Two Window's of Poverty

Reposted:

Today we faced more experiences of life’s realities outside of the United States as our team ministered to children playing in a slum neighborhood just outside the city.

As the van slowly made its way through the narrow bumpy dirt roads, one of our American students mumbled aloud, “our dogs live better than these people”. Likewise in appalling poverty, most of the homes had nothing more than dirt floors, windows without glass and maybe, just maybe, running water. The wires dangling from house to house provided “borrowed” electricity from the city.

For the residents of this slum neighborhood it’s a very rare occasion to have visitors from the USA, so obviously our team was an interesting sight for them, especially when we shared dramas and music in their native language, Portuguese. And in spite of our inability to speak fluent Portuguese, our team confidently reached out with the love and encouragement of Jesus, a universal language of love that is not bound by borders or language barriers.

As I thought about this experience, I began to realize that for anyone who has never experienced this level of poverty, their first reaction would probably be a sense of hopelessness and despair. However, our experience brought us to a place of hope after meeting some of the most wonderful and warm people we’ve ever me before. It was simply amazing.

From our perspective, these people were hopelessly poor beyond imagination. But the truth is, we were amazed to learn that because of God’s love and acceptance, they were satisfied, content and filled with a level of joy that is strengthened in the face of wicked poverty.

As I looked out into a slum of more than 100,000 people, I tried to make sense of it all. “How in the world can these people live like this,” my heart asked. And just like God, He spoke very quietly to my heart, “Richard, these people need nothing you have to have all of me.” Wow! What an incredible revelation. For those residents that know and love God, their reality is simply - God is sufficient.

As we left the slums, I understood very clearly that I couldn't change their living, social or economic situation. All I could give them was the dignity and respect they deserve as God’s creation.

A Birthday Celebration For A Street Boy

By Adriana Ruiz - Master's Commission Brasil

When you hear about a “Birthday Celebration” what are you expecting to see? I know the first thoughts for most is cake, candles, balloons and gifts. Yet better than the decorations, is the presence of those who love you and celebrate your life. Your friends and family are there and at the end of the night you blowout your candles and make a wish. Birthday celebrations have a different meaning in the streets of Brazil; actually it has no meaning.

Kids that live on the streets know that no one today is celebrating them, instead of having a cake they have paint thinner and instead of having candles they have cigarettes. Our reality doesn’t compare to the streets reality, because it’s so different it seem that we live in different dimensions. While we think that a six year old should be at home being loved by a family and having fun as a child, there is at the same time a six year old boy who is on the streets, wanting a blanket and a bottle of paint thinner to not feel the cold. When one of our kids, Hugo who is eleven, had his birthday he said, “The gift I want is just a big hug from you Auntie.” Many of these children have no mom or dad, no real friends to celebrate with them; the truth is they have no reason to celebrate their very lives. They try to survive everyday from the pain of not being love. They don’t want to exist, since they are already dying on the inside.

The great thing is that last night we went to Andrades’ street to celebrate Tico’s birthday. We brought a big chocolate cake, we sang happy birthday and we told him how loved and precious he was to God. We reminded him that God has not forget him no matter what his reality is showing him. We believe that he felt that God was celebrating him as a son. For us it is an honor to be able to see that maybe there are two different dimensions, but in reality there is just one God!!

Beggars.... They want your spare change

Driving around any typical city in Brazil we’ll find an abundance of beggars practically at every intersection of significance. Today for an example, as I wound my way through town it dawned on me that at many traffic signals there were beggars working every automobile that found itself delayed by a crimson light. Their coordination seemed to be so well thought-out, I was wondering if organized labor had become involved in their efforts to collect everyone’s spare change.

