77 Zealous Inches

(LNF: Sweetness! Read and be educated, my friends. Thank you Grant, I really appreciate you taking time out of your very busy life to give these helpful answers. I’ve learned a lot — like how useful RSS seems to be, among other things. And just as a little HU for those of my friends who feel strongly one way or the other about Obama, Grant’s traveling at the moment so I don’t think he’s available to defend his position on Obama (or anything else) or engage in any kind of discourse. Just so you’re aware .

I’ve decided to interview Grant so as to find out how I can be more like him. I want to be more like Grant in the sense of being aware of the world and its many currents. Around the beginning of last year, for the first time in my young life I started to pay attention to the news and world events. Now I can’t figure out whether all this crazy stuff going on just started now, or if it’s always been going on and I just started paying attention. Either way….

From his many blogs and the very nature of his work, it’s clear to me Grant is up on this stuff and I’m determined to figure out how he does it so I can, as I mentioned, be more like him. You could look at this, Grant, like an opportunity to help light the way of a struggling and confused youngster on her path to world awareness. Or not. Whatever gets your to answer, really .

Interview guidelines found here.

What is your news gathering process? How much time does it take out of your day, what news channels/websites do you use most frequently, do you use RSS, do you watch the news on TV or is it mostly online, etc. Give me a “day in the life of Grant when he’s gathering the news”. Links are welcome too. How do you keep the whole thing from taking up too much time? Not that I have that problem…..at all .

(Grant:) I do a fair amount of reading every day that is directly related to my administrative role with FCF. In the morning usually I do briefly glance at CNN news headlines online but I try to discipline myself not to spend too much time doing so.

But as far as gathering potential blog material or inspiration, given the obvious time restraints, I don’t spend hours scouring the news or internet for this purpose. I have however signed up for news feeds or news summaries on the particular subjects that I am interested in, having searched out sources that present a more grassroots and/or truthful perspective than is typically covered in western media. And I can access these on my schedule, which I usually reserve for the evenings.

So as far as doing any blogging (or reading books, etc), I basically fit this into my evenings. Now that my kids are older, it’s easier to make time for such things, so usually when our youngest is down for the night, I dedicate some time to combing through these news feeds and blogging.

In other words, on a day-to-day basis, with the exception of a day off when I might do some extra reading or research on a given subject, I find myself too totally absorbed in my work everyday to focus too much on my blogs. Though admittedly tempting to get into “fun” things instead of “work” things, I usually successfully resist. My motivation in not allowing myself to get absorbed in my blogs during the day is kind of a carrot-and-stick approach: whereby if I stick to my work during the day (so as to not get too much behind on my work), I therefore reward myself with the luxury of relax-time puttering around on my blogs.

So despite the number of blogs and mini-sites I maintain, you might be surprised that I spend a relatively short amount of time actually blogging. Basically here’s what I do: When I do come across an article or subject that particularly interests me, after having glanced through compiled headlines and briefs, I selectively write off any “of interest” into a subdirectory. Most evenings, it’s then a case of me scrambling to find a topic and more-or-less impetuously choosing from this larder as my subject for the day. And as I explained earlier, my “research time” is cut down in that I target material from a couple of specific feeds, where I have already determined I’ll probably find some decent material or inspiration. Articles that not only report developments but which usually also reinforce and/or challenge my personal belief system.

I’m guessing that you’ve been interested in world events for longer than I’ve been alive. When did you first get an interest? Teen years? How did it start?

I grew up in a very apolitical environment, with no desire to know or understand anything about politics. It wasn’t until I became a Christian at 19 and determined to become a serious student of the Word, coupled with my engagement in missionary work in a variety of countries, that a desire to understand more about politics, the economy, and world religions emerged, and in fact continues to grow to this day. Obviously it didn’t hurt any that by the time I was 25 I had traveled extensively (30-some countries), and to date over-60 countries, interacting with an innumerable amount of people from these different countries, something I find fascinating.

So I would say that my travels enormously broadened both my perspective and my desire to learn. I think it was Mark Twain who once gave a tongue and cheek warning about the travel, stating that, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness!”

Many of these things I blog about (and/or have built a few simple, static websites) focus on subjects that I tend to incorporate within a Christian framework in discussions with others. Because of my interest in what was happening with the worldwide economy, in world politics, and international aid, etc. including having had some involvement with sad situations like the state of North Korean refugees, it was a natural extension to begin blogging on these subjects. (As a footnote on North Korea, the political conditions within North Korea are not all unlike the projected conditions of the future rule of the predicted AntiChrist.)

