So here's the deal. I talked a lot about stuff I was going to post on here, but a large chunk remains to be posted. I also started my last year of college this week, and have been hammered with the many homeworks and obligations that come with that, leaving me with little time.
Put that together and here I am finally posting my last piece to my development paper. Now, I have been made well aware by my friends and family that this may not be the most invigorating or accessible topic that I've posted on here, and I apologize for that. However, I will say that I do believe very deeply everything that I've written here, and maybe, just maybe, my little story about the banana industry will be intriguing to you. Plus, if you read this post, you'll understand how hypocritical it would be for me to not post this.
Enjoy, and maybe dare to think...it is the school season after all.
The Recognition of Human Dignity in the Practice of Development
(for parts 1 and 2, see my posts in April.)
An alternative option to development is presented in the neoliberalist school of thought. In recent history, the focus of the economy at large has been on this neoliberalist theory, with free markets portrayed as the means to bring economic growth and development. In an attempt to create economic growth, the holds and restrictions of government have been reduced so that the market can more closely follow the laws of supply and demand. Despite the widespread acceptance of neoliberalist theory by the economic community, its effects and consequences must be carefully weighed. Using the banana industry in Honduras and Latin America at large as a case study, I will examine the results and ramifications of neoliberalist theory, comparing these with the potential change provided by the theory previously presented.
The banana industry in Honduras first developed at the beginning of the 20th century, when two American based companies began shipping bananas to the United States.
Resonating strongly with the claims of dependency theory, these banana plantations of the early 1900s have been described as a “green prison”, characterized by extensive workdays, malnutrition, filth, and sickness. Despite accounting for as much as 90% of the total exports in Honduras, the industry failed to bring development to the country. After years of being subjected to such harsh conditions, in 1954 the Honduran plantation workers, amidst rumors of massive layoffs and with news of successful labor reform in Guatemala, began a strike that successfully ended in some of the most progressive labor agreements in the world at the time. After this strike, the banana unions became some of the strongest unions in Honduras, making the banana sector one of the most favorable sectors to work in.
Unfortunately, in recent history, the benefits found in the banana sector have become fewer and further between. In a recent meeting, leaders of SITRATERCO, the Chiquita workers union, described how the strength of their union has been diminishing, and how the increasing number of subcontracted and temporary workers hired in the banana industry are unable to unionize or obtain the benefits of union workers. A good indicator of this loss of union strength can be seen in the failed 42-day strike in 1990 by SITRATERCO, which ended up being one of the last attempts at direct confrontation.
1000 miles away from the banana plantations of Honduras, the banana industry of Ecuador has rapidly expanded over the last 20 years; to the point that from 2002 to 2006, it was responsible for 30% of world banana exports. The main reason for this large share of the export market is due to the low cost of production in Ecuador, some 20% lower than that of other Central American countries. In fact, the low price of production in Ecuador has been blamed for the push in Central America to cut costs, which has inevitably led to the repression of unions such as SITRATERCO.
According to free market policy and neoliberalist thought, this low cost of production in Ecuador is an indication of efficiency. As this more efficient system of production grows and expands, other banana producing areas will either adapt the more efficient means of production or abandon banana production in exchange for another more suitable niche in the world market. The macro view of the banana industry allows lower production costs to be an appealing standard to strive for; however, as Banana Link, an agriculture awareness group, comments, “the key to comparative advantage is cutting costs, and the easiest way of doing this in the agricultural sector is by not paying workers enough to live on and by disregarding environmental impacts.” Unfortunately, this is exactly what is happening in Ecuador.
Human Rights Watch investigated the conditions on banana plantations in Ecuador through a series of interviews with workers and letters to company representatives. The investigation found that workers on Ecuadorean banana plantations were paid less than the federal minimum wage, and that the wages of two working adults failed to reach the basic needs bundle of a family of $288 a month. This shortcoming is supplemented by child labor, with 59% of rural children ages 10-17 working. These children reported working an average of 11 hours a day (up to 13 hours) and began working at the average age of 11, with many starting as young as 8 years old. Furthermore, all of these workers are exposed to the insecticides, fungicides, and fumigation in the banana fields without proper protective equipment, toxins that are especially detrimental to developing children.
In order to keep these low production costs as the status quo, Ecuadoran plantations have been extremely hostile to the freedom of association, an activity protected by Ecuadorean and International Law. In the human rights report, numerous interviewees described being fired and blacklisted for alleged union sympathies or activities. The fear of punishment for union activity is pervasive enough that of the 120,000 to 148,000 banana workers in Ecuador, only 1,650 of these workers are unionized.
In reality, the “low production costs” that have brought Ecuador to the forefront of the banana industry prove quite costly to the workers on those plantations. In the case of the banana industry, free market principles have failed to create development; on the contrary, the human rights violations in Ecuador that allow for its low production cost has begun to degrade the progress made in Honduras toward working conditions that appreciate the dignity of the workers. In light of the situation in Ecuador, of 10 year old children pulling 1500 pounds of bananas a distance of 16 kilometers daily, the free market cannot be blindly trusted to bring development. Development in the banana industry must take a conscious effort by civil society demanding that the rights of banana workers are recognized and upheld.
During the 1990s, the European Union, in an effort to protect its former colonies in Africa and the Caribbean, established trade regimes allowing the tariff free import of specific quotas of bananas from these African and Caribbean Producing (ACP) countries. This preferential treatment sought to protect ACP countries from other producing countries with lower production costs, and the protection came out of the European Unions sense of responsibility to bring development to its former colonies. These trade regimes produced resistance from the World Trade Organization, as they opposed the liberalization and free market ideals that the WTO supported. As of 2006, the EU has removed its quota system and has moved to a “Tariff-Only” system, which imposes tariffs on all bananas equally.
Although it has now returned to a system that resembles neoliberalism practice, the EU trade regimes give a partial solution to the situation of banana workers in Honduras and Ecuador. The preferential treatment of ACP countries shows the European Union’s sense of responsibility to these countries’ development, but this does fall short of the need to bring development to all people in a need to recognize the rights of all humanity. The main merit of these trade regimes comes from the fact that in spite of causing the increase in banana prices, the import of bananas into the EU continues to grow. Measures were taken to promote the development of ACP countries, which led to increased banana prices, and yet consumers still responded positively. In fact, bananas continue to be the single most profitable item in supermarkets, accounting for between 1% and 2% of total sales.
