And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. – Micah 6:8
I recently heard a speaker point out that it is easier to perform acts of mercy than to do justice. In my city of Baltimore, some areas are considered “food deserts.” There are no grocery stores in these neighborhoods, making it difficult for residents to get food. The speaker described mercy in this instance as giving food to the hungry; he described justice as working to get a grocery store built there. Establishing justice is the hard work of creating change that can take a lot longer than an act of mercy. Both are important but more often, we act mercy and love justice, instead of the other way around.
I reflected on Shade’s work in Tanzania and why I am so proud of it. Not only is Shade bringing mercy to bear on the situations of vulnerable children and their families, but it is giving them the kind of education that can change the trajectory of their lives and the economic status of their families. Not only is Shade protecting the skin of precious preschoolers with floppy blue hats and sunglasses, but it is teaching the community the truth about albinism and modeling that people with albinism can accomplish as much in society as anyone else. Not only do Shade staff members attend to their daily tasks on campus but meet weekly to pray for one another and the entire ministry of Shade.
Shade students sing a school song which includes the school motto, “Raising Leaders, Changing the World.” Changing the world is exactly what Shade is seeking to do. And that is why I am so proud to support Shade’s work. It is an organization that acts justly, loves mercy and walks humbly with God.
