20Schemes Ministry Works in Hard Places to 16 Janie B

Foster parent joy // Weird Washington

AUGUST 3, 2019

Our 14th annual contest: Five poverty-fighting programs that change lives by offering challenging, personal, and spiritual help

CONTENTS | August 3, 2019 • Volume 34 • Number 14

32 19 34

42 46

FEATURES DISPATCHES 7 News Analysis • Human Race 32 Caritas … with a dose of wisdom Quotables • Quick Takes THE 2019 HOPE AWARDS: Make contact, avoid beanballs CULTURE 34 Hope in the darkest places 19 Movies & TV • Books Helping women emerge from the sex industry Children’s Books • Q&A • Music

38 Letting them shine NOTEBOOK Little Light Christian School’s mission is to love the children Lifestyle • Business of prisoners—but traumatic backgrounds make the work a 55 marathon of trusting God VOICES 42 Scheming for God 5 Joel Belz How Scotland’s 20schemes ministry works in hard places to 16 Janie B. Cheaney show the poor and addicted the riches of new life in Christ 30 Mindy Belz 46 Forge fires and watered gardens 61 Mailbag At a gospel rescue mission, men have a chance to escape the 63 Andrée Seu Peterson spiral of drugs, homelessness, and joblessness. But it isn’t easy, and many do not make it to the end 64 Marvin Olasky

50 Picked up, sanded off COVER PHOTOS (from top): handout, Charissa A carpentry shop offers ex-addicts and homeless the chance Koh, Alex Baker/Genesis, Earl Richardson/ to build furniture, friendship, and a future Genesis, Charissa Koh

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Complete Christian Homeschool Curriculum Educate Preschool - 12th Grade with Purpose What Makes Us Unique?

1 God’s Word is Central 6 Affordable Celebrate the world through God’s eyes. Our comprehensive preschool through high school program Most families that homeschool are on a single income. We make our curriculum affordable (often thoroughly integrates Bible with the study of history, geography, science, literature, art, and music less than $2 per day per child) by incorporating reusable elements and choosing the best yet most while helping children learn a biblical worldview. reasonable and lasting resources.

2 Engages the Whole Family 7 “Open & Teach” Lesson Plan Nurture the joy of learning for the entire family as you share inspiring read-alouds, simple hands-on Daily pre-planned lessons remove the guesswork and planning so you can spend more time making projects, and gurgling science experiments. Take a family outing or plan a historic vacation. Dad is memories with your children. Some curriculum providers require as many as 8 different teacher’s encouraged to lead family devotions using the Bible texts in the daily lessons. Our curriculum can be manuals per student. My Father’s World combines its guidance into one streamlined guide that is taught to children at several different grade levels all at the same time, resolving the issue of how to easy-to-teach, enjoyable, academically strong, and focused on character development. Both new split your time among your children and keep track of many different topics. homeschoolers and veterans appreciate the ease of teaching.

3 Enhances Retention with Hands-On Activities 8 Complete Packages for all Ages We all remember what we learn when we experience it. Utilizing simple hands-on projects, children Our comprehensive preschool through high school curriculum includes all subjects and combines the not only read about important concepts and places, but also discover them with fun activities such as top learning philosophies (Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, Unit Studies, and Literature). Once history notebooks, timelines, cooking, nature walks, and science projects. you learn how our system works, you can quickly and easily move from one grade level to the next without gaps in learning.

4 Wholesome Classic Literature 9 Geography Sets the Stage Timeless classics and inspiring biographies that develop character are read aloud for the whole family Geography sets the foundation for chronological world and U.S. history in our curriculum. A solid to enjoy together. Our curriculum packages also recommend wholesome grade-appropriate books understanding of God’s people and culture across the world allows students to better pray for and for independent reading to inspire your child’s love for learning. share the Word with others.

5 Structured Mornings with Flexible Afternoons 10 Missions Heart Beat It is not all about school. We know families have other responsibilities. Our efficient yet complete My Father’s World is committed to the Lord of All, who tenderly searches for people from every schedule leaves time for life and service. Use the afternoon for trips to the library, shopping, laundry, tribe and language. A portion of our profits supports mission work overseas, especially Bible family outings, or good old-fashion outdoor play. translation projects.

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573-202-2016 mfwbooks.com/WNG Notes from the CEO “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.” —Psalm 24:1

As the mighty grandfather clock in our lobby approached midnight on Chief Content Officer Nick Eicher Editor in Chief Marvin Olasky R June 30, WORLD’s Fiscal Year 2019 was near an end, with 2020 on the Senior Editor Mindy Belz horizon. It was a very good year, thanks to the Lord’s provision and your gener-

ous support of our Spring Giving Drive. You met the giving goal, and then some! Editor Timothy Lamer Most of the contributions you made came in the form of checks or credit card National Editor Jamie Dean Managing Editor Daniel James Devine charges or direct payments from your bank account. It is not at all uncommon Art Director David K. Freeland Associate Art Director Robert L. Patete for you to send gifts of stock. Several of you have given cars. Those kinds of gifts Reporters Emily Belz, Charissa Koh, happen often enough that we’ve got a process for converting them immediately Sophia Lee, Harvest Prude East Asia Bureau June Cheng, Angela Lu Fulton into liquid assets we can use. Story Coach Susan Olasky Senior Writers Janie B. Cheaney, Andrée Seu There are more unusual gifts, too. We Peterson, Lynn Vincent Correspondents Sandy Barwick, Megan Basham, have been happy participants in complex Julie Borg, Bob Brown, John transactions involving real estate, businesses, Dawson, Juliana Chan Erikson, Katie Gaultney, Charles Horton, retirement accounts, annuities, and a few Mary Jackson, Sharla Megilligan, Jill Nelson, Arsenio Orteza, Jenny other things even more complex. Joel Belz Lind Schmitt, Andrew Shaughnessy, Laura Singleton, Russell St. John, tells the story of a family who donated a pig Marty VanDriel, Jae Wasson Mailbag Editor Les Sillars to WORLD. We definitely relied on an Editorial Assistants Kristin Chapman, Amy Derrick, “expert consultant” to get the most out of Mary Ruth Murdoch Graphic Designer Rachel Beatty that contribution! Illustrator Krieg Barrie In June, we received an extraordinary Digital Production Assistants Arla J. Eicher, Dan Perkins donation we did not convert into cash: that Website wng.org stately Howard Miller grandfather clock one Executive Editor Mickey McLean of our members provided to us. It chimes on Managing Editor Lynde Langdon Assistant Editor Rachel Lynn Aldrich the quarter-hour, same as the bells in the All Reporter Onize Ohikere Correspondents Kiley Crossland, Anne Walters Souls Cathedral across the street (using the Custer, Laura Edghill, Samantha Gobba, Julia A. Seymour, Steve same Westminster tune, too, although we haven’t managed to get them to chime West, Kyle Ziemnick at precisely the same time—yet). Editorial Assistant Whitney Williams I hear the clock’s chimes back in my office. The chimes, and the towering presence of the clock, remind us of our members’ commitment to our work, our Website wng.org/radio Executive Producer/Cohost Nick Eicher resulting commitment to you, and our absolute urgency to number our days, Managing Editor J.C. Derrick right down to our quarter-hours. Like every other tool we use in our office, that News Editor Leigh Jones Cohost Mary Reichard clock is a gift from God, and a gift from our members, entrusted to us. We pray Reporters Paul Butler, Kent Covington, Sarah Schweinsberg that we will continue to earn your trust every day. Correspondents Maria Baer, Myrna Brown, Laura Finch, George Grant, Kim Henderson, Anna Johansen, Trillia Newbell, Brigitte Sylvestre, Cal Thomas, Emily Whitten Producers Johnny Franklin, Carl Peetz (technical), Kristen Flavin (field) Kevin Martin Listening In Warren Cole Smith, Rich Roszel [email protected]

Chief Executive Officer Kevin Martin Founder Joel Belz Development Pierson Gerritsen, Debra Meissner, HOW TO CONTACT US Andrew Belz, Sandy Barwick To become a WORLD Member, give a gift membership, change address, access other Administration Kerrie Edwards member account information, or for back issues and permission … Marketing Jonathan Woods Advertising Partnerships John Almaguer, Kyle Crimi, Email [email protected] Kelsey Sanders Member Services Amanda Beddingfield Online wng.org/account (Members) or members.wng.org (to become a Member) KIDS’ AND TEENS’ PUBLICATIONS Phone 828.435.2981 within the U.S. or 800.951.6397 outside the U.S. Website wng.org/children Monday–Friday (except holidays), 9 a.m.–7 p.m. ET Publisher Howard Brinkman Write WORLD, PO Box 20002, Asheville, NC 28802-9998 Editor Rich Bishop Back issues 828.435.2981 world journalism institute Website worldji.com Reprints and permissions 828.253.8063, ext. 427 or [email protected] Dean Marvin Olasky  Follow us on Twitter @WORLD_mag Associate Dean Edward Lee Pitts  Follow us on Facebook @WORLD.Magazine BOARD of directors John Weiss (chairman), William Newton (vice chairman), WORLD occasionally rents subscriber names to carefully screened, like-minded organizations. If you would prefer Mariam Bell, Kevin Cusack, Peter Lillback, Howard Miller, not to receive these promotions, please call customer service and ask to be placed on our DO NOT RENT list. R. Albert Mohler Jr., Russell B. Pulliam, David Skeel, David Strassner, Ladeine Thompson, Raymon Thompson MISSION STATEMENT WORLD (ISSN 0888-157X) (USPS 763-010) is Published biweekly (24 issues) for $69.95 per year by God’s World Publications, Biblically objective journalism that informs, (no mail) 12 All Souls Crescent, Asheville, NC 28803; 828.253.8063. Periodical postage paid at Asheville, NC, and additional mailing educates, and inspires offices. Printed in the USA. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. © 2019 WORLD News Group. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WORLD, PO Box 20002, Asheville, NC 28802-9998. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS VOICES Joel Belz

Here you discover Davis the humble and devoted shepherd, gently but firmly helping his fellow believers grapple with the hard issues of the dying process. This has involved countless middle-of-the-night sessions in hospital rooms and corridors, as well as service on the professional ethics committees of large hospitals. Typical is the story of Tammy, a little girl On ending well from Kazakhstan previously adopted by a HAVE YOU THOUGHT SERIOUSLY—AND Christian couple known to Davis. Tammy becomes the fifth of the couple’s five children, BIBLICALLY—ABOUT END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS? but along the way is discovered to have a badly defective heart. The challenges On the face of it, no book focused primarily are many and nuanced. R on the subject of dying holds high promise Surgery is called for, but with for becoming a bestseller. Death is hardly the relatively low expectation of most appealing of all possible topics. And success. The surgery is costly— unless the author has actually “been there, and way beyond the couple’s done that,” the book-buying public has reason resources. And the decision is to be skeptical. urgent, leaving the parents If I tell you as well that this book I want you little time for thought, prayer, to read was written by a philosophy and ethics and advice. professor at a small college, I realize you may As is his style with each of already be turning the page. the stories, Davis first offers So let me put it this way. Even if this were a three different choices avail- bad book, I would still consider it an important able to the decision-makers. topic for virtually every WORLD reader. But Then he evaluates each of the Bill Davis’ Departing in Peace: Biblical Decision- three choices on the basis of Making at the End of Life is both rigorous and Davis the Biblical principles developed in the book’s charming. Read it, and you’ll be a more constructs earlier chapters. Only then does Davis suggest thoughtful Christian in every facet of your life. his own preferred answer—sometimes humbly You’ll also understand why Davis has for years a thorough, changing his mind right here in public. Readers been among the most popular teachers at coherent may well differ with his answers—but never Covenant College. Biblical will they accuse Davis of cheap responses. Departing in Peace calls you to disciplined foundation Notably, Davis shows how the Bible forces him and selfless thinking. That stems from Davis’ to hang onto his career-long commitment to unrelenting trust in the authority of the Bible, for Christians the pro-life position. and his assumption that his readers share that who want The book’s last four chapters offer final trust. He is no shallow proof-texter. Instead, valid tools for proof of the author’s practical bent. First comes through the first half of the 300-page book, dealing prop- specific guidance for filling out “advance direc- Davis constructs a thorough, coherent Biblical tive” documents, spelling out your preferences foundation for Christians who want valid tools erly with real as the end of your own life approaches. Next is for dealing properly with real end-of-life end-of-life a frank chapter on money and end-of-life challenges. challenges. issues. Then comes a visit to a modern hospital For example (and almost as a footnote), he and an introduction to the pertinent people, takes the book of Proverbs literally when it tells equipment, and procedures you’re likely to find God’s people not to make financial commit- there. And finally, Davis offers his readers a list ments they have no way to honor. That includes of “things to do now.” typically hefty end-of-life medical or funeral Scripture says that “it is appointed unto men bills—even when someone’s life might be at once to die.” So it’s hard for me to think of a stake. more universally applicable package of wisdom But all that is Davis as a thoughtful professor. than what Bill Davis has put between the The value of this book comes through especially covers of this book. If you can’t find a copy of in its second half, where he applies the theory your own, borrow one. Or ask the deacons in of the book’s first half. Davis tells us—in detail— your church to make one available to you and

KRIEG BARRIE KRIEG six different real-life, hospital-based stories. your friends. A

 [email protected] August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 5 Pastors need more theology, not less. That’s why when many seminaries offer faster, easier, simpler, we embrace deeper, richer, and stronger. That is because, in the end, we trust the truth that endures. We are The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and we are Trusted for Truth.

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Crowd control A U.S. Border Patrol agent speaks with migrants whom American officials had taken into custody in Los Ebanos, a Texas border town next to the Rio Grande. Hundreds of people had turned themselves in to Border Patrol after illegally rafting Pastors need more theology, not less. That’s why when many seminaries offer across the river from Mexico, part of a recent wave of migrants faster, easier, simpler, we embrace deeper, richer, and stronger. That is because, in seeking asylum in the United States. the end, we trust the truth that endures. We are The Southern Baptist Theological JOHN MOORE/GETTY IMAGES Seminary and we are Trusted for Truth.

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World Ad.indd 1 7/1/19 4:03 PM DISPATCHES News Analysis

Four freshmen congresswomen (from left), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., respond to remarks made by President Trump.

next. One storyline does seem clear: The line between policy offensive and personal offensiveness—on both sides— seems to be fading even farther into distant realms. In a closer realm, the border crisis continued to broil in the summer heat. Vice President Mike Pence visited border stations on July 12, including a location in McAllen, Texas, that was packed with adult males. Pence acknowledged conditions in the over- flowing temporary facility weren’t acceptable, and he called on Congress to fix the immigration system. Congress does need to act, but if Stranger danger that sounds like a rerun of an old epi- SUMMER PLOT TWISTS PUNCTUATE A WEIRD sode in a yearslong debate, it’s hard to SEASON OF POLITICS AND CULTURE by Jamie Dean see a new season on the horizon. Some Americans broke from politics to celebrate the Fourth of July, just as Summer hit full stride in July, but Democratic coalition ahead of the 2020 Nike scrapped its release of a limited- R backyard barbecues faced stiff elections, as the party battles over how edition sneaker emblazoned with a competition from indoor pursuits: far left it will go: Its leaders know that 1770s American flag. NFL star and Netflix released the third season of its moderate and independent voters will activist Colin Kaepernick reportedly nostalgia-fueled hit Stranger Things on be crucial to electoral victories. But far- complained the flag came from an era July 4 and reported more than 40 left lawmakers, like the four congress- when slavery was allowed in America. million households streamed the show women Pelosi sparred with, have That’s true, but Betsy Ross, the during the first week. grabbed headlines with a slew of con- Philadelphia seamstress usually The massive viewership broke troversial statements and proposals. remembered for her flag-making dur- streaming records, but a Netflix account Republican lawmakers likely ing the American wasn’t necessary to watch plenty of didn’t mind the open display of Revolution, was other strange things unfold during July. disunity in the Democratic Party. also a Quaker—a In Washington, D.C., some But the dynamic took a stranger religious group CONGRESSWOMEN: J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP • SHOES: NIKE VIA AP Democratic lawmakers accused House turn on July 14 when President that moved to Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being too Trump seemed to aim a series prohibit its moderate—a strange charge the con- of tweets at the four minority members from gresswoman from California doesn’t congresswomen. He said they holding slaves often face. should “go back and help fix the in the late 1770s. Pelosi hit back at four freshmen totally broken and crime infested Two replicas of the flag she’s cred- congresswomen who criticized her for places from which they came … you ited with creating were prominently passing a border bill they didn’t deem can’t leave fast enough.” displayed during President Barack sufficient. Pelosi questioned their reach Three of the four congresswomen Obama’s second inauguration in 2013. of influence beyond Twitter. One of the were born and raised in America. The Corporate activism reached another four freshmen—Rep. Alexandria fourth is a naturalized U.S. citizen. In a strange level with another limited- Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.—said Pelosi’s flash, the Democratic Party was united edition product: transgender-themed comments were disrespectful to “newly again—at least for the moment. Oreos. The snack giant gave away the elected women of color.” One could imagine a Washington cookies at a World Pride event in New What sounded like a silly fight version of Stranger Things, though it York City, but reported it didn’t have revealed serious fissures in the would be difficult to envision what’s immediate plans to sell them in stores.

8 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 Still, Oreo’s Twitter account encour- BY THE NUMBERS aged consumers to share the pronoun of their preferred gender and imprinted the snacks with a range of possibilities: “she/her,” “he/him,” and “they/them.” The company packaged the Oreos in 14.3 million the colors of the transgender flag. The approximate number of Americans who tuned in to Fox on July 7 to watch Customers can buy a transgender the U.S. beat the Netherlands 2-0 at the Women’s World Cup final match, flag on Amazon.com, but they won’t be according to the broadcaster. able to buy several books by a certain author anymore: Amazon officials confirmed on July 3 they had removed several titles by Joseph Nicolosi, an author known for his writings on homosexuality. Nicolosi, who died in 2017, advocated reparative therapy—a form of counseling aimed at helping people reduce or change same-sex attractions. The therapy has been controversial, including among some Christians who don’t think it’s the best approach to helping The new price of tuition for certain students at the University of Texas at Austin. those who battle same-sex attractions. The free ride $will apply to in-state students who have financial need and come But banning books based on one from families making under $65,000. approach to a problem could lead to 0 banning books based on any approach to the same problem—and perhaps any titles that hold to a Biblical view of sexuality. Christopher Yuan, the evangelical author of the recently released Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, called Amazon’s move “chilling.” Also chilling: Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization confirmed it had increased its uranium enrichment level The height of a baby giraffe born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to 4.5 percent and had fulfilled its 6in Colorado feetSprings, Colo., on July 6. The baby giraffe threat to exceed the limit set in a 2015 reportedly weighed at least 150 pounds at birth. deal with global powers. Meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox Church debated banning its priests from blessing weapons of mass destruction. Religion News Service reported that Russian Orthodox priests have formally blessed surface-to-air missiles, nuclear submarines, tanks, and fighter jets. 54,000The number of acres of wheat and barley destroyed by hundreds of fires in Iraq A church committee has recom- between May and June, according to Iraq’s Directorate of Civil Defense. Locals mended priests bless soldiers rather blame many of the fires on arson by ISIS militants or other political actors. than weapons, but some object to the change. Vsevolod Chaplin, an influential priest, told a Russian newspaper that nuclear weapons were the country’s “guardian angels” to protect Russians “from enslavement by the West.” A debate over whether priests should sanctify weapons of mass destruction? $1The amount of taxbillion revenue the Colorado state government has raised Stranger things have happened. A from marijuana sales since legalizing the drug in 2014.

