Good works

I must admit that I am not a particularly big fan of actor George Clooney (my wife, on the other hand...). But, while channel-surfing last night, I caught the portion of the prime-time Emmy Awards show devoted to Clooney being presented the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.

Clooney was recognized for his wide-range of projects to raise awareness and money in response to crises from New Orleans to the Sudan to Haiti. In his gracious acceptance speech he said something that was something of an "aha" moment for me as he expressed the hope "to help find a way to keep the spotlight burning on these heart-breaking situations that continue to be heart-breaking long after the cameras go away."

We tend to surround the grieving family member with love and attention at the time of death and memorial service. But who will be there when the house is deathly quiet a week or so later?

There is much talk this week about the five-year anniversary of the devastation wrought by hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and the gulf coast. Those of us who went to serve alongside the port ministry in New Orleans last year were reminded of the personal stories of pain and loss suffered by residents of the area. Global Maritime Ministries is meeting the needs of those working on the ships and those serving in the community. Would you like to go back with us later this year?

Dave Stewart recently went to Haiti with a group of Baptist Collegiate Ministries students. Dave's impressions were that not a whole lot has changed in the months since the earthquake's initial devastation. Can we continue to pray for the churches in Haiti? Can we continue to give to help finance relief work in the country?

It has been decades since the fall of the communist regime in Bulgaria. Yet, as is all too often the case, it is the poor, the children, the disabled, those on the margins (in this case the Roma/gypsy people) who suffer most intensely. In coming weeks we will be seeing more about the work of hope being coordinated by Ridgway Ministries and Bulgarian Child, Inc.

Some will only go where the cameras are running and the spotlights are shining. Perhaps, as Christians, we serve best when we "let our light so shine before men so that they see our good works and glorify God."