Day 3 Lima, Peru: “The Other Side of the Tracks”

In North America you hear the expression “the other side of the tracks” referring to a part of the city that is considered poor and dangerous. As in, most fathers would not want their daughter going out with a boy from the “other side of the tracks.”

Well here in Lima the expression is “the other side of the river” and it has the same meaning.

We began our third day meeting Pastor Samuel Reátegui and his daughter Susana, who drove us to the other side of the river, and provided a different view of the city. The central parts of the city, and the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro, are as modern as any city in the world. Yet, on the outskirts of Lima, the terrible slums remind one that Peru still has a long way to go.

Now from what I saw today I have to say that I have seen worse, but I also know that our pastor friend was not showing us the worst that Lima has to offer. He carefully warned us of dangerous areas and told me when to pull my camera back in as we passed some sketchy looking youth.

Bob commented to the pastor on the lack of beggars in the streets, to which he replied that the beggars are all found in the rich districts of the city. Ironic yes, but makes sense.

Sitting on the right side of the river is the Plaza de Armas, a spectacular colonial square with a fountain n the center surrounded on four sides with the Presidential Palace, The Archbishop Palace ( a seemingly new structure by a few hundred years), the Lima Cathedral (a strong statement about the history and influence of the Roman Catholic church in this part of the world), and the CIty Hall as well as a few other building not described to me. This old colonial center in Lima is a World Heritage site and was the crown jewel of Spain’s South American empire.

It is the economic contrasts that is so challenging here in Lima. The majority of Peruvians live in poverty – 54% according to the CIA World Factbook. It is estimated that 19% live in absolute poverty surviving on less than a dollar a day CDN. Sobering. In several conversations with leaders here the work of World Vision has come up as one organization that has really helped to transform communities or districts. This did not surprise me after experiencing their work in Bolivia, Peru’s neighbor to the east.

At noon hour we went back to Bethany Baptist Church where pastor Samuel had invited other ministers to come meet me. We enjoyed a lovely time talking over lunch about the work they are doing in this complex city. I was able to video tape several of them sending messages back to those working in the cities of North America.

Two insights from today: 1. These pastors were all happy folks despite working in more challenging circumstances than almost every pastor I can imagine in Canada or the US. 2. They are just busy being the church in the heart of the city and by that I mean helping others, discipling believers and bringing truth and justice to bear for the sake of their communities. It is not flashy – just effective.

Introduction to our Round the World trip

Bob Kuhn and Carson Pue explain the trip of a lifetime!

Day 2 Lima Peru: We Don’t Honk Enough

After over eleven hours in the air we were delighted to finally get to our hotel in Lima with the prospect of getting a real sleep. That was at 2:30am, so imagine my pleasure of being wakened by the sounds of hundreds of cars honking to one another.

They did awaken me, but amidst the roosters crowing and general traffic sounds, both Bob and I noticed how their honking is different from ours. We usually honk when we are angry. Here in Peru they honk just to say, “Heh, I’m here,” or “Hello”.

Peru is a country that is one tenth the size of Canada geographically however with almost the same population base. It is bordered by Ecuador and Columbia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south.

Although Peru has rich natural resources and a booming economy almost 40% of the population live below the poverty line. Now, I have seen visible poverty before and what I always find difficult is in countries where there is such visible disparity between the rich and the poor. I am sure it is a complex economy here and I look forward to finding out more. Our hotel is surrounded by this very disparity – not that we are in a fancy hotel (more on that later) but the living conditions not far from here.

Yet the Latino people are friendly and helpful. Our background in French and Latin still comes in helpful in trying to communicate.

Tonight we are visiting and interviewing the pastor of Iglesia Bautista Betania a downtown church in the Lince district of Lima. Bethany Baptist Church as we would call it is connected to Christ for the City International.

The pastor called our hotel and Bob took the call. Bob commented, “He was very enthusiastic!” Much like their honking I assume.

How many people downtown are self aware?

I find myself people watching each day I walk downtown. I watch as they talk and interact, or walk in isolation seldom looking up from the sidewalk. I watch them walk by in their thousand dollar suits or the clothes they slept outside in overnight. No matter their status, I wonder how aware they are – of who they are?

All leaders have an understanding of how knowing your personality, both strengths and weaknesses, can help you become a better leader.

With improved awareness we begin to recognize where that strength of ours can become a weakness. We develop more perspective and are able to have more understanding of different sides of ourselves and others.

