This week's persecuted church: Nigeria

Suspected Islamist extremists have killed 15 Christians by slitting their throats in an attack on a village in Nigeria's volatile northeast, residents and a relief source said Sunday. The gruesome violence was the latest to be blamed on Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, though this Christmas season has been notably less bloody than in 2011, when attacks on churches and other locations left scores dead.

"From the information we gathered, the attackers broke into selected homes and slaughtered 15 people in their sleep," the relief official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Authorities had previously confirmed the predawn Friday attack in Musari, but gave few details and said only five were killed. Musari is located on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Boko Haram's base.

Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman for a military task force in the area, told AFP on Sunday that he stood by the toll of five dead, adding that some were shot and others attacked with machetes. Nigerian authorities tend to under-report death tolls however, and the relief official's information matched up with that of residents, who spoke of 15 people having their throats slit.

Thought of the Day: Winter Camp
Song of the Day: Sara Groves-Maybe There's a Loving God

It's Showtime!

"I thought I would never see Showtime again. The Clippers are Showtime! THIS is Showtime."
-Magic Johnson


Thought of the Day:  막걸리
Song of the Day:  Blur-Song 2

Is this your church?

Thanks, Sam!

Thought of the Day:  전구
Song of the Day:  The Temptations-My Girl

고백

Love this song/performance!

This week's persecuted church: Laos

As a member of the government, Boun had permission to cross in and out of Thailand to conduct business. There, in 1997, he sought out the man he had heard speaking on the radio.

The Christians there were afraid of him, and he was just as afraid they would report him to the Lao government. But the man he sought was willing to meet with him. This man took him to a private room and explained Christ to him. The soldier was baptized that night and began to share the gospel wherever he went.
The authorities warned him over and over to stop preaching. He was let go from his job. He was arrested June 8, 1999, and sentenced to 15 years in prison. On Feb. 2, 2012, he was released, two years early.

Thought of the Day:  담배가게 아가씨
Song of the Day:  담배가게 아가씨

Following the Leader

There are two things that I've always hated talking about.  Politics and the economy.  Unfortunately, these two subjects seem to get thrown at me more and more as I get older and become a bigger part of society.

Last night, I tossed and turned in my sleep after hearing about Korea electing its first female president.  I even had a dream that I was working for her red-colored administration with some of the staff at my school. Ms. Park let us off early that day and everyone was happy, including myself.

News articles say that the no. 1 issue for most voters is the economy.  That means that the candidate who offers the most financial benefits will win the election, apparently even at the cost of moral issues.  That is why a leader's character and integrity are considered secondary to their financial promises and economic plans, and corruption can easily be ignored, explained, or excused.  There is a self-serving agenda on everyone's mind.  Is it any wonder why bad leaders get elected?

Thinking and talking about the recent election in Korea, I am reminded of God's anger and displeasure with the nation of Israel throughout the book of Ezekiel.  The widows, orphans, and foreigners are neglected while the poor are abused.  Everyone is selfish and greedy.  Killing and injustice are rampant.  There is a lot of judgment ready to be poured out.

But as I think about these things, I am also reminded of the few who are faithful, living under godless leadership during the times of Daniel and Esther.  Despite the oppression and in the midst of the wailing and cries of the suffering, we have a small number that is living upright and honest lives.  They may not be able to overthrow or change the government, but they choose to live in a way that challenges it and points to the real leadership that every creature is under.

America or Korea, you may be happy or upset by the newly elected leaders that will lead for the next 4-5 years.  If you are happy, do not put your hope in the government administration that is prone to all sorts of unspeakable evils.  If you are upset, do not feel so disappointed and helpless because every country is still in the bounds of God's rule and sovereignty.  Do not worry about the daunting present or unforeseeable future that we cannot control, but live faithfully now and never lose hope for a good tomorrow that is promised to come.

Thought of the Day:  Passionate
Song of the Day:  Third Day-Your Love Oh Lord

This week's persecuted church: Iran

Thought of the Day:  Candy Canes
Song of the Day:  Sara Groves-Star of Wonder

Kill Park

You have to be in Korea to understand/enjoy this.

Thought of the Day:  피부과
Song of the Day:  The Game (feat. 50 Cent)-Hate It Or Love It

This week's persecuted church: Cuba

David became a believer when he was 15 years old. His family kicked him out of the house, and he was forced to work as a field hand to sustain himself. He didn't give up his faith though, and at 22 he became a pastor. At 57, he’s lived through the decades in which many Cuban Christians left the island and the church was whittled down to a faithful few. He also led his church during times of revival. But “if you want to pastor in Cuba, you cannot say anything against the government,” he said.

