A ONG Vídeo nas Aldeias acabou de lançar uma série de 6 curtas que estão disponíveis no YouTube. Os curtas são todos filmados e editados por indígenas com apoio técnico da equipe do Vídeo nas Aldeias. Dois desses curtas são trailers de longas metragens, dois são excertos de trabalhos ainda em andamento e outros dois são curtas já terminados.

Ao contrário do que se poderia imaginar, o uso pelos indígenas de tecnologias do mundo dos brancos não acarreta em ”perdas” culturais. Pelo contrário, a experiência do Vídeo nas Aldeias demonstra que a produção de vídeos pelos índios reforça as diferenças culturais ao mesmo tempo em que contribui para um maior conhecimento dos índios por parte dos não-índios.

Destaco, aqui, o vídeo “Nós e a cidade” (assista abaixo) de um grupo Guarani Mbya do sul do país que vive na aldeia e vende artesanato na cidade. É um verdadeiro tapa na cara: eles conhecem muito sobre nós; e nós, nada sobre eles. Coloco, também, o vídeo “Para os nossos netos: trabalho panará com vídeo” que não faz parte desses curtas lançados recentemente, mas é muito interessante por mostrar reflexões dos Panará sobre o seu mundo e o dos brancos.

Mais informações, no site Vídeo nas Aldeias, aonde podem ser adquiridos dezenas de outros filmes, feitos por índios ou não. Lá vocês também encontrarão o link para os demais curtas.

I received the following e-mail from a friend.  I share it with her permission.

I am pro-life. I abhor the work of Dr. Tiller. But even more than his grisly occupation, I detest his murder done in the name of “pro-life.”

I am a Christian. I am to love all people: born and pre-born. God loved the soul of Dr. Tiller so much that He sent His Son to die for him. I am to hate murder no matter who its victims are. Whether born or pre-born, innocent or guilty. While I was a sinner and an enemy of God, Christ died for me. I know these things and yet feel a kind of relief to know that Dr. Tiller will never kill again. I ought to feel more grieved than relieved.

His murder certainly didn’t help “The Pro-life Cause.” It certainly didn’t open doors for those of us who love Jesus to share the love of Jesus with those who are part of the pro-choice movement. How do we do that now? People are afraid to go to work because they think some pro-life wacko Christian is going to gun them down.

Last week as I was praying about this, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to buy a Panara gift card for the staff of our local Planned Parenthood office, deliver it in person letting them know that I am pro-life and how sorry I am for the family of Dr. Tiller and that his murderer does not represent the heart of the pro-life movement or of Christ — an apology of sorts.

I told my husband about it and he said I’d better do it.

So I did.

It was hard, Matt, to walk into that office. The waiting room was almost full of clients filling out paperwork. It sickened me to think of the process some of these families was putting into motion. But, with a quick ,”Help me, Lord!” I stepped up to the desk and very quietly (so as not to overheard by those in the waiting room) did as I felt the Lord had directed me.

The ladies seemed to understand and were appreciative. I was in and out in probably less than a couple of minutes — a bit shaken and praying that I’d done my appointed task exactly as God wanted me to. It’s nothing dramatic. Just a simple thing God asked me to do. But it was not easy to overcome the obstacles in my own heart to be kind to individuals who advance the pro-choice movement.

It made me appreciate the great heart of God and the grace He extends to me through Jesus.

Lots more thoughts on this, but I thought I’d share a bit of my story with you.

As hard as it may be for us to reach and and love those we see as unlovable, we are called to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ to them.  Sometimes it’s with words, other times it’s with actions, but rarely is it optional.  I’m humbled by Christian friends who embody the grace of God in such a manner.

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating” was a message that set a high standard.

“The test of ministry,” former HCJB Global President David Johnson told missionaries at the 2003 Annual Members’ Meeting, “is not so much what happens in the lives of the people to whom you and I minister, but what happens in the lives of those they minister to.”

Borrowing from family life, Johnson (pictured in file photo) said parenting skills are not as much reflected in the children, as in the grandchildren. His message, emphasizing discipleship as well as evangelism, came several years before HCJB Global missionary Allen Graham had met Cirenio in a remote area of Brazil.

