‘If Jesus were mayor’

“Today, more than ever, you can see in so many of our people’s demands a search for righteousness . . . an outraged humanity’s painful cry: “We wish to see Jesus” (John 12:21). Their faces, their anguished silence speak more than a thousand words.” – Pope Francis

Metro Manila has 16 cities and municipalities headed by mayors elected by a population of 11,553,427 residents. Most of them are encircled by very poor squatters and mushrooming high-rise condominiums, which can only be afforded by well-off people. These overcrowded towns fail to abide by proper zoning laws, to have an adequate garbage disposal system, and to establish an effective police force to keep the public safe. Instead of providing efficient subways, rail transport or monorail per cluster of towns to decongest traffic, hundreds of new cars are allowed to fill up the roads daily. Metro Manila is “choking to death.” The Mayors (Punong Bayan) and their councilors (Sangguniang Bayan) have failed grievously as civil servants.

Catching a vision of God’s agenda

A history-making prayer breakfast hosted by the Mayor was held in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. This was the first time that city leaders met to pray. Several political figures declared their faith publicly. A government minister issued this challenge: “If you loved your neighbor as yourself, would things be different in Nairobi?” After the meal there was a newfound spirit of unity, and the civic leaders decided to begin a weekly fellowship and make the prayer breakfast an annual event.

In India, a ministry team who had been working with a village for a year asked the women what a developed village would look like if Jesus were the Mayor. Umrai, one of the more outspoken women, described it would have unity. She knew that Jesus was not honored in her village for each family lived only for itself. To address this concern, the team formed a self-help group of 14 village women with Umrai as president. Meeting regularly, the members collected small amounts of individual savings into a group account, and began to solve community problems. Their lives had to be organized around specific visions for the future, otherwise it would merely maintain a status quo and have little chance of making an impact in the community for the Kingdom.

The parable of Juan and poverty

Juan sensed God’s call to the un-churched Las Palas, a squatter area he passed by every time he went to work. He didn’t have much training except a few extension classes in a Bible school. What he did have was a passion to see people come to know Jesus. With his wife and two daughters, to move to Las Palas, renting a small wooden shack. There was no electricity, no school and no clinic. The people were poor and lived in shelters made of tarpaper, tin, old tires, used boards, and any used building materials. It was tough living.

After working during the day he would visit his neighbors and invite them to his home for Bible study. He devoted his weekends to being a pastor. Within a few months, 20 women and numerous children gathered each Sunday in Juan’s one room house. Eventually, they were able to rent a room. The men liked Juan but they thought religion was something for women and children. At length, Juan and his wife found that living conditions were weakening them physically, and they did not have enough money to afford proper medical care. Juan was quite discouraged. In his heart, Juan cried out silently to God as he read about His concern for the hungry, the naked, and the homeless. “God I see your concern for the poor in the Bible. Why don’t I see it here in Las Palas?”

Jesus knocks on the door

There was a soft knock on the door. “Who is it?” Juan whispered. A peaceful voice answered, ”I’m Jesus, Juan. I heard your cry this morning. I came so you can show Me the things that trouble you here in Las Palas.” Juan quickly stepped outside and said, “Okay, Jesus, stay close by me. This is the rainy season and I know where to walk to miss the puddles.” Jesus said, “Okay Juan, I’ll follow you.” As they began their walk down the winding path, Juan said to Jesus, “Over in that shack is a single mother. She sells her body – in her house and in front of her little children – to make money for food.” Going a little further, he said, “In that tarpaper shack is a family. The father is an alcoholic. He often comes home drunk, and beats his wife and kids. The whole area can hear him yelling.” Then Juan said, “Hold your nose as we go by here. This is where the people throw their garbage and use the toilet.” They could hear the rats scurrying among the trash. Juan pointed to another shelter that was larger than the rest. Juan said, “This, Jesus, is where the ‘presidente’ of Las Palas lives. He likes to feel powerful. He collects money and tells the people it is to bring water and electricity here. But everyone knows he uses it for liquor and women.” As they turned a corner, Juan pointed out to a little shack at the bottom of the hill and said, “To me, that is one of the saddest homes in all of Las Palas. The woman who lives there, was abandoned by the father of her three little children. Whenever it rains, black water floods her little shack. Since they all sleep on the floor, she has to hold the children to her so they don’t drown!”