By knowing more about our own personality qualities we are able develop and strengthen the ones we want to or need to work on. This gives us a greater ability to work with others and see the strengths and needs of the people around us.

Leaders who become more and more self-aware feel more balanced, more integrated and whole. Now for those of us who are followers of Jesus the beginning of awareness is in knowing who we are as a child of God.

Mentoring certainly helps a leader increase self acceptance by helping them to accept more of their strengths and weaknesses. It can help us recognize where we still need to experience freedom so that we can pursue the vision God has for us.

What might group mentoring look like in the downtown and who would be interested – he ponders?

Love downtown – Carson

Around the World In Seventy Six Days

Into the Global South

On May 1, 2012 I am embarking on a journey around the world in the global south. I am travelling with my long time friend Bob Kuhn. Our friendship, together with David Bentall, is featured in the book The Company You Keep and those who have read this may not be surprised that two men in their fifties are even thinking about an itinerary like this.

Not for sightseeing

We have two objectives, well maybe three. The first is a desire to meet Christian leaders in the global south, listen to them and ask them to speak to us as leaders in the north. There is no question that followers of Jesus are experiencing a movement today in the southern hemisphere that those in the north long for. God is far from dead in the global south.

Pastors, ministry leaders and Christians serving with government or in the marketplace will be interviewed and we will tell their stories. We will find them in the center of some of the world’s largest cities and in remote villages where people struggle to live daily due to the effects of complexity of poverty. As well as writing a new book about our adventure I will be sending short video reports to MyVu that will be featured by Crossroads Communication across Canada and available online. The congregation at First Baptist Vancouver will be following me around the globe through video messages I will be sending back for each of the Sundays I am away.

Our second objective is related to Bob. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over six years ago.serving as an ambassador for World Parkinson Congress 2013 to be held in Montréal. This world-renowned event drawing 3 – 4000 of the best researchers, clinicians and leadership in the Parkinson’s community from around the world. We will be meeting with leaders of this specific community, inviting them to come to Canada to participate in WPC 2013. Bob is a blogger and will be sharing our journey on Positively Parkinson’s along the way.

The third objective is to deepen our friendship together and have fun being surprised by the works of God through the people we meet.

Not for the faint of heart: Our itinerary

What would you ask?

If I could take you with me, what questions would you ask of leaders in the global south?

What would you like me to find out on this journalistic journey?

USA and Canada: get ready!

Right to practice the Christian faith under attack in Britain

I happened to be in London last week on the day two major court rulings were made against people worshiping Jesus in Britain.

For several years I have made an observation. Whatever the ‘trend’ in Christianity such as the profound influence of postmodernism or the influence of the new atheism – the UK is usually five years ahead of the same trend being evident in Canada. The USA then trends five years after Canada’s experience. So as you read the following think about getting ready because this kind of challenge is heading to a town or city near you… and nothing seems able to stop it.

The right to practice the Christian faith is under attack in Britain as evidenced in two controversial legal rulings.

A High Court judge in London ruled that the custom of saying prayers at council meetings – a custom that started by Queen Elisabeth – the first one.

Atheist and former councilor Clive Bone claimed he was both disadvantaged and embarrassed when prayers were said at formal meetings of the Council when he started the case.

Where is this headed? The ruling will probably pave the way for the ending of prayers at the opening of Parliament, in the House of Commons or Lords. Well it could be the end of hospital and military chaplains. What about the coronation of the next king in Britain? Isn’t there a prayer said at that time?

Bed and Breakfast/ business rights?

The second case was one of the Appeal Court ruling that two Christian Bed and Breakfast owners broke the law by refusing to allow a gay couple to stay together in a double room. The court told the owners that they were entitled to express their beliefs, but not if they were incompatible with the rights of gay people.

Even though the Bed and Breakfast had also barred unmarried heterosexual couples from sharing double rooms for the past twenty-five years. This ruling confirms the supremacy of gay rights over Christian belief under the Sexual Orientation Regulations introduced by the Labor Party

Christians are suffering intolerance as Jesus followers are being pushed into the background by secularism. Lord George Cary (former Archbishop of Canterbury) stated Britain is “enslaved to multiculturalism, political correctness and so-called equal rights.”[i] Lord Carey has been urging the British Prime Minister to act in a manner to safeguard the founding Christian traditions in England.

