100% supported!

I am pleased to say that I am done with support raising!! I feel so happy now, I think I want to dance a jig (ok not really). I talked with my advisor at I-Teams this afternoon, we made some modest changes to my budget lowering it just enough to put me at full support and she then gave me the green light to get plane tickets, which I promptly did. I am officially leaving May 15 for Bolivia, my new home. I have spent so much time in Trinidad already that it kind of does feel like home and the people are so friendly.

So anyway, be in prayer for me as I finish the last few logistical things and for safe travel to Bolivia. 14 days to go. . .

Bono interview

This past Saturday I went to my church where they showed the Bono interview from last summer's leadership conference. It was an interview between Bill Hybels and Bono that was taped in Ireland and then shown at the conference. I was stunned at how passionate Bono is about his faith. Bono shares his vision for eradicating AIDS and ending poverty worldwide and says he strongly believes the western world has the power to make it happen. Some notable quotes:

I never had a problem with Christ, but Christians were a problem for me

Redemption is an economic term

'Love your neighbor' is not advice, it's a command

Wishful thinking will not sort out the problem

Stop asking God to bless what you are doing...find out what God is doing because it is already blessed.

These speak so much to the apathy our nation and other nations seem to have towards these causes. Bono believes that we have the power to change this and it doesn't even require much effort. Bono is advocating that the US government and other governments donate 1% of their budget to the cause. Sign the petition at the ONE site so that our Congress will approve this.

If you haven't seen the Bono interview, ask your church to contact the Willow Creek Association so you can watch it. The WCA will send one free copy to your church for raising awareness.

Almost there!

I found out yesterday that the church proposal I have mentioned was approved, bringing my total support to 95%!! I just need a mere $100/month or $2000 in donations and then I can book my flights to Bolivia! I'm looking at leaving probably sometime the second week of May. I have a few more folks to talk with in the next week, so hopefully if they go well that will finish things off! Thanks to all of you for your prayers and encouragement.

Prayer for Blacksburg & Va. Tech

I'm sure most of you reading this have heard about the tragic shooting today at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia. It was a shock to me, as it was I'm sure for everyone in the community. Having lots of family in Blacksburg, it hit me close to home since I have visited the Tech campus and Blacksburg many times. I actually have an uncle that works for the University and he works in the building next to Norris Hall where all the shootings took place. Praise God though, he is safe, although I'm sure somewhat traumatized as he heard the gunshots. I can't imagine what parents of the students are going through right now, much less the students themselves. I have a cousin as well who is in college at another school in Virginia, but I know she has many friends who attend the University since she went to high school in Blacksburg and a great many stay close to home. I do not know if any of her friends were victims.

Regardless, knowing or not knowing people that were affected does not reduce the impact this has. This is proof that life is too short, too fragile and we can be innocent bystanders and targets of hate crime at any time. To me, this brings home the urgency of having a relationship with our Lord and spreading Jesus' message of love and hope to a violent, hate filled, broken world. My prayers are with the community of Blacksburg as they heal from this and extend a helping hand to one another. I pray that Christians in the area will lead the way in helping with the healing and show the character of the loving God we joyfully worship.

Of course, I remember from my time in high school when I witnessed the horrifying events at Columbine High School unfold on live television. It was something that I have not forgotten and an event that has shaped my journey to where I am today and was a key event in my accepting Christ. I pray that today's shooting will affect others in similar ways, that they'll see the brokenness of this world and look to God for answers and healing.

Two movie plugs

As I watched a couple of movies over the Easter, both had completely different messages, yet both were well done in my opinion.

The first was One Night With The King, a movie that was in the theatres last year and is based on the book of Esther in the Bible. They did an outstanding job and it was very accurate. It got lousy reviews, but I would say the story is not Oscar material to begin with. What they did do a good job of was making it suitable for families, particularly teens. There is a part in the story of Esther where she and all of the maidens in the land are to undergo "beauty treatments" of oils and cosmetics in preparation for their night with the king when he may choose them to be queen. I saw this as a potential stumbling block for both guys who could use it as an area of lust and girls who could think vanity is important. The king is portrayed as one though that is not swayed by outer beauty, he in fact turns away ladies dressed in lots of gaudy jewelry and makeup, yet falls for the simple but naturally beautiful Esther who is beautiful on the inside. For any of you out there leading Bible studies for high school/college girls, this would be an excellent movie. It also I thought did a great job on showing the internal struggle Esther was facing on whether to confront the king on a plot to kill the Jews. Several times she shies away, and even as she agrees to tell him and walks into the court uninvited (punishable by death in those days) you can see her being timid and unsure of the situation. The only downer for the movie is that it did develop pretty fast, so you have to pay attention. It was filmed in India too, which is Biblically very close to where the actual story took place, in present day Iran (Persia in those days). Overall it sends a great message of being courageous and trusting God in uncertain situations.

The other movie I saw that was outstanding is Blood Diamond which also was in the theatres last year and was just released. It was one of those movies like Hotel Rwanda or Schindler's List that just makes you want to cry on so many levels. The movie takes place in Sierra Leone during the 1999 civil war over the diamond fields in the country. It focused on the corruption in the diamond industry and how some diamond company owners knowingly accepted diamonds from conflict areas. The opening scene shows a group of rebels storming a fishing village, killing the older men and women, and kidnapping the younger men and boys. Some younger men who are deemed to not be good workers have their arms cut off with machetes. The younger men are forced into slavery to work in the diamond areas, doing something similar to gold panning. The boys are taught to be violent and to respect no one but those with guns and are then brought along to help with more slaughters. As the movie ends, and it does have a good ending, I was left silent and now I'm not even sure I ever want to buy a diamond, or at least only after lots of research.

Hallelujah, He is risen!

Happy Easter to all of you wherever you are! May you go through today remembering our Lord and His great sacrifice to save all of us 2007 years ago. Enjoy the time spent with family or whatever your Easter traditions may be!