Well here is a short video I did with my buddy Simon doing what he does: Passionately talking about relevant issues in East/Central Africa, and getting a biblical world view worked in, as well as being a bit confrontative while dropping science. What I like about this video best is: the why did I even make it factor... though my favorite part is Lizzy's delicious voice over (I'm so glad I found a voice over girl). So this video is made for a new organization called Pilgrim. My buddy Pat Allerton started the organization, and essentially Pilgrim is a dancing event at a Night Club in London, where people pay to dance, and mingle, and the proceeds go to Street Kids ministries in Burundi. Pat is finishing his mdiv type degree, at some popular bible seminary type school in London, the same school Simon went to, and he's sort of like Simon, they're both evangelists, and Pat seems passionate about mixing Christian based organizations with London's global social activist oriented crowd. We're hoping it will be a good marriage, as it looks to be a win win. This video will promote the event, and play at the event at various points throughout the night... only the video I sent to Pat is about 45 seconds longer with footage that pertains to Pilgrim. This is a shorter version that I will use as a more generic piece for multiple applications/demographics. At any rate, I thought Simon was exaggerating when he says "behind me over 3 million have died in an incredible war" referring to Congo, which is literally behind him in the video. I thought... hmmm, I'm going to have to take that out. But then Myal pointed out a recent UN report which estimates that 5.4 million have died, in and because of war related deaths. Absolutely shocking. Myal and I then began our discussions for "what the heck can we do, as too lame white guys to help the people in the Kivu region of Congo," at the same time I wondered how many other people have had these discussions. The situation is huge. You can't look at the whole thing. Just like Simon, and Mother Teresa, and many others point out... just start by doing a small act, with great love.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Single, Married, whateves
So I have a good mix of single and married friends. But what constantly amazes me is how messed up they are. Totally joking (do you think tj can replace jk? Time will tell :twt). Actually, whenever single people happen to be Christian, dialogues of marriedness and singleness seem to emerge after a bit of time. I was always struck by this, because amongst my non-Christian colleagues it almost never came up. Rather, the topic of dating and marriage only came up when I was among Christian singles. Now, when Trina and I are hanging out with other married couples the conversation naturally never comes up. Which brings me to this point: There are a few writers that I check out every month to see what they are writing about. I am naturally drawn to their stuff. Occasionally they write things that I’m not super into, then sometimes, I love what they are writing and how they write. Some are Christian some are not. Here is a piece worthy of scrutiny on the subject of Singles in the Christian demographic written by a talented 20 something writer. Read the questions, dialogue about it in small groups, or coffee shops.
Here are my quick answers: I don't perceive singles as lacking any more than any other demographic. I find myself thinking that "they should be married..." but I don't know why I do that, and I don't agree with that thought.
I don't match make, I bring everyone, single married into my fam which is currently: Trina, me, the freak, Sam, and Jack Jack.
I take them as they are, I never encourage anyone toward marriage. I think singles are often the heroes of ministry. Well, this post will go to long if I tried to answer them all. Even with shortys. Enough out of me!
The post follows:
Having just had a profound conversation with some roommates about the issue of being single, I find that it's left me with some interesting thoughts and questions.
The cast: A 23 year old girl, a 27 year old girl, a 27 year old guy, and me.
All are smart, funny, attractive, interesting, Jesus-loving people who are very serious about their purpose in life and their faith. All have character, and I'm sure all have made a fair number of mistakes in life, but none to a degree that would disqualify them from being married.
None have "the gift" of celibacy1
All are very aware of the fact that they're not married. None picture them self as being single for life.
The conversation: Pretty typical for a bunch of single people to have. Discussion about who to date, who they find interesting, who finds them interesting, who they have dated, and why British accents are so much sexier than normal accents. A common conversation, but this one left me thinking a little deeper.
Perhaps it's because one of us pointed out the fact that there are more Christian women than men, and if Christian women are faithful to biblical ideals, some of them will likely remain single because of that; a sobering statement. I think, if you're not Christian, you can probably substitute "christian men and women" with "good men and women" and substitute "biblical ideals" with "common sense", and the same thing applies.
I'm never sure if this is a good conversation to have. But I find that women struggle with this more than men, because they often see themselves in a place with less control over the situation (i.e., they lack the freedom to pursue men). So I always engage this conversation because among other things, I long to find a way to empower single girls to have more influence in this area; plus the conversation seems to be generally cathartic.
The questions: These come to mind.