 [email protected]  @deanworldmag August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 9 DISPATCHES Human Race

and the civilian opposition story, including the day alliance had announced a Mengele’s lab gave her an power-sharing agreement injection that almost killed July 5 that ended weeks of her. She knew that if she violence and stalled talks had died Mengele would following the military have killed Miriam as well ouster of longtime so he could perform a dou- Sudanese leader Omar al- ble autopsy. However, the Bashir in April. More than twins were the only 250 people had died in the members of their family to clashes. survive the camp. They were liberated in 1945 and Survived emigrated to Israel. A man swept over Niagara Together, the two started a Falls survived, according to nonprofit organization a police report from called Candles after reunit- Ontario, Canada. The police ing over 100 other twins were called in to Horseshoe who had survived their Falls on July 9 with a suffering under Mengele. report of a man in crisis. Horseshoe is the largest of Died Enforced attempt days after reaching the three falls that make up H. Ross Perot, Texas bil- The Trump administration a governing agreement the famous Niagara. The lionaire and ex-presidential

announced it would imple- with the civilian-led oppo- man climbed over a wall candidate, died on July 9 ASYLUM: CEDAR ATTANASIO/AP • OMAR: ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/GETTY IMAGES • KOR: JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE/DPA/NEWSCOM • PEROT: AP ment a new rule for people sition. Lt. Gen. Jamal set up to protect tourists at age 89. Perot founded seeking asylum at the U.S. Omar, a member of the from the water and was Electronic Data Systems in border with Mexico that council, said in a statement caught by the current, fall- 1962, and the company likely will affect most that authorities detained at ing 188 feet into the made Perot one of Central American migrants. Lower Niagara River. America’s rich- Under the rule, migrants CNN reported that est men. His will be ineligible for asylum police found the fame came, in the United States if they unidentified man however, failed to apply for protec- down the river, sit- from his tion in other countries they ting on the bank. attempt to passed through on their He was taken to a fly food to way to the U.S. border. The hospital for treatment American POWs announcement is the latest but his life isn’t in danger. during the Vietnam War of President Donald and a commando raid he Trump’s efforts to stem the Died mounted in 1979 to free tide of Central American Eva Kor, a survivor of two of his employees from migrants at the southern experiments in Auschwitz, an Iranian prison. Perot border and likely will face died on July 4 at the age of would leverage these court challenges. The rule 85. The Nazis took Kor and stories and his money for builds on a provision of her twin sister Miriam to attempts to win the presi- the Immigration and least 16 active and retired the death camp in 1944, dency as a third-party Nationality Act that says officials from the army and and the two became part of candidate in 1992 and 1996. people who migrate the National Intelligence Josef Mengele’s pseudosci- He finished with 19 percent through a safe country to and Security Service. “This entific experiments of the popular vote in 1992 the United States must first is an attempt to block the on twins. In Kor’s and was the most success- apply for asylum in that agreement … that aims to memoir, Echoes ful third-party candidate country. open the road for From Auschwitz, since Theodore Roosevelt. Sudanese people she tells her Perot also wrote several Foiled to achieve their books on politics and Sudan’s ruling transitional demands,” Omar economics as well as giving military council said on said. The mili- millions to schools and July 11 it foiled a coup tary council hospitals.

10 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org

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‘We’re almost extinct.’ LIU HU, an independent journalist in China, ‘Congress has on investigative journalists under the said that you LIU: MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AP • JOHNSON: BASTIAAN SLABBERS/NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES • HARRIS: JASON MERRITT/GETTY IMAGES • AZAR: SUSAN WALSH/AP • STEVENS: ASSOCIATED PRESS government of President Xi Jinping. “The cannot support government has made its citizens ignorant,” Liu said of the harassment of reporters abortion as a and sources. “The public’s eyes are method of family blind, their ears are deaf, and planning. We’re their mouths have just finally no words.” enforcing it.’ ALEX AZAR, secretary of Health and Human Services, on the Trump administration’s move to prevent groups receiving federal ‘I jumped grants, under Title X, from using the funds to “perform, right in because promote, refer to, or support that’s what a pro-life abortion as a method of family planning.” On July 11, the 9th woman should do.’ U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to block the rule. Pro-life activist ABBY JOHNSON, in a Fox News op-ed, on going to the southern border to provide humanitarian relief during the migrant crisis. Johnson blasted Democratic politicians at the border who declined Johnson’s request ‘I did the best I for help unloading a truck of relief supplies: “They could.’ looked stunned that someone had the gall to Former U.S. Supreme Court ask them to actually do something, Justice JOHN PAUL STEVENS as in not just for the cameras.” on his legacy. Stevens, appointed to the court by Republican Gerald Ford in 1975, became one of the court’s most liberal members, reaffirming the Roe v. Wade decision and ‘You would opposing the death penalty. never fit into our pack or what this team stands for.’ U.S. women’s soccer player ASHLYN HARRIS, in a tweet about American soccer player Jaelene Hinkle, who had decided not to join the American women’s soccer team because of requirements to wear an LGBT pride jersey. “Hinkle, our team is about inclusion,” Harris stated in the same tweet in which she said Hinkle wouldn’t fit in.

12 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity

FESSEAU: XAVIER LEOTY/AFP/GETTY IMAGES • SLUG: ISTOCK • ILLUSTRATION: KRIEG BARRIE • RICKETTS: INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE - was able to able to was Hermine Ricketts Garden variety Garden ordinance. Ricketts protested, saying that since her since that saying protested, Ricketts ordinance. squash, and okra and hoping for a good fall harvest. fall a good and hoping for squash, and okra July 1 marked the day the day July 1 marked a law nullifying community prohibitions on front-yard front-yard on prohibitions nullifying community a law her front-yard garden because of a newly passed city passed of a newly because garden her front-yard den and hired a lawyer to fight city hall. But before she But before city hall. fight to a lawyer den and hired battle and a state law. In 2013, officials in Miami Shores, officials in Miami Shores, In 2013, law. and a state battle plants. Facing a $50-per-day fine, she pulled up her gar fine, she pulled up her a $50-per-day plants. Facing gardens. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill, and Ricketts the bill, and Ricketts signed DeSantis Ron Gov. gardens. home faced south, her backyard was too shady to grow grow to shady too was her backyard south, home faced and her husband got busy planting tomatoes, jalapeños, planting tomatoes, busy and her husband got could wrap up her lawsuit, the Florida Legislature passed the Florida Legislature up her lawsuit, wrap could Fla., informed Ricketts that she would have to stop tending stop to have she would that Ricketts Fla., informed start gardening at home again—following a six-year legal legal a six-year home again—following at start gardening accelerator near Geneva, Geneva, near accelerator Hadron Collider to short- to Collider Hadron offline. and go circuit Switzerland, causing the Large the Large causing Switzerland, defended her defended particle weasel bit a high-voltage wire at a at wire bit a high-voltage weasel Quick Takes Corinne Fesseau Corinne

power outage stopped almost 30 trains. In 2016 a In 2016 almost 30 trains. stopped outage power August 3, 2019 • Railways said they found the slug’s electrocuted corpse corpse electrocuted the slug’s found said they Railways stranded 12,000 passengers. Officials with Japan Officials with passengers. 12,000 stranded inside electrical equipment next to the tracks. The the tracks. to equipment next inside electrical to blame for a power outage that halted rail traffic and traffic rail halted that outage a power blame for to After a thorough investigation, Japanese rail officials say a slug was say a slug officials rail Japanese investigation, a thorough After he doesn’t count in the back?” the driver reportedly asked the trooper. He the trooper. asked reportedly the driver in the back?” count he doesn’t reminded him warning, but off with a driver let the hearse Smaka did not. lane. in the HOV count bodies, mannequins, and pets do not dead that excuses to try and get out of traffic tickets. The one from July 1 ranks as from July 1 The one tickets. out of traffic try and get to excuses driving in the high- for a minivan pulled over Smaka one of his favorites. the Chrysler But a passenger. without lane ostensibly occupancy-vehicle “So, body in the back. carrying a dead be a hearse to happened minivan Body count of hundreds has heard Smaka Travis Trooper Patrol Highway Nevada Small slug, big punch Small slug, outside the courthouse in solidarity. The court should court The in solidarity. outside the courthouse September. by a decision make what roosters were born to do. Fesseau has lived in has lived Fesseau do. born to were roosters what 35for coast west France’s island off of a rural Oléron, part of are chickens backyard that argued She years. gathered owners of cockerel A number in Oléron. life Maurice who, they say, crows too early and too loudly and too early too crows say, they who, Maurice in the morning. Owner is only doing Maurice on July 4, saying in court bird the tension between lifelong residents of rural France France rural of residents lifelong between the tension home outside the a tranquil looking for and retirees made a formal couple retired arrived A recently city. named a rooster against pollution complaint noise Something to crow about crow to Something highlights crowing rooster’s a French involving A case DISPATCHES WORLD Magazine 14 ICE CREAM: HANDOUT • ILLUSTRATION: KRIEG BARRIE • GOOGLE MAPS: CONNIE MONSEES TOLD KMGH • MCLAREN: HANDOUT Manage your membership: wng.org/membership issued thedriver a$368 ticket. the excessive speed, Canadian police impoundedthevehicle for seven days and June 17 for traveling 100 mph—almostdoubletheposted speed limit.Because of driver from Coquitlam, BritishColumbia, was reportedly pulledover by police on his It took aCanadian manjust10 minutes to lose hisbrand-new supercar. Driving Quick turnover back inthefreezer case, aCorpus Christi,Texas, carry aprison term of20years. As itturnedout, with awater gun to scare offany copycat cases the suspect isaminorandtherefore won’t face woman lickingtheBlueBellTinRoof ice cream in Corpus Christiplaced anemployee onguard charges that stiff. Regardless, a Walmart store in Lufkin, Texas, caused strong denunciations, 2019 McLaren 600LT woman openingaBlueBellice cream carton, licking theice cream, andputtingthecarton Walmart placed an“armed” guard intheice In thewake ofaviral video showing aTexas second-degree felony that could tampering cream aisle.Thelate Junevideo ofayoung and police upcharges hadbeen talking of in thelead-up to theJulyFourth holiday. We allscreamed valued at $256,500 for thefirst time,theunidentified during her100-day lifespan. cockroach female canlay nearly 400eggs alone,” Scharfsaid.ThetypicalGerman pests almostimpossiblewithchemicals study. “[This]willmake controlling these immunity to insecticides not used inthe resistance to insecticide butalso picked up cockroach populations not onlydeveloped a spearheaded by Michael Scharf, German published inJune immune to insecticide. According to astudy warning that cockroaches are becoming Scientists from Purdue University are Encroaching roaches Scientific Reports and and delivered themto theairport. picked upafew stranded motorists and able to get through, andMonsees says she Those withall-wheel drive vehicles were that hadbecome bogged down inmud. motorists became stuckbehindafew cars after recent heavy rainfall, andmost ofthe the drivers—the dirtroad was impassible Unbeknownst to themappingprogram—or smartphone directions onto adirtroad. 100 other drivers seemed to befollowing Monsees told KMGHthat sheandabout quicker route to theairport. Driver Connie cations like Google Mapsto search for a Aurora, Colo., onJune23 caused GPS appli Airport. Alarge crash onPeña Boulevard in mud enroute to Denver International led to dozens ofdrivers getting stuck in An aggressive Google Maps driving direction Led astray August 3, 2019 3, August • WORLD Magazine WORLD - 15 VOICES Janie B. Cheaney

Given their race, this looked like a clear case of bigotry to students and administration. The ensuing weeks of protests, chants, and boycotts caused significant loss for the bakery, especially after the administration canceled long-standing catering contracts. The dean of students, com- munications officer, and presidential assistant were all personally involved in the uproar. Oberlin’s fervor Finally, wounded by damage to their reputation no less than their revenue, the Gibsons sued. WHEN IDEALS HARDEN INTO IDEOLOGY, In June, a jury of “townies” decided in the INJUSTICES FOLLOW Gibsons’ favor and awarded a total of $44 million in damages, punitive and com- Liberal Arts, released in 2012, is an unas- pensatory. Careless college activism R suming film tribute from actor Josh had—finally—gone too far. Radnor to his alma mater, Kenyon College. In Reading deeper into the case, the film, Radnor’s character is experiencing an Gibson’s Bakery comes off as firm but early midlife crisis when he receives an invita- reasonable and Oberlin as arrogant and tion to the retirement party of his favorite pro- condescending—even proposing, in fessor. Returning to campus, he sees from the early talks, that the bakery allow their perspective of a worldly-wise Gen Xer rather students one incident of shoplifting than a wide-eyed freshman. The professors are before pressing charges. Would any cynical, the students are scary, and the attach- business agree to let customers with a ment he forms with a quirky freshman girl Oberlin even- student ID rob them “just once”? Such details doesn’t go where they expect—and yet. The likely prompted the exorbitant award (which has adventurous mind he first acquired at college tually let been reduced to a mere $25 million). But maybe reawakens, impervious to human imperfection. propositions other administrators in other colleges will think It follows him back to his uninspiring job in crush people. twice before letting wild accusations get wilder. New York (an academic job, ironically) and Or maybe not. Gibson’s Bakery v. Oberlin refreshes his soul. The college College is a glaring example of what happens Idealistic as it seems, that’s what a liberal- stood for the when ideals become ideology. Born in evangeli- arts education is supposed to do. Traditionally, oppressed by cal fervor and dedicated to the proposition that anyway. Now it’s hard to say exactly what it’s all men (and women) are created equal, Oberlin supposed to do, especially since Kenyon’s oppressing eventually let propositions crush people. The neighboring Ohio institution, Oberlin College, its next-door college stood for the oppressed by oppressing blundered into a legal hot mess. neighbors. its next-door neighbors. No school has a better claim than Oberlin to The same spirit is at work in Seattle and the “Liberal Arts” label. Founded in 1833 by a other West Coast cities, where ideology about pair of Presbyterian ministers who described homelessness runs roughshod over citizens the institution as “peculiar in what is good,” wanting clean sidewalks. In California, ideology Oberlin was the first coed college in the United about zoning and the environment jacks hous- States and the first to admit students of all ing costs out of reach for middle-class Joes. races. While evangelist Charles Finney served Ideology about women’s “reproductive rights” as president, Oberlin became a touchstone of silences post-abortive women who are riddled the abolitionist movement. But the school’s with guilt—not to mention silencing genera- idealism made a hard left turn in the late 20th tions of future women. And ideology about century, leading to a rude awakening in the 21st. wealth redistribution, now playing on presi- During the fall semester of 2016, three dential debate stages, has led to the murder of African American freshmen tried to purchase literal millions who had no wealth or vote. liquor at Gibson’s Bakery, a family-owned busi- While standing for godly principles, ness serving Oberlin students and staff since Christians mustn’t forget that Christ offers not 1905. When the shop owner’s son refused their ideology but Himself. Rather than standing for fake ID, one of the students walked out with a the oppressed, He meets them one by one. DAKE KANG/AP bottle of wine. The owner’s son pursued, the Instead of broad-stroking endless guilt, He shoplifters fled, punches were allegedly identifies sin with surgical precision and freely thrown, and all three students were arrested. forgives. Can we do any less? A

16 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019  [email protected]  @jbcheaney PE13268_F_v1_8x10.5 ad.indd 2 7/16/19 12:41 PM The state of the Middle East is frequently focused on Israel. It really needs to focus on the relationship between Persia and Babylon, or in this case, Iraq and Iran.

—George Friedman, geopolitical forecaster, Season 1, Episode 1 of The Olasky Interview

A brand new podcast from WORLD Radio is here. It’s called e Olasky Interview.

Hosted by reporter Jill Nelson, listen to A brand new podcast (you guessed it) WORLD editor-in-chief Marvin Olasky conduct in-depth interviews from WORLD Radio with prominent authors, politicians, and is here. It’s called thought leaders. Season 1 guests include Albert Mohler, Ann Voskamp, Min Jin The Olasky Interview. Lee, Ben Carson, and others.