Jewelry rights?

I flew back to London from Uganda on British Airways. You know, the airline that sent home a flight attendant for failing to take off or conceal a cross necklace she was wearing. Seriously? A cross? That most ancient and comforting symbol of Christianity in the form of nice jewelry is liable to offend so she should be sent home from work? We see many pop stars wearing a cross without claiming any affiliation with Christianity.

There is probably a five to ten-year window in which religious freedom issues are going to press in on Christians in North America. It is time for church leaders to start conversations with their politicians. It is time that current church leaders show some courage. It is time our politicians start defending the rights of Christians and not consider them to be less important than those of every other sector of society.

[i] Daily Mail, February 11, 2012

Eric and a dollar twenty five

Sunday morning

It is Sunday morning. Brenda has been sick all weekend and if I was going to church it would be alone.

It was pouring rain outside. The dash to the car was not fast enough and the coolness of the rain rolled down between my collar and my shirt. I paused to make sure I had an umbrella in the car for the walk from the parking lot to the sanctuary. I’m ready to go.

Not many cars on the roads as I made my way downtown. My car radio is not working right now so the sound of the rain and road seemed to expand into all the openness of my vehicle. I thought I might break the fan switch as I changed it constantly blowing first on the windshield and then onto my feet. It was cold.

The Rainy Season in Vancouver

Often it seems that visitors come to Vancouver when it is not raining and I feel compelled to tell them that there is a reason why it is so green here. Fall is often really nice in Vancouver, but it is also the time when the rainy season begins. During October the average amount of rainfall shoots up, and remains high until the end of February and that is when the crocus and daffodils come up. Our wettest month on average is November.

The Bridge

There is a prime piece of real estate that we drive by on Sundays. Not prime for real estate investors, but rather for the homeless. It is located at the exit off the freeway at First Avenue. This is the corner I am speaking of and notice the trees and the bridge off the left curb. They provide needed shelter from the rain. This photo from Street-View was taken on a much nicer weather day than today.

The cars were backed up about six deep in each lane awaiting the signal to change when I saw him.

Eric

He had a very weathered face reminding me of children I have seen who are malnourished. He was shivering as he stood with his polite cardboard sign asking for any help or assistance you could provide. No one moved. Not a window rolled down and all eyes kept looking forward as he patiently walked up the line of cars. That is when I honked and motioned for him to come over to my window.

“Cold out isn’t it?” I said from the inside of my warm automobile.

“Not bad,” he replied. (I guess it is all a matter of perspective as we have had some snow the week before.)

“What is your name?”

“Eric,” he replied quizzically.

“I am Carson..here, this is for you.” I handed him some change, the equivalent of less than I might have paid to get a coffee for the drive.

Eric reached out his hand to shake mine, “Thanks Carson, I hope you have a good day.”

“You too Eric.”

Just then the light changed and cars started moving. Eric smiled and waved as I drove off. I smiled back.

I have been smiling about that interchange all day. It was the highlight of my day. Why? Because I was reminded again how important it is to realize that the people around us in our lives and in our neighborhoods all have names.

It can be so easy to depersonalize situations like the homeless around us, or perhaps even a member of your own family that you would rather not have anything to do with. Yet they all have names and we should stop more often to find out what they are.

Brenda and I purchase most of our groceries at a neighborhood store that is not really that big. We are probably there once a week and we have lived in this community for over 16 years. So I have been convicted about not even spending the time to get to know the names of the staff. I am getting to know them now and notice how they ‘light up’ when I go, “Hey Sharon, how is your day going?” or “Bethany, nice job shelving the soup cans!” said with a big smile.

There are many other regular stores, gas stations, government offices and banks in my life with people I see quite regularly. I want to get to know their names and start using them when we interact.

There was a woman…

Jesus had an encounter with a street person, a woman who we are told had been bleeding for twelve years. The biblical text (Mark 5:21-43) only refers to her as ‘a woman’ – at least until Jesus came along.

Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

She suddenly went from being the dispossessed, outcast, exiled, unknown, untouchable – to Daughter.

Today, I saw the look in Eric’s eyes as he was called by name. I am committed to do it more.

The Last Shepherd

Preschool Christmas Pageant

There were 13 of us present in the room of perhaps 50 adults. We jostled for the ‘adult seats’ among the preschool sized versions and waited expectantly.

