The Plight of the Rhino

Unbound: On the Horns of a Dilemma in South Africa -- National Geographic Traveler

A fine piece of writing with a dramatic proposal - shoot-to-kill, not the rhino, but the poacher.

Driven by Asian prosperity and folk-medicine claim's for the healing and and sexual-stimulant power of ground rhino horn (you might as well eat fingernails or hair, because that's what the horns are made of), on the street, it's worth more than gold and heroine.

This National Geographic writer is clear, and so am I - if we want to preserve the rhino who has no defense against poachers with high-powered machine guns and rifles, only drastic measures will do it.

A shoot-to-kill policy, high fines and prison terms.

Yet, this will only deal with the poachers, not the demand.

If anything, it'll only drive up demand.

Most needed: the UN and other organizations need to step up to the plate and challenge Asian governments to counter folk-medicine silliness (not all folk medicine is silly, I know that, but this is) and impose serious penalties on anyone dealing in rhino horn. Not only must measures be taken at the site where the rhino lives, but at the point of demand.

It's high time for China and other Asian countries, dripping with cash, to confront this tragedy.

Abortion as "Child Abuse"?

From my good FB friend Craig Hexham:

He writes:

Driving home from work today, came across a billboard paid for by Michigan "Right to Life" [sic]. It stated, "Abortion: the ultimate child abuse." 


Struck me as odd. How about the two year old who experiences weeks and months of abuse--burns, hits, pinches, and neglect, before finally being dashed to death against the living room wall? 


How about the four year old who, in imitation of his policeman father, gets the gun while dad's not looking and kills himself? 


How about the six year old who's repeatedly sexually molested by her grandfather? 


How about the ten year old with medical problems who is stuffed upside down in a trash can at school by his peers because he is small and wears leg braces? 


How about the fifteen year old who is wanted by neither parent when they divorce? 


How about the seventeen year old with skittles and iced tea who is terrorized by a maniac with a firearm? 


How about the eighteen year old who's told he's a man when he's killed his first "enemy combatant? 

...and these are just the ones from the last few days news. I haven't gotten started about the kids in other countries who aren't as "lucky" as the ones I've already mentioned.

Forgiveness

Jesus then reminds the disciples of what is prayed in the LORD’S Prayer ever day, all around the world: If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you don't forgive them, they aren't forgiven.

We cannot mistake the words of Jesus as if he were saying “forgiveness is an option.”

“Will I forgive, or will I not?” - forgiveness is never an option in the Kingdom of God. To forgive is divine; to fail to forgive is death.

Forgiveness IS the story.

Forgiveness IS the life and work of Jesus.

Forgiveness IS the heart and soul of the gospel.

Forgiveness IS the power of peace.

Peace with God.

Peace with one another.

Peace among the nations.

God did not fail in the work of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not an option for God.

As if God ponders the question:

Shall I forgive them or not?

Shall I release them from their sin, or shall I hold them accountable?

Shall I forget what they’ve done, so that we can all move on from here … or shall I wallow in my hurt and my pain, and constantly throw it in their face?

God doesn’t play games with forgiveness.

And neither must we.

But forgiveness always comes through the cross.

The New Testament is full of the language of the cross … our cross, our crucifixion, our death with Christ.

With Christ, our old instincts of violence and war are crucified, dead and buried.

The spirit of vengeance and grudge-holding that lurks in our heart …

Bitter memories that take up endless time and dominate our emotions … 

We die with Christ on the cross.

So that the old can pass away, and we’re raised up with Christ, with something new at the center of our life, something new to give away, a better way to live and a better way to love.

It's a Small, Small, World

This past Sunday, I asked our Confirmands, “Do any of you have Muslim friends?” They all raised their hands, and the father of one of our confirmands is a Muslim.

I thought to myself: “This isn’t my Gramma’s world!”

And it certainly isn’t the world into which I was born.

In the span of my 67 years, the world has changed dramatically, and I can only say, “Thank God!”

Because the world has gotten a lot smaller for all of us - as Walt Disney puts it.

it's a world of laughter, a world or tears

its a world of hopes, its a world of fear

theres so much that we share

that its time we're aware

its a small world after all

CHORUS:

its a small world after all

its a small world after all

its a small world after all

its a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun 

And a smile means friendship to everyone. 