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OlaskyFP.indd 4 6/28/19 10:20 AM CULTURE Movies & TV / Books / Children’s Books / Q&A / Music

Movie revolutionary in its kind- ness toward its main characters. Without giving too much away, we all know it’s Play like a genius not OK for Jack to claim IN YESTERDAY, UNLIKELY EVENTS BRING CELEBRITY work that isn’t his. And, in STATUS TO AN UNREMARKABLE MUSICIAN by Megan Basham other hands, one scene that deals with his duplicity would surely end in a It may be a little early has given him an equally before. At least, not until moment of pharisaical R to trot out the old optimistic script to work Jack begins playing them to condemnation. Instead, “feel-good movie of the with. the delight of his long-suf- Boyle resolves it with such year” designation, but it’s After a worldwide fering childhood friend and surprising grace and gener- going to be tough to beat power outage, struggling manager, Ellie—the only osity, you want to weep director Danny Boyle’s singer-songwriter Jack one who’s never doubted with gratitude. Yesterday. Malik (Himesh Patel) he has genius hiding some- What criticism has been Boyle is perhaps best awakens in the hospital to where inside. But what lobbed at Yesterday is known for Slumdog discover he’s the only one begins in pure celebration generally due to its lack of Millionaire. Here, veteran who can remember the of music soon spirals into darkness, because Jack romantic comedy screen- Beatles. “Hey Jude,” “Let It full-blown artistic theft. doesn’t spiral into prob- writer Richard Curtis (Four Be,” “I Want to Hold Your At the peak (one hopes) lems generally associated Weddings and a Funeral, Hand” … no one’s ever of our current “cancel cul- with stardom. But partying

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS UNIVERSAL Notting Hill, Love Actually) heard of those songs ture,” Yesterday is almost and drug use would be

 [email protected]  @megbasham August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 19 CULTURE Movies & TV

beside the point. Jack’s already in love with her. main problem is imposter To that I can only say syndrome on steroids. He those reviewers must not needs no other issue to know many millennial grapple with, especially as women. Being disregarded it allows the film to get at by millennial men focused greater and more worth- on goals that don’t include Hamilton while themes. serious relationships isn’t and her son Yesterday acts as a subtle just plausible, it’s epidemic. rebuke to other musical Try to think of the last Documentary biopics of late, such as big-budget romantic Bohemian Rhapsody and comedy in which an awk- Bethany Hamilton: Rocketman, that subtly ward “morning after” suggest only lives of artistic scene didn’t play a major Unstoppable geniuses are worthy of our role. Here, Ellie instead admiration. Only people understands instinctively Even as a 13-year- After Beth loses her who create something the early on that a one-night R old, Bethany arm to a massive tiger Hamilton was a deter- shark, a video shows the whole world holds dear stand with Jack will mined person: She was huge bite taken out of her have really lived to the cheapen their relation- back on a surfboard four surfboard. Her survival utmost. Poppycock, says ship. When a later scene weeks after losing her left despite major blood loss Yesterday. Jack’s appeal is implies (but doesn’t arm to a shark. Hamilton is miraculous, and her that he is average. He has show) sex outside of wed- became famous through recovery is quick. In one average songwriting ability, lock, the film nonetheless her book Soul Surfer and scene, as a partially dis- average stage presence. His ties it to marriage and the 2011 movie of the abled surfer visits Beth in only above-average quality family, and upholds both same name. While she’s the hospital, viewers can is his love for music and his as blessings. proud of that film, the sense her young mind joy in sharing that love with Do I need to tell you competitive surfer churning with the possi- others. how Jack and Ellie’s story wanted to tell more of bilities of getting back Pop songs tap into our ends? I won’t. It’s enough her story—warts and all. out on the water. emotions in ways at once to say that it celebrates the The result is the new Despite the odds individual and collective. grace of life. And with a documentary Bethany against a one-armed The story recognizes this film like that, you know we Hamilton: Unstoppable. athlete, Hamilton Tom and Cheri becomes a professional without idolizing the indi- should be glad. A Hamilton raised their surfer, winning competi- viduals who possess the family on the island tions through gritty rare ability to write them of Kauai, with surfing willpower and lots of well. Instead of bowing at a major part of their practice. When she finds the feet of John, Paul, BOX OFFICE TOP 10 FOR THE WEEKEND OF JULY 12-14 lives. Young Bethany out she’s pregnant, she George, and Ringo, it stands according to Box Office Mojo and her friend Alana worries how she’ll be a back in wonder at a world Blanchard attacked good mom with one arm. where such creation and CAUTIONS: Quantity of sexual (S), violent (V), the waves with gusto Later scenes show her and foul-language (L) content on a 0-10 scale, shared experience is with 10 high, from kids-in-mind.com and began to win easily caring for her little possible. S V L local competitions. boy, nursing between Though the language `1 Spider-Man: The Hamiltons filmed heats in a competition, earns it a PG-13 rating, Far From Home* PG-13 ...... 3 5 4 much of Bethany’s and changing a diaper Yesterday is also one of the `2 Toy Story 4* G...... 1 3 1 childhood, on the with the aid of both feet. most chaste romantic `3 Crawl R...... 1 9 5 water and at home, Unstoppable doesn’t ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES comedies in recent mem- `4 Stuber R...... 6 8 10 and this archival make a big deal of the footage rounds out Hamiltons’ Christian faith, ory, even as it trades on `5 Yesterday* PG-13...... 3 3 5 `6 PG...... her story. In one although we see prayer obstacles to love that feel Aladdin* 2 3 1 `7 R . . . prescient scene, before a competition and especially modern. Annabelle Comes Home 1 6 3 `8 R...... Bethany’s mom asks other glimpses of their I read some reviews that Midsommar 8 10 8 `9 her, “Aren’t you Christian walk. Viewers argued that, as Ellie, Lily The Secret Life of Pets 2 PG...... 1 3 2 scared of sharks?” will leave amazed at how James is so luminous and `10 Men in Black “No!” the little God can use even a tragic lovable, it requires too International PG-13 ...... 3 5 4 girl responds. “You accident for good. much suspension of *Reviewed by WORLD just pray about it.” —by MARTY VANDRIEL disbelief for Jack not to be

20 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 Movie The Lion King While it may not A reckless and proud R match the appeal of prince fails to heed his Cinderella or The Jungle kingly father’s lessons. Television Book, Disney’s latest Only when the prince live-action remake of an goes into exile after his animated classic, The father dies at the hands Losers Lion King, is for the most of a wicked uncle does he part done well. begin to understand his The PG-rated film father’s wisdom. In the shines with innocent wilderness, he faces the humor: HBO’s fake news- temptations of cowardly, man John Oliver makes worldly philosophy: Life the part of Zazu the is meaningless, we owe hornbill uniquely his. nothing to a larger com- Seth Rogen’s gravelly, munity, and we should French figure skater Although secular in low-register voice feels pursue our own selfish R Surya Bonaly placed perspective, the series is created especially for pleasures. Catchy as the fourth at the 1994 Winter infused with humor and the part of an anthropo- tune is, this is what Olympics, two places hope and easily lends morphized warthog. Timon and Pumbaa are behind American sweet- itself to faith-based Yet the film stumbles really counseling with heart Nancy Kerrigan. discussions. The athletes slightly in the leads. As “Hakuna Matata.” Afterward, Bonaly walked learn lessons compatible we’d expect, Donald Eventually, suffering into an empty dressing with Biblical truths. Many Glover (as adult lion prince refines the prince’s room and cried, frustrated end up using their skills Simba) and Beyoncé (as character. He remembers that she hadn’t medaled. in a manner more in line love interest Nala) knock who he is and returns Still, she pressed on to with how God created the songs out of the park. home, humbled and compete in the 1994 them, such as basketball But they feel flat when- heroic, ready to wrest his World Figure Skating talent Jack “Jack Black” ever they’re not singing. rightful throne away Championships, landing Ryan, who blew an oppor- The Lion King is so from the usurper who difficult jumps and com- tunity to play for the NBA stunningly realistic, you has built an army of the binations. There, she but found meaningful at times forget you’re not envious. Simba seeks faced disappointment work making kids laugh watching a nature docu- traditional order not for again, earning silver as a trick performer for mentary. But there’s a his own sake, but for the instead of the gold she the Harlem Wizards. downside to this, too. Even sake of his people. As his believed she deserved. No need to watch the at their happiest or most father Mufasa advises, What happens to episodes in order: Simply sorrowful, the animals “While others search for athletes who fail? Do pick the sporting events retain the blank faces of what they can take, a they become bitter? Rise that appeal most. Only real animals, robbing the true king searches for above despair? That’s the the first is riddled with film of some emotion. what he can give.” Not a focus of Netflix’s new the F-word (others have That’s a shame given bad paraphrasing of documentary series scattered swearing), as what a tremendous drama Christ’s lesson that to be Losers. former boxer Michael The Lion King is, almost great in the kingdom, you The eight episodes, Bentt speaks about the Shakespearean in its use must be a servant of all. directed by Mickey Duzyj, emotional effects of an of classic archetypes. —by MEGAN BASHAM each tell the story of a abusive father and a promising competitor humiliating knockout. who experiences defeat. Skip it if you must, Like golfer Jean van de although you’ll miss this Velde, poised to be the line by writer-director first Frenchman in 92 Ron Shelton: “People who years to win the 1999 are considered winners British Open. He bungled are, in my mind, some of it—big time. Or ultramar- the great losers of all athoner Mauro Prosperi, time, and people who are who wanted to place in called losers are, to me, the Marathon Des Sables, some of the great an endurance race in the winners of all time.” Sahara Desert. He found Losers shows why himself dead last—and that’s often true. nearly dead. —by JENNY ROUGH THE LION KING: DISNEY ENTERPRISES • LOSERS: NETFLIX • LOSERS: ENTERPRISES THE LION KING: DISNEY

See all our movie reviews at wng.org/movies August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 21 CULTURE Books

Philadelphia. Golden Opportunity by Cody Teets looks at careers that began at McDonald’s, and Making Neighborhoods Whole contains advice from Wayne Gordon and John Perkins. The best Christian left book on the subject remains Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ron Sider. Well-written books from the secular left include Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed, Wars on poverty Andrea Campbell’s Trapped in GETTING THE RIGHT AMMUNITION by Marvin Olasky America’s Safety Net, Linda Tirado’s Hand to Mouth, and Matthew Desmond’s Evicted. Arthur Brooks About once a month a WORLD Five other books give some realism shows in Who Really Cares that the R reader asks me, “What should I to international poverty fighting. most charitable Americans are reli- read to learn how to help the poor and Economist Thomas Sowell, as always, gious conservatives. how not to?” cuts to the chase in Wealth, Poverty William Voegeli’s Never Enough: Thirty years ago that question had and Politics. Wayne Grudem and America’s Limitless Welfare State an easy answer: P.T. Bauer’s Equality, Barry Asmus provide a Christian per- shows one consequence of secular the Third World, and Economic spective in The Poverty of Nations. liberal ideas, and Nicholas Eberstadt’s Delusion (1981) broke from failed William Easterly’s The Elusive Quest Men Without Work shows another. World Bank perspectives. Charles for Growth describes adventures and Clearing Obstacles to Work by David Murray’s Losing Ground (1984) misadventures, while his The Bass shows how philanthropists could showed how the Great Society Tyranny of Experts exposes how help. Udo Middelmann’s Christianity endeavor had failed. Two books: That economists have often hugged dicta- Versus Fatalistic Religions in the was about it. tors and ignored the poor. Easterly’s War Against Poverty exposes Now, my bookcase runneth over playfully titled The White Man’s underlying theological errors, and with good advice. Steve Corbett and Burden shows Why the West’s Efforts CityServe: Your Guide to Church- Brian Fikkert’s When Helping Hurts: to Aid the Rest Have Done So Based Compassion compiles How to Alleviate Poverty Without Much Ill and So Little Good. 47 essays with varied Hurting the Poor … and Yourself has Robert Lupton in Toxic approaches. probably received the most attention: Charity uses his decades of My own contributions to The two authors also have out a prac- experience in domestic pov- the literature: Renewing tical guide, Helping Without Hurting erty fighting to show how American Compassion, in Church Benevolence. Fikkert and churches and charities often Compassionate Russell Mask added in 2015 From hurt those they try to help— Conservatism, and The Dependence to Dignity: How to and in Charity Detox he pro- Politics of Disaster, all of Alleviate Poverty Through Church- poses a way out. Peter Greer is which followed a book of mine Centered Microfinance. co-author of two books that show that gained wide attention in Darrow Miller has authored or co- what can go wrong: The Spiritual 1995, The Tragedy of American authored three excellent books: Danger of Doing Good and Mission Compassion. The 1990s was the first Lifework, which examines world- Drift. Tim Chester’s Good News to time in 50 years when Americans views and vocation; Discipling the Poor shows how evangelism and believed we had no external enemies Nations, which unites world- Biblical social action should and could focus on compassion for view analysis with sound per- go together. the poor. spectives on international Case studies of what works That time may not come again for development; and Rethinking include Peter Cove’s Poor No a long time. Patrick Garry’s Social Justice: Restoring More, which examines the Conservatism Redefinedis “a creed Biblical Compassion. success of America Works, for the poor and disadvantaged,” but Michael Novak and Paul and David Apple’s Not Just a conservatives now seem more accept- Adams try to rescue the term Soup Kitchen, a story of the ing of ancient Rome’s martial virtues from the left in Social Justice Mercy Ministry at Tenth than early Christianity’s emphasis on Isn’t What You Think It Is. Presbyterian Church in compassion. A

22 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 Four self-published or small press books reviewed by World Journalism Institute students

MEDITATION TIMES WITH ELMA: AN ODYSSEY THROUGH THE TROUBLED SEAS OF DEMENTIA AFTERWORD O. Keith Hueftle (The Vineyard Bookstore, 2018) Leya Delray’s Where During the last three years of her life, Elma Hueftle suffered from Daffodils Bloom (Ink River severe dementia. This book is a firsthand account of those years, Press, 2018) is a World War written from her husband’s point of view in diarylike style. Each entry II love story between an describes Elma’s changing condition. Even when Elma seemed unre- American sol- sponsive, Keith Hueftle talked and prayed with her, reminding her of dier and an God’s faithfulness in the past and promises for the future. He includes English woman. those conversations here: “Our ‘warfare’ in this Final Season is to wait on and trust God. The novel is And as we continue to do so, He’s been doing that quiet finishing work in us.”—Macy Hrncir based on a true tale, with the GIVE GOD AND ME A CHANCE author filling in Laney Jeans (Hear My Heart Publishing, 2018) pieces that Laney Jeans’ short book has one main purpose: to encourage readers to speak of letting look beyond a disability label to see the person underneath. The book is go of fear, hate, about her daughter, Carey Jeans, born with Down syndrome at a time and distrust. when doctors and teachers expected little from people with that condi- Delray veers into sentimen- tion. Laney’s Christian faith helped her see her daughter as an image- tality at times, but readers bearer. Laney and her husband gave Carey opportunities to shine: She will relate to characters learned to read and memorize Scripture, play the piano and violin, and who don’t often speak sign. She serves in church. The book’s conversational tone invites readers to see Carey as a directly of God in early person, with strengths and weaknesses like the rest of us. —Gigi Holst chapters but are part of a story that builds to poignant USELESS ORGANS: THE RISE AND FALL OF A illustration of Biblical CENTRAL CLAIM OF EVOLUTION truths. —Sophia Rosgaard Jerry Bergman (Bartlett Publishing, 2019) Bergman explores the science of so-called vestigial organs, such as Diane C. Jones wrote A the appendix, that seem to have no function. Proponents of evolution Dove on the Distant Oaks: point to these organs as proof of their theory, but Bergman believes Poems of Grief and Healing evolutionary assumptions have hampered scientific exploration. He (Lulu.com, 2018) after her covers the history of vestigial thought and then discusses common severely disabled examples. Written from an intelligent design perspective, the book son died at the offers awell-researched look at various organs and their functions. Its many diagrams and extensive explanations help make the sometimes-technical material accessible to age of 22 and the diligent nonscientist. —Leif Le Mahieu her parents died soon after. Her poems show PACKING LIGHT FOR THE JOURNEY OF that God “heals MOTHERHOOD Laura Ellis (WestBow Press, 2017) the broken- “Trust the Master and not the method,” Ellis writes in this Biblical guide hearted and to motherhood. She fills the book with stories of her own experience bandages their raising seven children. Ellis uses Scripture and personal stories to wounds.” The encourage mothers to seek Christ and forgo the self-righteous security blankets (or anxiety-inducing burdens) that often take shape in the form poems move from pain to of rigorous family schedules, specific birth plans, and organic-food-only healing, and many reflect meal prep. Ellis is conversational and honest. She discerns gray areas in the Psalms that inspired family life and offers a light but theologically sound look at maternal them. All show trust in the

HANDOUT responsibilities. —Mikaela Stiner living God. —Steven Curcio

To see more book news and reviews, go to wng.org/books August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 23 CULTURE Children’s Books Reading menagerie FOUR PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT ANIMALS reviewed by Susan Olasky

Hannah Holt THIS IS THE A FATHER’S LOVE AFTERWORD In this rhyming book for young children, Holt focuses Jutta Hilpuesch’s An ABC on animals where the father plays a role in raising the of Flowers (Philomel Books, young. She includes penguins, foxes, marmosets, lions, 2019) is lovely to look at. toads, sea horses, falcons, wolves, and emus. In each REAL WORLD case she highlights the breadth and quality of a father’s Each page features a large love. The father fox “keeps them safe by digging alphabet letter and a close- chutes. This father’s love runs deep as roots.” The lion up photo of a flower that cub “charges Dad with baby claws. This father’s love begins with that letter. A College isn’t the last step before has velvet paws.” The book ends with images of tiny stick-figure girl, Amelie, human dads holding their babies: “Kids fall asleep with fingers curled. A father’s love could frolics on each page. The entering the real world. hold the world.” (Ages 3-7) letter Q has a close-up of Queen Anne’s Lace with BEWARE OF THE CROCODILE Martin Jenkins Amelie swinging from it. You’re already taking on the The details in the close-up This nonfiction book about crocodiles reads like a storybook. photos highlight God’s Illustrations often stretch across two pages, leaving plenty of real world—right now, today. incredible creativity. I’d room to emphasize teeth. On one spread, we see the shadow of a huge croc waiting in the water for a creature to come never noticed how each close. “And then? Then there’ll be a sudden lunge and a blossom on a Queen Anne’s Sure, you need a degree. But you’re the kind of person tremendous SPLASH. And then? Oh, dear. What happens Lace looks like a tiny pansy. who needs more. You need to do something that matters. next is rather gruesome. In fact it’s so gruesome that we Lara Hawthorne’s The For Christ, the One who matters. should skip the details.” That kind of humor and page-turning Night Flower (Big Picture suspense coupled with lots of interesting information about Press, 2019) offers a stun- crocodiles makes this a great book for the young nature lover ning peek into We get it. We promise we don’t want to shelter you from or reluctant reader. (Ages 5-8) desert life. At the real world. We want to help you take it on. the center is NOAH BUILDS AN ARK Kate Banks the saguaro cactus, which Because the real world doesn’t start after college. A big storm is coming, and a boy named Noah builds an blooms only ark in the backyard for small critters. First he removes the wheels from his red wagon and adds slatted sides, a one night each roof, and a ramp. When he’s done, he calls in the animals: year. She The real world is now. field mice, beetles, spiders, snakes, toads, and humming- explains in birds. When the rain falls, Noah is safe inside his house, rhyme the life and the critters are safe in the ark. Finally, the rain stops. cycle of the desert and A rainbow arcs across the sky. Noah and his dad say the cactus. Watercolor illus- hallelujah. Pencil-and-watercolor illustrations give life to trations depict a thriving this reenactment of the Biblical story. (Ages 3-7) place, abounding in wildlife. When the cactus blooms, VisitSchedule a campus visit at dordt.edu/visit. Also, check out HUMMINGBIRD Nicola Davies even more creatures appear. our visit day reimbursement program at dordt.edu/travel. The book includes at the This lovely book tells of the heroic journey of tiny ruby-throated back additional facts, a glos- hummingbirds, which migrate 2,000 miles each spring. Davies sary, and a “Did you spot ...?” includes factual information in story form. A granny and her game. —S.O. granddaughter feed the hummingbirds that flutter around them. The little girl is moving north, and so are the birds. The LARA HAWTHORNE book traces the birds’ flight from Central America to New York, showing what they eat and where they nest. By late summer it’s time for them to make the long flight back. An index at the end helps young readers locate information. Lush watercolor illustrations decorate each page. (Ages 5-8)

700 7th Street NE 24 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 To see more book news and reviews, go to wng.org/books Sioux Center, Iowa 51250 THIS IS THE REAL WORLD College isn’t the last step before entering the real world. You’re already taking on the real world—right now, today.

Sure, you need a degree. But you’re the kind of person who needs more. You need to do something that matters. For Christ, the One who matters.

We get it. We promise we don’t want to shelter you from the real world. We want to help you take it on.

Because the real world doesn’t start after college. The real world is now.

VisitSchedule a campus visit at dordt.edu/visit. Also, check out our visit day reimbursement program at dordt.edu/travel.

