two and two makes five

Zim news is coming fast and furious

Zimbabwe continues to dominate African headlines. In the grip of a major food shortage, political dissatisfaction, massive poverty/unemployment/inflation, and a massive AIDS pandemic, the picture isn't pretty:

The majority of farming households in Zimbabwe will harvest nothing at all this year

Government is again alienating private schools endangering education for many

After arresting 10,000 "informal traders" the government is razing the informal homes of tens of thousands of people in Harare

Zim government is denying rights to labor unions

Crisis in Harare grows worse as government threatens opposition to the ruling party - thousands more homeless

Police burn shacks, rioting ensues

I'm not at all confident that this is all going to end soon or end peacefully. May God's grace be upon the people of Zimbabwe.

On a related note, I heard a great piece on NPR yesterday about Zimbabwean struggle musician Thomas Mapfumo. Check it out here.

Technorati Tags: Africa, Zimbabwe

Getting out the right message in South Africa

It looks as if SA Deputy President Jacob Zuma is promoting a different approach than Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. Zuma says, "Let me emphasise that our position is that nutrition is not a substitute for appropriate treatment, but prolongs good health and serves as a solid foundation that determines the success of other medical interventions." Yes, yes, yes. Good nutrition and medical treatment. Both. Not either/or.

Technorati Tags: Africa, HIV/AIDS, South Africa

Faith and Film

Some good friends of mine have a brand-spankin' new website that has tons of movie reviews - many of them exploring the spiritual and theological dimensions of films both new and old. Of course, some of the reviews, like a version of my recent review of "Revenge of the Sith" have nothing at all to do with God, but instead give an opportunity for more people from across the world to think poorly of me because I didn't like the last "Star Wars" flick. :)

So what are you waiting for? Go check out Cinekklesia.com and then head out to the movies.

HIV/AIDS in Africa: Portraits of Women (Picture 12)

...one in a series...

"I got married six years ago. I didn't know my husband very well. People told me he was a nice and kind man. But then in 2001, I tested positive for HIV. I told him about my status, and he left me - without explaining why. He now lives in the next village. He has another wife. I think they're having a baby. I still love my husband, though. Perhaps he will come back to me. I miss him."

Lesotho: Libuseng Khetang, 22

God, Inc.

My friend Duane is blogging, and he is already posting good stuff like this. In fact, the Yahoo!/Business Week site has a whole section dedicated to God, Inc. You can read all about "Earthly Empires," "Church of the Mighty Dollar," and "The Fashion of the Christ." To be fair, the article "Earthly Empires" reads like it is written by someone far from the heart of the megachurch and there may be more that a bit of misunderstanding and misinterpretation of intentions. I mean, I have a graduate degree in this stuff, for goodness' sake, so while the churches described here aren't at all the kind of church we've started in Durham, I can be charitable and give the benefit of the doubt on most occasions to the church that goes, shall we say, a bit over the top. So, without ruffling too many feathers, let's just take a look at the perception of the evangelical megachurch from the outside... we all have our opinions about the reality, but here are just some of the phrases I found in this single article describing the churches we have built:

• They borrow tools ranging from niche marketing to MBA hiring to lift their share of U.S. churchgoers.
• focus intently on a huge potential market
• Sunday Schools that look like Disney World
• tailor a panoply of services to meet all kinds of consumer needs
• more like modern entertainment halls
• opening up branches like so many new Home Depots
• Branding whizzes that they are
• Evangelicals' eager embrace of corporate-style growth strategies
• ambitious churches are making a big business out of spreading their expertise
• marketing and services help to create brand loyalty any CEO would envy

There is some neutral fact-citing and there are a few positive examples of leadership (Rick Warren), but is the overall picture we want of the church? After all, the article correctly points out that in the past 15 years, the number of Americans who claim no religion at all has quadrupled, and during the megachurch boom, overall church attendance is flat. Flat. No gain. With all of our millions of dollars, is this the best we could do? With all of our apparent marketing savvy, is this the best image we could create? Let's pray that the ec will do something better with the opportunities that God gives to us.

Technorati Tags: Emerging Church

HIV/AIDS in Africa: Portraits of Women (Picture 11)

...one in a series...

"First I felt tired. Then I lost weight. Finally I got tested. It was the right thing to do. I was pregnant. I was positive. A few months later I had twins. One child died. My husband left me. I was alone. Eventually he returned. He accepted that I carry the virus in me. Not many men do. I'd be devastated if he left me for good. But he might leave after all. I am a damaged woman."

Angola: Lizia Sebastiana, 33

"When I found out that I am HIV-positive, I tried to speak to my husband about it. He refused to even listen to me. I then went to his sister. She said, 'You are crazy. Go away.' A year later my husband died. It was Aids that killed him, but his family refuses to accept that - even today. I am not going to die. I am a survivor. Can't you tell?"

Angola: Caty Santos, 37

Trying out ecto...

On the advice of lots of great bloggers, I'm giving ecto a trial run. I've got 20 days before they want some money, so we'll see how it goes. I have plans for multiple blogs and spend a lot of time away from Wi-Fi (at least free Wi-Fi, which is the only Wi-Fi that counts) so the potential for writing posts offline is enticing. There are too many features to discover in a day, so I'm hoping for some time to spend with this program before deciding whether or not to buy. Anyone out there using ecto who wants to share some advice?

HIV/AIDS in Africa: Portraits of Women (Picture 10)

...one in a series...

"My baby died in the hospital. That's when they tested me for HIV. But they didn't tell me about the test. The doctors just looked at me strangely. They kept my status a secret. I felt terrible. Four months later a nurse said: `You have Aids. You will die.' I went home and cried - but I didn't die. I learned more about the disease and how to live with it. Those doctors were monsters."

Angola: Domingas "Mimi" Mitange, 24

Five notes on a troubled country

The Zimbabwean Dollar was officially devalued again by government officials, although the rate remains far less than what is available on the black market.

But, the black market might not be the business to be in, as government police have cracked down and arrested 10,000 "illegal traders" in Harare this week.

All of this continuing trouble has renewed calls from Catholic Archbishop Ncube for President Mugabe's ouster by a strong opposition.

In response to this criticism and massive food shortages, Mugabe is rumored to be considering allowing some white farmers to return to Zim and presumably resume farming to ease the crisis.

Some white farmers have expressed an interest in the policy, should it actually become the official government position.

HIV/AIDS in Africa: Portraits of Women (Picture 9)

...one in a series...

"'Aids? That's a disease for poor people. For uneducated people. For prostitutes and gays. Not for university-educated women like me,' I thought. But I was wrong. Somehow I got the virus. Probably at some party from some guy I don't know. But my spirit is strong. I am going to survive. I can't die. I am too young. I have so many plans. I will be strong. I promise."

Botswana: Cynthia Leskomo, 30