Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM-USA) | home
"What does it benefit a man to gain the whole world if he loses his
soul?"
It was the word "benefit" that made me recall this message on an old
grain elevator on the outskirts of Edmonton.
In the last two weeks I have been to two presentations on Edmonton's
housing shortage. When the Alberta Minister of Housing passed a law
that landlords can only raise the rent once a year, one absentee
landlord rescinded the $20 raise he had just announced and raised the
rent by $400 or 52% instead. At both presentations, no one, not even
left-wing politicians, would risk votes by suggesting rent controls.
In today's paper, the Landlords' Association defended the raises in
rents by saying that in the 80s when vacancy rates were 16% no one
helped them out.
I also went to two meetings on the environment, another serious
concern in Alberta. In both "taking care of the economy" seemed more
important than using more drastic measures to take care of the
environment.
I also participated in a presentation by a Mayan leader from
Guatemala who came to talk to us about the Canadian gold mine that is
destroying his community in Sipakapa, San Marcos. For over two years
now, Canadians have been urging the Canadian government to develop
legal means to oblige Canadian mining companies to account for their
actions abroad. Instead, the government claims corporate voluntarism
is enough. It certainly isn't enough in Sipakapa, or in El Estor in
Guatemala, or in Honduras or in El Salvador.
In all these cases maximizing personal or corporate "benefits" is
much more important than the effects on renters, on the environment,
on indigenous populations of Central America.
"What does it benefit a man to gain the whole world if he loses his
soul?" was the passage of scripture that moved Ignatius of Loyola,
the future founder of the Jesuits, to conversion. Today's reading
from Acts says that the Lord has commanded us, saying, "I have set
you to be a light" Let us write the words with our life; let us be a
light for our world.
Cecily
P.S. Urgent message - Witness for Peace need 5 more delegates to sign
up now for a delegation to Oaxaca, Mexico in June. Please spread the
word around. E-mail ekubick@earthlink.net for the information poster
and information (603-672-1630). I strongly recommend this delegation!
