Just Love St Andrews

Just Love St Andrews is a group of Christian students aiming to relentlessly pursue God's heart for social justice, in our world and community. Our vision is to create a community where Christians can grow together in God's grace and truth for our lives, loving those around us and better participating in God's redemptive action in the world. 

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Summer stories from L'Arche, Scotland

In the weak we Behold Our Beloved We live in a society that is obsessed with power and instant gratification. It is very easy to see the horrible results of this in the exploitative relationships we often encounter, be they economic or sexual. Indeed many people who have lots of money are in reality quite impoverished by their deep need for love which remains unfilled in spite of the sad and empty promises of promiscuity. However the Gospel of Jesus continues to offer hope. One community where this hope can be in encountered is called L’arche. Founded in the 1960’s by Jean Vanier, it is a movement that seeks to provide a place for people both with and without learning disabilities to live alongside one another. Far from being a sterile institution, it is a home of warm welcome. In the daily tasks of chopping the potatoes, cooking tea and washing up afterwards, people truly meet one another. Indeed, often the core members (the people in the community with learning disabilities) have a very profound and simply trust in Jesus and through them the assistants and carers are also quietly drawn into this trust. In the face of human brokenness L’arche represents a little rebellion of love. It offers very little in the way of grandeur or self-promotion. Instead of this it provides a chance for a person to draw alongside the weak and share their weakness in an act of hidden solidarity. L’arche now has hundreds of communities all over the world and two in Scotland.

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Summer stories feat. Dave Morris

I spent four weeks this summer knocking on doors in Ilford in East London and trying to start conversations around the issues of housing and homelessness in the area. This wasn’t just for kicks. I was working for the Salvation Army in Ilford as part of an internship with the Centre for Theology and Community. This involved trialling some new models of community organising in the area which meant doing some work going door to door to talk about Project Malachi, a pop-up hostel for Ilford. (www.popuphostel.org) A source of inspiration for me while I was doing this work was the commitment of the community organisers working around the Civil Rights Movement in the United States of America in the 1960s. While doing some reading around the topic, among countless other inspiring stories, I found the following anecdote about Bob Moses who was an organiser in Mississippi at that time: “Bob Moses was once asked how or organize a town: ‘By bouncing a ball,’ he answered quietly. ‘What?’ ‘You stand on a street and bounce a ball. Soon all the children come around. You keep on bouncing the ball. Before long, it runs under someone’s porch and then you meet the adults.’” Another organiser in the area described this as “slow work, respectful work”. I am not a patient person and so the idea of the long-haul, slow burning work of building deep relationship with people and communities before addressing the issues the community faces is challenging to me. Through the work I have done and stories like this I have seen that it is not only central but necessary to sustainable community building. One of the beauties of the work of Community Organising is the way in which a concern over common issues unites people from a diverse spectrum of theologies and philosophies. All of these viewpoints have permission to articulate themselves in their own language. I am a Christian and so the language of Incarnation is a helpful way of reflecting on this topic for me. The book of John which is found in the Christian New Testament describes the way in which God becomes human and ‘dwells’ among the people. The word ‘dwell’ sounds very high and mighty in this context but in reality the word literally translates as God pitching a tent among the people and “moving into the neighbourhood”. The way God brings about change in both individuals and in society is not in a booming decree from on high but by moving in next door and developing relationship with us. I don’t know if the conversations I had in the time I was in Ilford will have made any real change to that community in the long term. I can, however, hope that the work I did and the relationships I began to develop will become part of the ongoing partnership building in the area for the common good. I have come away from this summer with a deep feeling of frustration that I have not been able to put my own roots deeper into Ilford, a community where there is hunger for change and inspiring work already being done. My hope is that I will take this frustration and use it to invest deeply in the places I find myself now and to make my first priority the building of deep relationship rather than the pushing of an agenda of issues I have deemed to be important. So how do we organise our communities? With commitment to long term relationship building and with humility. Big ideology struggles to make a difference to the everyday reality of life for people. What makes a difference is the bouncing of balls and the pitching of tents.

