Blood on the dance floor..

I'm sure you were deeply saddened with the passing of Michael Jackson, as was I. If you haven't had the opportunity, watch the memorial video. It was very sweet and of course covers the classics. Motown founder, Barry Gordy, even named MJ as the greatest entertainer ever lived. That's quite the compliment.

Also, check out this video from Stockholm my brother-in-law shared with me:



...Rest In Peace...

Returning once again (Lord willing)

Poverty is widespread. Nothing we’ve been told or shown allows us to believe any differently. We “hear” about poverty, but where do we really experience it? We see men and women both young and old on street corners with signs asking for money and many different thoughts run through our heads: “Do they really need help?” “What are they going to do with my money? Drink? Eat? Buy drugs?”

What we see as poverty in the US is incomparable to poverty in third world countries. Something intrinsically breaks you inside when you witness extreme poverty. The question of ill-intent leaves you and you’re left piecing back together your broken heart. Responsibility for the crises consume you. What’s the cause? Who’s to blame? When will it end? How will we end it? Who will help? Is it too much to bear?

... Imagine what Jesus must have thought on his road to the cross…

Walk with me down a red dirt road full of ruts and newly formed potholes, reminders of last year’s rains and what is to come. Pass through the market place where rotting meat of malnourished animals hang on hooks, suitable only for the flies that adorn the flesh with hungry attention. Divert your eyes to the many booths where shoppers barter for food, clothing and plastic shoes, the bare necessities of life. Go a bit further and pass huts and houses, some glorious and others not suitable as a prison cell. Pass the basic brick school house and see students fortunate enough to have their fees paid for a basic education that has insurmountable personal costs compared to their western counterparts.

Outside of those four wall see the children in rags, if anything at all, too shy to look you in the eye without running away. Walk further still and you’ll experience the beauty of Africa, the lush trees and bushes, the bricks drying in the sun, foundations for new homes, and you’ll find your way to Seeta Adventure Village. Be greeted by 850 orphans overjoyed at your presence. Where there was once turmoil, they have been given peace. Where there was once sorrow they have been filled with joy. Where despair was all they knew they have a new found hope. All given by our faith lived out in action.

Play soccer, dance, sing and be relational. Hold the precious hand of a stranger and hear his/her stories…
...the 13-year-old boy who witnessed his father’s murder in the middle of the night by a bill collector…
...the 10-year-old girl who was left alone with her dying baby sister and later chased away from her home, deemed responsible for her sister’s death…
…Feel the young kids chests heave in and out while they’re sobbing in agony, wishing for their last breath, because they cannot understand their past life at the Internally Displaced Persons camp or fathom that they were capable of the forced killing they endured as child soldiers...
...Or see those who bare the marks of being branded like cattle, made property by the Lord’s Resistance Army…

What we don’t experience we have a hard time believing. The bottom line is children are precious all over the world. Respond where you are called. Not all who care have the ability to go. Are you called to give your time in prayer or your treasure to help those in need?

“’What is to be said of the character of people who, having the power to end all this, permit it to continue?’”1

I am traveling to Uganda with Abundant Life Church July 14th-Aug. 5th to expand our water project to reach the whole village, install electricity, create a playground and most importantly love on orphans and the people I come in contact with. My heart in the matter is to bring hope and the love of Christ to people who don’t experience love in all His glory. Abundant Life Church and other sponsors are generously providing funds for our projects. It is my responsibility to raise $3600 in support to cover the costs for my three weeks in Uganda. I am sending this letter to you because I am seeking prayer as well as financial support for this mission. Although financial support is very helpful, the thing I need most for the mission is prayer. If you are able to give go to Delta Ministries' Website or ask me for a response card that you can fill out to indicate the support you will be providing, and return it to Delta Ministries International. Any gift is tax deductible.

Thank you so much for your support. I am excited for this trip and what God has in store for me in Uganda. I look forward to sharing my
experience with you upon my return.

One of the many reasons I am not a fan of war

This really upsets me.

Economic Policy

This news post has to be on its own because I have a lot to say about it.

Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee, plans to unveil a new 'pension and
family security' plan while campaigning in the Pennsylvania on Tuesday. According to an outline of his proposal released by the McCain campaign, it is aimed at seniors, workers and homeowners – 'those who are currently hurting the most' due to the ongoing fiscal crisis.

I'm curious as to how "seniors, workers, and homeowners" are the groups of people who are "currently hurting the most". I'm appalled that there hasn't been much talk of anyone living at or below the poverty line. Do politicians honestly believe that this downward turn in the economy doesn't effect them adversly as well? Or do you have to have money to be effected?

They may not be politically active in the sense of engaging in politics as most Americans see fit, but they will engage in their own form of politics if things go completely against them. I'm not too sure I would like to see a recap of the Watts Riots of '65 or the LA Riots of '92... History repeats itself when we don't learn from it.... And hey, that was only California.

Worthy News Posts

Every morning I come into the office early to catch up on the news because I don't have time to do it during the day. This is what I found that alarmed me or made me smile in some odd fashion:

1. Woohoo for Oregon beers!
2. I would probably vote republican if Colin Powell ran for president.
3. I wonder what Michael Scott would do to get a date with Sarah Palin while she's in Scranton. (Man I miss the office!)
4. This excites me so much! The last group in Uganda to practice female circumcision finally banned it!

When will it end?

"...And a little child will lead them."
(Isaiah 11:6)

As if 20 years of war isn't enough, now involving three different countries the LRA strikes again. This breaks my heart so, so much.

After being in northern Uganda and spending time with children who have experienced the death of their parents and being child soldiers themselves, I can't imagine why this is still happening. I hate that life is taken for granted like a sick game...

I know that I don't have a complete grasp of their culture, but I still don't understand how children can have their innocence stolen and made to do things that most people would never dream of: killing (both partaking and watching), ravishing, raping, taking drugs, maiming. It's just so cruel...

And it's funny that both sides think that they are right, that they should win, but in all reality, everyone loses.

Fashion Police

You may expect something like this to happen in a third world country where modesty reigns supreme, but what do you think when something similar takes place in Florida?

Rwanda, Rwanda

Finally a country that's making some progress.

Please note this:
"'The problems of women are understood much better, much better by women themselves,' voter Anne Kayitesi told the BBC's Focus on Africa. 'You see men, especially in our culture, men used to think that women are there to be in the house, cook food, look after the children... but the real problems of a family are known by a woman and when they do it, they help a country to get much better.'"

Does anyone see the power and the conflict in that quote?

Why it pays to "Go Green"

I love that this is an Oregon-based company. We will forever be an environmentally conscious state. Read how Kettle is saving money, and not to mention the environment.

Articles worth reading

I spent some time reading news online today and I came across these two articles that are of interest.

1. Haiti is the poorest nation in the world and now 1,000,000 people are homeless because of Hurricane Ike.

2.Raja Petra Kamarudin has been detained in Malaysia because he wrote against Islam on his blog.

It seems that the same issues are rising all over the world. What will be done to fix them?