We lived for 3 months in a secure housing area in Santa Tecla, at the bottom of El Boqueron, San Salvador's volcano. What blessings the Lord gives to those that love Him. Now we know why people live in a volcanic area! It is quite spectacular having a soaring mountain as a backdrop to a town sprawled at its feet. What if it erupts though? It has done so before, the last eruption being recorded between June and Novermber 1917.
The slopes of the volcano are being developed for tourism. At various points up the side of it there are restaurants and cafes where paranamic views of San Salvador can be viewed in the valley below. These facilities are aimed at families with young children with activities to keep them busy. Then there is the much much more daunting offer of climbing down into Boqueron's caldera with its high vertical sides to view the pimple which is the cinder cone from the 1917 eruption.
One takes one's hat off to those who conquer this.
On the far side of the mountain lies lonely Coatepeque, not yet drawn into the warm enticing circle of tourism.
We took an easy walk up to the top of the caldera to look down into the hole blasted out by molten rocks. A barrier exists at the top to prevent accidents and stop people falling into the valley below.
Entrepenerial el salvadorans circumvent the authorities to offer for sale water and snacks to puffed out tourists who have not taken along anything remotely resembling a picnic, being unprepared for the physical exertion they experience. One such entrepeneer was perched on a sliver of rock outside the barrier with his wears which he sold all the while in danger of falling into the valley below.
One had to admire such industry and fortitude. He would almost certainly be without education yet this had not crushed his spirit or damned him to a pauper's early death. He was doing what he could with what he had, even if he risked his life to do it. With so many natural resources, why are Governments so miserly with their largess? Are we all so afraid of looking out for ourselves instead
of sharing what we have with others that we are blinded by the fact that G-d's provision is for all, and all should be encouraged to partake?
Another family seated themselves on the bench just outside the barrier on the circular pathway down into the caldera, ready to sell to those who went down and those who returned.
Why do Governments oppress the poor? Yet El Salvador does it less than other places (not many) we have visited. Most media outputs about this country are downputs. We found it and its people delightful, humble, simple and human.
Might this have had something to do with Archbishop Romero who served the poor more than the
rich?
Vendors existed outside the car park selling flowers, hand made jewellery, bulbs and anything else that might produce a sale.
The people were invariably friendly and pleased to see visitors to their country. The poor have a dignity unparalled elsewhere. They do menial jobs without demur, many like the coffee pickers, live on a dollar a day. (Woe to an industry which so exploits the poor. Zimbabwe coffee pickers fare no better).
Monday, 1 August 2016
Riding to raise funds
Our daughter, Carmen and her husband, Reuben undertook a day's cycle, aiming to reach 200 km, last Saturday in order to raise money for Tammy and Rob's (sister and husband) voluntary trip to Zimbabwe to work for a year in Zimbabwe's mental health and education sector. They were joined by cousin Disa on the way back.
Unfortunately, Carmen's bike (new) got stuck in one gear which slowed their progress. The total was 131 km and another 19 was added at the gym on their return in the last 55 minutes.
All of them, except Rob, were born in Zimbabwe and are giving something back - seeding for the future there.
Unfortunately, Carmen's bike (new) got stuck in one gear which slowed their progress. The total was 131 km and another 19 was added at the gym on their return in the last 55 minutes.
All of them, except Rob, were born in Zimbabwe and are giving something back - seeding for the future there.
Friday, 15 July 2016
Halal
Early Christians were regularly admonished not to eat 'food offered to idols'. Here are a few ideas about what this might mean.
Starting with 'halal'. We lived opposite a 'halal' butchery. Having had an unpleasant experience with issues over islam, i became wary of all things connected with it. Knowing what 'kosher' meant, i understood that the killing of meat had to be done in such a way that the blood did not remain in the flesh, it needed to be allowed to bleed out of the animal, because 'the life is in the blood', and as a result, the eating of blood was forbidden.
Halal follows the same general guideline, with one specific difference. At the slaying, the abbatoir worker faces Mecca and offers the animal as a sacrifice to allah, praying over it that allah is the great god etc. This was confirmed by the halal butchery opposite us. This to me, is offering a sacrifice to an idol, for allah is not the Christian God. Food outlets like Pizza Express, Nandos, KFC, Redhot and Subway are pretty much all halal. They don't advertise this though, unless explicitily asked if you ar eating halal meat. This is pretty offensive. One does not expect halal in the West.