[justlovestandrews]

Summer stories feat. Danielle and Bethany

This summer, whilst in Colombia, we visited Iglesia Misionera Fuente de Vida Eterna, the church where Neebs worked in her gap year. Originally just one church in a community in the ‘invasion’ of Bogotá, the church has grown with the city with now 2 church plants further up the mountain. The newest church plant is in a place called Guavel and has already outgrown the small building they have there. Not only is it a church but also a ‘comedor’ which serves the children of the community whilst they’re not at school.

The Saturday group already has over 100 children, which in a very small building is difficult to run, especially when it’s raining. Construction however has already started on a bigger building which is very exciting!

More and more families are getting to know Christ and the community is being served more and more by the church. However, unfortunately Compassion has pulled out of sponsoring children in urban areas in Colombia so only about half of the children that attend the ‘comedor’ are sponsored through other organisations. But despite this, it’s incredible to see such a Christ-like attitude of selflessness from the pastors who portrait God’s love in a community that isn’t always easy to live in and see how God’s provision is unchanging on the other side of the world.

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Summer Stories feat. Freddie Barker

This summer I was fortunate enough to spend two months in Thailand serving with OMF. Before going I was skeptical of the effectiveness of short-term mission and anxious about entering a totally foreign environment. It even looked as though blood checks, finance and vaccinations would prevent me serving at all. Yet, God revealed his faithfulness and control throughout. During orientation it was often said the only certainty about my trip was that of uncertainty. This meant flexibility, an open-mind and a dependence on God quickly became the cornerstones to daily life. I got involved in a variety of activities.

I taught English in schools in central Thailand, I coached and played football alongside locals in the south, I helped church planting and urban poor teams in Bangkok, I made videos for a new Thai language school and lots in between. Despite no training as a teacher, coach or videographer, the language barrier and my brokenness God graciously used my time there for His glory. When I played football with Thai children, when I was given opportunity to share my testimony in assemblies, when I was awake all night chatting on a rickety, second class sleeper train and even when a wrinkled, English speaking Thai man happened to sit next to me in a hospital waiting room; I saw God powerfully at work. The continued enthusiasm, reverence and hope of a wonderful Kiwi couple, who had been in the field since 1974, further displayed God’s providence. God does not need us to usher in His kingdom, but the beautiful truth is; He freely blesses us to serve!

[justlovestandrews]

“Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development. It imposes large-scale cost on families, communities, and economies. The world cannot afford to pay this price.” – Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General

We live in a world in which violence against women is manifested in a horrifying variation of ways: including physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence, verbal abuse, and neglect. In 1993, the UN General Assembly Declaration on The Elimination of Violence against Women provided a framework for action, yet, more than twenty years on, one in three women still experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. Globally, 4.5 million people are victims of forced sexual exploitation (98% of which are women or girls), and at least 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone female genital mutilation in 30 countries, with this happening before the age of five in the majority of cases.

It can be easy to view these statistics as distant, impersonal perhaps, but the fact is that we are surrounded by these issues and their implications, even if we might not always realise it. Whilst the often idyllic St Andrews bubble might feel like the safest place on earth, it is certainly not untouched by violence. And where we may see a number, a statistic, God sees us individually as unique human beings, intrinsically loved and valued by him. We trust in a God who is bigger than our insecurities, and infinitely more powerful than the injustices of this world. He is a God who cares intimately about the pain of each person on this earth, and who shares in our suffering.

When we choose to look at how God views us as women, we see a stark contrast between this and the labels often forced on us by society. The society we are a part of tells us, sometimes inadvertently and sometimes intentionally, that we’re not good enough. We’re constantly told that we need to be better – not kinder, more loving, or more generous, but prettier, thinner and more feminine. God, however, has always seen women and girls as his children, made in his image (Genesis 1:27), and holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12). An encouraged lack of self-worth is perhaps a contributing factor towards high records of violence against women. If women view themselves negatively, then they will be unlikely to speak out about violence when they see or experience it.

