Hey I just wanted to give a plug for my ex-floor-mate's website www.chennergy.com . Dan is living and working in chicago and has a passion for working with the homeless. He does photography to "pay the bills", but his talent is crazy. Even his wedding photos are pieces of art. You should definitely check out his portfolio online.....quality stuff. It's guys like Dan and Banksy (who i mentioned in a previous post) who are restoring a respect and passion for art in my life.
-for a personal update-
I had my last day of classes yesterday, and now it's a study week before our first two exams, then another week off and then our clinical exam. One cool thing coming up in the next week though, is that Stina Kielsmeier a friend from Wheaton, who's been studying for a year in Cairo, doing a masters in refugee studies (or migration..?) is flying through London and has a killer 16 hour layover, and so hopefully, flights and everything going to plan, I'm going to meet up with her next friday and hang out in london till her next flight. It'll be cool to hear all about her experiences, and to get a break from studying. I still can't believe this will only be my 2nd trip to london since moving here....not cool, but with 30 pound return tickets for only an hour train journey....i can't go up there every weekend like I had imagined i would....ah well, I should enjoy the chances I do get though.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Day of Fasting for Darfur
A friend of mine, Devin Goulding, has organised today as a day of fasting and prayer for the people targeted in the genocide of hundreds of thousands in Darfur, Sudan. I'm sorry I'm posting this late, but please take a minute to pray for the people of Darfur. And take a second to look at one of the websites below on how to get more involved in trying to seek an end to this.
Below is an email that devin sent out last night:
To read more about Sudan and the genocide in Darfur go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/africa/2004/sudan/default.stm
Breakfast
Read: Isaiah 58
Ponder: How might I be able to make today’s fast more than just a day without food? How can I live the rest of my life as a “fast” for the poor, oppressed, and hungry of the world?
The following statement was written by a human rights activist from Darfur who is also a native of Darfur. She risked her life on several occasions to help further the work of NGOs, to attempt to seek justice for women and children victims in the conflict and to raise awareness in the international community of what is happening. While currently seeking asylum in the United States, she continues to be a voice for the suffering people of her homeland.
For more information on an organization that she is currently assisting, go to www.darfurrehab.org
Since the year of 2003, the Sudanese government and its para-miltias of Janjaweed have launched its scorch-earth policy of genocide in Darfur; brutally attacking innocent civilians and completely destroying villages and looting their properties. The massive killing has resulted in over 400,000 deaths and 2.7 million people have been displaced. Among IDPOs and refugees, 80% are women and children. An unrecorded number of women have been raped and raping continues by the Janjaweed and government forces. Gang rape and cruel acts of violence against civilians, especially women and children, happens everyday.
The UN has described this as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world ever since the beginning of the conflict. There have been many UN resolutions, but nothing has been implemented! Therefore we are urging the international community to assert pressure on the Sudanese government to accept peacekeeping forces to put an end to the suffering of our people in Darfur, as well urging the security council to issue a new resolution with Chapter 7, ensuring protection of civilians without permission of the government of Sudan.
We are also appealing to the United States government to exert pressure on Sudan and countries who opposing any tough measures against Sudan.
All the best
and God bless all
Pray:
-For God’s strength for yourself and the others fasting today
-That God would speak to you about what action he might be calling you to
-For peace in the Darfur region and protection for those that call Darfur home
-For the woman who wrote the statement and her requests
Lunch
Read: Habakkuk
Ponder: Do I cry out about injustice that I see like Habakkuk did? When I hear about Darfur and other similar situations is my response to move on with life, call out to God, change the way I live, or something else?
Pray:
-That the international community might begin to act in ways that bring justice to the region of Darfur
-For healing for all the women who have been raped, children who have witnessed it, and that it would stop
-That God would move in the hearts and minds of those in power in Sudan to change their ways
Dinner
Divest from Sudan:
http://www.sudandivestment.org/home.asp
Take the time to pull out your investment documents and enter in the stocks, mutual funds, etc. that you are investing at this website. If any of your investments are tied up in money that flows to Sudan it will let you know and you can call your investment firm and move that money to a different investment.
Pray:
-That China would use it’s political power to pressure Sudan to stop the genocide
-For peace in the region of Darfur, Chad, and Central African Republic.
-That food, water, and medical supplies would be able to get to those who need them
Two more websites for information on Darfur and what you can do about it.
http://www.darfurgenocide.org/
http://savedarfur.org/
Below is an email that devin sent out last night:
To read more about Sudan and the genocide in Darfur go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi
Breakfast
Read: Isaiah 58
Ponder: How might I be able to make today’s fast more than just a day without food? How can I live the rest of my life as a “fast” for the poor, oppressed, and hungry of the world?
The following statement was written by a human rights activist from Darfur who is also a native of Darfur. She risked her life on several occasions to help further the work of NGOs, to attempt to seek justice for women and children victims in the conflict and to raise awareness in the international community of what is happening. While currently seeking asylum in the United States, she continues to be a voice for the suffering people of her homeland.
For more information on an organization that she is currently assisting, go to www.darfurrehab.org
Since the year of 2003, the Sudanese government and its para-miltias of Janjaweed have launched its scorch-earth policy of genocide in Darfur; brutally attacking innocent civilians and completely destroying villages and looting their properties. The massive killing has resulted in over 400,000 deaths and 2.7 million people have been displaced. Among IDPOs and refugees, 80% are women and children. An unrecorded number of women have been raped and raping continues by the Janjaweed and government forces. Gang rape and cruel acts of violence against civilians, especially women and children, happens everyday.
