10.15.25 The shutdown standoff, El Salvador under Bukele, and combating homelessness in Oregon

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It — October 15, 2025 Host: WORLD Radio
Episode: "The shutdown standoff, El Salvador under Bukele, and combating homelessness in Oregon"
Date: October 15, 2025

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Overview

This episode centers on three major stories:

• The ongoing U.S. federal government shutdown and political ramifications in Washington and in key state races.
• A deep-dive into El Salvador under President Nayib Bukele, examining the country’s transformation from a hub of gang violence to a ‘safe’ but increasingly authoritarian state.
• A ground-level look at homelessness in Grants Pass, Oregon, following Supreme Court decisions and a Christian mission’s high-barrier approach to recovery and dignity.

Throughout, the podcast provides not just headlines, but in-depth commentary, field reports, and Christian worldview analysis on each topic.

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Key Discussion Points and Segments

1. Government Shutdown Standoff and Political Analysis

[06:47-18:51]

Shutdown Status and Stakes

• The federal government is experiencing a partial shutdown now entering its 15th day, with Speaker Mike Johnson warning it could become one of the longest in history.
  • "We're barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history unless Democrats drop their partisan demands and passed a clean, no strings attached budget..." — Speaker Mike Johnson [07:05]
• Democrats are holding firm on requiring an extension of Obamacare (ACA) subsidies as part of any funding resolution; Republicans want a clean funding bill first.
• Hunter Baker (political scientist, guest expert) notes pressure mostly on Republicans but highlights deep dysfunction:
  • “It's untenable to continue to govern by shutdown. And we have been doing this continually for a long time as we have less and less budget discipline.” — Hunter Baker [09:33]

Economic and Social Implications

• Marjorie Taylor Greene expresses populist frustrations:
  • “People right now are looking at everything through their wallet and their bank account...What I'm upset over is my party has no solution.” — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene [07:57, 08:27]
• Discussion on unsustainability of federal spending and risks of continual crises.
• Jerome Powell (Fed Chairman) signals more interest rate cuts due to economic slowdown. [04:49-05:00]

State-Level Races

• Virginia: Democrat Abigail Spanberger’s lead slipping in gubernatorial race after a text scandal; GOP’s Winsome Sears potentially gaining ground.
  • “Her most prominent tagline...has been ‘let your rage fuel you.’ Well, that’s a bad tagline right now with this particular scandal.” — Hunter Baker [11:56]
• New Jersey: Dem. Mikie Sherrill’s accusations against GOP’s Jack Ciatarelli for spreading opioid misinformation rejected; level of desperation may point to a tighter race than expected.

International Affairs and Media Freedom

• Trump’s involvement in Gaza ceasefire earns thanks in Tel Aviv but not Nobel recognition; the prize goes instead to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
  • “He may be the kind of person who just has to get an award at that point.” — Hunter Baker [15:39]
• Pentagon’s new press restrictions spark broad media resistance:
  • “And that stack of badges could be big...So far, only one outlet...has signed on.” — Host summary [17:39]
  • Baker supports stricter control in the Pentagon: “Access should be tightly controlled inside the Pentagon...it should not be the same as walking around the halls of Congress.” [18:15]

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2. El Salvador under Nayib Bukele: Safety or Authoritarianism?

[19:43-26:45]

From Crime Capital to 'Safety'

• El Salvador moved from “murder capital of the world” to one of Latin America’s safest, credited to Bukele’s iron-fisted policies and emergency powers.
• 85,000 arrests; incarceration rate highest in the world; near-martial law conditions now persist.
• Widespread approval (80%+) but at a heavy cost to civil liberties and democracy.

Growing Authoritarianism

• Term limits abolished, courts packed with loyalists, and ongoing attacks on the press and political opponents.
• Cristian Sal, a human rights group, forced into exile:
  • “We had to choose between exile or prison. And we decided that we were no good...if we’re also in jail.” — Noah Volok, Cristo Sal director [24:40]
• Journalists and human rights defenders face harassment, lack of legal protections:
  • “There is no guarantee of due process...As the government tackled organized crime, people gave up many of their civil liberties.” — API spokesperson [23:37]
• Critics warn that other countries (Costa Rica, Ecuador) now look to Bukele’s model as an anti-crime solution.
• Essential question highlighted:
  • “It’s a false choice between what would be called supposedly the Bukele mano dura or living in fear of gangs.” — Noah Volok [26:17]

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3. Faith-Based Solutions to Homelessness in Oregon

[28:08-35:25]