In order to combat a culture in which violence against women is so often hidden, or even accepted, we need to stand up and speak out against injustice when we see it. The stigma of shame needs to be eradicated if we are to work towards a society in which women are protected and valued as equal to men. It is important that we lift one another up rather than tear one another down, because to God, we are more than enough. Any attack against women’s rights is an attack against human rights, and so both men and women should stand together in order to bring about positive change.

Zoë and Jo

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The Unashamed Campaign

We carry our keys like a weapon at night.

We live in a culture that endorses shame and guilt rather than trust and love. Questions are asked about what was worn and how many drinks were had rather than why someone would act that way.

We are part of this culture, but we can change it.

One in three women have experienced unwanted sexual attention whilst at university. It is happening here in St. Andrews and on every other university campus in the UK. It is happening around us every single day and we have most likely witnessed it ourselves. In this culture of indifference, we must make a stand. Denying and ignoring the problem will only make it worse, we have a real opportunity to initiate change and we must act.

The Unashamed Campaign aims to inspire Christian students to confront violence against women. We want to raise awareness, challenge culture and celebrate positive stories. To do this we need people to make a stand, to confront their peers and challenge their own actions. Changing attitudes of victim-blaming and shame has to be confronted at the core, why do people feel and act this way? There is an endemic of unreported sexual violence that is ignored by those in power and mocked by those who believe it does not happen.

For many women gender-based violence is a very real and prevalent threat, a threat which is encouraged by mainstream attitudes and culture. A society in which women are valued less, seen as objects to desire and own. Young girls are taught to base their self-worth on other people, on comments shouted by men in the street, on unattainable photo-shopped adverts, on the reality that women are worth less.

This has to change. We want to empower people to be that change, to fight for the idea that women are worthy of love and respect.

This week Just Love is holding Zessions, an event discussing the issue of violence against women on a global, local and university level, collaborating with a number of different societies.

Check out our Facebook event for more details.

“Violence against women” is any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. (United Nations)

Emily Sheriff

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Today at our Drop-In we looked at the Lord's Prayer in relation to social justice issues, discussed climate and wrote letters to our local politicians about it. It's so cool to hear from so many passionate people and to be inspired to live a life like Christ's! Join us next week for another Drop-In! Also, on Sunday night join us to hear from a local Lib Dem councillor Elizabeth Riches on why Christians should care about politics #justlove #socialjustice #movingintoaction #climatechange #prayer #letters #makingchanges

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No Friends but the Mountains

The Kurdish people are the largest ethnic group in the world without a homeland. Divided between Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq, they are thought to number about 25 million people, yet this is disputed as each nation refuses to recognise them officially.

“The Kurds have no friends but the mountains” is a Kurdish saying which, when understood, weighs heavy on the beholder.

I knew nothing of the plight of the Kurdish people until I ended up in Iraqi Kurdistan. Words such as “genocide” and “holocaust” were mentioned, but it took a while for them to really sink in and form any sort of meaning in my mind. Historically it is complicated, but I believe it to be of great importance for us to learn and care about the Kurdish people. Most of all I hope that those who profess to follow Jesus Christ may rise up and pray for the Kurds and the Middle East.

Claiming to descend from the Medes of the Old Testament, the Kurds have been a persecuted people throughout time. During the First World War the British and French divided up the former Ottoman Empire in the Sykes-Picot Agreement, drawing the borders of what is now known as the Middle East. Having been promised their own territory, the Kurds were forgotten, and have been fighting to gain autonomy ever since, with little success.

Few people know about the genocide that unfolded against the Kurds of Iraq in the 1980/90s under Saddam Hussein. Despite British parliament recognising the genocide, the government has not done so due to awkward liability issues over them funding Saddam at the time. [1]

The Red House, once the northern base of Saddam’s intelligence service, tells of the atrocities committed by his government towards the Kurds. There the genocide memorial beautifully represents the forgotten story: a corridor lined by 182,000 pieces of broken mirror, lit by 4,500 small lights. Each shard represents a life taken during the three years of the Anfal campaign, and each light represents a village destroyed during the attempted ethnic cleansing. In total, Human Rights Watch estimates that about a million Kurds were killed within a decade of Saddam’s reign. [2]

Our guide around the complex remembered being four years old and fleeing his home to walk to Iran in an exodus of three million Kurds, to escape the genocide. A quote on the wall read, “the exodus was my nation’s loud shout against the disgraceful silence of the world.” These chilling words capture the sad reality that the Kurdish people have been ignored time and time again.

