Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | October 7, 2010

The Residue of Death

Dubai, UAE en route to Bangkok, Thailand

I love the sound and the meaning of the word life. The Bible teaches that God is the Author of life and that all life is sacred. The implications of the sanctity of human life are that we are to respect, protect, and preserve life. Jesus came that we might have and experience meaningful life. He never took a life and never ordered His followers to destroy life. Instead, He gave His own life on the cross to pay the penalty for sinners under the sentence of death. By giving His life on the cross He affirmed the value and worth of our lives. Satan, on the other hand, is committed to the destruction of life. Jesus said that Satan comes like a thief in the night to steal and to kill and to destroy. Everywhere that Satan works to destroy life, he leaves behind the residue of death.

In 2009, I visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh — known as Security Office 21 during Pol Pot’s regime. Originally built as a school, Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge took over the campus in 1975 and turned it into a place of torture and death. Classrooms were subdivided into prison cells and torture equipment replaced playground equipment. Today, the photographs of those who were imprisoned and tortured at S-21 are on display there, including photographs of many who died at the hands of their torturers. These photographs are the Khmer Rouge’s bloody fingerprints at the scene of one of the most heinous crimes in recent history. They are the residue of death.

I also visited the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center — the extermination camp for Security Office 21. Thousands of people who were tortured at S-21 were transported to this location where they were blind-folded and forced to kneel in front of one of 129 mass graves. These individuals were then bludgeoned and thrown into the pit where Pol Pot’s soldiers would cut their throats to ensure that they were dead. Today, the most prominent building at the site is the Memorial Stupa which was erected in 1988. More than 8,000 human skulls — the residue of death — are arranged behind the glass panels of the building. These skulls bear the visible marks of blunt-force trauma, mute testimony to the brutality of the Khmer Rouge.

The thing that disturbed me the most at the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center was a tree. The sign in front of this particular tree notes what happened beneath its green canopy: “Killing Tree Against Which Executioners Beat Children.” The Khmer Rouge did not waste ammunition on children. Instead, they took babies from their mothers, swung them by their feet, smashed their little bodies against the trunk of the tree, and then tossed their lifeless remains into the adjacent mass grave. The sign that marks that grave states: “Mass Grave of More than 100 Victims | Children and Women Whose Majority Were Naked.” This grave and the 128 other mass graves at this particular killing field contain the residue of death.

S-21 and the Choeung Ek killing field remind us that what we believe about the sanctity of human life matters. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge did not value human life and more than two-million people died as a result. It is easy for us to condemn the actions of Pol Pot’s soldiers who smashed innocent babies against the killing tree. But, we are not always as quick to condemn the actions of those who dismember and destroy millions of babies in the womb every year. If we believe that life matters, then we must not ignore, remain silent, or try to justify this global atrocity. Being passive about the sanctity of life is not an option when we are standing deep in our culture’s miry residue of death.

The recent history of Cambodia illustrates what can happen when we adopt or tolerate world-views that diminish the value of human life. As Christ-followers, we cannot afford to take a neutral stance on the matter of the sanctity of human life. We must uphold the Biblical view that people, including babies in the womb, are made in the image of God and therefore worthy of our respect and protection. The failure to do so can lead to the kind of unimaginable nightmare that haunted Cambodia and polluted the country with the residue of death.

I am currently en route to Bangkok to learn about the work of those who rescue young girls trafficked to work in Bangkok’s brothels by unscrupulous individuals who have no regard for the welfare of others. From there I will travel to Cambodia to join the staff of Life International to encourage hundreds of pastors and church leaders to sow the seeds of life in Cambodia’s former killing fields. And then I will travel on to India to check on the construction of our boys school and where two of Kingsland’s dentists will care for our boys and villagers in need of dental care. Kingsland is working to sweep away the residue of death by affirming the sanctity of human life through initiatives like these.

