Today I was on "Step 1, Day 15" in the Life Recovery Devotional. I was surprised to see the topic, since today is Christmas! Let me replicate it here, if you don't mind...
"There are times in life when we are powerless over the circumstances around us. We're not in the driver's seat. We have to do things someone else's way. And often, the whole experience is uncomfortable and frightening. During these times we can find hope and serenity in the promises of God.
"Mary was in her early teens when destiny took her by the hand. She was greeted by an angel who announced that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah. She found herself pregnant, much to the confusion of her fiance, family, friends, and neighbors. After the angel returned to visit her fiance, he believed Mary's story and married her. When the time came to give birth, she and Joseph were required to travel the long, difficult journey to Bethlehem. There, in a smelly stable carved out of the side of a rocky hill, she delivered the baby. No one but her husband was there to attend Jesus' birth.
"What power did she have over her circumstances? She was powerless under the will of God, the decree of the state, the limitations of their finacial poverty, and the demands of her body. And yet, by holding on to the promises God had given her, she found serenity in her powerlessness and gave birth to the Savior. When we are powerless, we can find serenity by holding on to the pormises of God. When we do this, we will find new life and salvation being born again into our lives."
For more info on the Life Recovery Devotional go here...
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be
against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how
will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
I thought that was pretty cool!
Core Fundamentals
The Basics
Other things I may need to work on
Do strength training 2-3 x/ week
Drink 60 oz of water per day
Stay away from high calorie drinks
Find exercise that fits my personality
Find exercise that fits my body type
Get exercise equipment that will keep me safe from injury
Get exercise equipment that helps me stay motivated
Get a favorite water bottle
Exercise gradually, at my current fitness level, age, etc
Exercise at a time that works with my schedule
Stop watching so much TV
Go to bed earlier
Figure out what things need axed from my schedule
Get an exercise buddy
Incorporate physical activity into regular activities
Work on my social skills
Find ways to distract myself from food impulses
Face my fears
Develop hobbies and interests and creativity
Face my anger
Risk rejection
Give up food as my best friend
Grow on purpose
Give up obsessing about food/weight/body
Accept the reality of the impact my weight has on my health
Accept the reality of the impact my weight has on my life
Focus on the choice that is in front of me now
Have sufficient quiet time
Focus on what I can do, not on what I can't do
Seek for and apply God's wisdom
Admit my character defects and mistakes
Ask God to open my eyes to the truth about me
Ask God to open my eyes to the truth about Him
Learn to delay immediate gratification
Recognize the long-term consequences of each choice
Get plenty of rest
Control portions
Be alert to attacks from the enemy
Know the Word and apply it to my life
Have a goal for my target weight range
Have a goal for the pace of my weight loss
Give up the need to be invisible
Stop using weight as an excuse to not live
Give up my excuses
Stop self-sabotaging
Stay away from people who sabotage me
Rid my house of trigger foods
Eat only at the kitchen table
Stop eating in the car
Stop using my weight as a way to punish someone
Learn to be OK with a normal body size
Learn to deal with my sexual impulses
Learn to deal with others' sexual advances
Put in effort
Accept the reality that there will be occasional rough patches
Know the reasons why I eat, other than hunger
Have realistic expectations
Choose lower glycemic foods
Choose higher fiber foods
Stay away from refined flour and sugar
Exercise aerobically 30-60 minutes/day, 3-5x/week
Be willing to do whatever it takes
Accept that there are no simple solutions to complex problems
Shape my motivation around health, freedom, and pleasing God
Accept God's grace
Stop defining myself by what I weigh
Learn to listen to my body
Accept responsibility for my own behavior and choices
Mange my emotions, instead of them managing me
Make new, healthy connections with people
Get up after I fall
Let slips be isolated incidents, not a predictor of the future
Accept my body for what it is today
Learn to like myself
Become aware of my true needs
Seek to get my true needs met in healthy, God-honoring ways
Avoid quick-fix temptations
Want healing more than I want food
Explore the root reasons for my attachment to food
Make gradual lifestyle changes
Experience pain
Acknowledge my need for help
Seek help until I find what I need
Be open, honest, and vulnerable with God
Be open, honest, and vulnerable with trusted others
Forgive myself
Forgive others
Receive and accept forgiveness from God
Receive and accept forgiveness from others
Transform my struggle, loss, and pain into a purposeful mission
Accept my powerlessness and lack of control
Periodically measure my progress
Admit and accept my weakness
Be open to receiving God's power
Be honest with myself
Believe that all things work together for good for those that love God
Face my problems
Grieve my losses
Believe that God's plans for me are good
Record what I eat
Stop grazing
Stop overeating at a sitting
