News Flash:
Mexico's supreme court recently upheld abortion rights with a vote of 8-3. Abortion is legal without restriction during the first trimester. Elsewhere in Mexico abortion is ONLY for cases of rape, mother's health, or deformities, however, it is feared that the rest of Mexico will follow suit. Conservative President Felipe Calderon is the one who appealed abortion rights to the supreme court, and has vowed to continue fighting efforts to expand abortion rights. Nicaragua is one of the only Latin American countries currently taking a strong stance against abortion as they officially banned it in 2006.
It seems so obvious that under NO circumstances should mankind be in the position to take an innocent life. This is a fight that has not had enough press lately as everyday children are being killed for convenience. We must "look after orphans...in their distress...".
Friday, August 29, 2008
Evil and Suffering
I'm reading "The Case for Faith" right now as I recently finished "The Case for Christ" and came across a great exert from Lee Strobel's interview of Dr. William Lane Craig. While discussing the argument that there must not be a loving God with so much evil and suffering in the world Dr Craig comments that he would never ask God why he allows so much evil and suffering when he could do something about it because he's afraid God would turn it around and ask him the same question. I think that is a great way to look at issue. God in his wisdom has chosen to use us to be his hands, feet and mouth, let us use them wisely for that is faultless religion.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Outrage
After writing the previous posting I sit here growing more and more outraged with the evils in this world and my seeming willingness to let them be. What is it that causes evil? God's word says that "each one is tempted when, by HIS OWN evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:14,15 It's all about people. So it would appear that all evil in the world can be combated by evangelism. If people are changed by God, desire to do right, have self-control and battle evil at the root i.e. our desires, then we would not have to read the statistics below.
Evangelism is good religion.
- Mexico City has 1,900,000 underprivileged and street children. 240,000 of these are abandoned children. (Action International Ministries)
- In the central area of Mexico City there are 11,172 street children. 1,020 live in the street and 10,152 work there. (City of Mexico/Fideicomiso, Report, 1991)
- In 1996, the Inter-American Development Bank and UNICEF estimated there were 40 million children living or working on the streets of Latin America--out of an estimated total population of 500 million.
- Begging - Some 20% of the children survive by begging, 24% by selling goods, and others by doing subcontracting work. ("Over 5 Million Child Laborers in Mexico", Xinhua: Comtex, 14 September 2000, citing National System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF), "Prevention, Attention, Discouragement and Eradication of Childhood Labor")
- 8-11 million children under the age of 15 years are working in Mexico. (US Dept of Labor, Sweat and Toil of Children, 1994, citing US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1993)
Evangelism is good religion.
Kidnapping in Mexico City
Here is the synopsis of a few different news stories related to Mexico this week.Kidnapping in Mexico and in particular Mexico City, with 8.7 million inhabitants, has been big business for years. According to Reuters, kidnappings climbed 40% between 2004 and 2007, ranking Mexico with conflict zones such as Iraq and Colombia. Officially, 751 kidnappings took place last year however since many abductions go unreported, the crime research institute ICESI estimates it could have been well over 7,000.
The recent kidnapping and murder of Fernando Marti, 14, the son of a well-known businessman, has sparked a widespread outcry and promises of change.
The Mayor of Mexico City, Marcelo Ebrard, has created a new police investigative agency to completely replace the old corrupt detective force that is believe to have been involved in the abduction of Fernando Marti. He also wants to enlist 300,000 citizens as neighborhood law-enforcement representatives who would evaluate local law-enforcement efforts. The federal government has vowed to start five national anti-kidnapping centers along with Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino offering to help clean-up local and state police forces.
This very old problem with it's recent increase has compelled the wealthy and middle-class to begin to purchase crystal-encased chips that are injected usually in the arm between the skin and the muscle. This chip has a GPS locating beacon that the kidnap victim can turn on with the press of a panic button on an external device.President Felipe Calderon is coming under a great deal of pressure to do something about the violent crime in Mexico, especially in Mexico City. These kidnapping rings with police involvement have run rampant for far too long at the cost of thousands of lives, nearly all children. This is a good outrage that the citizens of Mexico have.
Why does it take us so long to get outraged against evil whether in our own lives or in the world we live in. Let us be OUTRAGED and not lulled to sleep by the beat of the world's ways.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Humility
I work primarily with non-believers. They know that I'm a Christian and I know that they are Agnostics or Aethists. I like it this way because we can openly talk about our differing views on the world and particular issues. I believe the problem arises when people don't know what they are. I got into a conversation yesterday about individuals that we all seem to know that claim to be a "Christian" but look no different than the world except that they find it necessary to point out the failings of those around them that are doing similar things. Someone that, upon returning from the brothel, feels compelled to point out to his drunk buddies how they are really bad "Christians". I hate to say that I see this a lot. And especially when they point out how someone is being a bad Christian when that person isn't even claiming to be one.
