I'm just thinking of all the good things that have happened the past few days. Jeff and I were traveling this weekend to speak at a couple of our supporting churches in Central Oregon. We stopped in The Dalles for dinner Saturday night. I had researched on line and found a Mexican Restaurant that offered vegetarian food. So we stopped in at Casa El Mirador about 5 p.m. and were greeted by a 12 man Mexican troubadour playing and seranading those dining as it was the restaurant's 15th Anniversary. These musicians were dressed in their full Mexican glory and sang and played their trumpets, guitars and violins as if they were in a stadium. It was great fun if not a bit over the top for us as we had no clue what we were walking into:)
Then Sunday morning at a very old, traditional Baptist church during the worship time it was a truly pleasant surprise to hear one of the worshipers sitting in a pew behind me break out whistling with the pianist as she played "It Is Well With My Soul" during the offeratory. I had never before heard anyone so overcome with that kind of joy that they just had to whistle along:)
Last night we were having dinner with a single woman who had sought us out as she needed an older couple in her life just to come alongside and walk with her. We've been in home community with her before but had never taken time to really get to know her. We chose an Ethiopian Restaurant near where she worked so when the young Ethiopian waiter came to take our order Jeff told him that we all had been in Africa and were familiar with Ethiopian food. The next thing we knew the young waiter's father, I believe, came to our table to chat about Africa. Throughout our evening of getting to know our young friend's story, which has been very intense, the gray haired father would stop by our table to chat more about his homeland. Of course, he had no idea that we were having this intense conversation. He just wanted to talk with people who have been where he came from and who can relate to sitting under the stars at his father's feet (wrapped in his father's blanket) looking at the incredible star spangled African sky. It made for a very enriching evening both being honored by a young friend who wants to share her life with us and the Ethiopian gentleman who longs for friends who know where he's coming from.
Today we're rejoicing because Erin Carkner, who was with us in Adjumani, has finally got a job. Catholic Charities has wisely taken her back in a position which she will fill beautifully.
And the day's kicker is on a lark I went to Goodwill to see if I could find an office chair which would be kinder to my back than the leather director's chair I've been using. I could hardly believe it that there was a darling leather chair on sturdy castor type wheels that fits me perfectly at a reduced price of $15 and when I got my Club discount it cost me all of $13.49.
I love it! Life is truly sweet.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
EXERCISING MY PREROGATIVE
I've heard it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Well, I am exercising my prerogative and have decided to keep the Sudanpartnership blog and also write to this blogspot, as well.
I find my heart continues to turn to Africa, especially Sudan and Northern Uganda so I plan to keep posting to my initial blog those things that spark my heart. Keeping this blog, I plan to post more of my own personal thoughts and happenings here.
Today Jeff and I are going to lunch with one of my old friends from Colton. She is one of those broken people that I love loving on. Unfortunately, it isn't as easy for Jeff. But she and her husband want to take us out to Sweet Tomato and have expressed interest about hearing about my recent trip to Uganda. So we're going to take the laptop and show them some video and photos. It should be fun as we love talking about "our stuff". I love making my friend laugh and I love her husband who often makes me laugh. I'm hoping that Jeff will enjoy this outing, as well, as we love on these old folks.
I find my heart continues to turn to Africa, especially Sudan and Northern Uganda so I plan to keep posting to my initial blog those things that spark my heart. Keeping this blog, I plan to post more of my own personal thoughts and happenings here.
Today Jeff and I are going to lunch with one of my old friends from Colton. She is one of those broken people that I love loving on. Unfortunately, it isn't as easy for Jeff. But she and her husband want to take us out to Sweet Tomato and have expressed interest about hearing about my recent trip to Uganda. So we're going to take the laptop and show them some video and photos. It should be fun as we love talking about "our stuff". I love making my friend laugh and I love her husband who often makes me laugh. I'm hoping that Jeff will enjoy this outing, as well, as we love on these old folks.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
KIDNAPPED
Pray with me for the release of the two women who are victims of the ongoing mess in Darfur.
