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  • My last week in the US was extremely busy but also very memorable. Two
    suprise parties for me in a week? Unheard of in my life, lol. But wow,
    to everyone that came to those parties, and asked to have one last
    dinner with me before I left, thank you from
    the bottom of my heart. It was nice just spending time with my friends,
    and then seeing people I haven't seen for a long time at the parties. I
    also gotta say that the book you guys gave me with written
    encouragements and verses was so uplifting, if only I could express.
    God has really blessed me with amazing people in my life. You might not
    think I am talking about you, but for all those that have touched my
    life in some way, I haven't and will never forget.

    My flight was at 6:55 am at Newark Airport on August 20th. Friday night
    I only had about 3-4 hrs. of sleep. Since then I did not sleep at all,
    as I was packing all the way up until 30 minutes before I left. I felt
    like I left so many things uncared for, but hopefully my brothers will
    take good care of my stuff while I'm gone. My parents were so helpful
    in buying me things that I needed and my mom and my brothers were so
    great at helping me pack (thanks guys! I really appreciated that). Got
    to the airport at 4 am, and at around 5:30 am my hunni came to see me
    off. Her support for me has been such a great source of strength, and
    seeing her one last time before I left encouraged me and strengthened
    me tremendously. It capped everything off in terms of me feeling ready.

    My parents came along with me, and their presence, help, and financial
    assistance made my experience much easier and bearable. I was also sick
    (from not sleeping and catching something before I left), so they took
    great care of me. I really ought to be sleeping right now because I
    have to wake up early tomorrow for registration, so here's some of the
    pictures I've taken. It can't possibly tell of my whole experience
    here, but it'll give you a good start.......:


    Flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico
    Window Seat
    I always think to myself when I look outside the window of an airplane:
    "And they shall be caught with Him in the clouds...."


    Flight to Dominica in a Small Plane
    Yes, that was the bathroom lol.
    At this point it was only my excitement/anxiety keeping me from totally crashing because I was so sick.


    My First View of Dominica
    Another Window Seat View


    Cabrits, a View from the Campus
    This is where the British and French fought for Dominica
    We later drove out there and checked it out, not far.


    A Mountaintop View
    Trevor, my landlord, took us around; this is just one of the spots.


    My First Friend: Michelle and I
    We were on the same flight and our families did everything together.
    One of many cool people I've met down here.
    I am once again attending "RU."

    Pics of My Room in My Apartment (looks better now, but these are prelim. pics):


    Huge King-Sized Bed

    The name of the house I am staying at is "Helena on the Hill." Helena is Trevor's mother.
    (there's a sign now on the front, but it wasn't there when I took the picture)
    It's on top of a Steeeeeeep Hill, but is very beautiful as it stands alone.
    Here's some pics:


    Still is under construction, but it's looking great so far.


    That's my front door. The housekeeper stays on my floor, and I'm
    supposed to have a person living in the room next to me as well, but so
    far I'm the only student here.


    These steps lead to 2 independent apartments downstairs.
    I definitely have cool neighbors: Edna from Texas and Viktor from Cali


    We've got mango trees, guava trees, plantane, Okra, everything trees all around our house.
    The fruits here you can just pick (if they are not private property)
    and the are extremely juicy, nothing like anything in the States; it's
    much better here.


    The view from that front porch and from my window too.
    That is the Caribbean Sea.

    Inside:


    Scottshead:
    This is the southernmost tip of the island, where the Atlantic Ocean
    (left) meets the Carribean Sea (right). The cool thing about this is
    that the Atlantic Ocean is much more turbulant and violent, as you can
    see wave after wave crashing and rolling. Then literally a few steps
    away you have the Caribbean Sea, which is so calm and quiet, the exact
    opposite. It's really an amazing thing to see.

    Now here's some pics from a trip to this place called Syndicate Falls:


    We had to cross 2 rivers to get to the waterfall.


    I ended up walking barefoot most of the time.


    Syndicate Falls


    Yeah, that's me.


    A view from the hike back.


    Another view.

    Pictures from our trip to Emerald Pool (first pics are from random stops):


    Ariite, my bad, this is actually the only picture of Emerald Pool. I didn't get in.

