Rage Against Poverty

Seems to me there’s something seriously skewed with Christian thinking when a facebook group like Christian Aid has less than 4,000 fans but a Christian music download campaign gets more than 66,000 people on board.

So I’ve set a new facebook group for anyone who wants to become a Real History Maker: imagine the impact of a million people clubbing together to support Christian Aid by donating £1 each: join today, donate £1 to Christian Aid and spread the word!

• Let’s be Real History Makers: A Million People to give £1 to Christian Aid
• Christian Aid Official facebook page

history makers - the single

Invade the airwaves are a team with a mission- bringing together Christian social networking capital to put a song right at the top of the charts for Easter. That song is ‘history maker’ the Delirious? anthem that ‘refuses to die’ according to Martin Smith, interviewed on Radio 5live yesterday. Some have questioned the tactics; that orchestrating such a campaign is somehow unfair to other songs with massive marketing budgets. But given that the mainstream media were never that friendly to Delirious? and that this is a fans’ initiative that has ‘taken us by surprise’ I’m not convinced by those mutterings. Furthermore, the proceeds of the single are being given away to the charities nominated through CompassionArt- the charity founded by Martin and Anna Smith during the final days of Delirious?

But it was one comment quoted on the Church Times blog that grabbed my attention. It said that what they found objectionable was a room full of people singing ‘I’m gonna be a history maker in this land’ when in fact ‘it’s unlikely that even one of them would be’. Leaving aside the fact that what God considers history making may be very different from our perspective, I’m convinced travelling the length and breadth of the country that there is a younger generation coming through who will be making a significant difference in this society. They have rejected the passive navel-gazing faith that many of us sought comfort in in years gone by. Instead, perhaps due to the challenge of a more hostile cultural climate, they are developing a backbone to stand out for kingdom values in the market place. They want to become ‘speakers of truth to all mankind’ and it’s up to us to support them with all we’ve got. If we’re passionate about challenging injustice, then it’s time to stop sniping from the sidelines and get involved. Cynicism is the hope-crusher but love will find a way. And investing 49p or more maybe a very good way to start.

to download History Makers – The single follow the links at invade the airwaves

to find out about the charities already benefiting from CompassionArt click here

to discover more about a training programme in public policy for graduates click here

I’m sure you’ve heard of Bill Gates. I’m sure you know how much money he has (he’s 54 and worth $50 billion!). Do you know how many degrees this guy’s without sweat? 7 honorary doctorates! He scored 1590 out of 1600 on the SAT, equivalent to scoring an IQ of 170, won so many awards including the prestigious Time’s most influential people of the year. No doubt, Bill Gates is one of the richest and smartest in the world.

But contrary to common belief, the richer Bill gets, the more he gives. Wow! Bill contributed more than 20 billion dollars to his charity foundation to aid third world countries in developing education, healthcare and agriculture. Today, he’s not only given his wealth, he’s also contributing his time and energy in the foundation. Now, if he could run a company so successfully, chances are he will deliver the same results in his charity foundation.

Third world countries should be very happy that Bill has entered the world of philantrophy. Today, the Gates Foundation has dedicated $ 10 billion to fight illneses like AIDS. This amount is estimated to save 9 million lives! The money will be spent in vaccines for AIDS, tuberculosis, rota virus and pneumonia.

Can you imagine having just 5 Bill Gates? I’m sure there are smart and rich people out there driving around in their lambos, aston martins, and relaxing in their beachfront properties. Imagine a day when all of them come forward to combat poverty, diseases. Man! Billions of lives will be changed for the better!

My Opinion:

Bankers, tech magnates like Steve Jobs, Bob Iger, Carl Icahn, Bakrie, Lee Ka Shing should join in the game as soon as possible! Billions of lives will be saved or even improved.

According to the CIA Factbook, 86% of Indonesia’s population are Muslims. Taking that into consideration, it certainly took a lot of courage to fight for the rights of minorities in my country. But, Gus Dur challenged conventional wisdom and defended these people (including us Indonesian Christians who were greatly persecuted in the past).

Who is Gus Dur?

