Finding a Good Read, Finding a Home

Last month, i gave a book review of "SWITCH: How to Change Things When Change is Hard" by Chip and Dan Heath.   These two academic brothers have written a few books now that I have been enjoying, and they have just released a FREE e-book that is a collection of essays that had been written for Fast Company magazine.  The book is called, "The Myth of the Garage" (the title of the first, and a new essay, in the book).  Click the link of the book title to find out how you can download this for your Nook, Kindle, iPad/iPod, or just get the pdf version.  I find their stuff is great for dialogue about leadership and productivity.

The Heath brothers also write regular posts on their website, HeathBrothers.com, relating to some of the topics from previous books.  While i was there recently, i came across this video and campaign that they highlight as an example of communicating with Sticky ideas.

The campaign is for 100,000 Homes; here's the video...



Those of you who know us and our ministry, know that we have been involved in working with the homeless and keeping people in homes in our US ministry.  This 100,000 Homes campaign is working collaboratively with interested people and organizations in countries across the US to not only provide homes but also keep people in their new homes.  I've only done a little research on this group, but I would encourage all of our friends and supporters in the states to check it out more completely.  The website mentions groups forming in the Tampa, FL area, as well as Santa Cruz, CA.  Wouldn't it be great, and appropriate to our mission, if the Church could help their communities build greater community and care?

Let us know if you or your church gets involved--we'd love to hear how this works and what difference it makes in your community and your lives.

(Homelessness is actually a serious problem here in Egypt, as well, and is at the heart of many Presidential and political campaign platforms.  Many are calling upon socialistic ideals, and sound like hollow campaign promises as a result, to provide homes for every citizen of Egypt.  From the outside looking in with "fresh" eyes, there are a multitude of building and cultural issues at the heart of this problem, and simply providing a home may not help answer the problems that are creating the need.  Pray for us as we learn more and seek to find how people and groups are attempting to help in these needs.)

Published Article and Pic

The North American Church of God publishes a bimonthly journal called "Communion" to highlight news and notes of the international ministries in progress for the Kingdom.  The latest issue includes an article about our brief time in Cairo to date.  You can read the article by going online to this COMMUNION Link and then scroll to the article "Along the Road."

As always, your comments, thoughts and questions are welcome...

More Violence in Cairo

Photo by Abdel Hamid as posted on the Egypt Independent newspaper website.

As you may have seen on television reports, there has been a reported outbreak of violence in Egypt.  The scene was not the familiar Tahrir Square in the heart of the city, but just a bit northeast in the large, busy midan (roundabout/square) area near the Abbasseya mosque.  Why there?  That's where the Ministry of Defense and an Arabic university are located; the train Egyptian Railways train station is also near there.

Initially, there was a sit-in as a part of ongoing protests since the ouster of Presidential hopeful Abu Ismail by the Presidential Election Commission.  Other groups were going to join them in solidarity this weekend to protest for various other complaints, including the ongoing rule of the military council, the "corruption" of the presidential election system, and the military encouraging the writing of a constitution before the election of President.  This latter complaint is older; the ruling military council now says they will hand over the government (likely with joy) to whoever is elected President with or without a new constitution in place--yet, there is still a lot of ongoing protest on what many perceive to be a power-hungry military ruling council.

The protestors were attacked by men in plain clothes, first with rocks and brutal "thuggery"; however, in the course of the chaos, bird shot and small arm fire were reported.  The result were 11 dead and many more injured.

The protestors claim that these were either military or police in plain clothes attempting to scare off the protestors and put an end to the demonstrations.  But, as we have seen in the past year, such violence only leads to larger number of protests and greater resolve in the marches and or sit-ins.  Such violence has also created the recipe for greater violence as newer protestors bring in their own guns or sticks, rocks, or with whatever they feel they can best protect themselves.

This recipe for ongoing disaster has continued to play out for months on end now.  Surely the police and military have seen this time and time again--why would they think that such a tactic would provide different results?  Such events may be why the Egypt Independent's informal poll of readers has about 2/3 believing that a newly elected President will not be able to bring peace or stability to the country.

We, once again, are safe and sound--no signs or worries of violence or chaos around us.  We received the State Department report warning us yet again that such events are taking place, to avoid areas where crowds may want to gather, and what to do in case caught in a riotous situation.  We awoke this morning and prayed according to Psalm 147:14, "He brings peace within your borders".

As you continue to pray for us, pray for the Egyptian believers whose hearts are torn for their country and their hopes hold out for a brighter day.