Good morning,
The story is told of a young boy who very much wanted $100. He prayed for a long time, but nothing happened. Undaunted by the lack of response, he wrote a letter to God presenting his request once again. When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to “God, USA,” not knowing what else to do, they decided to deliver it to the President. Mr. President was interested in the letter enough to instruct his secretary to send the little boy $5. He thought this amount might be enough to encourage such a young boy. Indeed, the little boy was delighted with the $5 bill. He sat down immediately to write a thank-you note to God. This too was forwarded to the President. It read,"Dear God, Thank you very much for sending the money, but I noticed that for some reason you sent it through Washington, DC and those guys deducted $95 in taxes!” While I can’t claim that this story is true, I must give the boy credit for persistence in putting his prayers before God, and his faithfulness in believing that it was man, and not God, who had messed up the answer. Our prayer lives tend to be cyclical. Sometimes we are good at praying, laying our requests at God’s throne, listening and waiting for His answers. At other times, our prayer lives are dead, dying, or too long neglected. We may pray, but not with the faith or persistence of that child. Further, we all too often do not have the trust that God will answer. Some of us never really come before God in honest and earnest prayer. Others need to do some weeding and watering to remove the complacency and nourish their souls. "The effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much", creating the climate for change in our lives.
Whatever our current situation, Jesus has some words of encouragement for us today. He says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8, NIV) This section of scripture is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Earlier, in chapter 6, when He taught His disciples how to pray, He told them that prayer was to be between them and God. They were to keep their words simple. He also gave them an example of prayer, which has come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer. In chapter seven, He returns again to the topic of prayer. He puts no qualifiers and no how-tos in His statement, "Ask and receive; seek and find; knock and it will be opened". The failure of prayer is not even considered as a possibility. Prayer changes things, both people and circumstances. God desires that we come to Him with our needs . We should never be afraid to lay our needs before Him. God is holy, but as His children we are always welcomed to come in the Name of His Son. His desire is to give us good gifts. Above all, He wants His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth so that we can ask and receive, and our joy will be complete. He delights in giving to us without charge, as a father cares for his child. In John’s revelation, Jesus said, "To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." (Revelation 21:6 b, NIV) Whatever our need today, whatever our burden, we must take it to God and leave it with Him. We need to keep asking and seeking, to come thirsty and come often. God’s love for us is so much greater than an earthly parent’s love for their children, ensuring that the answers we receive will be what is truly best for us. This should give us confidence in our prayers, for we know that even if we mess up, He never can and never will.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt0WluTpFTg
With political discrimination in the wake of pogroms, Orissa Christians cannot vote
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=14448&size=AIn Kandhamal refugees are left off voters’ list. More than 70,000 have no papers, segregated in refugee camps, far from their villages. They might find it impossible to vote in the upcoming federal and local elections, scheduled for April and May.
Bhubaneshwar (AsiaNews) – Orissa’s anti-Christian pogroms are having more political fallout. After being on the receiving end of violence last August Christians now could experience outright political discrimination in the upcoming April-May elections.The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) is warning that more than 70,000 Christian voters might not be able to exercise their right to vote in federal and local elections. Some 50,000 Christians who fled their villages at the height of the anti-Christian violence and tens of thousands who followed them afterwards into neighbouring states are now without identity papers or voters’ cards, which were burnt during the pogrom, unable to go back home.GCIC National President Sajan K. George wrote to the chief election commissioner and the Election Commission of India, urging them to rapidly find a way to have the names of Christian voters on the voters’ lists.“For us the fact that the names of voters forced into refugee camps are not on voters’ lists is a sign of bad faith’. Mr George said. Depriving someone of their voting right “is a way to disenfranchise and stifle the Christian minority.”
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Tue, 10/02/2009 - 6:04pm Kandhamal district co ordination committee meeting for peace
Coordination Committee Meeting with District Collector on 7th Feb 2009
Members Present: Ajay, Mukund, Sanatan, Prabodh, Br Thomas, Joseph Philip, Gyan, K A Stany, S. Tony Raj, Joseph Xavier, Ms Rama, Sr. Samuel MC, Fr. Varghese Mattamana ED CI, Ms. Madumita Action Aid and Mr. Vikrant Sphere India
Some salient points:
1. Camps: The District Collector (DC) pointed out that at present there are no doctors in the medical teams of the Church. From the Archdiocesan side we have agreed to find more doctors and place them in the camps soon. The DC also mentioned about the new transit camp (the third one in the district) being set up in Tiangia and he asked us to extend our medical service to this camp too. He also mentioned that since the numbers in all the camps is between 500 to 1000, three or four medical teams would be enough to take care of all the six camps namely, Mondasoro, St.Catherine's, Mondakia, Tiangia, K Nuagaon and G Udayagiri. The DC also mentioned the need to provide clothes for menstrual hygiene which the rural women are used to. We have agreed to do the needful. The DC has also agreed to provide medical supplies to the camps once the doctors arrive.
