Living in Community

The Coming Islamic Revolution. Is the World Ready?

2012-01-14T17:17:00.000-08:00

We witnessed the Arab Spring in 2011. Dictators from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were overthrown. The people in those lands rejoiced and reveled in their new found freedoms. But what did they get in exchange? Many are wondering. Getting rid of a dictator can often usher in another dictator, or even worse. Having a country run by the military with corrupt officials throughout doesn't help build a nation. And how do you build a new government? How long does it take? And how restless will the people get waiting?

In 2011, over 130 Tunisians set themselves on fire out of sheer desperation. One was an unemployed father of three. What causes people to take such desperate measures? Are they looking to be heroes? Life has not improved for the poor in North Africa and the Middle East. As a matter of fact, for many it has become worse. Unemployment is still extremely high and rising. Hopelessness is spreading. Desperation is beginning to set it. The people were patient for a long time under their dictators. Now how much longer do they have to wait? It is hard to know how they feel until we put ourselves in their shoes.

A Tunisian man sets himself alight. Why?

When was the last time you spent any significant amount of time in a poor village where it seems like nothing is happening. The atmosphere is depressing. There's no work. One has way too much idle time. Watching TV becomes totally unfulfilling. You watch the grass grow for entertainment if you can find any grass. You are looking for a way out. You seek to escape to Europe, but the doors are all closed. What other choices do you have?

Have you heard of the Islamic Party? They have the answers for the masses. They will create equality and stamp out corruption. They will implement Islamic law and everything will become new again and right. Right? Maybe. But as a young, unemployed individual, isn't some kind of change better than no change? So why not give the Islamic Party a chance. After all, it can't get any worse, can it? Or can it. The Islamic Party will ban all music, videos and TV from the west and the east, eliminate interest in banking, and subject women to few rights including the right to work. More jobs you say, for the men, right? Sure, if they'll do them. Menial work is not a whole lot of fun. And two people earning income for the family is better than one. But if my economic situation gets better, then it's worth the sacrifice. Time will tell. History gives some insight into whether or not it will work. Good luck to the Muslim peoples. You are going to need it.

If hope is not achieved through your revolutions, look no further. There is hope. It's available here.

Reasons Why You Shouldn't Trust Facebook.

2011-08-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

It's one of the most powerful communications tool on the planet. Over 600 million people in over 200 countries subscribe to facebook. Millions log on daily to share their lives, their personal information, their likes and dislikes, and their photos. They have identified their friends, where they shop, books they like to read, as well as a myriad of other details. THIS is what makes facebook worth over 10 billion dollars. It's not the program itself, it's all the data that is stored on over 600 million people. It is a marketer's dream to have access to all that data. That is why it is worth billions.

Most facebook users assume that when they want, they can delete or inactivate their account and all that information that they shared for many years will go away. Wrong. It is stored on computer servers for ever, or at least until the earth disolves. And there are a lot of people who would love to get their hands on all that information. And someday, someone who has malicious intent, may get their hands on information of over 1 billion people. It might even be 2 billion by then or more. Imagine the power behind being able to also communicate with so many people using one medium? Barak Obama used it well during his presidential campaign and it changed the world ever since. We saw the Arab spring in 2011 result in the overthrow of governments using powerful social media tools like facebook.

Are you prepared to have your information potentially used by someone or an organization that could use it against you? They would have plenty of data to find you guilty of say, your religious beliefs, or your political slant. And users thought those "conversations" were limited to their select group of friends. Little did they know that facebook stores every piece of data that they enter into the site and store it for "future use" or "sale". And facebook will eventually be sold. It may be purchased by a wealthy Russian oligarchy or a Saudi sheik or even...dare say...the antichrist! Can you imagine? Talk about malicious intent! Don't think it can't happen. People are generally evil by nature and if there is money to be made and greed and power overtakes an individual, they are able to go to incredible lengths to accomplish their purposes. Just look at Adolf Hitler as an example and his Nazi empire. He would have loved to have social media tools like facebook to "take over the world". There are still many people and even religions out there that would like to achieve world domination and most believe in achieving it using any method possible.

So the next time you log in to facebook, consider the long-term consequences. Sure there is short-term opportunity, but when the tables turn, you may wish you had never heard of facebook. Remember how they have changed their privacy settings and policy somewhat secretly? Let the user beware!!

What do you think? Is fasebook safe to use? Should it be trusted? If so, who are you trusting? Ask yourself this question each time you log onto facebook, "Is facebook 'safebook'"? Don't trust facebook. And certainly don't trust their privacy policy which can change like the direction of the wind.

Libya: The Unspoken Cry for Help and Hope.

2011-07-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

As the war rages on in Libya, and most of the world forgets that it is even happening, the Libyan people continue to suffer. Children, mothers, grandparents - entire families - are having to live through incredibly difficult times. They are trying to live "normal" lives, provide food for their families, go to school and work but alas, a civil war has disrupted their lives. Unfortunately, this is the nature of civil war. More than cities and towns get destroyed, also people's lives. Distrust runs rampant, rumors flood the streets, despair and hopelessness sets in, and the cry of the people go unheard. What can be done for the people of Libya? From where can a savior come?

The scenario that is playing out in Libya could happen in any country of the world and in fact has happened many times in history. It will also happen again maybe even in the United States, Europe, China, or any other country. Discontent leads to internal strife. Internal strife leads to public discord. And as we saw in Egypt, the power of the web and social media can get the revolutionary ball rolling quite quickly. Emotion kicks in. People searching for hope get caught up in the euphoria. A revolution begins to take place. And then it happens! Everyone is elated. There's dancing in the streets. People shed tears of joy. The celebrations last for three days. And then reality begins to set it. The big question everyone asks is, "Now what?" What happens next? Who is going to rule the country? What about security? Who is going to pay the civil servants who help to make our country stable? Who is in charge of the treasury? How are we going to restore the economy? Who is going to give me a job? Oh no, it's not better, it's actually worse! Yes, we might be a bit more free, but hey, this isn't what we dreamed it would be like. Help!

And then there is very little help. A country that has just implemented a revolution must now find their way alone. Confused and disillusioned, the people begin to try and make some sense of what just happened and they try to envision the future. Fear begins to set in again. Wait, didn't we just have a revolution that got rid of our fears of the brutal government that has been ruling us for so many years? Why has the fear returned? And it is actually worse because there is too much uncertainty! Our imaginations are running wild. Again distrust and anxiety fill our lives. Life is worse than before! What have we done? Can we go back? Do we want to go back? Wasn't it better before we had the revolution? We at least had stability and security. Now the future is so uncertain we can hardly sleep at night. What should we do now? What can we do? Who is running the country? Who will help us figure this out?