    Some cool plants that grow on the island:

    These plants came from one night where Trevor and Pancho (who works for
    Trevor, drives us around too) took us to that same area where that
    first mountaintop view was (that I have posted up there) at night. From
    the top you could see the lights of the coastal cities of Guadaloupe,
    the island to the north. It was amazing. We saw the lights in
    Portsmouth (major city near Picard, where the campus is) and the lights
    of the coastal cities on the island to the south (begins with an M, I
    forget what it's called). That night we also shut off the car lights
    and looked up at the stars. Again, words can't express. I saw the Milky
    Way (along a streak of white in the sky) and the Big/Little Dipper. I
    saw shooting stars. All this I have not seen since I was a little kid.
    We also went to this place right in between two mountains, where the
    wind is said to be the strongest:

    I heard the wind literally howling, probably for the first time in my life.
    It was crazy freezing up there too.. Pancho couldn't take it (LOL):

    I got so much more I wanna say, but that's the end of my pictures and
    it's waaaaaaay past my bedtime. I know I don't have pics of the campus,
    etc., and the culture and way of life here is SO different. But
    that'll have to be for another time.

    Thank You Lord for watching over me. I praise and thank You for Your
    grace and faithfulness. Without that I cannot even be here. Please
    watch over my friends and loved ones as well, and may all that we do be
    to Your glory.

    . : : Baruch Hashem (Praise His Name) : : .


    (around 6 pm, as it gets dark really early down here)
    A Sunset from the House
    A Glimpse of our Creator's Beauty

  • I finally got a chance to go online in the library today, but anyhow!: THANK YOU so much to everybody who has kept Alana, my family, and me in prayer. I am here now safe and sound and my parents are now back home. It's been quite an experience these past 2 days, and unfortunately i can't elaborate just yet. I am supposed to get my internet up by Friday at the earliest. This is a simple yet extremely sincere post to thank you all for your prayers and to let you know that God has been taking good care of me down here. I definitely pray the same for all of you. God bless!!

  • let's take a step back

    out of our own little worlds

    and just pray

    one of thousands of conflicts worldwide

    but a conflict close to home for many

    with scary, far-reaching implications

    let's just keep this world

    in prayer

    baby, i wish i could take you with me

    Lord, please let it be soon

    when i'm gone

    i'm gonna be able to look at you

    and you

    and you

    all of you

    and with God's grace

    that's what'll keep me going

    i'm so sure of it

    Father, thank You for Your faithfulness

    for being real in my life

    for honoring my sacrifices

    for listening to my prayers

    and for holding me in Your arms

    thank You for peace

    and love

    and joy through the storm

    and most of all

    thank You for hope

  • "i think if any of us actually sat down and thought about all the things going on in the world today, we'd all have nervous breakdowns." - alana graham



    "it
    can be depressing, it really can be depressing. but the only way to
    make sense of all the crazy and scary things going on in this world
    today, is     this.." -rabbi steve

    "Israel has a right to defend herself," Bush said.


    "Fire descends from on high in the shape of a Lion
    Burn the sacrifice of pride and ride on to Mount Zion." -Matisyahu

     
    justified racism? you are succumbing to the things that you fear

     
    Hebrews 11- Heritage
    I think that all too often we take for
    granted the heritage we possess as Christians, as servants of the
    Living God. One reason why I love the book of Acts is because there
    were so many heroes of the faith doing amazing things during the
    post-resurrection period. I mean wow, from the Pentacost to Stephen the
    first martyr to Saul's conversion to Paul and his subsequent ministry
    to Peter's persecutions for preaching the Gospel unashamed. If we think
    that's an awesome heritage in
    itself, how much more when we consider our history and heroes that date
    way further back? Hebrews 11: "By faith
    Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of
    Pharaoh's daughter. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
    people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." Noah,
    Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Gideon. Just thinking about passing this
    heritage onto my own children brings a smile to my face. And the power
    that they had to subdue kingdoms, attain righteousness, obtain
    promises, stop the mouths of lions, quench violence with fire, escape
    the edge of the sword, be made strong out of weakness, wax valient in
    flight, and make armies flee (verse 34).. this is the self same power
    we have today. But there is another thing we inherit, and that is the
    persecution Jesus Himself also had to endure. They were tortured,
    refusing deliverance that they might attain a better resurrection; they
    endured cruel mockings and scourgings, bonds and imprisonment; they
    were stoned, sawed asunder, tempted and slain by the sword; they were
    destitute, afflicted, tormented, wandered and hid in dens and the caves
    of the earth (verses 35-38). I mean what faith this bretheren knew. In no way, shape, or form does anyone wish this kind of life for us Christians today, but the point is: we are called to the same perseverance.
    Especially here in the United States (I'm sure you hear this a lot, but
    it's true), our persecution for our faith is little to nonw. Yet how
    much do we complain and murmer, and how much are we doing for our Lord
    and Savior? It brings tears to my eyes to know how much God cares for
    us, despite what we sometimes have to endure. Verse 38: "of whom the
    world was not worthy." Of whom the world was not worthy! And another
    thing that binds all these heroes together is the hope that
    they shared. This world is not our home as Believers, we're just
    passing through. Verse 16: "But now they desire a better country, that
    is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God:
    for he hath prepared for them a city."