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Posted in Cambodia, India, Thailand

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | October 4, 2010

Celebrating Forgiveness

Watoto’s Restore Tour | A Celebration of Forgiveness and Restoration

Having visited some of the poorest and most dangerous places on the planet, I have personally seen how the actions of unprincipled individuals can permanently stain the history of places and peoples. One such place is Gulu in northern Uganda, home to the Acholi people. The Acholi have suffered unspeakable atrocities at the hands of the Lord’s Resistance Army or LRA — a guerilla band led by a high-school and church-attending drop-out named Joseph Kony. This man is living proof of what can happen when stupidity, power, and bad theology are mixed together. In 1986, Kony unleashed a bloody campaign in an effort to establish a theocratic government in Uganda based on the Ten Commandments. In the process, he violated and disgraced every letter of the Decalogue and acted completely contrary to the example of Jesus.

As a consequence of Kony’s actions, life for the Acholi became unbearable. Hundreds of thousands of people left their homes and found refuge in IDP (Internally Displaced People) Camps. And, more than 20,000 children were abducted from their homes by LRA rebels. These children, who once played joyfully in their villages, were turned into child soldiers and forced to do horrible things to their parents, siblings, and peers as a part of their initiation and indoctrination into the LRA. The LRA also abused girls as young as nine-years-old, turning many into sex slaves. And, the LRA made examples of many innocent people by mutilating them — cutting off noses, lips, ears, and limbs. These disfigured specters were left behind to strike fear into the hearts of the hoi polloi. For an insider’s insight into the dark world of a child soldier, I recommend that you read “A Long Way Gone” by former child soldier Ishmael Beah from Sierra Leon.

Yesterday, Kingsland hosted the Watoto Choir’s Restore Tour. I became acquainted with the work of Watoto in Uganda through my friends Wayne and Tarah Thomas. Watoto (the Swahili word for children) is a holistic care program founded by Gary and Marilyn Skinner as a response to the overwhelming number of abandoned and vulnerable children and women in Uganda — those whose lives have been ravaged by war and disease. Watoto’s Restore Tour is a dramatic, musical, and visual presentation by a cast of survivors — boys who were abducted and turned into child soldiers and girls who suffered abuses at the hands of the LRA. These were not actors performing a musical. These were survivors telling their own stories — captives set free.

The personal testimonies of the cast members are seamlessly woven into Watoto’s powerful presentation. The most dramatic part of the evening was when several of the cast members stood to their feet, one by one, and said that they have forgiven those who abused them and their families. One young man said that he has forgiven the soldiers who cut off his mother’s arms and cut her throat in front of him. Another said that he has forgiven Joseph Kony. And, one young man said that he has forgiven his abductors but also needs forgiveness for the things that he did to others as a child soldier.

A celebration of forgiveness and restoration.

It was hard to hold back the tears and to suppress the conviction. As I listened to the testimonies of these young men and women, I asked myself several questions. How can we hold grudges, harbor bitterness and resentment, and hate others in the face of such examples? If a young man can forgive those who killed his mother, then how can we do anything less for those whose offenses against us pale by comparison? One young lady shared some African wisdom from her village. “When a snake bites you,” she said, “you do not run after the snake. Instead you deal with the venom in your own body.” Wise words! Watoto did not come to entertain us, but to remind us of the transforming power of God’s love and forgiveness. The evening ended with a celebration of forgiveness and restoration. To learn more about the ministry of Watoto or the Restore Tour, please visit their website. This is a ministry worthy of our prayers and support.

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Posted in Current Events, Devotional Thoughts

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | October 2, 2010

The Nations Are Here

The nations have come to Houston. From our manicured suburban neighborhoods to the densely populated multi-housing communities throughout Houston, the nations are here. And, they are here to stay. My neighbors are Nigerian, the manager of the convenience store down the street is Bangladeshi, the check-out lady at the office supply store is Pakistani, and the owners of the donut store near the church are Cambodian. My friend and Kingsland member Margie Randal ministers to refugees who live at the St. Cloud Apartments near Highway 59 and Bissonnet. Margie has made meaningful connections with families from Bhutan Nepal, Myanmar, India, and several Central American countries. She loves and cares deeply for these families and works tirelessly to share and to show God’s love to them in practical ways. And, the people who call St. Cloud home love Margie.

