Like most other Victorians, I was shocked by the bushfires that swept through the Marysville region in February last year. Having personal connection with people who lost loved ones drove home the devastation more deeply. Blackness befell everyone, both physically and emotionally.

     Visiting the burnt out area six months on, whilst the regrowth was evident, the solemn feeling was still all pervasive.

      A year on from Victoria's devastating 'Black Saturday' bushfires in which 173 people died, NELL POTTER talks about her inspiration for 'Wiped Out'... | more...|

Every now and again we are reminded of the continuing Christian/Muslim conflicts in the Sudan, in Nigeria, and in the Middle East. Most recently blood was shed in Jos, Nigeria, an area close by a seminary for training pastors I have supported.

     Most reports of these violent conflicts have blamed the jihadists. The anti-Muslim groups in Australia always describe atrocities in such a manner. But reliable eyewitnesses are now saying that as people lost loved ones and began to retaliate, mistrust widened between the Christian and Muslim communities. Many Christian young people have taken up their machetes to gain revenge.

     The majority of people in Jos, Muslim and Christian alike, live in peace and want to continue to live that way. In some areas of Nigeria the two religious groups have co-existed for decades. But the Government media is largely Muslim and their reports are often suspect. At least Christians make that complaint.

     Rev Dr GORDON MOYES provides his perspective on the recent violence in Nigeria...  | more...|

Are the athletes generally receptive to your presence? Have you forged ongoing relationships with athletes at previous Olympics?

"The Olympics is a unique experience for athletes and all the emotions they feel each day are heightened in an Olympic environment. It's important for athletes to have an outlet where they can let off steam, be consoled, find support, debrief and/ or relax. Often, being with a
chaplain can foster that.

    " The confidentiality of the relationship between the athlete and the chaplain is crucial for them trusting us and feeling comfortable and safe to unload whatever they need to unload. That may be feelings arising from their performance; it may be feelings about being isolated from family and friends back home; it may be issues with team members, coaches or other support staff, their boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife.

     "Sometimes the relationship begins at the Olympics and continues to be supportive and helpful for them after the Games are over. For many athletes, post-Games support is even more important. For that reason, I believe follow-up is crucial and I spend a
lot of time following up athletes once the Games are over."

     Sydneysider Nett Knox is a sports chaplain who will be working at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. She spoke with DAVID ADAMS...  | more...|

As churches and church related organisations mobilise resources to bring immediate relief to the people of Port-au-Prince, they are also advocating for the international community to waive Haiti's foreign debt while building a more sustainable future for the country.

     Two weeks after the country's worst earthquake in two centuries struck on 12th January, the plight of the victims has prompted a worldwide mobilisation of churches' resources.

     Pledges of funds, delivery of emergency aid items and appeals for donations are reported from every corner of the globe, while messages of solidarity, prayers and even hymns to express the sorrow flow in from near and far.

      The situation of Haiti's devastated capital justifies such a level of mobilisation and much more, according to church witnesses there. "Thousands of houses are flattened", reported the president of the Protestant Federation of Haiti, Rev Sylvain Exantus, soon after the earthquake in an email calling for international solidarity.

     JUAN MICHEL reports in a story first published on the World Council of Churches website...  | more...|

FOR MORE OF OUR COVERAGE OF THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE CLICK HERE...

PICTURE: RAMON WILLIAMS

21st January, 2010

Thousands gathered in Sydney this week to march in protest at the treatment of Coptic Christians in Egypt.

     Peter Tadros, from the Coptic Orthodox Archidiocese of Sydney, told the ABC their plight has been ignorned by governments and the media.      "We've had hundreds and hundreds of Christians killed over the last decade, hundreds of churches have been burnt down," he said.

     In one of the latest incidents - and the deadliest attack in years, six young Coptic Christians and a Muslim security guard were killed and others injured when three gunmen opened fire on churchgoers as they celebrated in Nagaa Hammadi, Egypt, on 6th January, the eve of the Coptic Orthodox Christmas.

