Monthly Archives: February 2008

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Praying the Lord Prayer in 12 different languages

February 28, 2008 in Ecumenism, Faith, Poverty/Affluence, Youth Ministry, Youth participation

I am now in a meeting of an exchange programme partners in Norway.

The exchange programme is called Team Nettwork.

It is a part of NMS (The Norwegian Missionary Society) programme.

I have been here, in place called “Hald Internasjole Senter”  since last Sunday.

We are at least 12 people from 12 different countries in the world such as Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Kenya, Unganda, Cameroon, Rwanda, Madagascar, Thailand, Laos, Nepal and Norway. Morover, we are from different denominations such Lutheran, Catholics, Pentecostal.

Of course, the meeting is conducted in English.

But yesterday evening, it was so special.

We had a “Praise and Worship” night together.

The songs, sharings and so on were in English.

But to close the session, we were asked to pray the “Lord Prayer” in our each own language, national or local.

That was the precious moment for me.

I couldn’t imagine how God understands all of these languages!!!

So amazing!!! I liked it so much.

It gave me the impression that God is Allmighty!!! He can do everything!!! He can understand every language.

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join youth e-consultation for AIDS 2008

February 27, 2008 in Africa, Asia/Pacific, HIV/Aids, Latin America/Carribean, Life, UN, Youth, Youth participation

Toronto Youth Force As the first International AIDS Conference (IAC) ever held in Latin America, the XVII Mexico International AIDS Conference, “AIDS 2008″ will bring together 25,000 researchers, decision-makers, and advocates from around the world to collaborate and share in an effort to strengthen our global responses to HIV and AIDS, from August 3-8, 2008.

Young people – especially young women – are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS. Young people under 25 represent almost half of new HIV infections occurring annually. However, we are often excluded and marginalized in the global response, despite international commitments such as the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS which explicitly state young people’s right to participate.

The IAC is a crucial opportunity for youth to influence decision-makers and to scale up their involvement in international forums. Toward this end, the YouthForce has been a vital component for hundreds of youth during the 2002 IAC, the 2004 Bangkok IAC, and the 2006 Toronto IAC.

The Mexico YouthForce will be holding a 3 week long e-consultation from Monday, March 3 to Friday, March 21, to develop an advocacy message and visibility strategy for AIDS2008. Outcomes of the e-consultation will feed into visibility materials such as t-shirts, posters, stickers, and banners. Young people will be trained on how to advocate for these messages effectively through advocacy and media workshops during the Youth Pre-Conference (July 31, August 1 and 2) and during the Main Conference.

SIGN UP HERE

This EC will include opinions of young people who will and will not be at the conference. Additionally, EC participants will be asked to consult with their peers who are non-ICT connected (without access to internet) to include their opinions on what issues need to be included.

*The e-consultation has the following objectives:*

1) To brainstorm and develop action-oriented advocacy messages
2) To develop an advocacy strategy and materials based on the decided
messages

The e-consultation will be hosted by TakingItGlobal (TIG) and aims to include the voices of as many young people involved in HIV/AIDS
interventions as possible. Young people ages 15 – 30 are urged to participate. Instructions for the consultation will be posted on the TIG
site and emailed to the group. You must have regular internet access throughout the 3 weeks to contribute to the discussions.

*SIGN UP HERE: http://groups.takingitglobal.org/MYF08consult*

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Great Game. Small Mercies?

February 27, 2008 in Asia/Pacific, Church

Beijing’s gigantic new airport terminal will be open on Friday, well ahead of the Olympics games held in August. The new terminal is described as the biggest building in the world, and is even larger than all the terminals of London Heathrow Airport put together.

The Great Game is a source of great pride to the Chinese. Meanwhile, the impact of the games may also place some constraints on China’s behaviour. The argument often used as a justification to award the games to Beijing is that it may press Beijing to rein in its human rights abuses.

What I particular concern is the impact of the games on the policy regarding the mainland’s underground Christian ‘house churches’.

As reported recently by SCMP, a Hong Kong newspaper , speculation growing in Christian circles that Beijing may want to seek accomodation with the mainland’s large and rapidly growing underground ‘house church’ movement.

Almost for six decades since the China Communist Party has taken control of China, Underground Christian churches has been constantly and severely repressed by the government.

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The Younger Generation of Ecumenical Movement

February 25, 2008 in Ecumenism, Youth

Many hugs, many goodbyes. As I accompanied the last two stewards to the airport in the Sunday evening. Nearly all my friends who were with me in the three-week long World Council of Churches stewards programme have left Geneva. I begin to miss them very much.

Three of us, Roger, Rolita and I took part in the WCC stewards programme starting from 6th February. We also have friends from all around the world: Belarus, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Argentina, USA, Brazil, Switzerland, Uruguay, the Netherlands, Germany, Syria, Sweden, Lebanon, Czech Republic, South Africa, Canada, Finland, Palestine, Madagascar, Samoa. 

From East to West, from North to South. People with so different backgrounds and cultures gathering under the same roof. We learnt more about the ecumenical movement, expressed our views on world issues, shared our interesting experience and contributed our best as a steward in the WCC Central Committee.

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