[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 9, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2769-S2773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
56TH ANNUAL NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, in light of the fact that a few minutes ago
we opened the Senate in prayer, I want to say that last month I had the
privilege of cochairing with the Senator from Colorado, Senator
Salazar, the 56th Annual National Prayer Breakfast, held here in our
Nation's Capital. This annual gathering is hosted by Members of the
Senate and the House of Representatives, who have weekly prayer
breakfast groups. Once again, we were honored to have the 56th
consecutive participation of our President and the First Lady.
Presidents since Dwight Eisenhower have spoken at the annual prayer
breakfast. We were encouraged and inspired by the remarks shared by
Ward Brehm. Unfortunately, a transcript doesn't give the superb pauses
and delivery that we who attended got to enjoy, but it is a superb
message I want to share.
This year, we hosted a gathering of over 3,500 individuals from all
walks of life in all 50 States and from many countries around the
world. So that all may benefit from this time together, on behalf of
the Congressional Committee for the National Prayer Breakfast, I ask
unanimous consent that a copy of the transcript of the 2008 proceedings
be printed in the Congressional Record at the conclusion of my speech.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
(See Exhibit 1.)
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, this is an example of what we do in our
weekly prayer breakfast, with little exception, and the presenters at
our weekly prayer breakfast are always Senators or former Senators. It
is a chance for us to get to know each person in this body as they
present.
I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
Exhibit 1
56th National Prayer Breakfast,
Thursday, February 7, 2008,
Hilton Washington Hotel,
Washington, DC
Co-Chairs: U.S. Senator Mike Enzi and U.S. Senator Ken Salazar
U.S. Senator Mike Enzi: I would bet that some of you are
wondering, ``How did I get here?'' and ``What kind of an
outfit is this?'' We will try to explain a little bit. Ken
and I are part of a very small breakfast group made up
entirely of Senators that has met every Wednesday that the
Senate has been in session since the middle part of the
Truman administration. That was in the late 1940's. We share
with each other, we eat, we pray and we discuss things that
really matter.
I am reminded of a time I was in South Africa meeting with
their parliament for a breakfast and I suggested that our
Senate prayer breakfast could pray for their issues. A
parliamentarian named Paul brought me up short and said,
``Don't pray for the issues, pray for the people and the
people will solve the issues.'' And that is what we do at our
weekly prayer breakfast. That is what we will be doing here.
Now once a year we hold our weekly meeting in a slightly
bigger room and we invite 4,000 people from around the world
to come along for the ride. Welcome to our prayer breakfast.
(Applause)
U.S. Senator Ken Salazar: We count it a privilege to serve
in the United States Senate but frankly it is not always an
easy job. President Truman once said that if you want to have
a friend in Washington, buy a dog. We see that all the time.
Our breakfast in the U.S. Senate is an attempt to put back
into all of us what the job takes out from all of us and
gives us a reason to have trusting relationships, to find
wisdom and to reconcile our differences.
For me, I don't need to buy a dog in Washington, D.C.
because I have a friend named Mike Enzi. (Laughter) Mike Enzi
brings his common sense, compassion and approach to the
issues that face our nation and it makes him a key leader in
the United States Senate. That helps us get to results by
putting the public purpose above the politics which sometimes
so confines this town.
Washington, in my view, does not need a lot more speeches.
It needs people who need to seek and listen and to
understand. More people like Mike and his wife Diana, who is
here with us this morning. It has been my honor and pleasure
to serve with Mike Enzi for the last three years in the U.S.
Senate.
Senator Enzi: I have enjoyed getting to know Ken and the
deep wealth of heritage and caring that he brings to the
Senate. His family has lived in Colorado for 150 years--
longer than there has been a Colorado. Our connection began
personally and now we are able to talk about things that
Republicans and Democrats do not talk about together. And
what do you know? We have figured some things out. We are a
couple of guys from the high plains, Colorado and Wyoming,
who are trying to keep things on a higher plane in our jobs.
We have been working on this breakfast for many months now
and we hope you enjoy it. A lot of prayer has gone into it
and we hope it somehow scratches where you itch.
One special note, folks, Dr. Billy Graham attended the
Breakfast and was the main speaker for the first few years.
He sent a special word to us last night that he would be with
us in spirit this morning and is praying for us at this very
moment from his home in North Carolina. Thank you for your
prayers and a lifetime of spiritual leadership, Billy.
