God prepared Paul for a life of ministry. Saul, before he became the apostle Paul, was getting prepared for ministry. Although in the beginning, he sent out to abolish Christianity, he changed by God. Paul was smart and knew many languages so this helped him speak to many people. Also, he was a tentmaker so it was like he was prepared for traveling. I Know God uses people. I feel he will use me to reach out to people because I am very social. I feel God will use through that…
As an 8th grade class, we had the opportunity to learn more about persecution in different countries. I, along with Lydia and Lily, studied the country of Somalia. There are many things happening there. did you know that Somalia is number 3 on the world watch list? One of the main terrorist’s groups is called Al-Shabab. When we searched up persecution in Somalia Al-Shabab showed up a lot. Al-Shabab did this; Al-Shabab did that. We started to look at the group. found out it is an Islamic terrorist group. 98.8% of the country is Islamic and Muslim culture. (Which I believe is the same thing). We gave personal examples as well to tie in with it all. I believe that our group did well in our presentation. There were some times where I thought we felt rushed to get something done. Overall, we had enough information. There are many things we still don’t know, but we covered pretty much the general “stuff”. Ex. what we can do to help…
Our budget was $4875. We used all our money hoping that it would be sturdy. Our design didn’t go as planned. In fact, we changed the design right in the middle of our work. Our other other design was expensive. Our group didn’t focus very well either. The picture below is our tower in the end.
I think the best thing is the weight that our chain holds because we tested and it worked. I am a little worried about it snapping. I think that it might not be long enough but that’s okay. We didn’t use the popsicle sticks and some other things because we didn’t know how to include the other things and make it work. We were worried about some of the things that is why we didn’t use them.
I have enjoyed seeing my friends and learning new things.
What was one thing you have learned?
One of the things I learned is more about Christopher Columbus. I knew he was an explorer butI never thought that he was involved with killing thousand perhaps of Tianos.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to?
Learning more science and how the earth works. Although I wish we were doing chemistry.
Building the boat had it ups and downs. Getting the boat together and not going over the limit was easy for us. What I am worrying about is the speed. I would at least get an competitive time; but who know’s? I know that we are not going to be the best. I personally would like to get an A.
Over the summer I had the opportunity to hang out with my friends and family doing fun activities. Early in the summer I did a summer service camp with my friends Alyssa. For the first two days my youth group and I went to a thrift store. The boys built shelves; while the ladies organized clothes. On the third day we went to the food pantry heart to heart and helped with orders. We also washed cars in the afternoon. On the last day we went to the beach. I personally had a fun time and am looking forward to do it again next summer. Later on I went with my cousins to Michigan Adventures; and went on some fun and crazy rides. That is some of the fun things that I did over the summer.
Give an overview of your Africa Union experience (Research, Prep, the day itself)?
Throughout the I learned more about my country, Kenya. Kenya positioned in the hybrid system, due to the low ranking. Our lowest democracy is located in the operation of government. Here is the status: Operation of government- 2.93, Electoral and pluralism process-3.5.,Civil liberties- 4.41, Political culture-5.63, and the Political participation- 6.67. There have been many complications over the past year, but there also has been an improvement too. Such as, groups that are organized to help certain “parts” of the corrupt democracy.
What did you get out of it? (positive).
Certain countries want more or less democracy depending on how much they have already had. It was hard to get you point passed because many of the other countries want that to benefit them also and if you can’t show a way that it benefits then they won’t want to pass it. It was not easy to represent a different country. A different country has a different perspective than others. It gives you an idea of how to present your point net time we do something like this.
What was hard?
Like in the paragraph before, it was hard to get your point across to the other countries. They had an idea of what they needed to make the democracy better, and it is sometimes a different “topic.”
I saw the reconciliation most on the rugby team because they started off with dispising black. At first, they hated them. They never thought much about them.Then the rugby team started to take time and hangout/teach the black children. (Nelson Mandela helped with that change).
Who was the character you saw the most change from the beginning to the end?
Francois, captain of the rugby team, was the person that I saw a significant amount change. He helped bring the team together and change their perspective on different things. (That includes playing rugby with black children). Without him to encourage them to look at things differently; they may have never got the opportunity “correct themselves” and make a difference. Frist, in order to change the perspective of the teammates, the captain himself, had to change too. Nelson Mandela helped him understand the things he couldn’t in the beginning; such as, all people are equals.
