Documentary Film “180” Challenges Views on Modern Day Holocaust

The beginning of this film makes you shake your head in disgust. How can so many young adults not even know who Adolf Hitler was? Why is our nations’ youth not being taught with intention and purpose what occurred during the Holocaust? If you have not yet seen the 30 minute documentary titled “180,” prepare yourself for a riveting and compelling film that challenges how many people determine the value of human life. In it, author and co-host of the award winning TV program (with actor Kirk Cameron) “The Way of the Master,” Ray Comfort takes to the streets interviewing people about one of the most heinous events in history. Through a series of thought provoking questions and hypothetical scenarios, Comfort strategically leads people to examine their logic and why they think the way they do. Although Comfort’s questions begin with the Holocaust, it only serves as the foundation of what his true intent is – to make people think about what many consider to be the holocaust of our modern times and to challenge others on what it means to “be good” and, if heaven and God exists, win favorable judgment. You will be amazed at how people reach that “180” degree shift on long held beliefs. Comfort masterfully flips people’s logic on its head and, when they see it cannot endure the scrutiny of the most heated moral arguments of our day, they realize it no longer makes sense to them.

Interviewing young adults, college student and a few neo Nazis on the street, Ray Comfort begins with asking who Adolf Hitler was and if what he did was evil. Certainly the most interesting responses are from the neo Nazis, particularly a polarizing young man by the name of Steven. As he spews his hatred of Jews, minorities and America he insists that the slaughtering of 11 million people (6 million of which were Jews) is a lie. The average adult, however, believed it was wrong and from there Comfort began to ask the poignant questions on whether they value human life. As a test he poses certain scenarios to them. The first of which is, if you knew what Hitler was ultimately capable of doing would they go back in time and murder him before he could commit his atrocities? This question was not meant to encourage vigilantism but to see if people valued life enough to take it upon themselves to prevent the destruction of millions of lives. Second, if they were given instructions by the Nazis to bulldoze and bury alive Jews in a pit or face death themselves would they do it? Would they shoot them instead? Some honestly answered that they would because they were going to die anyway. Those with greater moral conviction responded that they could not be responsible for the death of another, no matter what the price. “Do you value human life?” he proceeded to ask them. The question elicited the correct answer from most but then Comfort shifted the scenario and asked what their views were on abortion. You see their hesitation as they begin espousing the usual rhetoric on when life beings and whether they have a right to deny a woman’s right to choose. Comfort poses the following thought provoking analogy to them. A construction worker is given a job to blow up a building. They tell him, however, that there may or may not be a living person in that building. If there is any uncertainly should he proceed? In other words, if you espouse to value human life and cannot answer the fundamental question of when life begins, do you still assume the risk?
Anticipating the typical reasoning behind permitting abortion, Comfort asked them to fill in the blank to the following statement, “its okay to kill a baby in the womb when _______.” Rape and birth defects were common responses. Skillfully, Comfort debates these ideas by asking them which is worse - rape or murder? Is it right for a child to pay for the sins of the father? He further probes the notion of who is worthy to live. Hitler killed many handicapped people. Was that okay because their quality of life was “not so good” thereby making it completely justifiable? Why is the womb any different?

Many of those interviewed began to shift their views a bit but some continued to fall back on the notion that, even though they see it as wrong and would not personally choose abortion, they could not take that choice away from others. Drawing on the Holocaust again as a parallel, Comfort explained that Hitler was legally sanctioned by the German public to do what he did resulting in the murder of 11 million people. He had their backing just as Americans have legally sanctioned the right for women to abort babies and have allowed the death of over 53 million since Roe vs. Wade. “So you wouldn’t kill Jews, but it’s okay to have someone else kill them?” he bluntly points out to them. When people witness their logic carried through to its end, they are surprised to find out that it crosses the line on what they deem moral and their entire belief system is radically changed.

In the second part of “180,” Comfort segued from abortion to the concept of morals and the after life. It is funny to see how a man who did not believe in Godly judgment, quickly changes his mind when asked on the eternal fate of Hitler. Humans all have an innate desire for justice and, unabashedly, even this nonbeliever answered that Hitler is in hell. Pressing further, Comfort asks people if they are a good person. All, including Steven the neo Nazi, claimed to be so. Within minutes, however, their notion of their own goodness is deconstructed. “Have you ever told a lie?” Comfort asks, “Have you stolen something? Have you used God’s name in vain? Have you lusted after another?” Confronted with the truth that they have broken four of God’s commandments, they all agree that they are not so good after all. Realizing their folly, people became more open to hearing the message of Christ’s love and redemption. Even Steven, who expressed such hatred and venom at the beginning of the film, began to think about the implications of this new found truth. It was amazing to see the shift in so many people’s attitudes, especially someone as opposing as him.

“180” could be one of the most powerful and effective tools today for the pro-life movement and for the outreach of the gospel. By paralleling the atrocities of the Nazi holocaust to that of abortion, people gain a new perspective on life, death and matters of eternity. Watch this video today and share it with all you know.


To watch the documentary go to www.180movie.com. To learn more about Ray Comfort and order the movie and supplemental support materials go to www.heartchanger.com.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, January 2012
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0112/index.html#/32/

Tim Tebow: God's Quarterback

Strong in mind, strong in body and strong in spirit; those are words that many would use to describe Tim Tebow. One of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of college football, he won two BCS national championships playing for the University of Florida Gators. He became the first sophomore in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy and became a first round NFL draft pick for the Denver Broncos. His success as an athlete alone would have been enough to motivate legions of fans to rally behind him, but what sets Tim Tebow apart from other sports icons is his character on and off the field and how he represents his Christian faith on the huge platform God has given him. Two recent media releases give a glimpse into the life of Tebow and his journey to becoming the successful athlete and Christian man he is today.

His biography “Though My Eyes,” released earlier this year, is an excellent read. Tebow writes in a warm, conversational style starting each chapter with an inspirational Bible verse. In it he shares the circumstances surrounding his birth in the Philippines, homeschooling, being raised on a farm, and the values instilled by his parents that helped him rise to become the athlete he is today.

In 1986, his parents were missionaries in a remote village in the Philippines when his mother became pregnant with him, their fifth child. From the start it was a difficult pregnancy. “An abortion is the only way to save your life,” the doctor told her then. Despite this news, his mom had an unexpected peace, God’s peace, that sustained her though the pain, bleeding and uncertainty of the next eight months of her pregnancy. They named him Timothy, which means, “honoring God.” Little did they know then that the circumstances surrounding his birth would be thrust into the national spotlight one day. In 2010, a commercial by Focus on the Family during the Super Bowl sparked much debate in the media and gave a platform to the pro-life movement. Despite the controversy, the ad proved to be sensitive and well done. Instead of creating division, it showed the sanctity of life by depicting the loving relationship between mother and son.

One of the best parts of Tebow’s book is the character lessons and mantras that provided for his firm foundation. Given the competitive nature of Tim and his two older brothers and the athletic success they began to achieve, their parents instilled a rule based on Proverbs 27:2 “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” They were not permitted to brag unless someone asked them first. If someone ever complimented their character to their mom or dad, they would receive a dollar. These rules helped them focus on their character and humility instead of their outward successes.
At a young age, Tebow departed from the common attitude most kids had on “fitting in.” “What’s the point of being ‘normal,’ he wrote, “That sounds average to me, and I never felt like I was created to be average.”
One of the best gems of the book was a mantra he adopted as he began his workouts as a kid to become stronger and better: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Tebow was always looking for that edge that would help him succeed. He knew working harder than anyone else would win him those results. His competitive nature, strong work ethic developed maintaining the farm, and his Christian grounding all served to catapult him to future success and help lead both his high school and college teams to victory.