The UN has described this as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world ever since the beginning of the conflict. There have been many UN resolutions, but nothing has been implemented! Therefore we are urging the international community to assert pressure on the Sudanese government to accept peacekeeping forces to put an end to the suffering of our people in Darfur, as well urging the security council to issue a new resolution with Chapter 7, ensuring protection of civilians without permission of the government of Sudan.
We are also appealing to the United States government to exert pressure on Sudan and countries who opposing any tough measures against Sudan.
All the best
and God bless all
Pray:
-For God’s strength for yourself and the others fasting today
-That God would speak to you about what action he might be calling you to
-For peace in the Darfur region and protection for those that call Darfur home
-For the woman who wrote the statement and her requests
Lunch
Read: Habakkuk
Ponder: Do I cry out about injustice that I see like Habakkuk did? When I hear about Darfur and other similar situations is my response to move on with life, call out to God, change the way I live, or something else?
Pray:
-That the international community might begin to act in ways that bring justice to the region of Darfur
-For healing for all the women who have been raped, children who have witnessed it, and that it would stop
-That God would move in the hearts and minds of those in power in Sudan to change their ways
Dinner
Divest from Sudan:
http://www.sudandivestment
Take the time to pull out your investment documents and enter in the stocks, mutual funds, etc. that you are investing at this website. If any of your investments are tied up in money that flows to Sudan it will let you know and you can call your investment firm and move that money to a different investment.
Pray:
-That China would use it’s political power to pressure Sudan to stop the genocide
-For peace in the region of Darfur, Chad, and Central African Republic.
-That food, water, and medical supplies would be able to get to those who need them
Two more websites for information on Darfur and what you can do about it.
http://www.darfurgenocide.
http://savedarfur.org/
Sunday, May 13, 2007
I had to steal this Kierkegaard quote from my brother's blog
"Christendom is an effort of the human race to go back to walking on all fours, to get rid of Christianity, to do it knavishly under the pretext that this is Christianity, claiming that it is Christianity perfected.
The Christianity of Christendom...takes away from Christianity the offense, the paradox, etc., and instead of that introduces probability, the plainly comprehensible. That is, it transforms Christianity into something entirely different from what it is in the New Testament, yea, into exactly the opposite; and this is the Christianity of Christendom, of us men.
In the Christianity of Christendom the Cross has become something like the child's hobby-horse and trumpet."
- Kierkegaard, "The Instant" 5, 2-3
The Christianity of Christendom...takes away from Christianity the offense, the paradox, etc., and instead of that introduces probability, the plainly comprehensible. That is, it transforms Christianity into something entirely different from what it is in the New Testament, yea, into exactly the opposite; and this is the Christianity of Christendom, of us men.
In the Christianity of Christendom the Cross has become something like the child's hobby-horse and trumpet."
- Kierkegaard, "The Instant" 5, 2-3
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
May is here and the heat is Gone!
So I noticed something tonight, something was unusual as I sat here working on my computer....the difference was that my arm wasn't burning. Due to the random way my room is set up (with built-in unmovable furniture) I would usually spend the evening trying not to rest my arm on the burning hot radiator as I typed. Thankfully, it's May 1st and they've finally turned the heating off (I'm sure i'll be complaining of the cold soon enough...it's always the way).
This week on the course our learning has been structured around the topic of Anaemia. Who knew there were so many different types and causes for it, and how serious it can be.... interesting stuff, although I can't really see myself being a haematologist. At least I can take one residency field off the list. (My latest thought of residency, doing a combined 5-year programme leading to certification in both Family Practice and Emergency Medicine).....I hate the way I'm so enamoured by the future, it's a real vice. I've been this way all my life, when I was 9 and wanted to be an 'animal trainer for the movies' I had already researched the career path and knew which university I wanted to go to (Moorpark College by the way).
Today brought the reality of the importance of the 'hear and now' to life. We had our mock OSCE exams. OSCEs are Objective Structured Clinical Exams, that basically are clinical practicals. They test us on everything from communication skills, establishing rapport, to ascertaining diagnosis, skills like taking blood pressure or doing a cardiac examination, or even teaching someone how to use their inhaler properly for Asthma. They're nerve racking enough. I had difficulty getting this woman's blood pressure reading because I was so stressed that all I could hear in the ear-piece of the stethoscope was the sound of my own pulse racing inside my head. The practice was good though, and I think it has made me more prepared for our exams (just 4 weeks away now...).
Summer is here, essays are done, the end is in sight, and life is good.
This week on the course our learning has been structured around the topic of Anaemia. Who knew there were so many different types and causes for it, and how serious it can be.... interesting stuff, although I can't really see myself being a haematologist. At least I can take one residency field off the list. (My latest thought of residency, doing a combined 5-year programme leading to certification in both Family Practice and Emergency Medicine).....I hate the way I'm so enamoured by the future, it's a real vice. I've been this way all my life, when I was 9 and wanted to be an 'animal trainer for the movies' I had already researched the career path and knew which university I wanted to go to (Moorpark College by the way).
Today brought the reality of the importance of the 'hear and now' to life. We had our mock OSCE exams. OSCEs are Objective Structured Clinical Exams, that basically are clinical practicals. They test us on everything from communication skills, establishing rapport, to ascertaining diagnosis, skills like taking blood pressure or doing a cardiac examination, or even teaching someone how to use their inhaler properly for Asthma. They're nerve racking enough. I had difficulty getting this woman's blood pressure reading because I was so stressed that all I could hear in the ear-piece of the stethoscope was the sound of my own pulse racing inside my head. The practice was good though, and I think it has made me more prepared for our exams (just 4 weeks away now...).
Summer is here, essays are done, the end is in sight, and life is good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