(Applause)
Senator Salazar: 155 nations are represented here this
morning in Washington, D.C. I now want to introduce to all of
you the distinguished heads of state who have joined us from
other lands today: The Chairman of the Council of the
Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Prime Minister Nicola
Spiric; The President of the Republic of Burundi, Pierre
Nkurunziza; The President of the Republic of El Salvador,
Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez, and the First Lady; The
President of the Republic of Honduras, Jose Manuel Zelaya
Rosales; The President of the Federated States of Micronesia,
Immanuel Mori; and The Prime Minister of the Independent
State of Samoa, Prime Minister Tuila'epa Lupesoliai Sailele
Malielegaoi. (Applause)
You are all most welcome. Thank you for giving that warm
welcome to our guests here to the United States of America.
We live with human borders but we are one family across the
face of the earth. Thank you for the honor of your presence
and the chance to get to know you as friends and fellow
travelers in search of truth and a better world.
Senator Enzi: When one of our members heard that our singer
was Michael W. Smith he said, ``Well that's worth getting out
of bed early for.'' Michael is here with his wife, Debbie,
this morning. He has been recording faithful music for more
than two decades and won countless awards but he does not
want the focus to be on him. He has always encouraged his
fans, young and old, that faith is not a spectator sport. He
has encouraged tens of thousands to sponsor children all over
the world. We are happy to have two selections from him this
morning. The first is ``Above All.''
Mr. Michael W. Smith: (sings) [``Above all powers above all
kings''] (Applause)
Senator Enzi: Oh, how faith shines. Thank you, Michael.
Everybody in life needs role models, including Senators.
Senator Dianne Feinstein is that for many of the new members
of the Senate. She personifies dignity and excellence in
doing the people's work. She did that as the Mayor of San
Francisco and she is certainly doing that in the Senate. To
present a reading, our friend and colleague, Senator Dianne
Feinstein of California.
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein: Thank you very much Senator
Enzi. Mr. President, Mrs. Bush, ladies and gentlemen.
Religion is a very personal thing to me. I have been
privileged to draw on two of the world's great religions--one
being Judaism, and the other, Catholicism. I went to a
Catholic convent while I was going to a Jewish Sunday school.
Some people would say that left me very confused. But
nonetheless it was a very special experience. A very young
rabbi wrote what I am going to read. It is now part of
Reformed Judaism's prayer book and is used in the High Holy
Day services. I would like to share it with you.
``Birth is a beginning, and death a destination and life is
a journey: From childhood to maturity, and youth to age. From
innocence to awareness, and ignorance to knowing. From
foolishness to discretion and then perhaps to wisdom. From
weakness to strength or strength to weakness and often back
again. From health to sickness and back we pray to health
again. From offense to forgiveness. From loneliness to love.
From joy to gratitude. From pain to compassion and grief to
understanding. From fear to faith. From defeat to defeat, to
defeat until looking backward or ahead we see that victory
lies not at some high place along the way but in having made
the journey stage by stage a sacred pilgrimage. Birth is a
beginning and death a destination and life is a journey, a
sacred pilgrimage to life everlasting.''
Thank you. (Applause)
U.S. Representative Bart Stupak: I am Bart Stupak, co-chair
of the House Prayer Breakfast. In my sixteen years in the
house this is the second time that I have had the honor to
address you from the dais. Some things never change--the
National Prayer Breakfast remains heavy on prayer and light
on breakfast. (Laughter) As we join in fellowship, filled
with the Holy Spirit, I ask that you remember two House
members who were devoted to the Prayer Breakfast and who are
no longer with us, Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis and
Congresswoman Julia Carson. We miss them. Now let me turn the
podium over to my co-chair, friend and colleague, Gresham
Barrett of South Carolina.
U.S. Representative J. Gresham Barrett: Good morning. Two
things--number one, we
[[Page S2770]]
will not take up a love offering today and number two, we are
here to feed your soul. If you want to feed the body with ham
and grits and eggs we are going to the Waffle House after
this, OK? I do concur with Bart on that. It is an honor to be
here. Bart told me that being from South Carolina I tend to
speak a little bit slowly, but if I speak any slower it will
take all day so I will speed up just a little bit.
I want to tell you a little bit about what we do in the
House during our Prayer Breakfast. It is a bi-partisan
meeting. We meet every Thursday at 8 o'clock. We talk amongst
ourselves with fellowship, with food, with laughter. We pray
for one another, we pray for folks that we don't know. It is
open to members and former members, sometimes we have foreign
dignitaries. But the biggest thing of all is to be an
encouragement to each other. That is a little bit about how
we do it. The question is ``Why do we do it?'' And I can sum
it up the best in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. I
Corinthians 13:13: ``And now abideth faith, hope and love,
these three, but the greatest is love.'' We meet together
because we love each other, we love our families, we love
what we do, we love this nation and I believe that the one
thing we can do that is stronger than anything is to love. If
you don't take anything away from this Prayer Breakfast this
morning, remember this: someone in this room loves you. And
more important than that, someone up above has given us the
greatest gift of love. Thank you for being here this morning
and have a blessed day.