700 7th Street NE Sioux Center, Iowa 51250 CULTURE Q&A

SIMON TAM Seeing eye to eye WHY AN ASIAN AMERICAN BAND TOOK ITS CONTROVERSIAL TRADEMARK BATTLE TO THE SUPREME COURT—AND HOW ITS FRONTMAN SAW HUMANITY IN OTHERS by Mary Reichard

In 2013 the U.S. Patent and called on in English class, even though Easy or hard to arrive at R Trademark Office denied an I had the best grade in the class. I was that conclusion? It took me Oregon punk rock band’s request to the first person to be called on in math, a very long time, and I had to trademark its name, “The Slants,” on even though my math grades were ter- go through a lot of different grounds it disparaged Asian Americans. rible! I was beat up many times, violently experiences to find this out. The band, led by California native attacked for looking the way I do, for But that’s also when I Simon Tam, appealed: He says its goal having an Asian face. realized—this probably was to reclaim the term from racial slurs Were you angry? I saw this as an ultimately informed my and “inject it with pride.” In 2017, the opportunity to extend compassion to attorney at the Supreme U.S. Supreme Court ruled the trademark other people. I truly believe that behind Court—that you don’t win by denial violated the First Amendment hate, behind ignorance, there’s probably shutting other people down, and granted the band’s request. Since a story of pain. There’s a reason why by censoring them. You win then, Tam has written a memoir and people are hurting and why they choose by having a discussion, by started a foundation to help Asian to lash out at others in that particular being able to articulate and American artists. way. I found rather than just trying to engage. Those experiences, How did you decide on the name for fight back violently, if you find a way to whether they were bullying the band? I started having conversations tap into someone’s humanity, we can or watching how my parents with people around me. I asked them, generally move forward. were treated by other people “What’s something you think all Asian who could be very ignorant, people have in common?” Over and over, helped me realize the only the answer was the same: slanted eyes, way to build that community which I always thought was interesting EXCERPT: Supreme we want is to treat it like a because it’s not true. Not all Asian peo- community. That means ple have slanted eyes, and we’re not the Court Justice working with others and not only people on earth to have slanted Samuel Alito in just trying to push them eyes. But also, we could sing about our Matal v. Tam away. perspective, our “slant” on life—what it’s Any one turning point for like to be people of color. As a kid I was “It is claimed ... the Government you in this? One particular ridiculed for having slanted eyes, and I has an interest in preventing moment was when we were thought, “How cool would it be to reap- speech expressing ideas that invited to play at the Oregon State propriate that, to inject it with pride offend. And, as we have explained, Penitentiary. Sending an Asian that idea strikes at the heart of and empowerment instead of shame?” American band into prison with one of the First Amendment. Speech the highest populations of neo-Nazis in What in your life prepared you for that demeans on the basis of going to the Supreme Court? A lot of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, the country—most people would think my life experience has taught me to try age, disability, or any other similar this is a terrible idea, but I just had and avoid these kinds of up-front ground is hateful; but the proud- Johnny Cash on my mind: “Folsom assumptions that we make based on est boast of our free speech juris- Prison Blues”! This could be our stereotypes of race, religion, and politi- prudence is that we protect the moment! At the end of this concert—we cal identity. It’s just so easy to force freedom to express ‘the thought performed for about 2,000 inmates— people into these convenient categories. that we hate.’” someone covered head to toe in swasti- Growing up, I was the last person to be kas approached me. He had very large

26 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 assumptions, but when we actually take the time to have questions rooted in our values, I think we can truly make a difference. When the Patent and Trademark Office denied your trademark regis- tration, how did you know what to do next? I didn’t know what to do next. I’ve relied heavily on my attorney, but the law that the trademark office uses is so obscure that most people don’t really know what to do. We had to all of a sudden prove that we weren’t offensive to ourselves. How do you go about doing something like that? We looked at other cases as that model. We got experts, like community leaders. At one point we got dictionary experts and

‘I realized that you don’t win by shutting other people down, by censoring them. You win by having a discussion, by being able to articulate and engage.’

surveys and all kinds of folks to weigh in on this—hundreds of pages of evidence showing that we weren’t offensive to ourselves. That didn’t work. It wasn’t until a couple of years before our case was resolved that this junior attorney throws in a First Amendment argument to see where it goes. And the courts picked up on that right away. So using our civil liberties got us through. What’s your feeling about the American legal system? Mixed. On one hand I see the opportunities to make change to make a difference. words tattooed across his chest: we both left changed that day. That That is really powerful. Some college “White Power.” Of course I froze. The was probably the most powerful expe- dropout, punk rock kid like me was man just said a couple of words to me rience I’ve ever had as a musician. And able to make a difference at the that broke right through me: He asked I realize that’s something that can’t be Supreme Court. That’s astounding to me for an autograph, gives me this created through legislation. It can’t be me. At the same time, I spent eight piece of paper, and says, “It’s for my forced. It was just taking a moment to years of my life in one court or another, daughter.” see eye to eye as people. When I saw and I didn’t even commit a crime. I Why did that strike you? It was that this person literally covered head wish justice could move a little more then that I could see that humanity to toe in white supremacist tattoos swiftly. But I understand there’s a tradi- within him. And once we actually had took the time to talk to me, I realized tion and there is a process. I just hope a chance to have a conversation and anything would be possible. It’s so the process can be refined and

THE SLANTS talk about each of our life experiences, easy to get caught up in pessimism and improved for people like me. A

August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 27 CULTURE Music

The Springsteen of There’s also the matter Western Stars haunts aban- of Springsteen’s singing. doned motels (“Moonlight He has forgone his usual Making it up Motel”), walks empty approach, one might call it THE BOSS FAILS TO CONVINCE streets (“Hello Sunshine”), “vocal emoting,” in favor of gets done wrong and aban- actual singing—of using, in IN HIS WESTERN STARS doned by his woman other words, the voice that PERSONAE by Arsenio Orteza (“There Goes My Miracle,” he might employ while “Stones”), drifts from town auditioning for the baritone to town (“The Wayfarer”) section in a community and bar to bar (“Sundown”), choir. hitchhikes (“Hitch Hikin’”), That he’s no Sinatra and fails at peddling his comes as no surprise. That songs (“Somewhere North he’s three years older than of Nashville”). Sinatra was when Sinatra He also plays a broken- recorded She Shot Me down stunt driver (“Drive Down, his last nongim- Fast”), a regret-laden crane micky album, in 1981 operator (“Tucson Train”), should give one a pretty and a has-been B-movie good idea of how much of a actor (the title cut). Sinatra he isn’t. He won’t be winning Yet, its many nondescript any Academy Awards. qualities notwithstanding, With his T-shirts, Western Stars still managed leather jackets, jeans, and to debut tousled hair, the 20- at No. 2 something Springsteen of on the the 1970s came off pretty Billboard convincing as the desperate 100. protagonist of the torrid What “Standing before fans of body slams and mini-dramas “Rosalita” beat it R you,” said Bruce drop kicks have had to and “Born to Run.” But out for Springsteen during his consider professional bringing off the beautiful- the top 2018 show Springsteen on wrestling ever since its loser wastrel bit as a spot? Madonna’s Madame Broadway, “is a man who performers came clean. graying, happily married, X (Interscope). has become wildly and For someone like soon-to-be-septuagenarian As with most Madonna absurdly successful writing Springsteen, the popularity megastar with homes in albums, Madame X feels about something of which of whose work has always New Jersey, Florida, and too willful. Multiple era- he has had absolutely no owed a lot to its perception California (and an Obama- hopping styles, rampant personal experience. I as “authentic,” such an bestowed Presidential virtue-signaling (and some- HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE INVICTUS GAMES FOUNDATION made it all up.” admission courts disaster. Medal of Freedom in one of times piety-signaling), The Boss was referring Western Stars those) is a taller order. chronic Auto-Tune, enough to his penchant for writing (Columbia), Springsteen’s So is making music that Spanish for a Democratic songs from a blue-collar new solo album, rocks or rolls presidential debate—they point of view despite his is not a disaster. when there’s all combine to create the never having worked a day It does, how- no E Street impression of a woman job, a penchant that he ever, rank Band who’ll do whatever she referred to as his “magic among his lesser involved. thinks it will take to main- trick.” And he played the achievements. What the tain her status as the confession for laughs. And the ever- music does world’s preeminent female Still, it forced the audi- widening, now- instead is lope pop star. ence, if only momentarily, owned-up-to along at a It’s an approach that to focus on his man- distance between midtempo pace, leaving may have finally run its behind-the-curtain act as Springsteen’s real life and the heavy emotional lift- course. Madame X’s chart an act, to consider it, in the lives of his personae is ing to woodwinds, brass, position just one week after effect, in the same way that largely to blame. and strings. its debut? Seventy-seven. A

28 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019  [email protected]  @ArsenioOrteza New or recent albums reviewed by Arsenio Orteza

SANCTIFIED SOLDIERS FOR THE TRANSFIGURATION OF LIGHT Roy Ruiz Clayton In the nine years since Clayton last undertook an album, his gritty street-folk has gotten loud, loose, and tough enough to qualify for a place on the rock ’n’ roll spectrum. ENCORE G. Love, Michael Franti, Rickie Lee Jones, the Blind Boys Lyrics aren’t often the best of Alabama, and the Ben Harper alumnus Jason Yates reason for loving a contem- are among the ruckus raisers, but what sets the songs porary black-gospel album. ablaze is Clayton’s streetwise sneer and his use of it to But those that Kirk Franklin proclaim his allegiance, directly and indirectly, to “the has crafted for his latest army of Christ the King.” Onward, Christian soldier! offering,Long Live Love (Fo Yo Soul/RCA), practi- TESTIMONY Gloria Gaynor cally steal the show. Entrusted almost exclusively Who ever thought that what’s surely a “Best Roots to the sort of predominantly Gospel” Grammy contender would bear the Gaither Music female chorale ordinarily Group imprint or that it would arrive via the woman best consigned to the back- known for “I Will Survive”? (No, she doesn’t append ground, they come off so another version.) With Chris Stevens doing Willie Mitchell passionately disinterested impressions on the production end and Gaynor not that they upstaged by her demographics-plugging co-vocalists, neither the songs feel unified no matter how attenuated their depend on connections may at first appear. The visionary payoff: one’s famil- Thomas Dorsey’s “Precious Lord” juxtaposed with Bob iarity with Dylan’s “Man of Peace.” Franklin (who chimes DESERTED Mekons in with Tired of waiting for a good punchline to the joke that spontaneous begins, “Old punks never die”? This music’s serrated exhortations and asides edges and defiant aesthetics will make the time fly. throughout) nor detract from Individual songs, meanwhile, push punk’s founding date the adult-contemporary considerably further into the past—beyond Iggy Pop melodies and old-school- (“Weimar Vending Machine”), past William Blake (“Into echoing R&B to which the Sun”), all the way back to the Child Ballads (“How they’re set. Choosing the most- Many Stars?”). Then there’s the “Ozymandias” adapta- quotable lines on a record tion “In the Desert.” In doubling as a requiem for the full of quotable ones isn’t New World Order, it brings punk into the present. easy. But the following must surely be in the running: FIRST FRUIT Jordan Pettay “I’m the reason why God This New York saxophonist’s debut breaks down rather made grace” (“Forever/ tidily along jazz, R&B, and gospel lines. What kind of jazz? Beautiful Grace”), “Loving The kind that finds Pettay and her standard-format trio You will be, / will be the getting away with an original seven-minute Wayne death of me—it sounds Shorter tribute and a John Coltrane cover. What kind of crazy, don’t it?” (“Love R&B? The kind that lights up the Stylistics’ greatest hit Theory”); and “Now you from the inside. And what kind of gospel? The kind that must choose what I am to comes close to doing the same for three well-known you, / God of all or not God

EARL GIBSON III/GETTY IMAGES III/GETTY EARL GIBSON 19th-century hymns and “I Exalt Thee.” at all” (“Idols”). —A.O.

To see more music news and reviews, go to wng.org/music August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 29 O VOICES N Mindy Belz T H E W E S T These men and women had returned from a C O refugee camp in Ethiopia. They had walked the A S T whole way. One of the women showed me her wrinkled Bible, which had gotten wet as she forded a river yet survived her trek. Since that time 20 years ago I have seen this kind of perseverance so often that I expect it. Those who are willing to suffer and die for A religious place their religious beliefs have much to teach the rest of us, particularly from our comfortable JOURNALISTS MISS A LEADING INDICATOR remove in the United States of America. This IF THEY IGNORE RELIGION keeps me going, now for decades: the story of what happens when all else is lost. From remarks to the 2019 State Department Ministerial The reporting I did before 9/11 prepared me to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C. for what came after. My work increasingly focused on the Middle East, where I discovered Despite being a religiously based journalist ancient Christian communities holding on R writing for a religiously based magazine, I despite having long faced discrimination under am a convert to the importance of reporting on Muslim-dominated governments. religious oppression, telling the stories of per- In Iraq and Afghanistan the Christians faced P a s a d e n a - C a l i f o r n i a secuted people. I began covering wars as most new threats—direct attacks from Islamic any journalist would—starting in the 1990s with jihadists—and without protection from local the Bosnian War and then the civil war in Sudan. authorities or the occupying U.S. forces. Over At Srebrenica I interviewed Bosniak and over U.S. leaders worked with power brokers survivors of the 1995 massacre, only gradually without regard for minority voices. This is why A G coming to understand they were Muslims this Ministerial is historic and important. R E A T ethnically cleansed from their homeland by For short stints in Iraq I worked the Green C I T y Orthodox Serbians, their husbands killed in Those who Zone press events and was embedded with the a g what was allegedly a “safe zone.” U.S. military. I came away wanting instead to be r are willing e a t In Sudan’s Blue Nile State I encountered the embedded with the community. So I spent a e d u c Christian victims of a 20-year civil war, families to suffer and week with an Iraqi family living in a Muslim a t i o burned out of their homes, at one site forced to die for their neighborhood of Baghdad. I spent time over the n feed their children dried corn husks—the same years staying with pastors, sleeping sometimes food they fed their goats. I watched one child religious in their churches, visiting targeted Christians in there die of starvation. beliefs have their safe houses. I saw how American-led wars Long before the attacks of 9/11 brought home much to in Iraq and Afghanistan weren’t improving the for Americans religiously driven terrorism, I lives of Christians. They were endangering them. was learning about a stubborn evil. The United teach the We journalists too often say, “What bleeds, States and the West may have stripped religious rest of us. leads.” We sometimes don’t stick around for ideas from our education systems, our textbooks, everyday life. Communities, for instance, suffer and our political discourse. But the rest of the when they lose their diversity. globe never got the memo. The world was—and As one Syrian bishop said to me, “It’s is—a religious place. important for the Muslims to have the D I S T I N C T LY C H R When journalists ignore religious attacks and Christians living alongside them.” In Iraq, & R E F I S T I A N persecution, we are ignoring a leading indicator, Christians formed the backbone of the middle O R M E D D I S T I N one that affects not only war but also politics, class. They were the shopkeepers and profes- C T LY C L I B L A S S I C A economics, and daily life. sionals. Without them, Iraq is poorer. The “vic- E R A L A R L Sudan is also where I learned something tims,” then, aren’t only those who are targeted. T S D I S T I N C T L else about harassed religious communities: This ground-level reporting is what allows Y A M E MATT CARDY/GETTY IMAGES & C O R I C A N their resilience. I walked a long road with aid us to report progress and the gaps in rhetoric E U N T E R X P L O C U LT U R A workers to an abandoned mission station near and action—gaps evident at an event like this p r o R E - V L the front lines. When we arrived to see the An Iraqi Christian Ministerial. I believe the journalists’ work can v i d e I S I T holds her Bible in a - building where Christians had been burned to undergird the high ideals of what’s happening n c e A P makeshift shelter in c P L death inside, we found a remnant of believers here this week, but at the same time hold c . e Y Erbil for Christians O R T d u there, worshipping under a few trees in officials accountable. E X T E / a who were forced to X P L O R E d m i A P 110-degree afternoon sun. flee the Islamic State. Thank you. C C w T s s i O 7 2 3 4 5 o n s F O R M O / v i s R E I N F O i t 30 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019  [email protected]  @mcbelz O N T H E W E S T C O A S T

P a s a d e n a - C a l i f o r n i a A G R E A T C I T y a g r e a t e d u c a t i o n

D I S T I N C T LY C H & R E R I S T I A F O R M E D N D I S T I N C T LY C L A L I B E R S S I C A L A L A R T S D I S T I N C T LY A M E & C O U N R I C A N E X P T E R C U L p L O R E T U R A L r o v i d e - V I S I T n c e c c . e - A P P L Y O R T E X T d u / E X P L O R a d m E P C C w T i s s i O 7 2 3 4 5 o n s F O R M O / v i s R E I N F O i t CARITAS … WITH A DOSE OF WISDOM Early Christians emphasized caritas, caring for the The 2019 Hope Awards: poor, as opposed to Rome’s tradition of liberalitas, hosting those of equal or higher rank. Caritas is still Make contact, part of Christian belief and practice, as our Hope Awards show: Secularists say they can do a better job avoid beanballs through government action, but three decades of WORLD stories have shown the falsity of that claim. The last Roman imperial attempt to fight BY MARVIN OLASKY Christianity came during the a.d. 361-363 reign of

32 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 east-west dividing line is the Mississippi River. Our north- south divider is roughly the Ohio River in the East and the 37th parallel in the West.) We then sent WORLD magazine and podcast reporters on a 3,000-mile road trip by car to eyeball the domestic contenders, while my wife and I visited international prospects. The 20 pages that follow display our results. Northeast winner Purposeful Design shows ex-addicts and homeless men how to build furniture and God-centered futures. Southeast winner Scarlet Hope ministers to women who have previously sold or exposed their bodies. West of the Mississippi, the Little Light Christian School bestows learning and love on children of prisoners, and the Watered Gardens Gospel Rescue Mission provides overnight shelter and long-term character and career development. Our International winner, 20schemes, brings Christian hope into Scotland’s housing projects. I hope you’ll read the profiles that follow, and then go to wng.org/compassion and vote for whichever of the Final Five moves you the most. All are worthy. Voting will end on Friday, Sept. 6. We’ll announce the winner in the Emperor Julian, who complained in a letter to a pagan issue that goes to press the following week. WORLD will high priest that Christians “support not only their own give the overall winner $10,000 and the regional winners poor but ours as well.” With the letter Julian sent several $2,000 each, but the biggest prize is publicity and thousand bushels of grain and pints of wine for the increased credibility. On June 29 one Hope Award winner pagan priests to distribute, hoping to win the poor to emailed me that WORLD coverage initially led to $30,000 his side. to $40,000 in new contributions and has now led to a It didn’t work, and Christians continued to act as $1.5 million pledge for a new building. scholar Demetrios Constantelos describes: Their philan- For consideration in next year’s Hope Awards contest, thropia, love of mankind, “extended to the underprivileged, I hope you’ll tell Charissa Koh ([email protected]) about a as it proclaimed freedom, equality, and brotherhood, Christian ministry to the poor in your own backyard: We transcending sex, race, and national boundaries. Thus it celebrate those that rely not on government financing but was not limited to equals, allies, or relatives, or to citizens on compassionate volunteers supervised by dedicated and civilized men, as was most often the case in other professionals. Please include a brief description of why a ancient societies.” particular ministry impresses you, and include its address The downside to this, as ancient writer Lucian of and website. Samosata noted: Some Christians were so charitable that And, if you’re looking for ideas about something you charlatans could easily swindle them. That remains a risk could start in your own backyard, please go to wng.org/ we have to take: Given our natural inclination toward hope_directory and see our listing of the 105 organizations selfishness, we should pray for the gift of generosity, we profiled from 2006 to 2018, with their major focuses: while keeping our eyes open. We should be like the young Addiction, Babies, Community, Disabilities, Education, batter in Field of Dreams who asks an old-timer what to Family, Gardening, Homelessness, Immigration, Jobs, expect on the next pitch: “Look low and away, but watch Legal needs, Medical, Prison, Repair work, Sex (anti- out for ‘in your ear.’” prostitution), Transportation, and Youth. WORLD readers during the past year nominated 200 That listing also shows what it takes to start a poverty- small, Christian groups that offer challenging, personal, fighting ministry: A license, a specific skill (such as auto and spiritual help. Through internet research and phone repair), experience (such as that a mother gains), or interviewing we eventually narrowed the field to 10 neighborliness (a simple desire to invest time in helping contenders, two from each of our regions: Northeast, others). Now, please read on: Our first article is on