One of the customs that set Tebow apart in college was the Bible verses he would wear on his eye black during games. When he changed the verse to John 3:16 for the National Championship game, it was reported that ninety-four million people searched for John 3:16 on Google during and immediately following that game. Outside the field, Tebow was a humanitarian as well. He traveled back to the Philippines to help with the ministry there and back home created the Tim Tebow Foundation to “bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.”

Released last month on DVD, the documentary ‘Tim Tebow: Everything in Between,” follows him as he ends his career at the University of Florida and prepares for the next phase in his life: the NFL draft. Although critics did not expect him to be drafted in the first several rounds, Tebow was undaunted and trained hard to impress the pros. Cameras followed him through hard core workout sessions and training drills as he worked to improve his throw, change his delivery and develop peak form. The film also depicted interactions with his fans, his trip to Washington D.C. to take part in the National Day of Prayer, and his spending time with terminally ill children at a hospital, something Tebow did routinely when he was at UF. The best part is draft day. Surrounded by his friends and family, Tebow eagerly awaits the outcome to his future. When Denver calls one cannot help but be excited for him. The film’s ending, however, left you wanting more. As they are about to announce the Denver Broncos 25th draft pick on the television, the film abruptly ends before stating his name. It would have been more satisfying to see the dream he had as a 6 year-old boy culminate with him dressed in the Denver uniform. In defense of the ending, the filmmaker stated it symbolized that Tebow’s future has yet to be written. Although it doesn’t delve into a more personal depiction of Tebow’s life, fans will, nonetheless, enjoy catching a short glimpse of their favorite football hero in his daily pursuit of achieving his NFL dream. No doubt many will be watching number 15 with great anticipation – to shine His light on and off the football field and to press on, and finish strong.

For more information on Tim Tebow and his foundation go to TimTebowFoundation.org and TimTebow.com

Published in The Good News of South Florida, December 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/1211/index.html#/32/

Book Review: The Hiding Place

Can there be freedom when evil triumphs all around you, when all that you love is taken away, and when your days are surrounded by brutality, death and horror in a Nazi concentration camp? In this remarkable true story published 40 years ago, Cornelia Ten Boom shares her journey from spinster watchmaker in 1937 Holland to a heroine of the Dutch Resistance and how she risked her life helping hide God’s chosen people from the extermination of Hitler’s regime.

In the preface of “The Hiding Place” author Elizabeth Sherrill recalls the first time she heard Corrie Ten Boom speak at a 1968 service in Germany. Of the two sharing their experiences of the Holocaust, Sherrill was struck by the similarities in their stories and yet how different each speaker was affected. Both speakers had been prisoners of a concentration camp, brutalized and starved. Both had family that died in the camp. One speaker was emotionally and physically devastated but Corrie emanated just the opposite. “Her face radiated a spirit of love, peace and joy,” wrote Sherrill, “how could that be?” Sherrill knew there was a story to tell and, together with her husband John, learned how God became Corrie’s refuge, a “hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest…the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” (Isaiah 32:2 KJV)

It was 1937 when Corrie and all the Ten Boom family were making preparations for the 100th anniversary of their little watching making shop in Holland. The Ten Booms were a well regarded and loving family. Many friends from town came to pay their respects to Corrie and her father at the humble little crooked home they referred to as the “Beje.” Together with her sisters, Nollie and Betsie, Corrie wondered where her older brother Willem was. An ordained minister, Willem had always had a heart for serving the Jews and had scrimped and saved to open a home to serve the elderly. As of late, there had been many young, frightened and homeless Jews knocking on his door escaping persecution in Germany.
As she sat and worried, Corrie remembered the words her brother penned in his doctoral thesis ten years prior while studying there. He had written that a terrible evil was taking root in Germany and at the university seeds were being planted of contempt for human life such as the world had never seen. The few that had read it laughed. No one was laughing now. In the years since a deliberate and large scale movement was growing against the Jews. When Willem finally arrived at the Beje, all eyes fixated on the man at his side. Badly burned and beaten was a Jewish man in traditional garb; set on fire by teenage boys on the streets of Munich. Little did Corrie Ten Boom know then what role she and her family would play in the dark days to come.

The Germans invaded Holland in 1940, and the changes brought by their occupation came slowly at first. Curfews were enacted, identity and ration cards became mandatory, newspapers no longer carried news, phones were disconnected and radios seized. Minor attacks on the Jews began as if testing to see how the Dutch people would react. With little resistance from the public, the Nazis grew bolder. Synagogues were burned down. Businesses put up signs claiming no service for Jews and it became mandatory for them to wear a yellow six pointed star with the word “Jood” (Jew) in its center. Soon after they began to disappear, leaving their homes and businesses abandoned. Jewish men, women and children were being arrested and hauled away by the truckload. Risking their lives, the Ten Booms became a part of the underground resistance that whisked Jews to safe places. In the Beje itself, a secret hiding place was constructed for a group of six under their care. Even the Dutchmen, themselves, were not safe. Every young, healthy male between sixteen and thirty lived in fear of being herded away by the Nazis to a German munitions factory.

In February of 1945, the Gestapo raided the Beje arresting Corrie and her family on suspicion of hiding Jews. None were found in the house. All six had made it to safety in the secret hiding place in Corrie’s room and later rescued. Corrie’s faith and resilience would be tested beyond measure in the months to come. Separated from her family and living in the cruel conditions of solitary confinement, she yearned more than anything for a Bible. Her prayers were answered when a nurse managed to sneak to her four small booklets of the four Gospels. Jesus became Corrie’s hiding place and her refuge, bearing a burden too hard to endure on her own.

When the prisoners were transported to a concentration camp, Corrie was reunited with her sister Betsie. The worst was yet to come. One of the many great lessons in this book was how God can turn something deplorable into a surprise blessing. Upon entering the barracks at Ravenswood Concentration Camp outside Berlin, the sisters were overcome with despair at the filthy conditions. Although the beds were infested with lice, Betsie reminded Corrie to give thanks in all circumstances, even for this pestilence. Corrie was not convinced. How could they be thankful for lice? You will have to read the book to find out how God used the lowly lice for all their benefit. As conditions grew more horrific by the day, the Bible became the center of help and hope for the hundreds of women at the camp. “The blacker the night around us grew,” she recollected, “the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the word of God. ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ she would read to them, ‘Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?..Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.’ ” (Romans 8:35-37)

Before Betsie died, she shared with her sister a vision God gave her of ministering to people after the war. Shortly there after, a clerical error granted Corrie Ten Boom her freedom. - a week before the Nazis exterminated everyone in her age group. Until the end of her life, at age 91, she relentlessly shared her story around the world. Based on the book, a movie version was released in 1975. Next year a film based on the Dutch Resistance, “Return to the Hiding Place,” will be released in theatres. “The Hiding Place” is truly an inspirational book about faith triumphing over evil. A testimony on how God’s love can shine brightest even in the darkest pit of our circumstance.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, November 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/1111/#/XXXII/

