Greg Mortenson

Greg mortenson is one of my giving heroes. His Book, Three Cups of Tea, is high on my giving must-read list. Giving-individual to individual, community to community binds disparate cultures, religions, nations; in this, Greg has stumbled upon a solution to much of the world’s division.

Just before the Afghanistan invasion, I was present when a pastor and his parishioner were discussing the prospect of the invasion. Both were excitedly in favor of Mr. Bush’s plan. The pastor turned to me. “What do you think?” he asked.

Now I’m a pretty staunch pacifist; I see little reason for war. But, perhaps as my nature might suggest, I’m also not much of a debater. I said I didn’t have much of an opinion. But that wasn’t true. I thought, as I still do, that it was a terrible mistake-costly in money and lives and very much a self-serving war.

Now, just because I hadn’t been able to debate the issue didn’t mean that I didn’t have an opinion-I just can’t put words together to make a coherent statement when opposing opinions collide. So, as usual, I turned to the trusty computer where my thoughts are free as birds and thoughts flow onto electronic paper with well-lubricated ease.

I wrote an Email something like this to the pastor: “It seems to me that being in favor of war is un-Christian. Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies;’ and ‘Do good to those who hate you;’ and ‘Pray for those who despitefully use you.’ We are going to war to punish someone whom we classify as an enemy. Afghanistan harbors those we blame for the loss of lives on 9-11. They are our enemies, then, by extension. George W. Bush, Christian by his own definition, now rattles his sword saying that we must punish those responsible. How is this Christian? More to the point, how can we, as Christians, be in favor of, condone or not actively oppose this kind of a war?” I suggested, rather, that we should be sending care packages and money for schools and hospitals to these we considered enemies if we were truly a Christian nation.

I never received a reply from the pastor.

Now, finally, to the main point of this post. Greg Mortenson has done exactly what I thought a Christian should do in this circumstance. I see no evidence in his book that he is a Christian, but he is truly living the principles of the Christ. No, he didn’t set out to solve the issue of Muslim enmity toward the US. He was merely being himself. At great personal expense and loss, he did something which has turned out to be the ideal thing to do in the circumstance. Recently I heard a Public Radio piece on the changes the US military is making in Afghanistan. They are now bringing infrastructure to the rural communities where the “enemy” has its strongholds--and they are winning their hearts.

How would things be different today if we had buried Afghanistan in gifts? Would Afghanis see us in a different light if we had spent the billions of dollars on food, clothing, shelter, education, medicine instead of on bombs and bullets? My guess is yes.
Today on the news I heard that Mr. Mortenson’s organization is under criticism for misusing money donated to it. Even if Greg Mortenson misused a lot of what is donated to him; even if he turns out to be a thief-enriching himself, I still know that he has it right: Give without expectation of return. But I don’t believe he is doing anything dishonest. A con artist does not go to all the trouble that he has--risking life, limb and relationships to cheat donors.

Now we can explore a broader view of the same issue. When I give, I hold something in reserve, perhaps Something to do with the worthiness of the recipient or the honesty of the receiver. “What will he/she do with the donation?” Is that my business? Should I not give generously, “good measure, packed down and running over” and let theconsequences of the gift be on the receiver? Have I not been blessed in the giving itself? I’m not saying we shouldn’t check the charities to which we give, but, at least for myself, I need to care less about the end as about my own giving.

Greg Mortenson, you are my hero. Even if tarred with a black brush by some, you remain in my constellation of good guys, of good givers who inspire me to greater creativity and generosity in my giving.

May you be cleared of this charge and go on to even greater influence in this divided world. Blessings on you.

Gifting Time

It’s been a long (for us), cold (especially for us), wet (even for us), spring here in Portland. Those who don’t like rain have had difficulty maintaining their happiness. It’s not been pleasant for those who have yet to get webs between fingers and toes. But spring it is and thoughts turn to renewal even if it is a soggy renewal.

We are in the midst of Passover week for Jews; Holy Week for Christians. I think the Wiccans and pagans are left out of this one, but they had theirs at the Spring equinox. For all of us it could be a time of recognition of giving. For the Pagans and Wiccans, Spring sprung. For the Jews, the celebration of a gift of freedom 4000 years ago which still defines them; for Christian, the Ultimate Gift of spirit freedom.

