Devotional - March 4, 2011

The full Rice & Beans Month devotional booklet "Shared Elements" is available for download here

Deuteronomy 15:10-11
“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging
heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless
you in all your work and in everything you put your
hand to. There will always be poor people in the land.
Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward
your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your
land.” (NIV)

Reflection
Poverty has always existed and is found wherever a poor majority lives next to a rich minority, the case in most countries of the world. Poverty is a condition in which people lack the basic necessities for a decent life, such as food, clothing and shelter. We have not been requested but are being commanded by God to give generously, a command which should be rooted in a heartfelt response to God's generosity to us. We should model our generosity on that of the heavenly Father who promises to provide our daily bread. The encouraging thing about this passage is that the Lord will not forsake us in the work we put our hands to, but he will surely bless the work of our hands. Today let us not be corrupted with selfish motives; let us be guided by generosity and solidarity, great virtues that will build a better world.

- Edwin Angote, Lahash East Africa Director

For Kids
Do you remember the last time your parents told you to share? Maybe
your brother wanted to play with your toy, or maybe your friend wanted
part of your snack. Sometimes sharing doesn't seem fair. It can make us
feel angry when we want to keep special things for ourselves. But it is
important to practice sharing. God tells us that there will always be people
around us who need food or clothes. In fact, God says that we should
share generously. That means we should give the bigger and better parts to
other people. This month, because we are eating rice and beans, we are sharing the
extra money we would normally spend on food. When we share
generously, we are showing other people the love that God has for us.
What are other ways that you can practice sharing generously today?

New Rice & Beans Video!

We just finished a new video to help all of us connect with the amazing people around the world that we are sharing this simple meal with. Take a moment to watch this video and see how Rice & Beans Month has impacted the lives of vulnerable kids and families across East Africa. Thank you for joining us this March by changing your diet to help change theirs!

Devotional - March 3, 2011

The full Rice & Beans Month devotional booklet "Shared Elements" is available for download here

Luke 14:12-14
“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon
or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or
relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may
invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you
give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame,
the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot
repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the
righteous.’” (NIV)

Reflection
It's kind of cruel to have you read about luncheons, dinners and banquets during Rice & Beans Month. But at least there were no instructions about number of courses to serve or savory recipes explained. And that's pretty much the point. This text is not about food or feasting, it's about humility, about giving yourself without consideration of what comes back to you in terms of material or social benefits. It's about dropping our self-absorption in order to offer the dignity of inclusion to those who can't match the honor inkind. This requires a transcendent hope; one that lifts us above our earthly preoccupations and centers us on Christ's love. Only then can we resist our natural desire for repayment and trust that blessings greater than goods or reputation will be imparted to those whose love is manifest in solidarity with the vulnerable. Press on then, eat more rice and beans, because your sacrifice is, in a sense, inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to the banquet of love, honor and dignity. It's a display of the love of Jesus!

- Clark Blakeman, Lahash Board Member

For Kids
Giving someone a present, sharing your lunch with a classmate, or letting
someone take a turn first are all nice things we can do for our
friends. They will probably say “Thank you!” or even share with you the
next time. But what if someone doesn't say “Thank you,” or they don't
have enough to share with you? Doing nice things for those people is a lot
harder, because you might not get anything back. But Jesus tells us to love
everybody, especially people who are not able to do anything nice for
us. It might be hard, but Jesus said if we love everyone, He will reward us
with incredible riches in Heaven!

[Photos] Rice & Beans kickoff dinner in Portland

Last night was our second Portland kickoff dinner for Rice & Beans month. It was great having the community come out - share meals - and enjoy similar passion for our brothers and sisters in East Africa.
Above: We had a good number of youngsters at the event this year - Asher and his "glo-bracelet" pictured above.

Above: We all gathered together in the Lahash office to enjoy the good variety of bean dishes (not many Rice dishes showed up...)

Above: the goods people brought. Casey remarked about how many delicious ways there were to prepare the simple elements.