He has been interrogated more than 20 times, and humiliated, beaten and threatened. His interrogators blamed him for the growth of his church, accusing him of using “secret indoctrination methods” from the United States. For these offences, he was forced to spend six months cleaning public outhouses every day. He was also prohibited from leaving the island for more than four years. The officials in charge never told him why his exit permits were never granted. There was always an excuse: “We lost the paper work!” or “We never got your application.”

When David was finally able to obtain a telephone connection for his house, the first phone call he received was from the state security office, warning him that they knew his phone number and they knew all about him. They even described the color of the books in his office, and told him, “We can make something happen to you if we want.”

Thought of the Day:  버럭
Song of the Day:  Dumb Ways to Die

Shaqtin' A Fool

Simon, this one's for you.


Thought of the Day:  RAM
Song of the Day:  Oasis-Champagne Supernova

Dumb Ways to Die

Thought of the Day:  Chocolate Cake
Song of the Day:  The Beautiful Mistake-A Cradle in Bethlehem

Childish

Legos are the best toys in the world.  I used to be obsessed with these building blocks as a child, but I still like to stop by the toy aisle every once in a while to see some of the newest Star Wars or Technic series' models.  I secretly want to buy a lot of the overpriced Star Wars stuff, but I restrain myself because I know I would hate myself for buying something so


childish (expensive).


But I couldn't hold back from getting the best of two worlds: Legos + Transformers!  Although I wanted to buy some Decepticons that come with cool Kreons, I knew they would be way too childish (expensive).  So I settled with the smallest Optimus Prime.  I still haven't built it yet, but I get happy every time I look at the box.  Still a child.

Thought of the Day:  Sujin
Song of the Day:  Justin Bieber-Mistletoe

Mixed Feelings

Thought of the Day:  TGIT
Song of the Day:  Jars of Clay-Worlds Apart

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

On Friday afternoon, Sept. 21, a mob of several thousand radical Muslims attacked St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mardan City, Pakistan. The attackers, armed with rifles and kerosene, overwhelmed security guards and broke into the church. They destroyed Bibles and prayer books, desecrated the altar and set fire to the church building and several surrounding homes and buildings. The mob was returning from a protest against the film Innocence of Muslims, which has sparked violence in many Middle Eastern countries this month and led to the death of Christopher Stevens, U.S. Ambassador to Libya. In Pakistan, the government had declared Sept. 21 a national holiday in honor of Muhammad, and the day had been set aside for peaceful protests.

The attack on the 82-year-old church lasted for five hours. The church staff was able to flee, but those who lived on the campus lost everything. An adjoining high school, a Christian library, a computer laboratory, the bishop’s house, the bishop’s office, a pastor’s house and the school principal’s house were all burned. The mob also burned a car, three motorcycles and three bicycles. More than 2,000 Bibles, 100 New Testaments and several hundred Christian books and DVDs were destroyed. The attackers spray-painted the words “God is great,” “Oh God help us” and “Love our prophet” on the church steeple.

Thought of the Day:  Turkey!
Song of the Day:  The Beatles-Hey Jude

Jealous and Thankful

Today, my brother sent me pictures of the nasty Thanksgiving food that he was forced to eat while I got to eat awesome, healthy school food. I feel sorry for him every year.

Simon

Me

Just.
Kidding.


Today, a good buddy of mine from the states sent me a nice email:

Phil!

I am thankful for your friendship. I am also thankful for the many bottles of soju, the many dead pigs, the many Phil-osophical discussions, and the many renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody we have shared. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving/Friday, everyone!

Thought of the Day:  Uniqlo

Song of the Day:  Silent Night

This week's persecuted church: Syria

Two members of the United Bible Society were kidnapped by radicals recently in Aleppo. The kidnappers demanded a $200,000 ransom, according to a VOM contact who is close to one of the men. One of the kidnapped men was released a few days later, but the other remains with his captors. In response to the kidnapping, another Syrian partner wrote, "The pressure on Christians started, and many of the Islamic groups are working hard to oblige the Christians to leave the country." He also reported that many churches have been damaged in the fighting. "During the last year we had a number of churches destroyed," he wrote. "[That has] never happened in Syria, even during the whole last hundred years." Pray for wisdom for Syrian Christians, who must decide whether to flee or stay. Also pray for the safe and quick return of the Bible Society worker still being held for ransom.

Thought of the Day:  Schedule Change
Song of the Day:  Sara Groves-Miracles

2/3

I finished my leisure and bathroom reading this week.  I guess there's something about setting goals that really pushes us to accomplish them...fast.  I can't say that I really enjoyed the sequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula.  In fact, it was a pretty horrible book that I regret reading.  If there was ANYTHING that I got out of it though, it was one line that came towards the end of the story:  We learn from pain.