Field Report from Grants Pass

• Despite a Supreme Court ruling upholding the city’s right to ban homeless encampments, tent cities remain; the mission’s executive director, Brian Boteller, addresses complexities.
• Most sleeping rough refuse shelter—preferring total freedom to structure:
  • “They sat up in their mummy bags and they said, ‘Yeah, but we’d have to give up all this.’” — Brian Boteller [29:47, 30:08]
• Distinguishes among the homeless:
  • Those who want to and can leave homelessness
  • Those who can but don’t want to
  • Those who require permanent assistance [30:44]

The Mission’s Model

• High-barrier shelter: sober living mandatory, strict routines, job placement, and personal finance training.
• Handouts, Boteller argues, often perpetuate “home-lessness” instead of “home-fulness”:
  • “Instead of just going, ‘I'm going to make you comfortable in the mud’...it's still not solving the problem.” — Brian Boteller [31:18]
• Structure, accountability, and faith form the recovery path:
  • “Even non-Christians who come in and follow the program...are blessed by following a Christian way of life.” — Brian Boteller [33:47]
• Outcome: One in three residents leave with both a job and housing; testimonials stress the program’s effectiveness:
  • “Why not? What have you got to lose? The streets will always be there, you know?” — Former resident Eric [34:34]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's untenable to continue to govern by shutdown.” — Hunter Baker [09:33]
• “What I'm upset over is my party has no solution.” — Marjorie Taylor Greene [08:27]
• “Her most prominent tagline...has been ‘let your rage fuel you.’ Well, that’s a bad tagline right now with this particular scandal.” — Hunter Baker [11:56]
• “We had to choose between exile or prison.” — Noah Volok, Cristo Sal [24:40]
• “They sat up in their mummy bags and they said, ‘Yeah, but we’d have to give up all this.’” — Brian Boteller [30:08]
• “Instead of just going, ‘I'm going to make you comfortable in the mud’...it's still not solving the problem.” — Brian Boteller [31:18]
• “Even non-Christians who come in and follow the program...are blessed by following a Christian way of life.” — Brian Boteller [33:47]
• “Why not? What have you got to lose? The streets will always be there, you know?” — Eric, former mission resident [34:34]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [06:47] — Washington Wednesday & Government Shutdown Analysis (with Hunter Baker)
• [11:00] — State Political Races: Virginia & New Jersey
• [15:06] — International Affairs: Gaza Ceasefire, Nobel Prize, Venezuela
• [17:10] — Pentagon Media Access Controversy
• [19:43] — El Salvador Under Bukele: Civil Liberties vs Security (report by Carlos Paez)
• [28:08] — Homelessness Solutions in Oregon: Gospel Rescue Mission (report by Jenny Ruff)
• [35:25] — Commentary: Janie B. Cheney on “Followership” (not detailed above, but included in episode)

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Tone and Style

The episode combines field reporting, expert interviews, and commentary with a sober, inquisitive tone grounded in Christian ethical reflection. The hosts and correspondents frequently pivot between policy details and human stories, emphasizing moral and societal implications over partisanship.

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Conclusion

This dense episode blends national news analysis, international developments, and local stories with theological underpinnings, exploring themes of governance, freedom vs. security, and the dignity (and complexity) of serving the homeless. For listeners seeking context behind headlines and a moral perspective on current events, it delivers both breadth and depth.

Transcript

[A]

Good morning. The polls are tightening in key races for governor. The Pentagon is tightening a collar around the press, and political pressure is tightening in Congress.

[B]

We're barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history. That's ahead today on Washington Wednesday. Hunter Baker is standing by. Also today, world tour, a focus on El Salvador, and later, a Christian mission to bring structure and support to the homeless. Facing numerous hurdles, not least from the homeless themselves, they sat up in their.

[C]

Mummy bags and they said, yeah, but we'd have to give up all this.

[A]

It's Wednesday, October 15th. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Lindsay Mast.

[B]

And I'm Nick Iger. Good morning.

[A]

Time now for the news here.

[D]

Here's Kent Covington at the White House.

[A]

Well, thank you very much.

[E]

It's a great honor to have the leader of Argentina president. I really want to thank you very much.

[D]

President Trump welcomed Argentine President Javier Milei on Tuesday. The two leaders talked trade and they also highlighted a major currency swap after the U.S. treasury arranged a $20 billion agreement allowing Argentina temporarily to access U.S. dollars in exchange for pesos, a move that helped stabilize the country's depleted reserves. For that, Milei expressed his gratitude. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant also took part in the meeting and highlighted President Milei's success reversing decades of socialist policies.

