When it all comes together

Howdy,

Besides the fact that both contain, y'know, Christians, my churches actually have a little link to each other.

There are 7 continents in the world, and about 7 billion people.
There are 1 billion people in Africa, spread out over 61 territories.
There's an area known as Tanzania.
Inside of Tanzania there is a region known as Chamwino.
In that area, there are about 41,000 people. (Man, I do loves me some Wikipedia.)

Guess where both of my churches have sent missionaries to?

A few gals from Quest headed there a week or two ago, and I have a gal in NSFC who has been there two or three times. I'm sure there are some 6 degrees in there somewhere... but what if people who have traveled across the country to help others have met. Even though they only live a few miles from each other. ;)

Coincidence is a load of bull. I'm a big fan of providence. Or, if you need someone more esteemed:

"If coincidences exist, why do they always feel so contrived?" -Fox Mulder

Your brethren- an easy mark

Howdy,

I have to admit that when I need a favor, my church is one of the first places I consider going to. So far I've

• asked for money/donations for my cancer activities
• asked for some help interviewing couples for a movie I'm making
• gotten at least 2 quilts (and countless free meals)
• received some emergency shelter and last minute rides home
• gotten help moving
• gotten an interview... and then a job from my youth pastor
• asked for volunteers/donors for a blood drive

Yes, there's something to be said for a church community which will bail you out (not literally, who do you think I am?) of the hard times.

Maybe it's because I've known these folks for a quarter of a decade. Maybe there's some sort of residual guilt that they know I'll tell my parents if they don't help me.

...or maybe they're just good, decent people who know I wouldn't ask unless it was important to me. Ya never know. ;)

Facebook: Better than Life

Howdy,

I hate to admit it, but Facebook makes connecting with fellow Christians easier. Sigh.

After the church retreat I went to a few weeks ago, it was a piece of cake to find people online and add them as friends. Thanks to FB, I know who is having a tough week, who's scrambling to find a place to live, and who will get a nice little weekend vacation.

Also, I find myself working on what I hope will be a fun little video project. I'll be interviewing couples and finding out how they got to be where they are. And how did I broach the awkwardness of "Hey, you mind if I grill you about your personal lives and question you about your relationship?" Via e-mail. (Easier to reject me that way, that's what I reckon.)

Then there's the gal who had a mini-chat with me over Yahoo Messenger about my belief in God and if I'd ever had God speak directly to me...

Yeah, I now know more about people I sit next to in church by hopping online. And after that starting point... I can now have actual converstations with them. Madness.

I guess that means technology is our friend. Or will help us make friends. Perhaps both...