When I was in college, the only science classes that I ever took were from this one professor who had a series of courses on the brain.  I remember learning about the rare case of a young girl who was born with a brain that didn't have pain receptors.  While we think it would be wonderful to have a life without any physical pain, it actually endangered the young girl who eventually died at an early age.  Too much harm was being done to her body and she was never aware of it.  She simply was unable to "learn from pain."  It turns out that we need these unpleasant signals in order to survive in this dangerous world...especially in the world of vampires.

My bathroom reading, on the other hand, turned out to be a very good read.  I had often heard preachers praise the commentaries of N.T. Wright, but it wasn't until I first read one of his books that I actually got a glimpse of his brilliance.  I don't have the knowledge or eloquence to give an apt summary of the book or even of what I learned.  So I leave you with three memorable quotes that I took time to write down from Justification:

Quote #1:  Paul does not say, 'I am in Christ; Christ has obeyed the Torah.; therefore God regards me as though I had obeyed the Torah.' He says: 'I am in Christ; Christ had died and been raised; therefore God regards me - and I must learn to regard myself - as someone who has died to sin and been raised to newness of life.'

Quote #2:  We are not saved from the world of creation, but saved for the world of creation. Humans were made to take care of God's wonderful world, and it is not too strong to say that the reason God saves humans is not simply that he loves them for themselves but that he loves them for what they truly are - his pro-creators, his stewards, his vice-gerents over creation.

Quote #3:  When people believe the gospel of Jesus and his resurrection, and confess him as Lord, they are in fact doing what Torah wanted all along, and are therefore displaying the necessary marks of covenant renewal.

I'm finally going to start Wicked and Keller's book, The Meaning of Marriage.

Thought of the Day:  회

Song of the Day:  Kim Jong Kook-남자가 다 그렇지 뭐

This week's persecuted church: Iran

The 34-year-old pastor from Rasht, which is about 750 miles northwest of Tehran, was arrested in October 2009 after protesting a government policy that required children, including his 8- and 9-year-old sons, to study the Quran in school. He was later charged with apostasy and evangelism to Muslims. Youcef was tried on Sept. 21–22, 2010, by the First Court of the Revolutionary Tribunal and convicted of apostasy. He was sentenced to death on Nov. 13.

Authorities tried to re-convert Youcef to Islam through a variety of methods, including medication, while he was in Lakan prison. After he repeatedly refused to renounce his Christian faith, his wife was arrested, put on trial without an attorney and sentenced to life in prison. She was later released when an attorney appealed her sentence.

Although acquitted by the courts, Youcef may now face other dangers. Another pastor imprisoned on apostasy charges, Mehdi Dibaj, was abducted and murdered less than two weeks after his release in 1994. Middle East Concern reports that at least 16 other Christians remain in detention because of their activities. Some are serving prison sentences of up to six years because of their faith.

Thought of the Day:  라임
Song of the Day:  Toy-뜨거운 안녕

This week's persecuted church: Russia

Unidentified workers, backed by police and civil volunteers, tore down the Holy Trinity Pentecostal Church in east Moscow in the early morning hours of Sept. 6, then accused the pastor of holding an unapproved meeting for the worship service he led on the grounds of the destroyed church two days later. The workers came at midnight with bulldozers and diggers, looting the building of sound equipment, musical instruments, service books and Communion materials before using heavy equipment to demolish the structure. A church caretaker was taken to the police station and prevented from contacting church members for three hours.

Thought of the Day:  Pho
Song of the Day:  O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

This week's persecuted church: Tanzania

Christians in Tanzania have lost churches, homes, cars and livestock in a series of recent attacks, and some have received physical injuries. In the most recent attack, Muslims returning from worship at a mosque on Friday, Oct. 12, burned a car belonging to Bishop Muhiche of the Tanzania Assemblies of God church. After burning his car, the extremists moved on to destroy the pastor’s church.

That same day, in Ushirombo District of Shinyanga Region, Muslim extremists attacked the Reverend Victor Simbaulanga. Enraged by an open-air evangelistic meeting the pastor was leading, the attackers beat Simbaulanga so severely that he had to be hospitalized. A VOM contact is working to have the pastor transferred to a hospital in a safer area so he won’t be attacked again.

Thought of the Day:  4-0?
Song of the Day:  Psy-Gangnam Style

Prescription

I've been sick for just over three weeks now with this heinous cough that just will not go away.  But I got a nice prescription to relieve some of the pain.

Did you see Verlander go 'wow'?  Ha!

Thought of the Day:  Happy Birthday, 마.
Song of the Day:  Blur-Song 2

How about

them Giants???

We're going to the World Series, baby!!