Kidnappers want $2 mln for Darfur aid workers
Kidnappers want $2 mln for Darfur aid workers
Source: Reuters
KHARTOUM, July 14 (Reuters) - Kidnappers of two female aid workers in Sudan's Darfur region have demanded $2 million for their release, but the government is determined not to pay, a minister said on Tuesday. The two workers for Irish aid group GOAL were seized by armed men on July 3 from their base in the north Darfur town of Kutum -- the third abduction of foreign humanitarian staff in the region in four months. "The kidnappers are asking for $2 million. But our policy is not to pay ransom. We feel that would encourage others to do the same," said state minister for humanitarian affairs Abdel Baqi al-Jailani. The minister said Darfur officials were using local leaders to negotiate with the kidnappers, adding he was still expecting a positive outcome. "Our main priority remains the safety of the two women," he told Reuters. Irish negotiators and government officials have sent teams to Khartoum and El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, to help free the women, named by GOAL as Hilda Kawuki, 42, from Uganda, and Sharon Commins, 32, from Dublin. Two groups of foreign aid workers kidnapped in Darfur earlier this year were released unharmed after a period of negotiation. A group calling itself the Eagles of Bashir said it seized staff from the Belgian arm of Medecins Sans Frontieres in north Darfur in March to protest against the International Criminal Court's decision to issue an arrest warrant for Sudan's president Omar Hassan al-Bashir, to face charges of human rights abuses in the region. Bashir has dismissed the allegations. Another group, calling itself the Freedom Eagles of Africa, said it abducted staff from Aide Medicale Internationale in south Darfur in April to demand Paris retry members of Zoe's Ark, a French humanitarian group, convicted but later pardoned over the abduction of children from Chad. The six-year Darfur conflict has pitted pro-government militias and troops against mostly non-Arab rebels, who took up arms in 2003, accusing Khartoum of neglecting the region. Estimates of the death toll range from 10,000 according to Khartoum, to 300,000 according to U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes. The minister said reports in Sudanese state media the abductors were asking for $200 million were incorrect. (Reporting by Andrew Heavens; Editing by Giles Elgood)
Also pray with me for Kim Davey, from Imago Dei Community, recently evacuated with her missionary team from Didinga Hills in Sudan after their leader was abducted (later released) and the team threatened. After much prayer they have decided not to return. Pray for continued peace and redirection as Kim wants to remain in Africa in a yet to be determined ministry.
Also pray with me for Kim Davey, from Imago Dei Community, recently evacuated with her missionary team from Didinga Hills in Sudan after their leader was abducted (later released) and the team threatened. After much prayer they have decided not to return. Pray for continued peace and redirection as Kim wants to remain in Africa in a yet to be determined ministry.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
UGANDA EDITORIAL
A recent "Christian" crusade in Uganda generated the following commentary I read in the Ugandan New Vision today. A little piece of reality.
THE screaming headline, Benny Hinn lost sh4b in Uganda published on Thursday, shocked me. It was like shouting "FIRE" in a crowded prison cell.
I don't mean to condemn anyone because I believe everyone is entitled to their beliefs, but it is rather strange for someone to tell me that Benny Hinn sunk billions in these crusades when he toured Uganda and expected a profit!
Tell me, did Benny Hinn and his colleagues sit down and come up with a business plan to make money from Uganda, DRC and South Africa, in the guise of preaching? Was it preaching or the money, or both? Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Had Benny Hinn carried food relief and donated to Karamoja, had he brought boxes of Tami flu to fight an impending H1N1 pandemic, had he donated mosquito nets to pregnant women, had he sunk billions of shillings to promote his crusades, I would think otherwise.
Crucially, if we knew that this was purely a money making venture, we would probably understand. But I simply do not understand how Christians are being taken for granted by people with ulterior motives. Never has there been a time where we've seen a complete exploitation of the terms offering and tithe like we are seeing these days, especially by globe-trotting, private jet evangelists.
The problem is, many spiritually believe in these evangelists and are torn apart by countervailing forces, their emotions only as authentic and sincerely felt as their reflexive irony allows them to be. They are invested yet detached, a paradoxical result of being both over-informed and essentially powerless.
Each and every day, new Christians
are pulled, kicking and squealing, into the fray. If life was a tradeable commodity, its market value would be at a historic low, with the bottom a long way down. But like sheep, folks still respond in numbers.
When a pastor was quoted as saying without skipping a beat that, "These days it is hard to get free things" in response to questions about charging entry fees for a sermon, that sound you heard, was a cock crowing three times except backwards. The poor flock was disowned of all the nerve, for money!
As if this wasn't enough, Benny Hinn pushed the envelope talk further when he was quoted as saying, "Most people are poor in Africa and it affected the recent crusade" (read: affected sales). To me this sounded like evangelical speak, but with an alcoholic delivery.
I just sat with my mouth agape. Did I read right? Benny Hinn should be ashamed to be talking cash flow instead of how many hearts and souls got converted.
Benny Hinn and his type should come to Africa, to practically help that needy child in an IDP's camp, to help that mother that would do with surgical gauze and gloves in a clinic in Busiro, to help feed those 190 plus HIV-infected children at Keep a Child Alive in Namuwongo.
