I have been thinking lately on the subject of missions and it seems that it has also been a subject on the brow Jars of Clay, which is no surprise seeing how they have recently spent time in Africa setting up an organization called blood:water mission. They have recently released a new CD entitled Good Monsters (highly recommended) and one track in particular caught my attention: “Light Gives Heat”. It wasn’t because of its timeless lyrics (All My Tears) or moving rhythm (Smoke and Mirrors) or soul grabbing quality (Oh My God) but because I have struggled with this very relevant and very difficult issue of America’s imperialist influence on the mission field. I can rant on colonialism and imperialism all day long (ask Blake) but the reminder that it still has very real influences in the Church today was a needed wake up call and an encouragement that things are starting to change. Edit: I just went over to Blake's blog and saw that he has posted something similar. (great minds think alike) Light Gives Heat (Jars of Clay) Catch the rain empty hands,
Save the children from their lands,
wash the darkness from their skin.
Heroes from the West,
We don't know you, we know best.
But this is not a test.
You treat me like I'm blind, setting fires around houses on the hill,
But light gives heat.
You segregate my mind, burning crosses from your fears, your fears,
But light gives heat.
It's not the way to light their way,
Boys in holes and empty fields,
Oh, how good it feels.
Lower class, and understate, empty promise, empty plate.
The White Man’s Burden (Rudyard Kipling)
Send forth the best ye breed-- Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild-- Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child. Take up the White Man's burden-- | 
