It occurs to me (actually, I've thought about it a lot) that I don't really talk about work on here. I mean, I talk about what I do and how busy or slow things are, but I don't talk about what OMS does. So today, I'm going to tell you about our latest project called Resounding Hope.
Chances are, if you're in any way familiar with One Mission Society or knew it as OMS International, you know that we work in Haiti. It's mentioned in a lot of our literature, we send a lot of work teams there, we have a school, we support a seminary, and we have a ton of missionaries there. I don't even know how many because I thought I knew them all and then I got a request for a new prayer card from someone who's been in Haiti I think longer than I've been alive. So I can't be confident in my knowledge.
One of the most important ministries in Haiti, however, is Radio 4VEH. Called "The Evangelistic Voice of Haiti," Radio 4VEH started broadcasting in 1950, and OMS assumed responsibility in 1958. In a country where up to 80 percent of the population is functionally illiterate, radio often provides the only news and information people get.
Resounding Hope has a goal of providing 160,000 solar radios with a potential of reaching one million Haitians. Why solar? Because electricity in Haiti is sketchy at best, and a solar radio makes sense in a Caribbean country. The radio is fix-tuned to Radio 4VEH, meaning 24/7 programming - everything from farming tips and weather reports to news programs and Bible lessons. The radio also comes with a built-in MP3 of the New Testament in Creole.
I think the best thing about these radios, though, is that each one is personally presented to a Haitian family as part of a door-to-door evangelistic campaign. I've heard more than a dozen stories from individuals who have been on these distribution campaigns, and they say the joy on the people's faces is indescribable.
I would encourage you to check out more information about Resounding Hope on their website or check out the Radio 4VEH Facebook page. This is a great fundraising project for your church or kid's group, too.
As always, if you need materials or want to talk more in-depth about anything related to OMS, please feel free to call me or email. I would love to tell you more!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
This is not a creative title (See what I did there?)
Well, if we're going to judge this entire year based on just the first week, I am going to have serious problems.
Before we get into the depressing stuff, though, I have photos!
Some of you might quibble over the fact that I definitely didn't take pictures on a few days (for very good reasons), but I've decided that as long as I get 366 awesome photos taken in 2012, it doesn't matter the day. But I am still carrying around my camera every day, so we'll call it fair.
THREE
I like the sky. I like it during the day, I like it at night - I just like looking at it and imagining more. Sometimes it's a lot like I imagine Heaven to be. Sometimes it's more like Hell. But it's always changing, always new. Plus, I imagine guys like Jim Lovell looked up at a sky like this when they were kids and said, "I'm going to be up there one day."
FOUR
This one needs a little explanation. Lori has a plant in her office that keeps trying to escape, so we named it Audrey (from Little Shop of Horrors), and it's a lot of fun to play with.
(I feel the need to clarify that what I deem awesome and what others deem awesome may, in fact, be two different things.)
FIVE
Case in point. This is a tribal mask from Sierra Leone that somehow ended up in our office. It's kind of our unofficial mascot now. Sure, it's a little creepy. But that's half the fun!
SIX
Sarah was so gracious to model these fantastic earrings from Asia. (They're not earrings. Not even close.)
SEVEN
Like I said, I love the sky. I caught this one night leaving work.
EIGHT
Okay, this is blatant cheating. I know that. You know that. We're all agreed. So let's move on. I just couldn't decide which one I liked better!
We'll stop there for now. So back to my woeful beginning.
The office was crazy last week. It's carried over today somewhat, but slowed down enough for me to write this post. You know all those things you can't be bothered to start before Christmas? You tell yourself there will be plenty of time after the New Year. Except suddenly, everyone remembers that they needed those things last year and you're left scrambling.
Yeah. That was last week.
So you can imagine how grateful I was to get to Friday night and attend the Craft Night we've started having at OMS. It's a fun time of food and fellowship and crafting, and it's pretty relaxing. I even made dinner this time. (It's okay to be shocked by that. I'm well aware of my shortcomings in the kitchen.)
We had a great time.
There were lots of people, and everyone liked my food, and people were learning new crafts or finishing up projects. It was great!
So imagine my surprise when I awoke suddenly early Saturday morning and proceeded to lose (violently) everything I had eaten so far this year. (Sorry.)
Yeah, I got sick, and not my usual brand, either. It was pretty bad. I'm pretty pathetic when I'm sick, too, so it was a whole weekend of me feeling sorry for myself but hurting too much to do more than sob miserably and occasionally text people to let them know I was still alive.