Senator Salazar: Thank you, Congressman Stupak and
Congressman Barrett. Part of what we try and celebrate here
as well is our nation's government and to pray for our
nation's government. Certainly the judiciary is very much a
part of our government and our democracy. This morning I am
honored to introduce my great friend and one of the most
distinguished jurists in the United States of America, the
Honorable Judge Carlos Lucero of the 10th Circuit Court of
Appeals. Judge Lucero practiced law in my native, beautiful
San Luis Valley in Colorado and like my family Judge Lucero's
family helped found the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the
city of Holy Faith, back in 1598. For the last 12 years he
has served with distinction on the 10th Circuit Court of
Appeals. To lead us in prayer for our national leaders help
me welcome Judge Carlos Lucero.
The Honorable Carlos E. Lucero: Good morning, Mr. President
and Mrs. Bush. As Ken says, our families go way back and
these early pioneers were sustained in their travels to what
was to them the new world by this deep abiding faith and
great sense of belief and commitment. Some of my earliest
memories of my grandfather were before there was
electrification--his sitting next to a window reading the
Bible and caring deeply about his prayer. My parents hauling
us children, as I am sure Ken's parents did as well, to go to
these early old adobe churches of southern Colorado and
northern New Mexico for their Te Deums. And it is really the
parents of the United States, the great families who
inculcate their children with a belief in God and with a
belief in values and in prayer that are the genuine heroes of
the United States. Back in the earliest of days the faith of
these pioneers carried them. There was an early territorial
governor of New Mexico who is said to have prayed at one
time, ``pobre Nuevo Mexico, poor little New Mexico'' he said,
``so far from heaven, so close to Texas.'' (Laughter)
As public officials all of us take the oath of office to
support and defend the constitution of the United States. The
American history flows back to those images of the
President raising his arm and stating his oath. The rest
of us too are required, constitutionally, to take our oath
of office or affirmation, the constitution allows both, to
support the constitution of the United States. My prayer
today relates to seeking God's help in asking that the
leaders of our country faithfully discharge our
obligations and that we might have the providence of God,
the Creator, in aiding us to do so.
Dear God, as each of us may worship you in the many creeds
represented here today, my prayer is that you bless our
country, our government, the President of the United States
and his family, the members of the United States Senate, the
United States House of Representatives, the Justices of the
United States Supreme Court and the members of the federal
judiciary and all of our families. I ask the blessings of God
on the governors of the states, the state legislatures and
judges, the mayors of our cities, the members of our city
councils throughout the United States and all those who serve
in public service, most especially on the officers and the
men and women of the United States military who serve our
beloved country and our beloved constitution so faithfully.
May the Almighty grant us the wisdom and sound judgment to
discharge our constitutional oath with the clearest of
conscience and that our every action on behalf of the people
of the United States be true and loyal and faithful to you
and to this document. I pray that the citizens of our country
may be blessed with your Spirit and citizens of all races and
creeds may forge a common bond in true harmony, to banish
hatred and replace it with love, to banish bigotry and
replace it with understanding and to safeguard the ideals of
free institutions that are the pride and glory of our country
and of this world. I pray that this land under your
providence may be an influence for good throughout the world,
uniting all people in peace and in freedom. I have a very
brief reading from the Old Testament today that I would like
to conclude my prayer with. One word of explanation in
speaking to friends of many denominations in preparing for
today's prayer--I learned that in the earliest days of the
history of the Old Testament when the tribes went forth,
there were no kings or leaders as such but the judges
governed, so a rabbi tells me. Don't think that I am getting
any ideas. I know those of us in the judiciary know what is
buzzed about us but you have to have that understanding to
have a deeper understanding of what the Old Testament means
as it speaks of judgment because of the special ethics and
requirements that were imposed on these earliest leaders.
From the book of Deuteronomy chapter 1 verses 15-17:
``So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and
respected men, and appointed them to have authority over
you--as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and
of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at
that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge
fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or
between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in
judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of
any man, for judgment belongs to God.''
And from chapter 6 verse 8 of the book of Micah:
``He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the
Lord require of you but to act justly and to love mercy and
to walk humbly with your God.'' Amen.
Senator Enzi: Historically, we have been honored to have a
member of the United States military be a part of our
leadership of this breakfast and today we go all the way
to the top of the chain of command--Admiral Michael Mullen
is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is joined
this morning by his wife, Deborah. He was born in Los
Angeles, graduated from the Naval Academy and has served
our nation all over the world. To present our second
reading from the Holy Scriptures, Admiral Michael Mullen.
Admiral Michael Mullen: Mr. President and Mrs. Bush, good
morning everyone. It is great to see all of you and join you
in worship this morning. I testified before Congress
yesterday so believe me I know the value of prayer.