Learn to interrupt binges
Tolerate bad feelings
Get happy now, instead of waiting until you're thin
Focus on deep connections with several others
Live in the present
Get rid of the "if only"s
Stop losing weight for other people
Accept my true value
Move my expectations closer to reality
Learn moderation
Fill the emptiness with something besides food
Stop overly-restricting myself
Stop viewing certain foods as "bad"
Stop depending on others to tell me what to eat
Stop rebelling
View my body as sacred
Experience God's grace
Plan my meals ahead of time
Stop eating in front of the TV
Take the time to eat
Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed
Increase my Basal Metabolic Rate
Discover the impact my medications have on my weight
Learn better time management skills
Study nutrition
See a nutritionist or dietitian
See a counselor or therapist
Learn to maintain weight during stressful periods
Learn my cycles... daily, weekly, monthly, annual
Look at my whole body in the mirror
Read affirmation statements
Get a physical
Discover my BMI
Increase vegetables
Increase fruit
Drastically reduce high-density calorie foods
Decrease caffeine
Decrease alcohol
Increase dairy/calcium
Choose low fat or no fat
Avoid fried foods
Learn my metabolic or blood type
Buy and cook up plenty of healthy food to have on hand
Increase my lifestyle from sedentary to active to very active
Determine the number of calories I need to lose weight, and to maintain weight
Count calories
Count points
Discover my food allergies
Put boundaries around chocolate
Make immediate corrections for overeating in my next meal
Do short-term fasts
Eat before events
Eat before grocery shopping
Avoid certain aisles of the grocery store
Avoid certain restaurants or fast food places
Limit the variety of food displayed
Limit eating during cooking
Create an enjoyable, stress-free eating environment
Sit down while eating
Use smaller plates and bowls
Put away leftovers
Limit or eliminate binge foods
Have a plan for eating out
Plan how to handle special events
Change my attitude about exercising
Exercise in short bouts throughout the day
Re-prioritize my time
Develop routines
Find healthy ways to deal with boredom
Stop eating when I am physically full
Stop cleaning my plate
Throw away food
Stop beating myself up
Stop eating in secret/hiding
Slow down when I eat
Be honest about how much I eat
Confess my sins and shortcomings to God and others
Praise God more
Take medication
Find my security in God
Refuse to believe I am a mistake
Believe that God is for me
Stop comparing myself to others
Be OK with happiness
Stop putting off unpleasant tasks
Express my feeling to God and trusted others
Determine the needs behind my feelings
Journal my thoughts and feelings
Keep a prayer journal
Listen for the Lord to speak
Identify the lies I believe
Get surgery for my heart
Stop talking negatively to myself and about myself
Never give up hope
Put a rubber band on my wrist to snap when I think negative
Keep a dysfunctional thought record
Stop obsessing about "What if"
Stop catastrophizing
Accept uncertainty and ambiguity
Use visualization and meditation
Stop thinking so much
Believe that God will do what he says he will do
Do the Word, don't just hear it
Turn off food commercials
Learn relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing
Stay away from goodies at work
Stand near the healthy food at parties
Concentrate on one change at a time
Accept that good health takes commitment and investment
Learn to say no
Get out of one-way relationships
Learn to be more assertive
Become more interested in others
Practice doing things that are uncomfortable
Refuse to play the victim role
Enlist the help of my family
Spend more time planning
Have a relapse recognition plan
Have a relapse prevention plan
Recognize complacency when it happens
Beware of rationalizations and compromises
Stop thinking that reaching your ideal weight is the end of the journey
Recognize when I start to isolate
Live in the moment
Practice spiritual disciplines-prayer, worship, confession, Bible study, giving, fasting, submission, service, forgiving
Stop eating with dangerous people
Take vitamins and supplements
Eat organic
Develop an emergency plan
Keep non-binge, healthy foods handy
Develop a week-end plan
Make phone calls
Love myself
Stand up more
Develop a pleasing appearance
Write down what I eat
Write down what I am going to eat
Do 12-step work
Set up rewards for small victories
Define when I will eat
Not get too hungry
Not get too angry
Not get too lonely
Not get too tired
Increase my faith
Believe God
Change my image of God
Be real and authentic
Reshuffle my friendships
Give and receive grace
Develop relationships a small step at a time
Turn my life over to God
Cry more
Cry more in front of others
Master my body
Embrace my humanness
Stop trying to change other people
Take baby steps
Start over every day
Look for and cherish my victories every day
Recognize and deal with any rebellion in my heart
Get a sponsor
Get a mentor
Get a personal trainer
Join a gym
To see the actual lawsuit filed against Richard Roberts, click here.
This is a good site that describes various types of abuse that can happen within a relationship, and what to do about it. http://www.domesticviolence.org/violence-wheel/.
Ultimately, domestic violence is one person's attempt to get and keep control in a relationship.
The wheel enumerates various types of violence: coercion and threats, intimidation, emotional abuse, enforced isolation, minimizing/denying/rationalizing, using the children, economic abuse, and "male privelege."