This morning, the Connections Adult Bible Fellowship met on the church parking lot at 7:00 AM to travel to the St. Cloud Apartments to bless the refugee families who live there. Earlier this week Fred and Holloway, two Kinglsand members, installed play equipment in one of the courtyards at the complex. This morning, the folks from Connections added a border around the play area and filled it with several inches of kiddie mulch. As we worked, children from several countries watched with anticipation and one father from Myanmar picked up a sledge hammer to help us secure the border timbers. As soon as we were done, mothers wearing their native dress brought their kids to the playground, filling the courtyard with laughter and the joyful sounds of kids at play.

While some of the Connections ABF folks worked on the playground, the others assembled new furniture for the apartment that Margie uses to teach ESL, hold Bible study classes, and from which she distributes food and clothing. I had the opportunity to share the story of Jesus with one man from Colombia who only speaks Spanish. He and his family have been here for a couple of weeks. He has all of his documents to start working and is eager to learn English. He has already met Margie and had nothing but great things to say about how she has encouraged and helped his family. The man and his family have no furniture, so Margie asked us to give him a sofa and bed that someone had recently donated and some food to help them make it through the coming week. This sweet family could not stop saying thank you and asked us to take a photo with them. “I am going to send this photo to our family to assure them that we are fine,” the dad said, “and to tell them that American Christians have helped us.”

I am grateful for Margie and all that she is doing to love and care for the peoples of the world who have relocated to Houston. Our big city can be a frightening place to people who have come here from small villages and rural communities – people who are struggling to make a new start in a strange place. Folks like that need friends like Margie. And, I am also thankful for the young couple at Kingsland who provided the funding for the playground and furniture and for the people of Kingsland who serve the people of our community week after week. It was great to see our folks serving among the nations today at the St. Cloud Apartments.

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Posted in Local Missions Initiatives

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 30, 2010

My Dad and Mr. Miyagi

Looking back on my childhood, I am grateful for my Dad and the lessons he taught me about the practical aspects of life and work. My Dad was an independent insurance agent, sold real estate, and also started a small business. In the summer of my seventh-grade year, my Dad wanted me to learn how much work it took to make a dollar. Of course, a dollar was worth a lot more in those days. So, Dad ordered a door-to-door sales kit for me. He coached me on how to greet and talk to people about my product and then sent me on my way.

Dressed in my Sunday best, I started knocking on doors — pitching the benefits of owning a personalized welcome mat! Every day I ventured a little farther from home, pounding the hot South Texas pavement in my penny-loafers. After a few weeks I sat down with Dad and told him that I had spoken to lots of folks but had only sold one welcome mat. I sure didn’t feel like a successful salesman, but Dad thought otherwise. Just as Mr. Miyagi explained the wax-on/wax-off exercise to the karate kid, my Dad helped me to understand the purpose of knocking on doors and the value of engaging people in conversation.

Over the next years, Dad continued to teach me practical lessons about responsibility. He encouraged me to mow lawns to earn the money to go to summer camps. With the exception of one Boy Scout camp, I earned the money to pay for every camp I attended. And, because I understood how hard I had worked to get to camp, I was careful about how I used the few discretionary snack-food bucks I had in my pocket.

Dad made it clear more than once that if I wanted something, then I should work to get it and not expect others to give it to me. Any attitudes of entitlement were not tolerated in our home. And, on those occasions when someone did something nice for me or gave me a gift, I learned the importance of writing thank you notes and acknowledging the kindness of others. I had an adventurous and enjoyable childhood and am living proof that hard work won’t kill a kid.

A few years ago I read an article written by Charles J. Sykes, the author of the book “Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why American Children Feel Good About Themselves But Can’t Read, Write or Add.” The article first appeared as an op-ed piece in the September 19, 1996 issue of the San Diego Union-Tribune. When I read it, I smiled as I thought back to a lot of the things my Dad had taught me when I was a kid. Sykes’ list is relevant for any generation. I offer it here for your consideration.

