There is this new television series called The Generations Project. Tonight they are showing an episode about a Hawaiian woman who learns about her great grandmother who was exiled to a leprosy colony.

You can watch in online http://www.byu.tv/ or on BYU Television
It airs on Monday night at 8pm MST

Here's the show's website. http://www.byub.org/thegenerationsproject/

I just thought you might be interested. It's a really great show about family history, and the important things you can discover by doing your family history.

I live in Morocco, and it's a 2/3rds World Country, so that might have something to do with it. Since discovering the menace, I've done a bunch of research online. I have no idea how I got them. I'm not sleeping on the street. But bedbugs aren't a problem of the poorest of the poor- not anymore. I could have gotten them from a hotel I stayed at recently. Even 5-star hotels are now reporting problems. I could have gotten them from a Couch Surfer who stayed with my roommate. I could have gotten them from a child I teach. I could have gotten them from simply walking down the street.

It turns out that some people are really sensitive to them, and some are not. My roommate could be fed on them every night, and he'd never know. That is sadly not true for me. I know I've never had them before because of how very painful and itching they were. I know I have them now not because I found them- I looked and looked, but am told online that they are very hard to spot- but because the symptoms exactly fit what I found online.

So I bought some BeGone and was given some very noxious chemicals by some friends who run a restaurant down the street. I have no idea what they were; they might be giving me cancer for all I know. Our maid who comes in once a week then sprayed my room down with these chemicals, which remained for a week. She does this regularly in her home, so she knows how to do it far better than I do. I slept in the front room for four nights, and then moved back into my room three nights ago. And so far, insha'allah, praise God, I have no more bites. Just possible growing cancer.

But I think I can handle that trade-off, because the suffering was so intense. I had to leave school early one day to go home and relax and sit there, with the 100 dirhams of drugs and lotions I'd picked up (the equivalent of six restaurant meals). And I'm hoping and praying that the poisons did the trick and they are gone- because, as stated above, they can live for a year without my presence.

Here's my point to all of this. There's that old adage about the Nazis about how I did nothing when they came for everyone else, and then they came for me. Well, this leprosy of bedbugs is not the domain of the poorest of the poor any longer. If we don't do something, and treat with compassion those who are suffering with it- the bedbugs have already come for us.

God's grace will sustain you in that which He assigns you.

I recall an image I am sure touched millions of hearts: On 9/11 thousands fled in terror–and columns of firefighters filed into the towers.

This is each of our call. But the specifics are different for each person; the answer you give is not one I can judge.

Have done some liberation theology reading and one of the theologians felt like we needed to the poor to teach us how to live a Christ-like life. Our treatment of them is reflective of our treatment of Christ but protecting my family should be Christ-like also. Difficult situation you find yourself in.

Having been there, I do have a heart for the homeless and understand the hopelessness that can be so overwhelming to anyone in that situation.

I opened my heart to God in prayer this morning to have him show me if I was being too judgemental of Bart and will proceed as the Holy Spirit directs.

I got a tone from your earlier post that you were judging Bart on his failures in his ministry. There are probably many reasons that Stanley isn't being kept consistently clean, failure of ministry is one, but it may not be the only reason, so it seems you presumed much in your post. Without knowing the complexities of Stanley's situation, this judgment didn't seem fair.

I actually didn't see the post as humorous, at least not in the way you seem to have. I see undertones of humor, but not tones that make fun of Stanley or the situation. I see it more as the kind of humor that people turn to so that they laugh when they would rather cry. I certainly didn't see the post as Bart's attempt at giving us a light, funny story. Rather, I saw clearly he was trying to convey the tragedy of the situation. Maybe there is a tone of humor in it, but it is a tragic humor, not intended to truly be funny.

The story was rather poignant, actually. He was shining a light on his own heart and judgement that he has towards people like Stanley and how that helped him see how he (and many of us) have harshly judged New Testament people for shunning those with leprosy. We often look at events in the Bible and think “how can they be so stupid?” and turn around and act as stupidly, if not moreso, than they did.

God bless you in your ministry.

Today, I do not live in the community I work with. We (my fellowship) brings them into our community, and we also go into their community. Many years ago I brought them (homeless) into my home (when I lived in Ohio). Having been homeless myself for a time, I do have a heart for the homeless. I know what it is like. I was spurned, shuned and looked upon with disgust. And I was a vibrant young man at the time (albeit lost and without Christ or hope).

Whether or not I am judging Bart or not is up to God. Jesus told us to judge with rigtheousness not by appearances.
Letting someone use a shower and a bar of soap is not expensive. Washing their clothes for them is not expensive. I do not judge the ministry, I judge the blog post. The undertones of humor about Stanley I found offensive having been in Stanley's shoes.

When I fall short of my calling I postrate myself before God in humilty. I don't joke around about it. My spiritual discernment questions the sincerity of the blog post and what purpose it serves to build the church or further the plight of the homeless and drug addicted.

If Bart feels judged he will get over it, because obviously he has chosen a life of humility and voluntary poverty to serve people. My criticism means nothing to him because he is living for Christ.

I will indeed look into the ministry and consider supporting it if that is how the Holy Spirit leads. Having been born in Ohio and lived there most of my life, I do have a connection with there.

As for me suggesting how he might better serve I doubt I could hold a candle to Bart as he is the executive director of EAPE, which develops and supports innovative, cost-effective mission projects around the world. I don't doubt those qualifications.

Have you met all the needs of those you are serving, or are there those whose needs still aren't met?

If the former is the case, perhaps you might suggest to Bart how his ministry might better serve those he is ministering to. I'm sure he would be very interested to know how he could better serve those in need.

If the latter is the case, might I suggest you don't judge another ministry that is undoubtedly trying to serve others as best they can with the limited resources they have?

We do a lot of work with Raleigh Rescue Mission, in Raleigh, NC, so you can contribute directly to them and it will support our efforts.

We also work with prisons and have have a program for refugees from Africa, people whose lives are in danger because of the political unrest and genocide going on there.

Unfortunately, many inner city ministries lack adequate support or resources. With limited resources, it is difficult to meet everyone's needs. Instead of criticizing Bart's ministry for not adequately meeting Stanley's needs, perhaps the correct response is to ask Bart what you can do to aid him in this ministry.