Dear Friends, Outside the Box I am here to share about making peace with Isis nonviolently. I came to this in my quiet time when I first heard of Isis. My response was, “I’m a pacifist so I prayed, “Lord, they are such bad people the only thing I know to do is get rid of them. Bomb them.” I suppose Jesus’ disciples, and many people today like me, might have had a similar response. So I prayed, “Lord, I’m a pacifist. Show me Jesus’ way, there must be a better way.” Lo and behold I just happened to be reading pages in the book The Powers that Be where Walter Wink says “for every conflict there is a nonviolent answer” I prayed, “Lord, I don’t believe it, show me.” Then what came to me was we need first to understand what creates Isis support, why they hate us, what makes people join these terrorists, and to find a good solution. What if you went home tonight and your house looked like this? (I pass out this picture of homes bombed b...
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Hello Friends, Sick with Chikunguya Virus I told the doctor, “I am achy all over one day and then the next day I feel better. This has happened now for the last 4 days. I am worried that it might be Dengue, Malaria, or Yellow Fever.” “No, for sure it is neither of those. Don’t worry. You have a virus called Chikunguya which has been in an epidemic here for the last year. Take these meds; if it persists after a month go to a clinic. You can do whatever you feel up to, no restrictions on what you can do. “Where ...
Hello Friends, Sick with Chikunguya Virus I told the doctor, “I am achy all over one day and then the next day I feel better. This has happened now for the last 4 days. I am worried that it might be Dengue, Malaria, or Yellow Fever.” “No, for sure it is neither of those. Don’t worry. You have a virus called Chikunguya which has been in an epidemic here for the last year. Take these meds; if it persists after a month go to a clinic. You can do whatever you feel up to, no restrictions on what you can do. Up date 9/25 ...
Pray for Critical Colombia Peace Talks Dear friends, Colombian Peace talks are in a very critical point right now. You can help by praying. Here is where things stand: The FARC the largest guerrilla group declared a unilateral cease fire on July 20. That is very good. However the government refuses to do the same, Santos the President has said that if they do, the FARC will regroup and reinforce themselves as has happened in the past. Another issue: Santos says the guerrillas who have done atrocities should be imprisoned. FARC says, only if all others like the Colombian military and paramilitaries who have committed atrocities are also imprisoned. Probably the Colombian military is strongly pressuring Santos to keep them out of prison. Colombian peace talks in Havana Cuba They have agreed on some very important points. One is how to include the guerillas in the political process. The UN and other countries are getting involved to help broker an agreement. ...
Dear friends, More Verdugo H.S. Conversations “I’m a Catholic. We believe we should be tolerant of all religions.” remarked one girl. One student upon entering the room said, “I can’t wait for your talk. A friend told me about it.” Here are Mary Ann and Donald Berry, friends who hosted and gave me rides to the school. Here is their yard which they converted to desert plants to save water because of the drought. Half the water in Pasadena is used for lawns. The orange flowers came into bloom while I was there. They grew some of the sweetest tangerines and oranges I ever ate on their two trees. They live very ecological and eat mostly organic. Another girl posed the question “But wh...
Hello friends, A Jewish Prayer Days pass and the years vanish and we walk sightless among miracles. Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing. Let there be moments when your Presence, like lightning, illumines the darkness the in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns, unconsumed. And we clay, touched by God, will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder, “How filled with awe is this place and we did not know it.” This is a Jewish prayer from the book “My Grandfather’s Blessing” by Rachel Remen Here is my friend Pilar who read the above prayer to begin my sharing ¨Making peace with Isis Nonviolently.¨ It was in the Mennonite Brethren Church in Aguas Blanca one of the poorest neighborhoods in Cali, Colombia. Most of the people come from the country side to escape the violence, the fighting, and war going on there. P...
Dear friends, Less both sides Forget God Rules in this Election! “Sovereignty, God’s sovereignty, is one of the most difficult things for people of faith to live out in everyday routines. But we have no choice: God is Sovereign. God rules not only in our personal affairs but ...