Though the mountains divide 

And the oceans are wide 

It's a small small world

We have Muslim neighbors, Buddhist and Hindu and Jewish and Atheist neighbors, co-workers, and who knows what else. Our children and grandchildren go to schools that are a virtual United Nations, even as is Calvary Presbyterian Church.

In many parts of the world, Christians have long lived with folks of other religions, and may have even been in the minority. Here in the States, Christians tended to know only Christians and have always been the majority. While Christianity remains the dominant religion of the United States, Christians are having to adjust to a very different world. While there was a time when it was easy for Christians to assume a sort of superior attitude, it’s a whole lot harder to do that.

Humility is a virtue, no doubt, and for Christians these days, we can all remember and celebrate that no one else has to be wrong in order for any of us to be right. There is a wideness in God’s mercy, and it’s good to remember that when the world is so small.

Walking a Labyrinth

From a dear friend and a very good writer, Dawn:

It was an interesting journey with lots of insight into how God leads us on the journey of life.  At first I was thinking of the path to the center as a journey toward God, but then at the center I realized that the red bricks beneath my feet there were the same as the red bricks under my feet all along the path and I thought about Christ's promise that he will never leave us or forsake us.

As I walked long sections in one direction I was grateful for the times in life when things go smooth and life is easy and joyful.  In the sharp turns I was reminded of our need to repent and thankful for the opportunity that God gives us to do so.

As I pondered the difference between walking by faith and walking by sight, I realized that I could still look about and see other choices and options with my eyes (sight) while I chose to walk by faith on the path representing God's good plan for my life.  Therefore, just because we follow God's plan doesn't mean that we won't have choices or temptations.  It is when we follow those other choices that we may wind up repeating or skipping parts of the path or if we stray far enough we may end up in the mud, brush, and briers.

The problem with walking by sight is that we tend to look straight ahead of where our feet are pointing.  If you stand on a curved section of the path, especially evident near a hairpin turn, you will notice that your sight is not looking in the direction that the faith path under your feet is taking you.  We walk by faith and not by sight.

Finally, from all places on the path the cross is always visible if we look up, which reminds me of Hebrews 12  - And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

The Labyrinth is at Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church, Livonia, MI. Click HERE to see some pictures.

Pasture Valley Children's Home - Swaziland

PASTURE VALLEY WEBSITE www.pasturevalley.com

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” Luke 14:13-14

I am so excited about what God is doing! It has been a really busy time with the children going back to school, getting the new children into schools and getting school clothes and textbooks for all the children. But God has been good in helping the children in finding schools.   

Today we visited Magubeleni Primary school which is about an hour’s drive from us in the Shiselweni region to bring some clothes, school uniforms and food to a boy who needed support. While at the school, the Head Teacher brought 2 other children in need from poor families to our attention. One child did not have any caretaker as his parents had abandoned him and he had no food to eat daily except what he gets from handouts from the teachers. The other little girl is an albino child and in need of eye glasses as she is struggling to read, but her family are too poor to afford this for her. I told her that she need not be ashamed because Jesus loves her and I too was helped by a lady who bought clothes for me when I could not afford it when I was schooling (a kindness I will never forget). I was really excited to see God at work in showing us which children are in desperate need. We have such a desire to be able to help, yet on the way home I was wondering if we were going to cope with assisting the many children that now needed help. When I got home, I opened a mail entitled: Good News. A donation had been made that would help each one of those children I was worried about!  Through the funds provided by so many, Pasture Valley is able to now support 22 other children with school clothes, school fees, stationary and food. Through some funding provided by folks in Texas we were able to meet with 13 children in need living in the Hlatikulu/Kubuta region. Upon interviewing each child, I was touched by the aspirations each one of the children had. One girl said she was hoping to be a pilot!  We have sent some clothes to the albino child and when her mother received it I was told that she broke down and cried. She was overwhelmed. God truly provides and we know that we need just carry on trying to help where we can. 

We are hoping to assist this school (Magubeleni) with a fruit tree orchard and have discussed this option with their agriculture teacher for the future. Peter is very excited about this area that is so rural and feels that we need to try and support it with either a feeding point for children or find a caregiver that we can support to care for those children in need in the area or to plant a church there that can oversee the needs of the area. Please pray that God leads us in the right direction. We need to call more people to His banquet and bring in more people to know Jesus. 