Rocketown, Fort Lauderdale

Connection, authenticity and belonging. Essential needs in the life of every person but what do they mean for today’s teenager? For the modern day latch key kid it is a community of available and caring mentors. For the unchurched it is the fostering of authentic friendships with Christians instead of being looked upon as a one time prayer or “project.” For those with a life story of personal brokenness it is learning to trust and release those burdens to someone greater than themselves and ultimately find belonging. Understanding these concepts, Rocketown Florida opened November 2009 to answer the call. In just over a year 30,000 kids have walked through its doors, 400 bands have performed and over 150 have committed their lives to Christ. At its heart, Rocketown’s mission is to impact the lives of teens by creating a safe haven that is culturally relevant but eternally significant. “Kids lives are changed through relationship rather than praying a prayer and never seeing them again”, says Danny Kanell, Rocketown’s President, “there is follow up and a trust level”. For the occasional concert attendee the impact may not be as evident but in the lives of the teens that come everyday and stay until closing, a place like Rocketown makes all the difference.
Modeled after the one that opened up in Nashville eight years ago, Rocketown FL is within a five mile radius of several public schools. Its central location and programs attract a diversity of students from different socio economic groups. From the underprivileged kid lacking a support system to the private school rich kid to whom religion has become mundane - all are welcome here. “Every kid who walks in the doors is worthy of love and attention,” says Theresa Mazza, Operations Director, “that matches our model and mission. What all these kids find is that they are the same as everyone else and they find identity in that.”
Rocketown does not consider itself a “Christian teen center,” exclusive to Christian kids. Rather it is a place where you accept kids where they are at. “If you come having preconceived ideas and stereotypes,” Mazza says, “your going to miss the message of what Rocketown is about.”.
Attracting teens is the fundamental building block to Rocketown’s success. Kids come for the great music venue, skatepark, coffee bar and the variety of programs that speak to their interests. While there, Rocketown staff members build relationships and create an inviting community of acceptance and fellowship. Through discussion groups and Bible studies, teens are connected with local churches and youth groups. Rocketown’s goal is for kids to discover God’s purpose for their lives. Through their creative programs they expose the kids to new interests and talents. For 19 year old Shane Rocketown was pivotal in guiding him towards a future in ministry.
For most of his young life, Shane battled crippling feelings of low self worth. Eager to prove himself, he excelled at sports but did not find the validation he so desperately sought. As his personal life continued to spiral out of control, Shane attempted to take his own life. At the hospital he cried out to God for grace and his life was spared. Although he would face further doubts and trials to come, Rocketown planted the seeds for equipping Shane to find his true purpose. He enrolled in the discipleship training school, Youth with a Mission (YWAM), where he trained intensively for three months followed by a two month mission trip to Angola, Africa. “God is everything and a part of every big decision in my life,” he states. From being there to cut the opening day ribbon for Rocketown’s inception to instilling a passion for his future vocation in youth ministry, Shane is a notable example of how God uses a place such as this. Rocketown shows teens, like Shane, that they are worthy and that their validation does not come of their own accord but from God himself.

To learn more about Rocketown visit www.Rocketownfl.com

Featured in the online webzine OnCourse, May 2011
oncourse.ag.org

Movie Review: Journey to Everest

The local Nepalese call it Jomolungma which means “mother goddess of the world.” To us it is the most revered of all mountain peaks. At 29,029 feet above sea level, no mountain competes with the grandeur and majesty that is Mount Everest. Beckoning adventurers from around the world, six Christians embarked on an incredible and life changing journey to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest. Available now on DVD, Journey to Everest is a film chronicling the travelers as they have a close encounter with death, learn about the Hindu/Buddhist world of Kathmandu and meet a Christian Nepali pastor who inspired them and touched their hearts. Although their goal began as a treacherous physical journey to reach the elusive 17,400 foot-elevation Everest Base Camp, the mountain was merely a catalyst that embarked them on a spiritual trek to help a people that were geographically and culturally far removed from their own.
Boarding a plane from Nashville, TN to the ancient city of Katmandu, Nepal the six travelers were greeted by Pastor Bishwa Kharmacharya from Transformation Nepal, a Christian ministry helping the poor. One of the most interesting parts of the film was learning about the uniqueness of Nepal’s varied religious cultures. From the sacredness of cows to the worshiping of 300 million gods and goddesses, Bishwa takes them on a journey to two holy temples. One is an example of their views on spiritual redemption, the other on the afterlife. Witnessing a body being cremated on an altar and its remains dumped into the adjacent river, they learn that drinking and bathing out of the river purifies them of their sins. At another sacred temple the Nepalese believe their observances there release them from the binds of reincarnation.
When the group converges at the airport to begin the last flight of their journey to Lukla, they soon find out that their flight has been bumped. Another group from Germany takes their place instead. Later that day they receive word that the plane crashed killing all sixteen onboard except the pilot. Shocked at what could have been their own fate, the group contemplates whether or not to continue on their quest. Although many have died on the journey to Everest Base Camp they agree to continue. Climbing the rigorous terrain on foot, acclimating to the heightening elevation and breathing with a 20% lower oxygen level proves very trying for all the members - and not all of them make it. One of my favorite moments is the selfless act made by leader Ed Smith. When a struggling member can no longer continue on, he stays behind with her enabling her spouse to finish. At 16,000 feet God blesses those who continue on with the gift of a crystal clear night where the moonlight reflects off the snow causing the mountain to light up and look “plugged in.” Humbled by the awesome majesty of God’s creation before them, a desire begins to form in each of their hearts to help meet the needs of the Nepalese people.
When they make it to Everest Base Camp the moment is almost anticlimactic. You celebrate their success but you are left wanting more…as if the journey alone were not enough to satisfy. What makes this movie complete, however, is how the story continued even after filming wrapped. In the ten months before the film’s release, a series of events began to unfold. While the film was being edited, Ed Smith began telling people in the U.S. about what Bishwa’s ministry was doing in Nepal. In another twist of fate a refugee camp of 12,000 people lost everything and was displaced by a fire in their village. When Bishwa came to Nashville to share about their ministry the filmmakers showed the local community a sneak preview of the unfinished film. The audience was so moved that they donated a staggering $30,000 for missions overseas. When the United Nations stepped in to resettle the Nepalese refugees, some of them were relocated to Nashville. Suddenly, there were a host of needs to be met right in their own backyard.
On the day of the movie’s world premier, the refugees were given an honorary preview seating. As the general audience began to arrive for the sold out second showing, all 200 refugees lined the hallways of the theatre to greet them. For many movie goers the warmness of the Nepalese people was their favorite experience of the night. The successful premier raised much needed funds for the displaced Nepalese community and opened the door to the film being screened in 300 theatres and churches all over the world. Through its showing much support has been raised for Christian ministry in Nepal. Journey to Everest may have started as a film about an exciting journey undertaken by six Christians but ultimately that was only part of the adventure. God used the great mountain as a “hook” to open up a new avenue of service they never would have thought possible.

For more information on the film and to host a viewing go to Journeytoeverest.com.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, October 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/1011/Broward/#/34/

Movie Review: Honoring a Father's Dream: Sons of Lwala

It is late at night and cries of distress are heard from a woman giving birth in a remote village in Kenya. Although her baby is safely delivered, she is bleeding to death and in need of critical medical care. Although the hospital is very far way, villagers make an attempt to take her. Before she even reaches the road, however, the woman dies. In a community where everyone is seen as part of a large family, the loss is profound. The tragedy deeply impacts a young boy in the village and he resolves right then and there to become a doctor so he can help his people. Flash forward many years later and that young boy and his younger brother are medical students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Honoring a Father’s Dream: Sons of Lwala is a documentary about the journey these two brothers undertake to become doctors and fulfill their father’s legacy of opening up the first clinic in their remote village of Lwala. Not only is their story an inspiring tale of their dedication and perseverance but it is also a lesson on what it means to be responsible to a community. At the end of the film an amazing turn of events test the brothers and all they have worked towards. Now that it is in their hands to change the outcome, will they be able to overcome and give their people a hope for the future?