By worldly standards, the Kurds have been forgotten. However, they are not forgotten, nor overlooked, betrayed, nor dismayed by God. Psalm 121 reads:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills –

From where will my help come?

My Help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.”

The character of God negates the Kurdish saying that the mountains are their only friends: God is their friend and their protector. He, not the mountains, is their firm foundation and place to run to in time of need.

Join me in praying that the Kurds may know this, and find safety in Him. That they may know the love of God, and seek refuge in Him.

For more information on the Kurds:

Book: Invisible Nation, Quil Lawrence

Documentary: Better Friends than Mountains - https://vimeo.com/120108506

[1] http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/04/iraq-kurds-press-states-recognise-genocide-anfal-201441371637191288.html

[2] https://www.hrw.org/reports/1993/iraqanfal/ANFALINT.htm

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Living Humbly = Living Justly

Humility is talked about many times in the Bible:

We are called to be “gentle and humble in heart” (Matt 11:29), to think of ourselves “with sober judgement” (Rom 12:3), we are told that “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble” (Jam 4:6) and that “everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Prov 16:5).

Robertson McQuilkin in his book Biblical Ethics says: “Notice that the essence of pride is a distorted view of self, leading to unwarranted self-confidence that, in turn, propels a dependent being into a disastrous attempt at independence.”

This has been one of the biggest challenges for me in my walk with God and still is a daily challenge.

This summer I have been in Colorado at a training programme and one evening we received teaching on this very topic. As I sat there, I thought to myself ‘I am quite a humble person- I don’t struggle too much with this’….but one line from the teaching that stood out was: Pride is like having bad breath: you are the last one who realises that you’ve got it.

Maybe you are sitting there reading this and thinking the same as I was…maybe try answer these questions?

Do you think your way is always best? Are you vulnerable with others? Is it hard for you to ask for forgiveness? Do you listen well or do you have more answers than questions? Do you serve only when it makes you look good? Are you envious of others’ status, possessions and abilities? Do you seek to spend time with those who are popular and make you feel good, rather than the ‘little guy’ everyone ignores? How often do you dwell on your own problems and pains? Are you forever crying over your troubles, but never your transgressions? Do you compare and compete? When you hear of other people’s sins, do you think that is much worse than anything I have done?

As I asked myself these questions, I realised that my heart was full of pride!! The humble believer is the one who thinks mostly about God and the people God has put in their lives to love and serve – how often do I think of others before myself? Not as often as I would like.

I have another question for you: Do you walk into a room and think, “how are people going to respond to me? What are people going to think? Will people like me and find me funny?” Or, do you walk into a room and think, “what can I do to serve? Is there anyone on their own that I could talk to?”

Can you imagine how radically different it would look if all Christians lived this way? How different would our churches look? How much more of a witness would this be to our work colleagues/classmates?

Micah 6:8 commands us to “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God”. Living a humble life also means living a life of justice: caring for each and every person in this world, regardless of their rights and their circumstances. In his book Generous Justice, Tim Keller says: 

“A lack of justice is a sign that the worshippers’ hearts are not right with God at all, that their prayers and all their religious observance are just filled with self and pride.”

Keller also hits the nail on the head when he says, regarding those who feel unable to make a difference to the injustices in this world: 

“when you say, ‘I can’t help anyone,’ you usually mean, ‘I can’t help anyone without burdening myself, cutting into how I live my life.’”

This has definitely been the case with me in the past: the amount of times I walk by a homeless person and think ‘I want to have enough money to buy that new top…maybe I will just walk on by today?’ or the amount of times I think ‘I could give £2 a week to IJM and make a small difference, but I would really love that extra coffee!’ or ‘I could sit down and pray for all those suffering across the world for 10 minutes a day, but I don’t have any time to spare’.