It also meant missing two extremely important things on Saturday - things that involved actually getting out of my apartment and seeing people, something I did far too little of in 2011 and something I promised to change in 2012.
Right.
Plus, I did way too much yesterday because I was feeling marginally better and needed to clean my apartment, so this morning, I feel pretty far from awesome still.
All of which was topped off by tripping and falling this morning for the third time this year. I don't know how my wrist is still unbroken. (Not sure it is, actually, but I don't hold with Doctors, you know.)
"Wait a minute, Jessica," you say. "How are you writing this with a bum wrist?"
Very. Very. Carefully.
So yeah. That's 2012 for me thus far. Nine days in, and I'm already ready for the next one. I don't even want to think about my birthday. (One week from today!)
At this rate, who knows if I'll still be breathing by then....
(You know where all this is coming from, right? Good. Me, too. Makes me really curious why he's so concerned about throwing me off my game this early in the year. Had I a lesser Being in my corner, I might be concerned. Pfftt...)
Before we get into the depressing stuff, though, I have photos!
Some of you might quibble over the fact that I definitely didn't take pictures on a few days (for very good reasons), but I've decided that as long as I get 366 awesome photos taken in 2012, it doesn't matter the day. But I am still carrying around my camera every day, so we'll call it fair.
THREE
I like the sky. I like it during the day, I like it at night - I just like looking at it and imagining more. Sometimes it's a lot like I imagine Heaven to be. Sometimes it's more like Hell. But it's always changing, always new. Plus, I imagine guys like Jim Lovell looked up at a sky like this when they were kids and said, "I'm going to be up there one day."
FOUR
This one needs a little explanation. Lori has a plant in her office that keeps trying to escape, so we named it Audrey (from Little Shop of Horrors), and it's a lot of fun to play with.
(I feel the need to clarify that what I deem awesome and what others deem awesome may, in fact, be two different things.)
FIVE
Case in point. This is a tribal mask from Sierra Leone that somehow ended up in our office. It's kind of our unofficial mascot now. Sure, it's a little creepy. But that's half the fun!
SIX
Sarah was so gracious to model these fantastic earrings from Asia. (They're not earrings. Not even close.)
SEVEN
Like I said, I love the sky. I caught this one night leaving work.
EIGHT
Okay, this is blatant cheating. I know that. You know that. We're all agreed. So let's move on. I just couldn't decide which one I liked better!
We'll stop there for now. So back to my woeful beginning.
The office was crazy last week. It's carried over today somewhat, but slowed down enough for me to write this post. You know all those things you can't be bothered to start before Christmas? You tell yourself there will be plenty of time after the New Year. Except suddenly, everyone remembers that they needed those things last year and you're left scrambling.
Yeah. That was last week.
So you can imagine how grateful I was to get to Friday night and attend the Craft Night we've started having at OMS. It's a fun time of food and fellowship and crafting, and it's pretty relaxing. I even made dinner this time. (It's okay to be shocked by that. I'm well aware of my shortcomings in the kitchen.)
We had a great time.
There were lots of people, and everyone liked my food, and people were learning new crafts or finishing up projects. It was great!
So imagine my surprise when I awoke suddenly early Saturday morning and proceeded to lose (violently) everything I had eaten so far this year. (Sorry.)
Yeah, I got sick, and not my usual brand, either. It was pretty bad. I'm pretty pathetic when I'm sick, too, so it was a whole weekend of me feeling sorry for myself but hurting too much to do more than sob miserably and occasionally text people to let them know I was still alive.
It also meant missing two extremely important things on Saturday - things that involved actually getting out of my apartment and seeing people, something I did far too little of in 2011 and something I promised to change in 2012.
Right.
Plus, I did way too much yesterday because I was feeling marginally better and needed to clean my apartment, so this morning, I feel pretty far from awesome still.
All of which was topped off by tripping and falling this morning for the third time this year. I don't know how my wrist is still unbroken. (Not sure it is, actually, but I don't hold with Doctors, you know.)
"Wait a minute, Jessica," you say. "How are you writing this with a bum wrist?"
Very. Very. Carefully.
So yeah. That's 2012 for me thus far. Nine days in, and I'm already ready for the next one. I don't even want to think about my birthday. (One week from today!)
At this rate, who knows if I'll still be breathing by then....
(You know where all this is coming from, right? Good. Me, too. Makes me really curious why he's so concerned about throwing me off my game this early in the year. Had I a lesser Being in my corner, I might be concerned. Pfftt...)