Milton and Fred Ochieng grew up as the sons of school teachers in a remote farming village in Kenya. Their parents invested their meager savings to send their children to boarding school. After high school, Milton was offered a scholarship to Dartmouth College in the United States. Not able to afford the plane fare to send him to America, the villagers came together to sell their chickens and cows in order to raise the $900 for his plane ticket. “Represent us well,” they told him, “don’t forget us.” Their generosity may be surprising for such a poor people, but in Lwala the mindset is that you do not belong to your parents, you belong to your village. That is why the brothers refer to themselves as “sons of Lwala.” Upon his shoulders Milton carried their hope. Not a day went by that his thoughts were not of home, his people, and how to provide the means to break ground on the clinic. Although both his parents did not live to see their dream become a reality, the villagers came together to start the construction of the clinic in 2005. Through the humble means of oxen and cart they dredged out sand from the nearby river. Gathering stones and working in unison one of the villagers proudly proclaimed that this will be where their kids are treated.
As cameras follow Milton and Fred on a visit to the village, the severity of the situation becomes evident. Fridays are funeral days and a multitude of caskets are made ready for use. The business of people dying is growing because there is a need for it. “That is what it looks like,” states Milton, “when there is not adequate health care.” Preventable diseases and AIDS continue to ravage this region at an alarming rate. The wailing of another loved one in distress is heard close by. Another reminder of how death is a constant reality here.

Back in the states, the brothers are faced with the daunting task of raising $90,000 to finish construction, drill a clean water well, hire staff and purchase medicine. Their story draws support from thousands of generous people around the United States including Christian rock band Jars of Clay and former Senate Majority Leader Dr. Bill Frist. The inauguration of the clinic is a joyous occasion for all and there is dancing and rejoicing as the brothers dedicate it to the memory of their father. Even though the dream is at hand, fear and self-doubt begin to weigh in on Milton. The need is great and the villagers are depending on them. One of the most poignant scenes in the film is the line of people at the clinic on the very first day. Overwhelmed, Milton stares at the emptiness of his medicine shelves and becomes fearful of how he can treat so many with such few resources. “He knows they are not fully equipped yet,” states a friend, “even though they can’t do it perfectly, the people have access to some kind of care they haven’t had before.”

Two years later, after continuing to share their story all over America, the brothers are amazed at the support they have received. They now have a staff of two dozen and care for 1,200 patients a month. They hope to have a hospital up and running in the next five years. In an amazing circle of events, the brothers came to the distress of a woman enduring a dangerous breech labor. Not only was it the same scenario that inspired Milton to become a doctor when he was a child, but the baby was the actual granddaughter of that very woman that died that fateful night. With Fred holding a textbook in one hand and an assistant holding a telephone to his ear with an obstetrician in Tampa, Florida, the brothers delivered the baby successfully and saved the mother’s life. Valerie became the first breech baby delivered at the clinic. Through her, the cycle of death was broken and replaced by life. “This is why we built the clinic,” smiles Milton, “and this is why we became doctors. There is a lot of suffering in Africa but this clinic, born from death, is bringing life to our people and a future for our children.”

For more information on purchasing the DVD and making a contribution to the nonprofit Lwala Community Alliance go to Sonsof lwala.com

Published in The Good News of South Florida, October 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/1011/Broward/#/34/

Movie Review: The Grace Card

Do you let God teach you lessons you don’t want to learn? Has God ever put a difficult person in your path? Have the wounds inflicted through trauma in your life become the weapons used against those you love the most? These questions are posed in the movie “The Grace Card.” Released in theatres February 2011, the film was a first time collaboration between Hollywood and Memphis based Calvary Church of the Nazarene. Bringing together veteran screenwriter Howard A. Klausner (Space Cowboys) and award winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. (Grandpa George), this faith-based film not only explores the issues of forgiveness and grace but the core lesson of being accessible to God. To giving Him the opportunity to hold up a mirror and show us our true selves -- whether we like it or not.

Sam Wright is an aspiring part-time pastor of a small church in Memphis. His heart’s desire is to impact his community and continue the legacy passed on by former pastor and mentor Grandpa George. His church, however, is not growing.To support his family Sam works as a police officer. When Sam is promoted to Sergeant he is unwillingly partnered with the ornery Mack McDonald. Sam does not know the story behind Mack’s rough and racist disposition but he feels its full effect, and, as a black man, it’s personal. Their exchanges prompt Sam’s anger and hatred to rise to the surface. Seeking the counsel of Grandpa George, Sam begs the question, “I haven’t felt these things in a long time,” he says. “I’m a pastor. Why do I feel this way?” As a Christian Sam understands we are called to love the unlovable. But how to respond when it is no longer a concept but is embodied in a person that you feel you cannot love?
Grandpa George then shares a true life parable of Sam’s great-great grandfather, Wendle P. Wright. As an eight year old boy, he stood with 100 fellow slaves and listened to their owner, Mr. Eskue, free them and ask their forgiveness before the end of the Civil War. Grandpa George then unveils “The Grace Card,” Wendle’s simple hand written response to his former owner’s heartfelt plea:

I promise to pray for you every day, ask your forgiveness, grant you the same and be your friend always. Wendle P. Wright

Grandpa George then explains how this one kind act changed the future of those two men and wove a legacy for countless others. “Never underestimate the power of grace,” Grandpa George counsels.
Later Sam asks his wife, Debra, why God put Mack in his life. “You have it backwards,” Debra insightfully responds, “God didn’t bring him into your life, He brought you into his. Figure out why.”

Mack McDonald is a man who survived every parent’s worst nightmare. Or has he? A drug bust in his neighborhood sets off a police car chase that claims the life of his five-year-old boy. Although the black drug-dealer is sentenced for the murder, Mack’s personal guilt and grief slowly eat away at his psyche. In recurring nightmares, Mack relives forcing his unwilling son to ride his bike, blaming himself, in part, for his death. He seeks redemption as a police officer but does not find it.
Seventeen years later, Mack’s bitterness imprisons him; his collapsing family a barometer of his wretched, inward demise. Mack’s seventeen year old son Blake, who was a baby when his brother died, is a stranger to his father and is making choices that imperil his future. After learning that Blake is failing the 11th grade and facing expulsion from school, Mack’s wife Sara enlists the help of a Christian counselor. During a session in which Blake is spewing anger towards his father, the Counselor challenges him with a wake-up call, “How much do you have to hate someone to let them die in hurt?” In response, Blake attempts reconciliation with his father only to be vehemently rejected when Mack learns about Blake’s failure and expulsion. A vicious quarrel ensues and a distraught Blake disappears.

What happens next is an unimaginable twist of fate in the lives of Mack and Sam. Faced with a life and death scenario, a series of events play out that reveal how Mack’s bitter heart has broken him physically and spiritually. Sam challenges a despondent Mack -- curse God and die, or stop fighting God and seek strength beyond himself. Sam walks Mack to the church alter and bows down with him in prayer. Mack’s walls come crashing down and at long last the light of redemption penetrates the darkness of his soul. The transformation is powerfully seen in the wordless exchange between him and his wife. Mack’s countenance exudes the peace and love that had eluded him for so many years. As they gaze into each others eyes, all is understood.

As events continue to unfold, Sam is tested once again. Given the choice to make a personal sacrifice for Mack, Sam willingly extends his grace card thereby setting the example for the divine appointment still to come.

In the final scene, Mack faces his ultimate test when he is face to face with his son’s murderer who is broken and begging for forgiveness. From the pulpit Pastor Sam and his congregants anxiously await his decision. The parallel to Calvary is clear. The murderer represents all of us who share in the blame for sending God’s one and only Son to the cross. Can Mack forgive as God forgave us? After sharing a knowing glance with his wife, Mack extends his hand of forgiveness and embraces him, both sharing the profoundness of God’s immeasurable love.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24)

Every day we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal deep wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace. To whom do you need to offer The Grace Card?

