Macro and Micro Views of Compassion & Justice with Bill Cummings (Lemonade International)

[Charles Lee]

Some organizations are great at providing a macro view of issues regarding global poverty, injustice, HIV/AIDS, etc... and some are great at providing a micro view of these issues. We'll look at and discuss why it is important for organizations to provide a strong and healthy balance of both views. It is vital to recognize and have compassion for the magnitude of the extreme issues facing people all over the world today, and it's also vital to share and to be involved in the compelling stories of individuals and families who are personally affected by issues of injustice.

Lemonade International partners with Guatemalan native friends who focus on one community: an urban slum neighborhood of more than 60,000 people living in extreme poverty in Guatemala City called "La Limonada". The focus of our work is educating and mentoring children, community development and humanitarian relief.

Bill has been married to Cherie for 19 yrs. They have 17 yr old twin boys and a 4 yr old daughter adopted from Nepal. He is passionate about family, issues of social justice, extreme poverty and racial reconciliation. He is the Founder and President of Lemonade International.

[Bill Cummings]

Some organizations are great at providing a macro view of issues regarding global poverty, injustice, HIV/AIDS, etc. Some organizations are great at providing a micro view of these issues.

Macro View

• More than 12,500 people die every day from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria
• 75 million children are out of school around the world
• Every year, more than half a million mothers die from complications during child birth and 9.2 million children die before their fifth birthday
• 884 million people across the world do not have access to clean water and 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation
• Trafficking in humans generates profits in excess of 12 billion dollars a year for those who, by force and deception, sell human lives into slavery and sexual bondage.
• More than 2 million children are trapped in forced prostitution


Micro View

• Stories of real life individuals, families and the challenges, struggles and injustice they face in the real world.

Which of these is more important to addressing issues of injustice? In which direction, if any, do the Scriptures lean? Was Jesus more focused on one or the other?