continue to serve day laborers in Aurora, whether it is illegal or not. Hopefully, city council will reconsider their invitation to the table.
What struck me the most about the evening was the significant difference between protesters and prophets. Shane Claiborne says we have too many protesters and not enough prophets. While protesters complain, prophets point us in a better way. I am grateful for the prophets I saw speak at the City Council meeting last night.
Way to go, David!
David got an 82 on his first Pharmacology test! The class average was 72, and in a class of 48 people, there were only 9 grades higher than his. Way to go, David!!!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Our New Apartment
Here are some pics of our new apartment. It's bigger and easier to host guests, so come visit us! =)
Friday, July 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Working out the story of our life
My friend, Katie, posted this on her blog and I had to steal it...
"Though there will be different chapters and different calls, there will be a theme or undercurrent that brings unity to who we are and what we are called to be. We may not see what unifies our life until we are older and we begin to look back over where we have been and what we have done. But the underlying theme of our life is there nonetheless, and each chapter will be but one expression of it. Vocational development should not be construed as the single rising curve of misconceived careerism. We are not climbing ladders, we are not doing things to make our C.V. more impressive. Rather we are working out the story of our life. Our story will include setback and failures as well as surprises and responses to opportunities we never could have forseen.
We embrace the opportunities that come today, often with little idea of the implications down the road. We are not building a career, we are responding, at this time, in this place, to a call - to a sense of vocation that is congruent with who we are and that ultimately comes from God."
-Gordon T. Smith, Courage and Calling
"Though there will be different chapters and different calls, there will be a theme or undercurrent that brings unity to who we are and what we are called to be. We may not see what unifies our life until we are older and we begin to look back over where we have been and what we have done. But the underlying theme of our life is there nonetheless, and each chapter will be but one expression of it. Vocational development should not be construed as the single rising curve of misconceived careerism. We are not climbing ladders, we are not doing things to make our C.V. more impressive. Rather we are working out the story of our life. Our story will include setback and failures as well as surprises and responses to opportunities we never could have forseen.
We embrace the opportunities that come today, often with little idea of the implications down the road. We are not building a career, we are responding, at this time, in this place, to a call - to a sense of vocation that is congruent with who we are and that ultimately comes from God."
-Gordon T. Smith, Courage and Calling
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
A lesson in democracy
Last night I went to an action outside of the Aurora City Council building. My friends at Iliff work at "El Centro," which is a resource center for day laborers in downtown Denver. El Centro is trying to open a second site in Aurora, the largest suburb in Denver, but City Council is trying to pass an ordinance that would make it illegal for day laborers to be present. Here is the video from the action. (I am wearing a bright red shirt and am in the background!)
You can't tell in the video, but the sign I am holding says "Workers who feed their families are our heroes."
I sat in on the city council meeting because I wanted to hear some of the workers and clergy speak. At the meeting, Aurora was given the "All-American city" award, which some of us thought was a little ironic. =) The council didn't get to the bill until about 40 minutes into the meeting, so I had to sit through a LOT of boring discussion. When it came time to debate the labor bill, one of the council members moved to postpone discussion until the next meeting when all council members could be present. The fifty or so of us who were in the audience silently stood while the council voted to postpone discussion. No one was allowed to speak. We were invited to come back in two weeks, if we so chose.
It was sad to see. I know the city council is trying to do what it thinks is best for the city of Aurora, but the day laborers who work to feed their families also live in the city of Aurora and their voices should be heard.
You can't tell in the video, but the sign I am holding says "Workers who feed their families are our heroes."
I sat in on the city council meeting because I wanted to hear some of the workers and clergy speak. At the meeting, Aurora was given the "All-American city" award, which some of us thought was a little ironic. =) The council didn't get to the bill until about 40 minutes into the meeting, so I had to sit through a LOT of boring discussion. When it came time to debate the labor bill, one of the council members moved to postpone discussion until the next meeting when all council members could be present. The fifty or so of us who were in the audience silently stood while the council voted to postpone discussion. No one was allowed to speak. We were invited to come back in two weeks, if we so chose.
It was sad to see. I know the city council is trying to do what it thinks is best for the city of Aurora, but the day laborers who work to feed their families also live in the city of Aurora and their voices should be heard.
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Crazy Week!
We got back from KC Sunday night, moved into our new apartment on Monday, and David started nursing school on Tuesday! Here is a pic of him on his first day:
He has class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and he is taking the following:
Professional Nursing Practice, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. (His classes get a big fat "YIKES" from the seminarian!)
We are SLOWLY settling in to our new place. Midas and Zoe seem a little lost...
I think they are glad to have each other! =)
He has class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and he is taking the following:
Professional Nursing Practice, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. (His classes get a big fat "YIKES" from the seminarian!)
We are SLOWLY settling in to our new place. Midas and Zoe seem a little lost...
I think they are glad to have each other! =)
Part Two: The Reception
Last weekend we drove to KC for Carrie's reception. The trip went by fast (as always!) and there wasn't enough time to see everyone we love. The reception was BEAUTIFUL and a ton of fun. I am grateful for good friends and good times...
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