Here’s where I’m begging for your help! – At what point do we not give beggars our spare change? I don’t know about you, but for me it’s necessary to exercise a considerable amount of self-restraint as I struggle to avoid analyzing and speculating (only on mere assumptions) as to what sins against society did these beggars commit for which they are now fatally appointed to their intersection. I would imagine this would present a challenge for most people as it does for me. My rational mind finds it necessary to evaluate them, or as I think more appropriate, “Size em’ up really quick!” so that I can somehow determine if they are worthy of my spare change. - We all know the drill, “He’s an ex-convict. He’s lazy. He’s an alcoholic, I'm not going to let him use my money to buy more alcohol just so he can go home and beat his wife and kids. And for sure – God forbid to buy more drugs!” – There’s a thousand questions that instantly gallop through my mind.

But, what about the children, the women and the senior adults that we frequently see dutifully assigned to the intersections? What’s their story? And more importantly, what should be our response? Every day we see equal numbers of children, women and frazzled seniors begging for us to help with life’s basic needs, or so we think. Actually we can never know the truth, other than the fact that their lives through whatever circumstances have been reduced to begging at intersections for our spare change.

So, still begging for your input, if I am going to give away my spare change, who’s the priority and at what point do I stop giving beggars my spare change? – (This beggar stuff is becoming a complicated business.) If we tell them that “we don’t have any money”, did we just lie to them when we know full well we could easily access some of it by simply driving to the nearest ATM machine? Would that be true if we were on our way to Starbucks for our designer’s cup of latte? – Or how about this one? Is it possible for our money to become “spare change” if we are only holding it to purchase our kids the latest version of the iPhone, or we’re rolling over to test-drive the 2010 Beemer that just arrived in the showroom? When does the money we use to refurnish or renovate our already palatial casa (compared to theirs), become “spare change”? Or why doesn’t the money being set aside for that next Caribbean cruise get titled, “spare change”? – Oh boy! Can you imagine the impact to a beggar’s life if the volume of our “spare change” made its way to their intersections? We’ll probably never know, will we?

All of this leads back to my original question: “At what point do we not give beggars our spare change?” – I suppose the more important question becomes “What and where is your spare change?”

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Because wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21

It’s as complex as it looks!

With some degree of risk I took this photo inside one of the biggest, most dangerous and complicated slums I’ve ever been in. I was “hiding” when I snapped this shot because camera-carrying Gringos are not necessarily trusted or welcomed in this world where police seldom drive through.

Last week with part of our MC team, we utilized public transportation to get an inside look at this slum community where city officials estimate up to 160,000 people survive everyday.

It was complicated trying to wrap my brain around living conditions that are surrounded by opposing gangs, sewerless streets, windows without glass and doors that maybe shouldn’t be called doors. Bouncing inside the bus while trying to reconcile with my brain and emotions what my eyes so clearly saw, I wondered how in the world could I effectively describe this to you?

For Master’s Commission Brasil, this world is our classroom. From this difficult reality are we working to help transform the lives of young adults willing to learn about themselves, about our amazing God and a global responsibility to love and serve people living in unbelievable conditions as reflected in this photo.

The reason why I’m attempting to describe what is undoubtedly impossible to describe, is simply because it is your financial support and prayer that makes Master's Commission Brasil work. Without you we’ll be heading back to the suburbs.

Thanks for helping us stay here doing what we do. You and your loved ones are very welcomed to visit. We’ll make sure that you do the bus ride that we believe will change your life.

Some missionaries do their own laundry

My mom should probably get all of the credit for my ability to do my own laundry, especially since it was her idea when we were growing up as children; and that includes teaching us how to iron, sew and cook too. Thanks mom!

So if any of you who think we’re living an easy life, think twice! – But then again, maybe some people are thinking we had to go down to the river to do our laundry. If that were the case, there definitely wouldn’t be a photo of me doing it.

Now, if any of you feel bad that we've got to do our laundry by hand, would you also feel bad enough to prayerfully consider helping us replace the washing machine that recently broke down. Then we won't have to do it by hand anymore! Simple, huh?