When the door opened, I strained my eyes to identify my four-year-old grandson Landon. Joseph led the way followed by Mary carefully carrying the doll. Many, many, angels followed but Landon was not among them.

The Wise men, maybe I’ll see him there? Nope. They all came and sat in their places identified by masking tape on the floor. There was noise in the back hallway of teachers whispering and little voices and then the shepherds came. Still anxiously awaiting the sight of my grandson my heart quickened as I recognize the eyes… and then his lips – partially hidden behind the headwear made out of drapery fabric.

Landon was the last shepherd.

The short Christmas pageant at the preschool was absolutely delightful. Children anxiously waiting the time to say “their line” At that point or nod of their teacher.

I turned to Martha, a grandmother in waiting, and proudly pointed out that my grandson was the last shepherd. It was when I uttered the words “last shepherd” my mind began to wonder who in the Christmas story was the last shepherd? Who was the last one to get it and realize that the Messiah had been born.

Who was the last shepherd in the gospel story to actually clue in to the fact that an angel stood among them?

The Air Show

Landon and I went to the air show this past summer. I was amazed with how he was able to pick out the small dots in the sky and identify quickly when a plane was coming. Certainly he would not have been the last shepherd. He would’ve seen that angel coming a mile away.

But some shepherd had to be the last. Maybe he was bent over tying his sandal, or doing his last round protectively circling the herd.

The ancient text reads:

And there were shepherds in that very region bivouacking in the fields under the open sky, and guarding their flock during the appointed night watches. And an angel of the Lord took his stand at their side, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they feared a great fear. And the angel said to them, “stop being afraid. For behold, I am bringing you good tidings of great joy, which joy is of such a nature that it shall pertain to all people because there was boring to you today a savior who is Christ, the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be an unusual and distinguishing token of identification for you; you shall find a newborn infant which has been wrapped in cloth bands, and is lying in a feeding trough.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the army of Heaven, praising God and saying, “glory in the highest places to God, and upon earth peace among men of goodwill.”

Now that was a message we would not want to miss out on. On that evening I’m sure the glory around this angelic interruption would have captured all of the shepherds’ attention. But for you and I today, we need to be alert to all the ways that God may appear to us for it is so easy to grow spiritually blind or deaf. Often we can have no sense of expectancy, and hear nothing from the Lord. If we come into the day of alert and expecting God to speak to us, he will do just that.

I am positive that if we are alert this Christmas season we will hear God’s voice speaking to us through carols, a sermon, that friend of yours, or perhaps a book or radio broadcast.

So this Christmas let’s listen to everything God wants to say to us – no matter where you are in the lineup, first, second or last.

Merry Christmas,

Carson Pue

A Mars Venus Moment

I am exhausted. Not physically tired, but because my nice quiet Saturday morning has been disrupted by a very tedious conversation beside me.

Brenda is away on a course so I decide to have a quiet morning starting with breakfast out at our neighborhood spot. It started well until a voice stood out in the crowd. You know the type of voice that is not speaking loudly but just stands out because it is unique in tone and frequency? It was that kind of voice.

It was a young school teacher who was out with a woman that he seemed to be trying to impress, however this is where it went sideways.

They were one table away from my nice ‘quiet’ corner location. I wasn’t meaning to listen. I had reading with me I wanted to do but I just couldn’t stop myself. It was like there was no one else in the cafe.

For forty-five minutes the teacher talked, almost without a breath, detailing every action of his last week at work. Where he was, what he did, who he talked to, what he said, what they said – even I was bored! His gal just sat there, back straight with her hands in her lap expressionless. The shape of her mouth gives the impression of a slight smile constantly. I think he misreads this as her being interested.

I felt like just bursting in, sliding into the chair beside him for an impromptu mentoring moment. Here is what I would like to share with him:

1. Don’t try to dominate by talking all the time. It is probably your own insecurity that makes you do this. Do you feel you have to monopolize conversations droning on and on about topics that bore women to tears?

2. Do you really think she is interested? Just because a woman listens to you and acts interested in what you’re saying doesn’t necessarily mean she is. If you would pause long enough to notice the social cues, like her looking at her watch every five minutes, and her glancing up desperately to see if she knows anyone – anyone at all – entering the cafe – you might have given her an opportunity to say something and you could actually learn about her.

3. Stop worrying about what you’re going to say next. Instead, focus all your attention and energy on listening to what she wants to say to you. This does take a little effort but it’s not very hard to do. It is not something that you (as a man) do “naturally”. You simply have to concentrate and you can learn to do this.