Matt 11:28-30 says: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

This is why we should act humbly…not out of compulsion, but because our God is gentle and humble in heart. He doesn’t order us to humbly labour and serve so that he doesn’t have to, but rather he calls us to participate in the activity with Him…to come to Him and get under the yoke of the Ox and walk beside him.

Serving in humility draws us closer to the greatest servant of all, our God. Are we willing to go into a room and serve? Are we willing to give generously with our money and our time in order to bless those around us? Are we willing to sacrifice our own desires for others? Are we willing to put our own desires aside and live humbly and therefore justly?

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Eyes Wide Open: Scars Across Humanity

When I agreed to write this blog post/book review I had only read the introduction. Little did I know it would get much more difficult from there. This book made me angry, upset, uncomfortable, and at some points feel physically ill. It informed me on issues I didn’t even know existed.

I received this book from a friend for my 21st birthday. Some people might view that as some kind of joke, but I was thrilled to learn more about “understanding and overcoming” violence against women. It is powerful and it is truth and I believe that everyone should read it. Elaine Storkey became the president of Tearfund in 1997 and much of the book details her experiences of going into different countries and encountering violence and abuse against women firsthand.

The book is split into two sections. The first details different types of violence women face such as selective abortion, female genital mutilation, child marriage, honour killings, domestic abuse, human trafficking and prostitution, rape, and war and sexual violence. In the second part Storkey examines why gender-based violence has happened throughout history, religion and women, and the role Christianity has to play in these gender specific atrocities.

Storkey outlines her belief for the abuse of women in the introduction stating: “The truth is that violence on such a scale could not exist were it not structured in some way into the very fabric of societies and cultures themselves. It could not continue if it were not somehow supported by deep assumptions about the value of women, or some justification of the use of power. In many cultures such assumptions are reiterated every day in the absence of legal protection for women, or indifference towards issues of human rights. Even in advanced democratic societies, where women play a significant part of public life, the level of domestic violence and sexual abuse remain powerful and effective, even though they are concealed behind closed doors” (p. 2) [1]

I understood that there were some areas of the world where it was harder to be a woman, but I never could have conceived the extent to which these problems persisted. If I’m honest I wouldn’t consider life as a female especially easy in a ‘first-world country’ where I have right to education, to marry whom I choose, and have a career. I still look over my shoulder when walking home alone at night, I still sometimes have to prove that I am smart, and most of the time I have to justify my desire to have a career. But isn’t that the point? That if there are inequalities facing women in even the most advanced societies, then how much more do these inequalities persist elsewhere. Inequality is lacking in every society and we as Christians should stand up for the oppressed and that includes a whole gender. For this isn’t about scars against women, it is about scars against all of humanity. For when one part suffers we all suffer. God cares for all his children and we should too. We are called to champion the orphan, the widow, and the oppressed. We are called to raise up and teach women that they have worth and that God loves them.

- Adair

[1] Elaine Storkey, Scars Across Humanity: Understanding and overcoming violence against women, SPCK, 2015.

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Eyes Wide Open: God goes before you

I think it can be easy to feel a little helpless when trying to confront the issue of social justice. It can seem terribly daunting. Our toils and efforts to make a difference can seem futile, sometimes leaving us asking the question-

What can I do?

I am one single person in a single community, in this small  country, in a massively broken and hurting world. Me, with my own problems and burdens- what can I do to further God’s kingdom and try to combat the injustice in this world?

But here’s the incredible thing. You can. It is not through our strength alone but God’s that we can do all things. It is God who equips us to enter the battle in His name. And it is scary how easy it can be to forget that. In the midst of doubt and uncertainty it is so easy to slip into believing that our work isn’t making an impact, that we aren’t making any difference.

I can’t help but think about William Wilberforce; championing reform and abolishing the official slave trade. I’m sure there were times when he felt helpless and very close to giving up. But, in retrospect, we can see so clearly what he was doing- sticking his head above the parapet and being a powerful voice for those whose cries for help and mercy would not have been heard.

