More Research Refutes Gore

Looks like the "consensus" is not so much a consensus after all as this report shows.

Sicko Response

FreeMarketCure.com has a great response to Michael Moore's lastest lie filled propoganda film, Sicko.

Conservative Victory on ILLEGAL Immigration

Conservatives once again showed that they are not weak or defeated. In a great show of unity similar to the uprise over the Miers nomination, conservatives once again showed we still can effect the direction of the nation by defeating the greatly flawed immigration bill with a 46-53 vote in the Senate. This should show Repubs that if they want to win in '08, go back to what got them elected in the first place, conservative values!

Burundi Stories Part 4 - Joy in the Suffering

Break Out Sessions

Dave and Layla chatting with January and Milchiade (shout out to Lori for helping me with my brain freeze)

One of the most impactful times when we were in Burundi was spending time with the university students for a day and half of training. We taught on evangelism, discipleship, and leadership. However, we learned just as much if not more from them. Their passion and commitment was amazing. When we asked them what they do for fun or in their spare time, nearly every one of them said something to do with their Christian walk.

Several of the students spent most of the rest of the trip with us as our translators. I really liked that because we actually got to spend time getting to know them on a more personal basis. The last night some of them started to open up some about the atrocities they experienced. Milchiade shared with a couple of us a story about how his parents died in the genocide. He was 10 years old and at school when the rebels raided his town. When he got home from school, he immediately ran to his house to find both of his parents in his house with their heads chopped off.

I just teared up hearing his story, but he had so much joy in his life. So, I asked the obvious question, how did you get through that to where you are now filled with so much joy. He said about 3 months later a friend of his invited him to Church. After a couple visits he wanted the peace and joy of those at the Church and he gave his life to Christ. He then said one of the most incredible statements I've ever heard, I lost my parents but I found my Father and He became my parents and for that, I can't help but have joy in spite of the pain. We saw that from many of the Christians we met. In spite of more pain and trials most of us would ever face in our entire lifetime, they had such peace and joy in knowing Christ alone.

Ethics According to the NYTimes

According to the NYTimes "ethicist", you only have to obey the laws he agrees with. Here is a part of his advice column:

"K.V." from Brooklyn asks if she should fire her (literally) psychotic nanny, a Haitian national who is in America illegally, "to protect my children."

According to Cohen:
"You are restrained not only by ethics but also by the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. An attorney I consulted says that if you ran a larger business, "to fire her would be illegal." Were she to stop taking her medication or otherwise display dangerous behavior, a business could dismiss her. Fortunately, as a stay-at-home mother, you can see if her condition deteriorates before anyone is imperiled."

So...he agrees with the ADA law and even though she isn't even bound by law to follow it, she should follow it.

He goes on:
"Her immigration status already restricts her other employment prospects, and her limited options, as you imply, impose an additional ethical burden on you. If she can do the job, she should be allowed to keep it."

So...he disagrees with the laws concerning illegal aliens and while she is bound by that law, she shouldn't follow it. Don't you just love the ethics of the NYTimes!

Hat Tip: WSJ Best of the Web

The Other Side of the Story

While the MSM dutifully reports every single American soldier casualty and suicide/IED bombing, here is just a little taste of what you don't get in the MSM as to what is really going on in Iraq and all the successes our troops and the Iraqi troops are having on the ground.

I'm Gonna Eat Some Worms

I'm sure most of you have the fun song that goes, "Nobody loves me. Everybody hates me. I'm gonna eat some worms..." Well turns out that AlGore and the enviros should take this song to heart and in the process they could help stop global warming by eating more worms.

Overreaching Authority

Can someone please show me in the Constitution where Congress can dictate to car manufacturers what fuel standards they can produce? Get ready for higher car prices if this passes...and you thought the Dems help the lower class...NOT!

Heading Back to the Giant Sandbox

As some of you knew, another opportunity came up about two months ago for me to head back to Iraq, and I applied for it. I found out a couple of days ago that we won the contract and received my deployment date yesterday. I'll be leaving DC on the 13th of July to head to Ft. Benning for a week and then start the journey to Iraq around the 20th.