With this in mind, it is reasonable to implement the solutions promoted by organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Banana Link. , Recognizing the failure of free markets to ensure development, both of these organizations have called for a tariff system that creates preferential treatment for bananas produced by workers earning a living wage, working in humane conditions, and using environmentally sustainable methods. Tariffs such as these would create economic advantages for banana producers that complied with these new standards. Although the prices of bananas would increase, the EU trade regimes of the 1990s show us that this increase will not have a seriously negative impact. In order to implement this “fair trade” preference, increased monitoring and inspection would need to occur. This monitoring and inspection could occur at the local level, and would provide an opportunity to also strengthen the infrastructure of banana producing regions, something that is critical to bringing lasting development. These solutions are not new, and many organizations are already well underway in campaigning for this lasting change.
On the international level, legislature like this seems to be an effective way to bring change. Unfortunately, the change is not going to happen on its own, but will require the effort of many people choosing on the individual level that change needs to come. Thankfully, I am not the first person to recognize the injustice of this situation, and many groups have already begun to strive for a solution and change. As an individual, it is important for me to recognize and support these groups that have already begun to strive for change. Two such groups involved in the banana industry are the previously cited Banana Link (www.bananalink.org) and Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org).
The truth is that while a full solution cannot come until international law and regulations allow it, something must be done now. As Nicholas Wolterstorff commented, “Even when you don’t know what to do, you must keep saying, ‘This must not be!’” While we should work for long-term change, we must also work in the present to act justly. In the banana industry, this means things like buying fair trade certified bananas in place of the cheaper bananas produced under conditions that don’t guarantee a living wage. In the broader sense, it means choosing a lifestyle that supports sustainability, the recognition of human rights, and the economic support of these justices.
In addition to living a life that supports the realization of human rights, it is our duty to inform those around us of the injustices that we have seen and know about in the world. While change begins at the individual level, it takes the effort of many individuals to bring change. As we begin to tell others “this must not be!” more and more will begin to come alongside of us, to resonate with our cry, and to want to work for change. Shane Claiborne makes an important point of what this calling others to come alongside our efforts ought to look like:
Guilt can be a good thing at first, like when you realize the truth about poverty, slavery, or the amount of stuff we consume in America. Guilt can be a good indicator, but it is a terrible motivator. You cannot lead out of guilt. Once you have paid your dues or appeased your conscience, then you need some other motivation or you’ll just move on. Or else you’ll just get paralyzed in the guilt...Good leaders are able not only to identify what’s wrong in the world but also to point toward what’s right.
When telling others about the injustices around us, about the lack of development, it is crucial that it is not merely for the purpose of showing them their guilt. We must be active in showing people what is right, in creating opportunities to do what will help bring change to a broken situation. Instead of just pointing out how terrible it is that a 5-year-old girl has stitched my T-shirt that I’m wearing right now, I also must show how beautiful it is when instead we choose to buy T-shirts that provide work for women that recently escaped sex trafficking. If I tell others the present banana production system in Ecuador is greatly damaging development in Latin America, I ought to also point them toward an option that is providing at least some workers justice, like fair trade bananas.
While working to strengthen the grassroots movement toward better development practice, we also much recognize its shortcomings. Humans are fallen, and our intentions to do good will only take us so far. With this in mind, when opportunities appear to put human rights and sustainability practice into law, it is crucial to support this more lasting change. We must live out the change we believe needs to come; the change toward living wages, nourishment, quality education, and health services that recognize the dignity of all humanity, and we must work to make this change the new standard for all of society. This is when development can come.
32. Uvin, Peter. Human Rights in the Practice of Development. p. 198
33.Ibid. p. 200
34. Notable examples of this neoliberalist practice are the trade agreements found in CAFTA, NAFTA, and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
35. For a critique of the pervasiveness of neoliberalist thought, see Ignacio Ramonets essay “A New Totalinarianism.” Dueling Globalizations. Foreign Policy. Fall 1999
36. A Country Study. Federal Research Division. Library of Congress. Edited by Tim Merill. 1993.
37. Castro, Agapito Robleda. La Verdad. p. 55 (Translation mine.)
38. Nations Encyclopedia. Honduras. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Honduras-ECONOMY.html#ixzz2Fln0RXQC
39. Castro, A.R., p. 56
40. http://countrystudies.us/honduras/65.htm
41. http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/banana/market.htm
42. http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/banana/prices.htm
43. Perillo, Bob. The Banana Industry Crisis and Its Effects on Workers in Latin America. US/LEAP. October 2000.
44. Banana Link. http://www.bananalink.org.uk/content/view/110/119/lang,en/
45 Human Rights Watch. Tainted Harvest. 2002. p. 14-15
46 Ibid. p. 21.
47 Ibid. p. 24-37. Often, the toxins used on these plantations (not limited to Ecuador) are chemicals that have been banned from use in the United States due to their health and environmental hazards, but are still used in countries with less environmental regulations.
48. Ibid. 58-59. One worker described how he and his entire team were fired and blacklisted as unionizers for simply speaking to an administrator about getting paid more for a productive day of work.
49. The lower production costs here may be in part due to the conditions previously described, but also includes more favorable production conditions such as flat and fertile lands and more suitable banana growing environment.
50. Banana Link. http://www.bananalink.org.uk/content/view/129/79/lang,en/
51. UNCTAD. Market Information in the Area of Commodities: Bananas. http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/banana/market.htm
52. Perillo, Robert. The Banana Industry Crisis and its effects on workers in Latin America. US/LEAP Staff. Aug. 2000
53. Human Rights Watch. Tainted Harvest. p. 96-97
54. Banana Link. http://www.bananalink.org.uk/content/view/83/43/lang,en/
55. Claiborne, Shane and Perkins, John. Follow Me to Freedom. p. 77-78.
56. See www.freesetglobal.com
57. I can think of more than one occasion where I have passed by the fair trade certified bananas while trying to make my grocery budget for the week.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Comfort
We read about Him in the gospels.
we heard where he walked, how he spoke, the crowd he hung with.
We found his words compelling, and even decided to give life in Him a try.
So He gave us new clothes. “Give these a try, they'll fit perfectly.”
It was then that we first noticed: the life Christ lived,
that was to be our life too,
which was fine, I mean, he is compelling and all,
but the clothes he gave us were dirty.
Messy. And some of the colors are just too bright.
The kind of bright that the crazy people wear.
And besides, I've always been more of a gray and blue kind of guy.
So we stuck them all in the washing machine,
tried to get the dirtiness out of it.
We used all the detergents, the stain removers, and lots of hot water
Might as well put them through a few more times
We do have to wear these clothes after all;
we should try to be presentable.
But with all our washing, the clothes shrunk,
And they don't fit like they were supposed to.
But we managed to get the mess out of them,
so we wear them nonetheless.
We shrunk the pure joy he gave us into making sure to smile,
it was long sleeved after all, and some days are just too hot for that.
The generosity he gave us to wear looked so foolish.
A lime green so bright that everyone would notice
just how odd it is to give even if our own needs aren't met.
So we put it through the wash, again and again.
Now it's a grayish green and, thank goodness,
we don't look much different from the rest.