Monday, January 2, 2012
And So It Begins...
I have a weird computer. This is what popped up at me the first time I tried to open blogger:
Weird, right?
Anyway, the NEW YEAR IS HERE!!! Very strange. I wonder how long it will take me to start writing 2012 instead of 2011...
Christmas was lovely. It was a peculiar feeling to actually have Christmas on a Sunday this year. Kinda threw me off, though I'm not sure why. I'll have to post some pics from Christmas later. But first -
BAM!
You thought I forgot about my photo project, didn't you? Wrong! I took this on January 1 at my sister's house in Michigan. It took me 12 tries to get the setting right. I think it captures some of the New Year festivities.
This is the photo for January 2. Can you guess what it is?
I haven't made any resolutions this year other than to not drive anywhere until Spring. I drove back to Greenwood today in less than stellar conditions, and that was after I slipped and fell this morning. My knee and ankle have been steadily swelling. Ugh... But I won't let it get me down! This year may not have had the greatest start, but I refuse to let that set the tone for the next 364 days. (It's a Leap Year.)
You'll be seeing some changes around here. If you have any suggestions for new features or topics of discussion, please let me know.
Happy New Year!
Weird, right?
Anyway, the NEW YEAR IS HERE!!! Very strange. I wonder how long it will take me to start writing 2012 instead of 2011...
Christmas was lovely. It was a peculiar feeling to actually have Christmas on a Sunday this year. Kinda threw me off, though I'm not sure why. I'll have to post some pics from Christmas later. But first -
BAM!
You thought I forgot about my photo project, didn't you? Wrong! I took this on January 1 at my sister's house in Michigan. It took me 12 tries to get the setting right. I think it captures some of the New Year festivities.
This is the photo for January 2. Can you guess what it is?
I haven't made any resolutions this year other than to not drive anywhere until Spring. I drove back to Greenwood today in less than stellar conditions, and that was after I slipped and fell this morning. My knee and ankle have been steadily swelling. Ugh... But I won't let it get me down! This year may not have had the greatest start, but I refuse to let that set the tone for the next 364 days. (It's a Leap Year.)
You'll be seeing some changes around here. If you have any suggestions for new features or topics of discussion, please let me know.
Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Peace on Earth, and Good Will Toward Men
I spend the whole month of December prior to the 25th thinking about a little baby in a manger, his too-young mom overwhelmed at the thought of raising God, his not-so dad wondering if he'll ever be able to teach him anything, the wise men making a trek across hundreds of miles in the hopes of finding something greater than themselves and the shepherds who will never forget that night, but who will also never fully know its significance.
But then it comes to the actual day, and I think about a crown of thorns. I think about that baby all grown up and being beaten and nailed to a cross because He loves us so much, despite everything we have done, are doing and will continue to do against Him. He left all the majesty and glory of Heaven to take on flesh - disgusting, bloody, disease-prone humanity.
He died that we might live.
I urge you this Christmas to think beyond the manger. The story doesn't stop at Luke 2.
(Incidentally, neither do most of the great Christmas hymns. They are always looking ahead.)
1. It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
2. Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
3. And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!
4. For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Merry Christmas.
But then it comes to the actual day, and I think about a crown of thorns. I think about that baby all grown up and being beaten and nailed to a cross because He loves us so much, despite everything we have done, are doing and will continue to do against Him. He left all the majesty and glory of Heaven to take on flesh - disgusting, bloody, disease-prone humanity.
He died that we might live.
I urge you this Christmas to think beyond the manger. The story doesn't stop at Luke 2.
(Incidentally, neither do most of the great Christmas hymns. They are always looking ahead.)
1. It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
2. Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
3. And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!
4. For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Merry Christmas.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Then there were three...
We are few today.
I felt compelled to document that fact.
Lori threatened to take my camera away.
So I took a picture of myself.
Yeah. Vacation is just around the corner.
This seems like a good time to announce my (insanely ambitious and possibly quite stupid) goal for this next year. Well, one of them. Are you ready?
I want to take at least one awesome photo every day in 2012.
It's daunting, I know. I am daunted by the prospect of this. I don't know if I'll succeed. I don't know if I'll even remember come January 1. But I'm going to try. And if I only have 30-40 awesome photos by next December, that's okay. That's 30-40 more than I had before.
I felt compelled to document that fact.
Lori threatened to take my camera away.
So I took a picture of myself.
Yeah. Vacation is just around the corner.
This seems like a good time to announce my (insanely ambitious and possibly quite stupid) goal for this next year. Well, one of them. Are you ready?