LEFT TO RIGHT: EARL RICHARDSON/GENESIS, HANDOUT, CHARISSA KOH, ALEX BAKER/GENESIS, CHARISSA KOH CHARISSA ALEX BAKER/GENESIS, KOH, CHARISSA HANDOUT, EARL RICHARDSON/GENESIS, RIGHT: LEFT TO Southeast, Northwest, Southwest, and International. (Our Southeast Region winner Scarlet Hope. A

August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 33 SOUTHEAST WINNER: Scarlet Hope HOPE IN

The youngest of 15 kids, Mary Frances grew up in a THE poor home in Louisville, Ky. After years of conflict, alcohol, and abuse, her parents split up. She moved in with a classmate, next to a house owned by a motorcycle gang. Frances remembers bikers whistling at the girls as they got off the school bus. When the ice cream DARKEST Ttruck came, one biker bought the kids popsicles. He bought 15-year-old Frances anything she wanted. “I would grin, you know, because I had never been singled out,” she said. PLACES Her relationship with the handsome, much-older man grew. She felt special when he took her on his motorcycle, which others admired. He started drop- Rachelle Starr and her ping her off at peep shows and picture booths to make money, saying he cared for her. On one occasion, he friends help women emerge picked her up—he was sweating, high, and angry—and said they were going out of town. When she asked from the sex industry where they were going, begging him not to take her from Louisville, he beat her face and head with his motorcycle helmet until she promised not to ask BY CHARISSA KOH in Louisville, Ky. anymore. They traveled to different cities, where he sent her to make money as a prostitute at truck stops and in hotel rooms. “He said he would put my name in lights,” Frances remembered. “Later, we come back to this one particular place, I look up and it says, ‘Girls, girls, girls.’ I don’t think I got it then, but I did later. That was my name in lights.” More than a year later, she got free of the pimp and found herself alone in Louisville: “I had really no home or nowhere to go, no way to support myself. So, because I had been taught to survive in the industry, of course, I go there.” She found work as a stripper. After 35 years in the sex industry—and multiple failed attempts to get out— HANDOUT PHOTOS

(1) Outreach volunteers pray. (2) Graduates of `1 Scarlet Hope’s Career Development Program. (3) Program facility and office.

34 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 T

`3 STARR: HANDOUT • BAKERY: CHARISSA KOH - - Rachelle Starr Rachelle darkness. Clark described Thursday nights in Clark described Thursday darkness. disorienting with flashing lights, the dark clubs, carlet Hope’s biggest challenge is spiritualbiggest carlet Hope’s Women who decide to leave the sex industry face industry the sex who decide to leave Women The volunteers go to befriend dancers, but loving go to befriend dancers, The volunteers she going back because she knows Clark keeps ‘How did your doctor’s appointment go last week?’ Or week?’ appointment go last doctor’s did your ‘How of?’ care your get the bill taken ‘Did you Or ‘How’s things about them that nobody remember You baby?’ when Now about, and their face changes.” else cares to give working the girls stop Clark enters the club, ladies!” church her a hug or call, “Hey, experi lack education and job Most major obstacles. baggage and carrying decades of relational while ence, so need a place to stay, Many ideas about God. twisted mirrors, and loud, vulgar music. Strippers dance on and loud, vulgar music. Strippers mirrors, with customers. to interact and come down stages alcohol, and a strange sweat, The air smells like she said. “The sin is tangible,” of body sprays. mixture see carry what is happening in “The people that you them.” that place all over A harder. even their work watching them makes member said when a dancer takes staff Scarlet Hope see this just “You at the end of a shift, off her costume defeated shell of hopeless, empty, lonely, tired, weary, back when to step knowing Clark says creation.” God’s who prizes to the volunteers is important. She gives Bible plan that includes regular a self-care follow team. and time on the prayer rest, reading, to meet the danc might be the only person that week ask them, She said: “You you.” “I love and say, ers’ eyes S - - - herself and August 3, 2019 • During the week, Scarlet Hope volunteers drive drive volunteers Scarlet Hope During the week, Ten years later, weekly meals in the clubs remain weekly later, years Ten Starr was 24 when she first entered a club. She and club. a entered 24 when she first was Starr “The church ladies” were from Scarlet Hope, a Scarlet Hope, from ladies” were “The church collect and text the numbers prostitutes place online the numbers prostitutes collect and text telling each week, 100 women Clark texts ads. in sex them, introducing loves them Jesus to hear more. and asking if they want Scarlet Hope, others some rudely, reply, She said 30-40 percent help. requesting Louisville’s rough streets, looking for prostitutes. looking for prostitutes. streets, rough Louisville’s and bags with their business cards They pass out roses deodorant, items like hygiene that contain an outfit and with the women They pray and toothpaste. shampoo, also uses Scarlet Hope them. loves and tell them Jesus to Slavery Seattle Against by technology developed into hostile, hostile environments,” she said. “It’s she said. “It’s environments,” hostile into hostile, this is such a God how to you stress can’t I just crazy. because the managers and the bouncers and thething, can one at Scarlet Hope No us.” they love bartenders, them to come in, allow the club owners why explain Clark said one club providence. other than God’s bouncer helps them carry food in. step. Inside, Starr asked the owner if she could bring a the owner asked Starr Inside, step. but agreed. skeptical was He meal for the dancers. has though the ministry the heartbeat of Scarlet Hope, and Bible classes. training to include vocational grown and major outreaches the three Kari Clark directs going “We’re team of volunteers. the large coordinates paid the bouncer $10 to get inside. Their husbands to get inside. paid the bouncer $10 Starr before, The year the street. across watch kept took her commute for a mission. Her began searching she says and Starr an adult entertainment store, past industry. in the sex felt God calling her to help women and in the and fast, some friends to pray She gathered next fall of 2008 they visited a club to discern their Christian ministry that helps women in the sex indus in the sex women that helps ministry Christian meals into six bring volunteers On Thursdays, try. the Louisville clubs to befriend dancers and share in 2008. Scarlet Hope started gospel. Rachelle Starr later. years three She met Frances as they makeup turtlenecks and no friends wore three one’s backyard. I lost my education and my marriage. marriage. education and my my I lost backyard. one’s And in come these everything. … lost mind, I’d In my and it seeking a job, that I think are women two that ladies the church that these are occurs to me, I jump up and run been talking about. And everyone’s over.” one day Frances looked in the mirror and asked God: asked and in the mirror looked Frances one day tried every I’ve here. from me away “Please take because shethat day another shift She worked thing.” a shack in some “I’m living in money: needed more WORLD Magazine 36 all from a Christian perspective. They also receive counseling and job experience. Starr said the classes teach ladies to “relive life.” Attending classes earns them “Scarlet’s bucks,” and once a month they can trade bucks for donated clothes and household items. So far 28 women have completed the program, with three to five volunteers coming alongside each partici- pant. Aaron Scott, the only male staff member at Scarlet Hope, teaches CDP classes alongside his wife to show students that “not every man in this world is a predator.” Seeing a healthy marriage is important for students who have come from broken families and an abusive father: They have a hard time understanding that God the Father is not only powerful but good. Starr, who works 60 hours a week at Scarlet Hope, is preparing to reduce her time at the ministry. She and her husband are preparing to adopt their second child. She has trained people inside and outside the United States to carry the model forward. So far, Scarlet Hope has spread to Las Vegas, Reno, and Cincinnati, and Starr meets Scarlet Hope initially offered housing to women leaving with those directors monthly. But every week she still the industry. Then Starr and others at Scarlet Hope brings a home-cooked meal to the club to build friend- realized they couldn’t provide adequately safe housing, a ships with ladies like Mary Frances. detox program to help women buck drug addiction, or Frances still remembers the day she met the “church facilities for women with children. ladies.” They took her next door to get her food and to So Scarlet Hope ended its transitional housing program talk. Starr asked whether Frances would leave the sex in 2014. It partnered with other organizations to provide industry if she had a choice, and “it blew my mind,” said housing and began teaching women job skills at Scarlet’s Frances. She went with them to church that weekend. Bakery, where large, sticky cinnamon rolls and beehive With her 50th birthday days away, she decided that cookies are popular. On a wall a sign reads: “We don’t hire would be the last day she spent in a club. people to bake cupcakes. We bake cupcakes to hire people.” Now, in Scarlet Hope’s job training center, Frances Starr notes that “God commands us to works every other day as the front work,” so providing dignified jobs for office assistant. Buzzing people into women who once sold their bodies to the office, she remembers sitting at survive is “priceless.” Scarlet Hope the front desk of a massage parlor that Scarlet Hope began a Career 2018 income: $1,123,106 hid sex trafficking. She imagines God Development Program (CDP) in 2017. 2018 expenses: $1,153,206 taunting Satan as she works now for During 18 months women learn to Paid staff: 12 Volunteers: 40 such a different purpose. She has “faith build a life outside the sex industry by CEO’s salary: $57,157 in the future. Praise God, I survived the learning life skills like cooking, budget- Website: scarlethope.org past, and I have a Savior that loves me ing, customer service, and parenting, every day.” A

 [email protected]  @CharissaKoh August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 37 SOUTHWEST WINNER: Little Light Christian School LETTING

At the beginning of each school day at Little Light THEM Christian School, kids crowd into a small room and wrestle their shoes off, leaving them in colored crates along the wall. “In the hood you can get killed for the shoes you’re wearing,” said Robin Khoury, the school’s principal. She decided to get rid of the status symbols SHINE andA make the students trade their Air Jordans or high heels for Walmart tennis shoes when they arrive. The small private school is located in a rough part Little Light Christian of Oklahoma City, the city with the world’s highest incarceration rate. To attend, students must have at School’s mission is to love least one parent in prison. They almost all struggle in school: feelings of guilt, shame, and sadness make the children of prisoners— focusing on class or homework difficult. In a classroom in late March, Susan Fowler read a but traumatic backgrounds chapter of Charlotte’s Web to her third graders. Colorful crates of books sat beside the desk, and four make the work a marathon kids listened at desks arranged around her in a semi- circle. A few rested their chins on stuffed animals. But of trusting God one student was missing: Disobedience had earned him a trip to the principal’s office. When Fowler BY CHARISSA KOH in Oklahoma City finished the chapter and told the kids to line up for music class, Khoury appeared with their missing classmate, a little boy in a blue LLCS T-shirt. Quietly, he offered Fowler a handful of weeds with purple `1 flowers and apologized. Khoury, 61, founded LLCS. She has thick blond hair and purple-framed glasses. The kids rush to give her hugs or high-fives whenever she enters a room. She keeps the student-to-teacher ratio low, so teachers are able to get to know students and understand what motivates bad behavior. When a child misbe- haves, Khoury has learned, sometimes they need a consequence. Other times they just need a nap. Around 1990, Khoury left hairdressing to homeschool her children. She came to believe that God someday wanted her to start a school for poor kids. CHARISSA KOH

(1) Robin Khoury. (2) After-school program at LLCS.

38 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 A

`2 CHARISSA KOH - 1 ` - Ernie Tullis. Tullis. Ernie (2) But Tullis wanted to put down roots. Two years Two roots. to put down wanted Tullis But The third graders left Susan Fowler’s classroom Fowler’s left Susan graders The third them back: and he loves Tullis, love The students After-school foosball. After-school Susan Fowler reads to third graders. graders. third to reads Fowler Susan home when I was 16 because home was bad. because home was 16 when I was home piano on got a job playing Orleans, to New Hitchhiked piano for played He there.” met Jesus Bourbon Street, Smith, and Michael W. MercyMe like artists Christian “pretty and Charlie Hall: Franklin as Aretha as well hit the road would We me. have would much whoever wind up with someone as far as Atlanta, go with one, else.” school, him to teach music at the Khoury asked ago, (1) (3) waited for They and filed into the Fine Arts building. the hall their music teacher with their backs against excit shuffling their feet and whispering wall, way a a smiling Ernie Tullis—wearing Minutes later, edly. with jeans— blue suit jacket cap and a navy newsboy the corner with his class of middle- around appeared and scrambled greetings The kids shouted school boys. Tullis grinned as he room. to find seats in the music led the He with ease and style. the keyboard played inTrust to Sweet verse of “’Tis So kids to sing the first then without missing a note he told individual Jesus,” verses and sing the second and third to stand students solo. I split from these kids. I was “I ’cause get these kids, - - - -

esides meeting material needs, staff members staff esides meeting material needs, from (ranging their students try to provide with a high-quality to middle school) pre-K August 3, 2019 • Even more than the educational quality, teachers than the educational quality, more Even A ram’s horn on a shelf A ram’s The couch in her office hasThe couch in her office tionships, a challenge when the kids come from such a a challenge when the kids come from tionships, for God to send world. Khoury said she prays different student demograph reflect the qualified teachers who School the teachers at Little Light Christian ics: Half teachers black. Most are students but most white, are with one notable exception. female, are Khoury uses curricula from her homeschooling days, her homeschooling days, Khoury uses curricula from needs. to meet students’ but the teachers also adjust to hold a pencil. learned how never students Many to access les use Chromebooks The older students pace. at their own sons online and move and building rela students see their mission as loving Oklahoma City Food Bank. The school also provides The school also provides Bank. Oklahoma City Food and shoes for students. winter coats, uniforms, LLCS, At worldview. a Christian education from little to eat at home, so the school provides two meals two so the school provides little to eat at home, there realized “We weekday. snacks every and two falling out of their seats on who were children were because weak, because they were morning Monday the weekend,” had enough nutrition over they hadn’t 28 sends the the staff So on Fridays said Khoury. the home with backpacks of food from students wall displays pictures of stu pictures displays wall like requests dents with prayer mom.” my please help “God, her husband Israel, came from as the school’s works E.J. Now country. home E.J.’s there’s cook: The kids’ family situation might mean fluffy pillows and a stuffed pink and a fluffy pillows unicorn. On the desk sit piles of and another papers, books, bunch of the purple weeds A potted planta student. from and a mini piano sit in the on the A bulletin board corner. prison consistently struggle prison consistently I day in school. “The next Little Light incorporated Khoury said—and Ministries,” free in 2012 she opened the school. Christian Almost two decades passed, two Almost with a and Khoury volunteered she There prison ministry. in learned kids with parents B WORLD Magazine 40 On Friday kids spread across the small cafeteria, playing foosball, molding clay, and using combs and barrettes to do dolls’ hair. One 4-year-old girl, Joshia, asked to give her principal a hairdo. Khoury sat in a chair and closed her eyes, and the little girl started combing, a grin on her face. Joshia is one of the school’s two youngest students and said “Miss Robin” is her favorite thing about school. The six LLCS teachers work hard to give kids needed `2 affirmation. Shelby, a middle-school boy, asked Khoury to come hear him sing. He sang enthusiastically but off-key, and his friend Semaj, listening from the drum stool, cov- `3 ered his mouth to keep from laughing. When Shelby finished, Semaj asked Khoury to “hear my beats.” She put on headphones connected to the practice drum set. Semaj began, and Khoury flinched, then quickly smiled and complimented his drumming. Khoury described one student who came to them a grade behind: “He was like this little volcano. If you look twice at him, he would just flip out. He would throw furniture, he’d run away, he’d get under stuff.” The teachers prayed and taught. When they showed him he could work ahead using the iPads in the classroom, he found his motivation. Now he has nearly caught up to his grade level, and the “rough patches” are fewer and further between. A fifth grade girl came to LLCS tight and guarded. Khoury said, “As she has gotten to know us, she has just started blooming in so many ways.” The girl started dancing, doing art, and having fun with the other kids. Teachers are trained to care for kids with traumatic backgrounds, and they try to de-escalate bad behavior before it spreads. Since older kids are often set in bad habits, Khoury said in the future she plans to accept more and he thought, “How can I not give back? … How can I younger kids: “Because we have limited resources, like not give these kids a chance?” Now he teaches music class every organization, we want to be good stewards of that. for all the students and gives individual lessons for uku- We want to target the children that we feel like we can lele, drums, and piano. In mid-March 2019, Tullis added help the most.” the role of middle-school boys’ teacher. His days are full, Funding is another major challenge, but Khoury has a but rewarding moments abound. The morning’s Bible long list of stories of God providing for the school. One time, for example, covered the story of Shadrach, donor gave just the right amount to purchase the prop- Meshach, and Abednego. When Tullis erty and current school building. said God was in the fire, the kids asked Khoury doesn’t always know how she to pray for their classmate, Semaj, will pay teachers’ salaries, but she whose mother was severely depressed. LLCS takes it one month at a time and trusts The kids said, “Semaj’s in the fire. Let’s 2017 income: $2,310,885 God. pray that God will be there with him.” 2017 expenses: $1,719,767 Susan Fowler said the hard part After class ends at 3 p.m., LLCS Paid staff: 15 Volunteers: 46 about working at LLCS is “I want to offers an after-school program to keep CEO’s salary: $33,946 take them all home with me, and I the kids until parents or guardians can Website: littlelightschool.org can’t. … It’s not my job to fix. It’s my job get them at 5. Activities vary each day. to help, encourage, and love them.” A

 [email protected]  @CharissaKoh August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 41 INTERNATIONAL WINNER: 20schemes SCHEMING

FOR GOD Let’s start with a word that sounds nefarious to Americans: scheme. In the United States, it usually means an organized plan for doing something dishon- est. But in Scotland, a scheme is a neighborhood with How Scotland’s 20schemes substantial government housing—and the goal of our ministry works in hard places 2019 Hope Awards International winner is to create Lcharity-infused churches in 20 of them. So far 20schemes, formed in 2012, has grown to show the poor and addicted churches in six schemes. In May my wife and I visited four of them to talk with leaders, interns, and neigh- the riches of new life in Christ borhood residents involved in building churches— and, flowing out of that, walking groups, reading BY MARVIN OLASKY groups, community cafés, cooking classes, weight- in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland reduction classes, and more. At an after-school program, elementary-school students (to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”) sang about sin and redemption: “Are you messy, noisy, nosey, greedy, grumpy, lazy? / Are you always causing trouble, driving grown-ups crazy? / Jesus changes Mr. Men and Little Misses too / He will take away your sin and give new life to you.” Schemes are often their own worlds. The Gracemount scheme in Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh, has its own capitol—a strip shopping center with a barber, a hairdresser, a fish-and-chips restaurant, a drugstore where residents get their doses of methadone, a criminal defense lawyer with numer- ous local clients, and a tanning salon. The Balarnack scheme in Glasgow has 3,800 residents, a third of whom are officially “income deprived,” 15 percent of whom take prescribed drugs for mental health. Both of those numbers are double the national average, and

29 percent of residents are officially “employment ALEX BAKER/GENESIS PHOTOS deprived” (triple the national average). Local governmental councils built the schemes after WWII to move poor people from central city slums into two- and three-story apartment buildings. Some resemble garden apartments with rooftop satel- lite dishes and small yards. Some have a mixture of Mez McConnell privately owned and “council” housing. They don’t

42 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 L

Natasha Davidson (above) talks with a resident of the Niddrie scheme (left).

has it better than a child who lives in a shack in Brazil with two loving parents trying their best to provide for him.” A scheme child may have better housing and other material benefits than his counter- part in Brazil, but the Scot may not have had “a hot meal this week and he’s been living off moldy Rice Krispies and gone-off milk.” Although schemes are now places where welfare-dependent families have lived for generations, they also have an upside. As opposed to discipleship in “gathered churches” where members drive look bad from the outside, and 20schemes founder and in once a week, many scheme residents see each other director Mez McConnell recalls that when he stood in a daily and “community spirit” is a reality, not an aspiration. Brazil slum and showed residents photos of “deprived” Natasha Davidson, 29, grew up in the Niddrie scheme Niddrie, they laughed and asked: How could poor people where alcohol flowed and illegal drug use was common, have nice houses and gardens? but longtime residents did not have to lock their doors or McConnell says, “Try telling a child from the scheme fear crime: “The people committing the crimes never done whose da’ beats his ma unconscious every night that he it to their own people. They always done it to strangers.”