Before I really had an “idea” of what Africa and the variety there I thought that is was a dry and barren continent. That people that lived there were in poverty. That they had to walk to get their water. Although that might be true, not all of Africa is like that. There are some places in Africa that are not dry and barren but colorful and green… There are a lot of poverty but there is also some “growth”.
Have you ever noticed the sinful things around the world? The injustices, the bombings, the hatred, the racism. The world is full of hate and jealousy. We are imperfect and still struggle with the right way to handle situations. As 7th grade at ZCS, we had the opportunity to read the book “While the World Watched” By Carolyn Maull Mckinstry. The autobiography explains what it is like to live in Birmingham, Alabama, since the 1940s. Carolyn lived through and experienced what is what like for colored people to live in the southern part of the U.S. She had a difficult childhood and even bringing the memories with her caused a difficult adulthood. She was part of the children’s march that happened on May 2 and 3, 1963. The bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church (killing her four friends, Addie Mae Collins, Carol Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and caused Addie Collins little sister (Sarah Collins) to lose 70% of sight in one eye and lose the other entirely) on September 15 at 10:22 am. She had to endure much more than she should have. This shows how bad it was in the 1940s and henceforth. It is still happening in the world today. We can not get rid of it, but we can start help changing it for the better. “One day at a time and one act of kindness at a time-we can heal the world. We must stop watching and begin healing.” (McKinstry- While the World watched page:286). It is time to stop watching and finally take action!
Throughout Carolyn’s life, she has experienced racism and hatred. After the bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, she has truly seen the injustice, the hatred. She asked questions that she shouldn’t have asked at a young age, or really any age. “Is this going to continue?” “ Will this wave of killing and bombs ever end?”(Mckinstry- While the World Watched page:71) “Just how much influence will this man (George Wallace) have on on our black population?” (McKinstry- While the World Watched- page:86). Bombings and death due to racial injustice was part of normal daily life in her community and in the world. After the/a death(s) the black community continued with their everyday life. How could you do that? People, who believe in the same “stuff” that you do? Imagine what it would be like to have your church bomb and your friends killed and have to move on with your life. How could you bare it? These were not just random people, they could be friends or family, neighbors or people who go to church with you. It breaks my heart to know what happened to Carolyn on September 15,1963. If anything breaks my heart the most is how we treat others. Our world looks down on people of all color, religion, and their personality. We judge others by how they appear to be but we never take our time to get to know them a little better. By judging others it changes our perspective on others and changes our actions towards a certain person. In this autobiography, the people judged others by their skin. The white people treated the black people like crap… The Ku Klux Klan also known as the KKK bombed or killed them if they stood up and told how mistreated they were. They even killed white people who defend the black people by standing up with them for their rights. The Ku Klux Klan is a group of white people who believe in segregation. They killed anyone who stood up to stop the racial injustice. They believe in keeping colored and white people separate…
Like thousands of kids in the 1960s, Carolyn was part of the Children’s March. The Children’s March is one of the Civil Rights movements. The Children’s March was, of course, means children marched on May two and three. So what the big deal? You may ask. Let me tell you… The Children’s March, as you know, is of course done by children in Birmingham, Alabama. The children marched for their freedom, for their communities freedom. Any march without a permit was technically illegal. Dr. King asked permission to march but his request was declined. (Dr. King was one of the most famous leaders in the Civil Rights Movements. One of his famous speeches was “I have a Dream” ). Dr. King then got some people into Sixteenth Baptist Church and told them about the plan to peacefully protest. The most of the adults were hesitant because in percisapating they could lose their job, house, family, and they could die themselves. The kids started to stand up and volunteer themselves for this cause. They were being brave and taking a chance to stand up for what they believe in. They were willing to go the drama; go through whatever lies ahead of them. This proves that no matter of the age or size you can make a big difference. It also proves the influence that kids have. Dr. King was nervous about having kids go and march down the roads. He warned them that they might go to jail… but they were still willing to go. Word spread out to the black community, especially the kids.They didn’t want to let the white community to know so they used code words to keep the black community informed and to leave the white community with questions. D-Day was what they were calling the day when they marched. Once the day finally arrived the students were all at school and car drove past with a person holding a sign that read “It’s Time.” As if that was their cue they all started to get out of the windows, doors… any possible exit. All those kids; all those children; all of those adolescents started to head towards the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Once they got to the church they were sorted out in groups of 50 or so to march down the streets of Birmingham. Once they got arrested they sent another 50 and another and another… Eventually, the started hauling kids over to jail in school buses. The jail kept on overflowing so some of them to Kidde Land to where the animals were kept. (Kidde Land was an amusement park for white people only). By the second day, the fireman came and sprayed water at them from their heavy duty hoses. They let the dogs out… Lots of kids were injured or died by the power of the hose and the dogs. They still kept on singing for their freedom; for communities freedom…
You may ask why this is important? What does it matter now? You might think that it happened a long time ago and now no one does it… NO! That is not the case. This world is imperfect and so are we. We think we are better than someone else… That we might not take drugs or killed anyone that we are better than the person who did those things. God loves us all colored or not, Christian or not, he loves us all. He may not be proud of what we done… We might sin a lot and fall short from God but he won’t abandon us! God created us with our own talents. We get to choose how we use them but we should use them to reflect God. He forgives us constantly and expects us to do the same. Carolyn buried the sorrow and pain that she had experienced over the years. She started to take drugs to help her with the pain but she realized that it was doing more harm to her than it was to those who murdered her friends. She prayed to God to lead her back on the right path. She chose to forgive those who done her wrong. Same with Carol (who works at the underground station and it’s touring). They set his house on fire and his son was in there but he got out and was shaken up but okay. They could have killed his son… and when he heard Carolyn’s story he decided to forgive those people who burned his house. The power of forgiveness is strong!
