추석 Traveling: Overall Feelings

Overall, I loved my Bulgaria travels.  I loved seeing Alex and Vera.  I loved the break from continual business.  I loved a visit back to Western culture and the Western idea of the proper way to relate to each other.  I loved the stories of Bulgaria in World War II, how it protected its Jewish people and took advantage of Hitler's blind hate.  I loved the peace between religions and how they existed without fighting between themselves.

On a bit of the negative side, I am sorry to report that my experiences with the airlines left the trip with a bit of discomforted color.  While I've enjoyed my travels with Turkish Airlines, I've learned that that's only if you don't need to talk to any of the people who work for it, whether for compliment or complaint, and Heaven help you if you lose something.  As for the Sofia airport, I think I may like it the least of any airport in which I'd ever spent time.  In fact, I like it even less than I like the Bangor, Maine airport.  If it wasn't for the fact that the Sofia airport is the only way I can see Alex and Vera, I would avoid the country entirely in order to avoid the Sofia airport, which is much the same way I feel about the Bangor airport.  Somehow, it is always the tiny airports that feel the need to have the stringent security.  In Sofia, I was mocked for not having my Korean VISA up to date, even though it was updated electronically, as noted on my green card, which I pointed out to the woman, but she was unable to read the handwriting, I guess.  At any rate, she felt the need to hold up the line and bring others in on the joke, only one of whom managed to point out the legitimacy of my claim.  I could go on about the tardiness of the flight, causing the running of almost every passenger at our layover.  I could go on about the lack of hep within the airport.  I could go on about the lack of employees of the airport and the tardiness of the opening of the gates.  I could.  But I'm not one to write a long post of complaints.  I will merely suggest that you fly Singapore Airlines as much as possible while in Asia, and bring your patience with you when visiting the Sofia airport.

In spite of that, I still thoroughly enjoyed my trip, and I would still visit the country as long as I had a friend there to welcome me.  Without there presences, I don't know if I would return.  There's not much by way of tourism, there, and it's not a country to visit as a single woman traveler, for sure (as it is a major hub for human trafficking), so you see the need for a welcoming party, I trust.  Nonetheless, as long as Alex and Vera are there, I know the country will hold a draw for me, and maybe even after, as my heart is still tied to those little faces and hugging arms.

Soon, I'll start updating you on more recent goings-on.  Be sure to keep me appraised of yours! :)

Good, better, best...

Gangnam Style

I was walking along the streets downtown with some friends last night, and we heard it, not in one building, not in two buildings, but in three, blaring out into the night.  Gangnam Style has become a global phenomenon, and I can almost hear my Korean counterparts saying, "It's about time!  Finally the world is realizing how great Korea is."  But, just like in America, these people seem to be listening only to the beat and chuckling at the appearances of famous comedians in the video.  I have not heard one Korean comment on the controversial message the song sends.  The whole song is a commentary on what the singer wants in a woman and why he deserves it, the resounding theme is "I want a sexy woman, and I deserve it because I'm "Gangnam Style'."  Gangnam is a section of Seoul known for it's ritzy style of living.  "Gangnam Style" is applied to, obviously, a person who lives like they're from Gangnam.  But don't take my word for it; check the lyrics yourself:

English Translation:

Oppa [older brother/boyfriend] is Gangnam style

Gangnam style

A girl who is warm and humanle during the day

A classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffee

A girl whose heart gets hotter when night comes

A girl with that kind of twist

I’m a guy

A guy who is as warm as you during the day

A guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools down

A guy whose heart bursts when night comes

That kind of guy

Beautiful, loveable

Yes you, hey, yes you, hey

Beautiful, loveable

Yes you, hey, yes you, hey

Now let’s go until the end

Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style

Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style

Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

A girl who looks quiet but plays when she plays

A girl who puts her hair down when the right time comes

A girl who covers herself but is more sexy than a girl who bares it all

A sensable girl like that

I’m a guy

A guy who seems calm but plays when he plays

A guy who goes completely crazy when the right time comes

A guy who has bulging ideas rather than muscles

That kind of guy

Beautiful, loveable

Yes you, hey, yes you, hey

Beautiful, loveable

Yes you, hey, yes you, hey

Now let’s go until the end

Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style

Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style

Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby

I’m a man who knows a thing or two

On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby

I’m a man who knows a thing or two

You know what I’m saying

Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style

Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

So, maybe the words themselves aren't all that controversial.  Maybe it causes your heart to flutter a frustrated beat at the materialism it seems to endorse, but what's so new about that theme in pop music? Well, let me direct your attention to the video.  Psy seems to be trying his hardest to make the whole thing look ridiculous as possible - to make the whole world laugh at the concept of Gangnam style, whether through Psy's lounging beach-style on a playground, the trash flying through the air, the girls walking around in the snow with their shorties on, or the over-the-top excitement at being on the tennis court with a couple beautiful girls... and that's all in the first minute.

