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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Hakani


This week my heart and eyes were moved to tears by a short, true story, movie-documentary called Hakani. It describes one young girl’s personal journey of being rescued from infanticide. In her case, her tribe in the Brazilian Amazon thought she was bringing curses on the tribe because she could not walk or talk, so they buried her alive. She was rescued by her brother and eventually brought to a YWAM missionary’s outpost on the edge of the jungle. She received help for her medical condition, a thyroid problem controlled with one pill a day, and was adopted by the missionary couple. Today, ten year Hakani is a thriving, walking, talking and singing young girl, full of life and lit up with a beautiful, beaming smile, which her name means.

Infanticide, the murder of babies and children, is a common practice in many Amazon tribes in Brazil. Tribesmen kill, and in many cases bury alive, those that are not “normal,” with birth defects, handicaps, twin, triplets, out of wedlock because they are considered curses on their tribes. The Brazilian government has yet to protect the human rights of these children, sometimes labeling these practices as preserving their tribal culture. However, even many tribes’ people are seeing these children as human and that they have a right to live and are rescuing them. Currently, the missions’ outpost is overflowing with rescued children and their rescuers, adults and families, who have themselves fled their tribes and sought refuge.

You and I can do something to help, and quickly! Muwaji’s Law, to protect these indigenous tribal children’s right to life, is going before the Brazilian government June 30th. We can spread awareness, specifically of what is going on in Brazil, by forwarding this e-mail or this link http://www.hakani.org on to other people. You can follow the other action steps listed at http://hakani.org/en/personal.asp. E-mail these government officials! Even our concern, disgust, words can provide a voice of truth to this atrocity, and help another child, one as important and valuable to the Lord, live a full life!

And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them. Mark 10:13-16

(The film Hakani was made by David Cunningham, who also produced the documentary Path to 9/11 and the movie The Seeker. He is the son of Loren and Darlene Cunningham, founders of YWAM, Youth With A Mission. David visited our YWAM MT base so that we could pray and if led, take action.)

Monday, June 2, 2008

Posing at the Agora


Michele F. and I did model poses on our first free day adventure. After taking a ferry, we hiked a great deal of city and hills to find Kadifekale, where Alexander the Great built a fortress and founded the city of Smyrna. Later in the day, we walked about and posed at the agora, the ancient city's marketplace, which was built my Marcus Arelius (yes the very same, sleazy brother in Gladiator) after an earthquake had destroyed an earlier one.