CHRISTMAS OUTREACH  

Christmas is a time for sharing and joy. At Pasture Valley, we collected some clothes, bought some food and went out to several homesteads in need about 15 km away from us. The people were overjoyed by our visit and we prayed with each of them. Some were old, some recovering from an illness and one lady was pregnant and in need. Some of our children accompanied us on this visit and my heart was glad to see them praying confidently and taking out supplies to them.   

FOUR MORE CHILDREN JOIN THE PASTURE VALLEY FAMILY!!

Social welfare phoned us in December to ask if we had any more space to take in more children. We told them we had space enough for 2 children. They informed us that they needed to desperately find a home for a family of 4 children. A few days later they called to ask if we could collect the 2 children and that that they would try to find a place for the remaining siblings nearby. Somehow, we just did not feel it was right to split up a family and after prayer went to collect all 4 of the children. The four girls had gone through a lot of trauma and two of the girls will need medical assessment and educational support in the future. As they shared what had happened to them, I told them that Jesus loves them and that we hoped to provide a safe place for them at Pasture Valley where they would not need to worry anymore. We cried together for a long time. Please pray for healing for these beautiful girls. 

BIBLE STUDIES

Peter has started a bible study with the older boys every Monday evening. The boys are encouraged to do homework and have been taught how to have quiet time with God. I have recently started one with the girls and it is a special time right on the floor in the laboratory office. The teachings are generally what we are led to discuss and teach on the day and we are looking for bible study materials relating to teenager topics.  

CHRISTMAS AT PASTURE VALLEY

As is true to our tradition, Pasture Valley put on a Christmas play again this year. The play was focussed on the role of the humble shepherds and how they were chosen to receive the good news of Christ's birth. The children enjoyed having their respective roles and did so well. Gail made beautiful costumes for the sheep and it was wonderful to see so many of the children have the confidence to sing and speak in public. 

We had a wonderful Christmas eve lunch and handed out Christmas gifts on the day. The children were all given school bags filled with pencil boxes and stationary. On Christmas day, the children all received their own personal box filled with a facecloth, soap, toothbrush, deodorant, a packet of noodles, chips and hand cream. The boxes were intended for them to keep any personal item they wanted to store in it and it could be kept safe in the education centre for them. This gives them the opportunity of having a little personal space and storing of things that are precious to them. 

We took all the children on an outing to the Nhlangano Sun where the children had great fun swimming in the pool and playing on the swings and jungle gym. They were all treated to lunch and then taken to KFC for ice-creams afterwards. The KFC staff could not believe their eyes when they saw so many children walking in! 

Thank you to all of you for all your kind gifts. The children received delicious vegetables, meat, presents and even some Christmas stockings filled with lots of goodies which were much enjoyed!

UNEXPECTED SUCCESSFUL FARMERS DAY AT HLUTI

Last week we loaded up several fruit trees (mango's, avocado, papaya, bananas, pomagranate, citrus, etc) and headed for Hluti (a town in Shiselweni that is very dry and with little development). We had co-ordinated with Chief Bhejisa to visit a school and some members of the community so that an orchard could be developed for those in need and to be a tool for education. When we arrived the chief was nowhere to be found and the school was not aware of our visit and our spirits dropped. The chief arrived and we realized that we had been at the wrong location because he took us to his “meeting place kraal” where about 30 farmers, government officials, supervisors and teachers were patiently waiting. We were asked to give some training on how to plant the trees. The radio called to say that they would be broadcasting the event. So, right there under a big Jacaranda tree, we did the best we could in training and showing farmers the importance of planting fruit trees and giving God the glory for His provision. We laughed and chatted and enjoyed the day with the farmers. The chief asked if Peter could possibly repeat this day with some training in dairy management for the farmers in the future. It was an unexpected successful day! 

BICYCLE RACE

Luke and Siyabonga took part in their first bicycle race of 10 and 15 km respectively. It was good experience for the boys and much enjoyed by the spectators. 