Are we slaves?

I want to take a moment to acknowledge that my serious thinking about this song was really spurred by the pastor of one of the three churches I'm bouncing between right now.  Pastor Josh wrote a very well thought out post on his blog about how this video seems to be a modern-day version of Ecclesiastes - the material world is meaningless.  Furthermore, he suggests that we are personally enslaving ourselves through our habits.  He doesn't mean the ball and chain kind of enslavement (although that DEFINITELY still happens today around the world, including the USA), he means the soul-sapping, Christ-deferring kind of enslavement.

We live in a world where depression is quickly becoming the number TWO debilitation of people across the globe.  We live in a world where suicide is one of the three leading causes of death in young people, aged 10-24.  We live in a world that chants the mantra at us "Good, better, best, never let it rest..."  Never let it rest?  If that's not slavery mentality, I don't know what is.

The ultimate result

This week, my friends and I have been plagued with the unthinkable.  The equivalent of an American ninth-grade student of one of my friends attempted suicide while at school by jumping out of a third story window.  He survived and underwent surgery on his leg and jaw.  What would prompt such a young person to do that?  I'll answer quite confidently: The unbearable pressure to succeed.  We just started the second semester of school, here in Korea, and our middle-schoolers are busily applying to high school.  Mid-terms are at the end of this month, and finals are right behind them.  There's no rest for them.  They go to school all day and study when they come home, and when I say "all day," I do mean "all the daylight hours."  If I thought I was going to fail under such circumstances, I honestly can't say I wouldn't do the same as him.

"But that's Korea!", you say.  What has this to do with me?  Korea is leading the world in suicide rates, but that does not make the rest of the world immune.  After all, it is America posting the Good, Better, Best poster in its classrooms (believe me, I know - I stared at them day after day, making it my own mantra).  America (and the rest of the Westernized world, for sure, I can't speak for the rest of the Eastern world) puts such an incredible value on academic and financial success, that, even if it isn't a personal value, it's weight it crippling from having it constantly cast onto people.  It's the rolling thunder of inadequacy looming directly overhead.

Avoidance

As Christians, we are called to something more than this mindset that we've had drilled into us.  We've been set apart as holy, living sacrifices.  We've been commanded to refrain from conforming to this world.  One crucial way to do this is to REST.

We cannot focus on other people, let alone G-d and His Kingdom, is we are physically and emotionally exhausted.  This has been proven time and again.  Take Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - Our most basic human needs are the physiological ones, like food, shelter, and sleep.  It's not until we achieve those and all the other levels of the hierarchy that we can reach the final level, added by Viktor Frankl, of looking beyond ourselves to other people's needs or the existence of a higher being (although some people may argue that being given self-worth by a higher being can fall on the fifth level of the Hierarchy of Needs).

In case you don't want to read all that psycho-babble, the answer is this: We have to take care of ourselves! It's so important that G-d even commands it:

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." -Exodus 20:8-11

Even G-d chose to rest, to take a break from work and stress.  If it's good enough for Him, isn't it good enough for you?

There's no need for the pressure of 24/7 perfection.  You're going to get sick.  You're going to need a break.  You're going to fail.  That's life.  That's humanity.  And, you know what?  That's okay!  Take  break, worship, relax.  Don't get caught up in trying to be the best.  Take it from someone who knows - it's not worth it.

I love you, and I'm praying for you!

I can't not offer my response.

In the last few hours, Jason Russell made the news again, apparently having had a mental breakdown. Please educate yourselves on the situation and stay up to date. I've been seeing a lot of frustrating comments about it on Facebook, so I would like to offer my response for anyone interested:

I'd like you to think about all of this for a second. Let's assume the worst of Jason Russell. Let's assume that he wants to make Kony famous to make a bunch of money and encourage Kony's cause. Doing something like this would turn the American public against him, just like it seems to have done for you. How would that help these assumed intentions? It can't. These actions can only hurt his cause. Therefore, we can only logically assume that they were a non-lucid (or insane) act. 

That being said, this was the official statement offered by Invisible Children:"Jason Russell was unfortunately hospitalized yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition. He is now receiving medical care and is focused on getting better. The past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday. Jason’s passion and his work have done so much to help so many, and we are devastated to see him dealing with this personal health issue. We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time." 