You are alone. A feeling like you have never had before. The revolution is over. Life isn't better for the moment. Maybe it will get better. There's no guarantee. Next time maybe we should think twice before we have a revolution.

10 Tips for Effective Blog Writing.

2011-06-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

So you want to write and post content to a blog. Great! Get started now. Don't wait! There are two types of blogs: personal and thematic. If you want an on-line diary, then it’s personal. Otherwise go with thematic and present yourself as an expert in your field providing relevant content that will draw in readers.

Write original content!!!
200-400 words in length
Have several outbound links from within the content to quality web sites. (3-5)
Carefully selected wording for the headline. (Top ten tips for…, How to Stop Sex Trafficking, The Best Way to ______, What to do about ______, Marketing to the Next Generation Guidelines, Trends in Youth Travel, What You Need to Know to ________,etc.
Use Google Adwords to find out which words to use in your headline. Use words that have heavy search volume and preferably low competition.
Use your headline somewhere in your article
Select relating key words that relates to your article that have high search volume and incorporate those words into the content of the article.
Use the key words in your tags
Try to include at least 1 image. When uploading an image to your blog post, use key words in the file name of the image that you have saved on your computer. Ex. You want to upload a photo, give the file name: Silk Road Map, or Nepal trekking,
Create wise article directories/categories. Preferably 10-20. Be sure they are general like:

Encouragement
Trips
Sex Trafficking
Orphans
Parenting
Social Justice
Youth Ministry
Marketing
Leading
Money

·    Make sure your blog is visible/searchable to the public.
·    Have strategic outbound links in the side bar of the blog. Each time you write, a new page will contain those links, helping those to whom you link rise in search engines.
·    Be sure your readers can share your blog posts easily using facebook and other social media tools
·    Have a sign up box so your readers can receive notification of your article each time you post.
·    Have others link to your blog.

Doing these simple steps will go a long way to making your articles more search engine friendly, help them to rank higher, and ultimately have more traffic and readers.The above 10 tips for effective blog writing will help you with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Google has 68% of the web blog traffic and they control the complex algorythms that decide who is #1 on page 1. You want to be on the top.Writing an effective blog that links to other web sites and blogs can also give them a boost in rankings as well.

For more helpful tips and information, go to the excellent site: www.goinswriter.com

Our Social Injustice: Human Sex Trafficking and How to Stop It.

2011-06-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

Human sex trafficking has hit an all time high and is growing even as you read this article. Young children and young adults are being coerced or tricked at this very moment into selling their souls. Some do it knowingly, others do it as a result of deception. In every nation, this activity is occurring. Like prostitution and farming, it has been around for a long time. It has become too easy for society to turn it's back on this huge social atrocity until it hits home. Simply travel to any major city at night and many of the children you see on the streets are victims of human sex traffickers. These sex traffickers are good at what they do. They know their trade, and they know their commodity.

With recent media attention, the ability of more people to travel, increased information on the web, and overall general public awareness, the problem of sex trafficking has come into the spotlight. People want to take action. Many are concerned and angry, but they don't know what to do about it.

Most children and young adults who are sold into sex trafficking never intended to sell their bodies. Most often they were looking for hope - a way out of a bad economic situation. Someone came along and convinced them that life is better on the other side. Often the carrot that is dangled before them is the dream of working and earning money in Europe or North America. Some victims actually make it, but they are sold as sex slaves. Many never make it and are sold as sex slaves far away from home and no where near their intended destination. Dreams are shattered. Bodies are battered. Lives are smattered. Never to be the same again emotionally, physically, spiritually or mentally, victims of sex trafficking are mounting by the hour. Government corruption, ignorance, apathy and the lack of resources all contribute towards this international problem. Like cocaine and other drugs, there is demand for the "product" and therein lies the problem.

Men, being the main customer, seek out sex for pleasure, escape, reward, dominance and thrill. They are trying to fill emptiness in their lives with activities that can only satisfy temporarily. How long does sex last? Just a few minutes. And then the cycle begins all over again. Often drugs are also involved because the sex doesn't satisfy. Why? Because it's not kosher or halal sex. It is stolen sex. And stolen sex isn't sweet. It turns sour afterwards with feelings of guilt and shame. And that's a lousy way to live.

So will demand be curtailed? Probably not anytime soon unless there is an amazing awakening on the part of the main purchasers of sex. That awakening can happen. Find out more at this site which will give the solution in many different languages. Inspired Sex Relief.

Opening the Doors of Education in Bangladesh

2011-05-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

Education is key for the next generation.

The hand weaving machines machines have fallen silent in countries such as Bangladesh. Fierce price competition from China has hit these traditional income-generating sources hard. There are drastic losses in sales which means that some of the weavers have been made redundant, even on the meager wages they receive. The sound of hand powered looms has nearly fallen silent now as Chinese industrial production threatens all of Bangladesh’s cotton weaving industry. Even the mechanized high powered looms do not have the same confident cacophony of sound.

In former days, loom workers used hands and feet simultaneously, working long hours to meet impossible deadlines. Nowadays, unemployment is rising, and the need for work at any cost forces weavers to continue working longer hours under very cramped conditions, rejoining threads that snap and fray without warning. When there is work, weavers sit for hours working, weaving, watching the rise of the shuttle, supervising the weaving of many goods in the making –including clothing that is sold in the markets of Europe.

Nearby, the river is quite low because of recent drought conditions. The villagers fetch water, wash in it, then dry out the hanks of brightly colored threads that had been dyed. Balancing on the edges of the paddy fields, past groves of trees where bananas and nuts would yield their fruit later in the year, goats nibble at the weeds between the wheat, as small children walk around with babies on their hips.

The nearby small village school is a new purpose-built construction, comprising of six concrete poles, wrapped in corrugated iron on two sides and on top. Across the entrance stretches a red ribbon, awaiting the grand opening. There is the Bangladeshi flag waiting to be raised. The teacher was dressed in a glorious bright red sari, and welcomed guests with flowers and garlands.

The school was opened with the cutting of the ribbon. The flag was raised and the school officially held classes. Inside, were predominantly girls who had never received any schooling because they had not been considered suitable educational material. Each child had its own woven bag where they kept their books – whether at school or at home – their homes have no such suitable storage for such treasures.

The children sit inside on the floor on a tarpaulin, with their bags in front of them, all ready for the day. The children worked their way through the alphabet and counted for the first time! They drew numbers on their slates, which they pulled out of their bags. The teacher drew the letters on the board, and the children came up to draw their first one. Many of the villagers peered in to watch this exciting new event.

These children in this remote Bengali village now have the opportunity to begin a life of learning. The door has begun to open for them that would under no other circumstances be accessible. The school aims to help children catch up on their education in order to be able to enter into the normal school program within three years period.

