Health Care and Chainsaws

Although I enjoy discussing politics a great deal, I've stayed away from commenting on the health care debate that has gripped our nation over the past year. I came across an article this week, however, that has inspired me to write.

I'd like to start by making two statements about my stance here:
1. If you're hoping or waiting for the government to solve all your problems or to make anything perfect, you're a fool.

2. If you're waiting for the invisible hand of the market to solve all problems or for individuals to use their freedom to act responsibly in their own best interest, you're equally foolish.

I suppose that makes me an independent. . .

Anyway, the article I read was about faith-based health care cooperatives. These people don't have health insurance - they belong to these co-ops and collectively take care of each others' medical bills. They are asked to donate a monthly amount, and each month they are given the address and names of others in the co-op who need that money for their medical bills. When they themselves have medical bills, they submit their need to the leaders of the coop, who funnel enough money their way to cover the expenses. Though the article emphasizes the faith required in others in the coop coming through, there has yet to be a medical expense that wasn't covered for a member.


This is the way a church should act. The church shouldn't be looking for a free market solution or a government solution. A church should take care of its own. The members of the Acts church did this. They took care of those who needed care, shared what they had, and supported where needed. There was no unmet need among them. Why doesn't this exist more? When I need my car fixed, why don't I turn to those in my church who can meet that need? Or when I need a baby-sitter? Or a chainsaw? Or financial advise? Or tutor? Or snowblower?


Imagine the sheer amount of money spent by individuals in the private sector when qualified individuals who can fill the need exist in the church? Why does everybody own one of everything, when conceivably all members of a church could share their possessions that they've hoarded. I know I sound like I'm advocating for some hippy utopian paradise. Maybe I am. It doesn't sound all that illogical to me, though. It's working for the thousands getting their health "insurance" this way.


All of this got me to thinking about my small town and how my community of people here acts like this vision I have for church. This week my neighbor came over and picked the excess grass off my lawn with his riding lawn mower, helped me fertilize my lawn, and brought his chainsaw over to work on a bush that needed taken out. That same friend and another sacrificed a day of their Spring Break with their heads under my sink trying to fix a plumbing problem. Another community member shows up with his 4-wheeler when the snow is really deep to help me with my driveway. Last summer I told another neighbor about some landscaping work I was doing. When I came back outside after a break, I found landscaping materials cut exactly the size I needed sitting in my lawn. This same man was out on the coldest morning of the year, trying to help a friend of mine who was staying at my house start her car.


I've been on roofs doing manual labor in the middle of hot July days, I've taken care of pets, and other odd jobs around here. I won't ever come close to repaying the work done and the equipment borrowed in my community. When I moved here I was told there is only one rule: Don't keep score.


My family is terrific like this, too. That's why I'm so glad that I live close to our families, glad that I didn't have to relocate this year. They love with sacrificial love, and they've saved Emily and I on an almost daily basis. Good families, like good communities, do this. I have both.

I guess I believe good churches should do this too. Churches are great when it comes to weddings and funerals and major tragedies. I'm not saying that. I just don't see it often in the day to day needs people have that could be taken care of by other church members. Instead of waiting on the government or relying on ourselves, why not help each other in the day to day? Like with health coverage. Or chainsaw work on a spring afternoon.

More on 3 Cups of Tea

Allah Akbhar! It looks like my job won't be eliminated this year. I am blessed. I will have a job next school year. Inshallah. (See previous post for translations).

Tonight I'm posting comments about fellow grad students' papers over Three Cups of Tea, and I was reminded of one of the Pakistanis in the book who was instrumental to the success of Mortenson. Abdul Shah was a local in 'Pindi, who with nothing to gain, served Mortenson and helped him accomplish his goals.

Being reminded of his actions by another student's paper got me thinking, so I thought I'd share what I wrote on our class's discussion board:

"It's difficult when I put myself into Abdul Shah's position. I like to think of myself as a generous, helpful person. We all would like to believe that about ourselves, I think. However, would I do what he did? Would I serve an outsider in this manner? Shine his shoes? Spend a day haggling for supplies and risk my personal reputation in a community I must live in for the rest of my life? All for an "infidel"?

It seems like good common sense when we read it because we know how this story ends - Mortenson is a good guy doing good things. Shah has no idea how this story will end, though. And many Americans have given him little reason to have faith that a benevolent, sacrificial foreigner exists. This is a true picture of generosity - the kind that costs you something and comes at a great risk."

What I learned from Islam

I recently read the book Three Cups of Tea for grad school. The book is about a man, Greg Mortenson, who has helped to build schools in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially schools for girls. Mortenson, an American, is largely successful because he exhibits enough humility to get to know the people he is helping and their ways of life. One of the tenants of life in that area of the world is Islam.

One of the first things that comes into the heads of most Americans when those countries and the word "Islam" are together is terrorism. It's tragic, but it's true. Terrorism, though, comes from radical Islam. Radical Islam is awful. But so is radical Christianity. The Des Moines Register ran an article today about the protesting presence at Drake University of members of that Baptist "church" from Topeka who go disrupt military funerals and walk around with signs carrying such pearls of wisdom as "God hates Fags," "God hates Jews," and "Fags are Beasts." Their leader said the dead coal miners in the West Virginia tragedy this week are now "burning in hell." Radical anything is dangerous, an abominition, and tragically colors the reputation of non-radicals. Aligning terrorists with the Islamic faith is foolish. Aligning me this Topeka crew is just as insulting.

Having learned through this book about several individuals who are passionate followers of Islam, I was impressed by a couple of things:

1. "Allah Akbhar!" This phrase was commonly used and roughly translates into "Glory/Thanks be to God." It is said with passion. Every major positive event is followed with this phrase. There is immediate gratitude to God, and all blessings are attributed to him. It is not luck or chance. I am blessed daily. I do not carry the phrase "Thanks be to God" around with me, however. Too many days I feel entitled to my blessings.

2. "Inshallah." Another common phrase meaning "God willing." When Mortenson relates his plans to locals, his words are often responded to with this. They don't tell God his will, and they don't expect their lives to go perfectly. They will be blessed, God willing. They will see friends or family again, God willing. They will live through the next day, God willing. They recognize their dependence on God, and they respect when His will is not what they have planned.

3. They stopped everything 5 times a day for prayer. They go through a cleansing ritual before praying out of respect for God, and they drop absolutely everything to pray. There were no excuses. There was no busyness getting in the way. I can imagine it is much easier to thank God and rely on God's will and attribute great blessings to Him when one unconditionally responds to His goodness 5 times a day.

4. Ramadan. During this one month holiday, all Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, out of respect to God and as a way of "fine-tuning" their spiritual devotion. One month. They don't give up chocolate. They don't give up chewing gum. They fast for a month, in honor of God.

These are a patient people. Their faith enables them to endure a great number of hardships with persistence. I am not suggesting I should become a follower of Islam. Christ is the only path to salvation, and I pray that these passionate and devoted people embrace Christ.

The bottom line, though, is that their devotion can be learned from. Their faithfulness is an example Christians should seek to match. They don't blow up buildings - they make God the prominent focus in their lives.