Love of Place and People

As I read through the article (See the AP Article "Ambassador" HERE) by Denis Gray, I couldn’t help but respect diplomat John Dean. A man who continues to feel so strongly for the country he left behind 40 years ago is a man who did not consider himself just an employee of the government, but considered himself attached to a particular place and a particular people. In other words there was, and still is, a sense of calling this man felt to Cambodia. I have heard arguments made that God does not place real callings on the hearts of his followers. Instead we are all called to “Go and do”, to make disciples, and to live a Christ-honoring life in a general sense. These things are all true. However, looking at my own life I realize how we all have to make particular choices about the “where” and the “how” of the life we lead for Christ. At the end of the day it takes a great deal of planning and effort to move to a location across the planet from one’s hometown. This type of planning requires a deep and long process of reflection and mutual discernment in the midst of a Christian community before plane tickets are purchased and a ministry plan is put in place. In other words, the cross-cultural worker has to ask himself/herself, “Is God leading me to do this? Is he calling me out from my home context into this other place?”. As you can see I do believe that God calls out the cross-cultural worker and that God lays cultures and peoples on a person’s heart.

Anya and I often feel burdened by the times when the culture around us seems to be going in a direction that is away from the truths and teachings of Jesus Christ. We cry tears when our host culture, Russia, cries tears and we rejoice when they rejoice. We understand diplomat Dean's feelings when he reflects on his inability to change the circumstances around him. Jesus Christ also wept on the hills overlooking Jerusalem. His concern and love for a nation is the type of commitment we hope God would place in our hearts.

Have you ever felt burdened for a people? Have you ever felt called to a particular place or time? May God help us all to take our eyes off of ourselves and to care deeply for those who are around us. Make it so Lord God and grant us the strength and wisdom to pray for those with whom we work.

I am not an economist. But from what we are seeing and from what we are reading a crisis is upon us. Russia was affected lightly from the global crisis of 2008. This time things appear to be a truly homebrewed stew of economic hardships. The value of the ruble has sunk down around 50% against the dollar. Just this week we read the news of a local GM plant that is closing its doors and laying off 1,000 people. Prices have begun to dramatically increase for the regular Russian for even the very basic goods and foodstuffs. The central bank has increased interest rates quite dramatically in order to incentivize Russians to hold on to their Rubles. The ultimate fear, which does not seem likely right now, would be hyperinflation and complete currency collapse. Some are predicting the economy to shrink by 5% in 2015.
CHOICES
These are gloomy realities that affect the whole of the Russian population. We are all faced with intense and sharp choices in the face of crisis. Americans have faced their own economic downturn and can certainly relate. The most obvious choice that folks have to make when prices rise and salaries shrink are simple budgeting choices. While these choices seem simple, we should all use these choice-moments as a chance to take a deeper look. The way that we budget is a great way to measure those things that we count most dear and what truly matters to us. When times are tough, what expenses are cut first? Do we drop our giving to charity and to church right away? I know that I am guilty on this point. I think that I have often times allowed worry and fear to keep me from being a generous person. I doubt too often the truism that "only an open hand is ready to receive." Christ commands us to stop our worries, but I am often plagued and burdened by doubt.

From a macro-perspective, we can see that an economic crisis challenges the myth that we are somehow "in control". Many a Russian will continue to work just as hard as before only to find that their salaries are shrinking in significance as a result of systems and powers beyond their control. We are ALL dependent and interdependent on the choices of others and on the generosity of others.

So, perhaps the most interesting choice we face in the midst of hard times is not only, "Will I continue to give?", but, will my giving come from a place of pride or from a humble realization that we can only give because we have been blessed by others. When I give, I am not really giving away my resources, but I am following Christ's commands using the resources that he himself has given me. His gifts, being given for his work through his most precious of gifts, faith. What is my role in the midst of this process? It is quite simply, to be thankful.

Let us all pray that even in the midst of a crisis, the Russian populace will continue to support the growing world of non-profits and charities in the post-Soviet world. Pray that the changing economic situation would be seen as an opportunity for societal change and reform. Pray that the curse of an orphan crisis would be erased from the Russian Federation forever. Pray that God's will would be done here.