I'm speaking at Eastern University this morning about the indigenous anti-mining movement in Guatemala, and since I needed to spend extra time this week in preparation for that, I don't have a Repaso to share with you today. Maybe I'll be able to post one tomorrow or Sunday or perhaps not at all until next Friday. But all is not lost: in the meantime, here's a video of a manatee in an aquarium learning about glass.
Just a little heads up that the content here on the blog is going to be a little less robust than usual this week and maybe a bit of next week too. I have two book reviews due this week for a couple of magazines and I have some work to do to prepare for a cool speaking gig at my alma mater, Eastern University, in mid-September. That on top of a full-time job, beautiful weather to enjoy and a wedding to plan!
In the meantime, in case you've missed some of my recent stuff, feel free to read my review of Little Princes by Conor Grennan in PRISM. Also, be sure to check out my recent interview with Scott Moore (parts one and two), and consider supporting his Kickstarter campaign to fund his important next film, Becoming Fools.
I'm grateful for each of you that you continue to take the time to read the blog and give your comments; it means a lot to me.
1. The migration of Guatemalan Protestantism
The Chattanooga Times Free Press has an article focusing on Guatemalan Protestants, both in that city and in Guatemala. It’s a bit scattered, to me anyway, but interesting nonetheless. Some good background on spiritual and religious trends among Guatemalans:
What makes Guatemala different from the rest of Latin America? Guatemala has a long history of Protestant missionaries coming from the United States, one that begins in the late 1800s and early 1900s, said Timothy Steigenga, chairman of social science and humanities at the Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University. He studies Guatemalan religion and politics. The missionaries planted “the seed,” Chattanooga’s García said. “Now the majority of Hispanic pastors here are from Guatemala. What the United States sowed, the harvest is now coming here."
2. Capitalizing with the poor The Q blog has a post spotlighting three companies/organizations experimenting with multiple bottom lines in order to better serve the poor. Nothing too groundbreaking here for those who have followed the emergence of CSR (corporate social responsibility) and social entrepreneurship, but some encouraging examples anyway. The conclusion:
There certainly are tensions caused by profit seeking enterprises operating in poor areas of the world. Good intentions are not enough. Careful attention must be paid to sound ethics and definitions of “development” that transcend economic gains alone. No single sector can end poverty on its own, including business. Many governments and NGO’s are already playing critical roles. Given the influence of business and the need to reclaim its legitimacy, however, this is an opportune time for business to act as a key player in alleviating poverty. The world needs the wealth creation, knowledge transfer, and ability to scale that businesses excel at.
3. Rules for reviewing books
Alissa Wilkinson at the Cardus blog has some great pointers for those of us who review books. Three of the pointers are tried and true hand-me-downs, three are her own, all six are solid. I especially like the final one:
6. Remember: It’s usually better to start a conversation than close it down.
4. Books on why poor countries remain poor
Christine Jeske, a fellow alumnus of Eastern University who’s now teaching some classes there, has a good recommended list of books on poverty and development on her blog. I made one suggested addition to the list.
5. Stephan Bauman’s blog
World Relief’s new president has started a blog, and I think it’ll be a good one. From his introductory post:
We’re close to a tipping point on poverty. Perhaps we’ve reached it. When more people in the middle think about the 2 or 3 billion people on the edge, it’s a good thing. Still we need to do our best to make sense of it all. What help is good help? What kind of change lasts? How do we best sort through the choices that confront us everyday? If, in fact, we are called to change the world, how do we go about it in the best way possible?
