Christian Persecution

While researching about persecution in Laos, it helped me become more aware of some of the terrible things that have happened there in these last few years. Laos is ranked in the top 20, for most persecuted per year, and it is our job to make a difference here in God’s kingdom on earth, even though there are some terrible things happening.

Spaghetti Tower

Something that went very well in our group, is that we did all that we were supposed to. There wasn’t one person who did more than the other. We all worked very well together and had everything done in time. Something that didn’t go well was the measurements of the tower, so we got marked down a little on that, but other than that we had everything well done and did everything that was supposed to be done. My favorite part was my group, and how well we worked together, and my least favorite was that we got marked down on something so little and just missed what it needed to be measured.

Why is it important that we study Christian persecution?

I think that it is important to study Christian Persecution, because it can help us become more aware of what is happening around our sinful world. I think that it is important to know what is happening and know that we have it very good in our community. Where, we can worship freely and live without fear. I think everyday we take our freedom for granted, and we often don’t think about persecution. Learning about persecution, it kind of made me feel guilty, knowing that I take the freedom I have for granted, whether than the people in the stories I wrote about have to fight for their lives, and worry everyday about their faith. I think that we can make a change and pray that the persecution may stop in this world, and that the people who are hurt by this, physically and emotionally, can stop worrying everyday.

Ideal Church vs. Early Church

I think that while we were talking about our Ideal church and what it looked like, it was very very different than what the Early Church was. I think that if the Ideal Church would “happen” we wouldn’t be going for the right reasons… maybe wed be going for all the stuff that came with it. Its amazing to look back and see how devoted the people were to the early church, and how it has changed. I think that its important to keep going to church for the right reasons, and to start trying to be more like the people in the Early Church. Not worry about differences, race, just all be united in one, the Church in Christ.

Thoughts about Jesus’ crucifixion

I really liked talking about Jesus’ crucifixion, as sad as it was. I really loved doing the poster part and being able to express ourselves but without anyone knowing what you wrote. I loved the activity that we did also before the posters and the quite time we had to pray, to thank God, and to just reflect on the posters, and what we were going to try and work on doing better in the Kingdom of God, here on earth.

God sightings

During my weekend, I was able to see God in a few different ways. One in particular was the Hope Gathering. That was amazing. How so many different people showed up was awesome, but that where I didn’t see God. I saw it through the breathtaking worship. How yet there were different people of all ages, but they were all there for the same exact reason that I was. To worship, and to love God.

God Sightings

My God Sighting that I saw during my weekend, was when I went up north with my family and friends. Our cabin is basically in the middle of no where where your surrounded by Gods beauty, which was just amazing. We were surrounded by changing trees, deer, horses and lots of property where we could quad and do just about anything there. One specific time where I saw God was when we watched the sunsets up there, which is just about the prettiest thing you will ever see, and the thousands of stars, and the moon. It was so mind-blowing that the same God who created those stars, and those animals, and the tress, is the same God who loves us and cares for us.

Descriptive Writing & Theme

Sadie Wierda

Mrs. Roskamp

LA, 8A

10 September 2015

Descriptive Writing

The flag card reminds me of when my cousin Casie came home from Africa.

These past year, my cousin Casie has been working at Beautiful Gate, which is located in South Africa. She immediately felt called to go to Africa right after high school, so thats what she did. This past summer, she finally came home. That morning I slept in, and got up around 11:30 and headed to watch my brother Sam play baseball. We watched his first game, and then headed to the airport with my cousins and aunts. We got to the airport and walked inside the doors. Instantly in the distance we heard the engines on the airplanes firing up and turning off. We waited in the airport and ate delicious donuts while my stomach was flipping and turning because I was so anxious to my cousin. The moment she came around the corner we screamed so loud I bet even the people taking off in the airplanes could hear. We all ran up to her and surrounded her and gave her so many hugs. It sure was a day that I wouldn’t forget, because it was the day my best friend came home after a whole year!

The anchor card reminds me of the time I traveled to Florida over the past summer and went boating and snorkeling with sea turtles and sharks.

This past summer, my family and I traveled to Florida for our family vacation. We trailered out boat down and did lots of fishing and snorkeling. My favorite part was definitely snorkeling with all the many many different colored fish and the sharks and sea turtles. One of the days we went snorkeling, my morning started hearing the annoying and obnoxious noise of a alarm clock at 8:00. My whole family got our stuff together and headed for out boat. The place we went to was called Cheeca Rocks. It was so beautiful, and the water was as clear as glass. As soon as we anchored and we got all of our snorkeling gear on and jumped in the water. The water was 94! We started swimming all around and immediately saw so many things. Sting rays, dolphins, hundreds of different colored fish, sea turtles, and sharks! Snorkeling was for sure my favorite part, and if I’d go back I’d do it again in a heart beat.

