Tonight my wife found the talk I gave at a fundraiser in San Diego during my vicarage that I worked on with 40 Afghan college students for 5 months to help raise money for relief supplies for Afghans who were suffering under the Taliban at the time. About 200 of those in attendance that evening were Muslims. I cant believe its already been so long ago (12 years) since that night and to this day I still remember my ministry there in San Diego with those Afghans with such fondness. Where ever they are they still remain in my prayers. Here was my talk from that night: Good evening! My name is Travis Guse and I am the church developer for a new ministry here in San Diego called Ethnos. We are a diverse community of faith, love and hope in a broken world. It has been my privilege to be working with these wonderful young people for the last five months planning this fundraiser for Afghanistan. I was asked to participate by Nazanin Wahid shortly after 9/11. Now I could stand up here and tell you tonight that I had absolutely no apprehension about my involvement in this fundraiser. But, I have a confession to make. I have to admit that when I attended the first meeting I wasnt really sure why I was there. I mean there I was sitting in a room with 40 Afghan college students - all Muslims - and I a Christian pastor and not that young anymore. But, I stuck it out. And over time I got to know these wonderful people and I got to see their passion for those who are suffering in their homeland. Many of them still have family members there. And as we spent those five months pouring ourselves into this event they began to embrace me as one of their own. Today I am proud to call each one of them my friend and I care for each one of them a great deal. I would like to share with you for just a moment why I am here tonight. Obviously, Im not here tonight because Im an Afghan. And Im not here because Im a Muslim. Im here tonight because Im a follower of Jesus and I am here tonight because of a story He once told. Once a man asked Jesus, What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answered the man by saying, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? The man answered, Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your strengths and with all of your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus replied, You have answered correctly, do this and you will live. But the man wanted to justify himself and so asked Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Jesus went on to tell this man a story about a man traveling along a road going to Jericho, when suddenly he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him, they beat him and they left him for dead. And as he lay there bleeding beside the road a priest came along, saw the man, and kept walking right by him. The same thing happened when a Levite came by - He saw the man lying there and just kept on going. Finally, a Samaritan came by. Now this Samaritan wasnt a countryman and they didnt even share the same religion. But when that Samaritan saw this man lying there in his own blood he had compassion on him. He bandaged his wounds, put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he even gave two silver coins to the inn keeper and said, Look after him and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have. Then Jesus turned to the man who had asked the question and asked, Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him. Jesus told him, Go and do likewise. Tonight my friends there is a man, there is a woman, there is a child lying beside the road in Afghanistan. Theyve been beaten by those from within and from without. They have been robbed of all they have and they have been left for dead. I am here tonight not because I am an Afghan and I am not here tonight because I am a Muslim. I am here tonight because they are my neighbor and they are in need. I am here tonight because Jesus has had compassion on me by dying for me upon the cross for my sins and rising from the dead so that my relationship with God could be restored. And now He calls me to go and do likewise - to live a life of compassion and love for others. I want to thank you for coming to our event tonight and in just a moment we are going to try to raise some more money to help those who are in need. but, I want to ask you, dont give out of some sense of guilt. Instead, see those in Afghanistan as your neighbors who are in need. See them the way God sees them and love them the way God loves them in Jesus. Reach out in compassion and give a helping hand. Thank you and Gods blessing to you all tonight!
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 03:29:43 +0000
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