Gathered ‘Round the Table: Michael Jackson and the Rice Pot of Asia

Submitted July 14, 2009

We gathered again this morning around a table, oblong, which filled the classroom. Our teacher sat among us at the table and, again, I found the image striking. This table is our gathering place. Here, as we gathered, we met with the disciples in the scriptures of Pentecost (Acts 2), we heard the voices of the poor within the scriptures, and we gathered to be challenged by the poor of Burma. As we sat at the table in the midst of all of these voices, our attempt today would be to read the Bible though the lenses of the poor.

Burma was once known to be the rice pot of Asia. I acknowledge a great lack of understanding when I consider that this country is still rich in resources, including timber and gems, and was also once the source of sustenance for Asia through its rice. Yet, the countries profits seem to boil down to nothing in the hands of the people.

Often, we were reminded that the poor are not just economically poor, but they are also emotionally and spiritually poor. To be sure, I have never known what is like to be so occupied with daily survival that I have no time to think about other things. I speak of daily survival meaning how my family or I would fill the rice pot, how or if I would find work, or perhaps where I would sleep for the night. This means that not only is there an empty rice bowl, but this chronic state of physical poverty leads to despair and hopelessness. The Bible reminded us that the poor can only wait upon God for deliverance from their misery, and that, yes, God does indeed care for the poor.

Even Michael Jackson, may he rest in peace, gathered around the table with us today, addressing hope and healing for a broken world. Remember the old song that came out in the 90's, Heal the World? I won't bog you down with the lyrics here, but this song was played as part of a devotional in the family group worship time. I hummed along, tapping my feet as did some others in the classroom. Still, I was still left with the question, how does idealism meet reality? The reality we are meeting in Burma and around the world is that it is not enough to dream of a peaceful world reconciled to God but we must wrestle with the real challenge of how to participate in the suffering of the poor and vulnerable throughout the world.

Isaiah 58 calls upon us to consider what it means to repent from a sacrificial fast that is purely self–serving. We are also called to embrace right worship and the poor among us. This is a portion of scripture I have been wrestling with for some time now. Quite frankly, I hardly know where to begin to when making any small attempts at the practice of fasting. But I do know that my need is great to set aside the habits, patterns of living, and even the worship practices that are self-serving in my life. We were encouraged to consider that true fasting and right worship is not that which benefits yourself only, but that which benefits the community. I believe, perhaps, it is there and with that humble spirit of humility, honesty, and right fasting, a fast which benefits the whole community, that I need to continue to wrestle with how to participate in the lives of the people we will encounter here in Burma.

Finally, in the spirit of action, my mind is flooded with things I need to follow-up and take action on from today's study:
Further reflection and research on right worship and justice in Isaiah 58. What does this mean for myself and my particular context of service?
Understand better the pattern of refuge and flight to Thailand, when this began, and the current flight to the U.S., including refugees present in my own community. More specifically, I feel the need to discover where the Burmese, Hmong, and Hill Tribe people are currently flooding into the U.S.
Become familiar with the Burmese and Hill Tribe groups present in the Dakota's.
Rice pot of Asia.Burma was once known as the rice pot of Asia and as is now statistically among many of the poorest countries of the world. This statement compels me to become increasingly familiar with the current socio-economic conditions and current events in Burma.