Thought of the Day:  칼국수
Song of the Day:  OK Go-Here It Goes Again

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

On Friday afternoon, Sept. 21, a mob of several thousand radical Muslims attacked St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mardan City, Pakistan. The attackers, armed with rifles and kerosene, overwhelmed security guards and broke into the church. They destroyed Bibles and prayer books, desecrated the altar and set fire to the church building and several surrounding homes and buildings. The mob was returning from a protest against the film Innocence of Muslims.

Thought of the Day:  Zoo
Song of the Day:  Nirvana-Drain You

This week's persecuted church: Kenya

Gatei was in the room when a grenade exploded at about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 30 at St. Polycarp, of the Anglican Church of Kenya, on the Juja Road in Nairobi. The explosion killed the boy and injured eight other children. Sally’s own son had been in there, too, only three minutes before.

“The most amazing thing, though, is that, although we thought we should cancel Sunday school the next Sunday, most children insisted we should meet as usual, even though the room had not yet been repaired!”

This attack came shortly after a Somali member of Al Shabaab had been sentenced to 59 years in prison after he confessed in court to planning attacks on Parliament. At his arrest, together with a second man, the two had, according to the police, confessed to have targeted four Nairobi churches.

Case of the Mondays

I usually wake up at 6 and leave the house by 7:20.  This morning, I woke up at 7:20.

Thought of the Day:  Horses

Song of the Day:  Jaci Velasquez-Sanctuary

Sick of Being Sick

I haven't been sick in over a year, so I started getting all proud of my health streak...until the other day.  I got a bad cold and the worst neck pains I've ever had in my life.  I even lost my voice for the first time so that was interesting and annoying.  Today, one of my co-teachers sent me this message:


i'm sorry Mr. Jung... you don't have to fill out the selecting the NEXT YEAR'S  English text books..
only Koren teachers.

Seeing  your sick neck, I feel very sorry ... poor Mr. Jung  ㅜ.ㅜ
Take care of yourself...



아 참..Question!..
show the inner side...대신 show the inner self.........the same?


Along with the message, she attached a picture of this:

Cause we all know how effective pictures of koalas can be for the common cold, right?  What a funny lady.

But I am getting better!

Thought of the Day:  Seven Classes!

Song of the Day:  Honey Family-우리 같이해요

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

A 14-year-old girl with mental disabilities was arrested for defaming Islam on August 16 after she was allegedly spotted by neighbors with a plastic bag containing burned pages of the Quran.  After being held for more than three weeks, the case took an unexpected turn on Saturday when a local imam was accused by a member of his mosque of planting the burned pages in the girl's bag with the intent to drive Christians out of his Islamabad neighborhood.  However, once you have been accused of blasphemy it means the reolocation of your family even if you are acquitted by the court.

Thought of the Day:  Molinism
Song of the Day:  Sara Groves-When It Was Over

추카추가

Welcome to the club, guys.  Congratulations!

Thought of the Day:  Dracula
Song of the Day:  Keane-Everybody's Changing

9.18

I turned 6 years old in Korea this past Tuesday.  This was the first time I had forgotten about my overrated anniversary.  Does this mean something?  Some of my friends like to use words like "lifer" or "forever" whenever they talk about how long I've been here.  In the past, it used to make me sad.  But maybe now, I'm starting to embrace it.  Just maybe.

September 18th also marked my third month at my school.  I had my first observation class and got a score of 89.  I hadn't written a proper lesson plan in so long that I had forgotten to put in any explanations or directions.  After all, lesson plans are merely references and outlines for the teacher.  I totally could've gotten an A-.

Anyway, the kids are getting ready for the midterms, which means I'm getting new lessons ready for post-추석.  I had a lot of trouble thinking of a good first activity for my third year students but finally came up with a press conference.  Here's what I'm going to show to introduce the lesson:


You have no idea how much I've come to embrace powerpoints and Youtube in the past three months.  Happy Friday.

Thought of the Day:  Book Orders!
Song of the Day:  Sara Groves-First Song That I Sing

This week's persecuted church: Somalia

A Somali Islamic fundamentalist group accused Christian aid workers in Somalia of spreading Christianity in the coastal city of Merca.  The group said that if the Christianization in Somalia does not stop, the people have a right to jihad.  The vice chairman of the group said in an interview tht all Somalia Christians must be killed according to Islamic law.  He concluded his interview by saying that Somalis are 100% Muslim and they will always remain so.

Thought of the Day:  Waterguns
Song of the Day:  Jay Sean-Down

Naked Taboo

I've been playing Naked Taboo in my classes these days.  Korean teenagers never fail to surprise me:

Word:  "Bulgogi"

Taboo:  Clue given-"fire meat"
Charades:  Clue given-student points at his thick dark arm.  Team gets guesses correctly.


