A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by the local Central PA news station, 8 WGAL. My colleague and I spoke about HOPE’s sustainable work to lift people out of poverty in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake.
WGAL: Haiti – One year later: http://www.wgal.com/video/26894625/detail.html
When I watched the video, the first thing that flashed across my mind was, “My collar is sticking out of my coat.”
My second thought was, “Facial hair and a shaved head is a very bad look for me.”
For two days in a row, I watched these videos, and I couldn’t see anything but my collar. The irony is that I was more concerned with my collar coming undone than the content of what I was saying, more preoccupied with my image than the plight of the Haitian people—and more interested in looking good than helping the poor.
Fashion Statement: The greatest obstacle to coming alongside the poor is that we care more about our popped collars—about ourselves—than the suffering in this world. It’s true in my life, and I want to change.
It’s only when we roll up our sleeves, get over our wardrobe malfunctions, and forget ourselves that we can get to work.