August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 43 ALEX BAKER/GENESIS PHOTOS -

- One reason 20schemes attracts helpers from hard helpers from 20schemes attracts One reason McLoughlan is now married with a 4-year-old married with a 4-year-old is now McLoughlan for program training 20schemes has a two-year “Ragged School of Theology,” which steers clear of which steers “Ragged School of Theology,” gospel chatter theology and prosperity both liberation of marriage Biblical understandings as it promotes and parenting. abandon himself survived McConnell places: Mez at age an assault conviction his mum at age 2, ment by He’s 16. fight and homelessness at age and a knife 12, schemes need 46 and has learned that “Scotland’s now can that the leopard is only in Jesus the gospel. It McConnell (left) interacts with Sam Wilkins (in orange) Wilkins (in orange) with Sam interacts (left) McConnell Theology. of School at the Ragged life had become a mess due to my for addicts: “My to change: knew he had He hopeless lifestyle.” shallow, a short life.” going to be going it was I was “The way area His target daughter and another child on the way. to the Scottish according is in the bottom 5 percent prob measures which Deprivation, of Multiple Index and mental homes, lems including addiction, broken alarming “the most says but McLoughlan health issues, The witness in the area. no gospel issue is that there’s hopeless and no one points them to Jesus.” people are tattoos. some of whom sport impressive interns, 18:7 of Luke has all the words Wilkins Intern Sam from away “falling tattooed on his arm because he was God reminder … that constant Christ” and needed “a All the interns meet bring about justice.” will always for classes in the 20schemes Wednesday every - - - -

20schemes church planter in Bingham and20schemes church any other 20schemes staffers have similar have other 20schemes staffers any the McLoughlan, Paul backgrounds.

August 3, 2019 • Davidson’s background helps: “At a lot of middle- helps: “At background Davidson’s Davidson says one 20schemes strength is that lead one 20schemes strength says Davidson Then one of Davidson’s friends wanted to go to friends wanted Then one of Davidson’s Davidson, no stranger, now heads the 20schemes now no stranger, Davidson, had some abusive drugs “and mother used Her Magdalene, grew up in a scheme and became a grew Magdalene, center recovery in a Christian in 2006 while Christian able to tell those who visibly mourn, “I know this is a able to tell those who visibly mourn, “I know She says feeling.” you’re how and I know time crappy is with people coming from of her work 90 percent non-Christian those she feels particu and it’s homes, hear the gospel until I “I didn’t larly called to serve: for our that to be different old, and I want 21 years was kids in our scheme.” strength is the emphasis on forming a church family: family: a church is the emphasis on forming strength friends when I became a Christian. of my most “I lost but my change, like of that is because they don’t Part lives.” them to look at their own change forces face when they people put on their best class churches is and Davidson is rawer, but life in Niddrie come in,” into your community can make you feel like they’re like feel you community can make into your is the willingnessstrength Another you.” going to fix as a see myself didn’t to talk about sin: “I really to me, as bad as the person next I wasn’t sinner. … people I knew had committed hor because so many a that actually I was Then to realize crimes. … rendous A third real.” very and hell were sinner and heaven being so bored.” Even though Davidson read her read though Davidson Even being so bored.” hersomething drew service, feed during the Facebook who She met Christians coming. back. She kept fake just “became good friends and they weren’t friends” who tried to manipulate her. coming “Outsiders in the schemes they serve: ers live target the cars of the Christians.” the target partying because she “liked did not, Davidson church. that, so to sacrifice a and drinking and things like when I the person I was I liked morning. … Sunday des a single mum, “was her friend, But drunk.” was I remember came to church. so we to come, perate who wanted to display authority. If they asked me to asked they If authority. to display who wanted I a point: to prove not do it just I would do something, She sees me.” force can’t to do it and you have don’t as ironic ministry in a Christian her employment throwing for known were friends because “me and my break climb onto the roof, We’d bricks at the church. and sometimes at windows, things throw the drains, women’s ministry in Niddrie. in Niddrie. ministry women’s with men problem real had “a so Davidson partners,” M WORLD Magazine 44 his house, but I also know he smokes about 400 pounds’ worth of cannabis every month and cigarettes on top of that. If we do everything for him, we’re just facilitating his drug use.” Prime says the only solution is through Christ: “A dad needs to invest it in his kids rather than his drug addiction, and that’s only going to happen when the Lord changes his heart and he responds to the gospel.” The good news is that people can change, affecting not only themselves but a whole community: Emily Green, a women’s gospel worker from a middle-class background, remembers “having goose bumps thinking that when one person in a scheme becomes a Christian it can affect the whole.” Her work has increased her own faith in Christ alone: Evangelism in the schemes has “no gimmicks, no flashing lights: We’re going to preach the gospel and trust that’s enough to save people.” Helpers now come not only from both sides of the tracks but both sides of the Atlantic. Jason Nelson came from a middle-class background and was a youth pastor in Laramie, Wyo., but—attracted by Mez’s vision—he change its spots.” McConnell should be familiar to moved with his family to Scotland last year and will WORLD readers because our issue last Dec. 29 contained pastor a 20schemes church. Intern Carrie Selby, 60, a Q&A with him headlined “Good news for wretches.” He moved from Dallas two years ago: Frequently asked why argued that only a realization of our sin before a holy God she came thousands of miles to live in a troubled housing sets us on the road to change: Handouts are a detour. project, Selby says the Bible does not speak of “retirement.” McConnell also welcomes workers from middle-class Noting that most people who join church-planting efforts environments when they are willing to relocate. The are in their 20s, Nelson asks, “Who will reach the older grandfather of Gracemount Pastor Andy Prime was pastor generation of Scotland who are desperately in need of of Charlotte Baptist Chapel, a prominent church in hearing the gospel before it’s too late?” Edinburgh. Prime’s father was an elder there. Prime went Ten other Schemers we interviewed reflected Mez to seminary, worked at the big church for four years as an McConnell’s message of opposition to social workers who assistant and then an associate pastor, and thought that tell the poor they are not responsible for their condition and was his long-term calling. In 2012, though, he married a “need to love themselves more.” McConnell remembers his woman who had set up a youth basketball club in parole officer’s prediction that he “would be in the prison Gracemount, and Prime caught the desire to help but not system for the rest of my life. … He gave me no hope that I control: “The gospel helps us avoid that kind of superhero could change my life. And then I met Christians for the complex where we think that we’re the answer to people’s first time who confronted me about my sin and told me to problems.” throw myself on the mercy of Jesus.” Prime says such thinking arises So what is a scheme? According to from “a misunderstanding of what 20schemes, it’s a place dominated by poverty is. People from the outside 20schemes people “who have been on social secu- may think that the biggest poverty in 2017 revenue: $1,309,996 rity handouts for generations.” It has an area like this is material: If people 2017 expense: $1,256,580 “a criminal underbelly that deals in had more money it might be better.” Paid staff: 48 Volunteers: 50 street drugs, prescribed medication He describes the tension those with Salaries of two company and stolen goods as a matter of course.” money face in trying to help the chil- directors (in dollars, The result: “Far too many people in the dren of an irresponsible dad: “You approximately): schemes are ruled by fear. To some know his kids don’t have new clothes. $49,345 and $32,883 they are places of terror, to some His house is a mess. We could go and Website: 20schemes.com places of hopelessness, but to many buy his kids clothes and we could paint millions more they are ‘home.’” A

 [email protected]  @MarvinOlasky August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 45 NORTHWEST WINNER: Watered Gardens FORGE

FIRES AND Logan Fields, 22, couldn’t make himself break into his dad’s vacant house, so he slept in the backyard. Freshly released from prison, Fields was alone in the small town of Joplin, Mo. His dad was attending a WATERED funeral in Texas, and his mom had moved while he was in jail. His girlfriend had picked him up only to Lleave him in a Walmart parking lot. He texted a former burglary partner for a ride, then wandered into the GARDENS Joplin Public Library to feel the air conditioning and wait. Fields grew up in Pittsburg, Kan. At 17, he’d been to juvenile detention five times and become addicted to At a gospel rescue mission, Xanax. Before turning 22, he went to jail 18 times. But his mom was influential in the community: “I’d go sit men have a chance to escape 48 hours, a week, or a month, and I’d get out and the charges would be dropped to something minuscule the spiral of drugs, like disturbing the peace,” he said. In 2017, a drunken Fields earned three felony warrants in one night. He homelessness, and joblessness. started robbing houses and dodged the police for three months before landing back in county jail, But it isn’t easy, and many where he said he knew every guard by name. There his dad brought an application for a recov- do not make it to the end ery program, the Forge Center for Virtue and Work. With no better options, Fields applied and met Forge BY CHARISSA KOH in Joplin, Mo. Director Jamie Myers after his release. She said the program consisted of four three-month phases, and he could graduate with a good job and independent life. Instead, he called his girlfriend to pick him up. But when she left him in the parking lot again, another night in his dad’s backyard convinced Fields to join the Forge. He almost quit one month in. After two EARL RICHARDSON/GENESIS PHOTOS months he quit, then came back. Myers recognized real change when Fields apologized for speaking rudely to James Whitford, the ministry’s founder.

(1) Watered Gardens facility. (2) Logan Fields (left) and James Whitford share a laugh as Fields prepares `1 for work. (3) Jamie Myers encourages a phase two class member as he studies for an aptitude test.

46 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 `2

`3 Gardens” after Isaiah 58:11, a verse blessing those who help the poor. A church helped pay rent, and Whitford worked as a physical therapist three days a week to pay the utilities and support his family. “We had a lot of compassion and a lot of heart, but not a lot of thought behind what we were doing,” he said. The same people kept coming, and the Whitfords recognized their donations at rummage sales and thrift stores. They realized people took items only to sell them and get the same thing from another ministry. To address this, they started a local Charity Tracker network, using a program that logs who got what services where so local nonprofits can work together. Another shift followed. Whitford read Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton and realized “That was a good, good exchange,” Whitford remem- Watered Gardens should challenge people to escape pov- bered. “I think I called Jamie right after that. I was like, erty, not enable them to stay there. The shelter added a ‘Logan just apologized! Man, that’s great progress.’” “Worth Shop,” where people can do simple tasks for a set Whitford started working with men like Logan Fields time to earn what they need. Working 15 minutes buys almost 20 years ago. He and his wife Marsha rented a four thrift shop items. An hour earns someone groceries room in a Red Cross building to offer necessities to for a week. Twelve hours a week will earn someone a bed in Joplin’s homeless. They called their day center “Watered the shelter (they offer 30 beds for men and 10 for women).

August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 47 BRISSON: HANDOUT • DORM: CHARISSA KOH - - 1 ` Forge dorm. Forge (2) ne Monday morning in April, 35 staff members 35 staff in April, morning ne Monday in the in a long room gathered and volunteers They Center for daily devotions. Outreach That afternoon, Jocelyn Brisson, shelter director, Brisson, shelter director, That afternoon, Jocelyn After the prayer time, they opened for the day, and they opened for the day, time, After the prayer Jocelyn Brisson. Brisson. Jocelyn greeted newcomers and shared the rules with them. and shared newcomers greeted rings on each hand, hair, brown wavy 61, she has At in up on Skid Row and a tattoo on her neck. She grew taking her son on the streets, Los Angeles and raised to She moved checks and addicted to drugs. welfare in prison,Missouri in 1996 and, after a couple of stints commu for court-ordered Gardens came to Watered wife Marsha Whitford’s time, Over nity service. her to come to chapel. befriended her and convinced sipped coffee from plastic foam cups and followed cups and followed foam plastic sipped coffee from After tables. Bibles set on the small square along from their heads and individuals took the lesson, all bowed “I student: for a Forge One man prayed turns praying. or the things he’s going on with Jay what’s know don’t path, a similar been down but I’ve going through, be with him. Fill his heart ask that you’d I just Lord. people who are him there and show Lord, with love, is not a going down he’s him, and the road for care good one.” clothes shuffled frayed backpacks and people wearing residents and local people Shelter inside to get coffee. their stated Shop, in at the Worth in need checked People job assignments for the day. and received needs, goods donated down tables to break around gathered old shopping from merchandise or to craft for recycling people did odd jobs: mop Center, In the Outreach bags. rolling cigarettes, taking out the trash, ping the floor, Whitford James the chapel upstairs. or sweeping and sat down noticed an unfamiliar face in the crowd a man named Seth. the first-timer, to get to know (1) O - August 3, 2019 • Jamie Myers said the program’s graduation rate is rate graduation the program’s said Myers Jamie The final phase is independence: He will use the The final phase is independence: After three months, the staff let him move into the let him move the staff months, After three Three years ago, Watered Gardens created the created Gardens Watered ago, years Three whatever, because nothing changed.” She tapped her because nothing changed.” whatever, not going to you’re not change here, there’s “If chest. And so I tell behavior. thoughts and your change your So in this program. a whole lot of Jesus ‘There’s guys, you not where this is probably thing, not your if He’s to land.’” want around 5 percent (not bad for an intensive program program (not bad for an intensive 5 percent around six guys were once … there “I remember Forge). like a one of them graduated Not who came to phase one. 45 who, a lot of guys are she said. “There later,” year I got this.’ clean, they think, ‘Hey, 45 days sober, days high, drunk, end up back at the Garden, they Usually money he’s saved to move into his own place (he’s place (he’s into his own to move saved money he’s place so his son canhoping to find a two-bedroom to pay will be responsible sometimes). He come stay meet with a and of his money, track keep all bills, he graduate, To for accountability. mentor each week and medical a full-time job, home, his own have must assistance. with no government insurance local employer willing to hire him. After that, the willing to hire local employer and responsibili freedoms phase brought transition out of the dorms into a house with ties: Fields moved the Forge from classmates a mile and a half two while managing a limited rent pay but he must dorms, allowance. Forge dorms (a donated church building down the building down (a donated church dorms Forge education. the shelter). Phase one was from road covering Fields began taking classes eight hours a day, The to legal living. to health Bible study topics from and the staff readiness, phase focused on work next a Furnishings, Restaurant connected him with MSW head,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh, I can handle this. I’ve I’ve I can handle this. thought, ‘Oh, he said. “I head,” and roll.’” I can rock months now. been clean for two until she cried. But Myers with Jamie argued He him. with to pray she asked when he turned to leave, as soon as she got done praying … I “Immediately, he said. Fields finished things differently,” understood shelter. months in the three his first at Watered Gardens’ shelter and working in the Worth in the Worth and working shelter Gardens’ at Watered Fields one. phase months before Shop for three but he hours a week, in the kitchen 20 working started so he moved the volunteers, could not get along with he became a violent life, from Fresh to maintenance. went “Everything last: didn’t angry easily and almost own month until I got back in my smoothly for about a Forge Center for Virtue and Work, the program Logan program the and Work, Center for Virtue Forge at a the program go through Fields joined. Six men living they’re by to change ready and they prove time, WORLD Magazine 48 master’s in criminal justice,” she said. “God has used all that stuff: Being a shelter manager here, I can give people hope.” Whitford believes effective charities are work-oriented, outcome-driven, and privately funded. He created the True Charity Initiative program as “a coalescing of some of the hard knocks and the learning curves that we went through.” Individuals, churches, and nonprofits can learn through its seminars and online modules how to provide help that works. He envisions a network of nonprofits that are True Charity Certified. Though effective, the model at Watered Gardens is not easy: Initially, Missouri law required the ministry to buy workers’ compensation insurance for every client who worked in the Worth Shop, even for as little as 30 minutes. Whitford worked with local politicians to change state law so nonprofits could do such “work exchange” with the poor. Besides logistical challenges, volunteers and staff must get to know residents to learn if they are unable or unwilling to meet standards. Some things will get people kicked out: failing to pass a urinary analysis, rudeness, and physical abuse, for example. Staff members feel heartbreak when people they worked to befriend slide `2 back into their old lives and don’t come back. But Logan Fields did come back. So far, James Whitford’s instincts are proving true: The apology marked That night, Marsha and James shared their testimonies. a turning point. Now six months from graduation, he Brisson said she thought, “Holy cow, these people are just works full time at All Seasons Signs, sees his son once a regular old people. They had issues too.” Even after her month, and shares his testimony at homeless camps. His community service hours were done, she continued vol- last arrest was May 25, 2018, and he is clean for the first unteering at Watered Gardens. Six months after hearing time since he started using drugs at age 14. On April 1, Marsha’s testimony, Brisson heard Whitford give a chapel Fields called his brother for the first time in more than a sermon, and she realized, “There was a whore and there year to say happy birthday. He plans to stick around was the criminals that were in the Bible that were Jesus’ Watered Gardens after graduating because he’s seen too followers, you know? And I thought, ‘Well, if Jesus was many classmates fall back into old habits: “It’s either stay hanging out with these people, surely He’d hang out with connected or die for me, for real,” he said. His first week me too.’” out of the dorms, he came back to the Forge every night to She became a Christian and got clean at age 50. She play cards with the students there. earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and certifi- A faded tattoo is visible on his left hand: an eight ball cation as a substance abuse counselor. of meth. Fields said the six laser Eventually, she gave up her welfare removal surgeries hurt worse than benefits and added her food stamps getting beat up or hit in the head with card to a wall in the Outreach Center Watered a baseball bat (and he would know). with rows of other obsolete cards. Gardens He said the pain is better than one day “It’s been my mission in life to let 2017 income: $1,365,527 explaining his old life to his 3-year-old people know that me, the adult home- 2017 expenses: $1,017,094 son. But Jamie Myers is optimistic: less person … works at a homeless Paid staff: 20 Volunteers: 224 “He’s got decades now, statistically, to shelter. Me, the addict strung out for CEO’s salary: $80,166 live a good life, to be a good man, 38 years, is now a substance abuse Website: wateredgardens.org instead of what he doesn’t want his counselor. Me, the felon … has a son to know about.” A

 [email protected]  @CharissaKoh August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 49 NORTHEAST WINNER: Purposeful Design PICKED UP,

SANDED No building in Indiana’s capital is taller than the Salesforce Tower, with its 49 floors and recognizable twin antennae. It overlooks Monument Circle, where a 284-foot obelisk, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, OFF centers the city. Shops and restaurants line the brick street, with horse-drawn carriages lingering nearby. NThe monument draws tourists, and the tourists draw A carpentry shop offers panhandlers. Jesse Slaugh spent a year homeless in Indianapolis, ex-addicts and homeless the regularly camping at the foot of the Salesforce Tower. He had become a Christian in a California rehab center chance to build furniture, years earlier, but he relapsed into drugs and alcohol when his brother died. Hoping for a fresh start, he friendship, and a future moved to Indiana to be near friends, but fights with his girlfriend landed him in jail. Homeless and unfamiliar with the city, Slaugh tried to learn the streets and BY CHARISSA KOH in Indianapolis which way the buildings faced. He soon discovered Monument Circle, a main tourist attraction where he could “shake a cup” to get what he needed. He slept at Wheeler Mission, the largest and oldest homeless shelter in Indianapolis, and there met David Palmer. Palmer, a marketing consultant, served on the board of the mission from 2002 to 2012 and sometimes led Bible studies there. “How are you doing?” he asked residents. They often said they could not find jobs. After praying and googling, Palmer came up with an idea to help them. With no carpentry background, he and some friends used wooden pallets to build some furniture and asked for feedback. The affirmation they received convinced Palmer that working with wood could be the answer. Purposeful Design became a place where men leaving addiction, prison, or homelessness find a job, friendship, and discipleship. Jesse Slaugh joined the team soon after it began in 2013, with six men making specialty tables in a church building. The first year, they made CHARISSA KOH

`1 (1) Lobby with photos and testimonials. (2) Zach McClintock. (3) David Palmer.

