Not sure if you knew this about me, but when in Sierra Leone in 2007, myself and a few other teammates caught malaria despite our Malarone -- preventative pills. Came across this short article discussing promising research coming out of Central Florida!
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?Reportid=89701
Way to go UCF Research!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
0
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
0
Responding to IC Roadie Prompts
As part of my pre-arrival training for being an Invisible Children roadie, we have to post replies to the blogs that are set up for us. Here are my first two:
The first prompt was simply, "Why are you here?" (keep under 200 words) My response -----
The second prompt was to read and understand the timeline of the organization's history, and then talk about either some event you missed that you wish you could've attended, or an event that you were at and something wonderful about it. I did both:
(The magic happens at 1 min 57 seconds!)
I still get choked up every time I think about this.
The first prompt was simply, "Why are you here?" (keep under 200 words) My response -----
First, a Haiku:
The Son compels me
“Take the plow child, don’t look back”
Adventure looms here
When I first watched the rough-cut documentary over four years ago, it was like a switch flipped inside me from a life of apathy to engagement. Like many people, I just could not walk away and pretend that didn’t just happen. Not long afterward, I began a renewed life in Christ and have been learning what it takes to follow Him and exemplify devotion like Luke 9:62 – not easy. Laboring for IC and the Lord has always been very challenging yet so rewarding.
But I am here not just because of a great cause, story, or adventure, but because it would be sheer wastefulness to return to apathy and not pursue the passions God has placed in my heart and has given me the tools to labor for His Kingdom. I am thankful that He always remains faithful to the desires and prayers that we have, even though it happens on His clock for His purposes. I have hoped for this day for quite a while; it is truly a blessing to say I am a Roadie.
The Son compels me
“Take the plow child, don’t look back”
Adventure looms here
When I first watched the rough-cut documentary over four years ago, it was like a switch flipped inside me from a life of apathy to engagement. Like many people, I just could not walk away and pretend that didn’t just happen. Not long afterward, I began a renewed life in Christ and have been learning what it takes to follow Him and exemplify devotion like Luke 9:62 – not easy. Laboring for IC and the Lord has always been very challenging yet so rewarding.
But I am here not just because of a great cause, story, or adventure, but because it would be sheer wastefulness to return to apathy and not pursue the passions God has placed in my heart and has given me the tools to labor for His Kingdom. I am thankful that He always remains faithful to the desires and prayers that we have, even though it happens on His clock for His purposes. I have hoped for this day for quite a while; it is truly a blessing to say I am a Roadie.
The second prompt was to read and understand the timeline of the organization's history, and then talk about either some event you missed that you wish you could've attended, or an event that you were at and something wonderful about it. I did both:
Short of traveling to Uganda, the one event that would've been a great addition in my life is The Rescue Riders. As the event chair in Orlando FL, I didn't really have the ability to abandon our 1,000+ attendees and board the Roadie van & caravan; responsibility came first. But if I could have done it, I would have. What dedication.
I'm ever thankful and like to reminisce on how things went in planning Orlando's GNC, DMe, TR, and Lobby Day caravan, but one blessing stands out among all my experiences with event coordination, and it happened at Displace Me: The reward of looking up from my clipboard to witness an seemingly endless circle of hundreds of people holding hands as they prayed during the 21 minutes of silence. THIS WAS NOT PROMPTED FROM THE STAGE. I had just returned to the main stage after a first aid scare, and couldn't believe my eyes. THIS was what it was all about; THIS is what will bring change to the lives of the Ugandans; THIS is LOVE.
I'm ever thankful and like to reminisce on how things went in planning Orlando's GNC, DMe, TR, and Lobby Day caravan, but one blessing stands out among all my experiences with event coordination, and it happened at Displace Me: The reward of looking up from my clipboard to witness an seemingly endless circle of hundreds of people holding hands as they prayed during the 21 minutes of silence. THIS WAS NOT PROMPTED FROM THE STAGE. I had just returned to the main stage after a first aid scare, and couldn't believe my eyes. THIS was what it was all about; THIS is what will bring change to the lives of the Ugandans; THIS is LOVE.
