The Dark Knight Rises: a review, my thoughts, and the redemption story

Every story is modeled after one story-- THE story-- that of redemption. Think about the structure of a good story. There is an introduction to a character and setting, a rising action that pulls you in, a turning point, climax, falling action, and conclusion. Where does that structure come from? Think about the story of redemption! Read our Bible! A character's tragic flaw (sin), a promise (Gen 3:15), a nation struggling (the OT), the promise in the flesh but rejected by men, sacrifice, death, resurrection, healing for the sinners, and ultimate good vs. evil victory. Every story follows this structure in its own way, and I want to examine the new batman movie by this. I hated the second batman movie, The Dark Knight. The acting was great, the filmography and effects were spectacular, but the story line was frankly disturbing. Everything went from bad to worse, and knowing that Heath ledger ODed mainly from how the part of the joker affected him was the icing on the cake. I could not get past how morbid and dark everything was, and it ende hopelessly. The Dark Knight Rises, movie 3 in Christopher Nolan's trilogy, finally brought the redemption both batman and Gotham city needed. I don't really think batman is the greatest superhero-- he's just rich with cool gadgets-- but Bruce Wayne is an interesting and complex character. He's a broken and angry man torn up by the loss of his beloved Rachel. Yet he still feels the need to sacrifice himself for Gotham, even though they think he's the bad guy. What does that remind you of? John 1- He came to his own, but his own received him not! The movie was still dark and violent, but what made the movie so good to me was what a Christ figure Bruce/batman turned into. And I don't want to spoil anything, but a new supporting character, a cop, was a good picture of a disciple. He stood by batman even when all of Gotham doubted him, he worked above and beyond what was required, and he "witnessed" to others about what batman was doing and gave them hope. Even the bad guy was intriguing. I read an interesting article today comparing the Joker and the new villain Bane. During the two movies I wondered if Nolan had historical or factual inspiration, and one writer seemed to think the Joker was inspired by bin Laden- he just wanted to watch the world burn. The Joker was more mentally disturbing and complicated, but Bane is just a beefy, masculine terrorist. He's a random villainous conglomeration-- he messed with the stock market, ha an intricate bombing system, and a thorough robbery team. He is the picture of evil, so there was a clear good vs. evil conflict. And SPOILER ALERT: normally I'm upset when you think the character sacrificed himself but survives the impossible, but in the end I was okay with the fact that Bruce Wayne lived. It was a very Christlike moment: He sacrificed himself, and it looked as if he was almost resurrected. He only appeared to his closest friends, Alfred and Robin. When it was revealed in the movie that Wayne survived, everyone in my theater for the premiere cheered. That was moving and thought provoking to me-- what would Christ's death be without His resurrection? Overall, it was a good end to a dark but well done series. I wrote all of this before I heard about the Colorado shooting. Romans 8:28 still applies even in this situation; somehow beauty will come from this. Hard to believe, but believe we must! The shooter James Holmes told police "I am the Joker." there really is just a dark cloud over that character. That just proves that what we watch or listen to has an effec on us, whether subtle or more obvious. Be mindful of what you take in, and balance it out with reading your Bible and praying!

Radicalism and Theology-- A balance?

 I recently started reading Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution after finishing Jen Hatmaker's 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. Frankly, I'm annoyed. I want to slap myself in the face for saying that-- Jen Hatmaker has made my top five " People I want to have over for dinner, become best friends, and outdo in sarcasm" list. She's a great writer with a beautiful heart. I hate to even say the slightest negative thing about her book, but there's something she and Shane Claiborne have in common that turns my stomach: their distaste for theology. Both describe how heavily influenced their childhoods were with heavy theology. They both searched for "genuine love." Okay, I get that it's easy to lose being genuine in relationships when discussing Calvin's TULIP or something, but HELLO! Can't the church find a balance between theologically sound and radical?! I get the desire to want a church and mission driven by love, but before you have love don't you need to understand who Jesus is? The two are interconnected! A mission will FAIL if only led by the feeling of passion, not the truth of God's word. Dear affluent America, CAN WE FIND THE BALANCE PLEASE?

