Summer 2005 - John Brown University

Perspectives On...Doing Good for Those in Needby Dr. Ed Klotz III ’68, Chair of the Division of Social and Behavioral Studies“Would You Like Some Twigs with Your Meadow Grass?”The people of Afghanistan posedthis question to Ron Maines ’67and his World Vision Team in thespring of 2003. The people faced “veryhigh food insecurity” in the provinceof Herat City in western Afghanistan;a four-year drought brought them tothe brink of a famine. The WV teamasked about food. They were offeredgrass and weeds from the hillside alongwith twigs. A mother and some childrenshowed them how to split the twigand then eat from the twig center. Ifenough is eaten, a person will feel fullbut receive almost no nourishment.What could the WV team do?Ron, as team leader, focused onthe need to “save starving children andfeed hungry families.” During their90-day stay, the WV team fed 50,000people and spent four million dollars.Why did Ron put his life in harm’s wayto go to Afghanistan? In part, the loveof Christ motivated him to go and tofulfill Galatians 6:10: “Therefore, as wehave opportunity, let us do good to allpeople...” (NIV)In the past two years, four JBUstudents postponed their formal education,gave up warm showers, and livedin slums, working with the Word MadeFlesh organization, which ministers tothe poorest of the poor. In Nepal, theseyoung ladies played with the street childrenonly to then see them beaten bythe police. They bathed rejected peopleand held dying people. In Bolivia,they gave hot chocolate and sandwichesto prostitutes.At times these students felt overwhelmedby all the suffering. What goodwere they doing to so few? Then, onestudent began to realize that she wasGod’s instrument of God’s love to theseforgotten and destitute people. Thebook of James reminds us that pureand faultless religion is to look after theorphans and widows in their distress.Another student went to Ugandawith Samaritans’ Purse to assist internallydisplaced Ugandans, some whohave lived in camps for almost 18 years.He designed school buildings, hired afew men, and supervised the construction.Some may have asked, “Whybother to go?” The answer for all of usis in 1 Timothy 6:18: We go to do goodand to help those in need.This past semester, JBU studentsbought washcloths, soap, and other sup-plies to fill 100 “Buckets of Love” to besent to the survivors of the December2004 tsunami. Will these few bucketsmake a difference? These buckets andhundreds of others represent compassionin action and will remind the survivorsthat they are not forgotten.Let us guard against “donor fatigue”and rather be sensitive to the opportunitiesthat God puts in front of us.We all can put on a heart of compassionto contribute in a variety of ways,in keeping with our resources. Wepackage God’s love in deeds and wordsto demonstrate as a sign–even if onlyto a few–that God’s kingdom is present.Crises around the world, includingpoverty, famine, destruction, disease,and persecution, provide a wedge ofopportunity to do good and to explainthat our motivation resides in the Fatherwho gave His Son. ■Dr. Klotz and his family served for 20 years asmissionaries in Nigeria, Liberia, and Eritreawith SIM (formerly Sudan Interior Mission).He is currently an associate member of SIM.In addition to teaching, Dr. Klotz coordinatesthe Perspectives course, a study of the worldChristian movement.School may be out for summer,but the work goes on at JBU!JBU development staff work hard all year raising money for the Fund forStudent Financial Support so that students can receive the financial aid thatallows them to come to JBU.As the budget year closes this summer, JBU needs your help as much as ever.For more information about the FSFS,or to give online, visit www.jbu.edu/givingor call (800) 446-2450.Fund for StudentFinancial SupportFSFS