We’re sticking our head above the parapet. The fact JustLove exists is doing exactly that. We’re putting this issue of social justice ‘out there’ into our community.

We can find our security in Christ. This is why is it so important to walk with Him, each day, to keep our hearts first and foremost focused on Him. So often it happens- we lose Christ in the sea of our doubts, and when all the little complexities and problems and worries build up and threaten to overwhelm and we can’t clearly see the direction we are supposed to take and in that moment-

Christ is there.

Before we even call His name, He is by our side. Even before we unpick our pile of worries before Him, He already knows.

He is with us, in us and for us.

This is the beauty of our Lord. We must learn to trust God completely with all things- on a personal level, and in relation to fighting for social justice in our world and community. As Corrie Ten Boom said, ’The safest place in the world is in the centre of the will of God’.

When we are walking in His footsteps along pathways designed for our feet to tread, He has promised to be by our side. And you might ask, ‘how do I know which way to go? I can’t see what is before me’. Put your trust in Him. And look how far he has already brought you; look at all that has been achieved in His name. Be encouraged. The Lord is with us and will not abandon us.

My aim in writing this post was to share what Christ has been teaching me throughout this summer; to put my trust in Him for the future.

‘For I know the plans…’

It’s a phrase we’re all familiar with, but I feel is so important to be reminded of.

And whether this is being applied to our personal lives, to the mission of JustLove in St Andrews or when we consider the global mission for social justice, give it to Christ, and rest in the knowledge that it is in His hands- the safest place in the entirety of creation.

- Louise 

Prayer Points:

-That we may rest not in our own strength but in the security of God

- To keep our focus on Christ in this mission

-Wisdom to entrust God with all things

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Eyes wide Open: Homelessness

How?

This is a question that often comes to mind when I see problems in the world around me which seem to require much, much more than anything I could contribute in order to make them better.

Homelessness is one particular issue which has struck me greatly because it is a very visible form of poverty with many complex, underlying factors that go unseen, and therefore, unnoticed and unfixed. As it is such a varied, multi-faceted problem, that it can be overwhelming to try to approach it with a solution or any form of help.

Through reading and speaking with people who have been involved with trying to reduce and end homelessness in their local area, it appears that both surface level aspects and deeper causes must be addressed to truly fight the problem. To be effective in treating these people and this issue with dignity, we must ask what they need and what their situation is— clean public bathrooms for people to shower in might be more important for homeless individuals in Los Angeles to find than warm clothes, but in Edinburgh it is possible that both are equally needed. Furthermore, homelessness covers a vast array of situations—it may be that the person is a refugee or an immigrant without the community support they need, they may be someone who suffers from mental health issues and has not received adequate care, perhaps a runaway, or an impoverished person living in an apathetic, affluent area who cannot find affordable housing.

This issue, like most social justice issues, warrants a great amount of consideration and effort at individual and corporate levels, but as Christians we also know they need prayer. It’s often too easy to be diminished by these massive problems—to feel so guilty that we don’t address them in sustainable ways, or worse, to be apathetic and not even try. Something I struggle with greatly is to find motivation not from my guilt, or even from the heartbreak of this issue (though it is important to feel), but from the One who calls us to care in the first place. Our motivation to find the solution, and the solution itself, for such complex, heavy problems is God. Social justice is an outpouring of that wholehearted, earnest love God has shown to us on the cross, by actively caring for those whose desperate, physical situations reflect our spiritual ones before Christ came into our lives. In Matthew 19:21 & 26, Jesus tells the rich man to sell all he has, give to the poor, and follow him, (v.21) and that everything is possible with God. (v.26) 

So when we approach these terrible issues, we must remember Jesus’ compassion for us and the power of our Father who raised him from the dead.

So let’s pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to show us how to trust God and show our faith in action by working to alter the grievous situations of all those He cares for and loves.

It’s often too easy to be diminished by these massive problems—to feel so guilty that we don’t address them in sustainable ways, or worse, to be apathetic and not even try.