If you're single and not sure if that's a good thing:
why do you think this is? What choices have you made that have affected your current state?
where do you interact with God on the issue? Do you have a peace concerning his will for you? Do you completely trust that he will bring you to the right place in the right time? Are you content? Should you be content?
Who do you interact with and how do you interact with them? Do you have mostly single friends? Married friends? A good combination of both? What are the consequences of your social interactions?
If you're married:
How do you perceive single people? Do you see them as lacking in some way or as whole people? Do you wish they were married? Why?
Do you find yourself trying to do matchmaking with single people or do you bring them into your own life and family? Or some combination of both?
How do you interact with them? Do you urge them toward marriage or take them just as they are? Do you consider single people as a significant part of your ministry or do you find them awkward and don't really know what to do with them?
How does that fact that some women, if they are biblically faithful, will end up staying single affect your perception of the whole issue? What do you have to offer them?
What do you think is the place of single people in the church?
I know a lot of people think that it's weird that I'm still single. Most that do think it's weirder than I do. Some have said humorous things like, "Dan, what's wrong with you? Why aren't you married?" I laugh that off quietly as if it weren't a sober remark that silently cuts into the deepest part of my self perception and being. But overall I've been blessed. I'm surrounded by a lot of amazing married Christian people who have made me a part of their lives and their families. My friendships ran deep before most of them involved spouses and kids, and I'm able to function as a single people who has true community with others both married and single. I think the baby montage made that pretty clear. My church empowers me and lets me lead even though some are confused about my state. For the most part, I'm able to participate in my God-given tasks without much of a hitch. Like I said, I've been blessed.
But my mom's nearly 65 and she still doesn't have any grandkids. That's a tough burden to carry. I've got it pretty easy, imagine how some others feel.
I don't usually write blogs this clearly, so I hope you can take some of this stuff and consider it. I think the answers to some of the deeper questions here are pretty obvious for those who want to be God's bearers of good news. I hope they're obvious to you.
DK
In my experience, I've found that very few people actually have "this gift", and I'm not even convinced that based on 1 Corinthians 7 and Matthew 26:12-14 you can even call it a supernatural gift. Although I do concede that the Lord reserves some to be single that they might be more intently focused on doing kingdom work
Here are my quick answers: I don't perceive singles as lacking any more than any other demographic. I find myself thinking that "they should be married..." but I don't know why I do that, and I don't agree with that thought.
I don't match make, I bring everyone, single married into my fam which is currently: Trina, me, the freak, Sam, and Jack Jack.
I take them as they are, I never encourage anyone toward marriage. I think singles are often the heroes of ministry. Well, this post will go to long if I tried to answer them all. Even with shortys. Enough out of me!
The post follows:
Having just had a profound conversation with some roommates about the issue of being single, I find that it's left me with some interesting thoughts and questions.
The cast: A 23 year old girl, a 27 year old girl, a 27 year old guy, and me.
All are smart, funny, attractive, interesting, Jesus-loving people who are very serious about their purpose in life and their faith. All have character, and I'm sure all have made a fair number of mistakes in life, but none to a degree that would disqualify them from being married.
None have "the gift" of celibacy1
All are very aware of the fact that they're not married. None picture them self as being single for life.
The conversation: Pretty typical for a bunch of single people to have. Discussion about who to date, who they find interesting, who finds them interesting, who they have dated, and why British accents are so much sexier than normal accents. A common conversation, but this one left me thinking a little deeper.
Perhaps it's because one of us pointed out the fact that there are more Christian women than men, and if Christian women are faithful to biblical ideals, some of them will likely remain single because of that; a sobering statement. I think, if you're not Christian, you can probably substitute "christian men and women" with "good men and women" and substitute "biblical ideals" with "common sense", and the same thing applies.
I'm never sure if this is a good conversation to have. But I find that women struggle with this more than men, because they often see themselves in a place with less control over the situation (i.e., they lack the freedom to pursue men). So I always engage this conversation because among other things, I long to find a way to empower single girls to have more influence in this area; plus the conversation seems to be generally cathartic.
The questions: These come to mind.
If you're single and not sure if that's a good thing:
why do you think this is? What choices have you made that have affected your current state?
where do you interact with God on the issue? Do you have a peace concerning his will for you? Do you completely trust that he will bring you to the right place in the right time? Are you content? Should you be content?
Who do you interact with and how do you interact with them? Do you have mostly single friends? Married friends? A good combination of both? What are the consequences of your social interactions?
If you're married:
How do you perceive single people? Do you see them as lacking in some way or as whole people? Do you wish they were married? Why?