The care for the poor and oppressed was just plain weird.
No one wears tunics anymore, so we figured he meant all along
for us to shrink it down and only wear it on special occasions.
Like at the Halloween party they're having at the soup kitchen in a couple months.
I might as well just wait until then to try it on again.
And we kept washing.
Living faith shrunk into a sunday morning outfit;
Preaching the gospel into defending our beliefs when confronted
Words aren't really necessary, right?
He had said to wear love,
but the love he gave us was messy.
Unconditional, unquestioning, and radical,
love that washes feet, and has the stains to prove it
But we washed out those stains.
And the love shrunk into trying to be nice,
saying “have a nice day” and “God bless”
The stains are gone, but the clothes sure are tight now.
Kind of exposes more of the person I actually am than I would like.
Turns out no matter how many times I wish a nice day,
I can still be a pretty nasty person.
But we continue walking around in our skin tight suits
and faded brights.
Choosing cleanliness over comfort
Blending into the grays
even though the world could use a bit of color.
And yet He waits patiently.
Holding another set of clothes for us to try on
when we get sick of living a shrunken life.
Dirty clothes, messy and wrinkly, with radical bright colors,
the kind that crazy people wear.
“Give these a try, they'll fit perfectly.”
we heard where he walked, how he spoke, the crowd he hung with.
We found his words compelling, and even decided to give life in Him a try.
So He gave us new clothes. “Give these a try, they'll fit perfectly.”
It was then that we first noticed: the life Christ lived,
that was to be our life too,
which was fine, I mean, he is compelling and all,
but the clothes he gave us were dirty.
Messy. And some of the colors are just too bright.
The kind of bright that the crazy people wear.
And besides, I've always been more of a gray and blue kind of guy.
So we stuck them all in the washing machine,
tried to get the dirtiness out of it.
We used all the detergents, the stain removers, and lots of hot water
Might as well put them through a few more times
We do have to wear these clothes after all;
we should try to be presentable.
But with all our washing, the clothes shrunk,
And they don't fit like they were supposed to.
But we managed to get the mess out of them,
so we wear them nonetheless.
We shrunk the pure joy he gave us into making sure to smile,
it was long sleeved after all, and some days are just too hot for that.
The generosity he gave us to wear looked so foolish.
A lime green so bright that everyone would notice
just how odd it is to give even if our own needs aren't met.
So we put it through the wash, again and again.
Now it's a grayish green and, thank goodness,
we don't look much different from the rest.
The care for the poor and oppressed was just plain weird.
No one wears tunics anymore, so we figured he meant all along
for us to shrink it down and only wear it on special occasions.
Like at the Halloween party they're having at the soup kitchen in a couple months.
I might as well just wait until then to try it on again.
And we kept washing.
Living faith shrunk into a sunday morning outfit;
Preaching the gospel into defending our beliefs when confronted
Words aren't really necessary, right?
He had said to wear love,
but the love he gave us was messy.
Unconditional, unquestioning, and radical,
love that washes feet, and has the stains to prove it
But we washed out those stains.
And the love shrunk into trying to be nice,
saying “have a nice day” and “God bless”
The stains are gone, but the clothes sure are tight now.
Kind of exposes more of the person I actually am than I would like.
Turns out no matter how many times I wish a nice day,
I can still be a pretty nasty person.
But we continue walking around in our skin tight suits
and faded brights.
Choosing cleanliness over comfort
Blending into the grays
even though the world could use a bit of color.
And yet He waits patiently.
Holding another set of clothes for us to try on
when we get sick of living a shrunken life.
Dirty clothes, messy and wrinkly, with radical bright colors,
the kind that crazy people wear.
“Give these a try, they'll fit perfectly.”
Sunday, July 25, 2010
I never was good at coloring inside the lines...
Well, since my med school application is nearing completion and my essays have been sent out to the editing committee, I feel less guilty for trying to get some of my life thoughts in writing. It turns out that even when I'm in the states, I still manage to see new things and think thoughts that are new to me (though I'm not sure I can do anything but recycle the thoughts of others).
Anyways, it's time for a story or two, and hopefully more to come.
This summer I have a research internship in Baltimore, Maryland and, through a series of providential events, am living with a emergency physician on the north side of town. Since my summer training has started for this coming cross country season, one of the first orders of business was to find good running routes. So, the first week or two I spent trying different roads and directions around my house, and I quickly learning that Northern Parkway was made for cars and not runners, that the roads in baltimore don't follow any rhyme or reason, and that I may be running a whole summer of out and back type runs instead of the much more pleasing loops.
On one of my first Saturdays in Baltimore, I opted to run through the neighborhood south of my house. There was a park somewhere in that general direction, so I figured I could give it a try. After about a mile of running I found myself running through the ghetto, the hood, or whatever you want to call it; it was a poor neighborhood with a primarily African American population. In fact, I was the only white person I saw for about 10 miles of that run.
Running through that neighborhood didn't bother me at first, it wasn't much more to me than another road that happened to have very little traffic. However, it became obvious rather quickly that I was more than a little out of place. Nearly everyone I passed made a comment, some surprised, some negative, some hostile. At one point, while running past a group of high schoolers, I heard one of them say, “alright, I got him,” and proceed to run at me as if he was going to jump me, trying to get some sort of reaction out of me.
I managed to not react, even made some comment clever enough to make the group laugh, but I couldn't help but wonder at what segregations and stereotypes have prevailed and grown to the point that a young black man knows he can scare most white people in his neighborhood just by pretending to be a thug.
The thing about segregation and inequality is that without seeking it out, I never seem to notice it. As I run through the streets of Baltimore, I often pass from one socioeconomic class to the next, and find it rather strange. But if I actually stop to think about it, the same communities exist in Grand Rapids, the same ethnic and racial divides exist on my beloved Midwest streets. I just fail to notice them as I spend my life in my own parts of the city, only venturing into other parts to be part of an ever so sacrificial visit to a soup kitchen or to take a field trip for a college course on immigration. Seldom do I actually enter into the community or culture of a group of people unlike myself, nor do opportunities to do so readily present themselves, neither in Grand Rapids or Baltimore.
Walking back to my car one night after work, I was going around the backside of a church diocese headquarters, and I passed by two meeting rooms with big glass windows. Both rooms had meetings in process, with the first room containing exclusively white clergy, and the second room containing exclusively black clergy. I kept walking by, hoping that what my eyes were seeing was a misunderstanding and not a reality.
Paul talks a lot about equality and not showing favoritism, with the body in Christ being neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free. Revelation talks about every tribe and tongue joining together in the new heaven and earth in worship of our King, and Acts gives a beautiful foreshadowing of this in the story of Pentecost, as each heard the gospel spoken in their own language through the unifying work of the Holy Spirit. Yet as we look at our churches, we still hold our meetings in our own styles with our own social class, we still hold separate meetings for the white church and the black church of the diocese, and if we honestly look at ourselves, we even have managed to create churches with people that are in the same sort of salary range as us.