(Laughter) The verse I would like to read is from the book of
Philippians. It is short, powerful, poetic and concise. It
reminds me daily in this time of war and great uncertainty of
the things of which we must always remain certain. It speaks
to me of the nobility of service to one another, to the
nation and to a cause greater than one's self and it calls to
mind the sacrifices of those who serve and of the families
and loved ones who wait and worry and support those men and
women in uniform who serve this noble cause. Philippians 4:
8,9 ``. . . whatever things are true, whatever things are
noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good
report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy, think on these things. Those things, which you
have learned, and received, and heard and seen in me, do; and
the God of peace shall be with you.'' Thank you.
Senator Salazar: I am delighted to introduce my good friend
from Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar. Her husband, John
Bessler is with her this morning. In her short time as a
member of the United States Senate she has become one of the
stars of our Senate. With the values of the Iron Range and
the sharp mind and tongue of a prosecutor she is the champion
of the people of Minnesota. To lead us in prayer for world
leaders, Senator Amy Klobuchar.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar: Thank you, Senator Salazar,
President Bush, Mrs. Bush, members of Congress, friends. It
is an honor to be here today to share a prayer for our world
leaders. Like so many who are gathered here today, my faith
came from those before me. Their worlds did not stretch the
globe like the leaders for whom we will pray today instead
they lived in much simpler, humbler circumstances but they
still had the courage to believe. My grandpa worked 1,500
feet underground in the mines in Ely, Minnesota and never
graduated from high school but he saved money in a coffee can
in the basement to send my dad to college. Up in Iron Range
there is a rollicking collision of ethnic cultures from the
Slovenians to the Serbs to the Croatians and to the Finns. My
grandma and grandpa were Catholic and you could worship up on
the range at polka masses held by an entrepreneurial polka
priest, named Father Frank Perkovich. He did so well that he
has been last heard of as a priest on a Caribbean cruise
line. Prayer is needed everywhere. But my faith also comes
from my mom who never learned to drive until I was in high
school but who was bound and determined to get our family to
church. Once a week she would load us into a cab, which was
quite a sight in a middle class Minnesota suburb on a Sunday
morning, and it was my job to say at the end of the drive to
the driver, ``add 50 cents please.'' I would be so nervous
that I would forget to say this and deny the driver his tip
that the entire way to church I would say in my head, ``add
50 cents, please, add 50 cents, please.'' Today I can never
go to church without thinking, `add 50 cents please'. That I
got from my mom. And, finally, my faith comes from my dad
who became a popular newspaper columnist and an avid
adventurer. He climbed mountains the world over but his
faith was
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tested time and time again through his own battle with
alcoholism. I watched him climb the highest peaks, but at
times slip in the lowest valleys. He finally overcame it
when in his own words, he was pursued by grace.
We bow our heads today, God, to pray that our world leaders
may also be pursued by grace. God, in the Himalayas of Nepal
there is a simple greeting that today we share as a simple
blessing for our world leaders. When the Nepalese see a
friend they bow their heads and clasp their hands and say,
Namaste, which in its most spiritual translation means, ``I
praise the God that lives within you.'' God, in this time of
year when an English poet once described it as the bleak mid-
winter, we are experiencing world events that too often match
that somber description. We pray that when our world leaders
are confronted by religion used to divide us, they will find
the God that lives within them to guide them to common ground
in peace. God, we pray that our leaders find the God that
lives within them to work together across borders to cure
disease, confront hunger and poverty and offer hope to the
children of the world. God, as the icebergs melt and the seas
flood we ask that our world leaders listen to you and answer
your call to care for your creation, to treasure the changing
of the seasons and to remember the philosophy of the Ojibwe
Indians that great leaders' decisions are not always made for
today but for children seven generations from now. And, God,
we know that leadership is sometimes a lonely place, wisdom
is often illusive and making the right choice can be hard but
we pray that when burdened with difficult decisions our
leaders will heed the God that lives within them and find the
best that is in our humanity, draw from the best of our
history and instincts and enlist the energy of our young. To
all our world leaders we praise the God that lives within
you. Namaste. Amen.