Do you find yourself trying to do matchmaking with single people or do you bring them into your own life and family? Or some combination of both?
How do you interact with them? Do you urge them toward marriage or take them just as they are? Do you consider single people as a significant part of your ministry or do you find them awkward and don't really know what to do with them?
How does that fact that some women, if they are biblically faithful, will end up staying single affect your perception of the whole issue? What do you have to offer them?
What do you think is the place of single people in the church?
I know a lot of people think that it's weird that I'm still single. Most that do think it's weirder than I do. Some have said humorous things like, "Dan, what's wrong with you? Why aren't you married?" I laugh that off quietly as if it weren't a sober remark that silently cuts into the deepest part of my self perception and being. But overall I've been blessed. I'm surrounded by a lot of amazing married Christian people who have made me a part of their lives and their families. My friendships ran deep before most of them involved spouses and kids, and I'm able to function as a single people who has true community with others both married and single. I think the baby montage made that pretty clear. My church empowers me and lets me lead even though some are confused about my state. For the most part, I'm able to participate in my God-given tasks without much of a hitch. Like I said, I've been blessed.
But my mom's nearly 65 and she still doesn't have any grandkids. That's a tough burden to carry. I've got it pretty easy, imagine how some others feel.
I don't usually write blogs this clearly, so I hope you can take some of this stuff and consider it. I think the answers to some of the deeper questions here are pretty obvious for those who want to be God's bearers of good news. I hope they're obvious to you.
DK
In my experience, I've found that very few people actually have "this gift", and I'm not even convinced that based on 1 Corinthians 7 and Matthew 26:12-14 you can even call it a supernatural gift. Although I do concede that the Lord reserves some to be single that they might be more intently focused on doing kingdom work
Today is World Malaria Day... how many of you knew? I didn't know. Here's some info
Despite the toll in human lives taken daily by an ancient parasite on the world's poorest and most vulnerable, there are effective ways to fight deadly malaria and a range of international efforts to understand and control the disease.
Malaria infects more than 500 million people a year and kills more than 1 million -- mostly infants, young children and pregnant women, and most of them in Africa. Fighting the disease takes the determined work of many around the world, all of whom are recognized on April 25, World Malaria Day.
The commemoration -- instituted by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly in 2007 -- is an opportunity for countries in affected regions to learn from each other's experiences, for new donors to join a global partnership against malaria, for research and academic institutions to explain their scientific advances to experts and the public, and for partners, companies and foundations to showcase their successes.
“Malaria is a horrible, perennial, ancient disease that goes back millennia,” Dr. James Herrington, director of the Division of International Relations at the National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty International Center, told America.gov. “Because of that, the mosquito has become very adapted and persistent in its ability to transmit the parasite that causes the disease. But that’s not to say [malaria] can’t be eliminated.”
SEPARATING MOSQUITOES AND PEOPLE
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the one-celled Plasmodium falciparum parasite and three closely related species. Each parasite lives part of its life in people and part in mosquitoes. The parasites are transmitted to people in the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
In the United States, malaria was a long-term problem in the steamy southeast. In 1947, the Public Health Service’s Communicable Disease Center -- now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- and the health agencies of 13 Southeastern states launched the National Malaria Eradication Program. It consisted mainly of applying the chemical dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) to inside surfaces of rural homes and buildings in counties where malaria was prevalent.
At the same time, the Tennessee Valley Authority was modifying waterways in that region to generate hydroelectricity and eliminate swamps where mosquitoes could lay eggs. Also at the same time, growing U.S. prosperity was drawing millions of Americans away from the mosquito-infested countryside and into cities. By the end of 1949, malaria no longer was a significant public health problem.
Most DDT uses were banned in the United States in 1972 after the chemical was linked to environmental and public health damage. In 2006, despite an ongoing debate about the chemical’s safety, WHO issued a statement promoting the use of indoor spraying -- but not agricultural use -- of DDT for malaria control in areas where the disease is endemic (prevalent).
“One of the successes we can point to,” Herrington said, ‘is that the use of DDT or DDT-like compounds have demonstrated the ability to be an insecticide as well as a repellant. It keeps mosquitoes that are infected with the parasite away from people.”
A boy waits to be tested for malaria in Manhica, Mozambique. (© AP Images)
The public health community, Herrington added, supports WHO’s restrictions on the outdoor uses of DDT.