Word:  "Milk"

Charades:  Student acts out cow and milking the cow.


Word:  "Ballet"

Charades:  This is hilarious every time.


Word:  "Still"

Charades:  Student pretends he's going to steal a base.


Word:  "Still"

Charades:  Student does "Gangnam Style" dance.  No one gets it and in frustration he goes, "야 니네들 스타일 뭔지도 모르냐?!"


It's Friday!


Thought of the Day:  Martin!
Song of the Day:  Paul Oakenfield-Starry Eyed Surprise

Teaching Ups and Downs

My head teacher likes sending me random jokes from time to time.  Today, he sent me:

그 강아지는 숲 속으로 뛰어갔다.

The dog ran into the woods. (X)

The dog ran into the soup. (O)

Today, I kicked out one of my students for the first time for talking too much.  But when I went outside to go talk to him and bring him back in, he wasn't even in the hallway.  What an adolescent.

Thought of the Day:  Stye

Song of the Day:  Psy-강남스타일

This week's persecuted church: Uzbekistan

Eleven Protestants in Nukus were questioned at the public prosecutor's office and pressured to convert to Islam.  They were also threatened with being shot, though the city prosecutor denied this.  He also tried to have a Protestant expelled from his university medical course, but the man has resisted the pressure.  This kind of pressure is also continuing elsewhere in Uzbekistan.

This week's persecuted church: China

Peace in the Lord! On this past Sunday, we held the thirty-fifth outdoor worship service of this year. The weather remains sunny and hot. As far as we know, one sister was taken to be detained at a hotel on Friday. And on Sunday morning, at least twenty-two believers were taken away from locations near the platform for attending the outdoor service. They were then sent to three different local police stations. Thirteen believers were released by noon, and the rest of them were released one after another by 20:00pm on Sunday.

Xie Min, maltreated during her detainment last Sunday, now temporarily moved to live with another sister. However, after Xie moved in, they often got harassment. They got strange visitors, and the home phone number of the host even got posted on the webpage of a website providing housing information. We strongly protest against such harassment.

Thought of the Day:  G-Dragon
Song of the Day:  S.E.S-달리기

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

Human rights campaigners condemned the killing of Samuel Yaqoob whose burned and tortured body body was discovered on Eid, the celebration which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
His lips and nose had been sliced off, his stomach removed and there was evidence that his legs had been mutilated too.

The boy had been missing since Monday when he left his home in the town's Christian Colony to visit a local market. His relatives identified his body from a distinctive mark on his forehead.
Yaquub was reported to be an orphan but in local newspaper reports his mother Asia Bibi was quoted denying he had been accused of blasphemy. "We neither received any phone call for ransom nor were we told that Samuel had committed blasphemy," she said.

Thought of the Day:  Bread of Life
Song of the Day:  Be Still My Soul

David Armand

I'd like to have him on my Guesstures team.  Happy Friday, everyone.

Thought of the Day:  Seating Arrangements
Song of the Day:  2NE1-Hate You

A Thousand Words

One of our head teachers just sent this to me.  Isn't that awesome?

I've also been using this picture in one of my powerpoints all week, and the same teacher sent me a link showing that she happened to be a Korean-American.  What a way to represent, huh?

Thought of the Day:  Sam
Song of the Day:

Sharpener

Every morning, I pray to God asking Him to make me into a better teacher.  This morning after my first period class, the co-teacher for that class asked if she could share some of her "opinions" with me.  Basically, it was a short list of SHOULDs and SHOULDN'Ts for me to keep in mind.  Short yet painful.  She is definitely one of the most experienced and professional teachers at our school, but that also makes me uneasy every time I have to teach with her.  I feel like I'm under her observance glass as she takes copious notes on my teaching skills (or lack thereof).  But I also know that teaching with her is sharpening me into a better teacher.  I just hate how sharpening always hurts.  What a curveball answer to my prayers.

Thought of the Day:  Caller/Receiver

Song of the Day:  Moby-Porcelain

This week's persecuted church: Kenya

A church was attacked and looted on July 7 by an armed mob believed to be sympathizers of the al Qaeda-linked Somali terrorist network al-Shabab.

"At three PM, attackers armed with guns stormed the compound and immediately began pulling down one iron sheet after another and soon 60 iron sheets were gone," Pastor Joseph Lokuruku, who helplessly watched the incident from a distance.  "It was terrible sight to watch the walls of the church come down, [but] I could not shout for help because the attackers could gun me down."

Despite the recent assault on Game-Loitiki church, however, Pastor Lokuruku refuses to be intimidated by the threats and continues to gather for worship on Sunday mornings.  "We will not move away from Game-Loitiki, but will trust God for his sustenance and protection," the pastor said.  "We are leaving everything to God."

