The Deeper Meaning

The information leaking out in regards to the child abuse scandal at Penn State has quite captured my attention. I can't seem to refrain from reading articles, watching videos, reading and listening to commentary about this tragedy unfolding before us.

It is unfortunate that JoePa has been forced to leave in such a wave of disgrace that will undoubtedly mar his amazing, record-setting career as Nittany Lions' head coach. I regret that for him. With that being said, had he reported the abuse to police and dismissed Sandusky, I believe that he would not only have averted his shameful exit; but I believe that -dare I say it- he would have even looked good. Standing up to injustice and confronting those responsible is just the right thing to do!

Of course the big question is "Why didn't someone, anyone report the abuse to law enforcement?" While such questions are important and must be asked, I am stuck upon what seems to be the deeper, sinister issue lurking below: money and the image of PSU are more important to the powers-that-be than protecting the welfare of a child. Nay, of numerous children. Turning a blind eye and allowing the abuse to continue implicitly states that the lives of these victims do not matter as much as the reputation of Penn State and upholding its image of class and success. But look where that has gotten them.

That this scandal is now synonymous with the school is terribly unfortunate. It is an injustice for anyone affiliated with State College, PA. (Side note: I narrowed my undergraduate college decision to Clemson & Penn State. Perhaps that has stoked my interest in this situation.)

I cannot say whether or not shutting down Penn State's football program is the right thing to do. After all, the players are not the ones responsible, and I am never in favor of collective punishment (nor is international law for that matter). But given the NCAA's response to the improprieties at Miami and Georgia Tech, the "punishment" for Penn State should be harsh. True, recruiting violations and the like should not be overlooked. But I feel that the abuse in the Penn State case grieves the heart of the Father more than paying college athletes. (Not that Jesus will be considered in the ramifications for PSU football.)

One should, I believe, take time to consider this fact: If well-researched statistics hold true, Sandusky is extremely likely to have been a victim of sexual abuse. This is no way excuses his actions, but I feel that it is noteworthy.

Another tidbit: I very much like Jon Stewart's response: http://www.hulu.com/watch/299167/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-penn-state-riots. It's worth a watch!

A "Reflection" on 9/11

My "Where Were You When" story is pretty lame, so I'll save some cyber space and spare you, my reader, all of the nostalgic details. Honestly, I have not spent the day reliving 9-11-01. If I had wanted to do so it would have only entailed the following: 1) I spent the whole morning confused. 2) I finally realized what had happened and got freaked out. 3) I cried for about an hour when I got home from school.

Now that that's done...

We should, without a doubt, remember the victims of 9-11. And we should continue to comfort those they left behind. But I firmly believe that it should not stop there. The lives of the thousands of innocent civilians who have lost their lives as a result of the United States' invasions, "wars," and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan are just as precious as those lost ten years ago in Pennsylvania, DC, and NYC- no more, no less.

Call me "unpatriotic" if you so desire, but my allegiance lies not with a country or government or set of man-made ideals but with the Lord Jesus Christ. And I firmly believe that His desire would not be for us to drop bombs and kill others in the name of "freedom" or democracy.  Violence only ever leads to more violence and can under no circumstances be justified, especially not by anyone who would seek to follow Christ. Only by loving will we extinguish the flame of evil. This Jesus calls us to love our enemies, pray for those who would seek to harm us, and to care for all men.

Shane Claiborne writes "I have pledged allegiance to a King who loved evildoers so much He died for them, teaching us that there is something worth dying for but nothing worth killing for." Amen, brother!

In All Honesty

My heart is overwhelmed with joy after the gift that was yesterday. I spent the day in Columbia, SC with former roommates from Clemson. These girls are some of my very favorite people in the world, and the laughter and conversation we shared were a gift from the Lord. How great is it to be with people who know you and challenge you without making you feel guilty?

Our precious Jennifer Miele at one point commented upon Proverbs 3:5-6, which is one of those verses that is so familiar that I often disregard it or tune out when I hear it. But how often do I "lean on my own understanding"? Honestly, in everything that I do! I believe that I am a relatively intelligent person, and I act as though I need no one else's input. This, I believe, is what He means by "lean not on your own understanding." Whether it is a conversation gone awry that I am rehashing in my head or just any old problem or situation, I get lost in my own mind and logic attempting to remedy it rather than trusting in God and His providence and control. Oh, how I wish that would change!

