Sun stress

Right before midnight.

Sun stress. It is not something you get because there is too much sun. No, you get it because you have so little sun in your life that when it comes out, you get fantastically stressed. This is happening to me at this very moment. We have had sunny and warm weather here in the country up by the North Pole for a week. If you have a hard time defining beauty, then come here and watch. Sun setting at 10.30 and the kind of sun heat that is actually pleasant.

But, the problem is that there are:

1. Things one has to do inside while the sun is out outside. Like work. Like the dishes. Like laundry and sorting the bills. This is really frustrating.

2. There are so many things to do outside that we are not able to do the rest of the year, so we (I) feel slightly like an ADHD’er on speed. Gardening, BBQs, going for walks, riding the bike, going for runs, spending time by the ocean, reading outside, painting the fence, hanging the laundry outside, picking wild herbs (Yes, I do that and they are tasty!), getting a tan, picking rocks (from the lawn. Does not qualify as gardening), getting a tan, eating ice cream and going for picnics.

Right now I have brought my office outside. It kind of works, but not really.

I love the sun in Norway. It is always welcome here. Any day. As long as I don’t have to do something really important.

Need to define beauty? Come to Norway in the summer!

 

2012
05/24
CATEGORY
Issues
People
Umbrella (catchall)
TAGS







1 comment

Understanding poverty and dealing with losses

Tsam Hurng and his mummy

I have been working on translating my speech from May 17th, our Constitution day. But things take time.

I have been rejoicing in news from Burma, hearing of more openness and less violence.

I have also been concerned that the world seem to think that just because a government makes some changes, all is well in a country. This is not so!

Today I got an email with a link to the blog of one of our volunteers, Kara. She has been living and working with some of our projects in Shan State for some months. I would like you to read her blog to get a better understanding of the issues that are facing Burma, and the challenges our staff is faced with daily.

Kara’s blog.

After reading Kara’s blog, feel free to get angry and ask yourself what you can do.

2012
05/23
CATEGORY
Burma
People
Partners
Faith
TAGS








Write comment

An unimpressive Christian

I am not brave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some days I say to God: Why even bother? Leave me alone! I am not worth your energy.

After all these years of following him and claiming I am a believer, I find that, probably, I am the worst Christian in the world. I don’t kill and I don’t sleep around, but I get angry and I gossip.

I don’t exactly lie, but I avoid the truth, or change it—ever so slightly.

I am not very kind or generous, especially when I have not slept enough, or when it is a particularly tight month financially. (I am also not generous with certain items, such as my chocolate or my favorite pens.)

As I have mentioned in this blog before: I am not very courageous.

I think about reading my Bible, but oftentimes I find magazines, newspapers and my books more interesting.

I think about praying, but my mind wanders when I pray for longer than 30 seconds.

I have totally given up on fasting.

I prefer sleeping in and going for walks on Sunday mornings.

I get bored during worship, especially if they sing more than three songs, and the choirs more than once in the end.

I can’t quote hardly any Bible verses, and I have a hard time finding some of the books in the Bible.

So there, now I have said it! It’s not a secret to God that I am such a loser. He knows already. But in case you thought I had it together, now you know I don’t.

And, the thing I remind myself is that His love does not depend on my Bible memorization skills nor on my church attendance. Just like I love my kids just the same whether they read Shakespeare or not, whether they get all A’s or not, whether they take out the trash when I ask them, or not, so God’s love for me is the same—always.

That is a good thing. And I will try to get better. Promise.

2012
05/16
CATEGORY
Faith
Family
People
Reflections
TAGS










9 comments

On ordaining men and drawing circles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I while ago some of the men at our office got an email from me with a link that had an article about why men should not be ordained. It was absolutely hilarious and I felt so great popping this little thought-provoker into their mail boxes. After all the years of discrimination. Not from these men—who happen to be my good friends, but from the establishment. (Here you can feel free to decide for yourself what you consider the establishment to be. I know what it is for me. And I won’t go into detail.)

The article said great things like: The pastoral duty of the man may distract him from the responsibilities of being a parent, some men are handsome and this will distract women worshippers, the man’s place is in the army and such.

Then we got on to discussing other themes, such as the value of all kinds of human beings, whether they are muslims, gays, Republicans, vegetarians or anything else.

I think it is sad how Christians have gained the reputation of being the ones who are unaccepting and judgmental, when it is so far from what we should actually communicate. Love, forgiveness and acceptance should be our trademark. Not condemnation.

So Rob, our good friend, ended the conversation with these great words of wisdom:

“He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic , rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In !”

Markham

I reflect often on how we miss the message of Jesus and are so busy deciding ‘in’ and ‘out’ we fail to recognise not only movement towards but what a great joy ‘acceptance’ actually brings. 

Thanks Rob, for setting such a good example for us. For me.