REACHING OUT TO CHILDREN IN NEED ACROSS OUR REGION

Various organizations have come to our doors to ask for assistance with children in need over the last few weeks. Children who have been abused, some  have had their parents abandon them, some have no parents, others were too poor to afford schooling and had to look after their family's cattle last year. I look into each child's face and see the hurt and the rejection. We help to provide for some basic needs, but I  pray that they will each find God's love. It is a burden I have and ask that you will pray with me for these children. 

LANDSCAPING AND TRAINING

With the rains having come in February, more fruit trees have been planted at Pasture Valley around the homes. We were proud to be able to harvest a good crop of pears and passion fruit this month from the farm. Each housemother has taken some flowers and hedge plants from the nursery to make their gardens look beautiful. A washing line was put up for each house thanks to Willie and with weekly inspections on the houses now introduced, the houses are looking very tidy and neat. Lizel has started with a monthly training schedule to assist the children and housemothers on various hygiene and safety issues such as first aid, personal hygiene and kitchen and bathroom cleanliness. Each housemother was given a training file and notes.  

VOLUNTEERS

Kees and Greet van Someren from Holland have recently visited us to help with the children's preschool and tutoring and have assisted in building the outdoor cooking area kitchen for the children's home. We will show you photos of the completed cooking area in our next newsletter! We have been blessed by their visit.

Greet has shown the Bambanani group how to crochet using plastic bags. We hope to show them how to make hats and bags from recycled plastic using this technique. 

BAMBANANI WOMEN (and MEN’S) SUPPORT GROUP

The products (necklaces, earrings and bracelets) made by the caregivers in Dwaleni can now be viewed online from our website www.pasturevalley.com.  Two groups received a production bonus at the end of the year based on the amount of produce made. The groups also chose to purchase something that will help them in the long term, so we bought them a brand new sewing machine! Gail arranged for a gentleman to repair and do some maintenance and training on the old sewing machines and we have contacted a lady (Sibongile) who will be doing some sewing lessons for the groups over the next 2 months. The ladies are so keen to learn any craft or skill and it is wonderful to see their commitment to attending the training sessions each month. 

BACK TO SCHOOL

It was a busy time trying to get 31 children to various schools this year. We have various children at 3 separate High schools and 2 Primary schools. Each school has a seperate set of rules, different uniforms and different text book requirements. Interestingly enough, each of the 5 schools have blue uniforms! In the end all went well and places were found for all the children. Taiwan has been chosen as a school monitor for her class which comes with certain responsibilities.   We are proud of her and all the children.  

Sandile passed his final Primary school exams with MERIT. He was one of 5 in the school grade of over 100 students to do so! His head teacher was really proud of him and praised him for this achievement. Sibusiso and Sphe also got first positions in their classes.  

PRAYER NEEDED

That God will continue to protect and keep our 36 children and all the staff and volunteers at Pasture Valley safe and healthy. 

Give thanks for the improvement of Constance's health and for the recovery of Michael's broken arm. 

The mission house building to continue and progress well. The house already has a roof on and all the plastering work has been done.

 For guidance and wisdom in running the children's homes daily needs. 

For the way forward regarding the Gege area project for children and community needs in that area. 

Thanks for God's provision over the Christmas and school period and for all those that so kindly gave gifts and donations during this time.

For schools and education in Swaziland and for those in authority.

For the futures of each child- that they will walk in the path God chose for them

Thank you once again to all of you who so kindly sent food, gifts and donations to the children. May God bless you. 

With love,

Peter, Michelle and all the children at Pasture Valley Children’s home

My dear friend of a couple of thousand years wrote this recently for Perspectives (see end of the blog entry). I knew his first wife, and I know his present wife. In a very limited way, I've shared some of his journey. He writes of it with great clarity and passion. With much admiration for him, I share this piece, and I give thanks to Perspectives for their permission to reprint.

FEBRUARY 2012: AS WE SEE IT

Death of the One

by Robert Dahl

I am filled with disgust and emptiness over the rhythm of everyday life that goes relentlessly on—as though nothing had changed, as though I had not lost my precious beloved!
—Dietrich von Hildebrand

On the flight home from Naples, Florida, there was a stop in Pittsburgh. I sat in the airport watching all the couples and families on their way to or from a vacation. It was August. To me, they seemed so unbelievably happy. No matter how innocent I knew those travelers to be, I felt disgust that the "rhythm of everyday life" went on for them while I sat alone, the coffin of my precious beloved in the storage area of the plane.