2. Once again the DC urged us to motivate the people to get involved in NREGS works. He also mentioned that if the soil is hard different rates (upto Rs 200) could be provided. The people have to get back to work culture and the DC asked us to identify some works like road construction or deepening of pond close to the camp sites.
3. The DC also agreed to set up 10 big tents in Mondasoro camp soon, so that the schools could function well and the hostel girls and sisters will have some place to work and rest.
4. When asked whether the district would provide tarpaulin to the people when they go back home, since the roof of the most of the houses are destroyed, the DC said that already UNICEF has distributed tarpaulin and if there are some gaps he is willing to look into.
5. Waiving of admission fee for next year in schools and colleges was raised. The DC did not give a definitive answer but has taken note of it.
6. The DC also mentioned in some exceptional cases, it could be one or two Christian families living in a village or some specific villages (eg Tikabali two villages) it will be extremely difficult for the people to go back and so alternatives arrangements are to be made. He also asked us to find out if there are genuine cases of this nature where families cannot go back to their villages. The DC is willing to consider and provide alternate homestead lands.
7. When asked about people who have lost their documents and certificates(GCIC had complained), the DC said that the process to reclaim the documents is initiated. The District Administration would begin a massive 100,000 voter ID cards programme from 10 Feb 2009. If anyone has lost the election ID card they will be asked to fill up a form with details and submit the same to the BDO. The details will be matched with data bank and the photograph in the data bank will be used to generate the new ID card. The normal fee of Rs 25 to apply for duplicate ID is waived. If the photograph is not available then their photographs are to be taken and the IDs will be given. This is the first and basic document. Based on this document the people could apply for labour, BPL and antoyodaya cards if they have lost the same. Using these documents the school and college students can apply to education board for duplicate certificates, mark sheets if they are also lost. Accepting our request to publish this information in the news papers the DC said that he would consider and discuss with his officers.
8. The case of Rajesh Digal who was killed in the violence but whose name does not appear in the ex-gratia payment was brought to the notice of the Collector. He agreed to look into the matter. The details and FIR will be submitted to him for further action.
9. Regarding the compensation package to public institutions the DC was open to consider Rs 2,00,000 each as compensation for the Church, parish house and convent and separately for the schools and public institutions. But he made it clear that if in one place the Church, parish house and convents are together in the same area all these would be put together and they will be eligible only for one compensation. Schools, NGO offices and public institutions will be considered separately.
10. MC sisters asked for protection for Sukananda which the DC agreed; The sisters also mentioned about 12 persons being trained in carpentry and 200 women in tailoring. Sisters asked whether these girls could be supported by the district. The response of DC was that if they could form SHG groups then some help could be given. The sisters also mentioned about the present eye-camp that is going on well.
11. The Beticola church problem was raised by the DC and he asked our opinion to find a viable and permanent solution. The DC convened a special meeting after the Coordination Committee meeting to discuss the Betocola land issue. Some of us were present and we have agreed to take up this issue with the Archbishop and to get back to the collector with some possible plans.
12. The DC also mentioned about his plans to appoint one person for every 50 houses to motivate and monitor the progress of the construction. The DC also encouraged us to initiate micro entrepreneurship so that some people could be employed, say in works like brick making, carpentry so that materials would be closely available for house construction. The DC also mentioned the need to have a mapping of the villages so that in future, god forbid, if there are going to be problems, immediate effective response could be initiated. The DC mentioned about involving agencies like the UNDP in this aspect. No decision was made in this regard.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Tue, 10/02/2009 - 5:50am Karnataka state to gag the media
'Media ombudsman is a dangerous proposal'
Mangalore:
The proposal of setting up an ombudsman to gag the media is a wrong and dangerous proposal. It is indeed a blatant infringement of constitutional guarantees, said High Court Judge (retd) M F Saldanha.
Addressing a news conference on Monday, Justice Saldanha came down heavily on the statement of Home Minister Dr V S Acharya that a fetter is needed to restrict the media from blowing issues out of proportion. He said that it is a move to curb the freedom of the press, which has done a commendable job in collecting remarkable public opinion on various issues in the recent past.