    1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not see.
    6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him

    In describing Abel: "he was righteous,
    God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." In
    describing Enoch: "he had this testimony, that he pleased God." I pray
    that our lives, our testimonies, can be founded and rooted in faith,
    for the glory of God, which is our calling as we take part in the
    awesome heritage He has given to us.

    "Oh may all who come behind us, find us faithful
    May the fire of our devotion light their way
    May the footprints that we lead, lead them to believe
    And the lives we live inspire them, to obey

    Oh may all who come behind us, find us faithful."
    - steve green

  • . : : v-boyz : : .

    So I just printed out my book list, and
    it's like I'm finally gonna be learning only (for the most part) things
    that I am interested in. A part of me is just so excited to begin this
    new chapter in my life. But that's just a part.
    The truth is, I am mostly afraid (but that's normal) and sad to be
    leaving all that is comfortable and familiar. I am sacrificing so much,
    but if only everyone can understand why I need to do this. I do it not
    for myself at all, but for others. At this point, failure is not an option.

    "I'm the arrow, You're my bow

    Shoot me forth and I will go."
    -Matisyahu

    I read about all these young people expressing how happy or excited
    they are to be drafted into the NBA: "It's like a dream come true.. my
    heart was so full of joy.. unbelievable.. I've dreamt of this day since
    I was a little boy." And honestly, I am so happy for them. The same way
    you can feel for a person you hear about in the news who is suffering
    terrible pain, you can also feel happy for someone who has experienced
    great fortune. It's just awesome and I leave my thoughts with the hope
    that he or she will turn out all right and not let money change them.
    Then there's these CEOs and Chief Executives of companies who have made
    millions off of stock options. I look at the Yahoo stock info. and
    single daily transactions hundreds of thousands and millions of
    dollars. Again, I am really happy for these people and it's amazing how
    much God can bless a person like that. But then after a while, the
    heart flirts with feeling jealous or envious. I ask, "When will my
    dreams, my fantasies, come true and become a reality in my life?.. It's
    not fair how these people don't have to worry about money even though
    they've never worked half as much as I have.." The thing is, feelings
    like that have no place in a Christian's heart, and God forgive me for
    feeling that at times. We place dreams and money on such pedestals and
    in such great focus that we forget how to work with the things in front
    of us. We forget to count our blessings. And who am I to
    say what's fair? God has put everyone in their own place for a reason.
    God tests people with different things, and rewards people according to
    how He sees fit. Furthermore, my future is in His hands. Forget that, my life is His period,
    for Him to do whatever He wants with it. All these selfish feelings
    capture us so quickly. What we ought to be thinking about is how we can
    best live like and for Christ. Jeremiah 29:11-13; it's been one of my life verses since a friend showed me this Scripture in my sophomore year at Rutgers:

    11 For I know the plans I have for you,"
    declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to
    give you hope and a future.     12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


  • sometimes i wish i was thousands of miles away, somwhere like the
    midwest, in the middle of a desert, inside a diner in the middle of
    nowhere, 2 am in the morning, and just far far far away from everything
    i know. sometimes i wish i was there, with you. just you and me,
    enjoying life, without a care
    in the world, without an ounce of pressure or drop of worry. just you
    and me, enjoying one another, enjoying freedom in all aspects.
    sometimes, that's just where i wanna be.

    i've said this before, but it needs to be brought up again. it still
    and always will irk me, irritate me, annoy me, and anger me, when the
    Name of my Lord God is used in vain. i was at the doctor's office the
    other day and a commercial on tv went on for what must have been a
    minute or more of just clips of people saying, "Oh my G-d." Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will
    not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.     -    Exodus
    20:7!!! But you know what gets to me even more? when Christians go on
    ahead and do it. They'll do it jokingly, they'll do it within
    conversations, they'll react using God's Name in vain without thinking,
    they'll do it in front of the church, in a Bible study, and it's
    because our society has made "Oh my G-d" such a passive, accepted, and
    normal phrase. Don't tell me it's "just an expression," and don't try
    to pass it off like you really mean to call on the Name of God when you
    were probably not even thinking about God or what His Name really means
    to you when you said it! It truly disgusts me. God's Name is Holy. The
    casual use of His Name is utterly disrespectful and shouldn't be
    tolerated the way that it is today, especially by Christians. The 10
    commandments, to my knowledge, have never become null and void or
    obsolete. The section written in bold is crystal clear to me, what
    about you?


