oh world...

Perhaps you keep up with world news...if you do, you will have seen all the troubles happening around Africa. This is the staff devotion we received from our Kenyan art teacher, Billy Mugambi...

The Bottom Line. Reflections of a Modern Day Pilgrim. Over the past week, at least five North African countries have come under civil unrest that threatens to spread to most of the Arab world. Just two days ago, Ugandan opposition leaders threatened to lead a similar revolution against Yoweri museveni's regime. Kenya's ruling coalition is on the verge of collapsing, millions are faced with starvation in Northern and Eastern Kenya. Billions of shillings allocated to resetting IDPs ahve been embezzled by senior government officials, and just yesterday, a couple lost their four children and all their belongings ina fire that reduced their home to ashes. That's just a sneak preview of what's been going on regionally in less than seven days. Internationally, things aren't looking any rosier. Australia, Brazil, Chile, South Africa and the Philippines have suffered some of the worst flooding ever. The dsut has barely settled on the Wikileaks scandal, and nationalistic dreams of a better tomorrow are rapidly turning into nightmares over an uncertain future. The US government has somehow managed to accumulate one trillion dollars of additional debt in six months, China's military spending has hit an all-time high and people across the world are wallowing in murky waters of deep despair. Ancient pagan deities that had been relegated to the history books are now being worshipped openly in many sectors of society and are now part of popular culture all over the world. We could go on and on about what's wrong with society today, but that isn't what we're called to do. In the sanitized bubble taht is today's middle-class Christian communion, it's easy to become insulted from the evil that has saturated our society, and mislead ourselves in to believing that God's will has led us to this blissful stupor of indifference. I have some to learn over time however, taht constantly identifying with the sorrow and pain of others less privilged than I am serves to remind me taht the peace and decent lifestyle i now enjoy is a gift, not an entitlement, and must be used solely for the purpose of advancing God's kingdom. That in Him I may become, and continue to be the salt of the earth. And while the whole world appears to have gone totally insane with no hope of redemption, I am encouraged by the simple truth that i have read the end of the story, and the outcome is certain. Christ wins. In a world where no good deed goes unpunished And Godly values have all but vanished, Where blasphemy's hip and hope is finished And worthy pilgrims are hunted down and vanquished.... I choose to believe what God has promised That sin's filthy grip will be demolished That in heaven's courts, gloriously polished, Countless redeemed souls will sing His praises...Undiminished...Unblemished...Accomplished. And that's the bottom line.