The suitcase card reminds me of the time we went to Chicago with family and friends.

Also this past summer, my family and I went to Chicago for the weekend. We also went with friends! We drove in the car for about 3 hours and made it Chicago. That day we arrived we got all of our stuff inside the hotel and that night, went to a tigers game. But sadly had to leave because it started pouring outside! You could see all the people trying to sprint for cover, and after we all made it under the roof, and after we had to find our whole group which was a total of 15 people! It was a crowded as Disney World during spring break. We took the subway back to our hotel which was as dirty as a porta potty. We got off the subway, and then ate pizza and went right to bed. The next morning was shopping all day, which was my cousins and I’s favorite part! We always go every year with the same people and always have so much fun, and Im already looking forward to next year!

Sadie Wierda

Mrs. Roskmap

LA, 8A

16 September 2015

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

While we were at Camp Roger, for leadership camp, we had an awesome time building stronger relationships and choosing our theme for this year. Our theme this year, “Built on the Rock”, means a lot to me as both an 8th grader at ZCS and as a Christian in the world.

The theme this year means a lot to me as an 8th grader. During our time at Camp Roger we all split up and were able to brain storm for ideas. While we were choosing the theme, it wasn’t an easy process. And it for sure wasn’t a quick one. My group and I took about an hour to brainstorm and came up with a theme, which is the one for this year. Built on the Rock. I think for me as an 8th grader, its very important for me to live by. I am a person that gets stressed, and who is not sure all the time. But especially in school and out of school I think for me, its so important to remember to keep my foundation on the “rock”, God. Another reason why I think its so important to have God as our foundation is because in a world like today, people are trying to change us, and our beliefs and the way we live, but I still believe that its so important to have a firm foundation in Christ.

This theme this year also applies to my life, just not in school but out of school. I think that this question is a little harder to think about. Because lots of people are watching how you act and what you say when your not at school. This verse is a constant reminder that I have to keep Christ a the center of my mind and heart. You have to think twice before you speak, because would this be pleasing to God? Because if I am making Christ my foundation, everything I do should be pleasing to Him.

“Built on the Rock”, means a lot to me as both an 8th grader at ZCS and as a Christian in the world. I love the fact that this is our verse for this year because it is a everyday reminder of how I can rely on Christ, as my foundation and try to keep Him at the center of my life.

New Edition

I think that this school year is going to go by great, because of the new space that we get to use this year. For the past year, and few months we’ve had workers working extra hard to finish our new edition that now holds 13 new classrooms, and very cool “hangout spaces” in the halls, that have brand new stuff. The classrooms are very very cool, but are a little distracting because of the clear walls that are on one side of the room. While other classes are switching it can get distracting looking at them do stuff while your in class, but overall there pretty cool. On the other side of the wall the walls open between classrooms, which is very cool because yesterday we were doing a big group activity and all we had to do was open the walls, and fit everybody in that big space, which wasn’t a problem at all! I think that this school year will be very fun and awesome, because of the new space that we get to be in, but also challenging because of the responsibility we have, which is trying to keep the space clean!

Apartheid

FullSizeRender (3)

¿Quién soy yo?

¿Cómo me ha afectado este tema?

¿Cómo he cambiado a través de lo que aprendí?

Creo que me ha afectado ese tema, porque es increíble que había tanta odio entre dos razas. Me afecto porque creo que no deberíamos juzgar a las personas por sus razas, y ni siquiera juzgar en general. Creo que realmente nos enseña, que no se debe juzgar un libro por su cubierta, y eso para mi me da un visual sobre el Apartheid, y las personas blancos y negros. Creo que también me afecto porque en ver las personas ni ir en los mismos lugares o hablarles, como Mandela utilizó el rugby para unir a un país, es la parte que yo creo que es tan interesante. Creo que me cambio a través de ver cuanto odio había en Sudáfrica, y cuanto ha cambiado por Mandela. Para añadir creo que me ha cambiado porque ahora veo las personas en diferentes maneras, y mi mundo en que vivo en.

¿Quiénes somos?

¿Qué aprendí sobre las diferencias y similaridades de personas en el mundo?

¿Cómo estoy conectado a los demás a través de este tema?