Okay, I can’t take this any longer, I have to leave. She has now been listening to you for an hour (yes, I am typing this right beside them). Oh no! It just got worse, now he is talking to her about his involvement at his church. Lord help us!

My restaurant experience today is repeated day after day in ministry and organizational offices I visit. With women in leadership roles I observe similar behavior in the board room. Men dominating conversation and discussion. Women waiting for an appropriate opportunity to say something and to actually add to the deliberations. Women leaders report to me that they do not feel listened to, that when they speak in meetings their comments and suggestions are ignored or belittled—and that the same comments or suggestions from men have more.

We want women to talk like us – “Martian”. Recently my assistant, Wendy, said to me, “you want me to speak like a man” referring to my asking her to send me “bullet point” updates. It made me smile but she was right. John Gray in “Men are from Mars Women are from Venus” closes his book “remember men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Even if you don’t remember anything else from this book, remembering that we are supposed to be different will help you to be more loving.”

In another book, the Bible, it reads “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

In these very early verses in Genesis it is interesting to note that God called both male and female, “Adam” (meaning “man”) the day they were created. Adam and Eve were created with differences, but together they made a full “man,” – a complete picture of God Himself. The differences between men and women were not to be a source of discord or inequality, but a beautiful compliment to each other. So let’s at least learn how to have a conversation.

Brenda is home now. I can hardly wait to go listen about her day.

When a Leader is Falsely Accused

Have you ever had the experience of someone deliberately attacking your character and trying to ruin your reputation by unjustly accusing you?

Dave Toycen, president of World Vision Canada, has been plagued by a malicious and erroneous email that has ‘gone viral’ stating he is overpaid, drives an expensive car, and lives in an extravagant house.

I am close to Dave and respect him deeply as a leader. With grace and skill, he leads a complex organization that everyday is making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children, families and villages around the world. We travel together; hang out together – why I have even seen him get into his car!

For the past seven years I have served on the board of directors for World Vision Canada and as such am one of those responsible for setting Dave’s salary and benefits. In a spirit of authenticity and transparency our board has been posting his salary on the website for years along with our policy on executive compensation.

http://www.worldvision.ca/About-Us/financial-information/Pages/our-approach-to-executive-compensation.aspx

These false accusations quickly circle the globe on the world-wide web and land in the inbox of people who may be monthly supporters of World Vision’s work with children. The result? Some supporters call the World Vision Office and express deep concern. This uses valuable staff time as they respond. Others withdraw their support without even checking to see that the email is identified as an “urban myth” as the public site www.snopes.com clarifies.

The ripple effect of this attack on one leader is that boys or girls suffer. They are the ones ultimately impacted by an erroneous email filled with misinformation. Children, who every day are simply trying to survive due to the effects of poverty, are hurt by someone trying to find fault, blaming and condemning.

So what can you do?

If we receive emails making claims that are harsh and judgmental we must not circulate them without verifying facts. The internet becomes a contagion for spreading lies. Remember people at the other end of that email are impacted by this – in this World Vision case, poor innocent children.

But what if you are the one who is being falsely accused? Most Christian leaders I know or mentor experience the challenge of a false accusation at some point in their life of leadership.

False accusations and unjustified attacks eat leaders up from the inside. Afflicting you, discouraging you, and distracting you from the people or mission to whom God has called you; a lie is intended to destroy you. It is a natural response to want to strike back, to fight the lies, and stop the attack. However, in my experience, this is very difficult to do and seldom accomplishes what we desire. I mentor leaders to not perpetuate a feud that could go on for years but rather ‘let it go’.

What God desires is that we leave it with Him. If someone is attacking a Christian leader then God is also being attacked and He teaches: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. (Romans 12:19 NLT).

God can defend His own name and in doing so vindicate those falsely accused. Our problem is often waiting for God to act.

So let’s not stand for any more false accusations. Pick up the phone and check it out before you are tempted to forward a malicious email.

What saddens me the most is that I strongly suspect the source for the email I have been referencing was one who would claim to be a Christ follower.

Romans 14:10 in the Amplified Bible reads, “Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother or sister? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God”.

It continues in verses 12-13: (12) “And so each of us shall give an account of himself – give an answer in reference to judgment – to God.” (13) “Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother or sister.”