Contradicting the statement of Dr Acharya, Justice Saldanha said that it is incorrect to say that the pub attack incident was blown out of proportion by the media.
Justice Saldanha said that press censorship was imposed only during emergency in the country and setting up of an ombudsman by the state government, which does not have the power to do so, will be another press censorship that the nation will witness. He said that a second ombudsman can not be set up setting aside Press Council of India.
Justice Saldanha lamented that the name of Mangalore which was once looked at as a medical and educational hub is now being tarnished due to these incidents.
Karavali Ale Editor B V Seetharam said that censorship of press is being mooted by a person who hates press. Dr Acharya has started two blogs with information and articles against the scribes of the coastal districts.
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, South India
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Mon, 09/02/2009 - 9:35pm Thousands pray for life,agianst euthensia
Thousands of pilgrims to the "Lourdes of the East" pray for life, against euthanasiaby Nirmala CarvalhoOn the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, faithful of every religion and social class are visiting the basilica of Our Lady of Health in Tamil Nadu. Fr. Xavier, rector of the basilica says, that "every form of human life" should be defended, even if it is marked by suffering or affected by disability. Pilgrims are contributing money for victims of anti-Christian violence in Orissa.
Nagapattinam (AsiaNews) - Healing the wounds provoked by anti-Christian violence in Orissa, and by the war in Sri Lanka; reiterating that "every form of human life" is worthy of being lived, even in the case of people stricken by disability; combating the "diabolical" logic of euthanasia and death; recovering the profound value of physical and spiritual "suffering," because in every suffering is concealed the message of salvation that comes from God.These are the special intentions of the pilgrims participating in the Eucharistic procession and Mass planned for the basilica of Our Lady of Health in Velankanni, in Tamil Nadu. The World Day of the Sick is celebrated on February 11; the basilica of Our Lady of Health, called the "Lourdes of the East," is the pilgrimage destination of thousands of faithful from every social class and religion. "Already in these days leading up Feb 11th," Fr. Xavier, rector of the basilica, tells AsiaNews, "tens of thousands come to pray at the feet of the Blessed Mother. This shrine has brought solace to thousands - those afflicted by different ailments of mind, body and spirit. It is very moving to people of all different faiths, kneeling and praying with such devotion and trust, that at the basilica they will receive comfort."The untold suffering of the people in the Kandhamal district of Orissa have evoked feelings of great compassion. In fact, the pilgrims collected one hundred thousand rupees (a little more than 1500 euros), which we sent to Sr Nirmala, Joshi Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, as relief for the Kandhamal people."
posted in: Current Issue, Religion, South India
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Mon, 09/02/2009 - 8:47pm Bangalore India's suicide capital- GCIC appeals for action
Call for help
Jackie Pinto
Bangalore
Almost everyday, there are news reports of suicides in the City. Experts say that the need of the hour is to de-criminalise and de-stigmatise the laws relating to suicide so that people can seek help without fear.Suicide. Steeped in taboo and shrouded by silence, it has taken a terrible toll on families and society cutting across barriers of class and creedIn Bangalore alone, nearly 1,800 people commit suicide with an estimated 20,000 hospitalisations each year. As many as16,000 school and college students in India committed suicide in the last three years, according to the Health Ministry.
“The statistics are alarming enough but they do not begin to reflect the grim reality that exists in India’s suicide capital, Bangalore. Suicide here is a cognisable offence so rather than face legal or penal action, (unless fatal), most incidents go unreported. Introduced in 1860, the archaic law imposes imprisonment and fine on anyone attempting suicide. We need to offer care and understanding in place of persecution and police harassment. We also need to de-criminalise and de-stigmatise it so that so that people and their families can seek help openly without fear,” says Rajgopal, Chairman of Sahai, a helpline that is jointly run by NIMHANS, Medico-Pastoral Association and the Rotary Club.
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, South India
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Mon, 09/02/2009 - 8:48am Police arrest Jayaban Digal in Orissa nun rape case
One more person has been arrested in Orissa forhis alleged involvement in the rape of a nun during the communal violence last year in the state's Kandhamal district, police said Sunday. "Jayaban Digal, a resident of Sainpada village, was arrested Saturday night. With the latest arrest, the number of people arrested in the case has gone up to 11," said the investigating officer D.K. Mohanty "We are likely to arrest about four to five more people in the near future," he said.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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