One short week earlier I had been one of those people f lying from Michigan to Florida. But now, somehow, no matter how much I wanted to get back to that place, I knew I would never again be one of them because I would never again be the same.

To experience the joy and comfort of being graced with the love of another? Yes, thank God, and with a beloved who knows, who has been there. My soul mate. Thank God.

On a Sunday last July, I watched 42-year-old Darren Clarke win the British Open golf tournament. When I learned that Clarke's wife had died five years earlier of breast cancer, I started rooting for Clarke even over my favorite golfer Phil Mickelson. The next day, I read these reports in the sports pages of the Washington Post:

Darren Clarke is a man who has endured genuine personal tragedy. . . . There is nothing that can happen to bring back Clarke's wife Heather, who died from breast cancer five years ago, leaving him to raise their two sons who were 7 and 5 at the time. . . . Clarke's victory in the British Open, 10 years after he last seriously contended in a major championship, was uplifting not only to him and his family and Northern Ireland, but to everyone in the game of golf. . . . How Clarke held his emotions together making that last walk up the 18th fairway is anybody's guess. Chances are good that once he had a quiet moment to himself, he shed a few tears thinking about Heather. "I'm sure if she were here," he said, "she'd be telling me, 'I told you so.'"

I have an idea what has made the difference in Darren Clarke's game after a dry spell of ten years: the television announcers said that he is now engaged to be married. After the final putt, he got a huge hug from his caddie and congratulations from the others on the green. He gave a quick hug to his parents and then continued to rush toward someone else in the crowd—his fiancée. They kissed and then kissed again. They embraced for what seemed like forever. I looked over at my wife Chris and choked back a tear.

Grateful? Eternally.

Darren will never forget Heather. He will always love her. But, by the grace of God, he now loves again.

For Darren Clarke and all those others who have suffered the tragic death of a loved one, life is lived always with a certain wariness, always with a little bit of "emptiness"—never again with innocent presumption. "Oh, I'm sure she'll live to be a hundred just like her grandmother." She didn't get to half of that—forty-nine and down in a day. She was the lamb whose brain was flooded with blood.

And that disgust spoken of by von Hildebrand? On occasion, unexpectedly, it still rears its head. And once again I feel cheated. And then again I ache for my children, cheated of their mother's presence. And then it subsides. Reminders still after eighteen years that I will never be the same again.

Twenty-five thousand dead in the wake of a tsunami. I see it on TV. I read it in the paper. In physical distance and emotion, I am half a world away. Twenty-five thousand down in a day, each one "the one" to someone, but the numbers overwhelm. Stalin said, "One death is a tragedy. One million is a statistic."

"You do not understand that it is better to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed," uttered Caiaphas. Did Caiaphas concur with Stalin's truism? How could he know that that one death would be the tragedy that would reverberate throughout the heavens? The next day, life went on in Jerusalem—that one death seemingly over and done. But that one death would represent all the "one" tragic deaths. That one death would reverberate in all those who know the loss of a loved one. It didn't take the deaths of hundreds or thousands or millions. All it took was the death of one. All it took was the death of the One.

In the solitary cross we are confronted with all the injustice, all that is wrong with life. In the cross we are comforted that God knows, feels, experiences our disgust and emptiness. If a nation had died, we wouldn't understand. Emotionally, we would be half a world away and the deaths would be statistics. But one died, the Beloved. And we know what it is to lose our beloved.

And in response, God grants us the life of the Beloved. It is God's triumph over death and in that triumph "I" is transformed into "we." And for now, before we can see clearly, before we know as we are known, before we stand face to face, we affirm the presence of the Beloved, while we experience still the disgust and emptiness that give rise to doubt— ironically, the very doubt that drives us back to the embrace of the Beloved.

We live at the intersection of the Realm of God and a place just east of Eden. And so we echo St. Peter, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life." Come, Lord Jesus.

Robert Dahl is a minister in the United Church of Christ who resides in Holland, Michigan.

Reprinted with permission from: Perspectives: A Journal of Reformed Thought