Senator Enzi: I am proud now to introduce our speaker, Ward
Brehm. I knew him before I ever met him. I was involved in
the United States AIDS bill and was headed to Africa to see
what could be done. I was given a copy of a book called
``White Man Walking,'' written by Ward, telling of his effort
to get to know the people of a continent face to face, step
by step. As I read about how the Lord used Africa to change
his life it changed mine. Ward serves as the chair of the
board of the United States Africa Development Fund, a small
agency with a very big job--that of making micro investments
across Africa that build people up through emerging private
enterprise. Ward's wife, Chris, is here with us at the head
table as well. After I read his book I got to work with his
confirmation in the Senate. I then got to work with him to
increase the agency's budget. He encouraged and was
successful in getting countries to match the monies. He found
customers for products made in Africa without going through
middlemen. He has traveled to Africa more than 30 times. Each
time he has a prayer and a scripture for each day of his
journey and several of us join him in prayer from the United
States as he makes a difference in Africa. Did you ever
wonder what would happen if you allowed the Lord to really
get a hold of your life and use you for His purposes? Here is
a pretty good example of what happens when a great God gets a
chance to use a regular person like you and me. Ladies and
gentlemen, my friend, Ward Brehm.
Mr. Ward Brehm: Thank you, Senator Enzi. I am deeply
humbled by your introduction and proud to be able to call you
my friend.
Most of you were probably surprised when you picked up your
program and saw a speaker you have never heard of before. I
want to tell you, you are not alone. One month ago, I sent in
my registration to this breakfast and I was just hoping for a
good seat. (Laughter)
My thanks also to the members of the Senate group for this
opportunity. A good friend emailed me last night and said
that if God was going to speak through me, I did not need to
be nervous . . . God is the one who should be nervous!
(Laughter)
My wife read to me from Scriptures last night that Jesus
said when two or more gather in His name, He will be there.
That is good enough for me!
My work has given me the high privilege of serving you, Mr.
President, the American people, and above all, the poor in
Africa.
The best way to help the poor is to help them not be poor
anymore. The only way I know how to do that is through job
creation, and the very best form of sustainable development
is a steady paycheck.
It has been said that if you give a man a fish, you feed
him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a
lifetime. But that is not the full story. If you want to eat
for a lifetime, you need to own the pond.
So a bit of background . . . Despite that eloquent
introduction, I am a recovering Type-A controlling
businessman. I have been described even by people who like me
as someone who is often wrong but seldom in doubt. I was a
bit of a problem child growing up. In fact, my pastor since
childhood, Arthur Rouner, recently referred to me as a
ministerial long shot!
They say that if God wants to get your attention he will
toss a little pebble into your life. If that doesn't work, He
will throw a rock. As a last resort, He will heave a brick!
Africa was my brick. In 1994, Africa was not on my personal
radar screen. In fact, the only significant thing on that
radar screen was ME!
In the Los Angeles airport I bought a copy of Stephen
Covey's book, The Seven Habits for Highly Effective People. I
didn't buy it to learn anything, but just wanted to make sure
that he got them all right. (Laughter)
I was intrigued by Covey's notion of paradigms: identical
sets of facts can mean something totally different because of
your world view.
Somalia was in the news at the time, and countless numbers
of Africans were dying from starvation. I felt no real
connection to this humanitarian crisis. My radar screen was
full.
Paradigms usually change because of shock or trauma, but I
wondered if it might be possible for someone to change their
paradigm on purpose. I supposed that if I were to see
people starving, it would change that paradigm and perhaps
much more. The thought left me as quickly as it came.
But God sent me a reminder . . . One week later, I made one
of my occasional stops at church . . . and my pastor, out of
the blue, took me aside and said, ``Ward, I'm going to Africa
in two months, and I would like you to go with me.''
I told him I couldn't believe the coincidence of his
invitation given my recent reflections on Somalia. Then I
said . . . ``No!'' (Laughter)
He looked at me in a strange way, and he said, ``Would you
at least pray about it?'' I looked at him and said, ``You're
the pastor; YOU pray about it. I will THINK about it but
suspect my answer will be.'' (Laughter)
He must have prayed hard . . . because two months later, I
found myself in the Minneapolis airport with a ticket to
Ethiopia in my hand. I was surrounded by (for the lack of a
better word) church ladies. (Laughter) And they were hugging
me . . . (Laughter) Then someone suggested that we pray
before we departed, so I found myself outside Gate 8A,
holding hands with a group of strangers. And as I stand here
before the National Prayer Breakfast, I can honestly say I
uttered my first heartfelt and sincere prayer . . . ``Lord,
don't let any of my clients see me!'' (Laughter)
And then we flew twelve thousand miles to Africa, and a
million miles from my comfort zone. I had the high privilege
of having my heart broken. I saw poverty on an obscene level.
Children with flies on their eyes and for the lack of a 50
cent medicine doomed to blindness, the emaciated faces of
famine, families shattered by civil war. In Masaka, Uganda I
held the hand of a 22-year-old mother as she died of AIDS and
then turned to look directly into the faces of four brand new
orphans.
I was an eyewitness. It put a face on the statistics. I
always believed that those statistics were true, but now they
become real. It got personal. . . .