I could turn preachy here and say things like, “We should…;” “We ought….” But I’m not going to. You carry enough guilt around as it is without me adding “You would be much better off if you were to give joyfully and freely.”

Spring, Passover, Easter—we’ve all been given marvelous gifts. Let’s celebrate and have a party in the joy of receiving wonderful things for receiving gladly and thankfully is the obverse of joyful giving.

Rejoice! Spring is here!

Umbrellas and Gloves

I do a weekly volunteer job in the Skid Row section of Portland, Oregon, and last winter I began feeling a strong desire to reach out in some way to the homeless and destitute folks on the streets. I began noticing that many of these people walk around in the cold and wet without hats, gloves or umbrellas.

I believe I am genetically programmed to be a Jewish Mother (even though I'm a man). I want everyone I see to be warm, well-fed, and dry. So this really upset me.

I remembered that my wife and I had some extra umbrellas in our garage. And so, on my next rainy volunteer day, I put them in my car and kept my eye out for a few folks who might need one.

I spotted a down-and-out looking young couple hurrying down the street dragging a broken suitcase and plastic bags stuffed with their belongings. "I have an extra umbrella", I said, "could you use it?" They said they'd just lost one, thanked me, and hurried off. I handed another one to an older man in dirty clothes who was walking along dripping wet. And another to a sad-looking woman waiting for a bus.

I hoped an umbrella would help them be a little less uncomfortable, but I soon became aware that my deeper motivation was this: I wanted these people to see that a stranger noticed their struggles and cared about their well-being. And it felt good to make this connection.

So now I buy umbrellas on sale, and gloves too, and when the weather is rainy or cold I keep my eyes open for people on the streets who look like they could use a bit of kindness from a stranger.

Darwin's Dilemma

Radio Lab, a PBS radio program, for its May 2, 2011 show, dealt with the evolutionary problem of goodness. Simply stated, the issue is this: If nature is based in the survival of the fittest, then why are people nice to each other? Why do people risk and even lose their lives on behalf of total strangers?

One story was told of a man, standing with his two young daughters on a subway platform. Near him, another man started seizuring then fell onto the tracks. In a classic story-telling technique, the approaching roar and headlights of a train sharpened the drama. Our hero abandoned his daughters, jumped onto the tracks and tried to raise the man back to the platform. The train roared closer. Realizing he could not make it, he dropped the man between the tracks, covered his body with his own, grabbed the man’s arms and held him as the train shrieked over them. It came to a stop and the man regained consciousness. The rescuer explained what had happened then called out to his daughters to reassure them of his safety.

“What kind of evolutionary advantage is this?" the radio hosts queried. He abandoned his own genetic progeny to rescue a total stranger.

Unlike a number of other interviewees, this man had somewhat of an answer. He had been held up at gunpoint but the gun, held to his head, had misfired. From then on, he felt he was spared for a reason and, after this incident, said that he knew that was the reason. More than that, he had an inner assurance that all would be well just as he took the leap into danger.

The program went on to other such instances in nature. For example, in some parts of Africa, an amoeba exists which, when conditions become difficult, sends out a chemical signal to other amoeba of the same type. They draw together and form a slug-like entity. The top 20% of the mass climb onto each other forming a stalk. These amoebae all die, leaving a hard column onto which the other 80% of the amoebae climb. At the top of the stalk, winds catch them and drift them to a new site with presumably better conditions. Twenty percent die that eighty percent may live. The genetic material of the 20% is lost - which flies in the face of the Darwinian assertion of fang and claw.

I’m not trying to argue evolution versus creation. Neither can be totally proven. But one must admit, along with the conclusion of the show’s hosts, that there is a mystery here.

Bringing he question closer to the purpose of this blog, we might ask, “Why give?” A giver squanders his or her own resources which could go toward carrying on one’s own genetic agenda---again seeming to stare Darwin in the eye.

Even for a Christian, whose mandate is to give, must face the same issues. “Why should I give?”

As Secret Giver and I have talked about the results in our own lives of our various giving experiences, we have reached one conclusion: it makes us feel good. Each of us comes from a different philosophical perspective, but we share a common experience in our giving. Perhaps this is enough; perhaps we will find deeper motivations and grander experiences over time. But for now, we leave the philosophical underpinning aside and bask in the warmth of the sun of a deed enjoyed.