 

2012
05/14
CATEGORY
Faith
Issues
Partners
TAGS








Write comment

Mothers carry the world

As we celebrate Mother’s Day in many parts of the world today, our thoughts and prayers turn to the thousands of moms who have been displaced from their homes in Burma, struggling to care for their babes every day in IDP and refugee camps. We honor these moms and say a special prayer for each one! To help their plight, give at Partners website

 

2012
05/13
CATEGORY
Burma
Partners
TAGS










Write comment

Thoughts around scones

Today I got up, made some scones for my family (I had forgotten to buy bread yesterday, and in this country one does not eat breakfast if one has no bread.)

So I made if from flour I had in my shelves, some dark and some white. I put it in my oven when the temperature was right and waited for the timer to go off. We ate them fresh and warm with butter, cheese and marmalade.

There is still more food in my fridge.

I am planning on eating lunch, dinner and probably a snack too.

There is even food in my freezer if I need some more.

And it is likely I will go to the store today because we are out of yogurt and green apples.

Now I am by my desk doing my work (which can be compared to racket ball. My job is the ball, bouncing all over the place, and to many it looks like it is bouncing randomly too. But there is a plan and there is a strategy. Only thing is I may be the only one who knows what it it. Well, enough of that.)

So here at my desk I read about children in Burma being malnourished and sick. I read about charities who have dropped their support to the ethnic areas of Burma, because, presumably, there is peace now. The thing is that just because peace agreements have been signed, it does not mean that people all of a sudden have food. Also, even if  nobody is shooting you in your village, there are still no schools. It may be that the soldiers in the area will not rape the young girls (truth is, though, that in many places they still are), but there are still no medical facilities.

Kachin State. Photo by Leah, Partners Relief & Development

And then, don’t forget: In many places the same violence is still going on. The thing is that it is so far away that the news media and the investment-hungry companies don’t see it. In Kachin State, for example.

So, today, while drinking my coffee and enjoying my life in freedom and abundance, I want to send a note of thanks to my friends at Partners Relief & Development who still work as hard as ever to give food, medicine, education, love, hope and dignity to the people of Burma. And I was wondering: Perhaps you would want to join us? If you still have some food in your fridge you are richer than the kids I read about today. So why not share? Watch this movie and then make up your mind!

Have a happy weekend. :-)

2012
05/11
CATEGORY
Burma
Faith
Partners
People
Reflections
TAGS











Write comment

How do you rate your happiness?

Happiness in a refugee camp in Kachin State, Burma. Photo by Leah.

Some weeks ago, while I was in Rangoon, Burma, I had dinner with two people from Kachin State. While feasting on yummy Kachin food, the lady, Grace, talked about her dreams and fears for the future. 

She has grown up in one of the world’s poorest, and most oppressed nations. She is from an ethnic minority that has been discriminated greatly. Now we were talking about the changes coming to the nation and how that will affect the normal people on the grass roots. 

Grace was worried about the greed she saw—in her own people, and in the thousands who are waiting to start investing in the international community.

“You know, I am not so sure that we want to increase our Gross National Product (GNP),” she said. “Are we so sure we will be happier if we are richer?” 

She continued: “I would like it like it is in Bhutan. They don’t have GNP there. They have GNH? Do you know what that stands for? Gross National Happiness.” (I have no idea if this is true or not. I have not bothered to check because I like the idea so much that I will be disappointed if it is not true.)

“And isn’t it so much better to measure people’s happiness instead of how much money they have? Wealth is not always what makes people happy.”

Said she. Who has been poor her whole life, and who now was looking at the prospect of more wealth. She had understood something very valuable. I hope her country listens to her. And that the rest of the world will too.

2012
05/10
CATEGORY
Burma
Partners
Relationships
TAGS









1 comment

When the sarong of perfection falls off

Kristin and I taking a bath in Burma.

Some of  you may have read my latest book, Picking Flowers on Dusty Roads, already. But if you haven’t, I thought I may give you a taste, just to tempt your appetite for more. Here are a few paragraphs from page 103:

“Obviously, we are from different worlds: the Western world with all its trinkets, and the jungle world with all its jungle gadgets. It’s only natural that we behave like clumsy amateurs in a world that is not our own. I can keep wishing that they could see me in my element, with my hair a different style than the mop-look I have been forced to adopt during these weeks. But I can also decide to give up my pride and let go.

I have no problem being totally honest and sincere while I’m just uttering my silent prayers to the only One whom I believe knows me just the way I am while here. Often it goes like this: ‘Help me, help me, help me.’ ‘Please, please.’ ‘Say something, will you?’ My prayers aren’t any more eloquent or impressive than the clumsy climbing moves I’ve had to make as I crawled up steep hills to get here. But they’re all I have. I can’t make them any better. If I did, I’d be a liar. Maybe I have come here to learn not to be too impressed by myself, but instead to see that I am weak and dependent. In the convenience of my own world, I often don’t see this, because I can do so much, and the rest I can fake. It’s a humbling feeling, but also freeing. In a way it is like the sarong has fallen off and here I am in my imperfection. You can take it or leave it, but this really is who I am.”

