Leave your comfort zone with the About Me interactive website. An initiative of Christian child development agency, Compassion Australia, it tells the stories
of three remarkable young people and shows how you can help change the world...
If you spot
a Google ad that you think is inappropriate on this site, email
us the web address and we'll review it...
site
constructed by
WELCOME
TO 20/20@SIGHT
Welcome
to 20/20@Sight, our space for the creative arts. Here you'll
find a selection of writing - both prose and poetry - along
with photography and graphic artwork. If you'd like to make
a submission, simply contact editor@sightmagazine.com.au.
If
you've got some comments on what you've read, why not visit
the
I was honoured to be asked by Micah Challenge to produce a work of art around the theme of 'Global Partnership' to feature in the their Create to Advocate exhibition in Parliament House, Canberra.
As I reflected on how I could best depict the Millennium Goal 8 of Global Partnership, the theme of 'home' came to mind.
Over 230 people from the Micah Challenge campaign recently gathered in our nation's 'house' in partnership with the poor - to advocate through word and image on their behalf.
Parliament House is an immensely important building. The decisions made there can have life changing repercussion the world over. My hope is that these decisions will be made wisely, respectfully and justly.
NELL POTTER'S House of Partnership ... | more... |
Have
you ever had a friend who would be willing to give up their
own life to save yours?
In our day and age it’s
hard to imagine a scenario where a friend could be placed
in such a position.
For earlier generations who lived in less
secure and comfortable circumstances, this may have been a
real and genuine occurrence.
Just today, during a time of worship and
meditation, I had a very clear vision of a dark, bloodied
battle scene. It was on a muddy and roughened terrain, loud
and fierce explosive noises ripping through the sky, bright
flashes of severe light as spotlights frantically scanned
the field, and then as an explosion of artillery tore up the
soil even more, punching holes in the earth. Shrapnel flying
through the air. Bullets ripping randomly in every direction.
Bodies lying on the ground, torn, bleeding, dismembered, some
gasping for their last breath, others still and cold.
Then, straining across the battle-zone;
a solid and strong figure, carrying a heavy load, attempting
to rush to safe cover on the horizon. Steely-gaze, fixed on
making it to protected trenches, where urgent medical attention
could be administered.
NICK HODGSON reflects on the meaning of Easter... |
more... |
THIS LIFE
Welcome
to This Life, a short column
reflecting
on life...
CALLING
FOR BARNABAS
While
there is no book devoted to him and we don’t hear him
being preached from the pulpit all too often, the influence
and effect of Barnabas’ ministry can be seen all the
through the book of Acts and much of Paul’s writing.
Barnabas, or as he was affectionately known
as, Joes or son of encouragement was himself a member of the
Levite priesthood, however he is not known for powerful teaching
or miracles. His ministry was not one that had a place of
prominence, however it was one of the up-most importance.
What was the great ministry that Barnabas
had to offer? He had the gift of encouragement, he knew how
to draw out the best in people and encourage them to achieve
all God had for them. Two of the people that he influenced
greatly was Paul and John Mark. Both of these had important
missionary journey’s, both of these men had a task to
fulfill that was imperative for the spreading of the Gospel.
While both these men were strong in the Lord, they both needed
encouragement.
CHRISSI ELLANKOON on why we all need a Barnabas in
our lives... |
more... |
Oh yeah, Christmas - well yes, the children and the old people
need to have their festivities. So yes, I'll be there, I'll
take the day off and yes, I've got some presents - over there
in the corner - I'll be part of it. Church? Well, OK but maybe
something'll come up and I might have to miss that but I will
be there for lunch.
Really though, I know it's
something that we can't do without, I know, but I'm no longer
a child and really my mind is not really on such things -
I have to keep my mind on the job. So much to do. So much
to arrange. So much to get in order for the new year. A new
broom. A new way of doing things. Resolutions. You know. A
new year and clean start and all that.
All this Jesus in the Manger
stuff, it's not where I'm at. Not really.
Read more of BRUCE C WEARNE'S Christmas reflection...|
more... |
SHORT STORY:
INCIDENTS AT THE GATE
Dies
Solis, Ante diem III Idus Iulias, DCCLXXIV AUC, Hora IX
(Day of the Sun, 3 days before the Ides of July, 776 years
after the founding of Rome, the Ninth Hour)
The sun had passed its zenith, but its heat still made the
air shimmer above the baked earth and cobbles of the street.
Its light was blinding as it ricocheted off the white marble
of the facade and columns of the Temple towering a hundred
cubits into the cloudless blue dome of the sky. Men, with
faces hooded against the glare, hurried into the blessed coolness
of the shaded inner courts. It was the hour of prayer.
