All Evil Will Come to Its End

History teaches helpful lessons.

Twenty years ago, without warning, the political map of the world changed. The Soviet Union embraced perestroika (restructuring) and fell apart. It splintered off into the state of Russia plus multiple countries ending with -stan and others like Estonia and Latvia on the European side. The Berlin Wall fell and soon the US and Russia joined hands and went to war in Iraq (first Gulf war). The Cold War was finished.

People with their new-found freedom raced after Democratic ideals, Capitalism, freedom of speech and religion. Often the old leaders  stayed in power, only wearing different colors. Some countries have made a better transition into a fair and democratic system (Estonia), while others have found themselves under worse oppressors (Belarus).

Now we speculate, whether we are seeing another major historical shift taking place right before our eyes. This time in North Africa and the Middle East. I don’t know the answer to that, but I do follow what is unfolding with keen interest.

I do know, however, that all evil will come to its end. God exists and he doesn’t let oppression continue forever.   For ugly tyrants, the end is usually ugly too. (I still remember on Christmas Day 1989, watching on TV how Nicolai Ceausescu and his wife lay dead on the cobblestone. The whole of Romania cheered.)

No one thought that the Iron Curtain would just fall. But it did. No one thought two months ago that Mubarak would leave his post in Egypt. But he just did.

So, we should never despair. There is always hope. What seems like an impossible situation (North Korea), is not, because when your time is up, you’re done. As history teaches us, the days of a dictator are numbered.

God is good. He’s just patient – even with people who are undeserving in our eyes.

Roma, The Untouchables

The largest Roma population in the EU resides in Romania. Although Romanians are different from the Roma, many people equal Roma with Romanian. For Romania this is uncomfortable, because they don’t want their reputation tarnished by wandering and thieving Gypsies.

The Roma are most likely originally from India, where approximately one in four Indians are the poorest of the poor, downtrodden, soul-less, untouchables – Dalits. According to the Hindu sacred texts, the Vedas,  people without caste (social status by birth) are not entitled to even basic human rights of education or respect.

Now the Romanian government is attempting to pass a new bill, where the Romas won’t be confused with Romanians anymore. They will be called by a new name, Tigan, which comes from Greek meaning “pagan”, “heretic” and “untouchable“. Obviously Roma activists are furious about this and have organized protests on the streets of Bucharest.

In the “civilized” Europe we easily condemn human rights abuses in India and other distant places, but practice the same kind of oppression in our own, perhaps more sanitized way.

Read more from The Economist or Time.

Why the Poor Can Afford Everything and the Rich Nothing?

On a recent visit to Romania I stayed with a Roma family. The Roma, also called Gypsies, are often poor, uneducated and definitely looked down upon. The village I visited wasn’t the worst of them, because this tribe is full of musicians. They play weddings and other celebrations for good money. The Christian culture in Romania (and much of Eastern Europe) is very traditional. Women wear skirts, head coverings and no makeup or jewelery to church. They clearly set apart the Christian life and the secular.

The Roma pastor I stayed with is an excellent musician, who used to earn thousands of euros for one gig. Since becoming a follower of Jesus he has decided not to play weddings and other festivities where drunkenness and other ungodly things occur. He decided he’d only play for God. Since then their family has not been financially secure. They have always had what they needed but not much more. He literally lives by faith.

Now this man had 15 people stay at his house, including me. He even gave up his bed and the only heated room in the house and slept with his wife in one of the cold back rooms. They served us food, cleaned the floors of our muddy steps and smiled and loved on us.

I am always amazed at how people who do not have much, give so generously. And many who have plenty don’t realize how much they have and act stingily. How crazy is it that we need to learn from the have-nots how to give?