If you want to read more, then that is possible. You will just have to buy the book! You can get it at Partners or at Amazon.

2012
05/09
CATEGORY
Reflections
Burma
Partners
Faith
TAGS











2 comments

When the love of Jesus gets hands and feet

I heard this story last week and I want to share it with you. It’s about an old man named Nok and some of our staff at Partners. It’s about being Jesus for one person. It’s about showing one person that he is loved. It’s about giving somebody their dignity back. It’s about some people I consider the biggest heroes of all!

Here is the story in words and pictures:

This is Nok’s house. He is a Shan man from Burma. A migrant worker.

Four years ago, Nok was working. He fell down from a roof, had a stroke and was never able to walk after that.

He has been on the floor of his hut for four years.

Our staff at Partners heard about this and decided to go and help him. They decided they wanted to do what Jesus would have done for this man. So they went to the market and bought the things they thought he would need. Then they drove all the way to Nok’s village.

This is Nok. He had not had a bath for four years. He had not changed his clothes nor cut his hair. He used a bottle to pee in, and whenever he was out of food he would yell until some neighbors came and threw him something to eat. The water he had been drinking was filthy. He laid on several mats that were soiled and stinky. The smell in his hut was so bad that even with masks on it was hard for our staff to breathe.

I-man, Emily, Sarah,Claire and Insorn gave him a bath.

They cut his hair.

They cut his nails.

They gave him a medical checkup 

They gave him new and clean clothes.

They fed him. They made sure he will get clean water delivered every day.

Then they talked to the village headman who said that the neighbors had watched our staff care for this man, and said that since they (our staff) could help him this way, they should do it too. They came up with a plan for how to take turns caring for him. They ordered a new, but simple house to be built for him.

While caring for Nok, our staff saw tears in his eyes. After four lonely years somebody actually cared enough to show him that he was still a person with great worth, and that he was loved.

May this wonderful example of love showed in a very practical way be a challenge for all of us today. Please share this story. It is worth sharing.

 

 

2012
05/08
CATEGORY
Burma
Faith
Partners
People
TAGS










10 comments

Peace and Justice


I have a hero. Her name is Marci. She is very pregnant, has a little girl who is a toddler and a Karen husband. She and her small family live on very little, and their life mission is to help and serve the people of Burma. Here are some thoughts I received from her recently.

What will the life of this little baby and young girl be? Photo by Steve.

While on the latest trip in amongst the internally displaced people, everyone was talking about the peace negotiations. Some seemed hopeful, many seemed apparently indifferent–despondent that things could ever change. A few people were actually fearful.

Fearful of peace? And yet as we talked, their view of the future came into view. “What if our leaders sign that agreement, take steps in good faith and then are sold out? What if all the basic human rights that we’ve been trying to defend for 63 years are taken by force? What if we let down our guard, and they sweep into our villages, take over leadership and take away our dignity?” These are the real concerns of every day villagers. They live a harsh existence, carrying in their daily water on their backs. Their firewood on their backs. Their children on their backs over steep mountain trails. These steep mountains that they slash and burn farm, and who’s yield is never enough to fill their bellies. And yet they still smile, they still celebrate Christmas and New Years with abandon. They are happy because they are free.

Don’t get me wrong, every person you ask knows someone who was killed by the Burma Army. Every single person has a relative shot or stabbed–if not themselves directly. But they have a happiness that comes out of living life in community, helping each other and living with justice.

“The Karen are truthful, but the Burman heart is crooked”. I’ve heard that Karen saying so many times. It’s maybe a bit ethnocentric and a generalization–but there’s some truth in the comparison of cultures. The Burmese government has created a culture where the ruthless and crooked succeed while and the truthful are imprisoned. Will “peace” bring a better life, or other forms of oppression?

Warming by the fire and listening to the BBC shortwave radio, we heard that over 600 prisoners were released. This included some friends of my host that night who’d been arrested for carrying medicine. Many positive steps are happening in Burma. But at the same time, the military is trucking in ammunition and supplies, and beefing up troop presence in their outposts. They continue to shell, shoot and terrorize in Kachin State and other areas.

Will she experience a free, full life? Photo by Steve.

We prayed together with villagers during the peace talks, and the preliminary steps are cautiously encouraging. But what we truly want–what we cannot forget–is justice. Peace can come in a totalitarian regime. What we want is more than peace alone. Peace with justice means that the Karen can stay on their grandfather’s land, that they can get access to healthcare and education. That they can have passports, freedom of religion and freedom to speak out. That they have fair representation in court and prosecution for human rights abuses.

Please stand with us in prayer, stand with the villagers in Burma who are just barely daring to hope. We want to see John 10:10 kind of life in Burma. Life abundant.

2012
05/02
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
2 comments
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 81 other followers