1. Life is not fair. Get used to it.

2. The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

3. You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school.

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping … they called it “opportunity”.

6. If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.

7. Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents’ generation, try organizing the closet in your own room.

8. Your school may have done away with “winners” and “losers,” but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades, and they’ll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get Summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

10. Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

11. Be nice to “nerds.” Chances are you’ll end up working for one.

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 27, 2010

The Amazing Race

It should come as no surprise that I enjoy watching The Amazing Race — the television reality show in which teams of two people race around the world in an effort to win one-million dollars. As the teams travel from place to place, they must complete a series of challenges based upon activities associated with the particular country they are in. Teams are given an x-amount of money for each leg of the race and must navigate using clues that are sometimes cryptic. The teams are generally on equal-footing in that they usually have little or no previous travel experience. That alone makes the race amazing and challenging for some contestants. And, as with other reality programs, each season has its heroes, folks who make us laugh, people we love to hate, under-dogs and dark horses. This season is no exception.

As someone who enjoys travel and being among the peoples of the world, this is must-see television for me. I stopped watching the Travel Channel years ago when their programming shifted from the good Lonely Planet-type of programs to Las Vegas and more Las Vegas and still more Las Vegas-type of programming. When I am not traveling, I like watching programs about travel, the history of places, what life is like for peoples of the world, and anything that can give me a little more insight into the nations. And, I enjoy seeing unseasoned travelers experience the nations for the first time. A few seasons ago one contestant who was deaf wept when traveling through an impoverished country. He had never seen that kind of poverty. And, on the other end of the spectrum, Sunday night’s episode gave us some memorable moments. One contestant remarked: “This is the first time I’ve ever even heard of Stonehenge and then I found out it was a bunch of rocks.” And, at the end of the program when she and her team-mate checked in to the pit stop, Phil, the host, asked: “What country are we in?” Vicki thought for a moment and replied, “We’re in London, Phil.” With tongue in check, Phil replied, “That’s right, the country of London.”

You may or may not be a fan of The Amazing Race. If you have never watched it, I encourage you to tune in to at least one episode. Here are a few of the reasons why I enjoy watching The Amazing Race.

A = Awareness | One of the good things about the race is that it creates much-needed awareness of the fact that there are many fantastic places on the planet. And, each episode introduces viewers to the fascinating people who live in those places and offers a brief glimpse of what life is like for them.

M = Maps | Every episode features a brief look at a map to show the route teams must travel to get from one place to the other. In a day when many people are geographically-challenged, it’s good to look at a map, even if for a moment, to get some basic orientation to where countries fit in the global jigsaw puzzle. And, team members must often rely on maps to navigate from one challenge to the next. It’s good for people to interact with maps.

A = Amusing | The Amazing Race certainly has its share of amusing moments as contestants try to accomplish tasks that generally come easy to the locals. Things are not always as easy to do as it seems. I have tried doing some of the things that people in the places I visit do only to stumble or fail miserably enough to amuse the locals. Laughing at ourselves is not a bad thing.

Z = Zestful | Okay, it’s not easy coming up with a word that begins with the letter “Z” but I like the word “zestful” because it means “characterized by hearty enjoyment.” When I watch The Amazing Race, I especially enjoy the teams that appreciate and heartily enjoy the peoples and embrace the cultures of the places they visit. The Amazing Race is a refreshing balance to the many ugly things about people and places that are so often reported in the evening news.

I = Informative | The Amazing Race often takes teams to World Heritage Sites and offers a brief description of each site or particular location. For those who are even remotely curious about places they have never visited, each episode offers just enough information to pique interest in doing a Google search in order to learn more about those places.

N = Negotiation | Contestants on The Amazing Race must learn to negotiate or bargain with other teams and with locals in order to stay in the race. Whether forming temporary alliances with other teams or bargaining with cab drivers to get them to their next location ahead of the others, the art of negotiation is important. It’s fun to watch but also a reminder that it’s often hard to get around in other places without the help and cooperation of locals.