I want to take at least one awesome photo every day in 2012.
It's daunting, I know. I am daunted by the prospect of this. I don't know if I'll succeed. I don't know if I'll even remember come January 1. But I'm going to try. And if I only have 30-40 awesome photos by next December, that's okay. That's 30-40 more than I had before.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Getting into the Christmas spirit...
I was going to post this yesterday, but I was absolutely wrecked. Truthfully, most people in the office were, which is kinda sad when you know that the reason for this widespread fatigue is the office Christmas party that lasted until (gasp!) 8:30. I know. We'll have to figure out something different for next year. Maybe start at 4.
Anyway, I mention the party because I had a starring role in it as the Innkeeper!
Wait, what?! No, no, no. Silly me. Wrong photo.
Ain't we pretty? (In case you're wondering, it's a very modern interpretation of the Innkeeper.)
And you're probably wondering about that whole Santa Clause thing up there. To be honest, I'm still not sure how it happened. All I know is that it either solidifies my candidacy for President, or it knocks me completely out of the running. I'll just have to run at a time when Santa is in vogue. But then there's the whole Christian thing. That could be problematic. Oh well.
I was having a rough day all around yesterday. I had to apologize a couple different times for the thoughts running around in my head. It got so bad, I nearly apologized to the entire nation of France. Fortunately, I recovered before it got that far. (See, still having this problem...)
I think everyone in the office is going a little stir-crazy. We know the end is near. We can see it. We can just detect that first whiff of fresh air and freedom. As soon as I start tasting it, I'm headed for the door, regardless of what is left on my desk.
I shouldn't make it sound so bad. Things have slowed down quite a bit for me. Instead of 9,000 letters like last week, I'm down to 4,750. I'm also done sending out Christmas cards. I think. Every time I think I'm done, I think of new people to send them to. It would be funny if the people I had forgotten to send them to weren't my family.
I get stuck in a bit of a destructive pattern at this time of year. What am I destroying, you ask? My bank account. I like buying gifts for people. I like buying gifts for myself. There are a ton of sales right now. All of these things combine to be very bad for my fiscal future. Not to mention, Christmas is coming up, and the fear of duplicates should keep me from parting with hard-earned greenbacks.
I can't stop talking like this. It's like my stream-of-consciousness Christmas letter all over again. Nothing of substance passes from my fingertips. I may actually start telling deep, dark secrets if I don't end this no-
Anyway, I mention the party because I had a starring role in it as the Innkeeper!
Wait, what?! No, no, no. Silly me. Wrong photo.
Ain't we pretty? (In case you're wondering, it's a very modern interpretation of the Innkeeper.)
And you're probably wondering about that whole Santa Clause thing up there. To be honest, I'm still not sure how it happened. All I know is that it either solidifies my candidacy for President, or it knocks me completely out of the running. I'll just have to run at a time when Santa is in vogue. But then there's the whole Christian thing. That could be problematic. Oh well.
I was having a rough day all around yesterday. I had to apologize a couple different times for the thoughts running around in my head. It got so bad, I nearly apologized to the entire nation of France. Fortunately, I recovered before it got that far. (See, still having this problem...)
I think everyone in the office is going a little stir-crazy. We know the end is near. We can see it. We can just detect that first whiff of fresh air and freedom. As soon as I start tasting it, I'm headed for the door, regardless of what is left on my desk.
I shouldn't make it sound so bad. Things have slowed down quite a bit for me. Instead of 9,000 letters like last week, I'm down to 4,750. I'm also done sending out Christmas cards. I think. Every time I think I'm done, I think of new people to send them to. It would be funny if the people I had forgotten to send them to weren't my family.
I get stuck in a bit of a destructive pattern at this time of year. What am I destroying, you ask? My bank account. I like buying gifts for people. I like buying gifts for myself. There are a ton of sales right now. All of these things combine to be very bad for my fiscal future. Not to mention, Christmas is coming up, and the fear of duplicates should keep me from parting with hard-earned greenbacks.
I can't stop talking like this. It's like my stream-of-consciousness Christmas letter all over again. Nothing of substance passes from my fingertips. I may actually start telling deep, dark secrets if I don't end this no-
Saturday, December 3, 2011
December 3
Last night, in my dreams, I packed a complete bag for Africa. I was at the airport, about to board the plane when I woke up.
I wish I knew when a cigar was just a cigar.
In other news...
Favorite Christmas song.
I wish I knew when a cigar was just a cigar.
In other news...
Favorite Christmas song.
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