 Of all people, I think I would be most burnt out with "theology" based on childhood. But I loved it. I had the entire children's catechism memorized (and well explained to me, thanks dad!) before I was eight, I've had to study the ins and outs of the evolution vs. creationism debate, I can tell you all about Calvin's Geneva and Luther's 95 theses. Heck when I was a kid, I couldn't celebrate Halloween, I went to Reformation parties instead! But you know what? I read the Westminster Confession of Faith when I was sixteen for fun, ate up anything by C.S. Lewis, and Bonhoeffer is my homeboy. But you know what's next to these books on my shelf? Biographies and autobiographies of Amy Carmichael, Lottie Moon, Jim Eliot, Hudson Taylor, and Corrie Ten Boom. I couldn't get enough of their stories and others like it as a kid. I've read everything from Karen Kingsbury (23 of her books, I have no idea why) to Jonathan Edwards (but that got difficult, thanks John Piper for explaining it!) By God's grace, when I was a kid especially, I saw the balance. I've taken sermon notes every single Sunday since I was five (those were mostly drawings about what the sermon was on. I did the best I could) and have had a heart for missions for as long as I can remember. Mission conferences moved me in amazing ways. I'm certainly nothing special: SHOULDN'T THIS BE NORMAL?! I long for my childhood again, now I find myself flip flopping. One day I'll say "suck it, established church! I want to go live with the homeless!", but the next day I'll pick up a theologically challenging book and call it my Christian duty for the day. I hate this about myself. In a moment like this though I think about Jerram Barrs' Learning Evangelism From Jesus. The title says it all-- we all have the call to evangelize, and that call takes many different forms, but all can and must find their direction in God's word! 

 No, the PCA doesn't have it all together-- neither does Jen Hatmaker-- but I think the definition of a Christian should be (well, IS) a radical theologian. Know the God you serve, and serve Him well! I'm guilty of the typical "Reformed and educated self-righteousness" while also being guilty of talking smack about the church. I need this balance, too. Other than Jesus, I think a fantastic example of a radical theologian is Paul. He wrote half the New Testament... from prison for spreading Jesus' name! And he called himself the chief of sinners and was martyred? Lord, give me that humility! I pray that you will give me the faith to be able to encourage others while being persecuted! I can't imagine singing praises while being locked up-- I'd be crying for mommy and demanding fried shrimp or a hamburger. 

 So basically what I'm saying is look to the life of Jesus for encouragement, the example you set after, and for your call. Don't think that Calvin or Claiborne have the answers. Both are important and inspiring, but FIND THE BALANCE. Worship JESUS, not Jesus + Beth Moore/ John Piper/ Christian music/ fill in the blank. Use the Bible to make sense of your surroundings, not your surroundings to make sense of the Bible. And pray for bookworms like me, I sure need help. Jesus, and Jesus ONLY!

 Okay, brain overload.. time to watch Army Wives! (don't judge me.)


*a note added a day after I posted this: I want to emphasize that I do not believe it's my way or the highway. It is by God's grace I am His... and He knows how long of a journey I have to being Christ-like! He chose me, I didn't choose Him. I don't want any credit going to me. Pray that I don't develop the self-righteous spirit and look down on those who label themselves as radicals, I'm amazed by their work and look forward to spending eternity in heaven with them! That'll be an interesting mix, huh?

October Baby movie review

Yes, this movie came out in theaters months ago, but I want to tell you about it now so you can buy the DVD! My friends were the ones to tell me about it, and I was thinking "Oh man, this movie sounds like it will be oozing with cheesiness and legalism or self-righteousness... I mean come on, a pro-life movie? This is just going to condemn women who've had abortions and say 'our way or the highway'! This is going to be a major turn off."

Boy was I wrong.