Tips on How to Recruit, Motivate and Empower Gen Y.

2011-03-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

In the previous article, we covered the concepts of how to lead Gen Y. Now we will cover how to equip them so they can accomplish tasks.

7 Tips on How to help Gen Y accomplish tasks.

1.    Earn your right to speak by listening.
2.    Recognize and encourage their desire to be a part of something bigger than a menial task.
3.    Speak with understanding and empathy.
4.    Show that you care.
5.    Build bridges of relationship that will eventually allow you to proclaim truth.
6.    Tell them true life stories.
7.    Break down huge tasks into smaller portions.

Top 5 ways to motivate and equip Gen Y.

1.    Give them real world experience.
2.    Allow them to participate.
3.    Images are their language, not words.
4.    Allow technology to be a big part of their world but don’t let it dominate.
5.    Provide an environment where they can be creative.

How to recruit Gen Y to your cause.

1.    Listen to them and affirm their dreams.
2.    Challenge them with short-term commitments.
3.    Offer realistic steps to their over optimistic goals.
4.    Connect your strategic goals with theirs.
5.    Encourage them to simplify and focus their life.
6.    Ask for their opinions on improving your mission.
7.    Pursue them and communicate their value.

For Millennials or Gen Y, their life paradigm is “Life is a buffet of choices.” Their primary attitude towards authority is “chose me”. However, Gen Y have huge potential. For you, the challenge is to mentor the next generation. Teach them about life by connecting with them through real life experiences.

Tips on How to Lead the Gen Y Generation.

2011-03-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

In the previous article we covered the characteristics of the Gen Y generation and how to market products and services to them. Below, you will find ways to lead Gen Y and the characteristics you as a leader will need.

8 Tips on How to Lead the Gen Y Generation.

1.   Create incentives for them.
2.   Micro-manage only at first.
3.   Let them share ideas.
4.   Launch a mutual mentor initiative.
5.   Communicate the importance of their tasks.
6.   Tell them the truth.
7.   Manage by objective.
8.   Mentor more than manage.

Top 5 Characteristics You Need to Lead the Gen Y Generation.

1.   Openness, transparency and contact
2.   Make it fun and playful
3.   Make it fast and change often
4.   Balance and flexibility
5.   Be in a place where they can grow and learn continually.

In life, one needs to manage expectations. Life is hard. You can’t just push a button and everything will work out. You can’t push a button and always have instant results. Train Gen Y through real life experiences. Help Gen Y plan their careers.

The next article covers tips on how to help the Gen Y generation accomplish tasks.

Tips for Marketing to Gen Y or Millennials.

2011-03-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

The Y Generation may seem allusive in your attempts to reach them with your product or service. The Y Generation or also known as Gen Y or the Millennials, were born between 1984 and 2002. They like choices and to be able to customize their decisions. They don’t want someone else to make the choices for them. Pro-democracy movements around the world are now being driving by Gen Y who are using technology very effectively. As we think about marketing to this generation, they have been conditioned to options which they can customize for themselves. They also want to follow a leader, but that leader needs to be credible and worthy of their following (and they might do it primarily using technology). This generation is looking for role models because the lack credible figures of authority. Here are the most recent generations and their populations numbers:

Seniors: 1900-1928 56 million

Builders: 1929-1945 59 million

Boomers: 1946-1964 76 million

Busters or Gen X: 1965-1983 44 million

Millennials or Gen Y: 1984-2002 78 million

courtesy of Crown Financial Ministries www.crown.org

Millennials or GenY are over-exposed to information but lacking in real world experience. A real world experience allows a person to accept responsibility, grow and mature. Gen Y’s like to live in their comfortable “home bubble”. This can cause societal stresses. Just ask the people of Italy. For years they have been dealing with a generation that doesn’t want to leave home, primarily men.

Even within the Y Generation, there are shifts or changes, but technology is making those shifts occur more frequently. They have access to a lot of information through which they view their world. They can be self-centered people. After all, they are encouraged to market themselves on the web. Their focus becomes their web identity. New technology shapes the world of Gen Y. The developing nations that have access to technology are also composed of a large Gen Y population with similar characteristics. Within the Gen Y group, there is a shift from those born in the early years to those in the latter. The shift within the Gen Y is as follows:

From high compassion to low empathy.
From activists to “slackivists”.
Technology is an appendage, not a tool.
From civic-minded to self-absorbed.
Ambitious about the future turned to ambiguity.
From accelerated growth to postponed maturation.

The Gen Y generation has a very short attention span and find it just as difficult to make a commitment as the Gen Xers. Gen Y’s take more time to get ready in the morning than any previous generation. They communicate and live in their little bubbles. Gen Y’s have multiple visions and lack a clear calling in their lives. They are staying in adolescence longer. It is comfortable, easy, few responsibilities, plenty of money, and life is fun and that’s the meaning of life. If it’s not fun, it’s not worth pursuing. The new 18 is now 26. Adolescence for Gen Y now doesn’t end until they reach 30 years. Over the next two decades, millions of baby boomers and Gen X will be retiring and the Gen Y is not ready to step into leadership positions.

Listed are 5 characteristics of Gen Y.

1.    Mischievous.
2.    Want their mother near-by.
3.    Don’t want to grow up.
4.    Frugal and afraid of debt.
5.    Can’t function without being connected to technology.

7 Reasons why Gen Y’s don’t mature quickly.

1.    School culture – relating to too many peers. Social silos.
2.    Niche marketing – keep them young and consuming.
3.    Prescription drugs – we are medicating our children resulting in personality alteration.
4.    Parenting styles – hovering tactics. Protecting vs. training.
5.    Endocrine disruptors – chemicals in our environment and food that alters physical bodies.
6.    Video games – disables Millennials from engaging with humans.
7.    Media and technology – makes people lazy and self centered. It’s all about “me”.

Generation Y wants to tell their story. The more of the following elements you implement, the more success you will have in connecting with Gen Y.

Top 5 Challenges facing Gen Y.

1.    They have to live in a world that the older generation created.
2.    Too much dependency upon technology.
3.    Information over-load leading to decision making paralysis.
4.    Insecurity and low self-esteem.
5.    Peer influences steer their decision making.

Top 10 Tips for Marketing to the Gen Y Generation.

1.    Offer them a variety of products or services.
2.    Engage them with images.
3.    Allow them to tailor their desires.
4.    Appeal to their need for recognition.
5.    Provide immediate information and feedback.
6.    Help them to simplify their lives .
7.    Ask them for their opinions on how to improve something.
8.    Pursue them and speak their language.
9.    Reach them through entertaining media.
10. Appeal to their insecurities.