[E]

The President is fighting 100 years of bad economic history and policy.

[D]

Since the libertarian president took office nearly two years ago, Milei has sharply cut government spending. And over that time, the country's month over month inflation has fallen from more than 25% to less than 2%. And Argentina enjoyed its first budget surplus in years. Also at the White House on Tuesday, President Trump honored Charlie Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday.

[E]

It's my privilege to posthumously award Charles James Kirk our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Thank you.

[D]

Late conservative speaker and organizer was assassinated last month on a Utah college campus. His alleged killer is awaiting trial. Kirk's widow, Erica, shared her daughter's birthday message to her father.

[F]

Happy birthday, Daddy. I want to give you a stuffed animal.

[A]

I want you to eat a cupcake.

[F]

With ice cream, and I want you.

[A]

To go have a birthday surprise.

[D]

She said they were gathered at the White House not just to celebrate Charlie's birthday, but her words to honor a truth he gave his entire life to defend. And that's freedom. Meantime, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro denounced political violence as he reacted to the sentencing of the man who tried to kill him in April of this year.

[E]

It's hard for me to stand before.

[C]

You today and utter the words attempted murder when it's your own life to.

[E]

Know that someone tried to kill me.

[D]

38 year old Cody Ballmer scaled a security fence in the middle of the night and set fire to the governor's mansion back in April. He said he planned to beat Shapiro with a sledgehammer. Shapiro and members of his family were inside and had to be evacuated, but no one was harmed. Ballmer pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges. He'll spend between 20 and 50 years behind bars. He accused the Democratic governor of taking part in harming Palestinians, but denied attacking Shapiro because he's Jewish. At the Capitol, the Senate voted again yesterday on a clean stopgap funding bill to reopen the government.

[E]

But on this vote the A's are 49, then the A's are 45, 3/5 of the Senate not having voted in the affirmative. The motion is not agreed to and.

[D]

With that, the partial government shutdown is now more than two weeks old. Democrats held a news conference Tuesday declaring that they are holding firm to demanding an extension of Obamacare tax credits as a condition for passing a funding bill. GOP leaders still say that they are willing to negotiate on health care and other concerns, but only if and when Democrats agree to pass a funding bill to reopen the government. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is seemingly signaling more Fed rate cuts this year. Powell, in a speech on Tuesday, pointed to a slowdown in hiring.

[B]

Based on the data we do have.

[F]

It'S fair to say that the outlook.

[B]

For employment and inflation does not appear.

[F]

To have changed much since our September meeting four weeks ago.

[D]

And at that meeting four weeks ago, the central bank opted to cut its key interest rate for the first time since last year. Many economists expect two more quarter point rate cuts this year. A new nationwide report from the American Bible Society takes a close look at how Americans view the Bible and how much the they trust social institutions, world's Benjamin Eicher reports.

[F]

The State of the Bible 2025 survey gathered responses from more than 2,600 adults across all 50 states. Roughly one third said they believe the Bible is completely accurate, while about one fifth says it was written to control people. Among eight major institutions included in the study, respondents expressed the most trust in family. The media and the government ranked lowest.

[E]

While religion fell right in the middle.

[F]

Those over the age of 60 were most likely to trust religion, while younger generations were less confident. Nearly half of those surveyed said they'd experienced trauma that still affects them, but Those who said they were able to forgive others reported significantly higher levels of trust overall.

[E]

For world, I'm Benjamin Eicher.

[D]

And I'm Kent Covington. Straight ahead, Washington Wednesday with Hunter Baker. Plus, a visit to a homeless encampment in Oregon. This is THE WORLD and everything in it.

[A]

It's Wednesday, the 15th of Octo. Glad to have you along for today's edition of THE WORLD and Everything in It. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mass.

[B]

And I'm Nick Iker. Time now for Washington Wednesday. Political scientist and World Opinions contributor Hunter Baker joins us now. Hunter, good morning.

[E]

Good morning.

[B]

Well, we're two weeks into a government shutdown. We still are in stalemate. Here is House Speaker Mike Johnson. On Monday. We're barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history unless Democrats drop their partisan demands and and passed a clean, no strings attached budget to reopen the government and pay our federal workers. So to the speaker's point, the longest on record came in the first Trump term. It was 35 days. Today, the 2025 shutdown is going into day 15. So already that's longer than seven of the last 10 government shutdowns that we've had. If it continues past tomorrow, it joins the top three. So, Hunter, the pressure keeps climbing. And I think I'm really curious to hear what you but I think the pressure's all on the Republicans. Have a listen to this. This is Marjorie Taylor Greene and she's a MAGA Republican from Georgia.