Thought of the Day:  Bagels
Song of the Day:  The Presidents of the United States of America-Peaches

This week's persecuted church: Indonesia

Protestors forced a church in Bandung, West Java, to shut down on Sunday amid claims that it was operating without a permit.

The Batak Karo Protestant Church (GBKP) has been in operation since 2007. But protestors claimed that the congregation agreed not to use the building as a house of worship in a 2011 agreement.

“On Sunday of last week, they used the building for Sunday service,” Amin Safari told Tempo.co. “That is why we sealed the building.”

The protestors also hung a banner on the church’s gate reading, “We the people of RW 06 [a neighborhood unit] hardily reject the use of this building, at Kawaluyan 10, to be used for religious activities.”

Thought of the Day:  Lazy Saturday

Trash Talk

Thought of the Day:  On the Border
Song of the Day:  Psy-강남 Style

올림픽

This year's Olympics is full of all kinds of controversies with Korea's athletes.  But the few that get past all of that mess really do stand out.  One of my favorite victories (so far) is the judo champion who bowed to his coach after winning the gold.

Isn't that beautiful?  Humility upon humility when they are both champions.

It's too bad that I can't really watch anything this year with the time difference and my new job.  Go Korea!

Thought of the Day:  Caesar Salad Dinner
Song of the Day:  Jay-Z-Empire State of Mind

This week's persecuted church: India

Village leaders will meet church advocates after Hindus opposing the construction of a church tore down the partially built structure and stopped all work at the site on Saturday.

A 20-member committee comprising 10 members each from the Christian and Hindu communities in a village in Haryana state has been formed to determine whether construction should continue. Building work had started just five days before the attack.

The head of the Hindu delegation, Hanuman Prasad Bishnoi, claimed the majority of villagers were against the church’s construction. Bishnoi also serves as the Sarpanch (head) of Patli Dabar village in the northern state’s Sirsa district.

Apart from two people who have converted to Christianity from Hinduism, none of those associated with the church are from the village, he said.

Thought of the Day:  철물점
Song of the Day:  Feeder-Feeling A Moment

This week's persecuted church: Indonesia

Government actions have made little difference, citing a “urine attack.”

That attack in May involved a Muslim mob throwing plastic bags of urine and feces at members of the Batak Christian Churches in Bekasi, Indonesia.

“The Indonesian government seems indifferent to the rise in religious intolerance. Only a few days after the urine attack, the religious affairs minister for the country, Suryadhama Ali, claimed that Indonesia was ‘the most tolerant country in a world,’” Morgan said.

Morgan said there’s no in-depth information on the level of penetration of the Indonesian government by jihadi groups, but he says the number of violent incidents is increasing.

“I can tell you that we’ve seen a rash of incidents carried out in recent months by radical groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front against Christian churches,” Morgan said.

Morgan also cites a mid-June incident.

At that time, “an Indonesian official in Aceh, the same region where a huge terror cell was busted in 2010, ordered 20 Christian churches to be torn down by the congregations themselves,” Morgan said.

“So far the Christians have mostly ignored the order as far as we can tell, but we also have a report that one of the churches in Aceh was attacked by a large angry mob during its Sunday service,” Morgan said.

Thought of the Day:  Retreat
Song of the Day:  The Game-Hate It or Love It

This week's persecuted church: Kenya

Kenyan Muslims are joining the police in protecting churches in the northeastern province where Christians have come under increased attack from suspected Somali Al Shabab Islamic militants.

Following July 1 attacks on churches in the town of Garissa -- close to the Kenyan-Somali border -- local Muslim leaders have decided to provide their own protection to the churches of their Christian neighbors. Last Sunday, July 8, local Muslim youths and their leaders patrolled with the police during church services, and no attacks were reported.

The patrols are a strong statement of rejection for the militant methods and ideology of Al Shabab, the Somali Islamist militant group that is suspected of carrying out the July 1 attacks in Garissa. By targeting Christians, militants in northern Kenya appear to be punishing Kenya for sending troops into Somalia to attack Al Shabab, and to prop up the shaky Somali government.