For more information on the movie and accompanying ministry resources go to thegracecardmovie.com.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, April 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org

The Whosoevers

She is young and she is ready to throw it all away. She is tired of the dysfunction and heartache that has followed her all her young life. Drugs no longer appease her and love has always eluded her. In her desperation she quietly makes plans to take her own life the very next day. Her grandmother reads her despair and begs her to attend church that evening but church is the last place she wants to be. “All those happy people don’t have any problems,” she tells her. “They think they know all the answers and they don’t know anything. They don’t know anything about me or my life and nobody is like me there.” Her grandmother’s persistence pays off, however, and reluctantly the girl agrees to go. Little did Lacey Mosley know that she had a divine appointment that night and that God would meet her right at her need. Lacey was one of the fortunate ones but what about those youths who refuse to enter the doors of their local sanctuary because they believe that “nobody is like me there?” Who will minister to those the traditional church cannot reach because they either disdain organized religion or have been burned or judged by it? Who can relate to those who have fallen so deep into the cracks of sin that they deem the church incapable of understanding them? To whom will this lost generation give the right to speak to their circumstance? Modern times are rising up a generation of Christian leaders who are meeting these young people where they are at. The presentation may be changing but the Word is not and the “who” that God is sending is a group of five people that call themselves The Whosoevers.

Formed in 2008, The Whosoevers are comprised of Sonny Sandoval from the popular Christian metal band P.O.D., Ryan Ries, known for his work in action sports and underground music industries, Lacey Mosley singer of Flyleaf, freestyle motocross aerialist Ronnie Faisst and Brian“Head” Welch former guitarist of the nu metal band Korn. Each of these members has a story to share about their own addictions and self destructive behavior. Their urgency is to reach the youth that are beyond the grasp of the church via concerts and personal testimonies. Their name is taken from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. To understand their ministry is to understand the struggles that brought them to where they are at. Their fame and notoriety no doubt draw their audience and their “worldly” appearance cinch their relatability but in the end it is their humble testimonies and their willingness to be transparent and accessible that strike a chord in the hearts of the youth they speak to all around the world.

Sonny Sandoval
Sonny grew up in a dysfunctional yet loving family in San Diego, CA. He did drugs and partied hard like most teenagers he knew. When his uncle became a Christian the love he had for the Lord began to influence his family. One by one they all came to accept Christ, including his own mother. Even though his mom would talk to him about God, Sonny was not ready to accept Him. When she learned that she was dying of cancer, Sonny was still not swayed. The week before her death he was constantly by her side. Doctors told Sonny that she was hanging onto life for a reason and he instantly knew that reason was him. In the hospital parking lot he cried out to God, wanting to know the Jesus his mom loved and he asked the Lord to make Himself real to him. He did just that and Sonny gave his life to Christ that day. He told his mother and soon after she passed away in peace. To deal with his grief Sonny became the front man of a metal band called P.O.D. (Payable On Death), named for our sins being paid by Jesus’s death on the cross. P.O.D. has been together 19 years and has garnered much success and acclaim spreading the message of God’s hope and love around the world. After a while, however, Sonny became embittered and disillusioned by the harsh judgment he was receiving from the church. He took a break and went home to reflect and spend time with his family. God restored him and gave him a vision for The Whosoevers. Through it he would go after and love people who would not normally listen to a message of hope. Those kids, he would soon learn, resided not only in the worldly venues but in the church themselves. For the worldly youth he had this message, “God is going to meet you where you’re at. God will clean you up, and will take away your guilt and your shame. He will forgive you if you repent of your sins and He will change your lives.” For those kids he deems at “playing church” he offers this message, “Jesus wants to have a relationship with you guys. This isn’t your mom and dad’s religion. This isn’t your pastor’s religion. This is a relationship Jesus wants to have with you guys.”

Ryan Ries
Together with Sonny, Ryan Ries cofounded The Whosoevers. Son of Raul Ries, Pastor and Evangelist of one of the largest churches in California, Ryan is a prodigal who grew up rebellious and chose the worldly path instead of following Christ. After almost two decades he amassed much success by bringing the underground skate and music scenes together, creating C1RCA Footwear, managing top skateboard teams and working in the action sport and underground music industries. His lifestyle gave him all the world had to offer: money, women and drugs. After 19 years of partying, overdosing and watching his friends die, however, Ryan was left empty. In his hotel room one night, he chose to give his life to Christ and quit the drugs, booze and lifestyle in one shot. Ryan knew he could relate to kids and the dire problems they face today. He feels God calling him to minister to youth in the darkest of places. Interestingly he believes that the traditional method of reaching kids hasn’t worked for years. He claims that he didn’t listen and neither is anyone else. “I want to go back and reach the kids that don’t know anything about Jesus,” he states, “those that are miserable and come from some crazy background-beaten as kids, drugs, whatever. Our generation is not the ‘70’s – it isn’t peace and love. We want to get screwed up and get wild and go punch stuff and kick people. I know I did.”

Lacey Mosley
Known as the singer of Flyleaf and for her huge crossover hit “All Around Me”, Lacey was born to a single mother and started doing drugs at the tender age of ten. At fourteen she was given a bass guitar where she began to hone her musical talent. At sixteen, however, her home life became volatile and her mother kicked her out and sent her to live with her grandparents. Dealing with depression, and the loss of her siblings, boyfriend and drugs brought her nearly to her end. While she contemplated committing suicide, her grandmother forced her to go to church. After the service someone came up to her with a message that changed the course of her life: “Even though you’ve never known an earthly father, He will be a better father to you than any earthly father could be.” After that revelation Lacey’s life would never be the same. She credits the pain in her early years for helping her recognize the pain in others. Through her testimony and music, she offers up that sweetness of comfort that only God could give to those who are hurting.

Ronnie Faisst
Considered the founding father of freestyle motocross, Ronnie is also part of The Metal Mulisha, the most medaled team of riders in the history of the sport. As the sport continued to grow so did Ronnie’s popularity thanks to his performances at the X Games and Gravity Games. He fell into the typical trappings of success and fame. One night, however, he watched a sermon on television that he could relate to. It was about fear, a topic Ronnie could relate to being in motocross. He soon dedicated his life to God and his profession gives him the perfect platform to talk to youths about the Lord.

Brian “Head” Welch
Reaching the pinnacle of success as the guitarist for the Grammy award winning and multi-platinum selling band Korn, Head had the world at his feet. He was a prisoner of methamphetamines and alcohol, however, and constantly dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts. His relationship with his wife Rebekah was mutually abusive and destructive. After she abandoned him and their daughter Jennea he came to the realization that he needed the Lord and had to save himself for his daughter’s sake. In 2005 he announced that he was quitting the band to commit his life to God and to raising his daughter. He wrote a best selling autobiography, “Save Me From Myself,” that serves as the perfect testimony for how God poured out His grace and granted him peace over his demons. Perhaps no other Bible verse speaks to Head more than the one that was sent to him when he was at a crossroads: Matthew 11:28-30. It is now tattooed on his neck as a reminder of God’s infinite care for him. “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Given the extremes that youths today are surrounded by, that promise of respite may be exactly the message they need to hear. For many, it will come by way of The Whosoevers, those modern day evangelists who understand their world and reach out to show them the extreme of God’s love.