Thanks to all who came! For those participating that couldn't be there - we prayed for you guys (especially the courageous families leading kids into deep thinking and purposeful actions for a month). Bless you all! :-)

Devotional - March 2, 2011

The full Rice & Beans Month devotional booklet "Shared Elements" is available for download here

Romans 12:10-13
“Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor
others more than you do yourself. Never give up.
Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let
your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble
and never stop praying. Take care of God's needy
people and welcome strangers into your home.” (CEV)

Reflection
In our consumerist, hyper-individualistic society it is easy to let our culture interpret Jesus' teachings. We say, “Oh, Jesus didn't actually mean that I should give to anyone who asks of me. He was living in a different culture than me” (Matt. 5:42). While the cultural contexts of Scripture are important to recognize, Jesus explicitly said radical stuff to challenge the culture then as much as now. It can be scary to actually live as Jesus asks his followers. It can mean giving up possessions, time, comfort, security and safety. However, surrendering all these things puts us in a place where we are completely reliant on God. God doesn't want to take away our stuff just to spite us, but he wants us to bless others because we have been blessed. Paul reminds us in this passage that by allowing God to transform our interests to the needs of others we are not only serving him, but we are loving him. As we go throughout this month, may we remember that we are blessed so that we can be a blessing.
- Lauren Murtidjaja, Volunteer

For Kids
Have you ever heard anyone call another person, not in their family,
“brother” or “bro”? Why would they do that? Most likely you know the
answer; it is because they are good friends, close enough to be like family.
Imagine having loads of friends of all ages who feel like they are part of
your family. That sounds pretty great, doesn't it? God says that all the
people who believe in Him as their Savior are ONE BIG FAMILY! That
means we are tied together in Jesus with people all over the whole world,
as close as in our own neighborhoods and as far away as Africa or Russia.
He asks us to love our family, each one, as brothers and sisters; caring for
their needs, honoring them, praying for them just as we do for our own
families. Can you think of ways to do that today? Ask Him, He will help
you find some.

Black Bean Cakes with Chipotle Cream

Thank you for sending the recipe link Erin, if you try it out, please leave a comment with your rating/suggestions!

1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c green onion
1/2 c frozen corn kernels, thawed
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 tsp olive oil
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed/drained
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2/3 c breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp light mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten

1/2 c light sour cream
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp canned chipotle pepper in adobo, minced


Makes 8 servings. For a quick dinner option, freeze black bean cakes up to 3 weeks in advance; then prepare Chipotle Cream just before serving.

Saute first 4 ingredients in 2 tsp hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Mash 1 1/2 cups black beans in a large bowl. Stir in remaining black beans, red bell pepper mixture, cumin, and next 3 ingredients. Add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, cilantro, mayonnaise, and egg, stirring until well blended.
Shape black bean mixture into 8 (1/2" thick) patties. Place patties on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill 1 hour. Lightly dredge chilled patties in remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.
Cook 4 patties in 2 tsp hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 5 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 patties and 2 tsp oil. Serve with Chipotle Cream.
To prepare the Chipotle Cream, stir sour cream, lime juice and minced chipotle peppers together in a small bowl.

Recipe located at: http://www.food.com/recipe/black-bean-cakes-with-chipotle-cream-299987#ixzz1FOlRZPnv

Thoughts From a Rice & Beans Newbie

My Rice & Beans Month Experience^TM hasn't yet started, and I'm already doing it wrong.

My brain has been veering between trepidation ("Am I really going to do this?"), justification ("Vanilla Bean has 'bean' right in the name. Therefore I can eat fists-full of ice cream."), excitement ("This is going to be a really powerful experience!"), and fear ("No seriously...am I really going to do this?").

Fear, thy name is Lima Beans.
This mental mishmash has just gotten worse over the last few days. I've found myself freaked out about cooking. I’ve been preemptively saddened by the tragic loss of delicious trans-fats. I've been consumed by assumed legalism: Am I "allowed" to eat Rice Chex? How many additional vegetables, spices, or foodstuffs can I cook with before it becomes "cheating"? Will whatever the "-A-Roni" is in "Rice-A-Roni" condemn me?

"The San Fransisco Treat," you say?
But as I said, I'm doing this wrong. The energy I've spent mentally kvetching has been a complete waste. Fear, guilt, shame, and legalism are absolutely not what this month is about. It is about the intentionality of using my mental energy to draw closer to God, and to become increasingly and tangibly aware of His vulnerable children around the world. And it is incredibly powerful and comforting to know that I won’t be alone in all of this.

Don’t be afraid to admit to the fear, tedium, stress, and irritation this month will bring—just don’t dwell on it. Dwell on Him. And remember: we’re all in this together.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have 45 minutes left before March 1, and I have a half a pizza left in the fridge to finish.