The next article will cover tips on how to lead the Gen Y.

Christian Faith Grows Along the Silk Road

2011-03-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

The countries of the Silk Road are made up predominantly of Muslims. However, Christianity continues to make inroads and below is a photo of Christian worship dancers in Kazakhstan.

South East Asian Countries Facing Huge Challenges Amid Centuries Old Traditions.

2011-02-28T08:16:00.000-08:00

I stopped to gaze at the old woman shuffling ahead of me on slippered feet. A flurry of colour enveloped her. She wore a traditional striped apron, an orange flowered waistband, and an incongruent silken blouse. The fingers of her left hand clasped a string of worn prayer beads and her right hand stroked the letters inscribed on the crimson and gold prayer wheels around the Stupa temple. Each wheel rumbled and moaned as she passed her hand across it and her mouth muttered rhythmic prayers. Like her, I had come to pray, but without the beads or the wheels. I was prayer walking, using the sights and sounds and smells around me as inspiration. I hadn’t wanted only to pray; I wanted to touch someone’s life, offering hope, or just lend a helping hand. My prayers seemed less real than hers. She could touch and count the words she offered through the spinning wheels. I had only my thoughts. I couldn’t help wondering as I watched the old woman: how long had she been coming here to spin the prayers of the ancient wheels? As I passed by her, she glanced up at me. I offered her a shy “tashi dalek” – “hello”. A smile lightened her worn face and I saw that her eyes were a liquid blue. Then she lowered her head and continued her ritual walk.

Spinning Buddhist prayer wheels in South East Asia.

Such are some the ancient traditions of the countries of South East Asia. Some of these traditions clash with the modern age that has quickly swept across the Asian region. The older generation clings to their traditions while the younger generation, much larger and wealthier, seek to progress into the future on the wave of technology. As Asia continues to boom economically, it will continue to face huge challenges. With a mix of religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Animism, Confucianism, and other belief systems, there is certainty that there will be a clash. Not necessarily between the religious faiths, although that is not out of the question, but between the past and modernity. How will the countries of South East Asia adjust to the modern age while still maintaining their traditions? Which religious groups will be able to make this transition easier than others? It will be interesting to watch in the years ahead to see if certain faiths are able to adapt to the new age or not.

Islam in Central Asia Torn Between the Past and the Future.

2011-02-23T13:35:00.000-08:00

Gullia is Muslim and proud of it. Her people in Uzbekistan are all Muslim and it is unthinkable that she could be anything else. She is a pretty 19-year-old student who is into the latest fashions and music just like students all over the world. Gullia has an important exam next week so today she went to a shrine outside the city. She visited the grave of a holy man who is said to have performed many miracles. Gullia tied a small piece of cloth to the iron grill surrounding the shrine before stretching out her palms and praying for the saint to help her. She ran her hands down her face to transfer the blessing and murmured a quick “If God wills.” Orthodox Muslims would condemn this kind of superstition which dates back to the animistic beliefs of pre-Islamic Central Asia. These practices continue today with the frequent use of amulets, charms, curses and fortune telling. Gullia has never read the Qur’an and the only thing she knows about Islam is what her mother has passed on to her. Still, Gullia is proud of her glorious Islamic heritage.

Once she went on a school trip to Samarkand and was amazed by the dazzling tile work of the awe inspiring mosques built by Timurlane. Arab armies brought Islam to Central Asia in the 7th century. By the 14th century Samarkand and the region beyond the Oxus river was an intellectual center of the whole Muslim world. It boasted the most advanced astronomical observatory in the world at that time, while its poets and calligraphers were emulated all over the Middle East. Gullia didn’t hear much about Islam as she grew up since the 70 years of Russian communist rule repressed religious knowledge and belief. Muslim teachers were exiled to Siberia and it seemed that only elderly villagers continued to believe. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 more and more Central Asians have become interested in Islam as they seek to recover their historical identity. Gullia’s brother is fed up with the poverty and corruption he sees around him. He has read some Islamic books smuggled in from Afghanistan - but in secret for fear of being arrested and tortured by the police. Gullia herself shudders at the thought of being made to cover up like women in fundamentalist Iran. Some days Gullia wonders if there is another way to get closer to the God who seems so far away….

Drug and Alcohol Centers Offer Hope Along the Silk Road.

2011-02-18T13:37:00.000-08:00

Lives ruined by alcohol and drugs are being transformed in a rehabilitation centre in a Central Asian country. The man behind it all is Rafael, who learned about the dangers of addiction the hard way. Once a prosperous family man, he lost everything as a result of alcoholism. In desperation while on a trip, Rafael cried out to God to restore his life. A short time later he converted to the Christian faith. Rafael began to reach out to those in prison. He made friends with a prisoner called Folka who also became a follower of Jesus Christ. Folka was dying from tuberculosis so the prison authorities released him to the care of Rafael, who promised to look after him for his last few days on earth. However, Folka didn’t die! God completely healed him from TB as well as from alcohol and drug abuse!

About the same time, Ina came to Rafael asking for help. Her life was a mess – she was a drug addict as were her two teenage children. Her husband was in jail. Rafael arranged for her and her sons to go through a rehabilitation program. Meanwhile, her husband Alex came out of prison and became a Christian. Rafael started to take other addicts into his home but soon became concerned at how many started drinking alcohol after they left. One night he had a dream in which he saw a vine. The branches were taken off the vine and then put back on. Rafael realized that the addicts needed a place where they could receive long term support. He and his wife put their home up for sale to purchase the grounds of a disused church where they set up ‘The Secret Place’ rehabilitation center. Pavel and his wife even sold their wedding rings to buy food for the addicts who came to stay. Now three years and incredible answers to prayer later, ‘The Secret Place’ offers men and women the opportunity to deal with their addictions and hear more about the Christian faith. Ira and Alec, along with Pavel and Wofka, run training programs every morning and oversee practical activities in the afternoons. Their vision is to see residents transformed by Jesus and go on to reach out to the surrounding communities. One of the residents is a young woman called Elsa. She grew up in a government orphanage but had to leave when she turned 18 years old. She was kidnapped and became someone’s slave. Elsa became pregnant and was sent to the hospital to get an abortion. The doctor took pity on her and arranged for her to be sent to the center. Now Elsa is literally hiding in the Secret Place with her daughter.

Pavel had always felt inferior to Russians and tried desperately to match their heavy drinking habits. Eventually he lost his job as a gynecologist. His wife became a believer in Jesus and tried to persuade him to go to the centre but he refused. Later on Pavel became a beliver himself but was only able to stop drinking for several weeks. His church sent him to the Secret Place where he says he’s now living a new life!