As people we like to be around others that are similar to us, and to some level that tendency makes sense, as Paul urges us to be like minded as well as to separate ourselves from the world. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, we have added a whole lot of criteria for like mindedness, like political ideals and vacation destinations.
It seems so simple; treat even those that are different than yourself with the love that you would desire to be treated with. Comprehend that the world is bigger than what you know or have experienced, that culture different than your own is not automatically worse (or better). Accept like Christ accepted you, for Christ's sake. And yet as many times as I tell myself this, I still do not find this to be my immediate thought or response as the next homeless man comes asking me for just 80 cents.
But we must continue to strive for the unity that Christ calls us to, longs for, and prays that we may have. Not the unity that we find when we join the country club down the street, but the unity that brings together every nation, tribe, people, and language, people that smell different than each other, that talk different, that raise their children different than each other. People that may have never once looked at each other with kindness in their eyes unless Christ had done so for them, and have since begun crying out, and will continue to do so through eternity, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Our attempts at unity will fall short. But as the side bar next to this post has already mentioned, “It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.”
Anyways, it's time for a story or two, and hopefully more to come.
This summer I have a research internship in Baltimore, Maryland and, through a series of providential events, am living with a emergency physician on the north side of town. Since my summer training has started for this coming cross country season, one of the first orders of business was to find good running routes. So, the first week or two I spent trying different roads and directions around my house, and I quickly learning that Northern Parkway was made for cars and not runners, that the roads in baltimore don't follow any rhyme or reason, and that I may be running a whole summer of out and back type runs instead of the much more pleasing loops.
On one of my first Saturdays in Baltimore, I opted to run through the neighborhood south of my house. There was a park somewhere in that general direction, so I figured I could give it a try. After about a mile of running I found myself running through the ghetto, the hood, or whatever you want to call it; it was a poor neighborhood with a primarily African American population. In fact, I was the only white person I saw for about 10 miles of that run.
Running through that neighborhood didn't bother me at first, it wasn't much more to me than another road that happened to have very little traffic. However, it became obvious rather quickly that I was more than a little out of place. Nearly everyone I passed made a comment, some surprised, some negative, some hostile. At one point, while running past a group of high schoolers, I heard one of them say, “alright, I got him,” and proceed to run at me as if he was going to jump me, trying to get some sort of reaction out of me.
I managed to not react, even made some comment clever enough to make the group laugh, but I couldn't help but wonder at what segregations and stereotypes have prevailed and grown to the point that a young black man knows he can scare most white people in his neighborhood just by pretending to be a thug.
The thing about segregation and inequality is that without seeking it out, I never seem to notice it. As I run through the streets of Baltimore, I often pass from one socioeconomic class to the next, and find it rather strange. But if I actually stop to think about it, the same communities exist in Grand Rapids, the same ethnic and racial divides exist on my beloved Midwest streets. I just fail to notice them as I spend my life in my own parts of the city, only venturing into other parts to be part of an ever so sacrificial visit to a soup kitchen or to take a field trip for a college course on immigration. Seldom do I actually enter into the community or culture of a group of people unlike myself, nor do opportunities to do so readily present themselves, neither in Grand Rapids or Baltimore.
Walking back to my car one night after work, I was going around the backside of a church diocese headquarters, and I passed by two meeting rooms with big glass windows. Both rooms had meetings in process, with the first room containing exclusively white clergy, and the second room containing exclusively black clergy. I kept walking by, hoping that what my eyes were seeing was a misunderstanding and not a reality.
Paul talks a lot about equality and not showing favoritism, with the body in Christ being neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free. Revelation talks about every tribe and tongue joining together in the new heaven and earth in worship of our King, and Acts gives a beautiful foreshadowing of this in the story of Pentecost, as each heard the gospel spoken in their own language through the unifying work of the Holy Spirit. Yet as we look at our churches, we still hold our meetings in our own styles with our own social class, we still hold separate meetings for the white church and the black church of the diocese, and if we honestly look at ourselves, we even have managed to create churches with people that are in the same sort of salary range as us.
As people we like to be around others that are similar to us, and to some level that tendency makes sense, as Paul urges us to be like minded as well as to separate ourselves from the world. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, we have added a whole lot of criteria for like mindedness, like political ideals and vacation destinations.
It seems so simple; treat even those that are different than yourself with the love that you would desire to be treated with. Comprehend that the world is bigger than what you know or have experienced, that culture different than your own is not automatically worse (or better). Accept like Christ accepted you, for Christ's sake. And yet as many times as I tell myself this, I still do not find this to be my immediate thought or response as the next homeless man comes asking me for just 80 cents.
But we must continue to strive for the unity that Christ calls us to, longs for, and prays that we may have. Not the unity that we find when we join the country club down the street, but the unity that brings together every nation, tribe, people, and language, people that smell different than each other, that talk different, that raise their children different than each other. People that may have never once looked at each other with kindness in their eyes unless Christ had done so for them, and have since begun crying out, and will continue to do so through eternity, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Our attempts at unity will fall short. But as the side bar next to this post has already mentioned, “It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.”
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Pensar y Vivir
It has been over a month since I’ve written on my blog. I could spend some time blaming a combination of busyness and trying to be present in Honduras, but more important is to actually update a little bit on where I’m at.
Today was my first day back in Grand Rapids since February 2, which means that my semester abroad has officially come to an end. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, it would be a complete waste if I went through my semester without taking time to reflect on where I was spending my time and what I was learning, and unfortunately I haven’t had the time to articulate all of the things here that I’ve been learning. On the one hand, it would be nice to be able to continue writing despite the semester being over, there is still a lot on my mind, and it would be good to share those thoughts. At the same time, I think the place I’m at right now is a lot more like real life. It seems like the day to day life we live doesn’t really leave time for expounding on new thoughts or lessons in a nice composition. Rather, we continually learn, we continually have our eyes opened to new things, and the pages that do get filled describing our thoughts are just a small fraction of the mass.
I think if I had to sum up the last month or so and what I’ve been learning, it would be along these similar lines: the true measure of learning isn’t the thoughts that I can form or the words that I can put on pages, it’s the change that enters my day to day life.
I have been in Grand Rapids for about 20 hours now, and my head is full of a whole lot of knowledge. But if I cannot find a way to put the convictions in my heart into my life, to actually act on what I believe is true, well, that would be even more of a waste. I can explain to people that I learned a whole lot this semester, that poverty is a complex problem, that inequality is both natural and imposed, and that all humanity has an inherent dignity that ought to be upheld, but if there is no change in who I am or how I act, well, you get the point.
