Archive for September, 2008

Art * Music * Justice Tour: Multi-media music event to celebrate, advance IJM?s mission in 22 U.S.

Sara Groves (pictured here performing at an IJM event) will bring her critically acclaimed talents on the road for the Art*Music *Justice Tour

Highly acclaimed musicians and IJM Artist Partners Sara Groves, Brandon Heath, Sandra McCracken, Charlie Peacock and Derek Webb will unite this fall to share their passion for art, music and justice through a cross-country multi-media music tour benefitting International Justice Mission and relief organization Food for the Hungry. The tour, which will run September 19 through October 26, will inspire audience members to get actively involved in the fight for justice on behalf of the poor through an integration of powerful musical performances and justice advocacy.

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14 Freed From Slavery In Indian Rock Quarry

BANGALORE, INDIA ? Today, a young father and thirteen other former slaves live in freedom after an IJM Bangalore operation in collaboration with local authorities. The slaves were trapped in a rock quarry, where they were held against their wills and disconnected even from the other laborers in the facility because they did not speak the local language. Using threats and physical intimidation to isolate and control the victims, the owners beat, threatened and verbally abused them.

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IJM Study Reveals High Prevalence of Property Grabbing in Uganda

KAMPALA, UGANDA ? This summer, IJM Uganda completed an extensive survey in a five sub-county area of Mukono County, Uganda, to determine the severity of property grabbing in the region. The study?s findings indicate that illegal property seizure remains a serious problem in the area, despite laws designed to protect widows and orphans from this crime.

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Never forget your story

 As we took a moment earlier this month to reflect on the tragic day that befell us on September 11th of 2001, I was reading and looking at photos displaying the outcry of compassion and love shown to the US immediately following that day that will forever be implanted in our minds.  Among the host of images were purple mohawked hipsters aligned side by side with WWII veterans outside of the gates of the US Embassy in both Berlin and London, as well as shots of men and women crying in the streets of Israel.

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Guilty Verdict For Perpetrator in IJM Manila Case

MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES ? The perpetrator in a case prosecuted by IJM Manila has been found guilty of rape and sentenced to 20 to 40 years imprisonment.

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Redemption. Is it worth the time?

After the recent hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, it is good to ask the question; what are we doing? Pretty vague question, I know.

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Timmy 2000 and The Church (An article by Michael Hoggatt)

Michael Hoggat is also the author of Moving to the Manger: A Journey from Exclusion to Inclusion.

I’ve been looking around for good “Christian” examples of people with disabilities in several different mediums for use in this column. However, I found very little from within Christian circles that dealt with issues of any relevance. Therefore, I looked to the secular entertainment industry and found a show that fearlessly addresses issues of utmost importance, and realized that it had a lot to teach me. Unfortunately, due to the reputation for profanity, inappropriate humor and the mocking of certain Christian values, most Christians remain unaware that South Park has been discussing disability, stem-cell research and right-to-die issues with a candor one should expect from within the Church. Many of the episodes that deal with these issues revolve around a fourth-grade boy named Timmy.

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Hurricanes Brings Hunger to Haiti, Cuba

Haitian Farmer (Miami Herald)An intense hurricane season has pummelled the agricultural lands of Haiti and Cuba, wiping out at least $180 million in crops alone. These losses bring even more uncertainty to the future of the already-troubled Caribbean nations.

Letters from Africa: Gladys

Pam KidsThere is a wonderful magic about children. They have the ability to capture the heart and the soul with nothing more than a smile and a twinkle in the eye, and tonight Gladys captured my heart. 

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DOING THE MOST GOOD!

The M.A.C Aids Fund also known as MAF, the heart  and soul of M.A. C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working with underserved regions and populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical giver in the arena, MAF strives to raise awareness of four key issues in the fight against HIV/AIDS: 1) Prevention, 2) The link between poverty and HIV/AIDS, 3) Access to Care, and 4)Adherence to medications and treatments.

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The Pursuit continues…

This past Thursday we gathered once again at Park Community Church in Chicago to continue the pursuit of daily practical responses to God’s call for love and justice from his people. The turn-out and feedback has been outstanding!

Africa Still Sings

I am traveling again… I wish a could package Africa and send it to you in a box; a taste of chai, the scent of markets, and the chill of early morning breezes in the village.  Worlds apart, it's easy to forget the urgency of a continent that is filled with the stories of life existing on the threadbare strands of survival

Yet woven within these frayed strands is a fiber of hope that is manifest in the vibrancy of laughing smiles and the callouses of strong hands that labor towards the restoration of an unseen promised land.  

We have the great privilege of laboring alongside these kindred spirits whose humanity is as frail as our own; to weave the fibers of our own story, weak for weak and strong for strong, into a fabric that can shelter against the tempest of an uncertain future.

From within the shelter of this community, our community, Africa still sings… women still dance around clean water, children still laugh and play games, songs are still written in honor of one another.  These are the relationships we have entered into, these are the communities we have changed.  And while their names may be too many for us to learn, they will never forget ours.  For what was once but a frail thread is now a vibrant tapestry of enduring hope.   

- Barak Bruerd (Director of Africa Programs)         

Becoming Human

When I was growing up in my Nazarene Church we had a particular tradition. Whenever a month would have a fifth Sunday, that evening (back when people still went to Church twice on Sundays) would be heralded as a Singspiration. This meant that anyone, and everyone, was welcomed to take a stab at singing a solo, duet or some makeshift ensemble in the service. I can’t remember the names or songs sung by most of the members of our congregation, but I do remember three gentlemen who took their opportunity every Singspiration to praise God with a joyful sound. The only name I remember from the group is Jay.

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Greening Sacred Spaces

 By David Bowring, using files from www.faith-commongood.net.

 A large Oak Paneled house across the street from Queen’s Park, a lush greenspace in the heart of Toronto is the home of Greening Sacred Spaces, a group funded by The Ontario Conservation Bureau and the Toronto Atmospheric Fund to help faith groups reduce greenhouse gases and to live sustainably.

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