Equal

UN Declaration of Human Rights: Article 1-

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

I think the biggest problem in the world today is that we don't see all human beings as equal. I see this everywhere and unfortunately it seems as endemic in the world-wide church as outside of it.

Some examples-

Israel/Palestine
Over the past 2 years there have been 40 Palestinains killed for every 1 Israeli. Palestinian land is being constantly stolen and it's people live in an open-air prison. Where else in the world are so many people denied most of their basic human rights, only to have their problems sweeped under the carpet by the world's media? The status quo exists because of American Christian Zionism. The church around the world is indoctrinated to show unwavering support to the state of Israel (a secular state) no matter what wrongs they commit. This is despite the fact that there are many more Christian believers living in Palestine than in Israel.

Muslims
When we see a middle-eastern woman in a headscarf on the news mourning her loss do we feel the same symapathy as we do for a western woman? The Republican party's main offensive in the American presidential campaign is to try and make people think (wrongly) that Obama is muslim. I've heard people here say we should be praying for McCain to get in because Obama is a muslim and Sarah Palin is a Christian. Never mind the fact that Palin makes George Bush look like a bastion of intelligence and articulation (watch this).

Africa
Sometimes I feel an underlying cynicism or resignation when people talk about issues of poverty, AIDS etc in Africa. Like their problems can never be solved, or they should sort them out themselves, or there's no point because their governments are so corrupt. Do we really see the children in Africa who are dying in their millions as being equal to our own?

Others
Homeless, drunks, homosexuals, immigrants .......

I'm lovin it???

I was out in Belfast with some mates last night. After a great night we were walking home about 330am and decided to stop off at the 24-hour McDonalds on the Newtownards Road for some quarter pounder meals.

We were chatting to the guy flipping burgers and he told us that they keep cooking food all night in case people come in. They throw out any unsold burgers after 10 minutes and cook some more. He said they throw out about £150 of burgers every night. That's £150 of what they cost McDonald's, not what we pay.

So I've done some rough calculations:
They probably throw at least twice as many out during the day than at night. However most McDs are 24-hour. A very generous estimate would be that the average McDs throws out £300 of burgers every day altogether.

Google tells me there are 25 MickeyDs in N.I. so that's £7500 wasted per day here.

There are 31,000 McDs in the world so that's £9,300,000. Nearly £10 million a day and that's being generous! Probably far more.

Rainforests are being destroyed around the world, millions of tonnes of packaging are used for a few minutes and then discarded, and I'll not even get into a world poverty rant... all because lads with bum fluff moustaches and squeaky voices are being forced to throw out their handiwork.

McDonalds boycott anyone?

Weddings, bears and brotherhood

I've seen two of my brothers wed this year and both have been brilliant days. The pic above didn't make it to the speech (the girly looking one is Mikey not Joy who wasn't born then!). I feel blessed to have brothers and a sister who are great friends as well as siblings.

As requested here are a couple of the videos from our speech. They're only really funny if you were there and I can't be arsed explaining...






btw... if you are thinking of leaving a comment along the lines of...
'you're next then'
'when's your big day',
'you need to get a move on John'
'I know a great girl for you'
...leave it out, I've heard it all before!

Flobots

I love music that's full of righteous anger. I found a quality band recently that fueled in me a fist-clenching, rallying cry against the system... like when I first heard 'Rage Against the Machine'.

They rage against war and injustice but also seem to be doing something about it with their non-profit organisation that aims to connect social change with music (www.flobots.org)

Check out this video and their other songs on youtube. Album's out in September...you heard it here first!

Prosperity Gospel

I've watched this video on repeat tonight. From a talk by John Piper. It's stirring my heart.

'I don't know what you feel about the prosperity gospel,
the health, wealth and prosperity gospel
but I'll tell you what I feel about it
Hatred.'

'God is most glorified in you,
when you are most satisfied in him,
in the midst of loss
not prosperity.'




Thanks jbam!

Webale Jesu

Well this chapter of our Uganda story is over. We had an amazing, profound, tiring, life-changing month. Every moment was a privilege to be part of. My head is a bit too mashed up right now to try and put it all into words.