Seriously, can one be a "good" or "bad" Christian. How are we judging? In order to judge accurately we need a guideline or measuring stick. I believe (through observation) that society would rather have a static list of rules (man made religion) to measure by rather than have to measure ourselves against a HOLY and PERFECT God. After all, none of us actually expect anyone to live up to all the "rules" all the time so we just have to forgive each other for not living up to all the man made rules ("religion"); and since none of us can really do it, forgiveness is readily available and easy to obtain. However, if our measuring stick is a HOLY and PERFECT God when I miss the mark and find myself not measuring up I have to HUMBLY come before a HOLY and PERFECT God, someone who has lived a PERFECT and HOLY life with all the same temptations we have, and ask forgiveness.
Religion has gotten a bad name because it is seen as synonymous with the various flavors of static man-made rule sets used to judge each other. I'd much rather have a dynamic relationship with the living God, all it costs me is humility. My .02
Seriously, can one be a "good" or "bad" Christian. How are we judging? In order to judge accurately we need a guideline or measuring stick. I believe (through observation) that society would rather have a static list of rules (man made religion) to measure by rather than have to measure ourselves against a HOLY and PERFECT God. After all, none of us actually expect anyone to live up to all the "rules" all the time so we just have to forgive each other for not living up to all the man made rules ("religion"); and since none of us can really do it, forgiveness is readily available and easy to obtain. However, if our measuring stick is a HOLY and PERFECT God when I miss the mark and find myself not measuring up I have to HUMBLY come before a HOLY and PERFECT God, someone who has lived a PERFECT and HOLY life with all the same temptations we have, and ask forgiveness.
Religion has gotten a bad name because it is seen as synonymous with the various flavors of static man-made rule sets used to judge each other. I'd much rather have a dynamic relationship with the living God, all it costs me is humility. My .02
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Act of Mercy
You've probably heard it said that Grace is getting what we Don't deserve while Mercy is Not getting what we Do deserve. It's rather simplistic but I believe it accurately describes God's dealing with us as far as Grace and Mercy are concerned. However, I desire to get beyond the simple milk and strive for the meat of the Word. Jesus says in Matthew 9:13 "Go and Learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' " This is from Hosea 6:6 "I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
I've always had the notion that mercy was primarily a passive word. How is one to "do" mercy? Paul in Romans 12:8 encourages those who are gifted in showing mercy to do it cheerfully. When showing compassion or mercy isn't it just sympathy with a hug or pat on the back and some kind words? Sometimes we can do little else, however, mercy (at least in the Greek) is an action word. Most of the time it depicts Action taken out of compassion to alleviate misery and to relieve the suffering of a person or group of people. The good samaritan in Luke 10:37 is a great example of Showing mercy.
The action that God took to remove the curse of sin for us was anything but passive. For some reason God's mercy always seemed to me a simple act of His will to wave His hand to say He would not charge my sin against me. Although I am eternally grateful for that, the thought of what He had to do in order to make it possible for Him to wave His hand in forgiveness is something entirely more meaningful and profound. My King aggressively sought to remedy my misery and certain demise. The action not only involved Him but His son as well. For God to send His son, for Jesus to step out of heaven to live among us and bear the suffering and consequences of our sin, namely separation from His Father on the cross, is a profound example of the Act of Mercy... I've stopped typing for some time because I lack the eloquence and precision to accurately describe my renewed realization of what my Lord has done for me... It is God's tender regard for the plight of man that moved Him to act in such a manner as this.
We too should have this kind of compassion for our fellow man. A tender regard that moves us toward aggressive action to alleviate suffering. Mercy, Grace and Peace are tightly intertwined.
God gave us what we didn't deserve so that He could rescue us from what we did deserve resulting in the peace of God.
Let us act following the example of our King.
I've always had the notion that mercy was primarily a passive word. How is one to "do" mercy? Paul in Romans 12:8 encourages those who are gifted in showing mercy to do it cheerfully. When showing compassion or mercy isn't it just sympathy with a hug or pat on the back and some kind words? Sometimes we can do little else, however, mercy (at least in the Greek) is an action word. Most of the time it depicts Action taken out of compassion to alleviate misery and to relieve the suffering of a person or group of people. The good samaritan in Luke 10:37 is a great example of Showing mercy.