[G]

Whether we're Democrats or Republicans, people right now are looking at everything through their wallet and their bank account and they're going the price of food has not gone down. They're saying rent has not gone down. Houses are still unaffordable. And now health insurance premiums are going to hike. Whether you're on the ACA or having private insurance as well. They're literally gonna go up for everyone. And I don't really care about the drama up here. I could care less.

[B]

Well, we've gotta fix this issue. Marjorie Taylor Greene says, and worse for Republicans, she added this. What I'm upset over is my party has no solution. Now, Hunter, on Monday, I talked with David Bonson. He thinks the Republicans are going to blink first. What do you think?

[E]

I don't know the answer to that. I spoke with one insider who told me he has told me throughout and he reaffirmed firm today that he thinks the Republicans are going to win this thing. We're going to see once Donald Trump starts to address himself to it more, the big Point that I want to make is that this is really about how the ACA or Obamacare is used. The Democrats want to extend Covid era subsidies, and it just seems to me strange to believe what we're. We're more than a decade and a half into this experience, and I just do not think that Obamacare has been a success. I think that it has broken a lot of things in our healthcare. Despite having very good intentions, it has not made healthcare generally more affordable. Instead, we see prices continuing to climb. So I am very concerned that if our answer to the shutdown is to just extend subsidies further, that this thing is only going to continue to grow and grow. The second thing that I want to say is that I just think that it's untenable to continue to govern by shutdown. And we have been doing this continually for a long time as we have less and less budget discipline. And I really wish that the House and the Senate would address themselves to figuring out how to get past government by shutdown.

[B]

Why do you think that it's untenable, Hunter? I mean, it just seems that the appetite for spending is a bipartisan thing. Or do you have some scenarios you think might bring an end to this faster?

[E]

Well, it's a good question. I mean, we have seen the percentage of government spending relative to the overall size of the economy continue to grow. Eventually that becomes unsustainable. Eventually, you know, that which cannot go on. My friend Glenn Reynolds likes to say eventually won't. I think that we will eventually hit kind of an unsustainable point. You know, look, I know that we're very far away from being Mexico or Greece or something like that, but eventually you work yourself into that kind of a standpoint. I want the United States to be a place with sound policy and sound money for my children, if not for me. And so that's why I think that the government needs to address itself to this.

[A]

Well, moving to a couple of state level races, an area where Democrats are under pressure. Hunter, The Virginia governor's race in an off year. The party out of power generally does better, but recent polls are surprising here. Democrat Congress woman Abigail Spanberger's lead has dwindled to just a couple of points ahead of Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears. In the Attorney General race, it's worse for Democrats. GOP incumbent Jason Mearez is now six points up over Democrat Jay Jones after months of being behind. The reversal of fortune coming, of course, just on the heels of that text scandal we talked about last week. Hunter early voting started in September, and it's not over till ballots are counted. But what are you seeing here, Hunter?

[E]

Well, I think that we're seeing that Winsome Sears may have a chance. I mean, this text scandal has been really big. It has gotten a lot of people's attention, and it reminds people of some of the more extreme impulses that are kind of generated by the political left in the US where you have these sort of violent fantasies about killing opponents or their children. And no, it wasn't Abigail Spanberger who said these things or texted these things, but her most prominent tagline of this entire campaign has been let your rage fuel you. Well, that's a bad tagline right now with this particular scandal. And so some people are starting to reconsider, and it'll be very interesting to see if this ends up being a lot closer than it seemed to be or if Sears even manages to win somehow.

[B]

So, Hunter, did you see the debate where Winsome Sears really went after Spanberger and she just sat there stone faced, wouldn't look back, wouldn't respond. That looked just like a live taping of a TV commercial. I wonder if that's not part of it.

[E]

I've seen those clips, and I think that Spanberger feels caught in this thing. I think that she feels like, look, I'm not the one who said this. I'm not the one who created this issue, and I resent having to address it. And I think that she further does not want to anger her allies on the left by going after the attorney general candidate. And so I think that she feels like it's a lose lose situation. And so she's just trying to ride it out.