Finally, I'd like to say that even if you feel that Jason Russell is disgusting or a pig, I don't think it's something you should be broadcasting. As followers of Christ, it's our responsibilities to be acting in a loving manner toward all people. We are all sinners, and we all have our short-comings. So, even if he was acting entirely lucidly, these comments aren't something that I think should be posted about him.

Although I will admit that I have had my own struggles with wether or not I will be buying Kony 2012 merchandise, I will not waiver on my decision to fight for the freedom of ALL people.  In this case, that means fighting for the rights of the African people whom Joseph Kony is threatening, enslaving, mutilating, and killing.

I want you to make the same choice too, but I don't want you to make it because I'm suggesting it.  I want you to educate yourselves.  Nothing is worse than a bunch of people doing something simply because they're told to.  If you do that, you're no better off than the children whom Kony has brainwashed, and then I'll need to be fighting for your freedom too.  No, go out and read the critiques and the supporting articles.  Watch the Kony 2012 film and, especially watch the original Invisible Children film.

As for me, I'll be busy praying for Russell, praying for the children in Africa (many of whom are, at this moment, waking up in houses stuffed to overflowing with young children in an attempt to protect them from Kony), and even praying for Kony himself.  I will of course, also be busily preparing for April 20.

I hope you will join me in doing all of these things, regardless of how you feel about Russell or Invisible Children, because, the fact remains that Joseph Kony is out there, terrorizing and destroying lives, and he's doing it relatively secretly.  This cannot be allowed to continue.  The world must be awakened to what is happening.  We CANNOT allow this to persist.

For a while, I thought, "There's nothing I can do.  Eventually, Kony will die, and, hopefully, the LRA will with him."  But, if we believe this, we have learned nothing from the deaths of men like Osama bin Laden and Kim Jong Il.  Kony's death will not end the LRA, nor will it protect Africa's children.  Violence cannot bring about peace, just like darkness cannot bring about light.  It can only be through the trial and jailing of Joseph Kony that we can BEGIN to restore these people to life.

I know that's quite a sentence to just leave dangling, but it's explanation is another story for another time, my friends.

Lent: Filled with Hope

***Don't forget to sign the petition (and this one too!) to save refugees from North Korea!***

Blessing #15 - Being known

I logged into my Facebook account just now to find this waiting for me:

My friend Alex had just gotten on her Facebook to find it blown up with talk about Kony 2012, and, of everyone I've talked to, she's the only one who seems to remember my rants, my tears, my passionate outcries against Joseph Kony.  And so she sent me this note and video of a clip shown on ABC news.

It's just like Alex to know and remember.  It's part of what makes her so special to me.  Not only did she care enough about me to listen to something that was bothering me at the time, she committed it to memory and now is making efforts to share in my joy that all the work that we've put in up to this point is finally coming to fruition.  And she's right - I am filled with hope.  I can hardly stay in one place right now, I'm so anxious to see this end.  I'm like a child waiting for Christmas, except I'm waiting for the freedom of my brothers and sisters who have been taken by the LRA.

Soon.  So very soon.

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Have you ever realized that someone knows you?  What was that like for you?

Lent: Joseph Kony

***Don't forget to sign the petition (and this one too!) to save refugees from North Korea!***

Blessing #14: Shared Dreams

Warning:  This post is not rated G or PG, as it discusses incredibly graphic violence.  The video at the end has a much more user-friendly rating.

Joseph Kony.

Joseph Kony.

I keep writing his name, hoping it will get easier, but it doesn't.

I try to not hate anyone, but I can't guarantee that I don't hate this man.  I've spent so much time debating with Nate Kerr what I should do if I ever met this man face-to-face.  I firmly believe that you cannot bring peace through violence, but it is Joseph Kony who is the question to my logic.  Joseph Kony tests every single thing that I claim as a conviction of morality.  I try to censor myself when I talk about him, as I don't like upsetting people, but I will not be doing that today.  The information I will share with you today is the result of years of research on my own part.

In the 1980's, a rebel force rose up against the Ugandan government.  After near defeat, a voice rose up among the rebels: that of Alice Lakwena, the cousin to the then unknown Joseph Kony.  In many ways, she was equated to Joan of Arc for her people.  But in 2007, after fleeing from more technologically advanced forces, she died while hiding in a refugee camp.

Enter Joseph Kony.

Joseph Kony pulled back together his cousin's troops, and promised to instate a government based on the 10 Commandments, but his own people were scared, and turned on him.  He was furious, and began kidnapping their children to brainwash and enlist in his military actions.  He believed (rightly) that it was a lot easier to teach values, rather than reteach values.

His methods are brutal, but effective.