Uganda needs practical deeds, not people who come and talk while beaming back to an international television audience, all talk no action and worry about the top line and bottom line revenues. And the flock should wake up and stop being manipulated like sheep. It amazes me that these followers are so vulnerable! How about a soldier in downtown Mogadishu? Wake up people.
Instead of preaching to convert that one soul, evangelists are thinking about the numbers and pockets. It is like we are going through a species-wide correction with evangelists changing the true values of preaching.
Help me God before an ATM is installed in my church!
Was it preaching, money or both?
New Vision
Publication date: Friday, 3rd July, 2009
By Patrick OyuluTHE screaming headline, Benny Hinn lost sh4b in Uganda published on Thursday, shocked me. It was like shouting "FIRE" in a crowded prison cell.
I don't mean to condemn anyone because I believe everyone is entitled to their beliefs, but it is rather strange for someone to tell me that Benny Hinn sunk billions in these crusades when he toured Uganda and expected a profit!
Tell me, did Benny Hinn and his colleagues sit down and come up with a business plan to make money from Uganda, DRC and South Africa, in the guise of preaching? Was it preaching or the money, or both? Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Had Benny Hinn carried food relief and donated to Karamoja, had he brought boxes of Tami flu to fight an impending H1N1 pandemic, had he donated mosquito nets to pregnant women, had he sunk billions of shillings to promote his crusades, I would think otherwise.
Crucially, if we knew that this was purely a money making venture, we would probably understand. But I simply do not understand how Christians are being taken for granted by people with ulterior motives. Never has there been a time where we've seen a complete exploitation of the terms offering and tithe like we are seeing these days, especially by globe-trotting, private jet evangelists.
The problem is, many spiritually believe in these evangelists and are torn apart by countervailing forces, their emotions only as authentic and sincerely felt as their reflexive irony allows them to be. They are invested yet detached, a paradoxical result of being both over-informed and essentially powerless.
Each and every day, new Christians
are pulled, kicking and squealing, into the fray. If life was a tradeable commodity, its market value would be at a historic low, with the bottom a long way down. But like sheep, folks still respond in numbers.
When a pastor was quoted as saying without skipping a beat that, "These days it is hard to get free things" in response to questions about charging entry fees for a sermon, that sound you heard, was a cock crowing three times except backwards. The poor flock was disowned of all the nerve, for money!
As if this wasn't enough, Benny Hinn pushed the envelope talk further when he was quoted as saying, "Most people are poor in Africa and it affected the recent crusade" (read: affected sales). To me this sounded like evangelical speak, but with an alcoholic delivery.
I just sat with my mouth agape. Did I read right? Benny Hinn should be ashamed to be talking cash flow instead of how many hearts and souls got converted.
Benny Hinn and his type should come to Africa, to practically help that needy child in an IDP's camp, to help that mother that would do with surgical gauze and gloves in a clinic in Busiro, to help feed those 190 plus HIV-infected children at Keep a Child Alive in Namuwongo.
Uganda needs practical deeds, not people who come and talk while beaming back to an international television audience, all talk no action and worry about the top line and bottom line revenues. And the flock should wake up and stop being manipulated like sheep. It amazes me that these followers are so vulnerable! How about a soldier in downtown Mogadishu? Wake up people.
Instead of preaching to convert that one soul, evangelists are thinking about the numbers and pockets. It is like we are going through a species-wide correction with evangelists changing the true values of preaching.
Help me God before an ATM is installed in my church!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
SURPRISED
Life in the USA is such a mixed bag. Sometimes it scatters my mind and other times gives me such joy.
Jeff and I went to a Timber's soccor game last night with our kids. Great fun as the Timbers faced off with the Seattle Sounders! Over 16,000 of us turned out for the big game. I was so surprised by the tears that flowed down my cheeks when the National Anthem was sung as all 16,000+ of us stood and the Timber's Army sang along. Surprised at my emotion. Surprised, as I don't think of myself as a great patriot, but very grateful for our freedom. Surprised by tears of joy being close to sons and daughters to do life with them in the venues that flavor their lives. Surprised by the birth of a new passion for a small town team being born into MLS. The Army's fervor is contagious and great fun!
Jeff and I went to a Timber's soccor game last night with our kids. Great fun as the Timbers faced off with the Seattle Sounders! Over 16,000 of us turned out for the big game. I was so surprised by the tears that flowed down my cheeks when the National Anthem was sung as all 16,000+ of us stood and the Timber's Army sang along. Surprised at my emotion. Surprised, as I don't think of myself as a great patriot, but very grateful for our freedom. Surprised by tears of joy being close to sons and daughters to do life with them in the venues that flavor their lives. Surprised by the birth of a new passion for a small town team being born into MLS. The Army's fervor is contagious and great fun!
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