For more information on The Whosoevers go to their website thewhosoevers.com.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, August 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0911/Broward/index.html#/34/

Book Review: Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn

As I waited for the bookstore clerk to hand me a copy of the latest autobiography I was assigned to read, I was filled with trepidation and albeit a little fear. As I glanced at the cover I couldn’t help but be a bit offended. Hanging on a cross of guitars, bare chested and enshrouded with tattoos was a depiction of Reggie “Fieldy” Arvizu, the acclaimed bassist for the mega popular and successful nu metal band Korn. Flipping through Fieldy’s book, “Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery and Korn,” I readied myself for the rollercoaster ride of another clichéd bad-boy of rock. The scenario has been played out often but I realized there was something very interesting going on with this particular band. A few years prior to Fieldy, the lead guitarist of Korn, Brian “Head” Welch, became a Christian and quit the band. Fieldy, who was notorious for his destructive and dysfunctional behavior, was now claiming his own conversion but chose a different path and decided to remain with Korn. I checked my judgment at the door and dove into his book, eager to see God’s revelation and how this rocker found redemption and restoration through his faith in Jesus Christ.

On the back cover of the book is a poignant quote about Fieldy’s view on life.

“We all have two dogs that live inside each of us that are at war with our soul. One is good and the other is evil. Which one will win the war? Whichever one you feed. Which one do you feed?”

For most of his life, there was no question which dog Fieldy nurtured. From a young age, his life was filled with dysfunction. Although he idolized and loved his father, who was also a musician, his dad would become a different person after a night of drinking, partying and drugs. Violent outbursts between his parents became the pattern and, for Fieldy, this type of life was his own twisted view of normality. His father’s addictions and womanizing led to a divorce that crushed Fieldy to the core and would serve to create the thick skin that would protect him from ever becoming emotionally vulnerable again – especially to women. Angry, rebellious and driven, Fieldy took up the bass guitar and became relentless in his pursuit of becoming a rock star. Never denying himself his whims he began stealing to supply his drugs of choice: alcohol, speed and food. After high school he moved to L.A. with bandmates Brian “Head” Welch, David Sylveria and James “Munky” Shaffer to be at the center of the music scene. The early years were lean and, at one point, Fieldy became a drug dealer to make ends meet. When his supplier was murdered, he saw that as his own fate and quit the business. The years of struggling and chasing the dream, however, took their toll on Fieldy and heightened his existing anxiety disorder. Fieldy began self medicating with depressants such as Xanax to calm his nerves, all the while continuing to carry on his drinking and partying ways waiting for success to come knocking on his door.

Everything fell into place when Jonathan Davis joined the band as their new lead singer in 1993. Creating a new musical genre combining alternative and metal they immediately garnered a following and the attention of the industry. Korn exploded onto the music scene and rose to the top of charts becoming an international multi-platinum nu metal phenomenon. Fieldy now had “got the life.” With his new notoriety and fame he developed the following list of rules in which to “govern” it.

Old Fieldy’s Rules:
1. No morals necessary
2. Responsibility for any act not required
3. No act was wrong or immoral
4. Nothing was out of bounds
5. Faith in a higher being nonexistent
6. The world revolved around me
7. The more women, drugs and booze, the better

His depiction of his life in those days is told with a gritty and raw honesty. Puffed up with pride and anger he became a 24/7 addict. Although he was married twice, he held women with no regard or respect. After concerts his bus would be freshly stocked with women only for him to use them quickly for sex and literally thrown them off the bus like used garbage. He became a mean and violent tempered jerk and all his relationships suffered because of it, especially the ones with his band mates. He wrangled with sleepless nights, intoxicating himself as a measure to quiet the inner demons that taunted him and pointed to his guilty life. One horrific evening, he came close to almost killing his girlfriend Dena and could not even remember the details of it. He had little relationship with his two young daughters. He was so wasted he would scrounge around hotel hallways eating the leftovers out of other people’s room service trays. His body, so devastated by years of abuse, he could no longer control his bodily functions and would wet himself several times a day. Fieldy may have been the master of the rock world but he was no longer the master of his life. The wide road he chose of the fast paced lifestyle promised him endless fun and insulation from pain but that road, as the Bible is quick to point out, is the one that leads to death - and Fieldy knew it. It took a tragic turn of events before he would wake up and realized he was feeding the wrong dog.

When his father became ill with cancer, Fieldy was convinced all his money and power could save his “superhero.” Becoming a Christian eighteen years prior had made a remarkable difference in his dad’s life. There were times he would attempt to talk to Fieldy about his faith but could see that it was pushing him away. Instead his dad chose not to judge him but to continue to love him unconditionally. He would tell him, “Son, there’s only one gift in this world that never fails…and that’s love.” He never forgot those words. Fieldy was with his dad every day at the end. When he took his last breath he was devastated. Through the tears, his step-mom Mindi turned to him and said, “There’s one thing your dad wanted more than anything else in this world, Reggie. And that was for you to accept Jesus Christ into your heart.” Mindi prayed with him but he didn’t understand what the words meant. Those words, however, touched his heart and began to change his life in ways he could never have imagined. “In his death,” says Fieldy,” he gave me the most amazing gift a father could leave to his son. He opened my eyes.”

From that time on Fieldy no longer had a desire to drink and do drugs. He threw all his pot down the toilet. He prayed to God to help him clean up his life and started to read the Bible every day. Miraculously, after twenty years of filling his mind and body with toxins 24/7, he did not have withdrawal symptoms. After sobering up he began dealing with all the guilt and fall out from his bad behavior. He apologized and begged forgiveness from everyone. In the book he even wrote letters of apology to his band mates. Most important was seeking the forgiveness of the one woman he had grown to love, his girlfriend Dena. Despite their turbulent past, their relationship began anew and they wed a year later. God blessed their union that night with a baby boy they named Israel. Unlike “Head,” Fieldy decided to continue on with Korn. He feels called to stay with the band and impact others through the example of his own changed life. Like his father he chooses to love and accepts people where they are at. “When you’re living a real life full of unconditional love and peace, people will want what you have. You don’t have to go to them and say, “Do you know what you need?” It doesn’t work that way…no one wants to be told what to do.” Clearly God is lifting up men such as Fieldy and Head to minister to a new audience that might not otherwise seek Him; men who are familiar with their world and grapple with the same vices. With a testimony as strong as his, he will no doubt have an impact on the music industry and legions of fans. One of those fans summed up his book best. “It is an awesome chronicle of Fieldy’s journey from the emptiness of ‘having everything he could ever want’ to having the ‘One’ who gives everything…what a gift this man and his story is to the metal world.”

Published in The Good News of South Florida, August 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org

Ten Films to Watch About Human Trafficking

Knowledge is the first step to fighting the war on human trafficking. These ten films and documentaries shine a spotlight on this international epidemic. Their tragic depictions will motivate you to take a stand in the modern day abolitionist movement.

The Dark Side of Chocolate
Have you ever thought that the chocolate you buy and enjoy may have originated from child slavery in Africa? In 2001 consumers around the world were outraged to discover the existence of child labor and trafficking on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast, a country responsible for producing nearly half of the world’s cocoa. In response to public outcry leading chocolate manufactures, among them Nestle and Hershey’s, signed a cocoa protocol to eradicate its practice by 2008. This behind the scenes documentary, however, shows how children as young as seven are still being smuggled in to work as slaves on cocoa plantations. The film can be viewed online at: www.documentarystorm.com/money-industries/the-dark-side-of-chocolate

Kavi
Winner of the 2009 Student Academy Award and 2010 Academy Award Nominee for Live Action Short, Kavi is the story of a boy in India who wants to play cricket and go to school, but instead is forced to work in a brick kiln as a modern-day slave. Unsatisfied with his fate, Kavi must either accept what he's always been told, or fight for a different life even if he's unsure of the ultimate outcome. A short film version can be viewed online at Kavithemovie.com.