[A]

Well, moving north to New Jersey, Hunter, any thoughts on the startling accusations coming out of the governor's race there? So the New York Times reports Democratic nominee Mikey Sherrill is accusing her Republican opponent Jack Ciatarelli of spreading misinformation about opioids via a medical publication he owned until 2017. Here's part of what Sheryl said during a debate last week and only a part tens of thousands here, as you published misinformation. As you got more people addicted, we won't play the rest. Because for his part, Cittarelli flatly denies the claims and says he plans to file a defamation suit over it. And honestly, it's a reck is not verifiable and we're not putting it on the air. But this is billed as a race to watch in terms of whether Republicans will come out when Trump isn't on the ballot. So what do you make of this sudden turn in tone in New Jersey?

[E]

Well, I think it's a desperate accusation. Of course, I had to read it and check it out. And I think that almost no responsible person would make an accusation of this type. In the context of a political campaign, you're very free to make these sort of claims and without really get into legal danger here we have it happening from Sheryl. But I just think that it may indicate that the Sheryl campaign thinks this race is closer than we have typically thought it is. So it'll be interesting to see. I mean, every now and then, you know, you have a Republican who manages to win or even to become very successful in New Jersey. And so maybe there's a little bit of a wave happening here.

[B]

Well, obviously this week, Hunter, we saw a ceasefire in Gaza. We saw the release of Israeli hostages in the deal brokered by President Trump.

[C]

Thank you, Trump. Thank you, Trump.

[B]

And there you hear crowds in Tel Aviv chanting thanks to him for his work on that deal. But no recognition from the Nobel Committee. They gave the award instead to the opposition leader in Venezuela, Maria Carina Machado. So, Hunter, do you think that Trump will eventually get that kind of recognition, however grudging?

[E]

I don't know. If people recall, when Barack Obama became president in 2008, he was named the Nobel Peace Prize winner about five minutes later. And that was a case where he was the kind of person that the committee really likes. Right. You know, sort of an ideal, sort of a choice. In this case. He may still have that prize coming if, if things hold up in the Middle east for another year or so. He may be the kind of person who just has to get an award at that point. But recognizing Machado from Venezuela is still a pretty big deal. Yeah, you know, you have had kind of a left wing dictator, the successor of Hugo Chavez, who literally was not allowed to run in the last election. For her to get the recognition is pretty important. This shows a judgment against that dictatorial regime in Venezuela that I think is very positive. And I think that Donald Trump, if he can't have the award himself, he probably feels pretty good about this choice. And when the committee does this kind of thing, I think about when they chose somebody like Alexander Solzhenitsyn in the Soviet Union, you know, it showed a judgment against the Soviet Union. And I see this award the same way.

[A]

Well, one more story of the week. The media meltdown over new Pentagon press rules. Here's Secretary of War Pete Hegseth with Fox News's Peter Doocy. At the Air Force at Navy football game on the 4th.

[B]

We're setting clear rules at the Pentagon. We're not playing games. We're not allowing everybody to roam around the building.

[E]

You know, that was policy before Peter.

[A]

We're making the rules more like you.

[D]

Might say the White House.

[E]

Can you roam the White House wherever you want?

[C]

Typically not without getting a secret service.

[B]

Guy up in my grill.

[D]

We're just normalizing it now.

[A]

Hard pass holders will have less free access inside the Pentagon and military officials will require sign off from the top to share even unclassified information. And a growing number of outlets are refusing to sign this. They have until 5pm Wednesday to sign on or turn in their badges. And that stack of badges could be big. Yesterday, Fox News joined abc, NBC, cbs, cnn and even Newsmax declining to follow the new rules. So far, only one outlet, one voice America, has signed on. Hunter, is this a tempest in a teapot or could press freedoms really be at stake here?

[E]

It just makes a certain amount of sense to me that access should be tightly controlled inside the Pentagon. I just think that it should not be the same as walking around the halls of Congress or other parts of our government. And so from my perspective, I do think that it is common sensical to maybe regulate that more closely and to have more precautions that are taken.

[B]

All right. Hunter Baker is a political scientist and provost at North Greenville University. Hunter, thanks so much. We'll see you next week.

[E]

Thank you.

[D]

Additional support comes from the masters university equipping students for lives of faithfulness to the master Jesus Christ masters Eduardo from Dort University where pre med students gain knowledge through undergraduate research and hone skills.

[C]

Through hands on simulations.

[D]

Dort Edu and from his words abiding in you a podcast where listeners memorize bible verses in each episode. His words abiding in you on all podcast apps.

[A]

Up next, a world tour special report from El Salvador. The country was once overrun by gangs and violent crime. After a massacre in 2022, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele invoked a series of emergency powers that allowed him to restore order in the country.