G = Go | I am reminded of why I love to go to the nations every time I watch The Amazing Race. Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness — all foes to real understanding. Likewise, tolerance, or broad, wholesome charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in our little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” I know that not everyone can travel to the exotic locations featured on shows like The Amazing Race. However, through travel programs like The Amazing Race, we can allow God to open our eyes to the beauty of our world and to the wonderful people who call our planet home.

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 23, 2010

Remembering Names

In November 2008, I posted some thoughts concerning a devotional time our team had enjoyed in Kurdistan while working with Heather Mercer. Heather shared some practical advice that one of her mentors had shared with her about how to connect with other people throughout each day. First, look into the eyes of others and notice the color of their eyes. Second, remember the names of those you meet. And finally, make people smile. Of course, this is easier said than done. We are often in such a hurry that we never slow down enough to look at anybody in the eyes or to remember names or to do or say something that might make them smile.

One thing that most people struggle with is remembering names. And yet, remembering names is one of the best ways to connect with people. Dale Carnegie, the author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” said that “a person’s name is the sweetest, most important sound in any language.” The writer of Proverbs (22:1) said, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Remembering names is the first step in building a relationship and a simple way to show people that we think highly of them and that they are important to us.

Do you remember a name after hearing it only one time? When we forget the name of a person we usually do one of two things (both of which are poor options). First, because we are too embarrassed to admit we cannot remember another person’s name, we pretend to know their name (and pray we do not get caught!). Second, we ignore the person and talk with someone we know. One reason we forget is that we really never hear the person’s name. Another reason we forget is that we often are thinking about other things while we are being introduced. However, remembering names can be as easy as 1 … 2 … 3 …

1. Use your EARS
• Give the person your undivided attention.
• Ask the person to repeat his/her name if you did not hear it clearly.
• If necessary, ask the person to spell his/her name.

2. Use Your MOUTH
Use the person’s name several times through the process of introduction, conversation, and termination. Instead of “Hi” or “Hello, nice to meet you,” say, “Hi, Don,” or “Hello, Mary, nice to meet you.” Use the person’s name in conversation and when parting: “See you again, Don.”

3. Use Your EYES
Find a link between a person’s name and his/her face or features. The acrostic N.A.M.E. can help you remember four categories of association…

• N = Notable | Does the individual have the same name as a famous person or someone you know? (Example: Mr. Carter, Mrs. Reagan, Mr. Bush)

• A = Appearance | Can you associate the person’s name with his/her appearance? (Example: A “hairy” person named Harry or Mr. White with “white” hair or a tall person named Mrs. Long.)

• M = Meaning | Does the person’s name have a particular meaning that can assist you in remembering? (Example: Mr. King or Ms. Fisher or Forrest)

• E = Employment | Does the person’s name imply some kind of employment? (Example: Taylor, Smith, Baker, Plummer, Butcher, Mason)

Although using these techniques can increase your ability to recall names, you will still have occasions when you just can’t remember the name of someone you previously met. When that happens, you have a couple of options. First, greet them warmly and then try to find out their name from a friend or guest list. Second, just admit that you can’t remember their name — “It’s great to see you again, but your name has slipped my mind.” Because we all forget names from time to time, most folks are very understanding and forgiving when we forget. But, make it a point to fix their name in your memory so that you can remember it the next time you see them. One thing I try to do when I encounter people I have not seen in a while is to be proactive, “Hi, I’m Omar, we met a while back at …” Generally when I do this, folks are very good about providing their name in return. But, whatever you do, make an intentional effort to remember the names of those you meet. It’s a great way to affirm others.

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Posted in Devotional Thoughts

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 18, 2010

Champions for Justice

Runners at the starting line.