• Became the President of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001.
• A muslim Cleric who advocated peace between religions (Buddhist monks in saffron and maroon robes, Muslim clerics, Catholic nuns,Christians, scholars, students, artists, activists and old friends of Gus Dur came to pay respect at his funeral)
• Died on 30 december 2009

Setting The Standard

• President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had referred to Abdurrahman as the “father of multiculturalism and pluralism,” who “raised awareness and institutionalized our respect for the diversity of ideas and identity, of religions, ethnicity and primordial *ties*.”
• Abdurrahman’s radical political reforms: the lifting of a bans on all forms of Chinese culture and of the 1966 ban on Marxism and Leninism, the latter which added to the stigma of political prisoners detained for decades without trial following the purge of communism.
• Catholic priest Mudji Sutrisno and Muslim leader Din Syamsuddin also backed calls for hero status for Gus Dur, with Mudji calling him a “defender of the oppressed minorities”.
• Supported peace between religions. Attended events organized by the Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace (ICRP), which brought together scholars, NGOs and leaders of different faiths to discuss a range of interfaith topics and social issues.
• Sought to foster peaceful relations between Indonesia and Israel.
•  Apologized on behalf of the Indonesian nation to those who suffered during the anticommunist reprisals in 1965 and 1966
• Announced that Chinese New Year was to become an optional holiday and the lifting of ban on the display of Chinese characters and the importations of Chinese publication.
• Proposed to be A National hero

What to take away from this: You wanna make a difference? Fight the tide and stand up for what is right – equality for all people, regardless of religions, races and social status (which by the way Indonesia needs a lot of improvement in). Second, be someone influential, you’ll have higher chances.

Sources:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/19/mahendradatta-award-goes-gus-dur.html

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/02/gus-dur-proposed-national-hero.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurrahman_Wahid#Overseas_education

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/16/gus-dur-indeed-a-hero039.html

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html

IT’s very unfortunate for our country to have such bad reputation, but unsung heroes are emerging out of nowhere to turn things around. Budi Soehardi, 53, was nominated as one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes for the year 2009. He left the comfort of living in Singapore to run an orphanage that takes care of 47 children orphaned by the East Timor conflict. While many of us are sitting comfortably in our couches watching TV, this guy gets into the action to make a difference.

I believe that there are many other “Budis” in Indonesia that do not get such media attention or recognition. But I know they don’t care about fame or rewards. They do what they do because they love people and they want to make a difference.

So Joshua Generation, listen up… Do something. Be a Budi, be an unsung hero. Start doing things for the Indonesian people – for the poor, the sick, the needy, the lost.. anyone. I’m very sure that Indonesia will no longer be labelled “a corrupt country” when this generation takes a step to make a real difference.

Today I have an update for you. Two days ago, Yoani posted 7 questions to Obama (president of United States) and 6 for Raul Castro (president of Cuba). And America’s media-savvy president answered all her 7 questions yesterday! Congratulations, Yoani! This news confirms Yoani’s influence and the impact she’s made in advocating free speech in Cuba.

What to take away from this: Advocating freedom of speech + a VERY popular blog + champion of change (Yoani) + media-savvy president = getting answers from Obama on a blog. How cool is that? Obama 1 – 0 Castro.

Also, don’t be afraid to make a difference – there is always somebody out there who will support you!

Source: http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/?p=1179

Generation Y

The name of her blog is Generation Y (in English) and it’s published in 15 languages. As of January 2009, her blog gets 14 million ‘hits’ a month. On average, she receives hundres to thousands of comments per entry she writes.

Her Passion

Yoani Sanchez did not write to blog to make money or earn fame, but she did it out of frustration. She was frustrated at life in Cuba under the current totalitarian (dictatorship) government. However, she paid a price for doing a forbidden act in a country that does not like “freedom of speech.” As a result of her popularity, she is under permanent surveillance of the Cuban government. Her blog entries are prohibited from public release within Cuba.

“Since March 2008, the Cuban government has enforced a computer filter that prevents seeing my blog from public Internet sites in Cuba.  So I need the solidarity of friends off the Island to post my texts on the web.”

Read more about her story and journey here :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoani_S%C3%A1nchez

http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/?page_id=108

What to take away from this: Nothing is impossible. Not even the government can control what you post on the Internet.

President Obama, Vice President Biden….and ME!, originally uploaded by Delaware Historical Society.

Okay – you got me….it’s not really them.