Cirenio is the grandson of one of the first Christian converts among the Terena Indians of Brazil through the work of Henrique Whittington. In the third generation, the passion hasn’t become insipid or died. “Talking to Cirenio, one senses his passion to see the gospel enter the surrounding tribes,” Graham said.

In addition to the Terena, there are Kayapó, Trumai, Panará, Xingu and Kayabí who inhabit the area, totaling some 3,000 people. Bible translation is being done, and two groups have the New Testament in their language. Cirenio belongs to UNIEDAS Indigenous Mission which has a goal to “evangelize the indigenous and prepare them to reach out to other indigenous.”

“Seeing radio as an effective way to build up believers among his own tribe and especially in order to reach out to the surrounding people groups, Cirenio applied to the National Foundation for Indian Affairs (FUNAI) for a community FM license,” said Graham, who recently trained people of the area in radio production. A license was granted in February.

A number of years ago, Cirenio and other Terena Indians left their immediate family to move north when the Brazilian government provided additional land to their tribe.

When even more land was opened up, Cirenio and his family moved again—and sacrificed greatly—as they cleared land for huts and meeting places. Why? Because from this new location, the six tribes can be reached. Graham became involved after missionary Larry Buckman had referred Cirenio to the HCJB Global radio training team, and in early 2008 the first such training session was held.

Cirenio and his wife, Cicera, have two children of their own, but they have also taken in a number of other young men and women to disciple and prepare for ministry. This process sometimes begins by teaching Portuguese—Brazil’s national language—as some of these young people only speak their indigenous tongue. They are being prepared to return to their tribes, taking with them the good news of Jesus Christ in their heart language.

An engineering study is underway to determine details of the broadcast license, while HCJB Global engineers will prepare the equipment recommendation for the new station and launch a special project campaign to raise the needed funds.

“The same passion that allowed his grandfather to survive persecution without giving up his faith now drives Cirenio and his family in their ministry,” Graham said.

Imagem:  filme Amendoim da Cutia/ divulgação

A revista Retrato do Brasil (disponível em poucas bancas, veja aqui o site da editora) de abril traz um texto bacana do jornalista Carlos Azedo, sobre a produção de filmes por índios no Brasil.

Diz a matéria que “Há um novo tipo de documentário no meio cultural, feito por cineastas indígenas. Pode-se assistir a eles em festivais ou comprar o DVD em pontos de venda como grandes livrarias (…) Entre eles estão alguns best-sellers, como o divertido Cheiro de Pequi, dos índios cuicuro, ou Amendoim da Cutia (foto acima), do povo panará, este considerado pelo antropólogo Claude Lévi-Strauss ‘de longe o melhor filme que eu tenha visto sobre os índios da América do Sul´ (…).

O texto informa que “já são 70 filmes produzidos junto a 40 povos indígenas do Brasil com base em 3 mil horas de gravação”.

Boa parte desta produção está relacionada a uma ONG chamada Vídeo nas Aldeias, criada em 1987 e que faz um trabalho sério. Vale a pena acessar o site. Você pode ver o catálogo (dividido por etnias), encomendar vídeos e assistir a traillers. Um pouco da diversidade (e da riqueza) cultural brasileira.

Ever since we started closing the office on Monday I have developed a new ritual.  Monday AM coffee at Panara.  I try to get here around 8:30 or 9am.  I find a good location for my laptop, I order coffee and a Ciabatta Bread Sandwich, and the check e-mail, surf the net, and do some devotional reading.  But mostly, I pause and reflect.

If you ever read the Psalms in the Bible you’ll notice the recurring word “Selah” which means “pause and reflect.”  It will be right-smack-dab in the middle of some powerful passage about the glory of God, or the evil in the world, or the deliverance that is coming through God’s Kingdom.  And it tells the reader to take a moment to “pause and reflect” on what has just been read, written or experienced.  (Special Note:  My niece is named “Selah,” which I think is very cool).