(The magic happens at 1 min 57 seconds!)
I still get choked up every time I think about this.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
1
On the heels of Joseph Kony
The Enough Project's mission is to end genocide and crimes against humanity through the help of a permanent constituency (that's us!). They just recently released a document outlining the history of the LRA violence over the past 2 years.
For a detailed update on what's been happening with the Lord's Resistance Army LRA of Joseph Kony in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Congo, check out this article here:
http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/heels-of-joseph-kony-commander-of-lords-resistance-army
Its a long article, but the main points are that there are several hundred newly abducted CAR and Congolese children in the last 2 years, several hundred confirmed dead, and roughly 20,000 refugees between both countries due to the LRA violence (a whole other problem in itself). They also discuss the ill-equipped Ugandan Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) and the military of the CAR, which is far worse. For the LRA to be taken down, it is absolutely necessary for the US to assist the UPDF in locating the LRA with our advanced military intelligence, and hopefully this will be happening soon with the passing of the new bill (http://www.resolveuganda.org/legislation/fulltext) in May 2010.
Feel free to discuss this with me further if you're interested.
For a detailed update on what's been happening with the Lord's Resistance Army LRA of Joseph Kony in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Congo, check out this article here:
http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/heels-of-joseph-kony-commander-of-lords-resistance-army
Its a long article, but the main points are that there are several hundred newly abducted CAR and Congolese children in the last 2 years, several hundred confirmed dead, and roughly 20,000 refugees between both countries due to the LRA violence (a whole other problem in itself). They also discuss the ill-equipped Ugandan Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) and the military of the CAR, which is far worse. For the LRA to be taken down, it is absolutely necessary for the US to assist the UPDF in locating the LRA with our advanced military intelligence, and hopefully this will be happening soon with the passing of the new bill (http://www.resolveuganda.org/legislation/fulltext) in May 2010.
Feel free to discuss this with me further if you're interested.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
0
I'm Officially an Invisible Children Roadie!!! Plus a testimony
WOW. This news is still hard to fathom for me --- Something I have dreamt of for years has become a reality --- I feel like dancing!!!
As you enjoy laughing at this photo from my first night in Banta Mokelle, Sierra Leone in 2007, let me tell you a little about what this means to me:
In January 2006, when I first learned about the atrocities committed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) on the people of Uganda, my life was forever rocked. For some reason it was this unfathomable conflict that shook my heart and soul awake from apathy and selfishness. No other news report, lecture or sermon had made me so aware of the world outside of my own like this film, and I believe it was God's purpose in that deafness. I still clearly remember the first time I set up a public screening of the documentary Invisible Children in an open field at the University of Central Florida. It was clear to me that more could and needed to be done.
After that first screening there was no turning back for me; my own life seemed to carry little significance anymore when I knew that there were so many people in far worse conditions by no choice of their own. Before I knew it, in April 2006 I was working with a dear friend, Sultana Ali, on planning a huge outdoor gathering in Orlando to raise the level of awareness of night-commuting children and child soldiers in Africa's longest running war. It was called the Global Night Commute and took place in over 130 cities and 7 countries and drew out over 80,000 people, with at least 800 here in Orlando on April 29th.
Now that was one incredible night, but the story doesn't end there -- the next day I was scheduled to work at Barnie's Coffee, but ended up oversleeping from a nap and got to work 2 hours late. My manager fired me despite having the best excuse ever, but I called my friend Julie afterwards and she talked me into coming to a church with her called Status where a bunch of friends that I had made from the event were going to be. I decided I would go, and that night the Lord did some serious work in my heart and soul. He showed me His love so clearly and how He wanted me for His Kingdom. The pastor that night even said, "In Heaven, we won't have jobs in the sense that we have them on earth...So, Pastor Loveless, does that mean I won't have to work that Starbucks Barista job when I'm in heaven?"
