Tim Costello: Hope: Moments of inspiration in a challenging world (Hardie Grant Books, August 2012)
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Rev. Tim Costello has had the ear of more political, business, and opinion leaders than any other clergyperson in Australia ¢â‚¬â„¢s history, with the possible exception of Rev. Dr. Alan Walker. His ¢â‚¬Ëœgift-mix ¢â‚¬â„¢ (lawyer, theologian, ethicist, social activist) together with a passion to help the poor ¢â‚¬“ everywhere ¢â‚¬“ have propelled him into regular media opportunities to ¢â‚¬Ëœconscientize ¢â‚¬â„¢ us all. And, of course, having a high- profile brother ¢â‚¬“ Peter, our nation ¢â‚¬â„¢s longest-serving Federal Treasurer (1996 to 2007) – has provided a topic for many water-cooler and dinner-time discussions. ( ¢â‚¬ËœHow does one family produce two people at different points along the ideological spectrum on many issues? ¢â‚¬â„¢) [1].
Tim ¢â‚¬â„¢s latest book contains insights and stories from his travels as CEO of World Vision, and from 57 years of an interesting life.
Samples:
‘A gold coat is worn in Nagaland, north-east India, by someone who has given a feast of merit. That means hosting a feast for the entire village, particularly the poor, which might go on for weeks until the person involved has liquidated all his assets. When everything is gone you have a gold coat placed on your shoulders in a ceremony of great respect. Then you start again with nothing.’ ( ¢â‚¬ËœWhoever dies rich dies disgraced ¢â‚¬â„¢ ¢â‚¬“ Andrew Carnegie).
¢â‚¬ËœTwenty-five years ago, 60,000 children under the age of five were dying from malnutrition and preventable disease each day. [Now it is] 21,000 a day. That number in a world of plenty is still obscene. ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœThere is more joy with the poor than in our [Western] societies, where we have solved the economic challenge of supply ¢â‚¬ ¦ So the question I often ask myself is: who are the poor in this world? ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬Ëœ500,000 women die from complications around childbirth each year. ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœMany Jewish homes are fitted with timers that trigger all internal lights and ovens after sundown to avoid breaching the Sabbath. ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœThe title of one of Archbishop Tutu ¢â‚¬â„¢s books: ¢â‚¬Å“God is not a Christian ¢â‚¬ ¢â‚¬ ¦ South African [repressive apartheid ¢â‚¬ ¦ can be blamed on] church-attending, bible-believing Christians, as these were largely the people who had devised the system and supported its maintenance. ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœA question that bothers me: why does Israel need the bomb, but deny other nations the same? ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœIt took a civil war and 600,000 dead to end slavery in the US because it was just so profitable ¢â‚¬ ¦ There are today more slaves than ever before in history ¢â‚¬“ some 21 million. ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœIt is estimated that for every $1 that is given in aid to poor nations, $10 flows out of these countries via secret jurisdictions through theft, the proceeds of crime and lost tax revenue. ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœBob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, wrote on the flyleaf of his Bible, ¢â‚¬Å“Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God ¢â‚¬ . ¢â‚¬â„¢
¢â‚¬ËœIn Australia, you can lose up to $10,000 in one go on one slot machine ¢â‚¬ ¦ Between 40 and 60 per cent of the $12 billion profit from slots comes from addicted people. ¢â‚¬â„¢
Tim was named Australian of the Year in 2004 and was awarded an Order of Australia (AO) in 2005. His previous books include Streets of Hope and Tips from a Travelling Soul Searcher.
An excellent gift-idea – and marvelous to read and discuss with family/partner/friends, one short chapter a day, for about two months!
[1] As one of the Costello family ¢â‚¬â„¢s pastors at Blackburn Baptist Church during the 1970s/early 80s I have a few theories about all that!
Rowland Croucher
John Mark Ministries (jmm.org.au)
September 7, 2012
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More:
Excerpts: http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2012/07/hope-can-be-found-unexpected-places
http://ebooks.avidreader.com.au/product/9781742738451
Newspaper articles: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/heeding-grandmas-wisdom-gives-hope-to-the-world-20120805-23nwv.html#ixzz25iSdwx7t
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/the-scale-of-tragedy-in-west-africa-is-enormous-but-in-countries-like-niger-there-is-hope-says-rev-tim-costello/story-e6frf7jo-1226426857162 (Includes Q&R where Tim answers questions from readers).
Radio: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/hope-tim-costello/4168604
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qZnsBnSL4o
Tim ¢â‚¬â„¢s recent Opinion Piece about Papua New Guinea: http://www.worldvision.com.au/media/opinionpieces/12-09-04/Papua_New_Guinea_s_future_depends_on_Australia.aspx
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