YWAM Perth Community Development School

Incredible video from Brene Brown. What of what she shares is true? Have you learned to learn from anyone and at the same time to filter what people say through a Biblical Worldview?

The power of vulnerability Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

THE IMAGE OF GOD. by Bob Moffit (excerpt)

When I worked in inner-city ministry with delinquent youth, the team with which I worked operated an alternative school for young people who could not cope with the public school system. These young people often came to school not groomed, looking as if they had slept in their clothes.One therapeutic strategy our team developed was an opportunity for the students to volunteer at an institution for mentally handicapped persons.The students were given a few days of orientation. They were informed that one of the greatest needs of the mentally handicapped was human loveand friendship, which they could provide through regular visits.

On the day the students were to go to the institution as official volunteers, we observed an amazing change. They arrived at school well groomed and in clean clothes. Instead of their usual stooped posture, they stood tall with dignity. The transformation was remarkable.

What made the difference? I suspect much of it was the opportunity to be significant, the opportunity to "write their names on the universe." Seeing themselves as people who could make a positive contribution was a radical change they no longer seemed insignificant.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 there were 815 million people hungry around the world. These people can’t go out and buy a burger to satisfy their hunger. No, they will just stay hungry, unlike you and me. 155 million of those are under 5 years old and because of a lack of food they will never grow to their full height. This also makes them susceptible to sickness and disease, increasing their risk of death.

Why is there not enough food in the world? There are many theories. One is the classic of ‘overpopulation’. Too many people, the world cannot sustain us. This has led to three various solutions that I have seen. 1) Survival of the fittest solution. Let the weak die and the strong live on. Which generally means, lets not get involved with the poor and suffering. 2) Abortion, which has caused the death of millions of unborn babies. 3) Don’t have children. There are enough in the world.

If overpopulation is the root of the problem than the solutions lead to a very sad future. Death and loneliness.

In the United States every year 60 million tons of food is thrown away. When I did my community development school I worked on a hydroponics system and we had a few cherry tomato plants. These plants produced hundreds of cheery tomatoes. One day my job was to take one cherry tomato, open it up, get the seeds out and plant those seeds. In one tomato there was at least three dozen seeds. Each seed having the potential to grow an entire plant that would produce hundreds more tomatoes each bearing the same prolific amount of seeds. There was abundance.

“Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.’ Then God said, ‘Look! i have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground- everything that has life’. And that is what happened. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” - Gen 1:26-31

Why is there not enough food in the world? Learn more by doing the CDS.

It's back! After 4 years we're again running. Check out the website... https://www.ywamperth.org.au/training/community-development-school/

Community Development School - YWAM Perth Australia The Community Development School (CDS) engages with communities of all kinds to facilitate God's kingdom being practically expressed in all areas of life.