Sure, the acting was not the best I've ever seen, but I was impressed, and it sure beats any other Christian movie. This was not done by The Facing The Giants/ FireProof/ Courageous group, but by guys in Birmingham, AL. The over all plot of the movie was a girl in college finding out that her health problems were due to a failed abortion, and she had been adopted after she was born. She then goes on a trip to find her birth mother with a supportive friend. The girl's whole purpose is to find what has been missing in her life, and she think's she'll find it in her birth mother. She's angry her parents never told her. In the end, after experiencing rejection but offering forgiveness, she realizes how much her parents want her, and more importantly how much Jesus wants her.
The movie is hardly preachy. There's a fine line between overly, righteously preaching in the audiences' faces and not making the message clear, but the writers of October Baby found that line perfectly. It did not condemn women who have had abortions, it revealed the forgiveness they could find with a very real story. Interesting tidbit: The woman who played the birth mom had had an abortion earlier in her life, and though she was a believer, she hadn't felt real forgiveness. God uses being a part of this movie to bring her healing.

The story is sweet, funny, heart breaking, and redemptive. It is everything a Christian movie should be, and it has a beautiful picture of adoption. I highly recommend it!

Invisible Children's Kony 2012 movement

Finally, a new post. Many of you who saw the title are probably thinking "Why is this girl just now commenting on the video? That's old news!" Exactly. I predicted the hype would die down, but my excited friends kept saying "no, it's just getting started!" Many of you might have been just like that- saw the video, just heard about the LRA, and jumped into supporting the cause. I wanted to wait to write this until you forgot about the video. Why? To make you realize that you forgot it and to show you it does have flaws.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-supporting Uganda. On the contrary, I've been interested and read all about the country ever since I was twelve. I've supported missionary friends there, I support a number of organizations and have read a bunch of books, and I personally sponsor a girl in school. I'm going to Uganda this summer, too! I don't want you to get the wrong impression that I'm ignorant of what's going on there and that I don't care, it's the opposite. It's because I care that I want to draw your attention to the video's many flaws.
There are some things about the video I really like. I like that the video puts a face to the problem- I'm glad Invisible Children has a close connection with Jacob, a boy they featured that was caught up in the middle of the LRA. I like how upfront the narrator is with us- he does not sugarcoat the issue, and he shares the struggles they've had raising awareness. I think their greatest idea was the radio towers to keep Ugandan villages updated on Kony's whereabouts and movements so they won't be surprised if he attacks. I like that they're spreading the news not just here in the US but all over the world, and I'm glad the narrator had the ICC in the video.
There are some problems I have with this movement. It saddens me that this is the first most Americans have heard of the LRA, but that's not Invisible Children's fault. This has been going on for 26 years, people! The first I heard of it was six years ago in a Voice of the Martyrs magazine our family subscribes to. I sure am behind and don't fully grasp the issue, which brings me to my next problem, why are we just now hearing about this from a non-religious organization? Where are the Christians?! There are problems I have with the video directly as well. When you give your money to Invisible Children, you are supporting them making more videos to raise more money to make more videos to raise more money. They sort of explain that at the end and say your money will help the Ugandan army be more technically advanced. But wouldn't our money be better served in rescuing children forced into the LRA? If we all support children and families victimized by Kony, and if soldiers' main focus was to pull children out of this army, then the LRA would collapse. The main goal should be the end of the LRA, not the end of Joseph Kony. My fear is that if Kony is arrested, someone just like him will rise up in his place. We saw this recently in North Korea- the dictator died, which briefly gave the people hope, but his son who is the new dictator is even worse. Another problem with this movement is typical of Americans- everyone wants to jump in and have our government help us out. What is best for Uganda is if WE empower THEM. If we go solve all of their problems, they just become dependent on us and can't rebuild and become strong themselves. Organizations like Invisible Children should go into Uganda to empower local Ugandans, whether it is medical care, education, or protection, etc.
 The question now is what should we do from here. I would call on fellow Christians to take up this cause and witness to these kids and families ravaged by war. They need hope, one that is not of this world. I would still recommend supporting Invisible Children- they need awareness to keep the soldiers going in searching for Kony. The most important thing to do right now is PRAY. Offer the situation to the One who has it all in His hands!