So here’s to starting to be the change that you want to see in the world. I’ll keep posting a couple more thoughts, and I’m sure I’ll find a reason to keep stepping on my soapbox, but for now, I need to start seeing what I can do about changing the life that I’m living, of lining my heart up with my feet.
What does that look like? In Honduras, I saw a breathtaking country with beautiful people (something that I think we can see just about anywhere if we remember to open our eyes), but I also saw poverty, suffering, death, and brokenness (also with the opening eyes). I learned how naturally brokenness can enter a place, and how quickly people learn to exploit each other and creation, but I also learned that there is a way to repair, to heal, and to bring dignity where there is brokenness. I saw (and see) people living in extreme excess right alongside their brothers and sisters that go days or weeks without enough.
When I look at Grand Rapids or Baltimore or the World, will I be able to recognize the beauty and the brokenness? Will I recognize injustice where it exists, and (more importantly) will I defend the cause of those facing the injustice? Can I open my eyes to the healing that Christ can bring through me, or the church? Can I recognize and live in a state of enough without settling into excess, waste, or self-gratification? These questions are where the change has to come.
It’s a long journey for sure, and I’m definitely only beginning, which is a very exciting thought.
“God’s reign is already present on our earth in mystery.
When the Lord comes, it will be brought to perfection.
That is the hope that inspires Christians.
We know that every effort to better society,
especially when injustice and sin are so ingrained,
is an effort that God blesses,
that God wants,
that God demands of us.”
-Oscar Romero, March 24, 1980. Spoken minutes before his life was taken.
Today was my first day back in Grand Rapids since February 2, which means that my semester abroad has officially come to an end. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, it would be a complete waste if I went through my semester without taking time to reflect on where I was spending my time and what I was learning, and unfortunately I haven’t had the time to articulate all of the things here that I’ve been learning. On the one hand, it would be nice to be able to continue writing despite the semester being over, there is still a lot on my mind, and it would be good to share those thoughts. At the same time, I think the place I’m at right now is a lot more like real life. It seems like the day to day life we live doesn’t really leave time for expounding on new thoughts or lessons in a nice composition. Rather, we continually learn, we continually have our eyes opened to new things, and the pages that do get filled describing our thoughts are just a small fraction of the mass.
I think if I had to sum up the last month or so and what I’ve been learning, it would be along these similar lines: the true measure of learning isn’t the thoughts that I can form or the words that I can put on pages, it’s the change that enters my day to day life.
I have been in Grand Rapids for about 20 hours now, and my head is full of a whole lot of knowledge. But if I cannot find a way to put the convictions in my heart into my life, to actually act on what I believe is true, well, that would be even more of a waste. I can explain to people that I learned a whole lot this semester, that poverty is a complex problem, that inequality is both natural and imposed, and that all humanity has an inherent dignity that ought to be upheld, but if there is no change in who I am or how I act, well, you get the point.
So here’s to starting to be the change that you want to see in the world. I’ll keep posting a couple more thoughts, and I’m sure I’ll find a reason to keep stepping on my soapbox, but for now, I need to start seeing what I can do about changing the life that I’m living, of lining my heart up with my feet.
What does that look like? In Honduras, I saw a breathtaking country with beautiful people (something that I think we can see just about anywhere if we remember to open our eyes), but I also saw poverty, suffering, death, and brokenness (also with the opening eyes). I learned how naturally brokenness can enter a place, and how quickly people learn to exploit each other and creation, but I also learned that there is a way to repair, to heal, and to bring dignity where there is brokenness. I saw (and see) people living in extreme excess right alongside their brothers and sisters that go days or weeks without enough.
When I look at Grand Rapids or Baltimore or the World, will I be able to recognize the beauty and the brokenness? Will I recognize injustice where it exists, and (more importantly) will I defend the cause of those facing the injustice? Can I open my eyes to the healing that Christ can bring through me, or the church? Can I recognize and live in a state of enough without settling into excess, waste, or self-gratification? These questions are where the change has to come.
It’s a long journey for sure, and I’m definitely only beginning, which is a very exciting thought.
“God’s reign is already present on our earth in mystery.
When the Lord comes, it will be brought to perfection.
That is the hope that inspires Christians.
We know that every effort to better society,
especially when injustice and sin are so ingrained,
is an effort that God blesses,
that God wants,
that God demands of us.”
-Oscar Romero, March 24, 1980. Spoken minutes before his life was taken.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
El Campo
Well, this weekend we came back from a 4 day visit to the rural community of La Avispa in Olancho. Ben and I stayed in the house of Jesus (I think my favorite part of this name was being able to say “ya viene Jesus” every time he was walking toward us) and Erika, a three room house with no electricity or windows, but with running water and a pretty nice wood stove. To be honest, the “rustic” setting that we were in didn´t really phase me that much. I expected things to be rustic, and after spending a week in La Moskitia, our living conditions were not that shocking to me. That being said, by the end of the week, I was getting quite dirty and smelly, and I think it would have been a challenge for me to maintain myself in a cleanly state over the course of a month.
I loved the chance to share in the activities and the lifestyle of the community. Jesus was sick while we were there, so we had the chance to chapear his field for him with machetes. And while the cow is probably in disagreement, I enjoyed the chance to try to ordeñar (to milk), although, as Jesus explained to everyone, we have machines to milk in the states, that´s why I was so bad at it. We also surprised them when we told them that not only did we eat tortillas (they were convinced we would only eat sliced bread), we wanted to eat the same food as them and share in there normal diet. I also had the chance to spend the evenings playing futbol with all the young men of the community, and through a couple of lucky breaks I was able to make a name for myself as a “goleador.” This was especially fun because it meant that every time I passed a house with kids in it that watched us play, they would always shout “Jacobo!” and ask me if I was going to play again that night. I would also run in the mornings right after waking up, which was not early enough to keep the community from talking about the crazy Jacobo that ran all the way to Buquerrón and back.
The thing that was most incredible though was the acceptance that came amidst it all. There we were, a group of 20 foreigners with almost can´t function without our computers, let alone know how to do any piece of what life in the campo entails, and yet we were treated with care and patience amidst it all. The culture in the campo was another beautiful thing. While each and every person in that community knew what it meant to work hard and well- (like Elvin, a 16 year old who woke up at 5 to walk an hour to his family´s field and spent a good 6 hours clearing the field with a machete), there was also a relaxed nature about everything. If I was walking up the hill to visit one family, chances are I would stop at at least two houses that would invite me in and give me their chair so that I could sit and talk to them. The best part about this acceptance and laid back nature is that it wasn´t hollow at all, but came from the genuine desire to get to know us, to make us feel comfortable, and to show us love.