- Alexandra Elia

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Eyes wide open: How do I look?

A recent book by a brilliant chap called Eugene Cho is titled: Overrated: Are we more in love with the idea of changing the world than actually changing the world?

It's a book about God's call to social justice, for which Eugene is a passionate advocate, but the back cover features Eugene dressed like Superman, looking mighty, heroic - and of course - taking a selfie.

He's asking an important question about how we see ourselves in our pursuit of social justice.

Is it actually just about us?

Do we really love justice - or just the little feeling of smugness that comes from talking about it?

Is it all just talk in the end? The petition signing, the profile pictures, the public protest - is it all just vain posturing?

And does this post feature any content, or am I just going to keep asking questions?

You know, Jesus asked a lot of ques- ah, forget it.

As someone who has spent 75% of his life gazing into the mirror, I want to say that I understand something about the pervasive pull of self-perception. But that inward gaze is often less about vanity than it is about insecurity - you really just want people to like you. This inevitably impacts our public life, including our approach to social justice.

Sometimes it looks like the self-aggrandising displays on social media characterised as 'virtue signalling' or, in a tweet:

"Look at me, I have a conscience!"

But sometimes does it go the other way: not speaking out, afraid that people might condemn you as a judgemental Java-sipping moraliser? A holier-than-thou hypocritical hipster?

Actually those aren't always terrible things to think about - it's wise to wonder how we might come across, and the truth is that the shape of some public advocacy can be discouraging for some, and when it induces guilt rather than inspiring action, then that's not helping anyone. But then of course that doesn't mean we shouldn't speak up for justice! Tricky tension right?

And it's good to challenge your motives, to ask yourself - as Cameron reminded us the other week - "when you do social justice...who is it for?"

And it's good to evaluate your ethical choices, to ask 'do I really care about x? Do I reflect that in my life?' To seek to become a just person, to ask how we might become more generous, more loving, more like Jesus.

So clearly it's not wrong to examine oneself, but we can't stay there. Because we won't find the answers to our questions by looking in the mirror.

I think we have to pray. We need to to talk to God, to seek his face rather than our own. As we do this, we encounter the face of infinite mercy, we meet the author of justice, the one who cares more than we ever could. His generous kindness frees us from being self-absorbed, whilst also making us want to be *that* holy, wanting to learn the way of self-giving love that calls us back out into a world in need.

So, how do I look? Not always a bad question - but let's not get lost in introspection. Don't become so focussed on your profile that you lose sight of the people. Let's live in the grace of God, who gives us the heart and the courage and the wisdom that we need.

Father, forgive us when we turn social justice into a way to make us look good. Please show us what true compassion looks like, and by your Spirit shape us into the image of your Son: help us to be other-centered people who love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly with you.

Peace,

Joe

[justlovestandrews]

Eyes Wide Open: Education

What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s one question that I, like many of you, have been asked many times growing up. Even at 20 I’m still unsure of what my answer is. Yet, for many children and young people around the world, this isn’t a question that they will ever have been asked. Sadly, for these children, the opportunity to discover and develop their own interests through education is simply not an option. Such an opportunity is one which, I often take for granted.

Although access to a basic, good quality education is a human right, it is one that more than 72 million children are currently being denied. There is an extensive list of factors which have contributed to this statistic and simply not enough space to mention them all, so for the rest of this post I have decided to focus on the education of girls.

In many countries across the world, girls continue to face disadvantages and are three times more likely not to attend school than boys. Gender disparity and discrimination within the education system occurs most frequently at secondary-school level and often among the most marginalised and vulnerable of children.

There are a wide range of barriers that can prevent girls’ access to education across the world, including:

school fees (due to cultural attitudes towards gender, boy’s education is often prioritised in cases where a family has limited resources),

inadequate numbers of female teachers, and even something as simple as inadequate sanitation facilities (for example, a lack of private and separate toilets)

Additionally, unsafe classroom environments, in which girls are at risk of violence, exploitation, or corporal punishment, is another troubling barrier for girls seeking an education.

