Simply Incredible

Check out this amazing slideshow from BBC... Showcasing the beauty, differences and similarities of people all around the world. It's about 7 minutes long - and absolutely worth watching!
love,
Bethany

BBC News:: Audio slideshow: Human Planet

From the icy Arctic to Africa's dense jungles - and the mountain tops of Mongolia to the deep waters of the Pacific - the BBC series Human Planet has explored mankind's incredible relationship with nature.

Accompanying the film crews was photographer Timothy Allen. His stunning still images captured unique glimpses of people living in the world's most extreme environments. Take a look at some of them, and listen to him explain how he snapped the most arresting shots.

A tribesman at the Mount Hagen Sing Song (Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea) - Timothy Allen

A fast favorite:: One Day

Very powerful words to this song.

One Day - by Matisyahu



Sometimes I lay under the moon and thank God I'm breathing.
Then I pray, "don't take me soon." 'Cause I am here for a reason.

Sometimes in my tears I drown,
But I never let it get me down.
So when negativity surrounds,
I know someday it will all turn around because,

All my live I've been waiting for,
I've been praying for, for the people to say,
That we don't wanna fight no more.
There'll be no more wars, and our children will play.

One day....

It's not about win or lose.
Cause we all lose when they feed on the souls of the innocent,
Blood-drenched pavement
Keep on moving though the waters stay raging

And in this maze you can lose your way
It might drive you crazy but don't let it phase you, no way
No way

Sometimes in my tears I drown,

But I never let it get me down.

So when negativity surrounds, 

I know someday it will all turn around because,

All my live I've been waiting for,
I've been praying for, for the people to say,

That we don't wanna fight no more. 

There'll be no more wars, and our children will play.

One day, one day, one day...

One day this all will change, treat people the same

Stop with the violence, down with the hate.

One day we'll all be free and proud to be 

Under the same sun singing songs of freedom like:

One day, one day, one day...

All my live I've been waiting for,

I've been praying for, for the people to say,

That we don't wanna fight no more. 

There'll be no more wars, and our children will play.

One day, one day, one day...

Photos on Picasa

Recent pictures - on my online photo album at Picasa.



Enjoy! :)

with love,
Bethany

Food...

Peanut Butter M&M's

Eating habits gone awry 

Living in Congo for a number of months at a time has always left me with cravings for food that I can't get there. Things that make me miss the States just a bit more...

For example:

Alfredo sauce - for pasta!

REAL cheese... 

From Wisconsin, of course!

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - so easy to cook!

Warm (or any!) chocolate chip cookies, baked in an oven 

 

Cold water (no ice, please)

  

Thai food... Any kind! 

I scream you scream... 

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And while here, I also miss some of the food that we have there... Which no matter how hard I try, either cannot be had here in the USA, or it really just doesn't compare to the real thing.

Passion fruit

Until you try a ripe pineapple... You don't know what you're missing!

Nyama choma (roasted meat) - pictured with chapati and cabbage

Chai (tea) - with biscuits! 

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I've attempted to make Congolese food - such as shu (cabbage), chapati, beans fried plantains, meat... But it just isn't quite the same!

It's a heck of a lot easier to cook on a gas stove! 

Thankfully, I've had the things that I crave while in Congo... a number of times these last few months. And probably more that I can't even think of right now. I actually haven't had too many peanut butter M&M's... But that can always be fixed! :)

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Some of the cravings for American food (if it can be called that), WHILE being here in the States, as odd as they may be: 

Grapefruit!

Hot dogs!

Sweet carrots

Yum!

And what did I have for lunch today? 

      A "batter wrapped hot dog on a stick."

Yep.

I may need help. 

Blech...

For some reason, my blog, this website is being stupid. It's removed my photo and I cannot get it back in there... As it had been.
Or any photo in there like before.
Now I can only put small photos at the top of this page. Which I don't like.
And I don't know why it's like this!!!
Why can't I edit?!
Stupid blogger... Or maybe me?
haha

Patrice Lumumba

On January 17th, 1961, Patrice Lumumba was killed.

This is an interesting and informative article about him and his country, the DR Congo. Click on the link to read the article.

The Guardian - Patrice Lumumba: the most important assassination of the 20th century 
The US-sponsored plot to kill Patrice Lumumba, the hero of Congolese independence, took place 50 years ago today


Article on the Guardian website

It's the little things...

...Like seeing a mole for the first time, that provide for some genuine entertainment!

The voices you hear in the background are Brandon (the one with the stick), Meredith (she said it was cute), Grant and me. This was in February or March of 2010.