I'll be doing pretty much the same thing I did last time which like last time I can't say much about. I'm planning on being there for a year, but as I found out all too well, you never know for sure with contracts.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how things have changed since last time. From my last time, I know how little concerning the progress the MSM really shows, so I have no doubt it will be the same this time. I'll definitely do my best to highlight what I'm allowed to share once I'm there. Unfortunately that is one of the problems is that so much is classified that it makes it tough sometimes to get the good news out.

It will definitely be tough leaving with Mimi in South Africa and knowing she will get back and I won't be here, but we both have a peace about it and know that this is where God is leading both of us at this moment. Please keep us both in your prayers as long distance is never fun!

Pot Calling Kettle Black?

A liberal (nope...nothing progressive about them so not going to call them by their self proclaimed new title) think tank is all in a huff about the "Right Wing Domination of Talk Radio" and propose "How to End It." Of course their plan is government regulations being they can't compete in the free market.

Maybe they should take a look at their own glass houses before they start throwing stones. Latest report on the MSM shows that reporters give to Dems 9-1 over Repubs. I'm sure their reporting is completely unbiased though...NOT!

Father Knows Best

So much for consensus! Even the "Father" of modern climatology is now calling human-caused global warming a "bunch of hooey." Good luck branding him as a "fundamentalist."

Full Surge

Interesting to find out that according the Dems the surge isn't working when the final 10,000 troops of the surge just arrived last week. I've never seen anyone so desperate to lose a war that they will say anything to "prove" their case. How about waiting until at least September like orginally agreed.

True Cost of ILLEGAL Immigration

Here are some stats from the LA Times on the true costs of ILLEGAL immigration.

Burundi Stories Part 3 - You Mean Peace

Buying Fantas and Cokes

Whenever we would meet new people, we would try to ask them for their prayer requests. Without fail, on that list always included, peace for Burundi. After 13 years of civil war, that makes total sense.

It really hit home one day for the team. Down the street from where we stayed we started visiting a little shop to buy Fantas. It became almost a daily routine. One day while we were in there, the shop owner, in his broken English said these simple words that meant so much, "You mean peace."

In his own way, he was saying thank you for coming to his country because it showed him that there was peace. He knew that without peace 12 muzungus would not be so freely walking around and buying stuff from his shop and he was truly grateful.

Without peace, they know that their children will never have any opportunities and that their country will remain one of the poorest in the world. This doesn't have to be the case. It is definitely one prayer that is permanently on my list!

One Life

Burundi Stories Part 2 - It Is Possible

Me and Sophonie

Please meet Sophonie (pronounced like so-funny, which was very fitting because he was lots of fun). He was one of our main host while we were in Burundi along with Sara. He is one of the most humble men I've ever met in my entire life! It was an absolute honor and privilege to meet and get to know him. In Burundi, his voice is famous b/c he was a broadcaster. He just recently joined the World Relief staff as the Manager of Church Mobilization. I have no doubt he will do great things in that role.

While we were there, when someone would ask him something, nearly every time his response would be, "it is possible." One of the peeps on the team asked him why he always responded in that way to questions, and his response was because with God all things are possible. Very true statement from a very wise man!

Don't Change Policy...Just Change the Name

So much for reforming Congress (not that I believed that for one second). In the first appropriations cycle in the Homeland Security bill alone there are over 32,000 earmarks (including such spending vital to secure the homeland as yoga classes and puppet shows). That's nearly twice as many as all the appropriations bills combined from last year. Elections do have consequences. Thanks again to all those Repubs who stayed home to teach a lesson!

Now, Pelosi is not liking the heat over the earmarks, so what does she do? Do you think maybe reduce or make the process more transparent, both of which was promised in their first 100 days? Nah...just change the name...don't call them earmarks anymore...call them "legislative directives." Nice try...if it walks like a duck...

Rush More Dangerous Than Hurricanes

You would think that informing the public about a hurricane is more important than any political agenda, right? Well, that is not the case in Broward County, FL. The county commission is trying to cancel its contract with a radio station that broadcasts hurricane warnings and information. The reason...it broadcasts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity's radio programs!!! So much for public safety. Apparently in FL silencing Rush is far more important. And here I thought the libs were supposed to be the great protectors of free speech...I'm so confused!