The world isn’t perfect it is full of sin and hatred. People always think they are right but they need to see it from some else’s point of view. God created us out of love so that we can love others. The racial injustice is still in the world and the disrespect for others. We can not get rid of it, but we can start help changing it for the better.“One day at a time and one act of kindness at a time-we can heal the world. We must stop watching and begin healing.” (McKinstry- While the World watched page:286). It is time to stop watching and finally take action!
Cite(s):
McKinstry, Carolyn Maull. While The World Watched. Tyndale, 2011.
Throughout the Bible, there has been a series of doubt and conflict. All people have some time in their life struggled with this, or will struggle with this. It is good to ask questions and look for answers. If you never experienced doubt then you are just where you started… Let me give you a better example… People like Joseph, Moses, and David are great followers of God but they also have flaws too. They make mistakes and messed up, but when they realized when they did something wrong they come to God and repented. It is because of their mistakes that molded them for who they are. They experienced doubt, anger, confusion. By that, they accomplished great things through God. They became better followers of God through their “dark times.” As a class, we talked about people who doubted God, and why it is sometimes easy for us to doubt God. Death, sickness, and all the evil things around the world can be where many people doubt God. My visual is my grandpa because my family and I had experienced doubt when my grandpa was in the hospital but experienced it more when he died. I didn’t understand why that happened, why him. I knew it was going to happen someday with all my grandparents, but I felt that it was never going to happen.
Theme 2- Call
In the bible, there are many times when God called his people to do his wonderful works. But not just in the bible, but also in everyday life. He calls us to change the world for the better. To use our talents to help others, not harm them. It is God’s plan to many things and you play an important role in it too. You can’t run away from God’s plan. God’s calls people in many ways. We all don’t respond in the same way depending on what the situation is. If you were told to move away from your home into an unfamiliar far away place, would you go? You would leave all you know, familiar about behind? It is not always easy to go and do what God called you to do. Abraham was called to leave his home and go live in a different area. Jonah was called to preach and tell how much the people were sinning. He was called to fix it, but the place he was called to go is evil and sinful. He was scared and tried to hide, but God saw and had a fish swallow him up. No matter how much Jonah tried to hide away from God he couldn’t do it. It is his plan and he is calling you to be a part of it. My visual is the picture of Jonah and the whale, and how he called him to do and act to point others in the right direction.
Theme 3- Slavery/ Salvation
Slavery and Salvation happen a lot during the old and new testament. You can see this by Israelites always going into exile and being saved. It is by their sin that they exiled, but God was forgiving and always brought them out of slavery. Another example that is different and yet the same is with Moses and Joseph. With both Moses and Joseph they were rejected by family and/or the people of Israel. Joseph was rejected by his brother who sold him to some Egyptians. He was a servant and was accused of something he didn’t do, which got him thrown in jail. By that, he got to experience a life where he helped many people and was not rejected like his brothers had done to him. Through his rough and not so pleasant times, God had a plan for him. Moses, on the other hand, was rejected by his brother Aaron (at first), and the Israelites, and Egyptians. The Israelites thought he “betrayed” them. The Egyptians thought he should belong working with the Israelites. Aaron hated him because one; he got the attention from his mom. Two; Moses gets to live in a palace when Aaron and other Israelites have to work hard. Moses was the one who was chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians/ Pharaoh. Moses was there with Aaron at his side. Imagine Aaron who first hated him now at his side. God’s plan can bring people together, and that can be said with Joseph and his brothers. Handcuff(s) is my visual because the handcuffs represent exile or the lack of freedom. It also represents our sins are holding us accountable, but it is only through salvation that we are truly saved. Our salvation is through Christ who died on the cross so that we can be given another chance for eternal life.
