poor Archives

Minute for Mission: Fair Trade Day

Posted April 22nd, 2022

Ezekiel and Eduardo Ezekiel, the Israelite, lived in depressing and politically volatile times, 590 years before Christ. A hundred years before he was born, his country was conquered, first by the Assyrians, later by the Babylonians. Eduardo Perez Verdugo, the coffee farmer from Chiapas Driven from his homeland in search of work, lived in depressing and economically volatile Times, 2000 years after the birth of Christ. Both prophets in exile speak with anguish about Their similar plights and both plead for justice as they search for a vision of hope amid despair.

Face-to-face with all my stuff

Posted October 19th, 2021

What would it cost to buy it all back? Early in the pandemic, my wife and I undertook an inventory with the help of a computer program. We entered our possessions, room by room, with photos and a few facts. The process proved arduous, but we made it to the end.

NWC reinterpreting biblical passages that have been used against those who are poor

Posted May 26th, 2021

Co-founder of Poor People’s Campaign building spiritual home for those challenging the ‘moral complacency of our time.’

Presbytery of Milwaukee extinguishes $1.9 million in medical debt

Posted May 17th, 2021

Add the Presbytery of Milwaukee to the list of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mid councils and churches to help heal people by wiping away their medical debt.

Love Offering — Life Offering

Posted May 14th, 2021

Jesus points to a widow who gives out of love. She did not seem embarrassed about a small gift, nor did it prevent her from giving.

Minute for Mission: International Roma Day

Posted March 25th, 2021

It humbles me the extent to which our Roma friends and colleagues practice hospitality, always laying a table for us with whatever they have. They are among the poorest of the poor, marginalized by a society that feels threatened by an alien culture living in their midst. I don’t use the word alien as a negative, just a reality. They are a people with deep traditions, a strong sense of family and community, their own language, their own music, their own style of dress. They do not wish to be assimilated, but they do wish to live in peace with their neighbors, if it is only possible. Often, should a job be posted, as soon as a Roma man or woman applies, it is not available. The Roma are also subject to violence (pogroms) and blamed for any bad incident that takes place in a community. It is assumed that they will steal what is not nailed down.

Working to end poverty is our response to God’s grace

Posted January 8th, 2021

To break down the systems that cause poverty, our churches and faith communities need to be places of sustenance for people who are in need.

God’s commitment to the poor is our commitment, too

Posted September 24th, 2020

In his book “Breaking the Code,” Bible scholar Bruce Metzger says that different types of Scriptures engage us in different ways. Revelation primarily engages our imagination. Paul’s letters like Romans develop our intellect. Old Testament law connects with our will. The Book of Psalms largely meshes with our emotions.

Sharing pandemic voices of hope in Peru

Posted June 2nd, 2020

Throughout these times of quarantine, I have found myself singing more — children’s English and Spanish songs with our 2-year-old son, Leandro. These are songs I remember from high school and university choir, hymns, my mom’s songs or just humming random tunes. If I’m honest, my singing is not always an expression of joy.

Demanding a just economy

Posted May 27th, 2020

We live in a messed-up world. The strong still dominate the weak. The wealthy do whatever is necessary to protect their wealth. Those in positions of political power, regardless of their party, have been unwilling to support any major movement that would spread wealth — including the provision of adequate health care, affordable housing and education — in ways that are fair to all citizens.