Saying Goodbye, Goodbye and Goodbye

Saying Goodbye again doesn’t get any easier the second time, we recently learned after visiting family and friends in the United States. And it certainly wasn’t any easier saying Goodbye to Rebekah, daughter number three, who we left behind for her first year of college.

It had been exactly two years since we had all of our precious children together in one place, and after enjoying a few days visiting Washington, D.C., we said Goodbye to our oldest daughter Randi who is on a serious job hunt after graduating in June with her masters in Sociology. She stayed. The rest of the family said Goodbye to her and traveled on to California.

Jocelyn and I feel fortunate to have spent three wonderful days in San Diego with daughter number two, Aravis, who recently graduated with degrees in Journalism and English Literature. Because she enjoys the climate and culture of San Diego, we were forced to say yet another difficult Goodbye.

And in order to say Goodbye again, we spent the evening before our departure at my mom and dad's house with family and friends. Jocelyn's mom was there for another opportunity for us to say Goodbye again. There were lots of warm embraces and Goodbyes that evening.

Also traveling with us was our granddaughter Sadye who is growing and changing faster than we can comprehend. – We had to say our Goodbyes to her with Rebekah at the airport. And speaking of Goodbyes, just moments before we boarded our flight, my mom raced to the terminal with a fresh batch of homemade cookies. Yummy! But again, more Goodbyes... these Goodbyes came with tears.

We are learning by experience that saying Goodbye will probably never be a cherished word in our vocabulary. Not in English, nor in our second language, Portuguese, “Tchau”. – There’s something about saying Goodbye that just doesn’t fit right. Goodbye. Geez… that word doesn’t have a warm-touchy-feely feel, does it? Goodbye.

And although it wasn’t our final Goodbye, we also said Goodbye to Gustavo, 20, a former street boy who spent his teenage years living in a house for ex-street children in Belo Horizonte. Gustavo entered Master’s Commission Brasil in the same month that we arrived and has matured to a point which enable him to travel with our family. Because he has worked hard to learn enough English to effectively communicate in most circumstances, he was able to enjoy an extra three weeks in the USA with former Master’s Commission students who have previously traveled to Brazil with us. – That was a great Goodbye!

Can Squirrels have high blood pressure?

It’s at least 5am and I am sitting on the edge of a bed in Washington, D.C. watching a squirrel dance from limb to limb with effortless ease in an ancient oak tree. As I observe his squirrely antics, I wondered to myself, “What’s that little guy thinking about while he bounces about with what appears to be a gentle grin on its face,reflecting the joy of the Lord?” – I wonder, do little guys like my friend the squirrel inherit stuff like mental disorders or high blood pressure, because from the window I’m looking through, a squirrel’s life looks a lot easier than mine.

As for me and my siblings, high blood pressure was a condition that was genetically and generously passed on at birth…. for us there was no need to work hard for it to show up; it’s always been there like a shark circling in the waters waiting for its moment to strike its prey.

And so here I sit on the edge of a bed at the crack of dawn with my blood pressure slightly elevated, staring out the window at a squirrel and wondering if he or she knows it has high blood pressure. – Thankfully my family does NOT have a history of mental disorders.

But on the serious side (and the bit about the squirrel was definitely serious), I do suspect that at this moment my blood pressure is elevated most likely because I was laying awake trying to work my way through what feels like a gazillion details for continuing the growth and expansion of Master’s Commission in Brazil. There’s no doubt it’s a daunting project and thankfully in the two years since arriving we have experienced wonderful and exciting progress. But, there is still so much more that needs to be done. Yet, in contrast to the enormous needs, we can also remember the many people whose lives we can point to as proof positive that good things are happening. The favor of the Lord has indeed been with us.

Finally, in the physical realm I must continue to effectively manage this curse of high blood pressure, and unfortunately it’s deciding to stay with me. And in the spiritual realm with the continued prayers and sacrificial financial support from family and friends, we are going to continue our efforts to express the love of God to as many people as we can…. and hopefully we can do it with a similar sense of ease as my friend the squirrel.

