an uprising in Puerto

HI Folks,

For the last three days there has been an uprising in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. It is ending now. Carolyn and I are not currently in Puerto Cabezas, and so are in no danger.

The Juista Tara (head judge, more or less) of the Miskito people, Brother Hector Williams a local preacher, in months past filed paperwork with the approval of the three indigenous tribes of Indians in Nicaragua to secede the nation of Miskitia from the nation of NIcaragua. The deadline for the government of Nicaragua's response to the points listed in the documents of secession was October the 19th of this year. Three days ago.

On the 19th, there were manifestations of political support for the Juista Tara's move, including burning of tires in the streets and marching througout the city. The secession crowd attempted to take over the government building in the city of Puerto Cabezas.

The Nicaraguan governments response to this expression of political will has been swift. There was tear gas deployed, and one 75 year old man died of asphixiation. This gentlemens death is the only one so far, and since the uprising has been quelled, he is expected to be the only one.

The underlying issues for this huelga (strike) are comlex, but boil down to the Miskito Indians feeling a sense of deprivation and living in poverty. We live in an ignored corner of Nicaragua, both by the government and the rest of the world. We are pleased to report the God is still there, and working miracles amongst our Miskito brothers.

As the political climate returns to normal, the underlying issues are still there and must be met, in some way, and by some party.

These kinds of "manifestations" seem to happen once or twice a year, due to the frustration of poverty, and the lack of opportunities to pull themselves out of this state of deprivation. Please hold our beloved Miskitio people fast...in your prayers.

God Bless!

Richard Becton

Our brothers in Nicaragua

HI Folks,

We are going to receive a visit from the Praise Cathedral Church of God in a couple of months in Puerto Cabezas. We are excited for this visit as always, for the opportunity to see good and what are fast becoming "old" friends. Our hearts have been touched by the servants of God at Praise Cathedral.

We are particularly eager for this upcoming visit because their plan and intention is to help to build a church in Puerto Cabezas. The Nuevo Jerusalem church of God, pastored by Pastora Olivia. Let me remind some of you about who Pastora Olivia is, and acquaint those of you that haven't had the opportunity to meet her. Pastora Olivia lives down in the Muelle Barrio in Puerto Cabezas (the docks). Pastora Olivia has a large and rambunctious family, and her family is rich with passion for life! They can sometimes be excitable too!

I once saw Pastora Olivia's daughter getting mad at her mother and throwing all of her own personal belongings out the window of their house. I was a bit surprised when the mattress and bed flew out also! Pastora Olivia has a largish family, and I'm sure that isn't the only time when passions ran amok! hahaha, these things happen, don't they, even in the best of families?

Pastora Olivia has a BURNING desire to serve God! Pastora Olivia walks to church, every evening. All the way from the dock area to the bus station. It is a somewhat long walk, to the other side of town. We have church every night in Puerto Cabezas, not just on Sundays and Wednesdays. She often gets wet on the way to and from her church, and the danger of walking home after services is something she has just learned to live with. It is somewhat rare for a woman to pastor a church in the male-dominated culture of Central America, but Pastora Olivia is one of the finest. Pastora Olivia's passion and zeal for God is unequalled by her peers.

Pastora Olivia, along with her congregation have been patiently and steadfastly putting a church together in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Step by step, block by cement block, they have formed the walls of their church. Piece by piece over the last few years they have struggled to bring in each Cordoba (local currency) to purchase each block. Their faith has been blessed by God, it IS working.

Whenever we have visitors to Puerto Cabezas from outside Nicaragua we always take them by to visit the Nuevo Jerusalem Church of God...it is an inspiration!

The Praise Cathedral Church of God, from Pennsylvania in the USA is visiting in Febuary...please pray that they will be AS BLESSED to serve Pastora Olivia and the Nuevo Jerusalem Church of God (Iglesia de Dios) as they will in turn be blessing the Nuevo Jerusalem Church.

We are excited for this visit!

God bless you each, folks!

Richard Becton
www.casadeservicio.org
Church of God Project #065-0497

the decline and fall of the world's empires

Hi Folks,

I have often thought that mankind has not progressed as far as his ego thinks he has. There have been steps of progress, of course. Fire, and tools, and electricity and the internal combustion engine. Scientific reasoning (a step forward?), and advancement of medicines. Technological marvels brought about by the genius of advanced engineering.

But really, fire and tools, those are the things which are fundamental turning points in mankinds history. The rest are merely outgrowths, or a progression from initial discoveries. We can communicate, over vast distances, via electronic marvels...but this ability is a progression from the ability to create fire, and smoke signals.

Mankinds engineering feats are considered today to be quite extraordinary. The towers in Dubai, reaching for the heavens! The skyscrapers of New York! The Nakheel companies many reclamation projects...living space, reclaimed from the sea!

But these engineering marvels, are they more impressive than the pyramids, or the great ships of the 14th century, or those ships built in the 3rd century even? Engineering is another discipline which builds on the creations and accomplishments of past discoveries...really just an outgrowth of the ability to make simple tools.

I think that mankind has become too "full of himself", much like the makers of the tower of babel. Mankind, even then, found the ability to elevate his ego over our natural belief in God. We can become very impressed with ourselves, pretty easily.

As I see and interact with cultures which are literally thousands of years old, in some cases MANY thousands of years old. I wonder to myself...Is THIS then progress? Is THIS what human culture devolves itself into? What I see in the Middle East today, after seven or eight CENTURIES of existance...is this then the culmination of culture for humankind?

I see that the people in this part of the world live in a much more "nuanced" society than we do in the western world. What I mean by that is that the societal interactions of the people here in the Middle East are RICH with meaning. A gesture means more here, than it does anywhere else in the world. The people here seem to interact with one another on a level which is hard to imagine to a typical westerner.

The evolution here seems to be in the realm of interpersonal interaction. How folks get along with one another. This is a society where rudeness, is very rude, and politeness is an art form.

I wonder what the United States will look like in 7 THOUSAND years? When OUR COUNTRY has existed for 29 times as long as it has currently existed...what will it look like, and how will we be...as a people? That's 10 times longer than now....and then ten more times longer than now...and then almost ten MORE times longer than now. We are a young country, by global standards.

WE have so much. We have a society that is absolutely brimming with potential. The potential to do so much good, and to be a strong force for the betterment of humanity...through Christ! I pray that we do not lose our way, and devolve into mediocrity as our history continues to pave the path to or future.

God bless.

Richard
www.casadeservicio.org