It´s not as if the culture of La Avispa was perfect, either. Sometimes when we would talk, I would see glimpses of a strong pride and a lack of humility. The cultural response to someone being emotional is to laugh, a little with them, a little at them, and the mentally handicapped in the community were not treated with full respect (though they were still definitely loved). However, as I was leaving the community on Wednesday, I realized that despite these things, I still was able to love there culture as a whole. Yes, it did have it´s shortcomings, but at the same time there were many positive and exemplary pieces of the culture that were direct results of the desire to show love. Maybe this is a part of what John was talking about when he said that love covers a multitude of sins. While we are all screwed up, both culturally and individually, love has the ability to permeate through that brokenness, and the light of Christ can still shine through a marred lamp.
This week in rural Honduras gave me a new idea of what it means to be Christ to others. Everyone in La Avispa was well aware that the gringos were the rich ones, and that the campesinos were the poor. And yet when we showed up on Tuesday morning, we really were the poor. We had no food to eat, and Erika served us a chicken dinner that she had fretted for days over, worrying about whether or not we were going to like it. Whichever house we went to, we were always invited to a cup of coffee in case we were thirsty. We had no place to sleep, and we were invited warmly into the homes and households of La Avispa. In the short time that we were there, the people of La Avispa wholeheartedly took the opportunity to treat us with the love and care with which Christ calls us to treat the “least of these.” I am still contemplating and wondering at the encouragement and challenge to go and do likewise that I was shown this week. I sure hope that it finds its way into my actions.
Friday, April 16, 2010
De entender la pobreza
Take a moment to think about it: why do you think that poor people are poor? It's not an easy question, but if you think about it, it is probably the most important indicator of how you treat the poor.
Well, as promised, here's part two of my paper. To keep you from the pain of having to go read the whole first part of the paper, basically what I'm suggesting is that development is the process of recognizing the dignity of all people on this earth.
When we think about things this way, the focus is changed. No longer can we say, "my, what good people we are" when we feed the hungry. Rather, it is our duty, our responsibility to provide what is necesary for others to live as humans. Benevolence without justice will always lead to oppression. We must not be content with a giving that tries in no way to change the injustice around us. If we really recognize the dignity that people have just because they're people, our love ought to go a whole lot further than painting a church or providing a meal once in a while.
Next week I will be living in the rural pueblo of Los Charcos in Olancho. I'm looking forward to embracing my farming heritage in a setting quite different from Holland.
This next part of the paper is trying to talk about why things are the way they are, or why there is poverty and inequality in the world. (Unlike one of my friends suggested, I did not conclude that it's just that some areas of the world are lazier than others.)
Applying this definition of development to the present day world, it’s clear to see the stark reality of underdevelopment. As the 1999 Human Development report states, 1.3 billion people, nearly a quarter of the world population, live on less than one dollar a day.[15] As of 2006, nearly the same amount of the world, 1.2 billion, was without access to clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion people lacked sanitation.[16] On an international level, in 44 of the 141 countries of the world, over 40% of the population lives below the nationally defined poverty level,[17] and according to the World Health Organization, this poverty is responsible for 50,000 deaths per day.[18] Such poverty is a clear indicator of the lack of development at present, and more importantly, the need to work to bring development to these oppressed.
In the last 40 years, numerous theories have developed trying to explain the lack of development in a large part of the world, as well as prescribe ways to bring change. Most of these theories have managed to recognize parts of the problem, and have gathered support as people have recognized and resonated with the problems defined by the theories. Unfortunately, recognizing the problem does not constitute creating the solution, and the reality is that the development theories put into practice thus far have failed to bring significant and complete change. In fact, newer developmental theories in large part attempt to explain the current problem in terms of the shortcomings of previous development work.[19],[20] If significant development is to occur, the problem of underdevelopment needs to be understood in full, both at the roots of its original causes as well as in the present and what needs to be done.
In his book Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond writes, “the striking differences between the long-term histories of peoples of the different continents have been due not to innate differences in the peoples themselves but to differences in their environments.[21] This statement comes after giving a thorough analysis of the global appearance of farming and husbandry, and how these means of food production, although arising by chance in different areas of the globe, allowed for the marked development of some regions of the globe while others remained largely undeveloped.[22] He demonstrates how this agricultural development allowed for further immune resistance and development of technologies; advances that widened even further the gap between the “haves and have-nots.”[23] Contrary to social Darwinist thought, which Diamond openly disputed and refuted, Diamond’s geographical theory of development recognizes that regional differences are capable in large part of explaining the unequal historical development that has occurred across the globe.
This geographical theory of development has received praise for it’s thoroughness and scientific approach, and considering this legitimacy, it provides an important implication for understanding development. Geographical theory recognizes the historical reality that if human action were removed from development, either positive or negative, history shows us that some areas of the world naturally would favor more development than others, giving rise to inequality. As Jeffrey Sachs puts it, “An appropriate starting point for the international community would be to set actual developmental goals for [geographically unfavorable] regions rather than ‘make do’ with whatever economic results emerge.”[24] Development becomes more than an issue of simply ridding a country of the human forces and practices that are hindrances; measures must be taken to compensate for the natural disadvantages of an area.
That being said, it would be foolish to assume that human action has had no affect on world development. Unfortunately, a look at world history over the last two centuries shows the inequality fostered by geographical advantage presented the opportunity for the developed West to overpower and exploit the weaker areas of the globe.[25] The rise of colonialism during the 17th centuries and the ensuing imperialism at the close of the 19th century installed capitalist systems throughout the world, and these systems served primarily to pursue the economic interests of the imperial powers. Given the fallen nature of humanity, it is understandable that human greed would set up such exploitation, and that this exploitation would continue past the colonial period as the West continued to hold the majority of the world power. As Andre Gunder Frank concluded at the end of his case studies of Latin America, “present underdevelopment of Latin America is the result of its centuries-long participation in the process of world capitalist development.”[26]
Colonial and imperialist history supports the explanations for underdevelopment given by dependency theorists. However, given the interconnectedness of the current global situation, the same theorists’ claim that “in order for development to occur [ties with the capitalist world] should logically be severed”[27] does not hold viability as a solution. Let me provide one example. In a world where the majority of medical and scientific research occurs in these same capitalist, developed countries,[28] the severance of such ties would not only set back the scientific advancement of a country, it would unavoidably result in the loss of development as the right to complete and modern healthcare diminishes under the new severance. The unhealthy relationship that exists between the developed and the underdeveloped world cannot simply be abandoned; it must be healed and repaired, integrating justice where exploitation has ruled and turning dependency to mutualism.
