24-7 Ibiza
The last few years I have been doing summer mission in Ibiza, Spain. Ibiza (pronounced Eye-bee-tha) is a small Mediterranean island off the coast of Spain that is often known as the party capital of Europe. It is an intense environment to show the love of Jesus. A small team from England decided to move there to help bring peace and love to the island through prayer and mission. Here is a short video about these guys: Prayer as Mission
Once while in Ibiza, I encountered a guy named Lee. He asked me what 24-7 Ibiza was, as I was wearing a 24-7 Ibiza t-shirt. I told him that it was a Christian organization that focuses on prayer and kindness. He looked at me in confusion and after a long pause he said, “In Ibiza? You’ve come to help a bunch of drunk people? Why? Why don’t you go to Africa and work in an orphanage?” Half drunk himself, Lee continued, “People in Ibiza don’t deserve help. They choose this lifestyle. Why don’t you go help kids with AIDS?”
I still think about this encounter. What struck me was how hard it was for Lee to accept that 24-7 Ibiza wanted to help those that “didn’t deserve it.” He was all right with people receiving help if they warranted it, but not those who chose wrongdoing purposefully. He was begging to ask these questions, “Is help only for those who deserve it? Is mercy only for those who warrant it?”
Oftentimes, when you walk someone to their hotel that has had too much to drink in Ibiza, they will offer you money to compensate. The response is always no. When they persist and persist, the team will say, “Hasn’t anyone ever done something nice for you without asking for something in return?” Mercy. Shown in the simple act of walking somebody home.
February 17th, 2010 at 7:44 am
We live near downtown in Little Rock, and regularly encounter people wandering up and asking for money. I don’t give cash, and probably won’t start to. But I have had to rethink my reasons and my attitude since talking it over with a friend of mine who is in recovery. For years her life was consumed by alcohol and crack cocaine, so she is familiar with the life situation of many of these downtowners who spend their days asking for money. One day I asked her thoughts on whether or not to give people money, and she said, “You know, I know exactly what they are going to do with it. But sometimes I still give someone $10 because I remember that when someone would give me $10 that was at least one less trick I did to get my drug money.” She is an example to me of giving help and showing mercy simply because someone is a fellow human being, not because they deserve it. What a challenge.
February 17th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Wow. It’s been an adjustment for me-moving to the city & being confronted with those who could use a little hope. And honestly, my gut reaction is of skepticism & to say, “no” when asked for money. (And my husband’s is to say “yes, of course!”) So we’ve had to think through how we respond. And it’s been a challenge to recognize that gut reaction in myself & THEN choose how to respond. Instead of just responding without thinking through that particular situation. Ardelle-I really appreciate you sharing your friend’s perspective on this-because I have never thought of that side of it. But I have definitely been the recipient of kind generosity for no good reason in my life. And it feels really good.