Miele also made another great point: "If we are friends with people for wrong reasons/motives, there is no chance for true community." I would definitely say that opportunistic friendships (that is, seeking someone's friendship because one may gain something from it) are far from cool. But I am guilty of doing so. And if my motivation for spending time with someone or desiring to be associated with him/her is to make myself look or feel better, then how in the world can it be an honest, God-honoring, communal relationship?

A little slow on the pick-up

So I never completely hopped on the Harry Potter bandwagon. In terms of the metaphor, I more or less lagged behind the wagon and hopped on a couple times for just a bit. Translation: I read Chamber of Secrets and saw the corresponding film with our book club in high school, and I saw the last two movies (Deathly Hallows). I never had anything against the series; in fact, it made me happy that the books made children want to read. I just never made time or had the interest to be an avid fan.

That being said, now that all of the books and films have been released, I have begun to make my way through all of them. I finished the first book last night and promptly started the second. And I am rather enjoying them! I will admit that I have already had freaky dreams, and I anticipate being legitimately scared as I read the remaining books.

And thanks to Borders for having just about everything in the store on sale! (I scored books 2-6 for a sweet price.)

This is a lame post.

Progress

As much as I hate knowing that I "should" still be in South America, being back Stateside has been quite nice. I've been able to connect with a number of friends whom I would not have been able to see otherwise. Amy Groom and Tara Oates, I'm talking about you! And thanks to LAN, I was able to move my trip to Argentina for a small price. So I will be traveling back to Quito and then to Argentina after Christmas!

However cliche, I can't believe that I get to live this life: I have some wonderful friends who support me and are always involved in amazing ventures; my family is close, both geographically and figuratively; I know every day that my needs will me met; and my passport is full of stamps. And for whatever reason, I have found myself being much less of a worry wart over the past few months. Perhaps because I recognize the aforementioned things. Or maybe the Lord answered my prayer for peace in my heart after a difficult season. Whatever the reason, I am glad to be alive!

Back...Unexpectedly.

Well, I hate to be writing this entry, but I am back in the U.S. I contracted some sort of virus in Colombia, and after three days in bed and two trips to the ER, the decision was made to send me home. Not at all what I was expecting.

I'm taking antibiotics to take care of this upper respiratory infection (that likely was full-blown pneumonia at one point). I've never been so tired before in my life, so I hope that soon enough I can get back on a normal schedule and start functioning like a human again.

Thanks to everyone for all of the well wishes!

Bummer

Sorry to say that this day has not panned out as I'd hoped. Elena was unable to pick me up this morning, so I spent the day at the hotel. At least the weather wasn't nice today and I've gotten to catch up on sleep. (CJL-induced sleep deprivation is hangin' tough.)

In other news, Mom and Dad should be back in ATL in just a few hours (They've been in Honduras.)

Arrived in Medellín

I'm in Medellín- picked up last night at the airport by Elena, a member of the IPC (Colombian Presbyterian Church). The hotel is simple but in a cool, chill area. My partner arrives tonight, and until then I'll be exploring the city with Elena. I'm so stoked to be here, as Colombia has been on my list of desired destinations for years.

Let's go see what this city and this day has for me...

PS- I'm writing this entry on my iPhone!

Arrived!

As I type this I am sitting in Whitney and Michael Johnson's Quito apartment. Might I add that it is just a stone´s throw away from my host family, with whom I lived last year. It is a sweet location- right across from the park and in the city center! I am only disappointed that the Johnson's did not go on "House Hunters International" upon buying this pad.

So I'll be here tomorrow and most of Wednesday, and I'm so excited to get reacquainted with this awesome city!

A Few Loose Ends

With just a few loose ends left to tie up, I'm off tomorrow morning. If you are reading this, thank you! And I am sorry that my schedule has not allowed me to talk to each of my friends and family members individually before leaving. Know that I carry each one of you with me as I travel.