50 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 `2

`3 $37,000 (“which we loved, because we thought at the time it might be zero,” said Palmer), and sales continue to grow. The most recent year brought in $1.5 million, and the nonprofit business earned loyal customers like Purdue University and pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. Purposeful Design even furnished the first six floors of the Salesforce Tower. Last year, the nonprofit relocated to a warehouse in northeast Indy, nearer most of the workers. Now visitors enter a high-ceilinged, woody-smelling lobby with gray walls and linoleum floors. One wall displays bright photos of workers saying how Purposeful Design helped them change: “I used drugs and sold them. Then I had an encounter with a man named Jesus,” says one placard. Another reads: “God picked me up, sanded me off, put a new coat of stain over me, and set me back on the shelf.” The workshop is large and open, with shelves of tools and tables of wood boards waiting to be cut, sanded, or glued together. The room smells like sawdust, though plastic hoses attached to the machinery keep the air clear. Along one wall are a pingpong table and pool table. The men play so frequently they are considering forming a competitive pingpong team. Fans whir, the sander squeals, and Zach McClintock, wearing protective glasses, jeans, and a blue and white striped shirt, guides a rotating saw blade through a board.

August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 51 CHARISSA KOH ince Hicks is lead finisher at Purposeful part of theDesign. Finishing is the trickiest and Hicks men agree, most carpentry process, After getting baptized at 18, Hicks said, he “went Hicks said, he “went After getting baptized at 18, keep a job. They became homeless. He fell into He They became homeless. a job. keep using still, struggling, “just and was legal trouble 21, he and At and I’m drinking and partying.” living with his and Hicks was had split up, Daphne he came home at 3 a.m. to get cousin. One weekend with his cousin and their a movie drunk and watch caught his attention: A scene in the movie friends. not about Jesus, felt God telling him life was He he should Daphne, loved and if he really Hicks, marry her. said. “That begins with heart change. Otherwise … we Otherwise … we said. “That begins with heart change. a terrible on putting a Band-Aid we’re feel like wound.” his 27, At of work. four years through earned his role be would imposing height and thick black beard his wears grin. He intimidating without his gregarious bundled into a tuft on top of hisshort dreadlocks head. own for a little bit.” my on lived stuff, out, did crazy in with a woman, when he moved Things spiraled to find and struggled He kids. and her two Daphne, V - Vince Hicks Vince Evidence Evidence - - - - , a book by apologist Josh Josh apologist , a book by August 3, 2019 • “We’re not here just to teach woodworking or offer to teach woodworking just not here “We’re The lunchroom is narrow, with windows along one with windows is narrow, The lunchroom Now he has worked at Purposeful Design he has worked Now McClintock came to Purposeful Design McClintock To get hired, a man must be able-bodied, must a man get hired, To devotion in the lunchroom. Managers do not make do not make Managers in the lunchroom. devotion that, Beyond do. but most participate, employees the intentional relation discipleship happens through with craftsmen. members build ships staff Palmer David but to get under the skin,” a paycheck McDowell, and he plans to read it. and he plans to read McDowell, coffee maker a sink, and a Keurig and cabinets, wall in the handmade tables are Two along the other. paperback Bibles neatly line one Twelve middle. Each morning, Bible studies. for weekly windowsill a and at 10:30 have up and pray, circle the workers men “won’t hesitate to tell you you’re being stupid.” being stupid.” you’re hesitate to tell you men “won’t but he claim to be a Christian, doesn’t McClintock and asks questions. attends the Bible studies regularly shut down good mentors who don’t have “When you he said. is for me,’” this think, ‘Maybe you questions, of recently bought him a copy members Staff That Demands a Verdict for a year clean six months longer and a half and stayed co- accountability and friendship from The that. than at Purposeful worked 50-60 have workers—about always “Everyone’s helpful: consistently Design—are and care you’ hello and ‘I love quick and eager to say said some of the He OK.” and asking if you’re for you addiction: “All my entire check, everything I check, everything entire my addiction: “All around being turned was for, working was feeling even I wasn’t and going to drugs. because the shame and it anymore good from toler it. And my overpowering just guilt was so much that the onlyance had increased to not get sick.” doing it was I was reason ing raw material, measuring, cutting it to material, measuring, ing raw then the followed, Simple projects size. cutout made a wooden He advanced: more of wall hanging on the of Indiana, now office. Christian’s a descent into after for carpentry experience zero experience when he came to ask for a experience zero the Christian, into Justin but he bumped job, in. That day on the way manager, production several with understaffed was the workshop you“Can asked, to fill, so Christian orders Once to the workshop. sand?” and sent him learned the basics: select McClintock hired, clean and sober, and ready to follow instruc to follow and ready clean and sober, tools is pre with power Experience tions. had McClintock but not required. ferred WORLD Magazine 52 Hicks went to Daphne’s apartment: “That leave connected with a full-time job, and in the future, moment defined my faith life. Because all the Purposeful Design will hire mainly from the graduates. things I told her, she was willing to forgive As the ministry’s director, Palmer doesn’t work in the me.” Daphne had been learning about God’s craftsman shop himself, but he knows the workers by name character through Heart Change University, and greets them every day. Hicks said, “I’ve never met a program Cindy Palmer, David’s wife, had somebody who has been consistent in smiling as much as started. Two or three days later, Hicks he’s been. Dude’s been smiling since I met him.” But every- bought an engagement ring. Two months thing isn’t smiles: Earlier this year, the ministry changed its later he and Daphne were baptized and policy to zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol. Staff mem- started attending Nehemiah Bible Church. bers realized giving multiple chances to men who showed Hicks met David Palmer just before up high or drunk was hurting the business, hurting the Purposeful Design began. Palmer offered individuals, and hurting their watching co-workers. him a full-time position, and Hicks has been Palmer said the new policy lost Purposeful Design working there since the beginning: “I just three employees, but he’s seen others improve, getting feel like everybody’s family. … It’s been a real tough on themselves to keep their jobs. The staff now good ride.” does random drug and alcohol tests on the production Through working at Purposeful Design, floor, and fires those who fail. “I honestly can say I’m in Hicks said, he learned to accept his mistakes the war on drugs,” said Hicks. “It affects me when guys without seeing himself as a failure. One of don’t show up, when we hear about our brother that’s his early projects was to distress a pair of fallen back into what they’re dealing with. But it just tabletops. The managers said to put a few brings the reality that we’re all one bad decision away.” nicks in them to make them look aged and Palmer says quality control, market value, and timeli- weathered. Hicks got carried away: “I ness remain constant challenges. Purposeful Design hires started to bring rocks and asphalt from “instead of the cream of the crop, the bottom of the bar- outside, and then I got bigger hammers, rel,” and always has the challenge of balancing business bigger nails, bigger chains, and I just, I goals with relationship goals. Palmer described some of almost destroyed these tables.” the high-tech equipment Purposeful Design uses, then One of the managers was frustrated with Hicks, but said, “We could go more high-tech, we could add more the other took him outside and told him he appreciated equipment and fewer men. But we’re here for employment the effort and creativity—then explained how to do it and training and to help them.” Rehab programs normally right next time. “I’ve screwed up a lot,” Hicks recalled, have time limits, but men can work at Purposeful Design “but they have had patience with me and showed me how as long as they need to: Hicks and Jesse Slaugh, who to get the outcomes I’m looking for, and they did it with- started soon after the business began, are still there. out getting angry.” A table Slaugh built himself resides on the second One April afternoon, 15 men and three women—black floor of the Salesforce Tower, where he used to panhan- and white, young and old—crowded dle. The table is 12 feet long and 4 feet around two tables in a classroom at wide, made of expensive multicolored Purposeful Design. Most looked at zebra wood from Africa. “It’s beauti- Bibles and took notes in binders as the Purposeful ful!” Slaugh exclaimed. Now he is a animated teacher, Bill Moore, Design production manager, responsible for exhorted them to fight sin. Moore is a leading, mentoring, and keeping the 2018 income: $1.4 million local businessman and one of 45 craftsmen on task. The job has pro- 2018 expenses: $1.3 million volunteer instructors who teach at the Paid staff: 8 Volunteers: 50 vided accountability and mentors for School of Woodworking and CEO’s salary: David Palmer Slaugh: He is now married with a Discipleship. Palmer started the would not disclose his salary, 4-year-old son and is preparing to school last year to offer one month of but said it’s less than he made purchase a home not far from life skills classes and carpentry train- before and he is not the Purposeful Design: “I will go from ing. The goal is to prepare students highest-paid employee. homeless to homeowner in five for the next step, whether that’s work, Website: pdindy.com years. It’s by God’s grace, not through counseling, or school. Most students me.” A

 [email protected]  @CharissaKoh August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 53

NOTEBOOK Lifestyle / Business

Lifestyle Alberto’s mom and dad FROM THE SORROW OF INFERTILITY TO THE JOY OF FOSTER PARENTING by Mary Jackson in Sonoma, Calif.

Britton Kendall pulled out all the It was 15-year-old Alberto’s first his caseworker) last October. At R stops throwing her first ever birthday party, and he picked out Alberto’s request, the partygoers kid’s birthday party. She made everything, including a Luigi cake. included a few Kendall family mem- tonkotsu ramen from scratch, allowed Britton, 36, and her husband Todd, 37, bers and three couples, in their 20s a silly string war inside the house, and became foster parents and 30s, from their church. handed out personalized certificates to Alberto (WORLD The Kendalls planned on throwing after a Super Smash Bros. video game isn’t using his real Todd and kids’ birthday parties a long time ago.

BRITTON KENDALL BRITTON tournament. name at the request of Alberto Instead, like 1 in 8 couples nationwide,

Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 55 NOTEBOOK Lifestyle

they have waded their way through infertility—15 years of it. Couples in their circumstances are often drawn to billboards and online ads paid for by fertility clinics selling expensive procedures like in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and donor eggs and sperm and promising babies. But the Kendalls have become foster parents instead. Nearly 443,000 children are in foster Britton shares information about RFKC care. The number has with her church (above); Alberto (left). risen 10 percent in the last five years, and the U.S. Department of enced less trauma, Clements told me. Health and Human The Kendalls took in Alberto after a Services expects it to trusted Christian friend who works at keep climbing amid the a foster agency told them he thought it nation’s opioid crisis. was a great fit. Many states are strug- Ten months later, they recounted gling to meet the their many firsts. For the Kendalls: demand: At least half their first time attending parent night have seen a steady at school, their first Christmas morn- decline in available fos- ing with a kid, their first mother’s and ter homes between 2012 father’s days, their first time making and 2017, according to a Easter baskets and hosting an egg study from The hunt. For Alberto: his first time build- Chronicle of Social ing a sand castle, his first trips to Change. Costco and to a fancy restaurant, his “We’re looking at first time doing laundry, his first time how to attract people, attending church, his first time watch- and for those willing to ing The Princess Bride and Napoleon go through the fairly arduous process an adoption agency’s waiting list for Dynamite. ... how to support them,” said Irene two years. Then, Britton heard about The Kendalls and Alberto also live Clements, director of the National Royal Family Kids’ Camps (RFKC), a in the reality that he may leave. Foster Foster Parent Association. Within the national Christian-run nonprofit that care is often temporary, and social first year, she said, up to 50 percent of partners with churches to provide workers strive for reunification with a foster parents “give up and say, ‘This is local foster children with a week of child’s family if possible. For Alberto too hard.’” over-the-top love and fun. Camp activ- and the Kendalls, reminders come as Todd first recalls thinking he ities include a pajama party for girls, a they meet weekly with a caseworker wanted to become a foster parent in knighting ceremony for boys, a petting and monthly with a social worker.

high school after he heard a Christian zoo, woodworking classes, a zip line, Alberto has visitation with his family BRITTON: MARY JACKSON • ALBERTO: BRITTON KENDALL camp counselor talk about his experi- and a high ropes course. at least once a month, and his case ence with it. Todd and Britton met as In 2017, the Kendalls enlisted their goes before a judge every six months. teenagers and new believers at a Bible church to join Sonoma County’s Throughout the Kendalls’ journey, study in Santa Barbara, Calif. Before recently launched RFKC. Britton says they have talked frankly with other marriage, a pastor performing pre camp “changed my whole idea of what congregation members, and they now marital counseling likened abstaining it could mean to enter someone’s life bring foster care to the forefront. “Our from birth control as newlyweds to midstory, even for a short period of young friends at church are Alberto’s “standing in the middle of the freeway,” time. You meet kids that you would old friends,” Todd says: Some are even Britton told me with a laugh. change your whole life for.” becoming foster parents. Britton says, The Kendalls attended an intro- The Kendalls initially requested “The joy has far outweighed the pain ductory foster care meeting in 2016 children ages 6-12. Most foster parents of watching my friends have children with another infertile couple from prefer younger children over teenag- … or scrolling through my Instagram their church. That couple had been on ers, believing they will have experi- feed and only seeing babies.” A

56 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity NOTEBOOK Lifestyle

people and low-income people to stay Detroit housed. But one thing Detroit repeatedly says: “People fall into homelessness when they lack something in one or two or all of these three things: spiritual, mental, or physical health. People say we’re homeless because we don’t have housing. That’s not true. Homelessness and housing are two separate issues.” For Detroit, homelessness began with a mental and spiritual issue. Since age 15, she had suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. At age 18, she voluntarily entered a mental hospital, but that hospital closed down after President Ronald Reagan cut funding to state mental health programs, and Detroit was out on the streets with nowhere to go. It wasn’t that she had no one to turn to. Throughout her 38 years living on and off the streets, she at times would show up at the doorstep of a family member who reluctantly took her in until she wandered back to Skid Shelter for the soul Row: “It’s not true that most of us ONE WOMAN’S STORY OF OVERCOMING don’t have anywhere to go. It’s just HOMELESSNESS by Sophia Lee in Los Angeles that we don’t know where to go in our mind, where to go that’s safe—safe from ourselves.” As she tells it, Detroit was practi- time in a long while, she prayed for And so, operating out of a spiritual R cally dead for two days, passed herself: “God, I just ask for one thing: I and mental dysfunction, she stayed out on the sidewalk of Skid Row. She need some peace. That’s all I want.” stuck in physical impoverishment year remembers ingesting some kind of That was 12 years ago. Detroit is after year, until 12 years ago when, drug—it could have been crack, powder now 10 years sober, housed, and care- finally feeling so deep in a pit that she cocaine, or meth. She wasn’t picky fully groomed with bright-colored couldn’t crawl out without supernatu- when it came to getting high. fingernails and flat-ironed hair. As a ral help, she cried out to God. She had She doesn’t remember much until 56-year-old black woman living on tried asking for help from psychiatric the moment someone shook her and off Skid Row since 1981, Detroit hospitals. She had tried every drug she shoulder and said, “Detroit, it’s been has a lot to say about homelessness. could get on the streets. She had tried storming. Did you know?” That person And each time, she expresses frustra- getting help from family members. “I tried to lift the blanket off her, and tion and grief about what’s happening had tried everything,” Detroit told me, Detroit remembers snarling, “Leave in homelessness. Or rather, what’s not “but I didn’t try God.” me the [obscenity] alone!” Snatching happening. She doesn’t think many so- So that day 12 years ago on the the blanket back over her head, she called “experts” in the field actually sidewalk of Skid Row, soaked and heard a loud, wet, heavy whoooosh as speak for people like her. shivering from a storm, Detroit the rain-soaked blanket fell and hit the Among activists, nonprofits, and thought for the first time, “This is ground with a thud. government officials, the dominant something for the spirit. My spirit is That’s when she came to her senses. narrative about homelessness is that dead and my flesh is weak.” That was a She remembers peering out with it’s a housing crisis issue. There’s some step she needed to take to overcome dazed eyes: “I realized then how out of truth to that: The lack of affordable homelessness. it I was. I was dead. I was spiritually housing in Los Angeles didn’t push “The spirit is like your heart,” gone.” Although she often prayed for her into homelessness, but it is making Detroit says, “and if your heart’s not

SOPHIA LEE SOPHIA others, at that moment, for the first it very hard for formerly homeless beating—baby, you dead!” A

August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 57 NOTEBOOK Business

Steps toward freedom BUILDING BUSINESSES TO FIGHT MODERN-DAY SLAVERY by Andrew Shaughnessy in Kolkata, India