Not For Sale…the Documentary and Not For Sale II: Join the Fight
This film is based on the book of the same name and covers the modern-day abolitionist movement. The film both exposes the terrors of human trafficking and inspires hope through the stories and work of contemporary activists. To see a clip and buy the dvd go to notforsalefilm.com.

Call + Response
Described as an activist film that is not merely watched alone but shown to large audiences, this documentary features first hand accounts from prominent political and cultural figures and performances by Grammy-winning artists whose music is used as a rallying cry for the modern day abolitionist movement. Their official website is Callandresponse.com

A Dance for Bethany
This award winning fictional movie was an Official Selection at the International Christian Film Festival. The film is about a 12-year-old girl who runs away from home to fulfill her dream of becoming a dancer only to be lured into the world of sex trafficking. After enduring six years of exploitation her prayers are answered when she has a chance meeting with a local youth pastor who invites her to his church. Through the help of others, Bethany gains the courage to change her life and pursue her long lost dream. Visit the official website at Adanceforbethany.com

Playground Project
While traveling to the Phillipines in 2001, filmaker Libby Spears, saw first hand the horrific practice of trafficking. Believing, at first, that sex trafficking was primarily an “international” occurrence she was astonished to find, through her investigation, the involvement of the United States and the degree to which they were influencing the global demand and growth of this industry. Ashley Judd is featured in a public service announcement. To see excerpts and inquire about film screenings go to Playgroundproject.com

The Price of Sugar
In the Dominican Republic thousands of Haitians toil under armed-guard on plantations to harvest sugar cane, much which ends up in U.S. kitchens. Narrated by Paul Newman, this documentary follows a Spanish priest who organizes the local people to fight for their basic human rights. This thought provoking film questions where the products we consume everyday originate. Go to thepriceofsugar.com.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature 2004. This documentary is less about prostitution and more about how eight children, with the help of a motivated film maker, strive to make a better life for themselves through art in an effort to escape the conditions they were born into. Go to Freedocumentaries.org

War Dance
An Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature, this film follows three children from a refugee camp in war-torn Uganda to a national music competition. The children share the horrors of civil war and how they were abducted by rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army and forced to become child soldiers and slaves. Visit Wardancethemovie.com

Trade
When a 13-year-old girl is kidnapped by traffickers in Mexico City, her 17-year-old brother sets off on a desperate mission to find her before she is sold on an internet auction. Based on a magazine cover story from the New York Times in 2004, this fictional movie stars Kevin Kline. See the trailer at Tradethemovie.com

Published in The Good News of South Florida, June 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0611/The%20Good%20News%20Newspaper%20Broward%20June%202011/June%202011%20Master%20Grif_Broward%200211/index.html#/40/

F.I.G.H.T. Club: Fighting Injustice and Giving Hope for Tomorrow

It is lunch time at a local high school. With prom only a few weeks away, students shuffle into Mrs. Anya Harrison’s classroom to plan and organize for the big event. After unveiling the fabric and hearing the instructions the students take to the floor and begin folding and cutting organza. Similar meetings take place at schools across the country this time of year but this gathering of students is not what you would typically expect. They are here, not to work on party décor for the big social event, but to craft their school’s first ever “Flowerless Prom” as a means of combating social injustice. Through the sales of their handmade boutonnières and corsages, the members of F.I.G.H.T. Club (Fighting Injustice and Giving Hope for Tomorrow), hope to raise funds and awareness to benefit the children of history’s largest standing oppressed people – the Dalits of India.

The Dalits, also known as “the untouchables” and most recently “slumdogs,” are one of the most enslaved and trafficked people in the world. Comprising a population of 250 million, nearly one quarter of Indian society, they are, by self definition, “those who have been broken and ground down deliberately by those above them in a social hierarchy.” For 3,000 years, this Hindu sanctioned hierarchy has classified them at birth within a caste system which defines purity and impurity. The main groupings, or varnas, are attributed to a legendary primordial being. From the mouth comes the Brahmans who are the priests and teachers. From the arms derive the Kshatriyas who are the rulers and soldiers. From its thighs come the Vaisyas who are the merchants and traders. Lastly, from its feet derive the Sudras who encompass the laborers. Within these castes are hundreds of subcastes designating a person’s position and value within Indian culture. The Dalits do not even have their place at the bottom of this hierarchal being. Their lot in life is so low that they are regarded as the outcasts - not even being created by their own god. They are outside of creation, polluted and impure, not even holding the value of worthy human beings. This status denies them the economic, social, spiritual and educational human rights granted to the other castes. As a result, their life is replete with prejudice and abuse making them easy targets for human trafficking. In 2002, Dr. Joseph D’souza founded the Dalit Freedom Network (DFN) to advocate for their human rights and help bring an end to the oppression and bondage of the Dalit.

Teaming together with the Dalit Freedom Network, Calvary Christian Academy’s F.I.G.H.T. Club, has been working for two years to raise the funds to build a school for the Dalit children. Their goal of $40,000 will help build Phase 2 of the Dalit Education Center of Mysore, India. These funds will furnish the school, train teachers, provide vocational training programs, afford start up costs for 300 first year students, vaccinate and feed them. To date, DFN, has built over 100 of these schools in India. Through the education and empowerment of these “at risk” children, F.I.G.H.T. Club hopes to end the cycle of slavery and bring freedom and opportunity to a new generation of this long oppressed people group.

Showing tremendous resolve, F.I.G.H.T. Club students have held many fundraising projects. From catalog sales merchandising “fair-trade” items to organizing a benefit concert and hosting chocolate fondue parties, every little bit has added up to nearly $30,000. One of the more touching donations came from the fourth grade class at the school. After learning about the Dalits in chapel, the students embarked on a challenge given to them by their teachers. Akin to the parable of the talents, as told in Matthew 25, the teachers gifted each student with one dollar and were asked if they could invest it and raise money for the Dalit school. “One student from my class,” said fourth grade teacher Cindy Sumner, “sold tickets for a brunch at her house. Others made baked goods, sold candy canes, and did chores around the house.” In the end the resourceful fourth graders presented F.I.G.H.T. Club with a generous donation of almost $5,000. “It was such a blessing to get that donation from the fourth graders,” remarks Club president Macie Sweet, “it really put the parable of talents into perspective and showed what God can do with the little that we are given.

Perhaps more important than the money raised is how F.I.G.H.T. Club has taught the students about compassion and the importance of being aware of the plight of the voiceless. Educating themselves through films such as The Dark Side of Chocolate, reading books about trafficking, and hearing guest speakers from ministries such as Hagar International, the students gain insight into the harsh realities of the oppressed. Student Brianna Schieffer summed up its impact best, “F.I.G.H.T. club is a way I can use my time, gifts, and incredible passion that God has given me to help defeat injustice and make a difference in the lives of others. It is fulfilling God’s command to be a disciple of Christ.” For a child on the other side of globe, the gift on an education sends a vital message that there is a God that cares for them and sees their value even when those around them do not.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, June 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0611/The%20Good%20News%20Newspaper%20Broward%20June%202011/June%202011%20Master%20Grif_Broward%200211/index.html#/4/

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

For her 40th birthday, Lucy McCann wanted nothing more than to take a vacation to her native homeland of Cartagena, Colombia with her husband Oliver. Amidst the historical charm that lures many tourists to the balmy South American port, the couple took notice of a young girl in the distance. Dark skinned, dirty and clad only in torn underwear, her demeanor was downtrodden and her haunting image one of despair. She was one of the “disposables,” as labeled by the natives there, isolated and imprisoned in a world of heinous atrocity. Not only due to her poverty but because at the tender age of 7 Renee was a sexual slave. Sold by her mother years before, she has no memory of a time that she wasn’t prostituted. Although Lucy and Oliver did not know her story then, God had a plan for Renee’s future and for children like her.

