Now that I have seen....

I am responsible.

People often wonderful why I have thrown my heart and soul into Missions of Hope in Kenya. Though this video and song are about Rwanda, they express my heart for Kenya and my hopes for Kenyans. I have been to Kenya several times.  I have seen the poverty and the hardship with my own eyes, and now I am responsible.

Lyrics to "Albertine"

I am sitting still
I think of Angelique
her mothers voice over me
And the bullets in the wall where it fell silent
And on a thousandth hill, I think of Albertine
there in her eyes what I don't see with my own
Rwanda

now that I have seen, I am responsible
Faith without deeds is dead
now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go till you are

I am on a plane across a distant sea
But I carry you in me
and the dust on, the dust on, the dust on my feet
Rwanda

I will tell the world, I will tell them where I've been
I will keep my word
I will tell them Albertine

I am on a stage, a thousand eyes on me
I will tell them, Albertine
I will tell them, Albertine

Though I am not on a stage with a thousand eyes on me and my platform is small in the scheme of things;  the work(s) I do are what I can do  in my own circumstances, and I am willing.  I will tell the world.

Edwin

Since I last wrote about the missions, my friend Jonah, overseer of the Missions of Hope, contracted typhoid fever while in Uganda at his convocation and he has been in hospital.  Also Edwin, the young man in the photo above who is battling cancer, has been hospitalized. Please keep them in your prayers.

Orphans

If you have already started thinking about Christmas gifts for family and loved ones in 2012, you might want to consider giving of a different nature this year. Missions of Hope has some unique gift ideas for you. Click here.

I have also started to add items to my Etsy shop. You can see the items here. More will be added over the coming days.  All proceeds go to the Missions of Hope.

I Went Searching for Sugarman

I went Searching for Sugarman on Tuesday and found him! Just like many others in North America and around the world are now finding him. I hope you enjoy a peek at his life.

I enjoyed the film a lot. I was inspired by the humility of this man, Sixto Rodriguez and by his philosopy toward life and art. An added bonus was getting to visit parts of the world where I have not yet been; the beautiful coastline of Cape Town, South Africa and the gritty streets of Detroit, Michigan. Another bonus was being able to understand the situation of apartheid from the white perspective, a little better.  Though this film is not about apartheid, apartheid is definitely wrapped up in the story.  This film came along for me shortly after having viewed "Come Back Africa", a film about apartheid through the experiences of black South Africans.

If you get an opportunity to see this film, I hope you take it.