A few months ago, Kingsland’s Justice Ministry Team discussed ways to raise awareness about human trafficking in our own community and beyond. We currently support justice initiatives on three continents and have started addressing trafficking issues in our own community. When we learned that September 18 was the start of Human Trafficking Awareness Week in Houston, we prayed about how we might help educate our own community about this issue. Kelly Isenberger, one of the runners on our team, suggested hosting a community run and family walk. The rest is history. Kelly coordinated and mobilized dozens of volunteers to make our Just Run for a Just Cause a reality. Starting at 5:00 AM today, our volunteers met at the church to prepare for our race and walk. Today, months of careful planning came together as we welcomed more than four-hundred runners and walkers to our campus.

In the previous weeks, hundreds of people who received information about the race and walk visited our justice blog to learn more about human trafficking. And, both the Houston Chronicle and Katy Times newspapers featured articles about our Just Run for a Just Cause. Discovering that victims of human trafficking work in spas and cantinas not far from our own comfortable neighborhoods and crepe-myrtle-lined boulevards was a shocking revelation to many. Many people have asked what they can do to help. After I recently spoke to a group of women about human trafficking, one sweet lady wrote…

Pastor, I’ve got to be honest here. I am not sufficiently fearless in the Lord to venture into those dark places run by Satan’s foot soldiers yet. I wish I were. I’m just not. But I have come to the conclusion that I must do all that I’m able, and I am capable of praying for the teams and these captive women. I can help fill gift bags for these women, and I can certainly write encouraging notes to them.  Do you still need that done?
 
I love it when people are willing to take ownership of an issue and do something to help. This lady has committed to pray for our teams that connect with women in prostitution. Her involvement matters and will make a difference. Today, four-hundred-plus people from throughout the Katy community got involved in our 5k run and 1 mile family walk to benefit local justice initiatives. And, each of these individuals and those in their respective spheres of influence learned about a terrible injustice that takes place in our own community to the red light districts of South Asia. In the coming week we will complete the refurbishing and furnishing of a local safe house for girls rescued from prostitution — just in time to provide a secure place for a young lady who left that dark world this past week. Others will follow in the coming weeks. We are able to do this because people who care are willing to pray, give, and to get involved in the things that break God’s heart.

I am grateful for Kelly and each of our Justice Ministry Team members who worked so hard to make today’s Just Run for a Just Cause a success. And I am thankful for each runner and walker and for the representatives of local justice organizations who were in attendance today. It will be exciting to see how God may lead many of these folks to get involved and make a difference in the coming months. Those who traffic young ladies to our community are in for a fight. We will continue to raise awareness, to act on behalf of the oppressed, to speak for those who have no voice, and to raise more champions for justice.

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Posted in Justice

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 14, 2010

One Out of 27 Million

Statistics can easily anesthetize us to the painful realities experienced by the individual people who make up those statistics. It is one thing to hear that there are 27 million people in the world today who are held as slaves, but it’s another thing to know the story of one of those slaves. While statistics touch our heads, individual stories touch our hearts. Charts and graphs can give us insight into the magnitude of a problem, but a personal story can compel us to become a part of the solution to that problem. Millions of those held as slaves are forced to work in brothels — from our own community to the red light districts of South Asia. Millions of others are forced to work as laborers and are treated as a disposable commodity by their oppressors. This week I received e-mail from some champions of justice who rescued more than a dozen girls from a brothel and arrested several of their oppressors. Having met and learned the personal stories of so many girls and young women who reside in the aftercare homes we support on three continents, news like this encourages me. These are real human beings who have experienced unimaginable abuse and pain. Here is the story of just one of the twenty-seven million human beings who became ensnared in the world of slavery.

Ruhi grew up in a remote village in Nepal in the shadows of the Himalayas. She lived with her grandmother because she did not have a good relationship with her father or brothers. As with many poor families in South Asia, Ruhi felt the pressure to help support herself and her grandmother. So, when someone offered her work in India, she jumped at the opportunity for employment so that she could send money home to her grandmother. She traveled to India where she worked as a household maid for a while. However, within a short period, Ruhi’s employer sold her to an individual who raped her, robbed her of her dignity, and forced her to work in a well-known red-light district. For the next three years Ruhi was moved from brothel to brothel where she was repeatedly raped for profit.