[B]

But some Salvadorans expect Bukele's iron fist is here to stay after more than three years of martial law and the recent removal of term limits. World Latin America associate correspondent Carlos Paez has the story.

[F]

His fans call him a hero. His foes call him a tyrant. But the self proclaimed world's coolest dictator seems happy to claim both. At an address to the nation in June, Salvadoran president naive Bukele said the most Important thing he's called to do is ensure the nation's safety. El Salvador went from being the murder capital of the world 10 years ago to one of the safest Latin American countries by 2024, Bukele's fifth year in office. Last year, he secured his re election with a landslide victory. Despite arresting 85,000 civilians during his tenure, his approval rating among Salvadorans remains well above 80%. But there's a darker side to the story. A report was issued this summer from Jose Simeon Canaas, Central America American University. It concluded that more than half of Salvadorans fear expressing their political views. In February, Salvadoran authorities began to detain political opponents under questionable allegations of corruption. And in July, Bukele's New Ideas party passed an amendment removing presidential term limits from the constitution. A spokesperson for the association of Salvadoran Journalists, known as Abis, told me that restrictions on free speech began as early as 2019, when the newly elected Bukele administration stopped sharing government information with the public. But hostilities against the press took a sharp turn three years later after Bukele invoked a state of emergency across the country. And under the state of emergency, and say, the punitive policies of the Salvadorian government, it is not possible to say that we journalists have any guarantees. And not only journalists, but human rights defenders have also denounced this, and lawyers, too. That judicial system is working against us. There is no guarantee of due process. Under the state of emergency, people gave up many of their civil liberties as the government tackled organized crime. Months later, El Salvador reached the highest incarceration rate per capita in the world. Videos showing thousands of gang members at El Salvador's terrorism confinement center, also known as Zakat, have gone viral since then. But even after soundly defeating the gangs, Bukele has continued to extend his emergency powers. According to the APIs monitoring center, verbal and physical assaults from state officials to Salvadoran journalists have more than doubled over the past two years. Here is their spokesperson. Once again, the same society that voted for this president for security issues has also bought into the narrative that journalists are enemies of the presidential administration. This narrative has been established, and when it comes from such a popular politician and from politicians who are experts at advertising themselves, it is very effective. Journalists are not the only ones facing political persecution. In May, authorities detained human rights attorney Ruth Lopez without an arrest warrant.

[B]

Around the same time, it became evident that there were units in the police.

[F]

That were being used to monitor, surveil, and harass journalists and human rights defenders in their homes. Noah Volok is the executive director of Cristo Sal, the leading advocacy group in El Salvador where Lopez used to work. Her first disappearance was just the beginning of political persecution against the rest of his legal team, now exiled in nearby Guatemala and Honduras. And so that kind of led us.

[B]

To feel like we had to choose.

[F]

Between exile or prison. And we decided that we were no.

[B]

Good to our colleagues who have been detained or to the victims that we accompany if we're also in jail. So we've decided to relocate the organization in order to continue our work.

[F]

Opposition leader Marcela Villacharo says that following the latest constitutional reforms, democracy in El Salvador has died. But the democratic backslide began long before this latest episode. Four years ago, Bukele's party replaced all Constitutional Court justices with loyalists. After winning a legislative super majority, his party cut the National Assembly's size by almost a third two years ago and passed the law in January, allowing easy changes to the constitution. Still, Vukele's mano dura, or hard hand policies, have gained support among other countries struggling with violence. In March, Vukele agreed to imprison Venezuelan immigrants deported from the U.S. costa Rica and Ecuador. Recently pledged to copy the Zakat prison model. However, Volek warns against surrendering basic freedoms for the promise of safety.

[B]

It is not true that democracy, that limited government, that rule of law isn't human rights themselves, are obstacles for government. So I think it's important for people.

[F]

To challenge those assumptions, to try and.

[B]

Understand that it's a false choice between what would be called supposedly the Bukele.

[F]

Maro or living in fear of gangs. Reporting for World Tour, I'm Carlos Baez.

[B]

Well, surely you've noticed Halloween decorations going up earlier, getting more expensive and more elaborate every year, turning front yards into creepy theme parks. From 12 foot skeletons and animatronic zombies to oversized front yard ornaments more appropriate as parade floats. All of which brings us to suburban Cleveland last week where Parma Heights police found themselves in hot pursuit of a decoration that had broken loose. A giant pumpkin rolling through the night.

[D]

We're currently struggling with it right now.

[F]

It's not.