Adolescent girls may also face economic and social difficulties that further disrupt their education, ranging from domestic responsibilities and exploitative labour to child marriage and early pregnancy.  Forced marriage at an early age is a problem which deprives millions of young girls of their right to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from society. It is estimated that one in three girls living in developing countries is married before the age of eighteen; some of them as young as eight.  For example, in South Sudan, where half of the population lives below the poverty line, girls have a higher chance of dying during childbirth than they do of completing their education.

Other obstacles which prohibit access to girls’ education can also include: gender-based violence and female genital mutilation, as well as, inadequate or discriminatory legislation and policies. In Afghanistan, women and girls, once famously banned from education or leaving the house alone under the Taliban, are still among the poorest and most marginalised human beings in the world.  

Barriers can become nearly impossible for girls to overcome when compounded by other issues such as conflict, poverty and HIV/AIDS. This considered, the current situation sounds rather hopeless.

However, it's not all bad news. The number of children (both girls and boys) that are out of education is on the decline. This is due in part to the determination of NGO’s, like Christian Aid, Save the Children and their smaller partners, working tirelessly within the community to change the statistics. At the heart of each statistic there are individuals who are deeply loved by God. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and that’s why the work of local charities and projects is so great.

There are so many issues that seem impossible for people to overcome, but our God is a God of Justice and we believe that He answers prayer. So please pray for change, pray for governments to act and for organisations such as UNICEF working with policy makers. Pray also for societal norms to change and for a world in which, regardless of gender or socioeconomic background, all individuals are valued.

- Catherine Frazer

[justlovestandrews]

Eyes Wide Open: Who is it for?

Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV)

Giving to the Needy

6 “Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

[justlovestandrews]

Eyes Wide Open: Clothing

I am the first to admit that nearly 100% of the times I purchase clothes I don’t think about who made the item or who receives the credit for it. Hidden behind factory doors are men, women and children who make my clothes. We, as consumers and children of God have a duty to think about those behind the seams of our cheap clothes. News stories about dangerous factories are too many and stories about fair wages and treatment are too few. In April 2013, a factory in Bangladesh collapsed killing 1,130 people. The factory was associated with brands such as Primark and Walmart, brands we are all familiar with. You might even own something made in that very factory. This is why cheap labour and factories are such an important thing to pray about, we are so closely connected, yet we don’t always realise.

It is difficult to think that slavery still happens in this day and age, and in our own country - but it does and the shocking reality is that many of us are likely to have benefited from it. By purchasing ‘fast-fashion’ items, you may be directly contributing to the mistreatment of the workers. Victims of trafficking are exploited every second of every day, forced to work excessive hours, in dangerous conditions for little to no money.

But, we have the ability and power to change this.  Simply acknowledging the people behind our clothes and in the factories is the first step to changing the situation. This situation is not hopeless, we are loved by the Almighty who can change every heart and every situation. We can help support organisations such as Krochet Kids (http://www.krochetkids.org) and Not For Sale, who use systems of empowerment to break cycles of modern-day slavery.  By teaching those rescued from trafficking skills and a means to earn money, they are empowered. These organisations focus on helping people in the now and allowing them to support themselves. These acts of empowerment are sustainable; the skills that are taught can be used anywhere and at any time. By supporting them you are also supporting their families and supporting a tangible change within their community.

As a student it can be hard to avoid cheap purchases and instead invest money in more expensive things, but this small difference for us can change someone’s life. Even buying from places such as charity shops can help these situations or re-using clothes rather than buying new ones. Look at the labels on your clothes and try to think about the person who made them. Pray for change and hope to be installed in their lives.

Let us keep praying for and supporting initiatives that help those in need by providing skills and experience. Let us pray for the continued growth and impact of such initiatives and charities.

Pray for those in situations of bonded and cheap labour.

Pray for companies in charge of these factories, pray that they make decisions to change the lives of their employees.

Let us pray for guidance and knowledge in our purchases and consumerism.

-Emily Sherriff

[justlovestandrews]

Eyes Wide Open: An Introduction