I did get to spend this afternoon with Vance and Lisa (my new sister-in-law!), which was so great! And we had a serendipitous meeting with our cousin, Trip, whose blog you should check out. (The link is on the side of mine.)

Perhaps risky to say, but I will do my best to post frequently...given there are post-worthy happenings in the weeks to come!

Really?

At the risk of giving away the plot of this entry, please allow me to begin by sharing that I can't recall ever locking my keys in my car, locking myself out of the house, or any other similar mishap. With that being said...

After a morning of unpacking from camp and starting laundry in order to pack for my trip to South America, I took a break to play with my cat, Macy. (And no, I am not at all ashamed to admit that.) I noticed a bleeding cut on her neck, and after doing some investigation (ie: calling the vet), I learned that she recently had blood drawn, and they recommended that I take her to a nearby clinic. (The vet we use is in Covington as it was formerly my grandfather's practice.) So I made Macy an appointment and went out to the garage to get her carrier- or her "condominium," as Dad calls it. Let me interject here that Mom and Dad are currently in Honduras, hence me riding solo in all of this.

Right as I shut the door behind me on the way out to the detached garage, I quietly said, "Oh no!" realizing that I had just locked myself out of the house, unable to find the hide-a-key, my phone inside, and no neighbors anywhere in sight.

Praise the good Lord for Dad's office over the garage! I grabbed the phone and used the redial to call the cat clinic and reschedule Macy's appointment. "Good thing there's a computer up here," I thought. "At least I can find and call a locksmith."But in a stroke of irony and horribly bad luck, the internet was down! Luckily, I know peoples' phone numbers by heart; and after semi-frantic calls to my best friend, Uncle Jack, and leaving a message for my brother, I resorted to calling the locksmith by way of 411...as if I had magically been transported to the year 2002!

The best part is that the hide-a-key was outside the entire time, but in my panic, I just couldn't find the damn thing! But through it all, I did keep my cool pretty well, all things considered. So now I'm out $180 and with an unexpectedly disorderly afternoon behind me, but at least I got a blog entry out of it. And the cat is asleep in my lap as I type this.

And can I just add that I thought it was weird that the locksmith company asked if I wanted to know the "pricing" before sending the guy! In such a situation who wouldn't be willing to pay anything to get back inside to rescue their cat? Maybe people who hate cats, I guess.

More on the situation at hand...

Over the past two decades around 3.5 million people- roughly 80% of Colombia's population- have been driven from their homes, often at gunpoint, as part of the country's conflict involving its military, leftist rebels, armed gangs, and drug traffickers.

Across the country, hundreds of thousands of people displaced by paramilitaries and guerilla groups face great afflictions and danger in their quest to recover their land. some made forced sales after being told "either you sell to me or your widow will." Others abandoned their plots. Two thirds of the 3.3 million Colombians officially registered as internally displaced claim to have lost land upon fleeing.

Extremely unequal land ownership is both a cause and a consequence of the political conflicts that have plagued Colombia for decades. In 1954 fewer than 24,00 people (approx. 3% of landowners) held 55% of all farmland; by 2005, 16,350 landowners (0.4% of the total) held 62.6% of the land, whereas about 3.3million smallholders owned just 8.8%, according to official figures. Drug traffickers and paramilitaries (often the same people) snatched huge tracts of rural land in the 1980s and 1990s to launder their profits in what amounted to a violent and illegal agrarian "counter-reform."

In short, threats directed at civilians by the illegal armed groups have become the single greatest cause of internal displacement in Colombia. The violence is characterized by attacks and threats by armed groups against the civilian population. Shameful as it is, this humanitarian crisis is widely unheard of and ignored.

Colombia History (very abridged)

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830, along with Ecuador and Venezuela. A forty year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups- both heavily funded by the drug trade- escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and the violence has been decreasing since about 2002; however, insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerilla influence. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006, and the Unted Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in criminal activities. The Colombian government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments.

The Beginning of the Background...

Over the next few days I will do my best to post information, quotes, and statistics regarding the situation in Colombia. All of the information I post comes from my Accompanier Handbook, but I will cite sources as specifically as I can. So here goes...

