Building peace means sometimes being uncomfortable. It requires listening to the other side with respect and being civil when telling others about your beliefs. Peace often means compromise, allowing differences to exist side by side. This can be uncomfortable and it can also be freeing and expansive.

Agree with Me

Many proverbs tell us that this diversity worth perusing: “united we stand, divided we fall” (Aesop); “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” (Helen Keller); and “diversity our strength,” the motto of the City of Toronto (soon to be my home).

I was recently shaken by a discussion with someone about interdenominational Christian nonprofits. He works for a non-denominational organization but was concerned about working with Spirit in Action because I didn’t agree with his interpretation of a particular bible verse. That he wanted to limit his interactions based on beliefs, albeit sharing the foundation of our mutual Christian faith, shocked me.

I understood that for him, to “agree to disagree” on a point of faith would necessarily mean compromise and, therefore, loss; that this compromise of beliefs would make a group weaker. However, I have found that requiring everyone to agree on specific, narrow rules does not bring strength. Welcoming multiple views breeds flexibility and trust, rather than shutting conversation down with only one way to view things.

Diversity our Strength

SIA local coordinators from all over Africa sing together in Kenya

The strength of Spirit in Action is bringing people together from many different traditions for a higher good overall rather than separating people along dogmatic lines.

In fact, our missions of compassion and social justice require us to see God in all people and to serve our neighbor as we serve God. This also frees us all to do our work of fostering prosperity, rather than spend energy forcing people to believe a specific doctrine. This openness then actively encourages personal exploration of each person’s relationship and path with God.

When I visited SIA partners in Malawi last summer, I asked about the variety of denominations represented in the group. “SIA is the one place where Catholics and Protestants come together,” was the answer I got from Canaan Gondwe, the local Small Business Fund Coordinator. This response brought a sense of pride. Inter-denominational collaboration allows each person to respond to the call to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with their God, rather than the call to shun those who are different.

Similarly, Benoit Malenge, the Small Business Fund Coordinator in Rwanda, reported that people of many beliefs came together, “sharing a meal, without discrimination since they are all members of Spirit in Action, who came to share the gifts.” This place of openness brought a community together, beginning to build peace after years of war in the area.

In the end, let’s stay focused on our mission, remembering the words of John Comenius, a 17^th century philosopher, “Let us have but one end in view, the welfare of humanity; and let us put aside all selfishness in consideration of language, nationality, or religion.” Can we be comfortable with this, and proceed as the peacemakers we were called to be?

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This Thanksgiving, as we each reflect on our blessings and the bounty we have, will you join me in also praying for the world? Below are five table graces incorporating prayers of thanks and prayers for service and justice. If you have a special Thanksgiving table grace, share it with us in the comments!

May this Thanksgiving be a time to recommit ourselves to empowering others, living compassionately, and putting God’s Spirit into action through serving and praying for the world. Happy Thanksgiving!

Different ethnic groups share a meal together in Rwanda - SIA creates community!

1. Give us grateful hearts, O Lord, for all thy mercies,
and make us mindful of the needs of others;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(1928 Book of Common Prayer)

2. To those who hunger,
Give bread;
To those who have bread,
Give the hunger for justice. Amen.
(Latin America Prayer)

3. Make us worthy, Lord,
To serve those people
Throughout the world who live and die
In poverty and hunger.
Give them, through our hands
This day their daily bread,
And by our understanding love,
Give peace and joy.
(Mother Theresa)

4. For food in a world where many walk in hunger
For faith in a world where many walk in fear
For friends in a world where many walk alone
We give you humble thanks, oh Lord.
(World Hunger Grace)

Women cook a meal together (Rwanda)

5. Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae let the Lord be thankit.

Some have meat and cannot eat,
Some cannot eat that want it;
But we have meat and we can eat,
So let the Lord be thanked.
(The Selkirk Grace by Robert Burns; Scotland)

Related Posts:

• Musings and Gratitude (12/28/10)
• Gratitude from Marsha Johnson (4/19/11)

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“The opposite of poverty is not wealth. It is justice.” – Leonardo Boff

One of Spirit in Action’s callings is to create more opportunities for social justice – working towards a world based on equality, solidarity, and human dignity. One project that we have supported is the Manyamula Village Savings and Loans Group (MAVISALO), a community-based organization in Mzimba, Malawi, which helps bring security and credit to this rural community of subsistence farmers.

Since the group started this loan fund, using individual contributions and profits from a poultry project, MAVISALO has made steady progress towards encouraging saving and increasing access to loans for its members.

“The private financial lending institutions and the commercial banks of Malawi were not providing the opportunity to village members to save their money. These institutions provide loans at high interests rates and ask for collaterals, which village members can’t afford.” As the quote at the top implies, MAVISALO is driven to do more than just create wealth among members – they are also creating a system that honors and trusts the village members by allowing even traditionally disadvantaged people to access financial services.