More recently, I took a long walk with a warrior turned
pastor friend, Lodinyo, deep into an unknown wilderness along
the northern Rift Valley that divides northwest Kenya with
Uganda. He took me to where they had never seen a person with
white skin. When they first spotted me, they thought I was a
ghost . . . a dead man walking. For a while, I thought they
would be right.
I fasted for five days on this walk to experience real
hunger, but had brought along protein bars in case of (as
Lodinyo put it) an ``emergency''. At the end of this walk, I
collapsed in a borrowed sleeping hut. When I awoke 13 hours
later, I saw a little boy peeking through the door. While he
was initially terrified, curiosity eventually got the best of
him, and I noticed he was concentrating more on my stash of
power bars than he was on me. He succeeded in snatching a
bar, and immediately ran away. ``Kids are the same
everywhere,'' I thought, until I stepped outside the hut, and
I found that little boy kneeling over his two-year old sister
with a terribly distended stomach, feeding her tiny pieces of
protein. . . .
Three months later, I was to learn that she died . . .
another paradigm shift.
Now after more than 30 trips to Africa, the question that I
have been asked more than any other by my African friends is
``What do you pray for?''
Most of us among the affluent have too many things. Too
much food, multiple cars, great health care, retirement,
insurance . . .
It is only when things fall apart completely, and we are
totally out of control that we feel totally dependent, and
thus closest to God. Death, cancer, business failure,
addiction, divorce, crises; these are the things that truly
drop us to our knees.
All across the world, including America, things are
continuously falling apart for the truly poor . . . They are
always out of control, constantly living in crises mode, and
thus dependent and faithful to God's own commandment that we
love Him with all of our hearts. God is often all the poor
have.
The leaders that God anoints are their only hope. And
despite the often-horrific conditions that they live in, the
poor are thankful for their very existence.
Scripture asks, ``Hasn't God chosen those who are poor in
the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the
Kingdom?'' Yes, He has. I have seen it with my own eyes.
The question that I am asked by most of my American friends
is, ``Why cross an ocean to help people when you need only
cross the street, to help your own?'' It is a great question,
and the answer is, of course, that we need to do both.
Solzhenitsyn said that disaster is defined by two things:
magnitude and distance. So a small disaster close to home or
a huge disaster faraway, results in what he describes
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as ``bearable disasters of bearable proportion.'' We have
become too good at ``bearing.'' Our hearts should be broken
by the things that break the heart of God.
Specifically in Africa, there are many faraway disasters of
epic proportions. In 1994, in Rwanda, a country the size of
Maryland, the political genocide claimed over 800,000 lives:
9,000 lives per day for 90 days. That is two World Trade
Center disasters per day for three months.
Today, in Darfur, Sudan, 1.5 million homeless. Thousands
terrorized, raped and killed. AIDS is killing 4,400 people
per day in Africa, and even more are dying from curable
malaria. Epic disasters of epic proportions, far from home
for most of us. We have hundreds today right here in this
room from all around the world, our neighbors this morning,
who experience these epic disasters close to home.
I do want to say while I have the chance with the President
sitting right here. Very few people are aware that due to
President Bush's commitment and the resulting partnership
with Congress there has been an absolutely historic four-fold
increase in American assistance to fight poverty and AIDS
in Africa.
In 2003 there were 50,000 Africans on Anti-Viral medication
and today there are over 1.5 million. I have not met a SINGLE
person who hasn't agreed with this high calling.
Proverbs the book of Wisdom says ``speak up for those who
can not speak for themselves and defend the rights of the
poor and destitute.'' You have been that voice and on behalf
of the ``least of these'' in Africa as well as the collective
American conscience, I want to say . . .``Thank you Mr.
President.'' (Applause)
Do you remember when Jesus was talking to His disciples,
and asked them when He was hungry, why they didn't give Him
any food, and when He was naked, why they didn't give Him any
clothes? And the disciples said something like, ``Lord, we
never did any of those things to You.'' I always thought
(like most folks) that Jesus replied ``Whenever you did this
to the least of these, you did this unto Me.''
Except that's not what He said. What He said was, ``When
ever you did this to one of the least of these, you did this
unto Me.''
How often do we forget the word ``one.''
It changes the meaning of what Jesus said completely. In
our quest to be helpful, we can rob the poor of their
dignity. In order to be of any help to the poor, we need to
understand them, we need to know them, and we need to love
them. They are not a group. The poor is not a species. They
are identical to us in their hopes and dreams. They love
their families and long for a better life. The only
difference is that they are poor.
And people don't suffer and die in groups. It is one at a
time. And each one of those deaths leaves an identical wake
of agony to what you and I and our families would experience.
So what are we supposed to do with all this? How does this
fit with our world, so different and so far away? Frankly, I
am not sure, but we do have some clues. Jesus said, ``The
poor will always be with you.'' What an odd thing to say,
especially coming from Him!