Since that night, I've helped put together countless screenings, several benefit concerts, two other large scale events in '08 and '09, started a club at UCF, and lobbied in DC, but the glory for all this belongs to God because it was through His authorship of my life that all of this came to be. I also believe He deserves the glory for all that has happened in Uganda and America through Invisible Children's work and partnership with other organizations leading to education, employment, refugees returning home, and more. We are still celebrating the victory on Capitol Hill last month when Obama signed the "LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act." The LRA is still out there though, so we must press on.
-------------------
This was actually a very short summary, but clearly my story of understanding and following the life of Christ is intertwined with the story of Invisible Children. That is one big reason why I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to go work for them, even if I'm not getting paid. As I learned several years ago, there are so many things more important that the "American Dream," and relying on the Lord to provide in every ounce of your life is truly the most freeing thing in life. The more you release the clutch of controlling your life and giving that control to God, the more you will experience the love that your Creator has for you. Its like Jesus said, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone...If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
(Unorganized prayer circle of several hundred people during 21 minutes of silence at "Displace Me" in April 2007 in Orlando, FL. This, in part, makes what I do worth the effort.)
As you enjoy laughing at this photo from my first night in Banta Mokelle, Sierra Leone in 2007, let me tell you a little about what this means to me:
In January 2006, when I first learned about the atrocities committed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) on the people of Uganda, my life was forever rocked. For some reason it was this unfathomable conflict that shook my heart and soul awake from apathy and selfishness. No other news report, lecture or sermon had made me so aware of the world outside of my own like this film, and I believe it was God's purpose in that deafness. I still clearly remember the first time I set up a public screening of the documentary Invisible Children in an open field at the University of Central Florida. It was clear to me that more could and needed to be done.
After that first screening there was no turning back for me; my own life seemed to carry little significance anymore when I knew that there were so many people in far worse conditions by no choice of their own. Before I knew it, in April 2006 I was working with a dear friend, Sultana Ali, on planning a huge outdoor gathering in Orlando to raise the level of awareness of night-commuting children and child soldiers in Africa's longest running war. It was called the Global Night Commute and took place in over 130 cities and 7 countries and drew out over 80,000 people, with at least 800 here in Orlando on April 29th.
Now that was one incredible night, but the story doesn't end there -- the next day I was scheduled to work at Barnie's Coffee, but ended up oversleeping from a nap and got to work 2 hours late. My manager fired me despite having the best excuse ever, but I called my friend Julie afterwards and she talked me into coming to a church with her called Status where a bunch of friends that I had made from the event were going to be. I decided I would go, and that night the Lord did some serious work in my heart and soul. He showed me His love so clearly and how He wanted me for His Kingdom. The pastor that night even said, "In Heaven, we won't have jobs in the sense that we have them on earth...So, Pastor Loveless, does that mean I won't have to work that Starbucks Barista job when I'm in heaven?"
Since that night, I've helped put together countless screenings, several benefit concerts, two other large scale events in '08 and '09, started a club at UCF, and lobbied in DC, but the glory for all this belongs to God because it was through His authorship of my life that all of this came to be. I also believe He deserves the glory for all that has happened in Uganda and America through Invisible Children's work and partnership with other organizations leading to education, employment, refugees returning home, and more. We are still celebrating the victory on Capitol Hill last month when Obama signed the "LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act." The LRA is still out there though, so we must press on.
-------------------
This was actually a very short summary, but clearly my story of understanding and following the life of Christ is intertwined with the story of Invisible Children. That is one big reason why I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to go work for them, even if I'm not getting paid. As I learned several years ago, there are so many things more important that the "American Dream," and relying on the Lord to provide in every ounce of your life is truly the most freeing thing in life. The more you release the clutch of controlling your life and giving that control to God, the more you will experience the love that your Creator has for you. Its like Jesus said, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone...If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
(Unorganized prayer circle of several hundred people during 21 minutes of silence at "Displace Me" in April 2007 in Orlando, FL. This, in part, makes what I do worth the effort.)
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