    hypocritical thinking

    i sometimes think that if all church-going Christians actually lived
    for Christ and had strong and solid life testimonies, then so many
    people, including myself, wouldn't be so hesitant/doubtful during
    church. you ever look at someone at church praising God and catch
    yourself asking in your mind, "hmph, i wonder if all that's an act. she
    probably parties, drinks, and has sex on a normal basis." whether it's
    because of what he or she's wearing or simply because you and i are
    just guilty of judging our bretheren so quickly. that kind of thinking
    is inexcusable, but it's hard to let go of it because we've all seen
    hypocrites and "Sunday Christians" far too often. In my case, I see it in my own church with people close to my heart.

    here's the thing though. i know that my
    life is far from spotless and pure, whether it be past or present. and
    i sometimes i feel like, like i just wanna go to a church where nobody
    knows me. absolutely nobody. i tell myself that i'd be more
    comfortable; I'd be able to worship more freely or carefree because
    nobody would be there to judge me based on my past or present sins,
    struggles, experiences. but i kno that that's because we worry too
    often about how we look to man, rather than how we look to our God.

    you see the circle? the hypocritical thinking.

    sometimes i need to be reminded that i just gotta focus on Him at
    church and stop worrying about other people. and that's all really..

    still waiting for a miracle

    it's like i'm living everyday with forces that hurt me, and don't listen to my cries for mercy
    forces that i so desperately love, because i know they don't mean to cause me pain
    but being in the rain every day as if the sun were out only causes my fever to rise
    and in the midst of happy faces and godly praises i can clearly hear our souls cry
    and i'm tipped this way and that as i live out this balance act abyss
    my back to people who watch but can never really know how hard this is
    it's like being in the crossfire of a battle where one side is unrelenting and cold
    the other side is trying to hold on to hope without having to fold
    as much as i try to negotiate peace and understanding as i watch them both suffer
    the problem is they can't see each other.... they can hardly see me.
    well then what happens when the negotiator also reciprocates a blow
    to also know that nobody means to hurt anyone but everyone's getting hurt
    what happens when i'm half standing strong and half going crazy and i
    wanna scream in peoples' faces while crying in their embraces and i
    want them to know that i love them and i won't choose sides because it's not about choosing sides and
    i wish everyone would just wake up and get rid of their pride and i've
    grown weary and tired and i've been tried again and again and things
    seem to stay the same and i'm hoping and praying, Lord God what are You
    saying, Lord show me how to make all my wrongs right, Lord show me how
    i can better fight and do right and please just let everybody see that
    i dont care for me, just let them see that i live to make them all
    happy.......

    by some miracle of Yours, You will set us free.


  • Israeli troops move into Gaza to retrieve kidnapped soldier







    Tuesday, June 27, 2006; Posted: 7:58 p.m. EDT (23:58 GMT)









    story.tank.ap.jpg 
    An Israeli tank maneuvers at a gathering point near Kibbutz Mefalsim in southern Israel.


    JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli troops crossed the border into southern Gaza early Wednesday in a campaign meant to secure the return of a soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants over the weekend, the Israeli military said.

    Jets hit a power plant in Gaza City and knocked out a bridge connecting the northern and southern parts of town in predawn airstrikes, witnesses said.


    Video from the Palestinian Ramattan news agency showed fires burning at the site of the power station.


    Israeli troops and tanks had gathered along the Gaza border as tensions mounted over the abduction of 19-year-old Cpl. Gilad Shalit.


    Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday threatened an "extended campaign" against Palestinian leaders unless the soldier was released.


    "All targets" would be considered for possible action, Olmert told Israel's parliament, the day after ruling out any deals with militants for Shalit's release.


    "We would not make compromises with terror. We would not hold negotiation with [terror]," Olmert told the Knesset amid the escalating crisis.


    "No terrorist would be immune."


    In the first round of strikes soon after midnight, Israeli aircraft hit two bridges in central Gaza to limit the ability of Shalit's captors to move him, said Capt. Jacob Dallal, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces.


    Dallal said Israel will go to "whatever lengths necessary" to bring Shalit back.


    "We are trying to make it clear to the Palestinian Authority and to the terror organizations that we will take the necessary steps to secure his safe return," he said.