     Egyptian officials have since labelled the attack as 'criminal' rather than sectarian.

     The Sydney rally - held on 19th January - followed one in Melbourne on 13th January.

     Copts account for almost 10 per cent of Egypt's population of 80 million.

- DAVID ADAMS

AFTERSHOCK ROCKS CITY AS AID EFFORTS GATHER MOMENTUM

A 6.1 magnitude aftershock rocked Haiti earlier this week in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated the nation on 12th January, estimated to have killed anywhere from between 100,000 and 200,000 people and to have made another 1.5 million homeless.

     Damage from the aftershock - centred about 60 kilometres south-west of Port-au-Prince - was not known but it added to the fear of the tens of thousands of people who are now living on the streets following the destruction of their homes.

     "Uncertainty is what most people I met spoke about," Simon Schorno, the Haiti spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross was quoted as saying. "However, the people of Haiti are incredibly resilient and despite the pain, hardship and chaos, a semblance of normality seems to be returning to Port-au-Prince."

     DAVID ADAMS reports...  | more...|

"AUSTRALIANS NEED TO KNOW THAT THE SITUATION IS PRETTY DIRE"

"I spent today trying to support the team here to give medical support to Haitians who are teaming in from Port-au-Prince in search of medical support, water, and food. The people were coming in by car, truck loads, and motor bike.

     "The search and rescue teams have finally arrived, aid organisations are distributing water, and giving supplies to support the dwindling supplies from hospitals. So many people had to wait outside.

     "The only hospital here was full to capacity and people were waiting on floors and in the street. People also waiting outside.

     "They soon ran out of simple first aid supplies and so we have given them our own personal travel kits.

     RUTH MLAY, World Vision Australia's country program coordinator for Haiti, was in the Caribbean nation when the earthquake hit. Now located about an hour out of the capital, Port-au-Prince, she speaks of her experience in a communication to World Vision staff in Australia on Thursday, 15th January...| more...|

World Vision staff attend some of the victims of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: US MISSIONARIES SURVIVE HARROWING ORDEAL

Two missionaries from a Calvary Chapel in Wisconsin credit God’s hand of protection for their narrow escape from danger in the Port-au-Prince earthquake.

     Pastor Huguener “Bastia” Bastia and his wife Betty minister at a Calvary Chapel located in rural Caneille, Haiti. They had arrived in Port-au-Prince to celebrate their wedding anniversary on the day the earthquake struck, according to Mary Danielsen, a secretary at their home church in Wisconsin.

     “Bastia and I are both safe and unharmed due to nothing short of a miracle of God,” writes Betty, in a 13th January email sent to their home church.

     MARK ELLIS, of Assist News Service, reports...  | more...|

EYEWITNESS TO DISASTER

Troy Livesay works for Christian organisation, World Wide Village, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. On his blog, he talks about the devastation in the city. Click HERE to read Troy's account on his blog (note that by clicking on the link, you are leaving Sight)...

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YOUR SAY

Want to express your thoughts or say a prayer about the devastating earthquake in Haiti? Click here to have your say...

On Wednesday, 27th January, Sight held a day of prayer and fasting for the nation of Haiti, as it faces the devastating aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck on 12th January...   | more...|

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WOW! UNCOVERING 'THE ESSENCE OF THE FATHER'

During my pursuit to learn Hebrew, which is the language of both the Old Testament and the modern State of Israel, I've made many precious Jewish friends, travelled throughout Israel and experienced many 'Wow!' moments.

     Unlike in English, every letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a unique meaning. If you combine the meaning of each letter, you can usually understand a new word that you've never heard before.

     Here's an example of how this works: The Hebrew letter 'alef', which is similar to our letter 'A', is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It literally means 'leader'.

     KARYN MARKWELL says that her quest to learn Hebrew has led to many Wow! moments... | more... |

OPEN BOOK: THE INTEGRITY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST (I)

Paul explains to his Galatian readers how the mission to the Gentiles, of which they were the fruit, came about and how it was endorsed in Jerusalem by James, the brother of Jesus, and the other apostles. At that point, there had been a definitive endorsement of the work of Paul and Barnabas by Peter (Cephas) (Acts 15: 6-11).