The action that God took to remove the curse of sin for us was anything but passive. For some reason God's mercy always seemed to me a simple act of His will to wave His hand to say He would not charge my sin against me. Although I am eternally grateful for that, the thought of what He had to do in order to make it possible for Him to wave His hand in forgiveness is something entirely more meaningful and profound. My King aggressively sought to remedy my misery and certain demise. The action not only involved Him but His son as well. For God to send His son, for Jesus to step out of heaven to live among us and bear the suffering and consequences of our sin, namely separation from His Father on the cross, is a profound example of the Act of Mercy... I've stopped typing for some time because I lack the eloquence and precision to accurately describe my renewed realization of what my Lord has done for me... It is God's tender regard for the plight of man that moved Him to act in such a manner as this.
We too should have this kind of compassion for our fellow man. A tender regard that moves us toward aggressive action to alleviate suffering. Mercy, Grace and Peace are tightly intertwined.
God gave us what we didn't deserve so that He could rescue us from what we did deserve resulting in the peace of God.
Let us act following the example of our King.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Sex Trafficking in Latin America
One of the most grievous and blatantly evil acts committed against street children is in sexual trafficking and exploitation. I'd like to take a minute and lay down some statistics that will hopefully motivate us all to become more active in putting feet to our religion and fighting this abuse on innocents.
1. ~ 1,000,000 children across Latin America have been entrapped by child prostitution and pornography networks. In many cases in Mexico these child victims are offered to wealthy businessmen and politicians.
2. ~100,000 women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation annually. Interpol has set the number trafficked out of Colombia each year at 35,000. Other estimates are considerably higher.
3. Over half of all women in Latin America have suffered some form of violent act. 33% of these women have been victims of sexual exploitation between the ages of 16 and 49.
4. Women from countries like Colombia are trafficked into Venezuela through prostitution trade networks originating in Colombia. Children from Ecuador are trafficked into Venezuela to serve as prostitutes and work as street vendors and housemaids. The victims are usually children who are kidnapped, sold by their parents, or deceived by false employment opportunities. These children are first exploited through prostitution at the average Children as young as 7 years old have been found to be sexually exploited. age of 12. Of the 40,000 sexually exploited children in Venezuela, 78% are girls between the ages of 8 and 17. 5. Over 100,000 women and girls in Latin America are trafficked into sexual slavery each year. They are kidnapped or entrapped (offered so-called "legitimate" jobs overseas), and then they are trafficked & sold to brothels around the World. Latina women and girl children are literally enslaved by the thousands in Japan, Holland, Spain, across Latin America and within the U.S. 6. Over 35,000 women are trafficked from Colombia each year, bringing annual criminal profits of $500 million. Over 5,000 Colombian women are enslaved in Holland alone. 7. An estimated 15,000 young Mexican girls are trafficked into the United States each year, most are forced into sex slavery. Some of them are as young as 8 years old. 8. Covenant House-Latin America completed a ten month study in April, 2002, using 56 researchers to go undercover to document the fact that thousands of Central America's children are enslaved by well financed & highly organized pedophile sex trafficking gangs. 12 year old Central American girls were sold for $100-$200 each. 9. Child prostitution rings working in sex shops throughout Colombia were raided in Sep 1998 freeing 370 minors aged 12-16. Twenty-nine adults were arrested. The children where being held in slavery-like conditions, were abused and forced into prostitution. At least 145 of the children where found in the major city of Cartegena, a busy sex-tourist destination. These are but a few statistics you can find on the internet from a 10 minute pull. The phrase "sex-tourism" is simply inconceivable to me. What kind of monster can take a child for a few bucks, have their way with them and toss them aside with seemingly no thought that that was (and is) a person, and moreover, an innocent child. Children are to be protected, nurtured and taught about life. Instead, small self-indulgent "people" are using them for personal gain, be it physical or financial. Likewise, grown women are suffering similar situations. Where are the MEN that see this happening? Where are the MEN, Christian men, that hear about this and turn away; maybe angry and disgusted, but still go about life without doing anything? I've been that man. I knew about this years ago and have done nothing. Well, we can't work on every problem that exists...but have we worked on anything? "Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this, to look after orphans and widows in their distress ..." James 1:27 This is clearly something that the Lord wants us to do. Now what...
1. ~ 1,000,000 children across Latin America have been entrapped by child prostitution and pornography networks. In many cases in Mexico these child victims are offered to wealthy businessmen and politicians.
2. ~100,000 women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation annually. Interpol has set the number trafficked out of Colombia each year at 35,000. Other estimates are considerably higher.
3. Over half of all women in Latin America have suffered some form of violent act. 33% of these women have been victims of sexual exploitation between the ages of 16 and 49.