Algo que aprendí durante nuestro tiempo aprendiendo sobre el apartheid, era que era muy difícil y crucial para los negros vivir, en ese tiempo. Los diferencias entre los blancos y negros era que los negros tuvieron una calidad de vida muy baja mientras que los blancos tuvieron uno mucho mas alto. Los dos fueron separados, y no podían ir al mismo lugar. (Escuela, parques, hospitales, etc.) Los negros y Asiáticos, fueron tratados como segunda clase y no contaban con los mismos oportunidades de trabajo, como los blancos. Limitando los derechos de ciudadanos negros. Tenían derechos muy limitados, y fue muy difícil vivir en ese tiempo se fueras negro. Yo creo que estoy conectado a este tema, porque me inspiro mucho ver Nelson Mandela, transición el país de la política racista de apartheid. También, creo que estoy conectado a los demás a través de este tema, porque yo soy creyente en el Apartheid, porque creo que Dios creyó a todos igualmente, y solo porque su raza o color no significa que usted consiga tratados de una cierta manera.

¿Quién es Él?

¿Qué me enseño este tema de Dios–sus atributos y como se revela?

¿Qué significa seguir a Jesús con respecto a este tema?

Creo que Dios se revela, porque el nos ha creado para conseguir con todos personas, y amar a todos, y respetar las diferencias. Sé que su deseo para todo el mundo y toda la creación es para obtener amor a unos a los otros. Él fue revelado porque era grande cambio en entre el blanco en el negro durante el Apartheid.

Creo que significa que debemos aceptar a todas personas, como Jesus lo hizo. Creo que también significa que debemos no rechazar la gente alrededor de nosotros sólo porque son una raza diferente que ti, o si hacen cosas diferentes que usted, porque sé que eso no es algo que Jesús hará. Para añadir, creo que deberíamos tener un corazón por las personas, que no están siendo aceptados porque son una raza diferente, o hacen cosas diferentes, porque si todos comenzaran a tener un corazón por esas personas, ese mundo sería un mejor lugar para vivir en, por todos.

Llamada a la acción

¿Cuáles resultados tangibles estarán presentes en tu vida, basados en estas respuestas?

¿Qué es tu papel en la comunidad internacional con respecto a este tema?

¿Cómo respondes a lo que has aprendido?

No me gusta los conflictos y discutir. Me encanta estar juntos y cuando todos podemos hacer cosas juntos sin argumento, or conflicto. No me gusta cuando la gente se tratan o tratar a las personas injustamente.

De todos los blancos y negros hoy en día, este es un gran tema. Puedo ser audaz en lo que yo pienso, la igualdad de derechos entre las personas, y no tratar los negros diferentes que blancos.

Creo que puedo responder a lo que a aprendido, de no solo sentar en la casa no haciendo nada, sobre la situación, sino que tomar acción en la situación, y creer firmemente no sólo de mis derechos, pero los derechos de los demás.

La Unión Africana

Burundi

La situación en Burundi es muy complicada. Hay muchos partes diferentes de la historia, y muchos razones, porque Burundi es el modo que es ahora mismo. Los Hutu y Tutsi, tuvieron mucho tensión, y todavía hacen hasta este día. Los Tutsi, tuvieron mucho poder sobre los Hutu. Los Hutu querían más poder, entonces allí es donde empezó su Guerra Civil. Empezó en 1993, y termino en el 2005. Había más de 12 años de Guerra, porque quisieron más poder que lo que consiguieron. Cuando la guerra termino, los dos tenían el poder. Una otro cosa que paso en Burundi es que el presidente quería postularse por un tercer termino, y esto causo también mucho tensión. Causo tensión porque no era constitucional. Los Tutsi fueron muy enojados, porque el presidente fue un Hutu, y también, con eso en la ley dice que solo puedes ser el presidente por dos términos, (10 años) El presidente peleo para su tercer termino, pero el ejercito enojó también. Quisieron tratar de matarlo y expulsar, y el presidente tuvo que huir. Huyo a Tanzania, y después de algunos días regreso a Burundi. El pueblo también protesto, y dijo no, que el presidente no pudo ir por el tercera vez. 6 de los 7 en él corte dice que era legal, y uno de los dijeron no, y peleo por su razón.  Como Rwanda opiniona sobre la cosa que esta pasando en Burundi? Refugiados nos afecta, tensión entre los Hutu y Tutsi en Burundi y también en Rwanda, Teníamos guerra que tomo 2 años. Queremos ayudar a Burundi porque es nuestro vecino. ¿Que debe hacer la Union Africana en Burundi? Creo que la Union Africana, debe mandar soldados y guerra para establecer la paz entre la gente que protesta y también el gobierno. 

