30
today is all you’ve got.
Today was a weighty day for me. I get days like these once in a while when I slow down and quiet down enough to think…and listen.
I was reminded of the thoughts of Paul Vitz that I have quoted before. Particularly the following quote:
I believe that Christianity is in trouble, not because its beliefs are dead, but because it does not offer its ideal of heroic sainthood as an immediate, personal one to be lived by believers. In a perverse way, the churches have turned their backs both on the miraculousness of Creation and the need to do something heroic in this world.
I think his point is so important and I sometimes find myself in this conflict. Its hard to talk about this without giving the wrong impression. I don’t think this tendency of the Church is intentional (for the most part). I also don’t consider what we are planning to do to be particularly ‘heroic’. But, I do occasionally feel within myself a hesitation and wonder what the cause of it is. read more
26
filtering the Nile
At the beginning of this year, two fellow SIM missionaries moved to Thangrial, Sudan. They are both single ladies, one of whom Ginna and I met when she was in our same orientation class. Currently they are living in safari tents at a time when temperatures are consistently well above 100 degrees. One of the projects they are working on is helping the people in and around Thangrial filter their water rather than use it straight out of the Nile.
Thangrial is just north of Malakal and has a dirt airstrip right on the bank of the Nile. It is one of the villages I will be flying into within the next year, Lord willing. These projects (and others) continue to make a life or death difference in tiny villages around Upper Nile and Blue Nile states.
24
boycott beijing 2008.
China has demonstrated it is unconcerned with what the rest of the world thinks of its political and economic dealings. The Chinese government continues to be the sole provider of financial and even arms support to a Sudanese government that is systematically killing its people.
Financial threats won’t work. Military threats would be ridiculous. The only threat that has caused China to at least give lip service to the idea of pressuring Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir was the idea of an international boycott of the 2008 Summer Games. read more
22
home at last!
After four long weeks in Idaho, I am soooo glad to be able to spend the long Easter weekend with my family!
Liam has grown so much since I have been gone, its crazy! He is jabbering, working on crawling and is sporting some long fuzzy hair. Here is a picture we took of him yesterday in his NASCAR pose.
15
spacesuits
nate’s secret life goal: become the third member of Daft Punk.
(I could have my spacesuit by next week!)
