Moving Up to Middle Class

Sixteen years after a genocide that saw the death of 1 million people, Rwanda is making progress. Josh Ruxin reflects on all that Rwanda has accomplished, and ponders what will happen in the next ten years.

GrindTV reports that Jodie Nelson had a surprise visitor on a nine-hour paddle from Catalina Island to Dana Point, which the California surfer made in support of breast cancer research. A 30-foot minke whale rode alongside her for two hours.
An answer to prayer, perhaps? At the start of the journey, Nelson and her crew [...]

Hope Happens

Laurie Hayes, Director of Development for International Justice Mission, sent out this update about a rescue in Chennai, India.
“Last Friday, IJM’s Chennai team rescued 13 children, women and men from slavery in a large rice mill. Forced to live in tiny shacks within the compound, the slaves were desperate for release. One of the [...]

I’m crying over here

We talk about a lot of serious stuff on Hope Ink, but sometimes we just need to have a laugh. Thanks to writer Josh Mock for passing along this gem of a video.

Numbers Game

20. Million. Can you even begin to wrap your mind around that? When I first read these words on International Justice Mission’s Website, I couldn’t grasp the numbers.

The Karen Women Organization speaks out against atrocities carried out by the government in Myanmar in a report given to the United Nations. Over 500,000 people have been displaced as a result of corrupt government actions. Pray that persecution will cease for minorities in Myanmar, and that refugees will be able to return home.

Dreams Renewed

It’s a warning for our times on everything from war to racial equality. Sure, the Cold War is no longer a threat, and there are some outdated words and references, but it is relevant and vital piece of writing for the state of our world today.

Speechless

As computers and satellites and television shrink the world, language is becoming more homogenous. There are 473 nearly extinct languages in the world, according to Summer Institute of Linguistics, a faith-based language development organization. Why should we care? Because language, SIL says, is one of the elements that makes us who we are. Reed more [...]

How dirty are they?

Somalia continues to lead the world in corrupt governments, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. Afghanistan has fallen three places to second, and Iraq made a slight improvement. The United States sits at No. 19.

My Couch Smells Like Joy

My couch smells like joy.
Take a deep breath. Sniff down deep under the layers of Febreeze, and day-old potato chips and you can smell it.
OK, if we had really had scratch and sniff going on, it would actually smell like unwashed bodies and possibly five-day-old alcohol breath.
But to me, and those I work with, [...]