I don't think I'd ever seen one before - it was pretty cute for a rodent!!

A new year and the violence still continues...

Please remember to keep the Congo in your prayers...

The purpose of UCBC and Congo Initiative is no less important in light of this news... The need is in fact even greater for people to believe they deserve and can attain a better future. 

with hope,

Bethany

More than 30 women raped and beaten in DR Congo attack

Médicins Sans Frontiéres [Doctors Without Borders] says women were restrained with ropes before attack in Fizi, South Kivu, in eastern Congo.  

David Batty

The Guardian, Friday 7 January, 2011

More than 30 women were raped in a coordinated attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo on New Year's Day, the aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières has reported.

MSF said 33 women were raped in Fizi, South Kivu, in the eastern part of the war-torn country.

"Women had been restrained with ropes or beaten unconscious with the butt of a gun before being attacked, some in front of their children," said Annemarie Loof, an official with the medical aid organisation. "Up to four armed men were involved at a time and homes and shops were looted," she said in a statement.

MSF teams treated 14 women at the hospital in Fizi on 3 January, and 19 the next day. Two severely wounded people were transferred to Baraka hospital, one with serious head injuries after being beaten with a rock, the other having been shot in the chest.

The United Nations says rape is a frequent weapon of war in Congo. Around 15,000 women were raped in eastern Congo in 2009. It is believed that many cases go unreported.

In September, a UN report condemned Congo's security forces for failing prevent a mass rape last summer.

It confirmed the rape of at least 240 people between 30 July and 4 August in the Walikale region of Congo's North Kivu province by Rwandan and Congolese rebels in a brazen attack near a UN peacekeepers' base.

The reported victims in previous attacks ranged from a month-old baby boy to a 110-year-old woman.

Survivors have accused the FDLR rebel group – which is led by perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide who fled to Congo – along with Congolese Mai-Mai militia.

Between 200 and 400 rebels systematically raped and looted in the town of Luvungi and five nearby villages, according to the International Medical Corps.

It said husbands were forced to watch their wives being raped, while others were dragged into a nearby forest.

The attacks occurred in parts of the country where armed rebel groups moved into areas considered to be pro-government but lacking in army or police protection.

Médecins Sans Frontières said there was no sign that the security situation was improving.

"MSF is extremely concerned about the current situation in and around Fizi," Loof said yesterday. "People are fleeing the area fearing further violent attacks."

The agency provided medical and psycho-social care for 5,600 rape victims in North and South Kivu in 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/07/congo-women-raped-beaten

CNN Report: 33 women raped in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Thank you from Congo Initiative

Link to the below newsletter

Donate Now

Dear friends, partners and supporters, 2010 has been a tremendous year of growth and exciting developments for Congo Initiative and the Christian Bilingual University of Congo.  With your encouragement, prayers, friendship, support and steadfast commitment to this work, we are moving forward in faith.  We are seeing the fruits of the investment that we are making together with you, as a new story of hope is being written in and for the heart of Africa. THANK YOU for being a part of this exciting work!  Thank you for standing with us, for sharing the story of CI-UCBC with your family, friends and colleagues.  Thank you for the support so many of you have given in so many different ways during this past year.   As we observe the end of 2010 and anticipate a new chapter in 2011, may your lives and those of our team and students in Congo be mutually enriched and blessed.   Partnering together, The Congo Initiative Team

From CI/UCBC's Founder

Dear friends of Congo Initiative, We greet you from Beni, in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC). We pray that you and your family have had a MerryChristmas and will have a blessed New Year. Some people refer to the DRC as the world capital of rape; others as a hopeless country, and so on... But for us who live here and work for its restoration, this is a land of great promise as holistic ministries like Congo Initiative (CI) and the Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo (UCBC) are persevering in spreading hope.  We are doing this through an innovative and transformational university, professional development, women's empowerment, community outreach, and more.   We are so grateful to all of you who have generously supported CI-UCBC this past year. God has used you to advance our mission, giving hope to the people of Congo.   Now we invite each of you to join us in believing the words of God to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do..." (Exodus 6:1).  If you have not yet done so, would you please consider giving CI-UCBC an end-of-year gift?  Our undivided commitment to our mission and to prayer, coupled with your generous gifts, will have a life-giving impact on this nation. You can send a check to the address below or make your donation online through our secure website.  We thank you, and we thank God for you.  And once again, have a wonderful New Year! Yours, David M. Kasali, Ph.D. Founder and President, Congo Initiative Rector, Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo http://myemail.constantcontact.com/From-Our-Founder.html?soid=1101863034612&aid=-7SQ9md5zJE