Like girls trafficked from other countries, Ruhi was at a disadvantage. She did not speak or read Hindi nor was she familiar with the area where she had been forced to work. She spent her days servicing clients in brothels from which she could not escape. Finally, after three long years and through the efforts of some champions of justice, Ruhi was rescued and placed in one of the aftercare homes that we support. Initially confused and fearful that her rescuers might be people who were taking her to yet another brothel, she eventually formed a bond with the counselors and staff at the home.  It did not take long for the staff to see that Ruhi was a very determined girl with an insatiable appetite for learning. Ruhi soon started writing articles for the in-house newsletter published by the aftercare home. She also participated in programs outside the home to share her story with others and to help raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking.

This summer, Ruhi was repatriated back to Nepal. Our friends who champion justice placed her in an aftercare home in Nepal where she continues to receive the help she needs to heal from her past and to move toward a brighter future. Ruhi is enrolled in school and continues to excel in her studies. She hopes to become a social worker one day and to be an advocate for girls who are kidnapped, trafficked, and forced to work in brothels. Ruhi continues to build on the skills she was taught in our aftercare home and to heal and grow in an atmosphere of Christian love and values. Please pray that Ruhi will grow to realize her full potential in Christ. She is one of the fortunate individuals out of twenty-seven million whose story has a happy ending.

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Posted in Justice

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 9, 2010

The Beauty of Jesus

Thanks to each of you who read my blog post entitled “Isn’t Jesus Enough?” (07 Sept. 10) and expressed your views on attractional initiatives gone awry. Hundreds of you have read this post over the past couple of days. Some of you have weighed in on the discussion by leaving a comment, others by sending me email, and others by stopping by my office to chat. I especially appreciate clarity from some good friends at one church. They explained that their church used pies as a way to encourage attenders to express Mayberry-type hospitality to their friends and neighbors. The intent of their initiative was not to attract attenders but to encourage attenders to connect with people outside the church. I appreciate the clarification and their efforts to get their folks to take intentional steps in making meaningful connections with others.

I wrote this particular blog because we need to have healthy dialogue about the methods we use in our efforts to share the message about Jesus. Unfortunately, we have too many things at our disposal with which to obscure the beauty of Jesus. And, it’s easy to give in to the temptation to think that Jesus isn’t enough and that we must use lesser things to attract people to Him. I heard a story about a little boy who complained to his mother that the family dog did not like him and always refused to play with him. So, the mother found a solution — she tied a pork chop around her son’s neck. And, for the first time, the dog played with the boy … at least for a while. But once the pork chop was gone, so was the dog! We must be careful that we do not employ similar methods in our efforts to attract people to Jesus.

I also wrote the blog because of absurd, albeit sincere, methodologies that prostitute the gospel in the brothel of popularity. Some are so afraid of making others uncomfortable that they emasculate and tame the gospel so that people will like it. We don’t need to hang a pork chop around the gospel nor should we apologize for it. It is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). What message are we sending to a lost world when we offer everything from tickets to sporting events to drawings for high-definition televisions in our efforts to get people to walk in the door? And, does the end justify the means? Hence, the title of my blog: Isn’t Jesus Enough?

My travels take me to some of the most difficult and dangerous places on the planet. I am convicted every time I travel to these places and meet believers there who have nothing but Jesus to offer others. He is the only attraction. And, because these believers have nothing with which to obscure Jesus, those seeking answers can see Him clearly. He is not hidden beneath hype nor gimmicks. That’s important because when the people in these places accept Him they do so knowing that they might suffer persecution as a result. I don’t know of anyone who is willing to die for a high-definition television but I have met many in my travels who are willing to die for Jesus.

So, thanks again to each of you who read my post. I hope that my words caused you to think deeply about the beauty of Jesus and to ask hard questions about the sanity of the methods we employ to share Him with others. May we never obscure His beauty and splendor with things that moths can eat and rust can corrupt. Jesus is beautiful and He is indeed enough!