BUT Vice President Biden did spend the morning and afternoon attending the Delaware Historical Society’s History Maker’s Award Dinner as this year’s recipient.

All the staff members who attended said it was a wonderful and successful event. We’ll be posting more about it in the coming weeks – including a picture of the staff with the real Vice President.

Me? We had school groups visiting the Delaware History Museum so I couldn’t go. I’m looking forward to watching the news tonight to see if there is any coverage and watching the tape of the event once it’s edited together. I was certainly there in spirit even if I wasn’t there in person.

Until 11:45 Next, Andrea

When Raiford Bush's fascination for playing dodge ball ended, she started chasing tornadoes.

When my fascination for butterflies and playing dodge ball gave way, I started chasing tornadoes.  One of the largest series of deadly cyclones I’ve personally encountered was spawned by Hurricane Hugo, a Cat 5, which threw more than 3,000 twisters at us before its arms got tired.  The NBC studio for which I worked was destroyed.  My family and I were without electrical power for a total of nine days; we lost as many as thirty-three large pine trees within minutes, plucked from the ground like matchsticks.  The storm took everyone by surprise.  It was not predicted to come that far inland.  

My frightened son and I huddled inside a window-less bathroom; I tied him to the plumbing; he didn’t know that I, too, was scared, especially after a tree speared our home.  I prayed for salvation.  At daybreak, I discovered a real estate sign from another county sitting in the driver’s seat of my Pontiac Firebird; the windshield was shattered like my nerves. 

I called 911 for a ride to work so I could help my community recover.  A volunteer firefighter drove me.  North Carolina was declared a federal disaster area, receiving $1 Billion in damage.

 http://twitter.com/TVwxGirl

Last Sunday the high school youth  – History Makers, and the young professionals – Heroes, performed a mime called “WALLS of JERICHO“. We don’t have the vid uploaded yet but you will be so blessed! Wait for it.

This coming Sunday, May 18 – it’s Youth Sunday, and we invite you to come! Witness how the Lord is using the young people of Baltimore, Maryland for God’s Kingdom!

And just like the first movie, you’re gonna love this one. Check out these images exclusive to Narnia Insiders (yeah that’s you!)

There are more after the cut…

So, what do you say? Shall we watch it? Who’s free on May 17 (Saturday)?  Tell us in the comments!

images used with permission from Interlinc-narnia insiders

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth’s rite of passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone.
He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.
He cannot cry out for help to anyone.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him.
Maybe even some human might do him harm.
The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.
It would be the only way he could become a man!

 

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.
It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him.
He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone..
Even when we don’t know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.
When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Moral of the Story: Just because you can’t see God, doesn’t mean He is not there.
‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’
~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 ~

For devotion:

During times of difficulty, what makes you feel like you are alone or that help has not come yet?

What situations make you ‘walk by sight’? What situations make you ‘walk by faith’?

Share your heart with the Lord and let Him wash your anxieties away.  He does not abandon you. Let the Word of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:7 rule in your hearts as you face difficulties. Truth is – God is there.

Forwarded by a mom.

HEALING PRAYER SERVICE at Franklin Square Hospital n April 11 Friday, 11:00 AM. FSH-ROL Medical staff will be joining us in praise, worship and prayer. It will be televised. You are welcome to join us!

 JESUS ENCOUNTER RETREAT on September 4-6 (Thursday-Saturday) at Deep Creek Lake, MD. God is moving!!! Registration fee is $175. Space is limited so reserve your spots.

FOR MEN ONLY! Save the date: April 12, Saturday at Pastor’s table. 8:00-10:00AM. Breakfast Meeting at 122 King James Circle, Edgewood MD 21040. Be part of the circle! 

SPRING SALE TODAY!!! Galilee worship dancers have “treasures” awaiting you in the trunks of their cars. This is for our short mission trip to teach dance in L.A. on May 3-4 at Cornerstone Church and Lord of the Harvest Church. 

HOPIA Prayer on Wheels, goes to the Inner Harbor this Tuesday, 7:00PM. History Makers will coordinate.  

10th ANNIVERSATY CELEBRATION on May 11, 2008 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Lunch will not be served, for the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking… (Rom. 14:17)

He returned to Chicago to become a leading figure in this city’s legal and political worlds. Pincham died this morning at the age of 82.