When Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie came to the United States she discovered the danger of one story. Her college roommate was surprised at how well she spoke English. Chimamanda explained that English is the official language of Nigeria, that she grew up reading English literature. The roommate asked if she… Read More
Archive Tag: Compassion International
A Boy & His Nanny
If I close my eyes I can see her. After cutting the crust from his sandwich she snaps his lunchbox shut, slips it into his backpack and heads upstairs to wake him for school. She’s the nanny. But she’s more than that to the boy. Dad expresses love in sixty-hour… Read More
3 Questions To Ask A Child Sponsorship Organization Before Giving
In college I worked for a children’s ministry that promised more than it actually delivered. When I found out? I quit. I quit on a job. I quit on trust. I swore I’d never be fooled again. Many years later, working as a recording artist, Compassion International asked me to… Read More
I’ve Seen Best Again
We like our children to be spiritually prepared for their day. Beginning at the start of it. In the minivan. So we listen to Queen. Sambhaji was four when he pointed at the radio one morning and shouted, “My song! Dad! My song!” Becky and I and the other three… Read More
Bending For Treasure In The Trash
Outside Jerusalem’s walls, in the Valley of Hinnom, children were sacrificed to honor a false god. Hundreds of years later the valley, called Gehenna by Greek speakers, was still a place of death. A city dump, some say, Gehenna burned day and night. When describing Hell, Jesus pointed over Jerusalem’s… Read More
Giving The Internet Malaria
Bill Gates is once again the richest man on the planet. And he’s using his wealth to fight malaria, the leading cause of death in some of the world’s poorest countries. He’s making progress too. But he’d accomplish even more if the right people got sick. WIRED Magazine recently asked… Read More