MY FRIEND IN AFRICA

My friend Brad Matlack is currently in Africa, learning about the AIDS crisis. This is one of his journals. If the average Christian was a little more like my friend Brad, Jesus wouldn't be in as much need of new PR. He's imperfect, rebellious, and one of the most loving people I know.

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Good Sunday morning to you,

I felt a change happen inside of me yesterday. There was a transition from a curious student to an enabled and equipped servant. For 15 years Africa has been on my heart. For the last 10 months I have been studying the African plight. All week I have still been an inquisitive student trying to gain a clearer picture. On Saturday I had the privilege of spending a day serving and sharing inside the Kiambiu slum. I walked the streets and went into the homes of three very special people. As I reflect back on my day, I am filled with joy because I was able to feel God moving in me and around me. I was blessed to be in Kiambiu. I have never felt so present in a place. I have never felt more equipped and enabled to do a "job". I have never felt as full and complete in the body of Christ, the church. God met me on the front lines. My vision is getting clearer. I am truly broken for the women of this continent. I have felt the prompting to reach inside the hearts and minds of the women all week. This may be my call: to uplift the women of Africa. I truly believe that they are the key to the future of this continent. They work very hard and carry heavy burdens with out appreciation or dignity. I have had a look inside their hearts. I have
seen pain, sorrow and most of the time a loss of hope. Yet, when I look into their eyes I see strength, passion and eternal hope. I could keep going on and on...I'll save it for another day.

I attached a picture of the three women I spent my day with. We visited homes, gave out food and clothes and prayed in peace, hope and love. We laughed and cried together. God was with us.

On my right: "Tekla", an HIV+ widow with two sons who loves the Lord. She is one of the ladies making necklaces for sustainability. Her mission is to empower other people who are HIV+ to accept their status and live a full life. She is an angel, a beacon of light in Kiambiu. She represents LOVE.

On my left: "Laureen" (pronounced Lorraine), a young, bright, Godly woman with a vision to open a VCT center in Kiambiu. She is the Esther of this community, full of hope and opportunity, a willing soul. She currently can't afford to finish school. She is in the 10th grade and has a dream to get into university to get equipped and serve the Lord back here in Kiambiu. She represents HOPE.

On my far left: "Ruth", a leader in her church, burdened to minister to HIV+ widows such as Tekla. She serves in Kiambiu full time without a salary. Most church leaders here are serving without an income. She lives every day by faith. I envision myself equipping the Ruths of Africa to minister to their communities. She represents PEACE.

Thanks again for sending me here. I look forward to sharing my stories
with you.


Brad
IAmNotBystander.com

THREE DAYS IN TAMPA

Jessica and I flew in from Tampa this morning. The two of us vacated Nashville on Friday morning for a quick weekend get-away. And we needed it. Both of us have been moving at the speed of life for the last couple few weeks. On top of that, my father was rushed to the hospital Thursday morning with heart-related chest pains. And then from my hometown's local ER, they took him by copter to a DC-area heart unit. Thankfully, to God and to the doctors, Dad came home on Sunday a new man, feeling better than he had in a long time. I'd try to explain all that he had done, but there would be more spelling mistakes than my pride will allow.

So, Jess and I needed the time away. We needed to lay on the beach half naked and talk, laugh, smile, and rest. We needed to shop around those touristy stores, you know, the ones where everything in the store is pink, orange, and made of something crappy or has something crappy written on it. We needed that. Now, I'm not sure I really needed to buy the pink metal flamingo, but that didn't stop me from telling Jessica that I did.

We needed to fight. It's rather miraculous what a good verbal war of words can do for a marriage. Our lives had been so busy that we hadn't taken the time to work through our differences. And healthy fighting, I believe, is good for the soul once in a while.

Anyway, Jess and I had a wonderful time in Tampa, hanging with our friends JC and Lisa. We returned to Nashville tired but refreshed...

BOMBS OVER FALWELL

Read the story.

Wow.