“I can’t forget the children lurking in the corners and in the shadows,” Oliver confided to his wife when they were safely back home. From then on God placed a burden for these children in their hearts. Lucy, a social worker, was no stranger to helping children in the worst of circumstances. Yet this would be a bigger undertaking than she felt equipped for. “God pushed us way out of our comfort zone,” she said. Indeed, the challenges were great, but the calling assured. Together with Lucy’s childhood friend, Arlena Hoyos, they began expanding their ministry “Dones de Misericordia” (Gifts of Mercy) five years ago and have witnessed God’s provision ever since.

Child sex tourism is increasing at an alarming rate around the world. The internet has facilitated this lurid business, connecting tourists to impoverished countries where children are easily exploited. While, Asian countries have long been prime destinations, Cartagena, Colombia has become an attraction in recent years. Police and government turn a blind eye to the problem, unwilling to inhibit the money that tourism brings to their economy. Visitors are readily propositioned by those serving the tourism trade. Tragically, some request children as young as three years old. “The life and purity of a child has little value there,” says Lucy. Perhaps nothing is more of an indicator of that spiritual darkness than a mother who would prostitute her own child. Although poverty is its driving force, isolation and ignorance binds and imprisons them. “We help them open their eyes to what they can fight for – hope for,” Lucy proclaims.

At its core, the desire for the ministry was to conduct outreach where most of these exploited children live. Every week a team visits Tierra Bomba, an island fifteen minutes offshore from Cartagena. During those visits, the children witness God’s love and compassion first hand; for many it’s the only kindness and hope they have ever known. As the ministry grew, a generous benefactor contributed towards the land and a new building for their Christian school, “La Gloria.” For now, the existing school is a safe haven for 165 of these children, including little Renee who is now 11.

While waiting for the new school to be built Oliver, Lucy and Arlena meet the ministry’s needs as best they can through donations and their own financial sacrifice. They hope to grow the school further, to build a community center, and for a local church to take root. Perhaps, one day, even see adoptions take place and expand their ministry throughout Colombia. Last year the ministry began teaming with local churches to better serve the needs of the children. Organizing groups to Cartagena every few months, Lucy’s passion and direction are clear. “God puts his army together one by one to fight for His cause,” she boldly declares.

As Lucy and Oliver continue to see God’s promise unveil before their eyes, their reward is evident in the eyes of one of their children, Johny age 8. From an exploited, “disposable” to one set free in Christ his face shines with brilliance and peace that surpasses all understanding. “The Lord erases everything that is very bad,” he beams, “and turns it into very good.” And what of little Renee “the dirty one,” “the outcast” according to the natives? One can’t help but think of her in light of the lyrics to the song “You are More” by the band Tenth Avenue North. She was:

“the girl in the corner with a shame she can’t hide…crippled by the fear that she has fallen too far to love”.

But God’s love spoke volumes to Lucy and Oliver on that fateful day. Their calling made clear to go out and do for the “least of these”, Matthew 25:40. To show them that they are not

“the sum of past mistakes but have been set free...they have been remade”.

To learn more about the ministry Dones de Misericordia visit www.ddmcolombia.org

Published in The Good News in South Florida, June 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0611/The%20Good%20News%20Newspaper%20Broward%20June%202011/June%202011%20Master%20Grif_Broward%200211/index.html#/34/

The Jade Bracelet

If one stops to take notice, a sparrow can be a harbinger of enchantment and a reminder of God’s compassion for the little things in life. I once had the notion that God’s focus was better served on life’s larger matters such as money, health, or issues of life and death. Four years ago, however, a story unfolded that revealed to me how God holds even the smallest details in our life with His great care.

“We’ve been robbed!” As my husband started relaying over the cell phone all that had been taken, I grew increasingly annoyed. Making my way back home to encounter the terrible mess and speak with police, it suddenly occurred to me that my jade bracelet was now gone. My eyes welled up with tears at the thought of it. Although I had valuable and memorable items in my jewelry box, nothing was as precious as this one jade bracelet. Not only because it symbolized one of the most important blessings God gave us in of our lives but it was a witness to it as well.
Five years earlier, in a jewelry store in Hong Kong, it had caught my eye. A tennis bracelet with stones of bright green jade intermixed with bows of diamonds and cast in gold. Mesmerized, I had never seen anything like it. At that time, my husband was not one to buy me expensive jewelry and the price tag confirmed that it was not to be. Still, I felt bound to it because of the timing, where we were and what it potentially symbolized. We were in Hong Kong just 24 hours away from adopting our baby girl from a Southern province in China. After a long three year wait, our adoption agency had sent us first news of her only the month before. “Congratulations!” they said, “Her name is Fu Yu Qing which translates to mean “blessings of precious jade.”

Twirling the bracelet around my wrist one last time I cannot recall the words my husband used because my head was spinning. The bracelet would be his gift to me as a legacy for our daughter. As I boarded the tour bus with a thankful heart I marveled at it and became lost in the sweet anticipation of the day to come. I could not have ever imagined that God would send us on this humble journey to adopt a little girl clear across the world. I thought of our boys back home who were 7 and 8 at the time. I chuckled at the notion that I once believed they were the last children I would raise. Clearly, God had a different future in store and for that I would be eternally grateful.

The next day we were one of eleven families to excitedly enter a government building in Guangzhou. One by one we were called up and presented with our precious little ones. As Anna Jade was placed in our arms we knew that God’s calling was finally complete and that her future was assured as part of our forever family.

As I surveyed the damage and cleaned up the mess from the break in, I sought comfort by telling myself it was only “things.” Lamenting to friends about my disappointment, one had the audacity to propose a very far fetched idea. “You should go on EBay and do a search for that bracelet,” she said, “you never know.” A week later I sat at a computer remembering those words. Half heartedly I typed “jade and diamond bracelet” into the EBay search engine not really expecting to find anything. And yet...there it was! The seller was but a mere few miles from my house, the many close up pictures he displayed confirmed its uniqueness and more importantly the insignia stamped on its clasp was the symbol for the jewelry store in Hong Kong where it was fabricated and purchased! With four hours left to bid I placed an urgent call to my brother in law, who is a police officer, and one of my City’s detectives. On their direction I entered the bidding and nervously saw the bracelet escalate several hundred dollars. An exasperating bidding war ensued and at its end I held my breath in anticipation for the final outcome. “You are the winning bidder,” the screen read. I could scarcely believe my eyes! I had just witnessed something unfathomable!

Receiving it over a week later, the detectives were the first to open the package. Reports and pictures were taken, fingerprints were dusted and the bracelet taken for appraisal. The Hong Kong jewelry store confirmed that their name was stamped on the clasp and I waited triumphantly for justice to take its course. In the end the case was transferred to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement where it has been held up for the past four years “pending further investigation.” Perhaps one day I’ll see justice, or perhaps not. Yet, the miraculous story of how this bracelet found me a second time shows me a very tender side of our Lord. What started out as a beautiful memento to His calling became more importantly a reminder of how God is even in the details. He did something big to show us His grace at work even in the seemingly small. More than the return of diamonds and precious stones is the realization of His attention to the heartbreaks that can permeate our lives. A legacy profoundly spoken of in that old gospel hymn that references Matthew 10:29-30. “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.”

Published in The Good News of South Florida, May 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org