prshockley - Humanitarianism

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"We have now sunk to the depth where the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." ~ George Orwell.

"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him." ~ C.S. Lewis.

The grain of truth is this: If you live apart from the Redeemer, then truth will seem fragmented because you won't be able to make sense of things. If you live apart from the Redeemer, then personality will seem fragmented because you won't know who you really are. And if you live apart from the Redeemer, then life really will seem fragmented because you will be unable to grasp its meaning and may simply give up trying." ~ J. Budziszewski.

"There once was in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace. This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, because the infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself." ~ Blaise Pascal.

"You cannot make men good by law: and without good men you cannot have a good society." ~ C.S. Lewis.

"Moral character is assessed not by what a man knows but by what he loves." ~ St. Augustine.

"Anything inconsistent with reason wounds us." ~ Pierre Nicole.

"We have an incapacity for proving anything which no amount of dogmatism can overcome. We have an idea of truth which no amount of scepticism can overcome." Pascal's Pensees, 406/395.

"My, how dogmatic you are about your skepticism!" ~ Peter Kreeft.

Humanitarianism

This section is dedicated to humanitarian assistance and relief, education, ecology, missionary involvement, and the proclaimation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, both locally and internationally.

The picture above is of a sweet orphan girl I met in a poverty striken orphanage outside of Monrovia, Liberia last August.

Due to special donors who desire to equip pastors in Africa with the skills needed to more effectively prepare and proclaim God's Word, I had the privilege of partnering as a representative of CBS with Living Water International to teach Bible Study Methods to pastors in both Ghana and Africa.

In 2003 I traveled to Ghana to teach inductive Bible study methods to approximately 150 pastors and students of Scripture. Using the skills I learned at Dallas Seminary and the resources at the College of Biblical Studies, we were able to teach these Christians how to study the Bible for themselves. Many of the pastors did not even own a Bible. However, through the liberal giving of people in Houston, every pastor received a Bible and a copy of Oswald Chamber's, My Utmost for His Highest. Moreover, we were able to donate nine foot lockers filled with reference tools to a Bible College in the midst of a thick jungle; their library was poor at best. Nevertheless, they are a center for Biblical and theological training across Ghana and so it was a strategic opportunity to equip them with the very best resources to advance education and biblical/theological training.

In my 2005 August trip to Liberia, a country ruined by fourteen years of civil war, I taught inductive study Bible methods to students and pastors in the capitol city of Monrovia. Through the giving of a dear Christian lady here in Houston, we were also able to provide transportation to pastors who live in the "bush" and provide a substantive meal every day for each attendee. These dear pastors and students are at the cutting edge of rebuilding their country. And Living Water International is being used by God to assist them to that end. What a joy to see Living Water Liberia give ex-combatants the physical, mental, and spiritual skills needed to let go of their past and press on to their future; their students have hope in a country that is plagued with grief, poverty, and death.

This experience was particularly "eye-opening" when you consider the effects of ignorance, hatred, rebellion, sin, and tragedy upon the socio-economic, environmental, educational, gender, political, racial, religious, and spiritual aspects of a country. How it reminds me of a quote by Ravi Zacharias, "Can an individual or a society live with a complete disregard for a moral and spiritual center and not suffer from the wounds of wickedness?"

This summer I am leaving for Indonesia to teach the Gospel of Mark at a seminary in the Java province. I will also be returning to Liberia.