An Article of an Atheist's Take on Aid in Africa - "Africa Needs God"

I love perusing a variety of online newspapers, magazines, articles, reviews, blogs, and photos from time to time - I am very inconsistent about it. I don't exactly know why I like to read these. Maybe because I love to learn, and I also love sharing the new things I learn with others. I like knowing what's going on around me, and especially what makes people think the way they do.

The most recent blog I read  (http://brettfish.wordpress.com/) had a link to this article, granted from 2008, but the immensity of an atheist finding value in Christianity, and Christianity in Africa boggles my mind! Jesus Christ is the only true hope and change - to some degree he got it and didn't get it. I don't know if he became a Christian. I'll have to research that, but I pray he does. And I pray his words into a glimpse of True Hope may lead others to challenge their world views and to question their beliefs.

Here's an excerpt:

It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But traveling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God. 

Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good. 

Click here to read Matthew Parris' complete article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece

Now off to write my book of Micah assignment.

The Inspiration of Melodious Words

 Writing has been a journey for me. When I was in grade school, I remember being encouraged with my writing. In 2nd and 3rd grade class we wrote and illustrated books. But I also remember the difficulty of getting past my mental block (and maybe the emotional one too) of writing well. I think I put too much pressure on myself (do you remember that, Jo?) I also journaled from a young age, and still do today, though I go in spurts sometimes. Over the past 6 years, I've experienced intermittent inspirations to write, including poems. Embarking on missions has brought more writing in the form of newsletters. This has been a chore at times, but also a wonderful process of sculpting my experiences and my heart so that you, the reader and friend, can maybe taste, see, and feel a bit of my journey. 

So for my study of the Bible I write everyday but mostly in formulaic form as in facts, and in observe, interpret, and apply. But the part my brain thrives on is the summaries, whether it is a theme summary or the final application for that book of the Bible. This is where my brain and emotions have the freedom to fly - to process down the winding paths of exploration, to paint the picture, and to describe the texture of the inner workings - of me. And with my weekly Psalms assignments I am able to creatively process, which is so life-giving. Even though this school is rigorous study (and I can't emphasize RIGOROUS enough), I believe God is opening up more of what I love, that is, expression through writing. Prose has been escaping from me more often than ever. I thank God for this privilege to play with wonderful words.

"Words are like a melody to me, like music, like good mouth-watering chocolate, like beauty, to name a few. Words crafted together are an attempt to describe sometimes the unexplainable like a breathtaking vista or the emotional depths of the soul." SM

Click below for a link to a Slate article about what I love - the sounds of words:

Keener Sounds How can poetry that doesn't rhyme be so pleasing to the ear? By Robert Pinsky