How embarrassing that it's a "Christian" who shows up with shock and awe at Jerry's funeral. Of course, it's not like I believe Jerry would have ever condoned the actions of the young man who thought he could take matters into his own hands. I don't think for a moment he would. But Jerry was indeed divisive and his words did more harm than any bomb ever could.

R. KELLY COMPARES HIMSELF TO MLK!

Interesting.

Or ridiculous.

Or maybe partly true, if you only concentrate on the fact that R. is a black male.

Gosh, the things people say.

BIBLE TOO HOT IN HONK KONG?

The people of Hong Kong are complaining to their government that parts of the Bible are too HOT for youngsters to be reading. Some are hoping to pass a law that would restrict anyone under the age of 18 from purchasing a Bible!

I bet they had some trouble with Ezekiel 23:20!

Look it up.

HOUSE FINCH

This little bird, along with his lovely bird wife, are nesting in a dead house plant on my deck!

I love birds. This picture is a professional one not of the actual bird living on my deck!

:-)

1 IN 5 WILL BE HOMELESS SAYS CHRISTIAN AID

Because of climate change.

THE DEATH OF JERRY FALWELL

Jerry Falwell is dead.

It's no secret that I wasn't a fan of Jerry Falwell's rigid Christianity and politics; however, I do respect the man's vivid passion to find God and his desire to help others do the same. May that be the narrative he is remembered for.

My prayers go out to his family, Liberty University students and every person who called him pastor and friend.

BILL SAYS: HILLARY IS JUST LIKE JESUS! [OK, NOT EXACTLY, BUT CLOSE]

HELL'S PR: FRIGHTENING!!!

A WEBSITE I LOVE: DRAWER GEEKS!

Some of the best cartoon artists in the business choose a theme and then have some fun being creative! Check out Drawer Geeks!

THE ARTIST CURRENTLY KNOWN AS PRINCE SAYS, "I'M GONNA STUDY THE BIBLE!"

The rock, pop, and R&B singer wants to take some time off and study scripture, which one 65-year-old mother says, "It's about time! He's the main reason my Jimmy ended up getting his girlfriend Tamra pregnate! Damn that song, 'Kiss'!"

She also said that she hopes he will begin his study in I and II Samuel in hopes that he will learn "how God dealt with King David's sexual addiction!"

But she adds: "I did really like 'When Doves Cry'!"

Read the story here.

ROMNEY WON'T HAVE TWO OR THREE FIRST LADIES!

This just in from the Drudge Report!


In what may be his strongest public statements against the Bush administration, presidential candidate Mitt Romney says his fellow Republicans in the Bush White House made mistakes in Iraq that the country is still paying for. Romney also deplores the polygamy his ancestors practiced in the 19th Century in a 60 MINUTES interview with Mike Wallace to be broadcast Sunday, May 13 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

"I think the administration made a number of errors," he tells Wallace. "I don't think we were adequately prepared for what occurred. I don't think we did enough planning. I don't think we considered the various downsides and risks," says Romney.

He says President Bush isn't the only one to blame. "He's the person where the buck stops, but it goes through the secretary of defense and the planning agencies, the Department of State -- it's the whole administration," Romney says. "They made mistakes... and we're paying for those mistakes."

The president's "surge" policy of putting additional troops into Iraq may never work, says Romney, but it deserves a chance. "We're going to know in a matter of months if it's working or not working."

Romney acknowledges that voters may have a problem with his religion's history of polygamy. "That's part of the history of the church's past that I understand is troubling to people," he says. The practice, outlawed before 1900, is equally troubling to him. "I have a great-great grandfather. They were trying to build a generation out there in the desert and so he took additional wives as he was told to do. And I must admit, I can't image anything more awful than polygamy," he tells Wallace.

Romney's wife, Ann, who converted to the Mormon Church before they were married, is also interviewed. When asked whether they broke the strict church rule against premarital sex, Romney says, "No, I'm sorry, we do not get into those things," but still managed to blurt out "The answer is no," before ending that line of questioning.