[B]

Body cam video shows officers wrestling the blow up behemoth, trying to keep it from blowing away again. Finally, they did get it pinned down, let the air out of it, and stuffed it in the back of a squad car.

[F]

All right.

[E]

Yeah. Wow.

[F]

I've never seen that before.

[B]

Yep. And there you go. Halloween's hit peak absurdity when even police who've seen it all see something new. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Wednesday, October 15th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Nick Iker.

[A]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Coming next on the World and everything in it, helping the homeless. Last year, the US Supreme Court heard a case from Grants Pass, Oregon, that approved laws banning homeless encampments. Even so, tent cities remain there and in many other places. That's because the case resolved only a single legal question and not others.

[B]

No, it didn't. Nor did it deal with solutions to homelessness. That's a task left to those with boots on the ground. World's Jenny Ruff took a tour of the Gospel Rescue Mission in Grants Pass and has the story of the man behind the mission.

[C]

So this is Gilbert Creek.

[G]

Brian Bowteller walks down a muddy embankment by Gilbert Creek in Grants Pass, Oregon.

[C]

I've seen people in here pooping in buckets, people in here washing their laundry. I've seen people. I mean, we've come in here and just cleaned out countless bags of trash out of here.

[G]

He points to a small encampment in the trees.

[C]

If we go down there, we might find drug news. I wanted to walk over here first just to see what's safe. So watch your footing.

[B]

Look over here.

[C]

So this is a common hideout.

[G]

The spot is a stone's throw away from the Gospel Rescue Mission where Bow Teller serves as executive director. The Christian homeless shelter has 78 beds for men, 60 for women, women and children. Many are empty. Boteller invites those sleeping nearby to stay at the mission. Most refuse. One freezing cold morning, he saw two guys camped across the tracks.

[C]

I said, guys, and they're all bundled up in their little mummy bags. There's breakfast over there right now. I could smell you guys before I cross the railroad tracks. I mean, I can get you a shower. And they sat up in their mummy bags and they said, yeah, but we'd have to give up all this.

[G]

This meaning no responsibilities.

[C]

We get up whenever we want to. No one tells us what to do. I can smoke if I want to smoke. I can drink if I want to drink. I can do the things I want to do, and nobody tells me anything. And that's the life I want.

[G]

Boteller says to solve the problem of homelessness, it's important to understand the problem. He says the problem is not sleeping.

[C]

In parks, nobody's upset about sleeping. We're upset about vandalism and drug use and human victimization of other human beings and, you know, theft and all kinds of criminal behavior.

[G]

He categorizes the homeless into three groups.

[C]

People who can leave homelessness and want to people who can leave homelessness and don't want to. People who can't leave homelessness without some kind of subsidies.

[G]

Boteler says Christian ministries are great for those who want to leave the streets, for those who need subsidies. The Mission is currently building homes and he says Christians could do more here. But for those who can leave homelessness but don't want to, Bow Teller sees a real challenge. Handouts often make the challenge harder.

[C]

You know, all these people that want to go out and give sandwiches and medical care and tents and sleeping bags to people who are out in our parks living in the mud. Like, give them not homelessness, give them homefulness. Instead of just going, I'm going to make you comfortable in the mud. I mean, it's better than misery in the mud. But it's still not solving the problem.

[G]

When courts stop anti camping bans from taking effect, the challenge becomes harder still. That's because anti camping bans make homelessness difficult. So structure becomes more appealing. The Mission is a high barrier shelter. A resident has to stay sober. Is this confiscated alcohol?

[C]

Yes, three little bottles.

[E]

Syrah, Pinot Grigio.

[G]

Oh, it's in plastic bottles. That's interesting. Even cigarettes aren't allowed, though. The Mission helps with prescriptions and patches to curb cravings.

[C]

I don't think smoking's a sin, but if you're not paying your bills, if you're not taking care of your family, that's not the time for luxury. And so let's do this. Let's get you to where you're independent, making so much money that you actually have savings. And now you can afford luxury.

[G]

The most difficult rule for many, waking up at 5:30am if somebody's been living.

[C]

Out on the streets for any length of time, their sleep patterns are all broken up. They're up all night, they're sleeping during the day. I want them to start learning accountability. So they come down for, you know, roll call at 6. They have to get ready to be ready for chapel by seven. Ethan here.

[D]

Sean here.

[G]

If able residents work, Bowteller tries to match a person's talents with a job.

[C]

Well, this is Chris and Chris is our current chef du jour.

[A]

What are you making for dinner tonight?