Please read Matthew 6:19-34

3 Moore Graduations

If you’ve not heard much from us in the last few weeks, it’s because Jocelyn and I have been very busy celebrating 3 Moore graduations in 3 different cities. – We are tremendously grateful for the Lord’s help and provision for our oldest three daughters, Randi, Aravis and Rebekah.

Randi, who will be 25 in July, just graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Masters degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Women’s Studies. Immediately following her graduation, she and our soon to be seven year old granddaughter, Sadye moved to Washington, D.C. where Randi is pursuing opportunities for writing public policy concerning international rights for women and children. Randi’s long-term goal is to return to South Africa and study for her doctorate in the same discipline.

Aravis, 22, graduated Magnum Cum Laude from the Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego with a dual major in Journalism and English Literature. For almost the first time in her life, Aravis is experiencing the freedoms of life after college. She called me the other day and said, “Dad, this is the weirdest feeling having the afternoon completely free with nothing to do.” I encouraged her to enjoy it while it lasts, because life won''t often slow down anymore.

Aravis and her three college roommates have all agreed to hang around San Diego for the time being and moved into the cutest 2-bedroom apartment only two-minutes from downtown. With the current job market already flooded with last year’s graduates, Aravis is wisely choosing to carefully survey her options before moving too far away from San Diego. For later in the year and beyond, she is considering relocating to New York or Washington, D.C. where she could better apply her trade in writing, as well as being closer to her sisters and niece, Sadye.

And finally there is Rebekah, 18, who graduated also with honors and as the Citizen of the Year by the Escola Americana Campinas. We are very proud of our “Bubba” who finished very strong in spite of changing horses in the middle of the stream (transitioning to an international school) without breaking stride. As parents we were obviously concerned especially for Rebekah who left Elk Grove in the middle of her high school experience. The Lord has certainly proven Himself more than able to meet our children’s needs.

Rebekah has accepted a tremendous scholarship to the American University in Washington, D. C. (there seems to be a “theme” for D.C.) where she will major in Communications and Film. One of her personal goals is to document with film the plight of Meninos da Rua (street children) in Brasil. Rebekah voluntarily added to her college application a short documentary on the life of one of her friends, Gustavo, a former Menino da Rua, titled “One Country – Two Worlds”. Her goal for majoring in Communications and Film is to create documentaries for Christian organizations around the world that are trying to bring to light the incredible social injustices especially to children and women.

Obviously we are extremely proud of our children and their hard work and determination, especially since we have relocated to the missions field. This has been both a very difficult, and at the same time, a very exciting season of our lives. Difficult in that Jocelyn and I have not been able to help our children as much as we have always thought we would, and exciting for being able to experience the faithfulness of God to our family. The Lord has sustained us in many ways, and in many of those ways He has used your life to bless the Moore Family. Thank you. – By the way, there are 3 Moore’s to go! Adriana, Sean and Chris. We most certainly still need you for “Moore”.

What? – A Segregated English Class?

We are ever learning the realities of living within a nation divided by distinctions of social-economic and racial class. It's a complicated reality where most Brasilian citizens seem to easily avoid confusing the invisible boundary lines. Here in Brasil we have discovered the subject of social class distinctions are easily out maneuvered, because somehow every one seemingly accepts their assigned class positions, regardless the benefits or lack thereof.

For reasons we yet don't fully understand, we live on a street that has an unusual mix of both social-economic classes, which is actually kind of weird because judging by their homes and professions we are very curious as to how some of these families have escaped the nearby slum neighborhood. In the context of social-economic class segregation, what on earth are they doing living on "our" street?

In the meantime, while we look for opportunities to discover how they've escaped from the slums, we thought it a brilliant idea to offer all of the kids on our street free English lessons (our way of being good neighbors). Great idea! Right? … we thought so too, especially since we know people are willing to pay premium fees for native English speakers; and especially for the eight displaced slum children whose parents are barely able to put enough food on the table. English lessons for these children could be their ticket out of the lowest social class bracket.