Burundi Stories Part 1 - Always Be Prepared

Sharing Devotion at Turame HQ

I'll start with the one that had the biggest impact on me personally.

On the first Tuesday morning (May 15) we all head over to Turame (WR's microfinance division in Burundi) for the Turame/World Relief staff weekly devotion. There were about 40-50 people there including us. As we were quickly learning, every where we went included introductions. We were prepared to say a few words of greetings and thanks, sing a couple of songs, and then sit for the devotion.

Then Christof (Turame branch manager) looks at us saying and now someone from the missions team will bring the message. Instant fear! We had not anticipated doing that. Lori (my co-leader) and I looked at each other with surprise.

I learned a big lesson in faith and trust and the need to always be prepared. The night before I was preparing for a message for the following Sunday. However, all I had was the outline done so far. Figuring that was better than nothing I stood up, turned to the team asking for prayer, and said a quick prayer as I walked to the front.

God totally delivered! I spoke out of Phil 2:1-4 that believers should be united in spirit, purpose and love. I was taking Cyprian's (Rwanda WR staffer we met in USA before leaving) guidance to talk about love and it was definitely God's work through me that delivered the message.

Then after the session was over, one of the local guys came up to me and said, "I have something to tell you that you won't like." My first thought was that I messed up something theologically in the message, or I misquoted something. However, he went on to say, "While you were speaking, God spoke to me saying that you will be an evangelist to Africa and many Africans will come to Christ through your preaching. Sorry to tell you that!"

Obviously I was blown away by that as it was another confirmation that I will be full time in Africa one day. I asked him why he was sorry to tell me that and he said it meant I would be coming back to Africa. I told him if I had a problem with coming to Africa, I wouldn't be there now and that I had absolutely no problem coming back in God's timing. He smiled big and said he looked forward to seeing me next time.

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor and Your Felons

As further proof that the immigration "reform" bill is an extremely bad bill, the Senate wouldn't even pass an amendment (hat tip: Mike's America) to bar convicted felons and previously deportation ordered illegal aliens from the amnesty...oops I mean immigration reform bill.

Nah...No Liberal Media Bias Whatsoever

As Bruce and Nick accurately pointed out in my previous post and I had originally found on Newsbusters, the AP never once in the entire article cited which party Jefferson is in. And even goes as far as to possibly imply he is a Repub with the Pelosi comment.

Not a case of bias you say? I beg to differ. Let's compare an AP article when Delay was indicted:

The next step in the criminal proceedings against Republican leader Tom DeLay is a trip to Austin to be fingerprinted and photographed.

DeLay was indicted Wednesday on one count of criminal conspiracy for his alleged role in a campaign finance scheme that helped give Republicans power in the Texas House and in Congress.

The Texas Republican, relying on political prowess, arm-twisting and devotion to his GOP majority, tightened the Republican grip on the House in his seven years as Republican whip -- the party's No. 3 leadership post -- and has delivered for President Bush in his three years as majority leader.

But the Travis County district attorney, one of Texas' most powerful Democrats, wielded his clout like never before Wednesday, when he brought charges of criminal conspiracy against one of the nation's most powerful Republicans. U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay.

So that is seven times, yet they couldn't even bring themselves to do the customary (D-LA) for the article on Jefferson...nah...no bias whatsoever!

What's Missing?

Ok...let's play a game. Read this AP article on Jefferson's indictment. Then, let me know what is missing. Tomorrow I'll post the answer if no one guesses correctly.

Jefferson Indicted

No surprise here, but Rep. "Cold Cash" Jefferson (D-LA) was indicted today. Let's see how long it takes the Dems to move to remove him from leadership positions.

Stingy Europeans

I'm so tired of hearing that the US doesn't care about HIV issues and that we should be more concerned and involved like the Europeans are. Well let's compare commitments. President Bush just asked Congress to double the aid to $30 BILLION (I'll put the constitutionality of this aid aside for this discussion) while the European Commission just committed to a paltry $400 Million. Enough said!

Better Fuel Mileage

MSN.com has a neat article posted this morning on how simple things like backing into a parking space and turning off your engine during long stops can add 25% or more miles per gallon to any car you drive. Very helpful as gas prices rise...see and who said you can't find anything useful on blogs!!! =)