Rafael and his team have plans to build a second accommodation block for women. The main obstacle is finance and often Rafael is wondering where the next meal will come from. Please pray that God would be faithful to fulfilling the dream he gave Rafael so that many more broken lives can be made whole.

Communities on the Silk Road from Turkey to China.

2011-02-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

The Silk Road is the name given to the ancient trade route between China and Europe which crossed the length of Central Asia. It was the Romans who first appreciated the texture of the fine silk that had made its way from the Far East, often accompanied by exotic spices. In exchange precious stones and metals went the other way. The main route started at the old imperial capital of China, now Xi’an, and skirted the deadly sands of the Taklimakan desert, climbed over the snowbound passes of the Pamir Mountains, dropped down to the greenery of the Fergana valley, passed through Samarkand and Bukhara, rounded the south of the Caspian Sea and finally ended at the Mediterranean in Turkey.

Along with commodities there was also an exchange of technologies and ideas. Paper and gunpowder first made their way west down the Silk Road. Different races rubbed shoulders as westerners met Turks, Iranians, Mongols and Chinese for the first time.

Travelers also shared their religious viewpoints, like the monks who climbed over the Karakorum pass to bring Buddhism from India to China.

Nestorian Christians, ostracised as heretics by the western church, set out from their base in Iran and took the
message of Jesus Christ all the way to China by 638AD. Soon bishops were being appointed for Christian communities all over modern-day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and China. Whole Turkic tribes were baptised and had an influence on the Mongol hordes. This remarkable flowering was destroyed by the massacres of Genghis Khan and Timurlane. Later Islam came down the same road, brought by Arab armies and zealous traders, establishing itself as the dominant faith.

One of the most remarkable travelers down the Silk Road was Marco Polo. His uncle Matteo had been all the way to Khanbalik (Beijing) and met with Kublai Khan. The Khan requested him to go back and ask the Pope to send one hundred missionaries to teach the Mongols about Christianity. Matteo presented this request in Rome but when he set out on his second journey he was accompanied by only two monks as well as his nephew. Marco later recorded how the monks turned back after a few months when they heard of a hostile army ahead. He and his uncle pressed on for four years until they arrived at Kublai’s court in 1275. They became trusted courtiers of the Khan and returned to Europe wealthy men. The Mongols, however, later became Buddhists or Muslims.

Coca Cola Company Not Pleased With Revealed Recipe for Coke.

2011-02-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

For years, there has been speculation as to the secret recipe of Coke, the famous drink produced by the Atlanta based company Coca Cola. With the recent revelation of the supposed ingredients could hurt the company's sales and bottom line. However, the many years and millions of dollars that have been pumped into the Coke brand, will continue to make it the leading soft drink world wide. There's something prestigious about holding a Coke in your hand. It says, "I'm cool." "I'm modern." "I drink Coke." So what is the secret recipe for Coke? It is thought to be:

Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP

Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops

Coca-Cola is the maker of Diet Coke and other soft drinks.

Muslim Countries of the Middle East Thrust onto the World Stage with Uprisings, Revolutions and Wars.

2011-02-14T13:26:00.001-08:00

Countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea.

The countries along the Mediterranean Sea now find themselves at the center of history. Recent developments in Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Israel, Syria and Jordan have put this region once again in the world spot light. Europe, and their economic and social ills have made the entire region an area of nervous peoples. What is going to happen politically, socially, and economically? This is a major question in the minds of many. Discontent runs rampant and this fuels the desire for change in the region. Islamic fundamentalism and other religious extremism adds to the mix of anxiety. Fear of loosing control to the unknown has led to an increase in worry and depression amongst the people of this region. With Turkey to the northeast, and Morocco to the southwest and France to the northwest and Egypt to the southeast, the area around the Mediterranean Sea is amazingly diverse. Can they live together in unity as neighbors in a world where community is beginning to stretch across political boundaries? Only time will tell.

Egypt, the Nile River and the Middle East from space.

Egypt and the Nile River at night.

North Africa and the Middle East needs transformation.

How Hindu and Muslim Fundamentalists Will Change India, China and the World.

2011-02-12T01:05:00.000-08:00

The sheer size of the populations of India and China means that they will shape the future of the world. Both countries are in the midst of explosive growth, with India leading the way because they don't have child birth restrictions like China has. Seventy five percent of India's population is under the age of 35. China has interfered in it's birth rates out of fear of unrest. But that will come back to haunt them in the future as their population ages and there's no one to replace them.

India, with it's majority Hindu population and minority Muslim and Christian populations is a powder keg waiting to ignite. There are over 300 million Muslims in India and Christianity is growing rapidly through conversions. More people have converted to Christianity in India during the past decade than ever before. The justice movement for the suppressed Dalit caste has helped Christianity to grow. Millions of people, predominantly women, are looking for a way out of their oppression and they are finding it in the Christian faith. The Christian faith gives them the hope that they need to survive. Even though they remain in poverty, there are many organizations that are working to help educate the Dalits and other low caste groups. Many of the women in the lower castes are victims of sex trafficking and have been turned into sex slaves. Over 250,000 young girls are currently trapped in Hindu temples and forced to serve as sex slaves for Hindu priests. Temple prostitution continues to be a major problem in India. There are over 250 million Dalits and the number of them who have turned to the Christian faith is impossible to count. India is in the early stages of an explosive growth in Christianity. Currently there are over 3,000 Good Shepherd Community churches alone in India. There is a church "born" every day in India. In the next ten years, there will be more than 50,000 new church plants in the country. In each of the next 3 years, different Christian organizations run by nationals, will attempt to train new men and women to lead church congregations.

The growth of Christianity in India will permeate the entire country. In Europe, for example, Christianity will continue to decline while Islam will continue to grow. The rise of Islamic populations in Europe will change the culture and politics of Europe. Communities and families create culture. 60% of the households in the U.K. will be run by single parents by 2030. India has had one culture for 2,500 years and the people want to change their culture but they still want community. Will they be able to do it? Gandi, Jesus and Mohamed all wanted their followers to exist in community. Which ones will actually be able to demonstrate that their specific communities work in harmony and unity with each other?

The Hindu community in India no doubt feels threatened by the rise of Christian and Islamic communities. Recently, 3 million Hindu fanatics gathered with the aim to reconvert Indian Christians back to Hinduism. It's spiritual warfare! A clash between religious groups is currently the biggest challenge in India today. It's also a huge challenge for China. However, many see Islam as the biggest threat to India today. The Muslim population in India is also growing, mainly through high birth rates. The struggle of 1.1 billion people in India will impact the world. The unfolding drama in India today is startling. For India and China, the future of the world lies in their hands, but fortunately the entire universe is in the hands of God.

Here is information on how to find Peace with God.