     Here, Paul refers to Peter and Cephas; clearly it is one and the same person. So, why does he do that?
     Cephas is the Aramaic name by which Jesus had said Peter would be known. We might say it is the name by which his Jewish fellows knew him. Jesus had said to him, "So you are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas" (John 1: 42). Peter is the Greek equivalent and means "rock". This was a prophecy fulfilled when Peter became known by that name to believing Jews and Gentiles. And this also related to Peter's confession of Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 16: 13-20) which Jesus identified as the stone (petra) on which He would build His church.

    In his series examining the New Testament book of Galatians, BRUCE C. WEARNE looks at chapter two...  | more... |

FINDING REST, PART III

Rest

Both scholars who believe that the Sabbath is still mandatory and those who don’t, generally agree that a need for rest is Biblical. While there is much debate as to whether this needs to occur on a Sunday, another given day, or intermittently throughout the week, most authors believe that Sabbath rest is important. A. T. Lincoln asserts that the scriptural principle of Sabbath suggests that we should take regular rest and that this  “rest can be any day or extended part of a day, including Sunday".

     While I personally agree with Lincoln, I would also assert that it not helpful to get ‘stuck’ on when rest should occur rather that it is essential that it does. As Gordon McDonald has noted in the book Ordering Your Private World, we are in great need of rest. We need rest because we live in a cultural value system that idolises productivity. He states that while he does not believe that productivity is wrong, to idolise it is. “Sabbath rest penetrates to the deepest levels of fatigue in the inner, private world. This fatigue is rarely touched by any of the modern amusements.”

    In the third of a series looking at rest, LENA JOHNSTONE looks at the importance of rest amid our busy lifestyles... | more... |

FOR PREVIOUS:

    In the first of a new series, LENA JOHNSTONE takes a look at the importance of 'rest'... | more... |

In the second of a series looking at rest, LENA JOHNSTONE looks at what the Sabbath is all about... | more... |

SIGHT-SEEING: THE DEVASTATION THAT PORNOGRAPHY WREAKS

In December 2009, writer and Bible teacher Tim Chester highlighted a study done by the Family Research Council on the effects of pornography. Now I have to say at the outset that the FRC is not an organisation I would normally recommend. I believe many of the stances they take are far from Biblical and reflect more of a right-wing political agenda than the way of Jesus. However I could not ignore this one. While I generally lean to the left on most issues, I do not place myself in any particular place on the spectrum of political views. I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus, and that may take me anywhere to the left or the right, depending on where I believe Jesus would stand.

     The fact is that there is nothing good about pornography. It objectifies women, destroys relationships and does not have anything constructive to say about the benefits of morality. And to those who would say that porn has a positive social impact in curbing the desires of men who can’t get it elsewhere and therefore limits the amount of sexual attacks that occur in society, the statistics clearly say otherwise.    

    NILS VON KALM writes about the damage pornography causes... | more... |

THE WORD: HOPE

     What hope is.

     What hope is not.

     What hope is.

     What hope is not.

     I decided to go for the piebald effect with this word piece and trust that in doing so it will illuminate a sharper portrait.

     Firstly, hope is energy astir guided by a perceived, or more accurately received, reality which will materialise.

     Hope is not anchored by possibility. That would be too open to wavering. It’s anchor is a more limpet like certainty which is fixed to The Rock, Christ our foundation, our salvation.

     Foundational to a Christian’s received reality is seeing God active in creation, unfolding a salvation plan both intimate and intrinsically good, as is He.

     This revelation has the capacity to carry a Christian beyond the immediate and short term, a characteristic essential in the seasons of life when there is a valley cast in shadow to be traversed.