Kolkata (once known as Calcutta) sex trade or at high risk of being A woman Sonagachi and a R is infamous for Sonagachi, one of trafficked. “I was profoundly afraid of sewing at prevention unit in the largest red light districts in Asia. being a hypocrite,” Lance explained. “I Sari Bari Canning, a major About 10,000 women, trapped in the really wanted my faith to be active. … trafficking source area. sex trade, live within a labyrinthine We’d been visiting [Sonagachi] for It now employs around 110 women tangle of streets. Many are victims of about five years, listening to the women from the red light areas, and also human trafficking, young village girls and what their needs were. And what operates a nonprofit trust. A social lured to the city by false promises of a we heard over and over again was: ‘I worker provides mental health and job or marriage, then sold on the want a different job.’” medical support. Employees receive doorstep of a brothel. Others enter the Kolkata’s pervasive “shame culture” preventative care checkups, health pain factories out of desperation and means that the families of trafficked insurance, and three-fourths of school- poverty. girls will often not accept them back for ing costs for their children. Each night, thousands of men flood fear of becoming outcast themselves. The business has struggled but into “the Gach.” The women crowd the Most trafficking victims have little or stayed afloat. Instead of employing the doorways and line the streets, smiles no education or skills: Left with no best-qualified people, Sari Bari inten- and makeup pasted on. Yet right in the alternative, they stay in brothels just to tionally employs women with no skills, middle sits an unassuming building survive. A viable business that hires no literacy, small motor skills challenges, where women sew saris into blankets these women is an opportunity to and trauma—and still tries to pay well and stitch hope into their lives. This is escape. Lance and Keen wrote up a and make a quality product people Sari Bari, a business founded in 2006 by business plan, did market research, and want to buy. Normal (but tough) Sarah Lance—formerly a volunteer at developed a product line—bags and business decisions, such as firing an Mother Teresa’s Home for the Dying— blankets made from saris. Sari Bari employee, take on enormous weight, and Kristin Keen. began with three women learning to since jobless women are likely to return HANDOUT PHOTOS Lance and Keen aimed to build a sew in Kolkata’s smaller Kalighat red to the sex trade. self-sustainable business that could light district. It’s not a business model for the faint provide freedom and alterative In the years since, Sari Bari has of heart, yet it is possible. And the employment to women trapped in the opened two production units in potential for transforming women’s and

58 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019 children’s lives is remarkable: Lance the women walk through these day-to- stitches a product from start to finish. says, “After 13 years, we’re now seeing day challenges by providing budgeting With their own two hands, women kids in college.” classes, group therapy, and English and who once thought they were worthless Sari Bari and other Kolkata social Bengali literacy lessons. Every woman create something beautiful and valu- entrepreneurs call their companies Loyal employs has a deeply traumatic able. It helps them realize that they too “freedom businesses.” Freeset, the personal history. Taking that into are beautiful and valuable. largest and oldest of the bunch, has account, part of the company’s business Lance says she loves the look on a operated a factory in Sonagachi since model centered on finding a product new employee’s face when she gets her 2001. It now employs more than 250 that didn’t require hard and fast first paycheck and glows with pride. women from the red light area, printing deadlines. Some eventually become assistant T-shirts and making bags and scarves The work itself is also part of the managers, trainers, and production from jute and used saris. healing process. Rather than operating managers, but it’s never easy. “I can’t The newest freedom business, Loyal a production line, with each employee even count how many times I wanted Workshop, opened in 2014 and employs doing a repetitive task, each woman to quit,” Lance said, “but I’m deeply 18 women in Bowbazar, Kolkata’s second- committed to these women and their largest red light area. Two years ago Lou freedom journey.” Lance knows that and Andy Gane, with their two kids, left ‘God created us for “God created us for work. Whether it’s comfortable suburban life in New [sitting] at a desk or stitching a cloth, Zealand to live and work in Kolkata. work. Whether it’s there’s something empowering about it. Lou runs Loyal’s sales and marketing. It’s important.” Andy does the accounting: “We wanted [sitting] at a desk or It can all seem like just a drop in the to reorient our lives towards people on stitching a cloth, bucket. According to the 2018 Global the margins,” Lou says. Slavery Index, nearly 8 million people The exacting business requires use there’s something are living in some form of modern of a laser cutter: The smell of burning slavery in India. leather fills the tiny cutting room as the empowering about But in Kolkata, Lance has learned machine’s mechanical arm, following it. It’s important.’ to “celebrate the baby steps [and] preprogrammed instructions, slices walk away feeling hopeful that this is lengths of eco-tanned leather into —SARAH LANCE happening in the world.” A precise shapes. One staffer sorts the pieces into packets—every component needed to make a particular product—and hands them to the women, who stitch them into satchels, belts, and wallets. Potential employees also have to reorient their lives: The key question for them to answer is, “Are you prepared to fight for your freedom?” Some women had to pay off debt to a brothel owner before they could even begin working at Loyal. Others struggle with alcohol or drug addiction. Most aren’t used to working regular hours every day, and many need to find new housing outside of the dangerous red Loyal light area. Workshop Along with teaching the employees at work women a trade, Loyal helps

Manage your membership: wng.org/membership August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 59

VOICES Mailbag

Not forgotten [ June 8, p. 38 ] Thanks for Jamie Dean’s article. We lost my husband to Lewy body dementia at age 56. In that dark time our church was a bright light for us. The pastors’ weekly visits, the deacons’ aid, and the congregation’s prayers all helped to bear us up. The church was a constant reminder that Christ is our only comfort in life and in death. —ROXANNE IVARSON / Lakewood, Colo.

Churches must minister to the needs shoes as gifts, wearing them publicly of caregivers and individuals with is enough to arouse resentment. dementia. God’s image remains —KAREN DAVIS / Exton, Pa. I appreciated the observation that imprinted on their hearts despite the tyranny seems inevitable after a ravages of the disease. There’s no excuse for this. For a true revolution because the most ruthless —RHONDA ANDERSON / Plymouth, Wis. pastor, the more people you reach the people fill the power vacuum. It is longer the list grows of things you like the parable of the unclean spirit I wept when I saw this article. I could do with an extra thousand who leaves a person but then returns cared for both my parents from a dollars, such as helping a desperate with others even more wicked, so dual diagnosis of dementia in 2010 young family with medical bills. that “the last state of that person is until their deaths in 2012 and 2016. I —SUZANNA PETERSON McDOWELL worse than the first.” So it goes with never doubted God was with me on Facebook evil generations. even when I cried out to Him in pain, —MEL HEUBERGER on wng.org uncertainty, and sorrow, but our As a pastor’s wife, I feel this tension church didn’t seem to understand. all the time. How will our congrega- Heart to heart with —CYNTHIA TULLY on wng.org tion view our new vehicle? Our kids’ Laci Green clothes? Our vacation? We want to be [ June 8, p. 50 ] Our culture teaches Thank you from the bottom of this good stewards but not slaves to that to disagree is to be hateful. dementia caregiver’s heart. I cannot others’ opinions. Only God sees our Thank you for modeling respectful do it alone. I’m grateful that our hearts. Still, I’ve never considered engagement with a neighbor without church stepped up when we got the buying a pair of thousand-dollar compromising the truth of Scripture. diagnosis, and many have continued shoes. —STEVEN LANGE / Louisville, Ky. as things worsened at an alarming —KATIE POWNER on wng.org pace. This is awesome! Sophia Lee spoke —ROSA EDWARDS on wng.org Looming gallows with a so-called enemy in a kind, [ June 8, p. 72 ] I wish our young rational, vulnerable, and nonjudg- My husband has been living the people would understand the things mental way. If only our politicians Alzheimer’s nightmare for nine years Marvin Olasky knows from experience could do the same. now. Old friends just haven’t come to about socialism. This is a dangerous —CHRISTINA WILSON on wng.org see him. One told me that after visit- time. May we preserve the freedom, ing others in similar situations he opportunities, and capitalism that The secret heart had nightmares that it was going to made this country great. [ June 8, p. 20 ] Thanks to Janie B. happen to him. I realized it was fear, —LOUISE E. DESCLOS / Nashua, N.H. Cheaney for reminding us of original basically. sin. Everyday events teach us this —VIRGINIA H. SALZMAN / Tucson, Ariz. How many causes have been hijacked obvious fact: Sinners all are we! by evil men? And how many men —STEPHEN LEONARD / Vidalia, Ga. A scandal afoot? began with altruistic motives only to [ June 8, p. 66 ] Jenny Rough did a find themselves on the other side The heroes in those terrible shootings great job reporting a potentially when the day is done? It is dangerous truly acted in a Christ-like manner. volatile issue in a fair way. Even if the to ignore the realities of history. Thank you for acknowledging them. pastors received those expensive —BOBBIE KEITH on wng.org —JENNIFER EASON on Facebook

Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 61 VOICES Mailbag

Hearts gone cold speedy recovery. Am I naïve for not uncertainties. He was devoted to the [ June 8, p. 8 ] Joel Belz rightly high- believing that praying for my recovery men, spending hours with the 101st lighted the self-deception in Susan is the deception and wanting me Airborne paratroopers before they Smith, who drowned her children, and beheaded is the reality? Most of us boarded for a mission that advisers in those who promote abortion. Our never get close enough to the heart of warned could be a catastrophe. To us culture goes to great lengths to rede- a Muslim to see what’s there, and this today the victory seems inevitable. We fine a child as a lump of tissue, yet the column will only encourage fear and don’t consider other possible outcomes, presence of post-abortion emotional anger. and so we will never understand the issues is evidence that we know it is —STEVE LAZICKI / Faribault, Minn. resolution required to live through wrong. this history. —CHRIS BENNETT / Quarryville, Pa. D-Day plus 75 years —NOLAN NELSON / Eugene, Ore. [ June 8, p. 63 ] This is such an amazing Saladin’s men and inspiring story. What a different Read more Mailbag letters at wng.org [ June 8, p. 71 ] Good to see somebody world it could be if, like the heroes of who understands the Muslim threat to D-Day, we stopped sniping at one LETTERS and COMMENTS our country. another and joined together to fight Email [email protected] —HOWARD TULL / Baton Rouge, La. against evil and for the freedom to Mail WORLD Mailbag, PO Box 20002, flourish. Asheville, NC 28802-9998 I teach English to Somali refugees, —SUSAN WILLIAMS on Facebook Website wng.org devout Muslims all. Last week Ayan, Facebook facebook.com/WORLD.magazine seeing me newly wheelchair-confined, Eisenhower understood how impor- Twitter @WORLD_mag promised in her clumsy (but improv- tant the D-Day invasion was strategi- Please include full name and address. Letters ing!) English to pray to Allah for my cally, committing to it despite frightful may be edited to yield brevity and clarity. VOICES Andrée Seu Peterson

by placing different sizes of battleships in a row, or when the length of the Lusitania is emphasized by printing a picture of it balancing grace- fully on its stern alongside the Singer Building.” But ignorance runs both ways, and I had to redress large gaps in my knowledge of contemporary cussing lexicology for depicting the likes of famed Giants manager John (aka “Mugsy,” Matty’s book aka “Little Napoleon”) McGraw. Describing a game situation in which third-base coach A FRESH AND PERSONABLE LOOK AT Arthur Wilson misjudged a hit and stopped the BASEBALL AND LIFE IN 1912 runner on second from going all the way home, Mathewson writes that McGraw Needing escape from the disappointing “promptly sent a coacher out to R escapism of midsummer 2019 relieve Wilson, and his oratory to the Philadelphia Phillies baseball, I read of happier young catcher would have made a times two hours north as obligingly recorded Billingsgate fishwife sore.” (The by the pitcher for the pennant-winning turn-of- allusion is to London’s traditional the-20th-century New York Giants. fish market, and the wives of fisher- The name might be new to some, but as men famed for being loud and journalist John N. Wheeler writes in his 1912 foul-mouthed.) preface to Pitching in a Pinch, “Introducing a In this regard I appreciate reader to Christy Mathewson seems like a Mathewson’s restraint in not over- superfluous piece of writing and a waste of sharing. And indeed, “the Gentleman white paper. Schoolboys of the last 10 years Hurler” and Hall of Famer was have been acquainted with the exact figures reputed by his colleagues to be well which have made up Matty’s pitching record mannered and is credited with elevat- before they have heard of George Washington, ing the status of America’s national because George didn’t play in the same League.” pastime at a time when it was still So fresh and personable is this inside baseball Christy associated with ruffians. Recalling a Saturday book that once in a while I had to remind pennant game against Pittsburgh at Forbes myself of what Mathewson didn’t know: He Mathewson, Field, he tells without superfluous explicitness didn’t know about World War I (he would later ‘the Gentle- how the Pirates’ Fred Clarke protested a call at suffer a chemical gas accident in training, man Hurler,’ home plate. “Brennan was dusting off the plate which would cut his life short). He didn’t know and paid no attention to him. But Clarke con- about the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. He men- is credited tinued to snap and bark at the umpire as he tions the Singer Building as the tallest in the with elevat- brushed himself off, referring with feeling to world (the 41-story Lower Manhattan office ing the status Mr. Brennan’s immediate family, and weaving skyscraper would be torn down in 1968 to make into his talk a sketch of the umpire’s ancestors.” way, eventually, for One Liberty Plaza). Ty Cobb of America’s The Christian life is better than baseball but is referenced on scattered pages as merely “the national should be at least as practical as baseball. Detroit outfielder,” a man and not a god. pastime. Pitching in a Pinch reminded me how the brief Here is how Mathewson mentions en passant human strut on this stage should be focused on the British luxury liner whose sinking by a victory, should engage all the mind, and should German U-boat would turn popular sentiment make the most of what we’ve got and not toward America’s entry into “the war to end all lament what we ain’t got. wars.” Speaking of Fred Clarke’s purchase of A case in point is Mordecai “Three- Marty O’Toole for the Pittsburgh Pirates for the Fingered” Brown, pennant-winning pitcher for unheard-of sum of $22,500 in 1911, Mathewson the Chicago Cubs who parlayed a physical writes: deformity acquired in “an argument with a feed “The newspapers of the country were filled cutter” into a hard-breaking curveball that with figures and pictures of the real estate and batters were lucky to get a grounder off of. automobiles that could be bought with the Did I mention that Christy Mathewson, who same amount of money, lined up alongside of sat out Sunday games, is one of us? And you can pictures of O’Toole, as when comparative ask him any stats your heart desires when we

CHARLES COLON/TSN/ICON SMI/NEWSCOM COLON/TSN/ICON CHARLES strengths of the navies of the world are shown meet up yonder in that diamond in the sky. A

 [email protected] August 3, 2019 • WORLD Magazine 63 VOICES Marvin Olasky

a sense of duty but with excitement and pleasure. WORSHIP SONG The idea for these three new WJI opportunities is not mine: I’ve periodically received letters from teachers, professors, and missionaries asking us to start such courses. Susan and I would like to give it a shot. All 100 of our mid- career students during this decade have paid their own way, but since teachers, professors, Contest Zenger invitation and missionaries generally don’t have large salaries, we hope to offer scholarships. JOURNALISTIC TRAINING FOR TEACHERS, At this point I don’t know for sure that we’ll PROFESSORS, AND MISSIONARIES be offering these courses: I want to see if there really is a demand for them. Twelve times my wife and I in our living If you’re a teacher, professor, R room have shown small groups of or missionary, and what I’ve WORLD readers how to become WORLD writ- written quickens your pulse ers. During a week of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. reporting, enough that you’d be eager writing, and editing, the students ranging in age to commit a week to learn from 27 to 72 have improved their understand- under tough Olasky tutelage, ing, story sense, and writing. I’ve just checked please email me: molasky@ our masthead on page 4 and seen that 31 are wng.org. Feel free to place now WORLD correspondents. this opportunity before Our next World Journalism Institute mid- tough-skinned others. career course is scheduled for Jan. 9-15, 2020. Those who run the race Application deadline is Sept. 1, and several will become Zenger Fellows, spots are still open: See worldji.com. But my named after John Peter PRIZE MONEY main reason for mentioning this now is a Zenger, a courageous Christian editor who in LEARN A NEW WORSHIP SONG potential expansion of WJI. We’re thinking 1734 went to jail for criticizing New York’s cor- about multiplying our efforts in a way that may rupt royal governor. A jury found him not guilty produce a small benefit for WORLD but will, on Biblical grounds: He told the truth. A Worship bands and praise $ we hope, produce a large 10,0001st Place benefit for the evangelical teams, use your skills to win church generally. money for your church or non- We’re thinking of hav- WANTED: LONG-MARRIED LOVERS proﬁt organization. Submit a $ ing up to three new one- 5,0002nd Place week mid-career courses. When I received a sweet note from WORLD reader Anne Phillips, I noted her email video of your band playing the One, during the summer, address—youtooanne@——.com—and could not resist asking about its origin. would be for high-school Here’s Anne’s reply: “So glad you asked. Been dying to tell someone. Played second song by December 31st 2019. $ teachers: Susan and I fiddle to a wonderful big brother (sympathy with Jesus’ brothers). Then married a man Winners will be announced 1,0003rd Place would teach them about thought by my family to be too good for me. Sixty-two years ago while painting our journalism in a way that first home my grandma raved about my husband’s good work. Belatedly she realized I at the end of January 2020. would allow them to set had worked just as well, and she added ‘You, too, Anne.’” up journalism clubs or Reading that reply reminded me of two good series WORLD ran online more than a good school newspapers. decade ago. They celebrated perseverance in marriage (40 years or more) and in minis- A second, also during the tering at a specific church (30 years or more). We had one problem: Interviewees did not want to tell our reporters of any problems they had had. But, as former world- summer, would teach record mile runner Jim Ryun told me in 2009 after celebrating his 40th anniversary, college professors how to “Marriage is the bringing together of two very selfish people who have to learn a lot write in a journalistic way about giving, and if you put Jesus at the center of that process He will help you.” so they could put their I’d say the same about the 43 years of marriage Susan and I have had: Without ideas before a wider Jesus we wouldn’t have made it. So, if you’ve been married for more than 40 years, or audience. A third, in have pastored in the same place for more than 30 years, and if you are willing to dis- spring or fall, would teach close to WORLD reporter Charissa Koh how you overcame difficulties, please email missionaries how to write her—[email protected]—and include your telephone number. KRIEG BARRIE letters and reports from Charissa will be particularly interested in your story because her dad—pastor of the the field that their sup- same Georgia church for 24 years—performed her wedding ceremony on July 13. porters will read not out of Hear the song and learn more about this contest at:

64 WORLD Magazine • August 3, 2019  [email protected]  @MarvinOlasky PORTANGELESPIANIST.COM/CONTEST2019 WORSHIP SONG Contest

PRIZE MONEY LEARN A NEW WORSHIP SONG

Worship bands and praise $ 10,0001st Place teams, use your skills to win money for your church or non- proﬁt organization. Submit a $ 5,0002nd Place video of your band playing the song by December 31st 2019. $ Winners will be announced 1,0003rd Place at the end of January 2020.

Hear the song and learn more about this contest at: PORTANGELESPIANIST.COM/CONTEST2019 We’re making our own choices with our health care and Samaritan Ministries participates in that. — Melody & Patrick, members since 2016

A Biblical solution to health care For the last twenty-five years, Monthly costs Samaritan Ministries members Ranges based on age, household size, and membership have been sharing medical level costs while praying for and Individuals $100–$220 encouraging one another — 2 Person $200–$440 all without health insurance. 3+ People $250–$495 Faithful. Affordable. Biblical.

samaritanministries.org/world (877) 578-6787