Making a difference

I often wonder what difference can we make when are presented with such large issues that our country and world are faced with today? The following account brings me hope (I read this in "Adventures In Missing The Point" by Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo.) 

Over two decades ago a group of students from Eastern College had a research assignment to address this question: "How could a small group of Christians effect micro-social changes in society?"  To answer this question they focused on the small, impoverished nation of the Dominican Republic. 

They began by buying stock in Gulf & Western, a very large company that had great influence in the Dominican Republic. The company owned hotels, resorts, lots of land, and was the major sugar producer for the area. Each student bought one stock of the company, and thus were entitled to attend the annual stockholder's meeting.

During the meeting the students took turns reading passages from the Bible and asking for the company to take its social responsibility seriously. Specifically, they asked for the wages of the sugar workers to raised and to provide medical and educational services for the people. Their expectation was that the company and its shareholders would either laugh them out of the building or throw them out. Neither of these things happened. Rather, the company listened and over several months negotiations were made between the company and several organizations that were passionate about  helping the people of the Dominican Republic. 

As a result, the company partnered with Mt. Sinai Medical Center of New York to provide medical services for a portion of the island. They also committed to grow more crops than just sugar as to provide food for the local population. Furthermore, they committed to start a university to train teachers, lawyers, nurses, and engineers. Over the next five years the company spent $500 million on these programs. This created a radical change for this small country. While there are still many battles to be won, this was a tremendous first step. 

What difference can you and other Christians make today?

Here are the texts for this week.

July 01, 2013            2 Chron 17–19, Acts 5:33–6:15, Ps 78:29–37, Prov 16:14–16

July 02, 2013            2 Chron 20–21, Acts 7:1–16, Ps 78:38–42, Prov 16:17–18

July 03, 2013            2 Chron 22–24, Acts 7:17–43, Ps 78:43–50, Prov 16:19–20

July 04, 2013            2 Chron 25–27, Acts 7:44–60, Ps 78:51–56, Prov 16:21–22

July 05, 2013            2 Chron 28–29, Acts 8:1–25, Ps 78:57–63, Prov 16:23–25

July 06, 2013            2 Chron 30–32, Acts 8:26–9:9, Ps 78:64–72, Prov 16:26–28

July 07, 2013            2 Chron 33–34, Acts 9:10–30, Ps 79:title–4, Prov 16:29–30