    Israel has slapped a land and sea blockade on Gaza, cutting off people's movements and shipments of fuel and food, nine months after returning control of the territory to the Palestinians. (Watch tanks mass as tensions run high -- 2:27)


    Inside Gaza, Palestinians have dumped piles of sand on major roads, intended to slow any advance of Israeli tanks and armor and provide cover for gunmen.


    Israel says it is holding the Palestinian Authority responsible for the safety of Shalit, who was captured Sunday by Palestinian militants at a guard post inside Israel.


    Olmert said he did not want to hurt innocents, but the Israeli defense minister said the potential offensive would be deadly.


    "There is no doubt we will have to carry out an operation which could cost many lives, but the Palestinian groups have to understand there is a price to pay for any attacks against Israel," said Defense Minister Amir Peretz.


    Israeli leaders said Hamas officials, including political leader Khaled Meshaal, who is in exile in Syria, could be targets of Israeli military action.


    Aides said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya were directly involved in negotiations to free Shalit.


    The Palestinian factions Fatah, headed by Abbas, and Haniya's Hamas, have pleaded with Israel to hold off on military action, saying an offensive would only complicate efforts to end the crisis.


    Palestinian leaders have also said they fear Israel will not stop at freeing Shalit but will also go after Palestinian militants who have fired hundreds of crude Qassam rockets into Israel in recent months.


    Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres recognized a split between the politicians and the militants, saying Meshaal was behind the kidnapping and "wants to destroy any chance for peace." (Watch Peres' take on the escalating border tensions -- 6:27)


    "All this was done against, maybe, the better judgment of the Palestinian leaders on the ground. The orders came from Syria. They came from a gentleman who wants to destroy any chance for peace," Peres said.


    Meshaal, the head of the Hamas political office, lives in exile in Damascus.


    "A small group of terrible people sitting in Damascus," Peres said, was mobilizing "the whole world against the Palestinians," who he said were the real victims of the kidnapping.


    Peres said Israel believes that Shalit, who holds dual Israeli-French citizenship, is "alive and healthy."


    Another teenager reported missing


    In another development, the Popular Resistance Committees, one of the Palestinian militant groups that says it is holding Shalit, said it also was holding an Israeli settler in the West Bank.


    Israeli police said a family in the settlement of Itamar near Nablus had filed a missing persons report. The missing settler was identified as Eliyahu Asheri, 18.


    He was last seen Sunday night at the French Hill hitchhiking post in Jerusalem, on the road leading north to the West Bank. His parents reported him missing at noon Monday.



    CNN's Elise Labott and John Vause contributed to this report.

  • Fury in Egypt over Ghana's Israeli flag waver

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060619/sp_soccer_afp/fblwc2006gpcghaegypt_060619115348

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/ghana/5092762.stm

  • Many people, including a good amount of professing Christians, believe or think that Hell does not exist (or that it does not exist as pure conscience, physical suffering), but think about it: there are two ways to go after death, there cannot be anything in between (a.k.a. purgatory). Heaven is fellowship with God, hell is separation from God. God is inextricably linked to all things Good. To be with God is love, mercy, joy, pleasure, peace, etc. Separation from God is the exact opposite, it cannot be and is not neutral. It is hate, cruelty, grief, pain, suffering, etc.

    Two nights ago, I was blessed to have a time of fellowship with some brothers in Christ in a New Yokr City diner. They told me about this man's testimony who claims that God brought him to hell and then back to earth after about 23 minutes (search "23 Minutes in Hell" on Google and you'll find more info. if you're interested). Regardless of what a person might think about its legitimacy (I myself, however, am convinced right now that he is a man of God), one cannot deny that there are many, many truths represented and expressed in the testimony. Take a listen....

    23 Minutes in Hell: http://www.spiritlessons.com/Documents/BillWise_AllTracks.mp3
    (I do not vouche for the mother website that it comes from, but this is the testimony in .mp3 format)

    Many people don't like talking about hell because they say it's scaring people into accepting Christ. Point taken, but I have a few points myself: hell is a very legitimate part of the Gospel message that Jesus preached. It's a legitimate part of understanding salvation and God's overall redemption plan for all of mankind. Is fear a legitimate motivator? If you think about it, it can be to an extent, if it can even only serve as an eye-opening to the doorway leading to truth. One's acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior, however, definitely must be founded in understanding, in love, and in faith (not fear).

    It wasn't fear that touched me though, and impacted me so powerfully. I can honestly say that it was love so great, so wonderful, and so amazing. It was also a hard hit of the spiritual realm that we cannot see and so easily forget. I value this testimony for it's weight in giving me, and others, Biblical truths, reflections, and perspectives that can change a person's life forever (it has definitely affected mine).

rowancv

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