Thought of the Day:  Spaghetti!
Song of the Day:  Kingsmen-Louie Louie

"Paradoxes"

O Changeless God,
Under the conviction of the Spirit I learn that
the more I do, the worse I am,
the more I know, the less I know,
the more holiness I have, the more sinful I am,
the more I love, the more there is to love.
O wretched man that I am!
O Lord, I have a wild heart,
and cannot stand before thee;
I am like a bird before a man.
How little I love thy truth and ways!
I neglect prayer,
by thinking I have prayed enough and earnestly,
by knowing thou hast saved my soul.
Of all hypocrites, grant that I may not be an evangelical hypocrite,
who sins more safely because grace abounds,
who tells his lusts that Christ’s blood cleanseth them,
who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell,
for he is saved,
who loves evangelical preaching, churches,
Christians, but lives unholily.
My mind is a bucket without a bottom,
with no spiritual understanding,
no desire for the Lord’s Day,
ever learning but never reaching the truth,
always at the gospel-well but never holding water.
My conscience is without conviction or contrition,
with nothing to repent of.
My will is without power of decision or resolution.
My heart is without affection, and full of leaks.
My memory has no retention,
so I easily forget the lessons learned,
and thy truths seep away.
Give me a broken heart that yet carries home the water of grace.

Arthur Bennett, editor, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, revised edition (Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2002), pp. 128–129. 


Thanks, Sam.


Thought of the Day:  Louis C.K.
Song of the Day:  Utada Hikaru-First Love (Piano)

Finals Week

My school is going through finals this week, so I get to show movies.  For my first year students, I decided to show The Sandlot.

For my second year students, I showed Big.

I'm so glad they enjoyed both movies.  It's weird having so much freedom.  I don't have any classes for the next three days, so I'm just going to go ahead and start preparing my lessons for second semester.  That and lots of Youtube.

Thought of the Day:  홍어
Song of the Day:  The Tokens-The Lion Sleeps Tonight

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

Thousands of people dragged a Pakistani man accused of desecrating Islam's holy book from a police station in central Pakistan, beat him to death and then set his body on fire, a police official said Wednesday.
The incident highlighted the highly charged nature of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, under which anyone found guilty of insulting Islam's Prophet or the Quran can be sentenced to death.

Gujar said the victim seemed to be mentally unstable. He was arrested after residents said he threw pages of the Quran into the street. While the man was being questioned, some people started making announcements over mosque loudspeakers, urging residents to go to the police station and punish him.

Within hours, thousands gathered outside and demanded the man be handed over to them. Gujar said police tried to protect him, but the mob turned violent. They burned several police vehicles and wounded seven officers before grabbing the man and dragging him into the street, where he was beaten to death and his body set on fire. Gujar said the mob also attacked the house of an area police chief and burned his furniture and possessions.


Thought of the Day:  Craigslist
Song of the Day:  Great is Thy Faithfulness

This week's persecuted church: India

The attack on three men on June 9th, were in response to an open air Gospel meeting where a pastor was brought in to preach the message.  It seems that the 40 Hindu extremists attacked the believers in hopes of stopping these types of meetings from continuing.  While the believers were beaten, "rioters started breaking into the houses of Christians, includring these three.  The houses were looted, cattle were robbed and household things were stolen."  The men were brought to a hospital, seriously wounded, while other Christians fled to various villages, some even hiding in the jungle.

Thought of the Day:  Spiderman
Song of the Day:  Fun-We Are Young

Whimoon Middle School

The first day was absolutely draining and overwhelming, but I have finished my third day today and feel like I'm adjusting well. I love how some of the kids have to clean around the teachers' desks as punishment. I love how my kids clean my classroom. I love how there are a million of them and they all know who I am and say hi to me when I pass by them. Having a wireless microphone and touchscreen board is awesome! It's wonderful having co-teachers who are super supportive and patient with me. It's so great having breaks in between classes and being free to do anything I want during those breaks. School food is good food. I'm finally a real middle school teacher!

Thought of the Day: Bank
Song of the Day: The White Stripes-Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix)

This week's persecuted church: North Korea

A former female prisoner in one such facility, Camp 18, recalled coming upon a fellow prisoner who, apparently crazed from hunger, had beaten her daughter to death and was cooking the body in a pot.

A woman who served time in the Jeungsan Re-education Facility, a smaller prison near the capital of Pyongyang, told the South Korean commission that thousands of prisoners are buried in a mountainside cemetery. The woman said she served on burial detail several times and that, because graves are so shallow, the ground "feels squishy when taking a step."

Thought of the Day:  Earmuffs
Song of the Day:  Biggie-Hypnotize

This week's persecuted church: Uzbekistan

Secret police officers and other officials raided the Sunday worship service of an unregistered ethnic Korean Baptist Church in the town of Chirchik in Tashkent Region on Feb. 5.

Police Inspector Otabek Alimov, Urtachirchik District and Nurmina Askarova, Chair of the local Mahalla Committee, were among the 10 officials who raided the 9 a.m. worship service; they confiscated a sound amplifier, microphone, keyboard, projector, hymnals, audio cassettes and DVDs.

The officials said that the confiscated items would be sent to the state Religious Affairs Committee for "expert analysis"; they then charged Pastor Vyacheslav Kim under Administrative Code Article 184-2: Illegal production, storage, or import into Uzbekistan with a purpose to distribute religious materials.