But sadly we've learned that our generous offering for free English lessons won't work for all of the children on our street. – Why not? Why can't all of the children on our street attend the weekly class? – Because it will require us to conduct two completely segregated classes mirroring the social-economic class realities of Brasil. And it seems we may be the only people who care.

So for now, because teaching segregated English lessons are impossible to our minds, we will continue offering free lessons for whichever children come first. Fortunately for them, the children whose parents recycle trash showed up first, and by default the unspoken societal rules means they own the class. And without the slightest hint of objection the middle and upper class kids have completely disappeared. Go figure!

While some of our Brasileiro friends either admire our efforts, others giggle at our naivety. Although we refuse to feel stupid for even trying, we are saddened by such harsh realities in the year 2009. – To live and die without enjoying the benefits of the most basic of equal opportunities is a horrible reality for any child born into poverty. – Because of your prayer and financial support we know of at least eight children on our street that will be given an opportunity to learn English. Your money really does matter.

Being Alone With God

Being at a place, remaining in a season, living a lifestyle of “Aloneness” with God sounds incredibly spiritual, excitingly amazing and totally awesome… but that’s only until a person actually begins to engage the reality of such a lifestyle. It’s then that we realize the degrees to which our flesh and self-will can cry out in stubborn opposition. Our flesh and human nature wishes absolutely nothing to do with “Aloneness” with God because that is exactly the place where we must engage submission and death to self-will.

Our self-will and human nature (our carnality) violently fights without surrender for the control in our lives. Similar to the starving piranhas in the Amazon … they all fight to be fed first. – On the other hand, being alone with God will bring us to brokenness, humility, confession and awe at His majesty… and that’s because the road that leads us into aloneness with God will bring us directly and immediately to the cross of Jesus. There is no other path that leads us to God. – Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

It’s only in the context of God’s sovereign presence can we accurately sense and gauge our human wickedness. And it is entirely by His patience; grace and mercy are we even able to remain alone with Him. And to think that He actually desires to bring us into fellowship and communion is altogether an amazingly mind-boggling thought in itself. – ONLY GOD!

Don’t look past the person in front of you

In our discipleship ministry, Master's Commission Brasil, we believe that change begins now, here, and together with you! With your monthly sponsorship, every young person engaged by our discipleship training is a divine appointment where we have an opportunity to instill confidence that someone cares what they do with their lives. Every day we are working to create as many alternatives as possible to gang involvement, violence, sexual experiences, and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.

We have seen many times over how a life can be altered with as simple as a single phrase, an encouraging word, or an act of kindness. – All of our staff and interns have personally realized the blessings of having someone enter our lives by a divine appointment, if only for a moment, to make a lasting impression for the rest of our lives.

For me, I can remember my fifth grade teacher, old Mrs. Barton. Every student on campus was convinced that she was the nastiest old woman on the planet and would hide in the teacher's parking lot to witness her daily landing on her broomstick. – But I knew a different Mrs. Barton. The Mrs. Barton I knew was as tender as she was tough and would spend her lunch and after school to help me and others with homework or just let a boy trying to become a man simply hang around. I can't tell you everything she said to me, although I do distinctly remember something about her "whoopin my behind"; yet there was never a visit where I didn't walk away convinced that I could conquer the world. Mrs. Savannah Barton believed in me before I ever believed in myself, and her thumbprint remains on my life to this very day.