KEY INTERVENTIONS
According to WHO, key interventions for controlling malaria include indoor spraying; prompt treatment with artemisinin, a medicine derived from the sweet wormwood plant, combined with a second or third anti-malarial drug; and use of insecticide-treated bed nets.
Combining artemisinin -- which interrupts the human half of the parasite’s life cycle -- with drugs like sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiquine keeps the parasites from becoming resistant to any one of the drugs.
“When used correctly in combination with other anti-malarial drugs in artemisinin combination therapies,” a WHO announcement read, “artemisinin is nearly 95 percent effective in curing malaria and the parasite is highly unlikely to become drug resistant.”
A problem is that it takes 18 months to grow the natural artemisinin product and no one yet has been able to synthesize the compound in the laboratory.
But, according to Joel Breman, Martin Alilio and Nicholas White in a summary to “Defining and Defeating the Intolerable Burden of Malaria III: Progress and Perspectives,” a 42-paper supplement published in December 2007 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a coalition of public and private partners supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is using synthetic biology to manufacture a low-cost artemisinin derived from microbes.
The third intervention, insecticide-treated bed nets, separates people and mosquitoes. The parasite-transmitting Anopheles mosquito feeds at night, Herrington said, so the nets have been very effective.
“They’ve been shown through studies,” he added, “to reduce malaria mortality by almost a third in children in malarious areas in Africa.”
In addition to these tools, and over the long term, Herrington said, malaria education programs, research and economic development will be the best ways to fight the disease.
“Malaria is both a result and a cause of poverty,” he said. “Economic development is really key as a long-term tool for fighting this terrible disease.”
More information about malaria is available on the WHO Web site and in the malaria supplement posted on the Fogarty International Center Web site.
A transcript of remarks by first lady Laura Bush on World Malaria Day is available on the White House Web site.
Malaria infects more than 500 million people a year and kills more than 1 million -- mostly infants, young children and pregnant women, and most of them in Africa. Fighting the disease takes the determined work of many around the world, all of whom are recognized on April 25, World Malaria Day.
The commemoration -- instituted by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly in 2007 -- is an opportunity for countries in affected regions to learn from each other's experiences, for new donors to join a global partnership against malaria, for research and academic institutions to explain their scientific advances to experts and the public, and for partners, companies and foundations to showcase their successes.
“Malaria is a horrible, perennial, ancient disease that goes back millennia,” Dr. James Herrington, director of the Division of International Relations at the National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty International Center, told America.gov. “Because of that, the mosquito has become very adapted and persistent in its ability to transmit the parasite that causes the disease. But that’s not to say [malaria] can’t be eliminated.”
SEPARATING MOSQUITOES AND PEOPLE
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the one-celled Plasmodium falciparum parasite and three closely related species. Each parasite lives part of its life in people and part in mosquitoes. The parasites are transmitted to people in the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
In the United States, malaria was a long-term problem in the steamy southeast. In 1947, the Public Health Service’s Communicable Disease Center -- now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- and the health agencies of 13 Southeastern states launched the National Malaria Eradication Program. It consisted mainly of applying the chemical dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) to inside surfaces of rural homes and buildings in counties where malaria was prevalent.
At the same time, the Tennessee Valley Authority was modifying waterways in that region to generate hydroelectricity and eliminate swamps where mosquitoes could lay eggs. Also at the same time, growing U.S. prosperity was drawing millions of Americans away from the mosquito-infested countryside and into cities. By the end of 1949, malaria no longer was a significant public health problem.
Most DDT uses were banned in the United States in 1972 after the chemical was linked to environmental and public health damage. In 2006, despite an ongoing debate about the chemical’s safety, WHO issued a statement promoting the use of indoor spraying -- but not agricultural use -- of DDT for malaria control in areas where the disease is endemic (prevalent).
“One of the successes we can point to,” Herrington said, ‘is that the use of DDT or DDT-like compounds have demonstrated the ability to be an insecticide as well as a repellant. It keeps mosquitoes that are infected with the parasite away from people.”
A boy waits to be tested for malaria in Manhica, Mozambique. (© AP Images)
The public health community, Herrington added, supports WHO’s restrictions on the outdoor uses of DDT.
KEY INTERVENTIONS
According to WHO, key interventions for controlling malaria include indoor spraying; prompt treatment with artemisinin, a medicine derived from the sweet wormwood plant, combined with a second or third anti-malarial drug; and use of insecticide-treated bed nets.
Combining artemisinin -- which interrupts the human half of the parasite’s life cycle -- with drugs like sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiquine keeps the parasites from becoming resistant to any one of the drugs.