Theme 4- Sinai Law
The ten commandments are like God’s wedding vows with Israel. We show love and respect others and God by following the “vows.” The Israelites sometimes strayed from the ten commandments. They strayed from God and his “vows” to do what looks pleasing to them. Once they strayed from God they committed many different kinds of sin that break one or more commandments. Then they need recusing and brought back to the right life that can be only gained through God. They do the same process over and over again by following their own “Golden calf.” Not just the Israelites but their leaders (like Moses) also. Not just the great leader such as Moses but everyone in the old and new testament (with the exception of Jesus). Not just everyone in the old and new testament (besides Jesus), but everyone now and forever will always have a struggle with their “Golden calf” or calves ( with things that look pleasing to them but not necessarily the right thing). These “Golden calves” can be anything like wealth, popularity, objects, hobbies, etc…My visual is my dog because whenever have food out it pleasant to him and always there waiting for us to drop some so he can just have a taste. Since it looks pleasant why not have maybe just a little, right? What harm could it really do? It looks good so he wants it. Can you relate to that? Have you ever wanted something? Anything at all? I have. I sometimes find myself trying to be someone I am not to “impress” someone, to be liked (appreciated). I could hurt someone without realizing it. I need help staying on the right path to try not to be someone who is nothing like me at all. Be who you are meant to be! Don’t let someone or something change you, even if it looks “pleasing” to you.
Theme 5- Sent to the Promised Land
The Israelites had many trials and errors on the way to the Promised land. They complained a lot about God bringing them into the desert to die. The need of water and food, and then complaining of how they are tired of Mana. They experienced a lot of doubt that they had in the Lord to provide what they needed. God sometimes punished them with plagues, like the plague when the snakes bit the people or Israel. They repented and begged God to stop the plague and help them. God told Moses to my a snake of bronze and if the people look at it their life will be saved. Other times God gave them what they wanted and when they “participated” in the sin something awful will happen to them. God tried to teach the people of Israel the right from wrong, but they kept on sinning. One time because of the Israelites sin they had to wander the wilderness for an extra 40 years! As a class we talked about doubt, and how we need to trust God. My visual is the standing stone in the front of ZCS. I chose this because we need to build a foundation on God. We need to be frim through him and he will help us if we fall. We need to trust God to “support” us, to be our foundation so that we can build off of him. When something is there to harm or try to destroy us (like death, complications, devoricemet, etc… ). As long as Christ is our foundation will remain strong. We might sin, we might fall, but God will be there helping us again and again.
Theme 6- Something is Rotten
Do you have anything that could, or is draw(ing) away from God? If so then what is it, or why is it drawing you away from God? Maybe it is an object or a device. Maybe it is your talent in something. Maybe it is popularity. It could be anything. These things are not supposed to above God, family, friends (so basically loved ones). If it happens for a certain amount of time (whenever that might be) it can turn “rotten.” Please allow me to explain… Let’s say the Israelites for an example starting to follow other gods. False god(s), and because of their sin the left an awful stench behind. They worshiped (an) other gods and taught their children to believe in the different gods. People are so stubborn and ignorant that they believe whatever they want and thinks it is the truth. It is hard to bring them back, especially if they have been doing it for a long time. A miracle happens to show that God is the one and only God, and still, afterward, they turn away and start to sin. They sin by worshiping other gods, stealing and disrespecting others, bring harm, etc… My visual is popularity because I struggle with wanting to be recognized and I become someone I’m not. I could an awful stench be hurting someone, or being a bad example. I sometimes wish I could be noticed for my talents and I hope that I don’t hurt someone on the way. I wish that people can get out of their comfort zones and take action by showing love and kindness, and especially acceptance.