Then there is the more specific explanation where the Greek word for 'sacrifices to idols' has been examined by men of learning. One outcome of this is that 'sacrifices to idols' is that which commonly took place in communities at that time, amd still does in some communities today. This is where a meal is partaken in a shrine set up for the dead. The shrine may be large or small, but the theme behind the offering stays the same. Because of the amounts of alcohol consumed at these gatherings, impropriety easily resulted, manifested by sexual immorality among the guests.
There is ofcourse always the option of going vegetarian. That solves the 'halal' issue, but does not solve the 'meal to the dead' issue. El Salvador, for instance, honour their dead with a display of flowers. If you believe, God is a God of the living, and we all live before Him, then graveside vigils are unnecessary.
It is better to aim for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in this life and hope for eternal life, making love your aim now, while you can.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Mom's Thumb Reviews: DG body Ultra Moisturizing Lotion (Compare to Jerg...
Mom's Thumb Reviews: DG body Ultra Moisturizing Lotion (Compare to Jerg...: Details : Ultra Moisturizing Lotion takes your roughest spots - heels, elbows, and knees - from a state of extreme dryness to a state o...
Friday, 27 January 2012
The Greeks Go To Pieces At Loughton School
Watched Loughton School's year 5 play tonight with Ray, entitled "The Greeks Go To Pieces". It evolved around ancient Greek history in a light-hearted manner, with many a catchy tune sung with verve and enthusiasm by the Chorus. Standing on a table against the wall, behind the audience a male teacher and his female teacher helper held aloft, every so often, for the performing caste to see, a placard bearing the injunction 'LOUDER' or 'SMILE', and perhaps other useful suggestions, to which the singer's on stage duly responded.
The leading role was taken by a girl, probably ten or eleven years of age, with a calm proficiency astonishing in one of such tender years. The tunes were catchy, obviously carried a message furthering the plot, underlining elements of importance in the unraveling plot concerning perpetual hostility between Spartans and Athenians, fueling an animosity arising from a supposed cause so far back in the history of both sides that nobody actually knew what they were fighting about.
The message, cynical and profound, entertainingly conveyed, will stand these little class fivers in good stead during years to come. Who knows, the lighting ghost of one, or more than one, of these songs many sound in the ears of one of these little actors, in years to come, who by then is in a position to respond to some international crisis in a manner preventing the passing of a controversial bill in parliament, stimulating second thoughts concerning critical issues between nations and peoples, averting a Third World War.
Such is the power of words set to music! It reaches into the corners and crevices of the mind and emotions beyond the reach of simple oratory. Hence the response of patriots to a national anthem, confirming commitment to their country's cause; or the forces of an army awaiting the signal to launch an attack, stiffening the sinews, summoning up the blood; or an elderly rugby supporter standing to the massed voices of his countryman at the outset of a Test match in Cardiff, causing the tears to stream from his closed eyes as he sings.
Hence the war songs of nations all over the world expressing a grievance, stating a truth, declaring commitment of perceived truth held with determination most desperate 0 'Ours vir jou, Suid Afrika', the most emotional finale to an anthem in my youthful experience, could have fired me to a dedication terminally desperate were it not concerning a country not my own.
So too, the lifting melodies of tonight's performance may plant some certain chords of resonance that, in association with simple truths concerning basic values of human nature might respond to stimuli of association in circumstances of the future that might chart new courses in the progress of mankind.
Meanwhile, judging from the expression on their little faces, most of the singers simply enjoyed delivering the songs. Perhaps among the audience, others like me, hardened to the ways of the world, distrustful of spontaneous emotion, might nevertheless determine to investigate more closely, or for the first time, the thoughts behind the actions of those old Greeks.
In whatever manner we responded, it was an evening enjoyable and well-spent.
National Anthems of the World
Greek National Anthem (in Greek) (Greek Edition)
by Guest Blogger
The leading role was taken by a girl, probably ten or eleven years of age, with a calm proficiency astonishing in one of such tender years. The tunes were catchy, obviously carried a message furthering the plot, underlining elements of importance in the unraveling plot concerning perpetual hostility between Spartans and Athenians, fueling an animosity arising from a supposed cause so far back in the history of both sides that nobody actually knew what they were fighting about.
The message, cynical and profound, entertainingly conveyed, will stand these little class fivers in good stead during years to come. Who knows, the lighting ghost of one, or more than one, of these songs many sound in the ears of one of these little actors, in years to come, who by then is in a position to respond to some international crisis in a manner preventing the passing of a controversial bill in parliament, stimulating second thoughts concerning critical issues between nations and peoples, averting a Third World War.