“When used correctly in combination with other anti-malarial drugs in artemisinin combination therapies,” a WHO announcement read, “artemisinin is nearly 95 percent effective in curing malaria and the parasite is highly unlikely to become drug resistant.”
A problem is that it takes 18 months to grow the natural artemisinin product and no one yet has been able to synthesize the compound in the laboratory.
But, according to Joel Breman, Martin Alilio and Nicholas White in a summary to “Defining and Defeating the Intolerable Burden of Malaria III: Progress and Perspectives,” a 42-paper supplement published in December 2007 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a coalition of public and private partners supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is using synthetic biology to manufacture a low-cost artemisinin derived from microbes.
The third intervention, insecticide-treated bed nets, separates people and mosquitoes. The parasite-transmitting Anopheles mosquito feeds at night, Herrington said, so the nets have been very effective.
“They’ve been shown through studies,” he added, “to reduce malaria mortality by almost a third in children in malarious areas in Africa.”
In addition to these tools, and over the long term, Herrington said, malaria education programs, research and economic development will be the best ways to fight the disease.
“Malaria is both a result and a cause of poverty,” he said. “Economic development is really key as a long-term tool for fighting this terrible disease.”
More information about malaria is available on the WHO Web site and in the malaria supplement posted on the Fogarty International Center Web site.
A transcript of remarks by first lady Laura Bush on World Malaria Day is available on the White House Web site.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The long delay.
I haven’t checked Trina’s blog, but I gotta get a post out there, I hope she’s been posting for the sake of her faithful constituency. We are doing well. We’re blessed to be a part of a new and growing and exciting community tentatively called PTI, partnership trust international. We all have a common vision to serve Burundians, and to equip pastors to serve in their communities. It sort of feels like the founder of PTI and close friend Emmanuel Ndikumana is a reformer and he’s bringing an indigenous reformation to Burundi and we’re holding on for the ride, and doing what we know how to do along the way. Trina’s little youth group is doing great. The kids love her, and they are over every Tuesday, playing and studying. I did a Kirundi video for our community and the parents of the many kids who showed up for our week long event (three times as many kids as we projected for) showing what we’ve done for Burundi’s youth over spring break. The parents of these kids are blown away by PTI and it’s creating waves, good waves in the community. I’ve just finished a short flick featuring my buddy Simon from the U.K. and we’ll see if the film is appropriate for the west. It’s premiering in a night club in London in August to raise money for street kids ministries in Burundi (the group is called Pilgrim), what I love about this opportunity is it gets London night clubbers invovled in rehabilitation work for street kids with Christian agencies that are just hands down doing great work in Burundi... and if it gets approved State side it should be available on-line in May. Simon is sort of a gritty individual, and he’s passionate about discipleship and evangelism. Sometimes he can come across harsh, but it’s only because he’s so passionate about ministry. He holds nothing back in this flick which we’ve called “a starfish called Enoch.” It’s a fantanstic time for media for me right now, as I’m literally working on 5 flicks at the same time. Three are in post production, two are in pre-production and two are in production… so I guess that makes 7. That’s crazy, I never was good at math... and as my good bud Dan Franklin pointed out recently, I've been forgetting the names of the flicks I've done... looks like the early onset of part-timers... yikes
A huge thank you to my home church there in Boring, you know who you are, always overly generous to Trina and I. Lew, you’re amazing. John, you rock. Tony, Andy, you guys rock hard and you’re brothers to boot. Ken and Sue, as always, so faithful, so generous. Jer, unbelievable, Jesse and Jill, thank you so much, the running shoes are well worn already, all the rest that I’m not naming, I don’t forget you or take you for granted, I just can’t seem to pull up your name right now… I am turning 31 (and I already pointed out that I'm forgetting the name of my flicks... and it's not like I've done hundreds of them). Anyway, lots of love and thankfulness from the Chase clan in Burundi.
A huge thank you to my home church there in Boring, you know who you are, always overly generous to Trina and I. Lew, you’re amazing. John, you rock. Tony, Andy, you guys rock hard and you’re brothers to boot. Ken and Sue, as always, so faithful, so generous. Jer, unbelievable, Jesse and Jill, thank you so much, the running shoes are well worn already, all the rest that I’m not naming, I don’t forget you or take you for granted, I just can’t seem to pull up your name right now… I am turning 31 (and I already pointed out that I'm forgetting the name of my flicks... and it's not like I've done hundreds of them). Anyway, lots of love and thankfulness from the Chase clan in Burundi.
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