When a child is captured, his or her first act as a member of The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is to perform a public murder of a prominent member of their community, usually their own parents.  Should their mother be pregnant, it is not unheard of for the child to be forced to slice open his or her mother's belly (while she is alive) and have to eat the unborn child him/herself.  This paves the way for a series of psychological traumas that break down the structures of a healthy human mind.  This way, the LRA can mold this mind to accept unnatural actions as normal.  Secondarily, the child is warned that, even if they could escape, they would have nothing to go back to; their community would not want them after they performed a crime so heinous.  This is, sadly, not untrue.

The child is treated well, briefly, but will soon be beaten within an inch or his or her life (assuming he or she is not deemed dispensable).  If they survive, they are expected to keep quiet and follow the orders of their higher ups, or else they will be beaten again, or, worse, forced to beat and/or kill someone they care about within the LRA.

Girls are treated the same as the boys, until they hit puberty, when they are assigned a husband.  Men are assigned wives, based on their rank.  The highest ranked men get the most beautiful and useful wives.  They also are allowed the most wives.  Wives are also valued by their ranking within the LRA.  They are expected to feed their husbands' sexual appetites on demand, doing anything and everything that he wants.  Wives are expected to have sons and lots of them.  The punishment of wives who fail to meet these expectations is left to the discretion of their husbands.

Children who escape require years of rehabilitation, and, even then, they are rarely welcomed by their communities.  Many of them are so indoctrinated by Joseph Kony (especially those who are born into the LRA) that there is no way to restore them to a healthy mindset.  Joseph Kony has permanently addled them.

But there is a solution.

This is a moment I have craved and yearned after for years.  The time is now.  Watch this video and take action.  It's thirty minutes, but you don't even notice them ticking by.  This may be the most important thing you watch this year.  The end of this horrific plague is drawing near.

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Make a difference HERE.

The angel with whom I'm wrestling... (Just call me Israel)

ChristmasChristmasChristmas is ALMOST HERE... which means I'm in the mood to go drop a paycheck, buying gifts for EVERYONE (literally everyone) I know/see on a regular basis/comment on their blogs with any half-consistency.  "But, Anne," you say.  "Didn't you just post this really compelling list telling me to spend less money and more time at Christmas?"  Yes.  Yes I did.  BUT, actually, I wasn't telling you (I'll bet you think this song is about you, don't you? Don't you? - just kidding)... I WAS TELLING MYSELF.

I am a gifting addict.  I will literally be only allowing myself PB&J and water for whatever meals aren't provided and still spend hundreds of dollars on other people.

This is not to be applauded.  Don't do it.  I mean, yes, this is great and all, but it's not really nice to myself, AND, after reading this AMAZING post by Jen Hatmaker, I'm not really sure it's nice to the rest of the world either.

See, she has this quiz that she linked in her blog (which I clearly just linked, too) that tells you how many slaves work for you.  Yes, slavery still exists today, don't be fooled by the message Satan wants you to believe.

This screen shot of Not For Sale's interactive SlaveryMap shows the number of reported slavery cases since 1-Jun-2008.

It's hard to believe, I know; we're so well trained to believe that it ended with Abraham Lincoln.  If you're still having trouble with it, check this out.

So I took the quiz.  I gave it as much detail as I could.  I knew it was going to tell me I had slaves working for me.  That's the reality of this world.  I did not know it was going to tell me I had 39 slaves working for me.   

That's 39 people who, every day, I say that are worthless; 39 people over whom I've decided I'm more important. 

I gagged and swallowed back vomit over those 39 people.


This is the angel with whom I'm wrestling.  The voice in the back of my head saying "..I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me."

But it's more than that. 

I'm taking their food.  I'm stealing their drink.  I'm casting them out of their homes. I'm stripping them of their clothes.  I'm blighting them and locking them up. 

I'm sitting in my wealthy world, worrying about what gift I should give the people that I don't know well enough to decide if they will even miss a gift from me.  Stressing over difficulties with a VISA to take my international, tropical vacation, and I can't do it anymore.


I'm sorry if I didn't buy you a Christmas present yet and you really wanted one, but I'm done.  Unless I'm walking through the store and it's absolutely perfect for you, you won't be getting anything on which I spent money.  You may not be able to understand this.  After all, most of my friends are American and celebrate the Americanized Christmas, but that is no longer going to stop me.  I can't do it anymore.


What it comes down to is this: 
Is that coffee/chocolate/cigar/gold jewelry/cotton blouse that I was going to buy him/her REALLY more important than the LIFE of the person who got it for me?

This is the angel with whom I'm wrestling.