The Culture Shaping Power of Stories in the Koran, Torah, and the Bible.

2011-02-11T02:20:00.000-08:00

Well told or written stories have the power to change people, communities, nations and the world. Stories have the power to bless or curse. There are stories that give an understanding of reality, and those that don't. Throughout history, we see that story telling has influenced cultures like the internet is doing today. The Greeks, Persians, Turks, Arabs, Egyptians, Chinese, Indians, Jews, and many other large people groups have all evolved into what they are today partly due to the stories that were handed down from generation to generation. The ancient countries of the Middle East, North Africa and along the Silk Road have been heavily influenced by stories that are thousands of years old. The Koran (Qur'an), Torah, and Bible have some of the oldest stories that include Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael and the tribes that followed.

The one who can tell the best story in the best way can often have the biggest influence. Not only the story itself, but how it is told and how others hear it. When the printing press came into being, millions more people were impacted through this mass media. Today it's the internet which we see can tell the stories of live revolutions such as those which occurred in Tunisia and Egypt in 2011.

In the beginning of the world, 75% of the way God communicated to man was through stories. The Biblical story is that God created a world and then invited mankind to live in that world. The Bible is a story of reconciliation and redemption.

Today there is an even bigger emphasis on storytelling. People love stories. People flock to movies all over the world. From Hollywood to Bollywood, the movie industry is big business because people love to be entertained by stories. Millions of people sit in front of their TV watching daytime and evening soap operas. Many of these people are addicted. People can get absorbed into a story so deeply that they accept it as truth even if it is fiction!

For a good book on this topic, read "The Power of the Story" by Leighton Ford

India: The Economic and Cricket Superpower of Asia and the World.

2011-02-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

It is now known that if cricket players want to earn a lot of money, the place to go is India. Big salaries are now being paid to the best cricket players in the world and India is happy to receive them and reward them handsomely. India, as a nation continues to grow not only in population but also in economic power and influence. India's GDP is projected to surpass Japan's by the end of 2012. The population in India is booming and the youth population and work force in India is incredibly young. Approximately 75% of the population of India is under age 35. India has more honors students graduating from its schools than there are young people in the United States.

Not only India, but China along with the U.S. and Europe are the super powers that will change the the world during the next century. The impact that these nations, particularly India and China will have upon the world economy will be staggering. No longer is the United States the sole super power in the world. Who will now take the lead? China? No, they don't want it. India? No. That means for the next 20 years there will be a vacuum in economic and political world leadership. It will therefore be a group of nations and powers that will lead the world economy for the foreseeable future.

The question that looms for India is can it be a country where Christians, Muslims and Hindus coexist. Islamic, Hindu and Christian fundamentalists all have their different agendas. Now with the internet and social media, information is more readily available but it can also stir ethnic and religious tensions that can explode resulting in civil war. If that were to happen, then it would evolve into a regional conflict plunging Asia and the world into a political and economic crisis. Millions of people would lose their lives and economies would be set back years. Will peace remain in the region? Only God knows.

How Failures Can Help Your Job Hunt and Career.

2011-02-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

This current Gen Y generation is so much about “me” that it needs to maintain a healthy perspective. What the Gen Y are engaged in is so much bigger than their daily tasks that they spend a lot of time working on. If our dreams are not fulfilled, it is easy to be dissatisfied and feel like a failure. When people go through a period of perceived failure, they can enter a prolonged period of depression.

There is a relationship between imagination and faith. Imagination is the foundation of faith and faith the foundation of hope, and hope is what people need who are looking for a job.

We are given just a few years to live here on earth because when we look at our lives in the perspective of world history, our lives are just a moment in time. We are transients just passing through. Normally this would not give our lives much meaning, but with a look forward, we realize that we are a part of a very large story. As we work at our jobs, we need to understand, “What is the big picture we’re doing?”

It can help to keep an eternal perspective on our lives.

To set aside our selfishness and personal ambitions and live within the context of history is of great benefit. Even our failures can be the seed for someone else's success. But the world is a bigger story and our failures and successes can play a key role in the overall plan. We wrestle with this concept because we want our dreams to come true. Even our failures can be the foundation by which other dreams may become a success.

David, king of Israel was an artist, a musician. He had is successes and failures written out in the Bible for all to read.

The successes and failures can be the foundation of the success and failures of others that come after us.

You are a part of something so much bigger than you can imagine. Our faith is not complete without the faith of those who came before us. There are those that have gone before us that give us perspective. The saints that have gone before us are a part of the great cloud of witnesses.

Moses persevered. He was a hero of the faith. These people were:
1. humans with successes and failures
2. they persevered regardless of the challenges and difficulties.

The next generation will go further than we have gone. What a wonderful joy to realize that God is using us in his bigger picture.

We are a part of a narrative of redemption that if we really understood this, we’d partner with each other with more determination.

Acknowledge moderate successes, reward great failures.

“The reason we see so far is because we stand on the shoulders of giants.” - Isaac Newton

Are you willing to be a door stop? If so, there will be people that can come after you, walk through the door and who will do greater things.

Things that seem tragic, God can use for his purposes. Let God write the script of the story. It’s a big story. God’s story is extraordinary.

There are real failures because we mess up, but perseverance is important. God births new things out of both successes and failures.

If a “failure” happens, it is a matter of perspective as to whether or not it really is a failure or not.

Some of your failures/successes, no one will know but you and God.

Attempt great things for God. God’s definition of success and failure is very different from how the world defines them.

The crucifixion of Christ is the ultimate example of what appeared to be a failure but was the ultimate success.

HIV/AIDS on the Rise Along the Silk Road.

2011-01-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

Drug users are on the increase in Central Asia along the Silk Road as more and more men engage in this harmful activity. Central Asia is a major route for drug trafficking from Afghanistan to Russia and then on to Europe. Also, sexual promiscuity has also increased the rate of HIV/AIDS. Unemployment has driven vast numbers of men and women away from home in search of work. Many spend 6-8 months a year away from their families. Most men are sexually active with other women and prostitutes while away from home and many women who work away from home work in the sex industry. Non profit organizations are reaching out to these people with printed materials in local languages and they also train nationals to teach HIV/AIDS awareness in schools. These seminars are being very well received and there is more demand for trained teachers.

In Kazakhstan, Iran, and Turkey, drug users are on the increase as is the incidence of HIV. Governments in the region are concerned, but unable to address the problem due to lack of resources and corruption. The spread of HIV/AIDS is even denied by governments such as many in the regime in Iran. The feeling is that in Muslim countries, all is well and that there is no sexual promiscuity and therefore no HIV/AIDS. This disease is often seen as a western disease and it's this denial that is contributing to it's spreading like wild fire. It is estimated that about 130,000 people become addicted to drugs every year in Iran. Currently over 4 million people are addicted to drugs in Iran. With high unemployment and poverty, people look for an escape,and many turn to drugs. You can find this in every country of the world. Where will people find hope?