"Colombia is a rich country, where many people die of hunger.
It is caught up in a craze for land- for land on which to grow coca for the cocaine trade to cut down the mahogany forests, to develop oil fields.
It has laws but little law enforcement, so it lives by the rule of the gun.
It has four armies, which are fighting over the land.
Civilians are caught in the middle, and many are being killed.
It has about 4 million displaced persons, living in wretched camps.
And- if Colombians try to help- the government may declare that they are the enemy and put them on a death list."

The program in which I am participating falls under the category of "International Protective Accompaniment." The foremost practitioners of IPA have been small teams of international observers from Peace Brigades International, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Witness for Peace, and other related groups.

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship's Accompaniment Program, with whom I am serving, seeks to provide an environment/outlet through which churches and Christ-followers can learn how to be faithful to God in a violent context. "Although our governmental leaders attempt to resolve conflict and guarantee security through heavy investment in the military, sacrificing liberty and human rights, we hold to God's dream of a world that can live in peace."

Quick Little Update

Things are going well here at Camp Juliette Low. I'm the Unit Leader for the youngest group of girls, and they are a handful to say the least. I've also got two periods of archery that I'm lead-teaching, so that's excellent!

Just a quick update on my travel plans for post-camp:
June 27-29: Quito, Ecuador
June 29-August 1: Colombia
August 1-4: Quito
August 4-13: Argentina (Buenos Aires and Cordoba)
August 13-15: Quito

I am so very excited about traveling, especially my time in Colombia; however, I must admit that my excitement (coupled with the list of things to do and buy before I leave) is making it a bit difficult for me to concentrate on being here at camp. So often I find myself focusing on what is next rather than focusing on where the Lord has me at the moment. This is certainly something I would like to improve upon. 

"Signature" Conference at Montreat

I returned yesterday with Mom and our friend, Betty, from a conference at Montreat. Donald Miller was the keynote speaker, and he did a wonderful job. He is a talented speaker as well as writer. I'm sorry to say that the rest of the conference was not up to snuff. Montreat is a beautiful place, but energy and enthusiasm were lacking; also, I was only one of about four attendees under the age of 50. Donald Miller, I believe, is a voice that my generation gravitates towards (along with Rob Bell and Shane Claiborne among others), and Montreat really missed an opportunity to draw a younger crowd upon which they could capitalize; for if they do not draw in people my age, Montreat will likely cease to exist in the future.

Despite this, D.M. had so many great things to share. The following are two quotes from his talk: "Pain without a narrative context is hell." "In order to have an exceptional life, you have to have an extreme amount of pain." He talked, among other things, about the idea that God has a "specific plan" for each of us. Miller contends that this is just not a solidly Biblical idea/belief. He says that God has a general plan for each of us and that within that context we can make choices. I just loved hearing that! I am so excited to read his latest book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - I am now the proud owner of an autographed copy!

My Big Brother's Wedding

Our family enjoyed a wonderful celebration for Vance and Lisa's wedding. Besides the crazy wind, it went down without a hitch, and for that we are so grateful. V&L are currently on their honeymoon in St. Martins; no doubt they're having a great time. Here are some photos from the ceremony at Santa Rosa Beach, FL...

Here goes nothin'...

Upon this, my first blog entry, I feel compelled to share that I have always been hesitant to start an online log of my thoughts and writings. I harbor no illusion that that many people are so very interested in me that it merits a blog; however, I feel that a blog is an easier way to let people know what's up as I travel and engage in other awesome activities. Long gone are the days of me copying and pasting every email address in my address book onto an email, as I did during my time in Argentina. So here goes!


So for a quick preview of what's to come: I am currently in Santa Rosa Beach, FL for my big brother's wedding. Next up is a conference at Montreat featuring the one and only Donald Miller; three weeks at Camp Juliette Low; then the pièce de résistance- one month in Colombia, serving with Presbyterian Peace Fellowship's Colombia Accompaniment Program. 


Hopefully you will not find yourself asleep and drooling on your keyboard upon reading what I post here.