[E]

It's gonna be a cream sauce with.

[A]

Ham and peas on shell.

[G]

The Mission helps residents set up a checking account, tackle outstanding debts like back child support and learn money management. Lights out at 10pm including electronics.

[C]

I want them to get back into a rhythm that is normative. And these are the kind of the little pieces of the routine that you and I are so used to doing that we don't think about them, but they do. They do a tremendous amount to add to just succeeding in life and doing well, and they add to our flourishing, boteller says.

[G]

It's incredible to watch a disoriented resident become oriented to a productive life.

[C]

If the creation mandate for mankind in some way was to take the chaos and make order out of it, well, here we're seeing that happen in their lives here. And even non Christians who come in and follow the program and even leave non Christian, they still are blessed by following a Christian way of life.

[G]

Critics frame his approach as cruel and coercive. Bowteller doesn't buy it. One in three residents leave the mission with a job and housing. Like Eric.

[F]

I came here as an alcoholic. I'd been divorced, lost my job. I didn't have a penny to my name.

[G]

I don't think he got clean, got married, bought a house, became a dad. And today his message to others is, why not give the mission a try?

[F]

Why not? What have you got to lose? The streets will always be there, you know?

[G]

Boteller says residents like Eric, willing to do the work, become contributors to the community. Meanwhile, Bow Teller continues his work too, work that avoids enabling while embracing effective compassion. Reporting for World I'm Jenny Ruff in Grants Pass, Oregon.

[A]

Today is Wednesday, October 15th. Good morning, this is the World and everything in it from Listener Supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[B]

And I'm Nick Eicher. There's a lot of talk right now about the next generation of Christian leaders, but world commentator Janie B. Cheney says there's something the church needs even more.

[H]

Revival is in the air. We've been praying for it and hope that the movement of younger generations toward God and the church is more than a short term fad. Good leadership may help determine its staying power. We need strength, vision, wisdom, perceptiveness. And with all that humility, does your local church have such a stellar individual? Yes, it does. Her head. Well, sure, you might say Christ the head is perfect. But who's going to fill the pulpit, minister with patience and set our direction? Get real. But who's more real than Christ? And what's easier to forget than that we are all his followers, even our leaders. While the training, nurturing and appointing of good leadership is vital, it's equally important to learn the principles of good followership. We are rightly wary of blind following after so many churches and Christian movements have derailed on false leadership. Give a charismatic man a platform. It'll go straight to his head, put unquestioned power in his hand. It becomes a weapon. Remember Jim Jones and other less extreme examples who abused their disciples trust Blind following is what happens when personal autonomy is overrun or will is flattened, or when we don't care enough to be vigilant. But followership is a virtue built on other virtues. It's positive, not negative, active, not passive. And it knows or learns where to draw the line. What are those virtues? For one thing, wise submission. Not subjecting to someone's whim, but humbling oneself under the mighty hand of God who ordains authorities. Those authorities will not always be right. Neither will we. But where they do not compel outright disobedience to God's Word, our first consideration should be what would Christ, my ultimate leader, have me do? Resist or submit? Another virtue. Gratitude. Last week's sermon may not have been stellar, but there were good reminders in it. I questioned the Bible teacher's main point, but it made me think. When I doubt a leader's decision, the question is not what can I tolerate? But what would Christ have me do? Complain or commend? Followership is the practical application of service. We call ourselves servants of God, but when it comes to serving Elder Jones well, does God know the man's tendency to voice half considered political opinions or his shame? Shaky views on the doctrine of reprobation. Peter held a shaky view of the atonement when his master knelt to wash his feet. That example and the command that they serve one another was based on nothing but that they all claimed to serve him. Finally, good followership relies on trust in the head, not the man. If we are in Christ, we can trust his grace to cover honest mistakes. If our leaders take a wrong turn, he can correct them. Even if we throw away some good years following the wrong man, we can refocus on the perfect man who creates good from evil. That's his specialty if we trust him. Welcoming new believers into the church means modeling good followership. There is a time to speak up and a time to shut up. God will supply wisdom to discern when to do which. But the first question remains. What would he have us do? Follow Him. I'm Janie Buchaney.

[A]

Tomorrow, IVF is not the only alternative. For those struggling with fertility, we have a report on other options. And one family shows what it means to truly rely on a service dog. That and more tomorrow. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[B]

And I'm Nick Eicher. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires. The psalmist writes, let the sea roar and all that fills it, the world and all those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity. Psalm, chapter 98, verses 7 through 9 go now in grace and peace.