Theme 7- Slide to Destruction
Have you ever made a bad decision? Like bugging your siblings because you know it will get on their nerve. Or deciding to pull a prank on your teacher? Or smart talking to your parents? These “activities” can get you into a lot of trouble. They can lead to your “slide to destruction” because you could get punished. It could not also affect you, but also others… Like… For instance, you and your family are going to Lost City to do laser tag. Your sibling makes a bad decision by saying bad words to her/his teacher and now as a punishment, you and your family won’t go to laser tag. You might feel disappointed, but you will definitely be mad at your sister or brother for their bad decision. All sins lead to punishments, the Israelites can relate to that. Their leaders made some bad decisions; like when Jeroboam decided to built temple(s) to other gods (s). Which lead others astray. God sent a prophet to teach them (bring them back on the right path). A lot of times because of the sin(s) of the people and their leader they were sent into exile. God made a decision to send his one and only son to die for our sins. So that we may not be exiled from God. He took our blame, shame, wrongdoings, and placed them on his shoulders. God’s love is so great and grand that instead of condemning us he is drawing us closer to him. My visual is soap because when I was younger and said mean and hurtful things I would most likely get soap in my mouth and get sent to my room. I can hurt someone with my words and/or actions. I get punished for saying mean stuff and can get others in trouble too sometimes. We have to think before we do because we don’t know what the consequences might be.
Theme 8- A Savior
The world is broken and cruel. It is hurtful and full of hatred, but it is also filled with love and compassion. The world might be a broken place, but there is light and good in it also. Jesus brought the light and grace. He brought hope and love. There will always be sin and evil trying to draw you away from God, but God will never let you fall. People might ask; Where is the love? Where is God? They might not see it because of the sin(s) around the world. Come, Jesus, we’ve been waiting for… Come and destroy evil destroy gossip… make people see that it does matter if you are black or white male or female. Demolish the hatred and the jealousy… The world needs a savior, so come, Jesus, we’ve been waiting for. We see the brokenness and hatred, but do we see that God is already starting to change the hatred into love? It might not be perfect, but it is getting better. The Lord is working through people to make the world a better place. Lord, the world is not perfect and needs you to guide it. We need you to change it for your glory. The people old and new testament show the savior is who saves them from exile and/or defeat their enemies. God had in mind to save the people from themselves. To save them spiritually not physically, although sometimes that could mean the same thing. My visual is a cross because that is where Jesus took all the sins of the world and the ones to came onto him to be his own burden. That is where he saved us, and where he will continue to save us.
The heaviest liquid is at the bottom because it’s density is more then the others. On the bottom is corn syrup, then dish soap, then the Water, then the vegetable oil, then the Rubbing Alcohol. The Rubbing Alcohol is on the top because it has the lightest density. My prediction was correct with the order of the liquids.
One thing that I pulled away from the movie was the religion. They were not allowed to do ceremonial practices because their religion was “illegal.” If they did it they would in secret. We also learned about the boarding schools and how and the forced the children to come. They were mistreated. I was never mistreated during school. I could never imagine that. I could “do actions” for part of my religion. I could celebrate and not be told that I could and couldn’t do.
As a 7th grade we watched a dallor a day. It was about two collage students going to see what is is like to live in poverty in Guatemala. They experienced what it is like to live a dallor a day. They got to meet all kinds of people there. One was a woman who had to drop out at school in sixth grade because her parents could not afford it. She wished she could’ve stayed in school and become a nurse. it is amazing how much people live like that. Barley anything to eat and maybe not going to school. Unclean water. They seem to give more. Like there was a family that welcome the two students. They spend a lot of time together and shared what food they had. We are so fortunate to have clean water, more then enough food, and the money to go to school.
En la escuela está una gimnasio, el baño, y el patio. El baño está cerca de el gimnasio. El patio está lejos de el gimnasio. En el mapa de Guatemala, Flores está muy lejos Cuilapa. Huehuetenángo está cerca de San Marcos. San Marcos está arriba de Retalhuleu.
Las estudeantes de Guatemala classes es ciencias, mathematics, idioma, idioma español, historia, y educación físicas. La hora de mathematics es diez y cuarto de la mañana. La hora de ciencias es onse menos cinco de la mañana. La hora de idioma español es una y media de la trade. La hora de llegan de la escuela es ocho de la mañana. La Hora salen de escuela es tres nueve. La hora de the escuela comen es dose de la trade.
La pasatiempos de Guatemala es Ellos y Ellas juga fútbol, excursionismo, bicicleta de montaña, kayak, y ESPELEOLOGÍA! La tres comidas en Guatemala es bistec, guacamole, y chiles rellenos
