“AWARENESS, SERVICE AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE - HOW THE YOUTH OF TODAY CAN IMPACT THE WORLD OF TOMORROW”

In other thoughts....Yesterday I had the chance to share at East High School in Pueblo, CO.  It is one of the large public schools in our home town.  The head of the International Baccalaureate program asked me to come in and tell the students about our “international lifestyle” and work.  I put together a presentation titled “AWARENESS, SERVICE AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE - HOW THE YOUTH OF TODAY CAN IMPACT THE WORLD OF TOMORROW”.  It was cool as they escorted me to the auditorium and I connected the projector preparing for the 250 students that would soon be coming.  I spent the next 1 1/2 hours talking about what God is doing through our ministry, encouraging them to think globally and look beyond their lives.  The interest from the kids was amazing, we had to stop the questions as we ran out of time but some were not satisfied and approached me during their lunch period to ask more questions and inquire how they too could get involved.  

After I finished there I went to speak to the IB economics class about international business and things that go along with doing business in Uganda.  The discussion rapidly turned into a time of asking more questions about life.  I went out on a limb and began to challenge them to live with purpose and not let their lives pass without making an impact whether globally or locally.  When asked about why we chose Uganda, I spoke to them about God’s calling and how He had called us to Uganda.  Followed with the idea that you might be called to Asia, China or even locally.  But I believed it was God who had a plan for each one of us.  I concluded this 1 1/2 hour session by talking about world view and how we all are programed by our environment, TV, teachers, parents and experiences.  But that we needed to allow our eyes to be opened to the big picture. 

I truly enjoyed the opportunity and thank God that He is opening doors for me this furlough that I never imagined.  
--Geoff

The quenching of our boys masculinity...

I recently read an article in the local newspaper that left me shocked and discouraged.  I can’t help sharing my frustration, not that you too would be frustrated, but that we would pray and actively do something to ensure our society is not completely de-masculated.  The story was like this...A second grade boy was suspended from school for violating one of its “absolutes,” these are school rules that in essence are zero tolerance.  Good job for having boundaries that are non-negotiable, but misguided intentions can have intense ramifications.  The school rule outlaws weapons and fighting both “real and play”.  Now in todays society the need to not allow children to have weapons in school is understandable, but follow the rest of the story.  The boy was at recess playing like boys do and he was busy playing out his imagination and used his imaginary grenade to blow up something evil in an imaginary box.  WOW!  Can you imagine, a boy whom God intended to be a defender, protector, warrior for righteousness being persecuted for living out his God given nature?  And in reality being punished for using his imagination.  What is the message that is being sent to our youth today?  When you battle evil you are wrong!  The mother says the boy is confused and she is not sure how to enforce the school rules.  AMEN!  Don’t enforce those rules, but teach your son to live out his God given calling!  We are teaching our children to tolerate or even accept evil as normal.  That despite what evil you see don’t do anything about it because we all have our “rights” and we need to be tolerant.  Where are we headed as a culture when our children are being punished for standing up against evil?  Our grandparents that gave their lives to fight against evils such as Hitler, Stalin and worked to ensure our personal freedoms are rolling over in their graves!  Let us not sit back and tolerate this injustice but let’s stop the madness!
--Geoff