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Andrew Bell: mission news

Andrew Bell challenges us to think outside the square with how we give globally this Christmas.

So here is the deal. We have a partner church in Livingstone in Zambia. They started a Youth Centre to minister to the youth who were in trouble. Some are victims of AIDS either having lost a parent/s or contracted the disease themselves. So they included counselling services in their plans. The GMO thought this was a great idea and provided the seeding finance. They were very grateful and sent photos of the new table tennis tables. We felt good about what we had done. Then we got another request. This time they were asking for a large television and a satellite television connection. Well hang on now. Most of us have got big screen TV’s and Sky in our homes but is this a reasonable request when you live in poverty stricken Zambia?

The gift of Jesus as the Emmanuel – the God who is with us – expresses the extravagant love of God. God loved in the biggest, flashest way he could. The giving of gifts at Christmas is meant to reflect this ‘spirit of giving’. You know ‘it is better to give than to receive’ and all those good things. But a big screen TV and satellite connection? Consider for a moment why they have asked for a TV and you decide how extravagant there request is, in reality. All Zambians love soccer, especially the teenagers. The local taverns all have satellite connections and big screen TV’s and allow the teenagers to come and watch and (sooner or later) give them a free drink or two. It doesn’t take long for the teenagers to become the regulars, getting drunk, having unprotected sex and ending up as the next HIV statistic. If the Youth Centre is to really offer a safe alternative environment, they need to be able to compete by providing a venue that includes international soccer on a big screen. It is as simple as that.

I don’t think the request is extravagant at all, especially as many New Zealanders now have home theatres. You have heard of sponsoring a child. How about sponsoring a satellite connection? You have heard about helping the poor, how about buying them a big screen TV? Let's not stop at books and clean water – let's be extravagant like the God of Christmas who we worship and serve.

God bless,

Andrew