Sierra Leone

Hello friends!

This week I have been researching Sierra Leone for my interview today. This country in Africa is still experiencing the affects of a 10-year rebel war that devastated the country. The country had become educated and prosperous to the envy of other African nations. Diamonds were discovered in the country but they were not a blessing, but rather a curse because rebels sold them and bought weapons with the profit. Women were raped, property was stolen, and children were forced to become child soldiers.

Churches were robbed. Hymnals and bibles were stolen. Pastors had difficulty supporting their families. In 2006, Bishop Jane Allen Middleton, of the Central Pennsylvania Conference (now Susquehanna Conference), signed  a contract called the Sierra Leone Initiative. Pennsylvania churches that commit to the Initiative provide funding so that the salary of the Sierra Leone pastors are secure.  However, more help is needed. There are 156 churches in Sierra Leone, but only 54 of them are linked with American churches. They are very grateful for the support received, yet wish that all of their churches could be linked with one of the Conferences' 950 congregations.



Consumers should be mindful of how their diamonds were acquired. Thankfully as of 2007, 74 nations have signed a contract with the Kimberly Process that requires documentation that the diamonds were not obtained through violence. To learn more visit:
http://www.kimberleyprocess.com

If you are interested in this topic, I suggest you watch the movie "Blood Diamonds" with Leonardo Dicaprio.  Warning: the movie includes graphic violence to communicate the atrocities of the war.

WatersEdge

Interview with a central Pennsylvanian Christian band whose first single hits national radio this May. Learn more at www.watersedgemusic.com, or visit their Facebook page.

South African Missionary Shares Her Experience

Rachel shares about the effects of apartheid in South Africa, as well as her 16-month mission work there. You can read more about her experience at http://www.rachelinsouthafrica.wordpress.com/, and her current mission work at http://www.rachelinseattle.wordpress.com/

Don't Worry, Be Happy

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Mathew 6:33-34

I'd like to share a story with you that my youth group leader told me. It is from one of his favorite books, "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning.

One day a tiger chased a monk to the edge of a cliff. The monk spotted a rope, grabbed it, and climbed down out of the tiger's reach. Just then he realized that he was hanging high above jagged rocks. He looked up and saw mice chewing on the ropes strands! When he looked in front of him, he saw a beautiful strawberry within his reach. He plucked it and ate it, exclaiming that it was the best strawberry he had ever tasted.

The moral of the story is that if we are preoccupied about the past (tiger), or the future (rocks) we will miss the blessings/strawberries that God has given us.

My sister shared with me one way that she has taught herself to recognize God's strawberries in her life. She writes daily, about the little blessings she has received in her "Thanks" journal. I have since started one as well. It helps me to reflect on the positives and not dwell on the negatives. Do you have a pretty journal sitting empty at your house? Perhaps you could dedicate it to writing down God's daily blessings.

I encourage you to look for the strawberry that God delivers to you each day!Sometimes the best things in life are unplanned, unexpected gifts from God. May we remember to live in the moment, so that we do not miss them!

The Great Commission

"Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" -Mathew 28:19

As we go through this Lenten season, I am reminded of the command that Jesus gave to his disciples when they saw His resurrected body in Galilee. Jesus told his disciples to carry His teachings into all the world. They were the ones that would continue to be Jesus' hands and feet on earth. 


Religious holy days are a time to center ourselves on our Father's path.This April I encourage you to set aside some time to seek God earnestly, and quietly. I pray that you would be able to be still and listen to how YOU could be the hands of feet of Jesus.


I few nights ago, I was praying about a way that my youth sunday school class could reach out into the community. I'm excited about the idea that God gave me. For the month of April we are going to go around to the homes near the church and offer them free donuts/baked goods and introduce ourselves. It may seem simple, and even silly, but if we're afraid to do something outside of the box, we probably won't be seeing much more than cardboard. In other words, if we want others to know the good news, we have to go outside of our own church walls to share it. Who knows if it will make an impact. But Jesus only asks us to GO, not sit and analyze logistics. 

Jesus died for us.
The least we can do is live for Him.

Cyber Bullying

You will find a link to Warren't blog, which has a post on bullying, by clicking Warren Bevacqua at the left side of the page under "followers."

Multi-Cultural Church Brings People Together in Scranton-Wilkesbarre