Here are some of my pics instead. My camera broke but still managed to get a few shots first. There's more on my flickr site here. Also check out Tim's site for some brilliant photos.

End of the Beginning

Team 1 leave tonight and Team 2 join us. As I had hoped I have spent less time processing and thinking and more time experiencing and living in the moment.... and what an experience:

- School is flying up. The site is beyond words. It truly will be a beacon of hope for the surrounding villages.
- Over 50 sick children brought to clinics be treated for various illnesses and tested for HIV.
- Visited and supported the work of others in pregnancy crisis centre and in the slums.
- Kid's clubs, sports coaching, women's work, teacher training.
- The relationships we built with teachers, kids, builders two years ago have now developed into true friendships. It feels like home.

Check out Al's blog for more detailed info.

This team have been amazing. They have come with open eyes and open hearts and have responded to the need they have seen around them.

We stood on top of the hill yesterday, where the secondary school is being built, praying with our Ugandan friends and I experienced the presence of God like never before. Every day we see new things to respond to. The project has become huge. It's gone way beyond our control and past the point of no return. After years of feeling frustrated with poverty, injustice, AIDS, education issues we at last feel like we're not just talking about it but in one small part of the world we're able to respond and make a real and lasting difference.

It is a great privilege to help lead these teams. This project is becoming one of the most special things I have ever been a part of. This could be the rest of my life.

ps Nicky is here and he's single and desperate. Send photos to thenickmans@hotmail.com. You can see his photos on his bebo.

Africa

This Saturday we set off on another adventure to Jandira, Uganda. It's hard to believe after months of planning that it's almost upon us. Check out website here for information. Some of my photos of our last trip to Jandira here. It's a huge team and a huge project. Scary and but immensely exciting! I can't wait to spend another month on african soil.

I probably won't blog much over July. I want to experience more and process less on this trip... leaving the processing until I come home.


I wrote this after I went to South Africa in 2004 -

You gave birth to mankind,
In your womb grew resource:
Rubber, Oil, Diamond, Slave,
Taken from you.

It was us
who raped you,
Stole your innocence,
Battered you, chained you, sold you.

Left extremes to battle
in your no-man's land,
Darkness and Light
Doubt and Faith
Despair and Hope
Apathy and Love.

Yet you remain
hard pressed not crushed
Perplexed not in despair
Persecuted not forgotten
Struck down but not destroyed.

And in you
my soul has found
everything it has exchanged for extravagance

In you

In Africa

School

Last week was the extreme outdoor pursuits school trip that I've spent all year organising. It was a great success. I've taught some of this kids for two years and seen them grow and mature daily, building great relationships with them. The trip was the highlight of the past two years.

My lads have had great success on the sports fields with both football and rugby teams winning their leagues (see pics).















These things have made me realise that, although I retain dreams and aspirations about where I'd like to be and what I'd like to do, I find much joy and fulfillment in my current job (for now!).

Here's a quality quote that jumped out at me from our class novel last week.

'Above all watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.'

Roald Dahl 'The Minpins'

Into the Wild

When I compile my all-time favourite movies (The Last of the Mohicans, Legends of the Fall, Apocalypto, Gladiator) they all seem to have a common theme- adventure, sweeping landscapes, stirring classical soundtrack, wildness. The kind of movies that you watch and then go to bed and dream of being in a different place in a different time and being wild!

I watched 'Into the Wild' the other night and it's gone straight into my top 5! The amazing true story of Christopher McCandless who sold all he had, gave the money to Oxfam and went to live in the Alaskan wilderness by himself. Read about him here.

The movie covered many thoughts I have had about escape, wildness, society and in particular travelling alone. I have always had a desire to take off by myself on an adventure. Where I'm unknown, free from expectations and responsibility. However I have also spent much time considering if any experience would be true and fulfilled if experienced alone... with no-one to share it or to remember it.

I have asked this question to many travellers that I've met. The story of McCandless is quite emphatic on this. The clip below shows the part of his journey where he is alone and starving and remembering the people he met when he first set out. What he writes is the essence of his story:

'Happiness is only real when shared'

On that note we are looking at 'Community' in TRUE tomorrow night. Don't miss it!