Jesus also said, ``To whom much has been given, much will
be expected.'' So maybe this is a test of sorts. If so . . .
how are we doing?
I have heard stories similar to mine of peoples' lives
being changed: from orphanages in Russia to inner-city
schools in Minneapolis, from the slums of Calcutta to remote
medical clinics in the mountains of Afghanistan, from the
streets of Washington, D.C., to wretched prisons in East
Asia. Indeed, all across the world people are answering
Jesus' question, ``Who is my neighbor?'' And these people are
finding themselves changed, engaged, and discovering
meaning and relevance by being involved in things much
bigger than themselves.
I believe that, deep down, most people would love to have
God change their lives. Here's the thing: If asked, He will,
every time, guaranteed. And while these changes may initially
seem scary, they ultimately lay a foundation for a life lived
on purpose rather than by default.
I will forever be indebted to Africa. Africa awakened me
when I didn't even know I was asleep. I pray that everyone
who seeks one will find a similar path.
I pray that each of you will find your own Africa. . . .
A few years ago my friend, Gary Haugen, asked me the most
important question of all . . .
For those four orphans I was with in Uganda who watched
their mother die of AIDS and were suddenly and completely on
their own . . . For a twelve year old girl kidnapped and sold
into slavery in rural India . . . For a single mom evicted
and homeless on the streets of Washington, D.C. . . . For
each one of them: What is God's strategy for letting them
know that He's good?
For the mother in Ethiopia who sees her baby die of
malnutrition--Why would she think God is good? And what is
God's strategy for allowing her to know that He loves her?
The answer is astounding. The answer is . . . US!
Even more astonishing . . . He has no plan B. . . .
God bless you one and all. (Applause)
Senator Salazar: Thank you, Ward Brehm, for that
inspirational message. Ladies and gentlemen and guests from
around the world, it is my honor to introduce to all of you
the President of our United States. We are delighted to see
with President Bush his lovely and wonderful wife, Laura.
(Applause)
For all of us gathered here today in Washington, D.C. we
know that this is a funny town. If you only read the papers
you would think the Democrats and Republicans simply never
work together. The truth is since I first met the President
several years ago we have had a friendship that has helped us
work on issues that are important to our nation, including
the issues of renewable energy and the issues of immigration
reform. It is a friendship that is rooted in our shared love
for our nation, our faith and our reverence for family. The
President and I have spoken several times about the powerful
impact that our fathers have had on our lives. Our dad's
stories show how the American experience can send different
people down different paths to fulfill truly the American
dream. World War II inspired both of our fathers to don the
uniform of their country. The American West inspired their
love for open spaces and for the ranching traditions of our
states. Their love of God inspired them to work long days
in service to generations to come. And so here we are
today, the President of the United States and a United
States Senator from Colorado, bound by our service to our
country, by our faith in humanity, and by our hope that we
too will be heroes to our daughters as our fathers were to
all of us.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States of
America. (Applause)
The President of the United States: Thank you all. Gracias,
mi amigo. Thank you, friend. Laura and I are honored to join
you all here for the 56th National Prayer Breakfast. There
are a lot of reasons to pray and one of course is to
strengthen us against temptation--particularly this morning,
the temptation to stay in bed. (Laughter)
Obviously there are a lot of prayerful people here and I
appreciate your warm welcome.
We have a lot of distinguished guests here today, members
of Congress, military leaders, captains of industry. Yet at
this annual gathering we are reminded of an eternal truth,
when we lift our hearts to God we are all equal in His sight.
We are all equally precious; we are all equally dependant on
His grace. It is fitting that we gather each year to approach
our Creator in fellowship and to thank Him for the many
blessings He has bestowed upon our families and our nation.
It is fitting that we gather in prayer because we recognize a
prayerful nation is a stronger nation.
I appreciate Senators Salazar and Enzi. Thank you for
putting this event on.
Madame Speaker, Leader Hoyer, Leader Blunt, thank you for
being here.
I welcome the members of Congress. I appreciate the Heads
of State who are here. Welcome to America, again.
I thank the members of the Diplomatic Corps who joined us.
I appreciate the distinguished dignitaries, all the members
of my cabinet--don't linger, get back to work. (Laughter)
Admiral, thank you for your leadership. I am always proud to
be with the members of the United States military. I thank
the state and local officials. Ward, thanks for your remarks.
Those were awesome. I guess that is a presidential word. I am
proud to be here with Michael W. and Debbie, long time
friends of our family. Thank you for lending your beautiful
voice. Judge, I am not going to hold the Texas thing against
you. (Laughter)
Every President since Dwight Eisenhower has attended the
National Prayer Breakfast--and I am really proud to carry on
this tradition. It is an important tradition, and I am
confident Presidents who follow me will do the same. The
people in this room come from many different walks of faith.