And then there's the vice principle Mr. Sagers. Thinking about it now, and although it was never said then, I am convinced this man had a deep and intimate love for Jesus. There was something about him. I suppose just because he was the vice-principle in charge of discipline everybody was afraid of him, (it's funny how I seemed to always end up in his office), but there was something really special about Mr. Sagers. – Aside from telling you it was a "divine appointment", I can't explain why out of the entire school he asked my brother Philip and me to work for him on weekends, pulling weeds, and painting and picking up trash at an apartment complex he owned. I clearly remember how well paid we were as preteens in the late 60's. Geepers, that dude paid us some serious cash! – But more important to that, was how without saying a single word, there was something he gave us that even then I knew was more valuable than cash… he showed us a dignity and respect that I don't remember ever receiving from an adult. And it felt good too!

Mrs. Barton and Mr. Sagers may not know until we get into heaven how their acts of kindness have changed two lives. (My brother Philip is the superintendent of high schools in Sacramento; and a darned good one too! I wonder how much influence Mr. Sagers had on him.) Their unselfish kindness has made a defining impact on our lives.

As well, we are here in Brasil on a special assignment to influence and impact the lives of as many people possible; but without you it'll be tough. With your monthly support you are deciding to join us in as many intersections of life that we can get into; to be instruments of grace and unconditional love and acceptance… if only for a brief moment. And for as many as we can enroll in our discipleship program, you will be working together with us to interrupt dysfunction, launch a life in Christ or restore and heal with tenderness and words of kindness. I seriously doubt Mrs. Barton and Mr. Sagers knew what the outcomes would be for our lives, but we're wonderfully blessed that they didn't drive through our intersections without stopping. – Will you pull over to the curb and become a monthly sponsor?

We're Interrupting Their Dysfunction

Your partnership with Master's Commission Brasil is literally interrupting the cycles of dysfunction in the lives of hundreds of children every week. It's like this: the realities of racism and discrimination here in Brasil are significant considering the vast majority of people living in some of the world's ugliest and most dangerous slums are of African descent… in other words, they're black!

Although the typical Brazilian would argue the issue of racism and discrimination, mostly based on their personal feelings regarding race and ethnicity, the overwhelming fact is clear that these social ills exist in abundance despite their denials. And it would take less than 30 seconds to prove my point. Simply look around. Who is driving cars and who is pulling recycle wagons through the streets? Who is sitting in offices and who is sweeping the streets for less than $2 a day? – Advertising billboards silently remind people at every glance what "tone" is most important. Take a peek into any restaurant and you'll almost never see a "black" couple enjoying the savors of Brazilian cuisine. And to help any of you get beyond my definition of racism; let's simply call it "a black child's reality". Ok? Forget my use of the word "racism".

So what's the point? Is it to prove that Brazilians are racists and segregationist? Nope! That's not the point. The point is that millions of children growing up in Brasil have not only the curse of poverty to contend with, but the fact that they are Black makes their likelihood of escaping the cycles of dysfunction even more impossible, if not for God. And that's where Master's Commission is working to make a difference.

Through Master's Commission we are working to transform the lives of children in the poorest communities of Brasil. Our focus on helping children transcend the cycles of limited opportunity is accomplished through developing them into morally grounded, English speaking, and academically accomplished young adults. The fact that they are Black is inconsequential to our commitment to working with the poorest children in the Brazil… we'd do the same if they were all white children; but the reality is that they're not. And we are attempting to describe this social reality to you because we desperately need your help and the willingness to acknowledge that our world is filled with historical proof that racism is real; and that together for these children we can make a difference.

A Strategy that Equalizes

A central part of the Master's Commission strategy provides children the opportunity to learn English. These are children who without a solid education or college degree are destined to repeat the cruel cycles of poverty and dysfunction associated with poor communities. We believe that by learning English children will be able to take advantage of surging employment opportunities through their ability to speak English as a second language.

Can we count on you to support our ministry every month? – With the question of destructive racism in Brasil, I am very much up to a debate; but that debate must take place here in Brasil; in the middle of a real favela (slum) where we are going to be escorted by gun-toting mostly Black teenagers willing to allow you the opportunity of visiting their reality. – Oh, there's no need to be afraid… they won't hurt us… they're our English students.