     LLOYD HARKNESS on what hope is...and isn't... | more... |

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BOOKS: LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO BIG QUESTIONS IN THE GOD I DON'T UNDERSTAND

I wholeheartedly recommend Dr Christopher Wright’s The God I Don’t Understand to everyone. Christopher Wright is a respected scholar in the Old Testament, and was formerly the principal of All Nations Christian College, a leading mission training college in England. Currently he is the director of Langham Partnership International, and the chair of the Theological Resource Panel of TEAR Fund, UK.

     The God I Don’t Understand is easy-to-read, honest, and full of insights. It seeks to answer four questions:

• What about evil and suffering?

• What about the Canaanites? (That is, how come such violence can be found in the Bible?

• What about the cross?

• What about the end of the world?

     Christopher Wright is gentle, Biblical and not dogmatic. He deals with the problem of evil and suffering skilfully. He insightfully says that while we often ask ‘why does God allow pain and suffering?,’ the people in the Bible more often ask ‘how long, Lord?’. This is so true!

    SIU FUNG WU finds some lucid anwers to tough questions... | more... |

ON THE SCREEN (DVD): LORD, SAVE US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS A CHALLENGING LOOK AT THE CHURCH

Here is a DVD worth watching as the Australian federal election draws near this year. Despite its rather provocative title, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers does not seem to attack certain types of Christians. It is, rather, a constructive critique of aspects of contemporary Christianity in America - and, at least to some degrees, Christianity in Australia. It is, therefore, one of those movies that everyone who is serious about their Christian faith should watch.

     Lord, Save Us From Your Followers is a documentary directed by Dan Merchant. The film was made in 2008, just before the presidential election in the US. It tries to show how the church in America is perceived by non-Christians. It demonstrates how the opposing religious voices in the public arena polarise rather than unite people. It talks about a ‘culture war’ going on as faith and culture meet each other.

     SIU FUNG WU takes a look at Lord, Save Us From Your Followers...  | more...|

COMICS: TOY STORY #1 HITS THE RIGHT BALANCE OF "HUMOUR, EMOTION AND LIGHT-HEARTEDNESS"

Following on from the first part of this story as seen in the recent Toy Story #0 from BOOM! Studios, The Return of Buzz Lightyear, Part Two is presented here in another charming instalment of this widely adored franchise.

     Jesse Blaze Snider again impresses with his considerable writing skills. There's a lot to live up to whenever you stamp a Pixar property boldly on the cover, but BOOM! can afford to be confident. Jumping from the dark vampire romance of Dead Romeo to this kid friendly series with ease, Snider manages to erase any doubt as to his storytelling diversity.

     The guy is funny. Like the previous issue, I enjoyed this more than I thought. Snider knows what Toy Story fans expect, that is, humour, emotion and light-hearted fun and with the third film set for a June release, now is the time to dive in and get reintroduced to these characters. Setting the comic between Toy Story 2 and 3 is a wise move, as it gives Snider more characters to...play with and creates a familiarity for fans of the films.

     With the third Toy Story movie looming, KRIS BATHER takes a look at a comic that fills the gap since we last saw Woody, Buzz and friends... | more... |

BOOKS: UNCOVERING THE CHALLENGING TRUTHS OF JAMES

James is one of those books of the Bible that many of us are probably guilty of overlooking a bit (and may even struggle to find when the preacher asks us to turn to it). But while it’s only five chapters long, there’s much here – as Jim Reiher shows us - to chew over.

     Reiher’s take on this epistle, which is believed to have been written by James, the brother of Jesus and an important figure in the early church, provides a refreshing look at the issues which he shows are just as relevant today as they were when it was written almost 2,000 years ago.

     He starts in part I by looking at how James has been, in his view, wrongly interpreted in the past. Contrary to the opinions of some James, he says, should not be read as a “string of beads” but as a cohesive whole which was addressing issues of real import to those it was written to.

     DAVID ADAMS find fresh perspective in Jim Reiher's James: Peace Activist And Advocate For The Poor... | more... |

ON THE SCREEN: UP IN THE AIR A TALE OF "LIFE, LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS AND MEANING"

Billed as one of George Clooney’s finest cinematic performances, this movie portrays the life of the ultimate corporate jetsetter.

     Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, whose job it is to travel around the country firing people. His company is hired by other corporations to do their dirty work of informing staff that they no longer have a position in the company they have been working for, sometimes for many years. As Bingham explains it, “we get people at their most vulnerable and then set them adrift”.

     Bingham’s life is one in which he finds himself contented – without the responsibilities of marriage and other relationships, yet also without a home. For Bingham, home is in the first class seats and VIP lounges of 747s and major airports across America.

     NILS VON KALM is impressed by Up In The Air...  | more...|

CASTING THE NET: ADVENT CONSPIRACY

There's some great stuff out there on the web if you're tired of the consumerist madness that characterises this time of the year we call the 'silly season'. I recently came across the website of a group called Advent Conspiracy. They are a group of concerned pastors in the US who want to take us back to what Christmas is really about - the birth of the Prince of Peace, the One who gave himself for all. I love their logo on the left. Such a prophetic message, showing a shopper with a trolly full of goods coming face to face with one of the three wise men, come to worship the King.

     NILS VON KALM finds a site that's all about reclaiming the true meaning of Christmas... | more... |

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SIGNIFICANT SIGHTS: KING DAVID'S CALCULATOR

In the labyrinth of Jerusalem’s Old City, just about any scene could have appeared around the next corner.

     Already that long, hot day I’d turned down a hundred different lanes - all seemingly identical to begin with. I’d slapped the soles of my locally-made sandals down many kilometres of smooth stone paths and had been disoriented not only by the maze-like layout of the ancient city, but also from the giddying sense of possibility: what would I discover next!?

     I hadn’t fully absorbed one marvel before I was rushing on to find the next, so anxious was I to squeeze out every sensation possible from this city which was my temporary home.

     I’d turned one way and had been confronted by a busy lane of market stalls, with vendors aggressively trying to sell me everything from frankincense and myrrh to Spongebob Squarepants T-shirts written in Hebrew.

     KARYN MARKWELL finds an unlooked for treasure in Old Jerusalem...  | more...|

LIFETIPS: RE-REGISTER FOR THE DO NOT CALL LIST

Most Australians have probably heard of the Do Not Call list - where to date more than four million people have listed their phone number to protect against some unsolicited marketing calls (there are exceptions for organisations like charities, government bodies and political candidates) - but you may not be aware the listings have a time limit of three years...

     Read more here...

TRENDSPOTTER: VOLUNTEERING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON HOLIDAY

For an increasing number of people around the world, going on a holiday no longer just means spending a couple of weeks lazing on a beach. More and more people are opting to combine their time away from home with the idea of doing something good for someone else. The trend, dubbed voluntourism, sees people pay for the privilege of spending some time - short or long term - helping out on a volunteer project and has led to a rise in the number of travel companies - and organisations such as Habitat for Humanity - which have specifically designed trips to help you do something good. In Australia, offerings include everything from monitoring nesting turtles in Cape York, to spending time on an outback station experiencing a little of the life of the jackaroo.

    DAVID ADAMS takes at look at 'voluntourism'... | more...|

Have you been a voluntourist? We'd be keen to hear your story - why did you go?, what did you do?. Simply send an email to editor@sightmagazine.com.au.

PARENTING: LISTENING FOR LOVE

Ever feel like you’re in “The Waiting Place”?

     I’ve been there a lot lately. Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! (which I read frequently these days) describes 'The Waiting Place' as one that is “for people just waiting...for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go...or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.”

     The Waiting Place isn’t a fun place to be. Since June, (or maybe even before?), I’ve been waiting on some big answers about what is going to happen in my life in the near future. Now that it’s November, I’ve recently learned for sure that we are moving this month (I had three weeks’ notice, we leave in a week), I know where we are moving to (Florida), but other than that, I know nothing. Are we selling our current house or renting it? If we do rent it, will we have good tenants? Where will we live in Florida? And...well...how the heck will it all work out?

     JOY NICHOLAS reflects on what it means to wait for God... | more...|

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