Huddled in the small pool of shadow cast
by an alcove, sat a man. His tattered garments served to emphasise,
not hide, his thin, almost emaciated form. His skeletal and
twisted legs were tucked under him so as to cause as little
offence as possible as he held out gnarled and callused hands
that also served as feet. Hopelessness was etched into the
sagging and lined face. Shame ground into fatalism by desperation
smouldered in the downcast eyes. Every day as long as he could
remember, they had carried him to the Beautiful Gate to beg
coin on which to live.
Read
more of KEVIN I. GRANT'S story Incidents at the Gate... |
more... |
COPYRIGHT
All
works remain the copyright of the author.
SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR FREE UPDATES!
Want free weekly email updates
of everything that's new on Sight?
- US-based website TMZ breaking the news at 4pm on June 25th that Michael Jackson had passed away. For previous 'They said it'...| more... |
THIS WEEK ON THE WEB
1st July, 2009
Following the disputed presidential election in Iran on 12th June, authorities have detained hundreds of people. There have also been some deaths. The Guardian newspaper in the UK is compiling a list of people detained or killed and is asking for help in identifying them. You can see the list here...
For previous 'This week on the web'... | more... |
DID YOU KNOW? NEWS BRIEFS
THE
STATISTIC
Percentage of over 65s in Australia who have incomes below the OECD poverty threshold:
WORLD MEETING PLEDGES URGENT SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
The European Union and dozens of countries have pledged to speed up social support for Holocaust survivors and the search for art and other items that were stolen during World War II by the Nazis.
At a meeting in Prague, they agreed to establish a special European institute to deal with these issues and education. As the number of survivors of the Nazi Holocaust rapidly declines, there is a sense of urgency among delegates that the world must provide them with adequate social assistance and compensation for stolen goods.
The five-day meeting - attended by Holocaust survivors, members of Jewish organisations and delegates from nearly 50 nations - was a follow-up to a conference more than a decade ago in Washington that led to agreements on recovering art looted by the Nazis.
Click here to go
to the forums to have your say...
FORUMS THIS WEEK
SHARK ATTACKS IN AUSTRALIA
Following the third shark attack in the waters off Sydney in three weeks, the NSW Government has released a number of new proposals to prevent such attacks from happening - including a new shark tagging program and the use of GPS to monitor shark nets. What do you think? Are sharks a problem in Australia and, if so, what can be done to prevent future attacks?
THE WORD
Our new space to discuss our definitions from The Word Explained. This week's definition is 'Pentateuch'...
GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS
The world's economic markets have been shaken in recent weeks as the US experiences what some are saying is the worst economic crisis to face the nation since the Great Depression. How has it affected you? Are governments doing enough?
SIGHTPOLL: SHOULD THE DATE OF AUSTRALIA DAY BE CHANGED?
Click
here to go
to the forums to have your say...
THOUGHTS ON LIFE: MEANING AND WELL-BEING IN THE RAT RACE
As I waited at the bus stop one morning last week, watching both school kids and adults waiting to go to their places of education or work to spend the day, I was once again struck by the thought of meaning in life.
The kids were waiting there to go to school to work out what they want to do with their lives, what career path they want to follow. Then there were the adults who had gone through it all years before. It was the expressionless or just plain unhappy looks on the faces of the adults - who used to be just like the school kids next to them - that hit me.
NILS VON KALM'S blog on faith, life and how it all might fit together...|
more... |
STRANGESIGHTS: 'BRING YOUR GUN TO CHURCH DAY', THE VUVUZELA DISPUTE, AND A HOUSE THAT TWEETS... ‘Bring your gun to church day’ probably isn’t the sort of idea that will catch hold in Australia but in the US, a pastor did ask his flock to do just that. Pastor Ken Pagano, of New Bethel Church in Louisville, as people to bring their guns - in holsters, mind - to church to celebrate the Second Amendment (that’s the bit in the US Constitution that guarantees the right to bear arms)
DAVID
ADAMS writes about the odder side of life...|
more... |
JUST
BEEN THINKING: NOTE TO SELF ...
Note to self: Inheritance has already been received, not in it’s final entirety of course, but definitely in terms of freedom, authority and identity.
Note to self: Spend it wisely, confidently and with thankfulness. It’s a big one.
ANN
WOJCZUK's blog about life, the universe and possibly everything...|
more... |
FOR
SIGHT'S BLOG LINKS, HEAD TO OUR BLOGSPOT PAGE...
SIGHT PODCASTING
WEEKLY UPDATE:
24th September, 2008: Hear DAVID ADAMS speaking to GURYEL ALI, of 96.3 Rhema FM in Geelong, talking about some of the stories featured on Sight...|
more... |
We're looking for journalists,
writers, illustrators and photographers to join the Sight team (please note that all Sight contributors are presently volunteers) - use the
feedback form here to tell us about how you'd
like to be involved...