4. Women from countries like Colombia are trafficked into Venezuela through prostitution trade networks originating in Colombia. Children from Ecuador are trafficked into Venezuela to serve as prostitutes and work as street vendors and housemaids. The victims are usually children who are kidnapped, sold by their parents, or deceived by false employment opportunities. These children are first exploited through prostitution at the average Children as young as 7 years old have been found to be sexually exploited. age of 12. Of the 40,000 sexually exploited children in Venezuela, 78% are girls between the ages of 8 and 17. 5. Over 100,000 women and girls in Latin America are trafficked into sexual slavery each year. They are kidnapped or entrapped (offered so-called "legitimate" jobs overseas), and then they are trafficked & sold to brothels around the World. Latina women and girl children are literally enslaved by the thousands in Japan, Holland, Spain, across Latin America and within the U.S. 6. Over 35,000 women are trafficked from Colombia each year, bringing annual criminal profits of $500 million. Over 5,000 Colombian women are enslaved in Holland alone. 7. An estimated 15,000 young Mexican girls are trafficked into the United States each year, most are forced into sex slavery. Some of them are as young as 8 years old. 8. Covenant House-Latin America completed a ten month study in April, 2002, using 56 researchers to go undercover to document the fact that thousands of Central America's children are enslaved by well financed & highly organized pedophile sex trafficking gangs. 12 year old Central American girls were sold for $100-$200 each. 9. Child prostitution rings working in sex shops throughout Colombia were raided in Sep 1998 freeing 370 minors aged 12-16. Twenty-nine adults were arrested. The children where being held in slavery-like conditions, were abused and forced into prostitution. At least 145 of the children where found in the major city of Cartegena, a busy sex-tourist destination. These are but a few statistics you can find on the internet from a 10 minute pull. The phrase "sex-tourism" is simply inconceivable to me. What kind of monster can take a child for a few bucks, have their way with them and toss them aside with seemingly no thought that that was (and is) a person, and moreover, an innocent child. Children are to be protected, nurtured and taught about life. Instead, small self-indulgent "people" are using them for personal gain, be it physical or financial. Likewise, grown women are suffering similar situations. Where are the MEN that see this happening? Where are the MEN, Christian men, that hear about this and turn away; maybe angry and disgusted, but still go about life without doing anything? I've been that man. I knew about this years ago and have done nothing. Well, we can't work on every problem that exists...but have we worked on anything? "Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this, to look after orphans and widows in their distress ..." James 1:27 This is clearly something that the Lord wants us to do. Now what...
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Introduction
Hello all and thank you for reading my mind. My name is actually Ken Leake, not Zorro. I have that as my display name b/c I like what the character stands for and the sacrifices he makes for the "little" guy. Fighting for the less fortunate is what we should all aspire to and Zorro motivates me. Actually, Jesus Christ is my real role model, I just didn't want to put down "Jesus" as my display name. I love James 1:27 b/c it seems to concisely state what our focus as Christians (Christ like folks) should be, both inward and outward. My wife and I have six beautiful children, which has added to my concern for children around the world, particularly those that are orphaned, abducted, mistreated, malnourished, etc. I believe our Father in Heaven desires our "Religion" be worth something not just ritualistic and self serving in nature. Of course the rest of the verse regarding looking after Widows is an area I believe the Church at large has failed in and handed responsibility over to the state or insurance companies. Granted some Church bodies have really picked up the torch on this and have honored our elderly in doing so. Lastly "to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" sets us believers apart. This one is really for us; if we keep ourselves and our families from being tied up in the world life seems to be so much more satisfying; God does know best.
I want to use this web space to collect my thoughts, document events, and open up a forum on how we followers of Christ can put feet to our "Religion" so that it is acceptable to our Lord. We were involved in mission work in Central America for about seven years then joined the Army as an Intelligence Analyst fighting the war on terrorism, we will now be getting out soon and are currently planning for the next chapter in our exciting life.
Topics will center around James 1:27 however, a large portion of the posts to this Blog will be applying Intelligence Analysis thinking to help in the rescue of missing and exploited children particularly in Central America.
Enjoy! Questions and comments are always welcome.
Ken (Zorro)
I want to use this web space to collect my thoughts, document events, and open up a forum on how we followers of Christ can put feet to our "Religion" so that it is acceptable to our Lord. We were involved in mission work in Central America for about seven years then joined the Army as an Intelligence Analyst fighting the war on terrorism, we will now be getting out soon and are currently planning for the next chapter in our exciting life.
Topics will center around James 1:27 however, a large portion of the posts to this Blog will be applying Intelligence Analysis thinking to help in the rescue of missing and exploited children particularly in Central America.
Enjoy! Questions and comments are always welcome.
Ken (Zorro)
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