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Posted in Missions Musings, Reflections on Jesus

Posted by: Omar C. Garcia | September 9, 2010

Embrace God’s Passion

Sometime in 2002, National Public Radio featured an interview with a Chinese woman named Xinran. For eight years, Xinran hosted a radio program for women called Words on the Night Breeze. Xinran invited women to call in and talk about themselves and the struggles they faced as women in modern China. Although terrified to call in and speak openly about their feelings, women did so anyway. Xinran won their trust by being a compassionate listener and protecting their anonymity. She gave these women a voice. Xinran later authored a book entitled “The Good Women of China” in which she featured several of the most moving stories that her listeners had shared with her over the years. I purchased her book in January 2004 at the Dubai Airport and read it on my flight home. I could not put it down and had to fight back tears more than once. Xinran’s book was the first book I read that opened my eyes to the injustices and struggles faced by women in other countries.

Since that time I have read several other books about the injustices suffered by women in the world today. One of the books that angered me most is entitled “In the Name of Honor” — a memoir by a Muslim woman named Mukhtar Mai. This 32-year-old Pakistani peasant was sentenced by her village tribal council to be gang-raped for a crime that her brother allegedly committed. However, instead of committing suicide or disappearing after her horrific experience, she sought justice. Her case was eventually heard by the supreme court of Pakistan. She won her case and was awarded damages which she used to start a school for girls. This brave woman helped to make the world aware of the abuse that many Muslim women experience today.

Yesterday, I received e-mail from a dear friend who specializes in Islamic and Middle East issues. She sent me a video of a 17-year old Kurdish girl who was stoned to death because she fell in love with a Sunni Muslim boy. After much hesitation, I breathed a quick prayer and viewed the video. I was horrified by what I saw. I don’t have adequate words to describe the scene. As a frenzied mob of men pelted this petite little girl, others were taking photographs with their camera phones. I watched until this helpless woman lay unconscious and then was killed by one final and violent blow to her head. As the blood flowed from her head, another man walked over and covered her partially exposed body. Her murderers committed this crime with apparent impunity.

It’s difficult for us to comprehend the injustices and challenges experienced by women in other countries: abuse at the hands of family members or misogynistic spouses, lack of educational opportunities, physical complications or death as a result of pregnancies, and more. One of the most terrible injustices against young girls and women in the world today is human trafficking — being sold or kidnapped and forced to work in brothels. These girls are forcibly held against their will and raped for profit as many as twenty or more times a day. They are trapped in a dark and evil hell on earth with no apparent way out. But, these heinous things do not just happen in other countries, they are happening in our own community. According to the Department of Justice, between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the Unites States every year. A 2004 report estimated that one quarter of all trafficking victims to the United States end up in Texas. An estimated seventy-percent of these end up working in the sex trade — against their will. Many of these women work in spas and cantinas in Houston as sex and labor slaves.

Last week, Julie Waters, Director of Free the Captives, told a Kingsland student assembly that the average age of a girl entering prostitution is 12 years-old. Many of the girls trapped in local spas and cantinas are runaways who were solicited by pimps within forty-eight hours of running away from home. Julie, an attorney who represents victims of sex trafficking, said that pimps use extreme violence to punish these girls and keep them submissive. Every night, while we sleep in our comfortable and safe homes, hundreds of young girls in our community are living in a nightmare.

Our missions ministry is already involved in addressing sex trafficking issues in South Asia, Africa, and Central America. However, in recent months, we have taken intentional steps to address this issue in our own community. We are assisting two local after-care homes for girls rescued from local brothels. Currently, we are helping Redeemed Ministries to refurbish and furnish their first after-care home. We are also engaged in initiatives to connect with the girls trapped behind locked doors in local spas. On Saturday, September 18, we are hosting our first annual Just Run for a Just Cause to help raise awareness about human trafficking in our own community.

We are motivated to do something about the issue of human trafficking because the plight of the oppressed is something that breaks God’s heart. In Isaiah 58:6-8, we read: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.” May we embrace God’s passion for those who are lost, oppressed, and suffering and allow Him to use us for His glory.

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