“Today, an institution is born mobilized by the village people themselves and it provides a sound atmosphere that promotes saving culture.” Local leaders have shown interest in supporting the group and using it as a model for others. “This is a great idea indeed to have our own economic institution that helps my people save,” says Group Village Headman, Yesaya Shumba.

Canaan Gondwe, leader of the group of 52 members (20 women and 32 men), has seen a great impact on the community, “Members of MAVISALO are able to smile at the impact the loan project on its members. The impact is not only confined to members but also outsiders as they are served by entrepreneurs who are members. There are youths, widows, HIV people all incorporated in one community institution living together to uplift and empower themselves.”

Great job MAVISALO. Keep up the great work!

RELATED POSTS:

• MAVISALO’s Chicken House
• Children’s Book about Micro-Finance
• “Imagine your life without financial services…”

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Small Business Fund training workshop in Uganda.

My work with Spirit in Action is not only about “making the world a better place” and running the daily operations of an organization, but also about struggling to understand how each of my interactions can bring more peace and equality into the world. This means constantly striving to put myself in another person’s shoes.

That might sound like either a lofty goal, or a throwaway promise. Yet, if I can keep this goal in the forefront of my mind, I am reminded to honor the dignity of each person I work with; to listen to peoples’ needs and desires; to trust them to send in grant proposals that they believe will be successful; to honor our partners’ service and respect their time.

Shifting My Perspective

How do I begin to imagine putting myself into our partners’ shoes? On her blog Good Intentions are Not Enough, Saundra Schimmelpfennig asks us, “to imagine being on the receiving end of aid, to try to think of aid from the recipient side rather than the donor side.” In this post, she introduces the Listening Project, which “interviews aid recipients, local government officials, religious leaders, and community organizations to find out their perspectives on international aid.” Through their fascinating testimonies, I can begin to shift my perspective.

Beyond just listening, Saundra also explores some of the social costs that are associated with receiving aid. For example: “Social stigma – Imagine how you would feel having your neighbors or coworkers see you using food stamps or waiting in line at the local food pantry.” Click here to read the rest of this thought-provoking list.

Being Accountable to our Beneficiaries

How can we put this new perspective into practice? On her blog How Matters, Jennifer Lenter asked her colleagues about how they would change “the system” to make foreign assistance better.

Perusing through the answers, a response from C.D. in Swaziland particularly struck me: “Let the intended beneficiaries of development take the driving seat from identifying their only priority developmental issues, to planning, designing, implementing and monitoring. Let the beneficiaries define the priorities and let the donors be accountable to beneficiaries for quality, appropriateness or adequacy of the assistance delivered.”

Part of SIA’s mission is to empower individuals and grassroots organizations to choose their own grant project and decide what kind of small micro-enterprise they believe will be successful.

More than this, C.D. calls on donors to be accountable to the beneficiaries. Del Anderson, our founder, often wrote about everyone being channels of God’s love in the world. “God has made us as God’s instruments and co-creators, so as we take our responsibility to be God’s channels, we are empowered and the fruit of the Spirit is brought forth through us.”

We, at SIA, have a great responsibility to strive to better understand the people we are serving and consider the many ways they are serving us. Let’s shift our perspective. Each person has something to give. What is the gift you receive from SIA partners?

Related Posts:

• Interview with SIA Small Business Fund Coordinator in Malawi
• Building Trust
• Nonviolence and the Promotion of Peace

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Del Anderson, the founder of Spirit in Action, was a prodigious and dedicated journal writer and here in the SIA office I am lucky enough to have many of his actual journals. He seemed to use his writing time as a moment to let his thoughts flow, allowing time to explore his ideas about God, our purpose, love, and anything else that came up. He used regular 1-subject lined notebooks and a four-color pen, wildly switching colors and adding emphasis and extra words to his sentences.

I like to glance at his entries every now and again to be able to reconnect with Del’s strong spirit and passion for service to others. This morning I’d like to share the entry from Del’s journal for this day in 1998.

July 27^th, 1998

Beholding as in a mirror the glory (that is the beauty) of Christ we are changed into the same image from one stage of character growth to another. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

It is a process of contagion, perseverance and growing in the Spirit. For life there must be a plan, a pattern, a purposeful intent. Life must have unity, humanity and purpose – with serenity, and a spirit of adventure with a resolute will. There must be a sharp focus on compassion, mercy, and justice for the common good.

All so often, we have great gratitude for the will to act, even as we often regret our failure to trust and obey. It is as we nurture our souls, we let God come forth: in, for, with, and through us. This living from within out is our passage to victory.

It is in nurturing our heart (intention) actively we grow from sense to soul, from self to Christ. Love, joy, peace, etc. are feelings. To partake of God’s character and nature, we need to feel the heart process of our nature.

If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. (John 7:37)

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