Thought of the Day:  Dream
Song of the Day:  Martin Solveig & Dragonette-Hello

Catching Z's

"Yes, sir, that is true, and I am grateful for all favors, I am sure, and anything that I could do to oblige you, or the lady, I should be proud and happy to do; but I can't give up my Sundays, sir, indeed I can't.  I read that God made man, and He made horses and all the other beasts, and as soon as He had made them, He made a day of rest, and bade that they all should rest one day in seven; and I think, and I am sure it is good for me; I am stronger and healthier altogether, now that I have a day of rest; the horses are fresh too, and do not wear up nearly so fast  The six-day drivers all tell me the same, and I have laid by more money in the Savings Bank than I ever did before; and as for the wife and children, sir-why, heart alive! they would not go back to the seven days for all they could see."
-Jerry Barker from Black Beauty


As I'm getting older, I'm realizing just how valuable and necessary sleep is for the mind, body, and soul.  If you miss one good night's sleep, the rest of your week kinda snowballs into an imbalanced usage of energy and efficiency.  A lack of sleep messes with your emotions and concentration whether you're at work or home.  It screws up your appetite, metabolism, and exercise.  Routines are out of whack along with future sleep that tends to spiral down into ugly cycles.  I'm a pretty big fan of food, but I'm beginning to see a growing value in sleep these days.

I can easily see how good rest for the body and mind often brings good rest for the soul as well.  I always try to "start my Sabbath" on Saturday night instead of waking up really tired on a Sunday morning.  More often than not, these "early Sabbaths" help me to have a much more enjoyable day of rest that God has given to His people.  And when His people rest on His day, I believe we can be stronger, healthier, and happier people during the week.  So get yo rest!

Thought of the Day:  HIV and TPBE Tests
Song of the Day:  TaeTiSeo-Twinkle

코리아

I watched "Korea" with Michael yesterday since they're taking it out of theaters this week.  With Michael's love for ping pong and North Korea, we knew we had to watch it when we found a theater with English subtitles.  But more than the ping pong, the heart of the movie was about a unified Korea.  I never knew it was based on true events.

Although 하지원 was the main actress of the movie, I personally liked 배두나's acting more.

My student calls her the Frog-eyed Girl.  Haha.

I'm sure you can guess which event I'm anticipating the most for this year's Olympics.  I love the Olympics in Korea!

Thought of the Day:  Cover Letter
Song of the Day:  DJ Babyboi-April Tears [Piano Solo for DJ HHH]

Uncle Drew

Thought of the Day:  코리아
Song of the Day:  Juniel-바보

This week's persecuted church: Myanmar

Fighting between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Kachin state has forced dozens of civilians to take shelter at a Baptist church in Sumprabum, located about 80 miles north of Myitkyina.

At least 40 people from Mai Htawng village arrived at the church yesterday and it is expected that more will come over the next few days, according to church volunteers. Church officials also say they cannot continue to support the displaced people unless they get more aid.

More fighting is also said to be taking place in two other nearby villages, Hka Garan Yang and Sumpyi Yang.

Thought of the Day:  Wedding Dress
Song of the Day:  IU-너랑 나

This week's persecuted church: Egypt

"The television and film are also inundated with Islamic propaganda. In the schools, the boys and girls start their day with Islamic teaching. It starts when the students are outside they are again inundated by Islamic propaganda; it is called Khutbah. When there is a transition from one teacher to the next the same ritual is again repeated.

In terms of employment when one is looking for work particularly in the public sector, you are asked for your name, which is normal, but in Egypt, you are asked your name; this is the system, and through your name particularly in Egypt your name, your father’s name and your grandfather’s name and if there is no mention of Mohammed in your series of names then you are known to be a Christian .. You will know that you have been classified and it could be a reason for a refusal of a job and things like that.

You also find discrimination in the university. A Christian cannot be a gynecologist, or teach Arabic, because their reasoning is that being Christian, how can one teach Arabic when it is based on the Koran and how can you teach the Koran if one is not a Muslim.”
-Father Samir

Thought of the Day:  Evites
Song of the Day:  Humming Urban Stereo-Hawaiian Couple

Bibliomaniac

I got The Lost Hero during the winter and finished the 550+ pages to give to my student for Children's Day and also to use it for our next reading material.  I figured the book was long enough for him to read for a while so that I would have about two weeks off of preparing new reading material.

He finished it in three days.  He liked it so much that he asked his mom to buy the next book too, which is 500+ pages.  He finished that one in two days.

I'm not even proud of my student.

I'm behind in my reading.  =(


I hope I can get this public school job.

Thought of the Day:  Interview
Song of the Day:  Yozoh-My Name Is Yozoh