Compassion in Uganda

Ministry Highlight: Uganda Compassion International Blog

Ministry Highlight: Uganda Posted: 17 Feb 2012 02:41 AM PST We began our ministry in Uganda in 1980 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 1999, we started the Leadership Development Program, and the Child Survival Program followed in 2006. We are privileged to have had many new programs and innovations begin in Uganda. For example, the second Alumni Association was started here and the Child Survival Program was piloted here. In addition, we celebrated the 1000th Leadership Development Program graduate in 2009. Country Director Our country director in Uganda is Herbert Turyatunga. Herbert started with the ministry as a program facilitator in 1999. He became country director in 2010. Prior to joining us, he worked as a salesman in a soft drink bottling company. Herbert has a passion to equip young leaders. His dream is to start a leadership resource center to equip young men and women in Africa to solve the leadership problem in the continent. He believes that once the leadership problem has been addressed, poverty will be resolved as well. Herbert holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Makerere University in Kampala, a master’s degree in child development from Daystar University in Nairobi, and a higher diploma in marketing from Makerere University Business School. Implementing Church Partners Implementing Church Partners are local churches in Uganda with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field. Spiritual Climate The Islamic religion is growing as are Islamic cults. They are focusing on children and even beginning to do sponsorship programs, which are training children in Islamic beliefs and holding program activities on Saturdays. Despite this, evangelical Christians are also growing in number. Unique Challenges We face the following challenges in Uganda: Rising rates of child abuse Rising costs of education Lack of role models in the children’s communities School systems that require children to attend school six days a week Absentee parents/caregivers Lack of sufficiently trained Implementing Church Partner staff for curriculum implementation Contributions Implementing Church Partners provide the land, construction and buildings where the programs take place. They also provide monetary contributions, labor, knowledge and experience, and their solid reputation in the community. Partner Development Activities We develop partners through training based on their specific needs. Child Survival Program Caregiver Literacy Implementing Church Partner staff assess the literacy level of the mothers, and they are grouped into various levels and classes based on that assessment. The Implementing Church Partner networks with Functional Adult Literacy volunteer instructors who are locally trained by the government to teach the mothers. We utilize the Functional Adult Literacy curriculum which covers topics such as basic hygiene, income-generating skills, simple math, reading, writing, simple accounting and bookkeeping skills. Income-generating Skills We offer various income-generating skills depending on the caregivers’ needs, the available market for the products and the affordability of the training. Some of the skills we offer include bead making, soap making, baking, catering, hair dressing, shop keeping, agriculture, animal rearing, mushroom growing, bee keeping, poultry farming and tailoring. The frequency of the trainings varies between Child Survival Programs. Health Care Implementing Church Partner staff conducts an assessment of the quality of health services at the health centers, clinics and hospitals in the community. Based on the results of that assessment, they select one or two providers that have the best maternal and child health services and sign a contract with them to offer these services to Child Survival Program beneficiaries. Some Implementing Church Partners are able to negotiate reduced rates for health services, and some are able to negotiate payment plans or delayed payment for services. The Implementing Church Partner covers the costs of medical services and then requests reimbursement from the country office. We pay for all medical expenses incurred by the caregivers and children in the Child Survival Program. There are a few services that are provided free of charge at the government health centers, such as immunizations, de-worming and vitamin-A supplements. Nutritional Support Implementing Church Partners provide six months of nutritional supplements to malnourished children and caregivers and to those who could be vulnerable to malnutrition. After a period of six months, it is expected that the beneficiaries will improve, and most of them do. As they receive support, the Implementing Church Partners also help caregivers develop a sustainability plan, such as developing land to grow food or learning an income-generating skill so that if they continue to need nutritional supplements at the end of the six months, they will be able to afford them. We train all caregivers on infant feeding practices, food preparation, balanced diets, fruit and vegetable gardening, modern farming methods, animal rearing and income-generating skills. The caregivers use these skills to earn money and buy nutritious food for their family. Involvement of Fathers We make efforts to improve the fathers’ involvement in the Child Survival Program by organizing men’s seminars that speak to fathers about their role in early childhood development. We hold Spouse’s Day and recognize the fathers who attend group activities as well as have a celebration of fathers. Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program We hold transitional classes for caregivers and children preparing to transition out of the Child Survival Program and into the Child Sponsorship Program. Three months before a child turns 3, he will attend the 3- to 5-year-old Child Sponsorship Program classes. For the caregivers, we hold classes where they can develop a plan utilizing their income-generating skills as well as discuss ways to improve their livelihood and their role in caring for their children. Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program We plan to expand the Child Sponsorship Program in the regions that have low maternal and child survival indicators according to the Uganda Health Demographic Survey of 2006, and into areas that do not have Child Sponsorship Programs, so they can have a greater impact on their communities. Child Development Through Sponsorship Your sponsorship of a child in Uganda provides a variety of benefits. Many children ages 12 and older attend boarding school and are away from home for 3 months at a time. In this case, each Implementing Church Partner has the freedom to organize a “catch-up” program that meets the needs of these children. For example, they might meet 3 days a week, 8 hours a day during their school holiday. Regardless of the schedule, each Implementing Church Partner should offer 48 weeks of program activities. Meeting Times: 3 to 5 year olds: 8 hours on Saturdays 6 to 8 year olds: 8 hours on Saturdays 9 to 11 year olds: 8 hours on Saturdays 12 to 14 year olds: 8 hours on Saturdays, or 3 to 5 days a week during holidays 15 to 18 year olds: 8 hours on Saturdays, or 3 to 5 days a week during holidays 19 +: 8 hours on Saturday, or 3 to 5 days a week during holidays Nutritional Support Each child receives a snack as well as lunch each time he or she comes to the child development center, which is usually once a week. A snack might be something such as tea, porridge and a bun. Lunch consists of maize, rice or matooke (plantains) with beans, peas or beef. Children who have special nutritional requirements receive three to six months of nutritional therapy, meaning that their caregivers are taught how to prepare certain foods at home with ingredients provided by the child development center. We provide regular meals for the children at the center because some do not have nutritional meals at home; in fact, some do not have meals at all. Plus, the children are at the development center for eight hours at a time, so they need to be fed. Vaccinations The government holds a national immunization drive for children ages 2 to 14, and vaccines such as polio and measles are given free of charge. Children who are older than 14 and in need of vaccines can receive them at local health networks and clinics. It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure their children are receiving the proper vaccinations. The Implementing Church Partners support the government’s effort to educate parents about the importance of vaccine programs. Extracurricular Activities or Community Service We have weekly extracurricular activities such as sports, drama, debate and others. The children also participate in regular service opportunities such as work camps, road cleaning, church activities and service to the elderly. Vocational Activities Adolescents participate in vocational training skills such as carpentry, tailoring, crocheting, sewing, knitting and mat making. We offer these skills to give the students opportunities to generate income — especially for those who do not finish high school. The skills offered to these adolescents have been relevant to the Ugandan culture for some time; however, skills such as radio and computer repair are beginning to be more marketable. At this time, the students are learning skills only at a basic level, because there is not enough funding to offer certification. Alumni Activities The alumni group has been active since 2007 and consists of both Child Sponsorship and Leadership Development Program alumni. This group is actively engaged in missions, child advocacy, and training and some support a child in the Child Sponsorship Program. Parent Involvement We offer monthly classes on adult literacy, quarterly trainings on topics such as hygiene, sanitation, parenting and income-generating activities. Voluntary counseling and testing and HIV training are done when a child development center is started and later on if needed. Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program We would like to expand into the eastern and northern areas of Uganda. These are the areas with the greatest need and the highest poverty indicators. The war that occurred in northern Uganda also created a great need. Leadership Development Program Universities Attended Leadership Development Program students attend government, private, secular and Christian universities. Location of Universities Universities are spread throughout the country, but most are located in urban or semi-urban areas. Service Opportunities Service opportunities for Leadership Development Program students typically involve community service in both rural and urban areas, as well as at their former Child Development Center and their universities. Some examples of service activities include cleaning the residence halls or washing dishes at their universities, teaching Sunday school at their child development center, and holding work camps where they build churches in their communities. Leadership Development Program Meetings The larger Leadership Development Program group usually meets three times a year to cover curriculum topics. In addition, the students hear guest speakers, share experiences and testimonies and participate in sports activities together. Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources We use the “Choose to Wait” curriculum that teaches abstinence as a lifestyle. We also utilize experts who have professional experience in certain modules of the Leadership Development Program curriculum. These experts partner with us to teach and engage with the students. Mentors We encourage the students to find mentors on their own, but recently we have been more intentional about helping them. We do this by holding mentors’ events where we share about the Leadership Development Program and challenge the participants to mentor the students both professionally and spiritually. Leadership Development Program Alumni Group The alumni group has been active since 2007 and consists of both Child Sponsorship and Leadership Development Program alumni. Complementary Interventions Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed, such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects. Typical Complementary Interventions in Uganda include: Malaria Prevention Beneficiaries are trained in malaria prevention, such as keeping their home environments clean, clearing the brush around their home and clearing stagnant water. They are also given insecticide-treated mosquito nets. HIV Intervention Beneficiaries access voluntary counseling and testing services, as well as receive antiretroviral medications. Some siblings of registered children are also supported. Water and Sanitation Water sources have been constructed, and child development centers have utilized software and sanitation tool kits. Children who live near an Implementing Church Partner benefit by having clean water for drinking, cooking, washing and income-generating activities such as mushroom growing. Additionally, several child development centers received support for ventilated improved pit latrines. Nutrition A food security program provides seeds for caregivers. In turn, they are able to harvest food and improve the nutritional status of those in their household. The plan is for caregivers to get improved seeds and share the seeds with others after the harvest. Formal Education School fees are paid for children in secondary school, pre-university and post-secondary education. This is necessary because secondary education is not free in Uganda, and sponsorship funds are not sufficient to pay for school fees. Oral Health Beneficiaries receive dental screening and treatment. Infrastructure Development Child development centers in rural areas without electricity have been able to access power, either hydroelectric or solar. Child development centers located near roads have set up chain link fences to ensure the safety of the children. Also, beneficiaries’ homes have been reconstructed when needed. Non-formal Education Children receive fees for vocational training. Implementing Church Partners receive support toward resource centers, environmental education, youth camps and vocational training. Income-generating Activities Beneficiaries receive support for income-generating projects such as goat rearing, which has proved to be a viable project. Highly Vulnerable Children Our primary Highly Vulnerable Children need is providing a home for the children who are homeless. There are also children living in child-headed homes who are in need of appropriate shelter and in need of school fees. We are addressing these needs through foster care, income-generating activities, shelter interventions, livelihood skills development and food security. My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

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Urge President Obama to protect the rights of children The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an important tool to promote protections and rights for vulnerable and marginalized children around the world. Yet the United States is one of only two countries represented in the UN that have yet to ratify this vital treaty. Please send a strong message to President Obama urging him to ensure protections and rights for children! Sign the petition now. We are asking that the CRC treaty be submitted to the U.S. Senate by November 20th. In order to meet this deadline, the President must order the Department of State review immediately. That's why it is vitally important to show your support now — before time runs out. Help encourage the United States to join the rest of the global community in fostering better lives for our children. Although the United States played a pivotal role in drafting the CRC, the U.S. Government still has not ratified the treaty 17 years later. Now is the time! Please sign the petition today and help protect our children’s rights at home and overseas.

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