Iran has the unfortunate destiny of being a neighbor to Afghanistan where drugs are produced in massive quantities and sold for cheap to drug users in neighboring countries. The temptation to use drugs is great amongst the young people along the Silk Road. For every drug addict, there is a traumatized family and probably an abused son or daughter. Fortunately there is hope.

Ancient Silk Road Routes

Prostitutes in Iran: Their Life of Working in the Sex Industry.

2011-01-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

A recent visit to a rather poor area of a major city in Iran revealed some interesting realities about life. Muslim societies are not immune to the social problems that plague our world today.

As a visiting husband and wife walked through the narrow alley ways, it was hard to believe that a small half-way house was nestled in amongst all the other buildings where day-time shelter, food, and medical care are provided for drug addicted prostitutes. That was their destination. They might also meet children there: if they are very young, they often accompany their mothers coming to the shelter.

Sometimes the women are offered the opportunity to do crafts, in order to keep their hands busy. Or a class might take place for them to learn how to protect themselves from getting or spreading HIV AIDS. They might even watch some television as a means of passing the day time low period, before their sex work begins again in the evening.

As the visiting woman mingled with the women, one thing that shook her was how broken, trapped and destitute the prostitutes were. Their exterior behavior was, of course, tough. They were very depressed, angry at life, sickly-looking and addicted to the drugs that sedate them from facing the reality of their situation. They gave off a hard, tense atmosphere that was very depressing. This echoed in the small house sheltering these women, which was packed with women. It was an unpleasant environment with some very unruly behavior to add to the mix.

The visiting woman couldn’t help looking at one little boy who was with his mother at the shelter that day. He was very shy and thin, and probably not more than four years old, but his mother had at least combed his hair and put clothes on him. His two top front teeth were missing. He was very wary and mistrusting of the visiting husband and wife as the husband tried to befriend the boy. They suspected he had been sexually molested by men. However, when a female approached the little boy, he responded positively to her gentle playful actions.

The couple left the half-way house and went home, but the wife couldn't get this little boy out of her mind. She was shaken to the core of her heart. She was moved to tears for him, the poor little fellow. She felt so sorry for him, and very angry that this little one has had to suffer so much, because of his mother's life style. There was the feeling of helplessness. What can we do to try and help the women and the little children like this young boy? How will they ever get set free from his hellish nightmare lifestyle? What can the community do to help these people especially the children? Does anyone care?

Such is the life of many women and children along the Silk Road. From Turkey to Iran to Afghanistan to China, and yes, even all around the world in all countries, women and children are suffering. The European Union on human rights has tried to address the issue. However, these are internal affairs. As societies continue to fall into despair, it fuels the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. When people are without hope, they will cling to anything that promises them a better life. Too often these Muslim women are seen as worthless because of their life style. But are they? Don't they have a soul and a brain and feelings just like the rest of society? As with all of us, peace with God is what they need along with the forgiveness of their sins. These children of Abraham and Ishmael are in need of hope. All across central Asia, the Turks, Persians, Turkmen, Uzbeks, Kasakhs, Kyrgys, Uighurs, Azeris, and other people groups need more than economic hope. They need true spiritual hope. One of eternal life.

This region of the world is headed towards possible turmoil. When the United States pulls out of Iraq at the end of 2011, will peace prevail? Or will Islamic fundamentalists attempt to take control leading to the possibility of more civil strife. Multiple countries could be involved in war, the price of oil would sky rocket, and the world economy would sink into another major recession and possibly even a depression. This would be catastrophic for the poor especially women and children of the region.

Churches and Christianity Continue to Grow in Kabyle Region of Algeria.

2010-12-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

A growing church in the Kabyle region of Algeria was to begin meeting in their new building on Saturday, December 26. This is their usual meeting day, but they were planning to have a special celebration of the birth of Jesus. When the believers started to arrive at their new premises, they found around 50 Muslim protesters barring the doors. The church leaders contacted the authorities who responded by sending police who monitored the situation but didn’t intervene. The protesters continued their threats, saying that if the Christians continued to meet in this building, they would slaughter the pastor and his family.

This church has seen incredible growth in the last few years, with many miraculous signs and wonders taking place while they meet. Many hopeless families and young people have found hope in Jesus through this ministry. The church leaders are not afraid or discouraged. They returned to their premises the next day and discovered 20 protesters still gathered there. They were able to share the Christian faith with them and give out New Testaments.

This incident was reported in one of the national newspapers, El Watan. According to the paper, the protesters were local residents who were upset at finding that a church building with many visitors from outside the area would be opening up next to their houses. The article highlighted some of the misconceptions that Muslims have of the church growth in Algeria, stating that they were afraid that their youth would be lured into the church with promises of money, visas, foreign wives or cell phones. The newspaper tried to play down the involvement of the Muslim fundamentalist groups, but it is highly likely that these groups will capitalize on local unrest and use this as an opportunity to further their agenda.

Uzbekistan and Islamic Architecture

2010-12-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

For more than 2,000 years, trade routes ran across Asia connecting the Mediterranean region to China. Caravans of camels, mules and horses carried precious cargo such as spices, minerals, gold, and tea. With these caravans came new cultures and different ideas. The Silk Road traveled right through the heart of Uzbekistan and connected three cities - Samarqand, Bukhara and Khiwa. These cities flourished as a result of these lucrative trade routes.

In Samarqand, the Islamic architecture that still stands dates back to the 15th century. In Bukhara, there are so many mosques and Islamic schools that the city has earned the name "The Divine." The most impressive mosque is the Kalyan Mosque which was built in 1514. The minaret alone rises 155 feet. There are quite a few museums in the city and visitors can wonder around the old city and visit workshops and even see where the old harem quarters used to be.

Time is Short for Learning How to Live in Community with Each Other.

2010-11-17T12:25:00.000-08:00

What will you do with the time and resources you have left? Was that last fight or argument really worth it? Did someone actually win or did everyone loose? Were hearts softened or hardened as a result? Living in community in this small world is better than living alone in a big world. What does it profit a man or woman if they gain the whole world but loose their soul? Most wars and conflicts today arise over material possessions. Greed, jealousy, envy, and anger result in coveting, stealing, damaged relationships and more. And who wants to live in a world like that? Be a peace maker. You will be blessed.

Poodwaddle.com

Dramatic Changes Along the Silk Road.

2010-11-10T05:48:00.000-08:00

Two men from a Central Asian country recently flew to Afghanistan. They were on a spiritual mission. Upon arrival, they drove to a city in the north. After resting and changing into local dress, they picked up their backpacks of Christian literature. They had plans to visit five towns during their two week stay.