Bringing development in the midst of a history of natural and human driven inequality is a daunting task. In the past (and present), people have treated the need for development as a benevolent endeavor, giving funds and resources to alleviate the unfortunate situation that so much of the world faces. Charity drives in Minnesota ship boatloads of used clothes while American farmers send agricultural surplus to sub-Saharan Africa. Calvin students gather up their loose change in a plastic orange fish in order to “teach a man to fish.” If we are to believe that development truly is the recognition of the rights and dignity of all humanity, these acts of charity fall horribly short of development. As Nick Wolterstorff noticed as he viewed the charitable activity of Afrikaners toward the native Africans in the midst of apartheid, “benevolence without justice inevitably leads to oppression.”[29] True development necessitates that justice is done, and that human rights and dignity are recognized. When this happens, “development work is no longer just a service, a gift, an aid; it is a duty.”[30]
Given the foundation of natural inequality understood by geographical theory as well as the dependency and exploitation created by the developed West, this duty needs to be approached carefully. Development takes a decided effort to work for the rights of individuals, and will not come about as a secondary effect of any institutional growth; whether economic, governmental, or societal. Democratization theory provides a sound framework from which to fulfill this duty. Recognizing the potential for exploitation both in powerful government and powerful economics, this theory asserts that the responsibility belongs to us, as fellow members of a global society, to demand the realization of human rights and dignity. As Uvin writes, development in this way can come through “social movements using human rights as a tool to focus on reform in the international political economy.”[31]
All workers deserve to make a living wage, and it is our responsibility to demand that businesses are held to this standard. This demand must go beyond a mere market force deeming it economically favorable to supply products made on a just wage, human rights must make their way into international law. A 10-year old Ecuadoran child should not be exposed weekly to toxic pesticides while harvesting bananas for American school lunches, nor should a young mother watch her baby die as she sits in an overcrowded hospital waiting room. If we truly believed that these things were true, we could bring the realization of each one of these rights. According to the UNDP, in 1997, it would have cost about $30 billion per year to supply every single person in the world with basic education, health and nutrition, reproductive health and family planning, water, and sanitation.[32] It is time that the dialogue encouraged by Democratization theory begins, and that we decide what needs to change to recognize these rights.
[15] Human Development Report. 2009. http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2009/
[16] Human Development Report. 2006. http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/
[17] http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_pop_bel_pov_lin-economy-population-below-poverty-line
[18] World Health Organization. 1999 Report. http://www.who.int/whr/1999/en/whr99_annex_en.pdf
[19] Marglin, Stephen. Devlelopment as Poison: Rethinking the Western Model of Modernity. Annual Editions. Developing World. 2005-2006.
[20] Uvin, Peter. Human Rights and Development. Kumarian Press, 2004.
[21] Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. W. W. Norton & Company Ltd. 1999. p. 405
[22] Ibid. p. 83-176
[23] Ibid. p. 193-295
[24] Sachs, Jeffrey. Institutions Matter, but Not for Everything. P. 13
[25] During the rise of European colonialism, a popular explanation for European success came in the British ditty, “Whatever happens, we have got, the Gatling gun (one of the first machine guns), and they have not.” (Hillaire Belloc)
[26] Gunder Frank, Andre. The Development of Underdevelopment. p. 115
[27] Ibid. p. 111
[28] The National Institute of Health alone had a research budget of over $30.5 billion last year, more than double Honduras’ complete GDP of $14.3 billion. (www.nih.gov/about/budget.htm)
[29] Wolterstorff, Nicholass. Public Seminar. Tegucigalpa, Honduras. March 22, 2010.
[30] Peter Uvin p. 179. Recognizing development as a duty does not necessitate the abandonment of generosity, nor is generosity a unimportant virtue; rather, in line with Wolterstorff’s teaching, once justice is established we have the opportunity (and calling) to truly be generous. It is our duty to feed the starving, it is generousity to throw a banquet.
[31] Uvin, Peter. Human Rights in the Practice of Development. p. 198
[32] Ibid. p. 200
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Regreso por fin
Hey Everyone,
I am well aware that I have taken a quite long break from writing on my blog. Through a combination of a crashed computer, a 15 page paper, and a week long trip into the jungle of central america (more on that too), I was left with not much blogging time. But, finally, things are wrapping up, and I'm left with some time.
I decided I will publish the paper that I had to write for my last class. The paper was really important to my understanding of what development is and what it means live as a Christian in a global world, so I figured it belonged on the website dedicated to my thoughts on things of the like. Because it ended up being so long, im going to publish in 3 parts, so stay tuned my faithful readers.
Also, we are down to 46 days until I am in grand rapids (but who's really counting), so I can say that I look forward to seeing you soon.
The Recognition of Human Dignity in the Practice of Development
Jake Baker
April 4, 2010
The origin of “develop” comes from the French verb “développer,” meaning “to fold or unfurl.”[1] When considering development work, this origin gives meaningful distinctions about the nature of what development actually is and how it ought to be done. If to develop is to unfurl, the act of development is not transplanting a new system into a place, but rather to mature and advance what already is present. To develop is to begin to appreciate what something was meant to be and to work toward its maturation. To use the imagery provided by the French verb, for a sailboat to cross the sea, the sail must développer and unfurl to catch the wind. Installing sturdy oars all along the side of the sailboat would not only be a much more laborious task, but would never allow the sailboat to sail in the way that it was designed to sail.
When we seek to do development work, we must understand what exactly it is that needs to be developed. People have grasped at market economics, institutional stability, and public service improvements as the fundamental units of a country or area that need to be developed. Although these areas are important to the fulfillment of development and have their individual merits, they are really the superficial means to achieve development. The actual aim of development lies in a deeper and more complete purpose. Development must view the rights inherent in all of humanity as the motive for change and the very sail that needs to be unfurled.
It’s difficult to develop a comprehensive list of rights that humans must be allowed in order for development to be complete. The United States Bill of Rights provides a list of rights, including the right to a speedy and public trial, the right of assembly, and right to security of persons and properties.[2] This list includes many crucial human rights that must be in place for development to occur and to support justice; however, it also fails to address the critical reason why these rights ought to exist.
In a recent seminar in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Nicholas Wolterstorff defined justice as the fulfillment of our right to be treated with our inherent dignity. This dignity of all humanity is central to the understanding of what our rights as humans are, and how we are required to treat all others. The Bill of Rights doesn’t state the right to food, but when faced with a starving family, it is quite logical to assert they ought not die, and should they die, it would be an injustice; a refusal to recognize their dignity as human beings.[3] Peter Uvin writes, “It makes sense to conceive of a certain social minimum we all guarantee nobody should be without.”[4],[5] This “social minimum” that he speaks of must be the work of development, in order to bring realization and protection of human dignity.