How a mayor’s non-political projects can restore the sustainability of communities

UNESCO’s Preamble states: “War starts in the minds of men. Therefore the defense of peace can only be constructed through education.” UNESCO is part of the United Nation System and stands for projects in Education, Science (Natural Science, Science and Technology), Social and Human Science, Communication and Culture. These non-political activities are intended to raise global literacy to eradicate poverty in the developing countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The Philippines has a dismal 70 percent poverty rating surveyed among illiterate Filipinos from 10 years old and above. BALS or the DepEd Bureau of Alternative Learning System has lost its steam in providing functional literacy to this impoverished populace.

So, do we want to transform the character of our nation? We then have to go down to grassroot levels of equalizing opportunities for all by setting up a functional literacy school where parents and their children can learn together. If every Mayor were Jesus he/she must establish a Pagsasarili Parent-craft Center in town where later on it can extend to each barangay. The model, which exists in the OB Montessori headquarters in Greenhills is a giant modern bahay-kubo where the wet areas of kitchen, laundering, bath and toilets are attached outside the house. The living-cum-dining room provides the space to welcome visitors. There are two bedrooms inside provided for the parents and the other for the children so that the family learns privacy in contrast to the primitive bahay-kubo with its one room layout.

This Montessori style “prepared environment” would condition the family to learn together Personal Grooming and Hygiene, Child Care, Good Housekeeping, Cooking and Nutrition. Eventually all the work would pave the way for the “backyard business” skills, which would remove the gap between the rich and the poor. If city/town mayors partner with the business sector it would also allow fair labor practices and honest business practices. In 1993, THE PAGSASARILI FAMILYCRAFT FUNCTIONAL LITERACY PROGRAM WON THE UNESCO INTERNATIONAL LITERACY AWARD in New Delhi, India.

In the task of transformation, the question needs to be asked: What would Jesus do if He were Mayor?

For Communication activities: Would Jesus hold town meetings to share the agenda or plan with the people and entertain their views? Will He let the people’s voice be expressed in the town papers, radio or TV? For Science and Technology: Would He support and improve technical training in Health, Mechanics, Welding, Food Service, Construction, etc. to readily employ the poor? For Natural Science: Would He develop a “knowledge society” to conserve life on land, water and air, and free them from pollution specially to protect the more vulnerable children and the elderly? For Culture: Would Jesus build a highly cultured city center providing a historical and natural science museum, cultural entertainment and recreation, beautiful parks filled with endemic ornamental plants etc.?

ON LAWS AND MORALS: What changes would Jesus make in the courts, in the prison system? Would He keep an adequate number of well–trained and incorruptible police force, fire fighters, first responders, civil servants? Would Jesus intensify the law on human trafficking, child labor and drug enforcement?

What would Jesus do about crime and civil unrest? What guidelines would He use for police and community relations? What regulations would He establish for business? What would He do about corruption and bribery?

If mayors were like Jesus, partnership with local churches can change communities

Ladies from a Bible study in rural Uganda decided to serve the village. Their first project was to clean the garbage around a local bar. After getting permission from the owner, the women then mobilized the community – even the headmaster of a local, prestigious school volunteered. The group dug two pits---one for biodegradable garbage and the other for non-biodegradable materials. Encouraged, the women decided to build nine fuel-efficient stoves for local families and to provide water storage bins for needy people. Next, the Bible study group undertook a larger project – a community market.

A new church was planted in a poor small village of one hundred homes. As there was no electricity in the community, they decided to buy a generator for one light bulb per home. The children could read and study and the adults could work later into the night. Each home paid a small monthly fee, which covers gasoline and maintenance. The denomination leader was grateful to have discovered the power of “loving your neighbor.” Jesus’ agenda was served.

To get water in Fonfrede, Haiti, people walked up to three kilometers to a polluted river, which was sometimes dry. The church leaders decided to explore what they could do to meet the community’s need for water. They visited a development organization that owned equipment to help dig wells by hand. At first, the idea was not well received.

However, the church rented the equipment, moved it to Fonfrede, and began to dig for water on the church property. Water was struck at 45 feet. Non-church members though were not pleased, thinking that the church members would hoard the water. On the contrary, the church invited the community to share in God’s blessings. In less than a year, 15 wells had been dug by hand.

Jesus through the partnership of church and local government would have done all these things as Mayor, demonstrating God’s practical love to their neighbors.

Reference: If Jesus Were Mayor by Bob Moffitt with Karla Tesch

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