These were places where no foreigner has ever preached the message of Jesus Christ. The men befriended a taxi driver who took them to his house, showed them around town, introduced them to his friends and invited them to stay the night. Many relatives and friends came to dinner. The men shared openly and a young boy who had been beaten and left disabled by religious Muslim leaders listened with tears. The men then prayed earnestly for the group of guests, especially for the boy. No one had heard prayer like that before.

The same taxi driver continued with them from town to town. Everywhere people seemed poor and desperate. Islam had not provided them with what they had hoped for materially. Many pushed passport size photos into their hands begging them to give these to anyone who might be able to come and help them. The men considered ways in which they might help the people better themselves. Could they start some income generating business there?

In one town they made contact with a shoemaker who had converted from Islam to Christianity. His parents had been killed because of their Christian faith. They learned from him that there are at least one hundred families who follow Jesus though their understanding of the faith is weak. If teachers came they would be eager to learn. Soon the two men were full of ideas. "Choose 10 leaders from among yourselves. Gather them in a safe place and we can send someone to teach them. They in turn can teach the others. Perhaps two or three could even come and stay with us a for a time of leadership training."

Back home, at the end of this life changing trip, they shared their experiences and spread out the photographs on the table. They remembered their pleading, "Come and help us. Give us hope." Two small churches in Central Asia, who are very poor themselves, decided to "adopt" the new Christian believers in northern Afghanistan and help them grow in their faith. Such are some of the dramatic changes along the Silk Road.

One way that Christianity is being spread in Afghanistan is through radio. Pamir Productions has contact with many Afghan Christians. More stories like this can also be found at: More than Dreams.

Our Longing for Community

2010-11-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Our Longing for Community
by G. Franklin

I long for a place where I feel welcome and accepted.
   Enable me to open my heart and arms to others.
I long to belong - to be known and loved.
     Enable me to embrace others.
I long to enjoy the comfort and company of close friends.
     Enable me to extend my friendship to others.
I long for friends who accept the reality of who I really am in the present.
     May I freely offer the gift of safety to others.
I long for friends who believe in me and in the person I long to become.
     May I gladly offer the gift of vision.
I long for friends who live me enough to be truthful with me.
     May I humbly offer the gift of wisdom.
I long to move past my fears of being hurt of disappointed by people.
     Free me to risk living in community.
I long to break free from my comfortable apathy.
     Free me to risk living in community.
I long to embrace the way of deeper commitment to others.
     Free me to risk living in community.

Then in this environment of community we want to become more like Christ.

Together may we experience the mystery of spiritual transformation.

The Carpet Workshop

2010-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

When Jay arrived in a beautiful Silk Road city, he found it was a region of chronic unemployment. He wanted to do something that would empower the poor to be able to help themselves. It took a lot of hard work and long hours, but Jay was determined to start to help the region once again produce high quality carpets as it had done centuries past. He was committed to seeing that the first workshop would be a model of ethical business in a country where corruption was the norm. There was no special treatment for friends and he focused on empowering the widows, orphans, and the disabled. Soon he was employing 50 people, raising their self-esteem through regular and fair salaries. The workshop was set up as a co-operative with an elected committee of weavers and dyers making decisions. Jay watched the business grow as the assortment of employees were woven into something akin to a tight knit family.

Baptism in a Turkish Hotel Pool Surprises All

2010-10-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago, a Turkish man named Yousef was tormented by demons. After recently accepting Jesus into his life, he was delivered from his tormentors and he wanted to be baptized. The Lord truly had touched his heart in a great way. One day while driving with a Turkish pastor, they stopped to eat at a hotel restaurant. The pastor saw a pool behind the hotel and it came to his mind that he could baptize Yousef there. But then he realized that it wouldn't be possible because lot of people were in and around the pool. In many Turkish churches, the common thing that can be heard is, "Don't let anybody see it happen." or "Don't let any people outside the church see the baptism." The pastor prayed while thinking these things and as they approached the pool he said to Yousef, "I suppose we couldn't do it here?" Yousef said, "Just a minute." and hurried to the reception of the hotel and asked, "Is it alright if I get baptized in your swimming pool? It will only take 5 minutes?" You can imagine how surprised the person at the reception desk must have been!

The next surprise came as Yousef emerged from the hotel with tens of people and the pastor thought they were coming to start a fight. They approached the pastor and said, "Mr. Priest, is it OK if we watch the baptism too?" Yousef had explained to them all what was happening and had invited them to come and watch.

The Lord had done this and Yousef was baptized in the pool with 20-30 Muslim spectators watching! The clapping after he came out of the water was more than the pastor had ever heard at anybody's baptism in his church and almost all of it being from unbelievers! Before they parted they were able to talk to the group of people at the baptism and distribute all the New Testaments that they had.

The Lord once again reminded Yousef and the pastor that He prepares everything and He will lift up his holy name. People need to simply give themselves to God and watch as He is the one who does everything.

Communities Around the World: First Stop the Silk Road.

2010-10-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

The Silk Road is the land between China and Europe. Traders crossed back and forth over this land for thousands of years. Most of the people of the Silk Road are Muslims. However 70 years of Marxist propaganda in Central Asia left little formal knowledge of Islam, so for many people only the folk superstitions survived. Many Turks, for example, pride themselves on their liberal interpretation of Islam. Turkish aspirations to join the European Union have fostered the desire for more freedoms. Religious nationalism still results in the persecution of religious minorities, such as Christians. Iran opposes the West in the name of Islam, but disillusionment with the regime has led to great interest in other faiths, especially Christianity. Where there is war and poverty, Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise and strengthening. Iraq is on the verge of further unrest once the Americans completely pull out the end of 2011.

The Turks

The Turks were nomadic peoples who burst out of the steppes of Central Asia and astonished the world as they captured Baghdad and Constantinople. Now the languages and cultures of the Turks of Turkey, the Azeris of Azerbaijan, the Turkmen, the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgys and Uighurs of Northwest China are closely related, with a shared feeling of kinship.

The Persians

The Persians were the first to dominate this region. Darius' empire spread from the Aegean Sea to the Pamir Mountains. Persian language and culture and their early conversion to Islam impacted the lives of everyone under their influence. Today, the people of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan are proud of their Persian heritage, its poetry and its carpets.

The Muslim peoples of the Silk Road related themselves back to Ishmael, the son of Abraham. Many are disillusioned with hypocrisy and corruption. They are tired of poverty and hopelessness. There is a cry in their hearts for righteousness, peace and acceptance from God.

Here is an excellent resource for reading more about peace with God or Allah in your own language.