Algo que estuve muy sorprendido con, era cuanto tiempo tomaba para pasar a una de los leyes. Cuando estábamos discutiendo en el principio, estábamos hablando del situación que estaba pasando en nuestro país. Pensando en cuanto tiempo tomaría para hacer todo lo que hicimos nosotros, tomaría horas y horas para llegar a una conclusión. En el tiempo es que estábamos discutiendo con los diferentes países, para llegar a un deliberación, era mis cosa favorita. Los niños que yo trabaje con, trabajamos muy duro para terminar el papel hecho, para que será perfecto. También trabajamos muy duro para no sólo hacer que otros países a firmar nuestra deliberación, sino pensar juntos para que podríamos hacer mejor para todos, y cada uno de los “países”, y tratar de llegar a un acuerdo, juntos. Me gustó mucho aprender sobre la Unión Africana, y me gusta poder hacer un debate. Me gusta aprender de una manera divertida, como lo hicimos, lo que está pasando no sólo en el lugar donde yo vivo, pero en otros países también. Este tipo de aprender me interesa mucho y me fascina.

Sadie

Who is a daughter of Chris

Who is adventurous, outgoing, and competitive

Who loves soccer, basketball, and hanging with friends

Who dislikes school tests

Who is afraid of needles, snakes, and heights

Who likes biking, hiking, and skiing

Who would like to visit Paris, climb and volcano, and swim with dolphins

Who won the winning shot in a soccer game

Who lives in Zeeland, Michigan

Wierda   

IMG_7361IMG_7324FullSizeRender 2

Soccer

Aggressive, fun

Dribbling, kicking, scoring

Its an exciting sport

Soccer

imgres

Brothers

Annoying, loud

Tackling, shouting, fighting

They’re something else

Brothers!

IMG_7577 2

Probability

What did you learn about probability?

Through learning about the probability distribution, I learned about making the different charts. Something that I struggled with was understanding all the other stuff that we needed to include inside the keynote. I was able to understand some of the stuff, but I would’ve suggested more explanation.

What was difficult about this project?

Something that was really difficult was understanding some of the explanations, and putting a lot of work and effort into it, and being told that we had done it wrong again.

What did you enjoy about this project?

Something I enjoyed about this project was my fun group and having a good time when we didn’t always get things!

Desigualdad Espacial

Creo que la desigualdad espacial es muy injusto. Es muy difícil ver algo como esto pasar, y triste ver que las personas alrededor no hacer nada sobre la situación ó ayudarles. Es algo que pasa todo alrededor del mundo, y no es algo que deberían experimentar las personas. Vivir sin un techo para cubrirles durante que duermen, ó una ducha para tomar antes de ir a la cama, y muchos mas. Es algo muy triste que pasa. Ademas, hay diferentes situaciones que pasan. Después de estudiar sobre México, y escuchar las historias, las cosas que pasen allí en el campo, donde viven las personas, y ver los fotos es muy triste. Aquí en Zeeland, sinceramente yo no pienso sobre este tema. Nunca ha pensado sobre la tema, porque no estoy en la situación y no lo veo cada día. Si piensas que no hay desigualdad en Zeeland, y Holland estás incorrecto. Hay. Creo que la primera cosa que te puedes hacer es enseñarles que usted interesen a ellos, que quieren ayudar a cambiar la situación. Si solo significa hablarles por unos ratitos, le importan a las personas escuchar que tienes un significado en este mundo. No es algo grande, pero es un comienzo.


 

 


 

Amazonas

Durante el tiempo en que estudiamos las amazonas, me gusto mucho poder hablar con mis amigos y debatir sobre muchas cosas diferentes del amazonas. Algo que aprendí durante que estudiamos los amazonas era que hay muchos diferentes lados de opiniones. Muchas personas que viven adentro ó trabajen adentro del amazonas tienen una opinión, sobre lo que ellos creen. Creo que la deforestación es la culpa de las personas que están cortando los arboles en una manera egoísta. Creo que no hay problema de cortar las arboles, pero no deberían cortarlos solo para cortarlos. Esto esta gastando los arboles. Yo creo que esta bien cortarlos para las cosas necesarios, pero no creo que deberían cortarlos por las maneras malas. Hoy en día muchas personas no piensan cuando están cortando los arboles. Pueden usarles por muchas muchas maneras, y creo que pueden solicitar la situación y deforestación, pensando en lo que están haciendo y siendo mas cuidadoso en porque están cortando esa árbol.

 

 

 

Covenant-

supply-chain-300x225

Conflict/doubt-

imgres

Savior-

search

 

Names-

imgres-2

Call-

Screen Shot 2015-01-16 at 9.25.23 AM

 

Slavery-

imgres-3

Sent to the promise Land –

imgres-4

 

Something is rotten-

imgres-5