Yet we share one clear conviction: We believe that the
Almighty hears our prayers--and answers those who seek Him.
That is what we believe; otherwise, why come? That through
the miracle of prayer, we believe he listens--if we listen to
his voice and seek His presence in our lives, our hearts will
change. And in so doing, in seeking God, we grow in ways that
we could never imagine.
And in prayer we grow in gratitude and thanksgiving. When
we spend time with the Almighty we realize how much he has
bestowed upon us and our hearts are filled with joy. We give
thanks for our families, we give thanks for the parents who
raised us, we give thanks for the patient souls who married
us and the children who make us proud each day. We give
thanks for our liberty and the universal desire for freedom
that He has written in every human heart. We give thanks for
the God who made us in His image and redeemed us in His love.
In prayer we grow in meekness and humility. By approaching
our Maker on bended knee we acknowledge our complete
dependence on Him. We recognize that we have nothing to offer
God that He does not already have, except our love. So we
offer Him that love and ask for the grace to discern His
will. We ask Him to remain near to us at all times. We ask
Him to help us lead lives that are pleasing to Him. We
discover that by surrendering our lives to the Almighty we
are strengthened, refreshed and ready for all that may come.
In prayer we also grow in boldness and courage.
The more time we spend with God, the more we see that He is
not a distant king but a loving Father. Inspired by this
confidence we approach Him with bold requests, we ask Him to
heal the sick and comfort the dying and sustain those who
care for them. We ask
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Him to bring solace to the victims of tragedy and help to
those suffering from addiction and adversity. We ask Him to
strengthen our families and to protect the innocent and
vulnerable in our country. We ask Him to protect our nation
from those who wish us harm and watch over all who step
forward to defend us. We ask Him to bring about the day when
His peace shall reign across the world and every tear shall
be wiped away.
In prayer we grow in mercy and compassion. We are reminded
in prayer that we are all fallen creatures in need of mercy.
And in seeking God's mercy we grow in mercy ourselves.
Experiencing the presence of God transforms our hearts and
the more we seek His presence, the more we feel the tug at
our souls to reach out to the poor and the hungry, the
elderly and the infirmed.
When we answer God's call to love a neighbor as ourselves
we enter into a deeper friendship with our fellow man and a
deeper relationship with our Eternal Father.
I believe in the power of prayer because I felt it in my
own life. Prayer has strengthened me in times of personal
challenge. It has helped me meet the challenges of the
presidency. I understand now clearly the story of the calm in
the rough seas. And so at this final prayer breakfast as your
President, I thank you for your prayers and I thank our
people all across America for their prayers and I ask you not
to stop in the year ahead. We have so much work to do for our
country. And with the help of the Almighty we will build a
freer world and a safer, a more hopeful, a more noble,
America. God bless. (Applause)
Senator Enzi: Thank you, Mr. President for that prayer for
our country. We thank you for your presence here. This is the
56th consecutive time that a President of the United States
has been at the National Prayer Breakfast, a tremendous and
important tradition. Ladies and gentlemen, we would ask that
you please remain at your places as the President and First
Lady take their leave of us. And we do thank you for your
presence, Mr. President, and the faithful way that you strive
to carry the burdens of our nation. I know all of us want to
join in saying we will pray for you and for your spouse and
for your family that the Lord will give you success in your
efforts toward the common needs of all mankind, which are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
God bless you, Mr. President and Mrs. Bush. (Applause)
Mr. Smith: (Sings) [``Amazing Grace''] (Applause)
Senator Enzi: Thank you, Michael for the gift of worship as
you do it so well through song. We're very grateful for all
at our head table, the participants and the loving,
thoughtful spirit that they have shared with all of us. I
know that when I leave today, I will take with me the
prayers, the scriptures, the words of our two speakers and
try to remember that the word ``one'' is the important part
to the least and that we all have the opportunity to do our
part. I hope that God doesn't get too nervous when He is
working through us. This has been an outstanding morning. We
have shared with you a little bit of what our Wednesday
prayer breakfast is like, it is the way we get filled up
during the week and I hope this has helped to fill you today.
Senator Salazar: We hope you have all been encouraged. We
hope you have been challenged. We hope you take the faith and
hope and optimism and challenges that Ward Brehm has
presented to us here today that not only in Africa, but in
Latin America and all across this world that we work for a
more perfect world and I am sure that this prayer breakfast
will help us move along the way. Thank you to the 4,000
people who are here, to the millions around the world who are
praying for us, to the 155 nations who are represented here
knowing at the end of the day we are one human race. Thank
you for coming this morning.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from South Carolina is
recognized.
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