In the past couple of weeks, the staggering images from the demolishing earthquake in Haiti have melted our hearts. And as Americans, we quickly search for ways to help, even from a distance of over 2000 miles. However, in order to fully grasp the challenges that lie ahead, it is important to better...

I carried a sack of gifts as I made my way down the dirty streets to the homes where the gifts belonged.  Dogs barked at me from their pens while roosters casually strutted by.  Skulls and other decorations still adorned some homes from El Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, and Spanish music played...

I bought this T-shirt and it’s been kind of an albatross to me. I love the shirt but it’s the attention it attracts that frustrates me. It’s a red T that says “2 Weeks” on the front in bold white letters. Every time I wear it someone, or many someones, ask me, “Hey, Brian, what’s in two...

The horrifying devastation that was unleashed in Haiti following the January 12th earthquake has shocked us all.  Relief groups have mobilized, people are praying and donating money, and many people are also asking questions.  Why has this happened?  What can we do about it right now?  Can we do...

David Brooks’ excellent article about this week’s quake in Haiti is a must-read. Whether you agree with his diagnosis or not, he shines a light on a problem that absolutely must be addressed: there is no formulaic relationship between monetary aid and economic development/autonomy.  Haiti...

Haiti saddens me.  It saddens me in part because so many have lost so much.  It also saddens me because I care so little. I don’t say this flippantly.  I say this because it’s the reaction I have right now.  It’s not something I’m proud of; it’s simply what’s going on at this moment in...

I was recently talking with a friend of mine named Jane about her work at a Christian international non-profit near my hometown in the Midwest. In the course of our conversation she said, “I’m just not sure there is a place for women here.” When I asked why, Jane said, “I think it has to do with...

10. Local Food Banks We’ve experienced two recessions in the 2000s, and the second is the worst Americans have seen in decades.  This has meant that even more people rely on food banks to meet their daily needs as unemployment rises and incomes stagnate and fall.  The USDA’s recent figures...

10.  Bono Bono, the rock-star-turned-humanitarian, has been speaking truth to power since 1999.  He has achieved near honorary statesman status and has influenced many heads of state.  Since 2002 he has become increasingly involved in campaigning for third-world debt relief and raising awareness...

My 14-year-old daughter Hannah and my husband Gary went to the Chicago auditions for America’s Got Talent this past weekend. I was there with them for the first three hours of their 10-hour wait to sing for 90 seconds for two unknown judges and a cameraperson. And they had quite a day…meeting Elvis...