Save Darfur

This weekend is a national weekend of prayer for the western region of Darfur, Sudan. The region has been in the midst of genecide for the past few years. Over 400,000 people have died and over 2 million people have been displaced and are now without food and water. If you saw Hotel Rwanda then you can just imagine that same story except in a different African country. The government sponsered genecide must stop and we can do something to make it end. Please go to www.savedarfur.org and read and learn about how to contact your local representatives and our President urging them to stop this awful thing from continueing.

I am not sure if you guys kept up with the G8 and what happened. There was some amazing things that resulted from the conference. America has pledged to double aid to Africa by 2010. How much do you think America spends on foreign aid? I was watching an interview with Diane Sawyer and Brad Bitt and that question was asked to people on the street. Most people either said they didn't know or said things like 40% or 30%. The truth is we spend less than 1%. Less than a penny for every dollar goes to help those in need around the world. So may say, well we have so much need here in America...and i agree this is true, however we have no idea the amount of suffering and the extreme need in placed like Africa and India. We also have just pledged to spend $400 BILLION dollars on the war. We can get into the war conversation later on... UBC is starting to look into ways to help and I would love some ideas. I keep struggling with the thought of "should we take a trip to Africa" or should we just "raise money" and send over to Africa? Which is going to make the biggest impact. So please pray for UBC as we decide the best way to reach out to help our fellow brothers and sisters.

Make Poverty History!

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Today has been dedicated to watching Live 8. What an awesome day! Seriously, today will go down as the day people decided to get serious and make poverty history. Our generation could be the generation to see extreme poverty end. I am preaching tommorow at UBC and a large portion of my sermon will be about Live 8 but more about the G8 summit coming up this week. I have always had an interest in politics but things like this for me are what really get me fueled up. This is where I can see my faith, which shapes my politic, and my politic collide in full harmony. I truly believe that we as the church should be doing everything we can to help make global poverty history. We should be the ones that are putting on global concerts rallying millions of people to speak up to their governments to cancel debt, make trade fair, and send money to countries that need our help.

So the question I would like for us to discuss is one of an evangelistic/missions nature. Should Mission trips in 2005 look different than they did in the past decade? I know that it is easy to say, "yes, we shouldn't go give people Jesus tracks and tell them they are going to hell if they don't believe, get them to say a prayer and then leave, " but , what about the alternative...what if we just go to these countries like Africa and India and simply meet their most basic needs...is that enough? What about taking groups to DC to lobby senators and congressman to help make trade fair, or lobby against gun manufactors that are making guns made for kids. they make these guns in america, send them to africa where children are kidnapped and forced to become soldiers or be killed. Isn't that doing God's work? and if it is then why do so many people freak out when you share the idea of doing this sort of "missions"? any thoughts?

please be praying for the G8 summit this wednesday. and for the love sign the www.one.org campaign letter to Bush!