Although this understanding of humanity is central and inseparable from the work of development, it can only be effective when applied in concrete and functional ways. Wendell Berry recognizes this concept in terms of economics when he writes, “If there is no denying our dependence on the Great Economy, there is also no denying our need for a little economy-a narrow circle within which things are manageable by the use of our wits.”[6] In order to bring to fruition this all-encompassing respect of human dignity, systems need to exist to both attain and protect development. To bring the development described above requires the establishment of sound economy, societal infrastructure, and rule of law.
A good example of the need for sound economy comes from the observance of the United Soviet Socialist Republic. Although created under the claim of bringing economic equality to all, the ideology fell apart as the economy was unable to support or recognize the rights of each person. Even the most pure and honest intentions to bring food, shelter, or healthcare to an area will fail without the economic stability to support such an effort.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the economies of the urban United States were expanding rapidly. However, despite the economic stability, this time period was also when the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and YMCA emerged in order to meet the existing needs of such a large part of the population. A sound economy had not brought development to the United States, and societal infrastructure was needed to protect the rights of the people. Education and health systems need to be well established to bring the rights of education and health care, and a police system is necessary if justice and order are to exist. In order to respect the dignity of all society, public services must be well founded and available to all who require them.
However, the establishment of a sound economy and societal infrastructures remains meaningless if they are not accompanied by rule of law. That is, if the laws and procedures that define the economy and infrastructure of an area are not consistently applied, still there will be no development. If the police force of an area is well funded and trained, and yet the court system decides it more pertinent to serve personal interests than to follow the law, rights will not be protected. Without rule of law, neither economies nor societal structures can function smoothly or efficiently, and corruption will constantly lead to the violation of rights.
The final piece necessary to bringing development to an area is sustainability. The recognition of rights in the present should not be at the expense of the future; instead, development ought to be done in a way that guarantees the longevity of both economy and societal structures. A large piece of this is environmental sustainability, as the ramifications of environmental degradation have serious implications for the ability to develop an area. Food production that causes massive soil erosion or loss of fertility is not development, nor are lumber businesses justified by the short term economic growth when they deforest the mountainsides. The ends never justify the means, and it is important to approach development cautiously, considering whether the proposed economy or infrastructure is something that can be maintained for generations to come.[7]
So what is development? Development is the fulfillment and protection of the dignity of all humanity, accomplished through sound economy, societal infrastructure, and rule of law, in a manner that ensures its own sustainability.[8]
Recognizing the dignity of humanity is not limited to the Christian tradition; as Peter Uvin writes, “We are all in this together.”[9] As Christians, we must move beyond this recognition, especially in light of God’s view on the very issue. The Old Testament is very clear about God’s heart for the oppressed, for those that have not been shown the justice their dignity requires:
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.[10]
Over and over through the prophets, God pleads the case of these oppressed. He cries out, “Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”[11] When He commands, “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt,”[12] we see him imploring us to treat each other with the equality and love with which he created us.
Beyond commands, God’s call to care for the oppressed is a spiritual discipline by which to know God. He makes this very clear through the prophet Isaiah:
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”[13]
God is constantly reminding us that if we want to know him, we must seek justice and defend the cause of the oppressed, and through this we will begin to understand his heart.
God’s concern with justice, for this reverence of our dignity, continues through the ministry of Jesus. When Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah, he is recognizing that his life has the purpose of bringing justice to those that have been denied their human dignity:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
The “year of the Lord’s favor is indicative of the Hebrew concept of Jubilee, and Christ is declaring that he has come to complete this jubilee recognition of human dignity.[14]
In Matthew 25, when Jesus talks of the final judgment, the criteria by which the sheep and the goats are separated is not the clear cut “grace alone, faith alone” distinction so championed by Luther.[15] Rather, the distinction is who has fed the hungry, given a drink to the thirsty, given shelter to the stranger, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited the imprisoned. Even if we completely ignore the fact that Jesus used this as the deciding factor for eternal life or damnation, our treatment of the “least of these” is still our treatment of our God and Savior, and our actions speak clearly about the faith we truly have.
Given the consistent and thorough concern that God places on caring for the oppressed and realizing the dignity of humanity, we have the duty and command to live in a way that this development permeates our actions. We can know that a change is good when it creates a further recognition and fulfillment of human rights, and when this change happens, we can know that God is pleased to see justice bring peace.
[1] New Oxford American Dictionary.
[2] United States Bill of Rights. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
[3] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), written in 1948, provides a sound foundation for this understanding of rights. The preamble begins, “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”
[4] Peter Uvin. Human Rights in the Practice of Development. p. 201
[5] Article 25 of the UDHR states, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” This is the sort of human rights that becomes central to the work of development.
[6] Berry, Wendell. Two Economies. p. 57
[7] While traveling in El Salvador, I met a backpacker from Winnipeg, Canada. Amidst our conversations, he made the point that prior to making any large decision, the aboriginals native to his town would consider the 10 generations behind them and the 10 generations to come in the future, trying to decide how their decision would affect each of them. This is the kind of prudence toward sustainability that our Western culture lacks and yet is so vital to development.
[8] In my definition of development, I have failed to overtly include the Hebrew concept of Shalom, as other development theorists have tried to incorporate into development. Wendell Berry explains his incorporation of Shalom, or the Kingdom of God, by saying, “The Great Economy, like the Tao or the Kingdom of God, is both known and unknown, visible and invisible, comprehensible and mysterious.” In an effort to make the concept of Shalom understandable, Berry has made it a cognate to other traditions like the Tao or an Economy. According to one Hebrew concordance, “Shalom includes everything given by God in all areas of life,” and it seems nearly impossible to maintain this complete significance when applying a concept so dependent on a true understanding of God to the secular arena.
Furthermore, the danger of assuming that the work of development would be to bring Shalom is seen in Judges 6:24: “Yahweh is Shalom.” The presence of Shalom is utterly and completely dependent on the presence of God. This can also be seen in the benediction found in Num. 6:24, where the blessing is that Yahweh may grant Shalom. This connection is so strong that Shalom “approximates closely to the idea of salvation.” The arrival of Shalom in an area is not the work of development, but rather the grace of God and His Spirit. (Quotes from Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 2. p. 776-779)
[9] Peter Uvin p.201
[10] Deut. 10:17-19
[11] Isaiah 1:17
[12] Leviticus 19:33
[13] Isaiah 58:6-7
[14] Christ fulfills this justice, with grace, through the cross, and decisively portrays just how much value we have as His creation when he died for us. This sacrifice for the sake of humanity gives a pure image of what it means to “take up your cross” (Mark 8:34) in a world that has so despised human dignity.
[15] I am not suggesting that Luther was mistaken when he said we are saved by Grace alone by Faith alone; however, this passage seems to indicate what sort of faith and grace it is that saves us, and is another strong reminder not to submit ourselves to the “cheap grace” that fits so easily into our American culture, and that the Bible and writers like Dietrich Bonheoffer have deplored.
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