And with a slightly different application of the term “therapeutic”, I likewise found it therapeutic to unload online any feelings of frustration, sadness or other emotions caused by such things. To kind of “sound off” to any who will listen, allowing these injustices their due exposure, rather than just passively co-existing so to speak. Not that I’m saying that my blogging necessarily changes the sad state of world affairs, but I guess it does at least help me cope.

Yet another extension of coming in contact with so many people from different cultures and nations, I have felt a responsibility to know something about their countries, cultures, politics and economies, gained through first hand observations, asking questions and reading, etc.

Lastly, I feel that the more you understand the present, the better we can prepare for the future, and so coupled with a belief in the Lord and His protection and leading, it’s a wise investment to stay up to date on the signs of the times.

How are you training your kids in this regard? Have they taken an interest in world events or do you try to cultivate that in them?

My wife and I have always tried to cultivate our kids’ interest in the people of the rest of the world, emphasizing that life in North America is not the way the majority of the world lives; that it’s the exception, rather than the rule. Our kids have had the advantage that most have traveled extensively given their young years. Even though we live in the States because of my work, we try to make this happen. Because at the time our oldest two teens were in Australia and Mexico respectively, my wife was able to take a trip to India for 3 months with our younger two kids, during which time they made cross country train trips, and had many experiences where they really got in touch with the people, as well as missionaries throughout the country.

And besides our kids’ own personal experiences in other countries, we have always tried to mix in current events and economic developments and so forth into their Word studies and devotions. I would say the guys, more than the girls, have taken the bigger interest in world events.

How has this global financial crisis affected people’s attitude toward philanthropy, in your experience? Has anything changed? I’d imagine that during times like these, giving to philanthropic organizations would be the first thing cut from any individual’s or corporation’s budget….

Well, signs are emerging that a lot of charities are going to be hit financially simply through their donors being obligated to cut back to the basics. In fact, there are estimates that 100,000 non-profits could go belly up financially this year in the States alone! There are other indications that donations to international charities could drop by 15% as a result of the economic collapse, and obviously those billions of dollars less will translate into significant hardship for both the organizations and most sadly for their clients.

With all this in mind, we’ve been very pleased that 2008 has been FCF’s best year financially, allowing us to make significantly more social investments this past year than ever. As to what the future holds, by God’s grace I remain optimistic that this trend will continue for our organization despite the economic challenges that the world at large is facing. In stating this hope, I would very much appreciate your prayers that the Lord blesses our efforts in this respect.

Have you been surprised by anything (new legislation, appointees, etc.) that the Obama administration has done since his inauguration?

First of all, I am not too impressed with touted “political solutions” in general, regardless of their brand names or political promises. Having said that, I would have to express guarded optimism about Obama’s energy and drive, especially since things could have hardly gotten any worse compared to the past 8 years of Dubya!

Obama himself appears to be a sincere man, and as far as this new Administration, I give him credit in recalling some seasoned veterans from the Clinton Administration to take on the massively overwhelming job he has inherited. As far as any surprises with the Obama administration, it seems to me that it has gone to an extreme by bringing in SO many of the same culprits who a decade or more ago laid the groundwork for much of this mess! It’s hard to see how all this is synonymous with bringing about any real change, as promised.

Of course the fate of the States, and of nations in general, is not decided by governments, but it is in the dark corridors of financial power where the most important and far reaching decisions are made…. (Couldn’t resist shamelessly plugging a new CREDIT CRISIS web site that I have just begun working on! Check it out.)

Do you read books? Any good ones to recommend?

Yeah, I read books from time to time, again selectively, and usually during “down time” such as on flights, or a day off etc. Some books I’ve read recently that I have found interesting include “Three Cups of Tea” written by Greg Mortensen who is involved with grassroots humanitarian efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan; “The Shack” by William P. Young, a delightful novel with a unique way of viewing our relationship with the Lord, the Holy Spirit and God; “Houses that Change the World” by Wolfgang Simson, an amazing insight into the house church movement that has swept China, Vietnam, India, etc., and which focuses on the radical essence of Christianity; “Mega Shift” by James Rutz, on the surge of dynamic grassroots Christianity worldwide; “Empire of Debt” by William Bonner and Addison Wiggin, insight into the history of empires, focusing on the present-day American empire. I also really enjoy personal Bible studies which I take on from time-to-time, recently did one on “Hell”!