But I like to come to Panara on Monday AMs to pause and reflect upon the past week, and especially on the Lord’s Day before.  Yesterday was an awe-inspiring day.  Spirits were high as people poured through the Church doors despite the chilly weather–and you could feel the excitement even before the 9am service kicked off.  The worship service, once again, was led with excellence by our Creative Arts Minister and the Church Band.  Everything came together and worked together as only the Holy Spirit can orchestrate.  We had a record attendance for our new church (340) and by the time the second service ended we knew that we had experienced something special.

The highlight of the day came when three people came forward to make Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of their lives.  One teenage girl was led to Christ by some of her neighbors and was baptized during the 10:30 service, which we were anticipating.  But we were not anticipating that two men, both first-time guests, would come forward during the 9am service to confess Christ as Lord.  We baptized them both immediately and explained  that they are at the beginning of their spiritual journey not the end.

We ended the the morning with a Outreach Team Meeting after the 10:30 service and continued to plan several outreach events: (1) having an “undie” Sunday where we ask people to purchase kids underwear (and bring to the church) to give to a clearing house that helps people in need; (2) having a day where volunteers from church head to downtown Joliet to serve the homeless in a food-kitchen; and (3) planning to give away a few thousand bottles of water at the annual “Relay For Life” cancer walk in June.  These are simple things that hopefully will communicate great love from God to our community.  This is really what following Jesus is all about—making a difference in our world for the glory of God.

In all, yesterday was one of the more exciting days in the life of our new church.  Today we’re going to “pause and reflect.”  But tomorrow we get back to work because “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few,” (Luke 10:1-3).

I was watching TV the other day and saw a commercial for McDonalds Big Mac and it got me to thinking that I have never had a Big Mac.  I have never had a Burger King Whopper either.

These are the signature sandwiches.  The main burgers.  The big meat!

They have never appealed to me. 

I don’t eat much fast food and when I do it is Panara Bread or Wendy’s. 

Now, suddenly, I have a curoisity to at least try one just to see what the big deal is. 

When I am forced to eat at one of these places I usually just get a double cheeseburger but now I am going to need to try a Big Mac and  Whopper.  Maybe I’ll try them together to not only try them out but to see which one is better. 

Am I odd to have never tried a Big Mac or a Whopper?

I’m not always feeling it.  It being Blogging.  It’s almost like journaling.  Once a month I might have some revelation or personal experience that I actually want to journalize.  Today is one of those “nothing” days.

So…, this morning I helped my wife get the boys up.  Before work I enjoyed a hot mug of coffee at Panara where I read my Bible, and a couple chapters from Vince Antonucci’s book “I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy t-shirt,” which is overly simplistic, a little irreverent, and lots of fun.

At work I checked e-mail (responding to yet another hilarious quip from good friend Mike) before finally sitting down to study James 5:13-16 for my sermon on Sunday.

Lunch with my wife at Arby’s followed by various chores at work and more sermon research and writing.

I’m getting ready to head home for the day, but wanted to post something on the blog… so… here it is… even though I’m not feeling it!

Early this morning, as I enjoyed a hot cup of Joe at the Panara Bread Company, I ran across a Scripture that frightened me: Proverbs 29:7.  It says, “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” 

Huh?  Although I want to be righteous, I must confess that I’m not spending a whole lot of brain-power, heart-power, soul-power, or body-power on “justice for the poor.”  In fact, when I see such verses I cannot help but think of all the people whose poor choices, lack of motivation, and weak work ethic spawned their poverty in the first place.

The righeous care about the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

Don’t hear me wrong: I give to the poor, I help the poor find beneficial resources, and I hope our church will become a safe-harbor for the poor–but I do those things because I’m supposed to, not necessarily because I care to.  I think.

Yet the sage Proverb says, “The righteous care about justice for the poor but the wicked have no such concern.”

I wonder:  Is it possible to go to church, worship with passion, study God’s word, abstain from the common forms of wickedness, call on the name of the Lord for eternal salvation, and yet be wicked in the eyes of God because of my lack of of concern for the poor?

Is this possible?  Perhaps true repentance…