Such is the power of words set to music! It reaches into the corners and crevices of the mind and emotions beyond the reach of simple oratory. Hence the response of patriots to a national anthem, confirming commitment to their country's cause; or the forces of an army awaiting the signal to launch an attack, stiffening the sinews, summoning up the blood; or an elderly rugby supporter standing to the massed voices of his countryman at the outset of a Test match in Cardiff, causing the tears to stream from his closed eyes as he sings.
Hence the war songs of nations all over the world expressing a grievance, stating a truth, declaring commitment of perceived truth held with determination most desperate 0 'Ours vir jou, Suid Afrika', the most emotional finale to an anthem in my youthful experience, could have fired me to a dedication terminally desperate were it not concerning a country not my own.
So too, the lifting melodies of tonight's performance may plant some certain chords of resonance that, in association with simple truths concerning basic values of human nature might respond to stimuli of association in circumstances of the future that might chart new courses in the progress of mankind.
Meanwhile, judging from the expression on their little faces, most of the singers simply enjoyed delivering the songs. Perhaps among the audience, others like me, hardened to the ways of the world, distrustful of spontaneous emotion, might nevertheless determine to investigate more closely, or for the first time, the thoughts behind the actions of those old Greeks.
In whatever manner we responded, it was an evening enjoyable and well-spent.
National Anthems of the World
Greek National Anthem (in Greek) (Greek Edition)
by Guest Blogger
Monday, 23 January 2012
Next Year In Jerusalem
The New Year starts out full of hope and promise. Don't know why this is so, because it's just another day.
Next year in Jerusalem! How long, down the centuries, has that cry gone out. And what pathos and longing it stirs. We should be joining in with the thousands who make that cry! Next year in Jerusalem!
It's like the cry of a Christian, 'Come quickly, Lord Jesus'. As the Christian waits for the return of the Lord, so does the Jew wait for the restoration of all things. That's what the cry is for - next year in Jerusalem.
Two different perspectives, two equal longings, the same and yet different. Christians know that it is the Lord Jesus who restores all things, restores relationships, restores nations, builds nations, brings down nations, but in the heart of a believer, it is still - next year in Jerusalem.
The days of our lives on earth should be full of good works and the looking forward to good things. We don't have long to spend on earth, we have a 'better and enduring substance' - a life on earth and yet not on earth.
The angels of the Israel of God looked out for nation. The angels of the Church today, do the same. They watched over the Seven Churches of Revelation. Let Christians likewise, watch out for the will of God, and the word of God to be done on earth.
There is nothing wrong with that. Jesus would always have gathered the nation of Israel under 'His wing', but they often didn't want to know. The Gentiles have inherited something wonderful from faithful Abraham. They have the right and privilege to have been grafted into God's nation. What a wonderful happening! What a wonderful inheritance.
So Christians watch and wait, like Jews do. They wait for the Revelation of the Restorer of All Things, our blessed and beloved Jesus Christ.
Next year in Jerusalem! How long, down the centuries, has that cry gone out. And what pathos and longing it stirs. We should be joining in with the thousands who make that cry! Next year in Jerusalem!
It's like the cry of a Christian, 'Come quickly, Lord Jesus'. As the Christian waits for the return of the Lord, so does the Jew wait for the restoration of all things. That's what the cry is for - next year in Jerusalem.
Two different perspectives, two equal longings, the same and yet different. Christians know that it is the Lord Jesus who restores all things, restores relationships, restores nations, builds nations, brings down nations, but in the heart of a believer, it is still - next year in Jerusalem.
The days of our lives on earth should be full of good works and the looking forward to good things. We don't have long to spend on earth, we have a 'better and enduring substance' - a life on earth and yet not on earth.
The angels of the Israel of God looked out for nation. The angels of the Church today, do the same. They watched over the Seven Churches of Revelation. Let Christians likewise, watch out for the will of God, and the word of God to be done on earth.
There is nothing wrong with that. Jesus would always have gathered the nation of Israel under 'His wing', but they often didn't want to know. The Gentiles have inherited something wonderful from faithful Abraham. They have the right and privilege to have been grafted into God's nation. What a wonderful happening! What a wonderful inheritance.
So Christians watch and wait, like Jews do. They wait for the Revelation of the Restorer of All Things, our blessed and beloved Jesus Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)