THE GOD DEBATE

If you're interested, go to ABCNews.com, the debate between Kirk Cameron and crew vs. the atheists has been posted. It wasn't pretty for the Christians, as they attempted to prove that God existed scientifically without ANY scientific evidence. And furthermore, Ray Comfort used most of his allotted time to offer everyone listening the plan of salvation. Again, not science.

Wow. It was rough.

Faith isn't meant to be proven with science. If this were true; why would we need faith?

The ENTIRE segment will be aired tonight on Nightline.

Here's a snippet from the atheists' point of view: [There's a couple f-bombs dropped at the beginning of this.] But you'll at least get a feel for what went down:

AMY GRANT PENS A BOOK

It's called "Mosaic: Pieces Of My Life So Far." About two or three years ago, Amy and I met a couple times about me possibly helping her pen this book. I felt in over my head, for sure. Some of the stories Amy has experienced are unreal, but when it came to writing those stories down on paper; she felt as though she would be betraying them if she let anyone else, other than her, do it.

She's a true artist.

BILLBOARD CAUSES UPROAR IN CHI-TOWN!

The law firm whose slogan is "Life is Short. Get a divorce" is causing a huge stir in the Windy City! The owner of the billboard says that she is not slamming marriage, just promoting happy ones...

What do you think?

"JESUS NEEDS NEW PR" IS FINISHED

It's done!

Finally.

I got the thumbs-up from my editor yesterday!

FLASHBACK: KIRK AND RAY'S BANANA THEORY!

Tonight at 11:30 pm ABC’s Nightline will air the debate between Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort (representing theism) and members of the Rational Response Squad (representing atheism).

The video of the debate will be available online at ABC’s website after 1:00 pm today.

OF ALL THE CHRISTIANS TO DEBATE ATHEISTS...

...the best we could is Kirk Cameron and his pal Ray Comfort. YeeHaw!

PURPOSE DRIVEN ANGELINA?

According to Roger Friedman's column at Foxnews.com, Angelina Jolie has hooked up with Rick and Kay Warren to help children around the world! I think this is great! I met Rick Warren a week or so ago, and I must say, he's a very gentle soul. I'm inclined to think he might be the most unassuming famous person I have ever met.

And not to mention, he's dedicated to helping bring hope to people living with AIDS, poverty, and the like.

And um, on a more shallow note but related to some degree: Have you heard that Rebecca St. James is dating Angelina's brother James Haven Voight? It was a rumor on the Hollywood gossip blogs last week; but my source here in Nashville says it's been true for about a month. Very interesting indeed. I wish the happy couple well.

In fact, come to think of it, the same day I met Rick Warren in Atlanta, I also saw Rebecca walking around the venue with a guy I didn't recognize--maybe that was him.

Dang! Should have snapped a picture.

Oh well. This post is getting far too gossipy.

:)

MY CUTE NIECES: LITTLE ANGELS

A TRUE PRAISE DANCER?

This video was sent to me by my friend Mike Morrell; he runs the site ZoeCarnate.com, which is filled with valuable information about Jesus, Christianity, and the combo of Jesus and Christianity. The guy in the video is Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report on Comedy Central.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: PRAISE DANCERS?

Okay, so right in the middle of my church singing "Beautiful One"--a worship song written by Tim Hughes--a male doing a mixture of ballet and jazz steps pranced out onto the church stage. He began leaping and kicking and prancing and bending and leaping some more to the beat of the music. Then, he was joined by a female prancer. They jumped, pranced and kicked together. And then she did a solo.

What are your thoughts about praise dancing on church stages?

I actually walked out of the service and came back later on.

GORE SAYS 'GLOBAL WARMING' IS A SPIRITUAL ISSUE

Yeah, so, Al Gore must believe he's the first one to come up with this concept! Gosh, he's the first to think of everything, huh?

In other news, Sheryl Crow believes the snot rag, armpit deodorant, and all of Alabama are over-rated! She thinks all three of these items should be destroyed to help the environment.

Later.