One person that i counsel on the phone said i was like the phone phantom because they hear my voice but don't see me. Then she got the bright idea to write words to the song, "Music of the Night," from Phatom of the Opera.
Tell me
Secrets
Let your life unfold here
Wounds and
Secrets
That you have been hiding
Turn your thoughts away
From the many ways you’ve failed
Bring your wounded life into God’s holy light
Help me teach you how to make it right
Isn't that special?? :)
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa sent letters to a half-dozen Christian media ministries earlier this week requesting answers by Dec. 6 about their expenses, executive compensation and amenities, including use of fancy cars and private jets.
In a statement, Grassley said he was acting on complaints from the public and news coverage of the organizations.
"The allegations involve governing boards that aren't independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls Royces," Grassley said.
"I don't want to conclude that there's a problem, but I have an obligation to donors and the taxpayers to find out more. People who donated should have their money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code."
Those ministries that responded Tuesday either said they were cooperating or committed to financial transparency and following the law.
The investigation promises to shine new light on the kind of TV ministries that were crippled by sex and money scandals in the 1980s. Experts also say it stands out as an unusual case of the government probing the inner workings of religious organizations.
Most of those under investigation preach a variation of the "prosperity gospel," the teaching that God will shower faithful followers with material riches.
Grassley's letters went to:
• Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas, a $20 million organization and prosperity gospel pioneer. Questions were raised about the transfer of church assets to a for-profit company, Security Patrol Inc., a $1 million loan from Gloria Copeland to the group, and a "personal gift" of more than $2 million given to Kenneth Copeland to mark the ministry's 40th anniversary. A Copeland spokeswoman released a statement saying the ministry is working on a response to Grassley's letter, follows all laws and best practices governing churches and religious nonprofit groups, and "will continue to do so."
• Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga. Grassley's letter asks for records on private planes, board makeup, compensation and donations and "love offerings" to visiting ministers. In a statement, Dollar called his ministry an "open book" and said he would cooperate. He also questioned whether the investigation could "affect the privacy of every community church in America."
• Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas, is asked about use of a private jet, a home in Dana Point, Calif. and "layover trips" while traveling on ministry business. Hinn did not respond to requests for comment.
• Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga., was questioned about his salary, a $1.4 million real estate transaction and whether he, and not the board, holds sole authority over the organization. Long plans to fully comply with the Senate's request, and his church has "several safeguards" to ensure transactions comply with laws governing churches, according to a statement from Long's spokesman.
• Joyce and David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo., who were quizzed about receiving donations of money and jewelry and the handling of cash from overseas crusades. They also were asked about expenditures at ministry headquarters, including a $30,000 conference table and a $23,000 "commode with marble top."
The ministry's lawyer released a statement describing the ministry's work and public release of several years' worth of audits. He also said the IRS found in October that the group continues to qualify for tax-exempt status.
• Randy and Paula White of the multiracial Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa, Fla. are asked about home purchases in San Antonio, Texas, Malibu, Calif., and New York, credit card charges for clothing and cosmetic surgery and the reported purchase of a Bentley convertible as a gift for Bishop T.D. Jakes, a prominent Texas preacher and televangelist. An e-mail to a spokeswoman for Jakes was not immediately returned.
In a statement, Randy and Paula White declined to comment on specifics, saying they needed time to review the letter with their lawyers. But the Whites called the Grassley letter "unusual, since the IRS has separate powers to investigate religious organizations if they think it's necessary."
Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar all sit on the board of regents for Oral Roberts University, which is mired in a financial scandal of its own.
The Senate Finance Committee has chided secular nonprofits for governance and compensation problems in the past, but this level of scrutiny for what are basically "non-pulpit churches" is unprecedented, said Ken Behr, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
Because the groups have tax status as churches, they are not required to file tax forms open to public inspection.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071107/ap_on_go_co/televangelist_probe
Wow. I just stumbled upon this song. Never heard it before. I haven't cried like that in a looong time... :) For real. Get ur tissues out.
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21. Out of the hundreds of emails you get in a week, this will be one you actually want!
22. 4 out of 5 dentists recommend it.
23. Builds strong teeth and bones.
24. If you don't, the terrorists will win.
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32. It automatically qualifies you for the 12 step program, BA. "Bloggers Anonymous."
33. Pretty please?
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35. It would make my day.
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Warnings
1. Take with milk and cookies
2. May cause unbridled joy and enthusiasm.
3. Do not mix with self-pity.
4. You must open your mind before partaking.
5. Does not cure genital herpes.
6. If symptoms last longer than 4 hours, consult your doctor.
Seriously, it would mean a lot to me if you would subscribe. I promise not to waste your time with crap. And if you want to unsubscribe at any time there's a link in every email you get that lets you do it easily. Why not try it for a month? What do you have to lose???
Thanks... Doug
PS If you comment here with other reasons to subscribe, I may add them to the list! :)
Today I did my 5th step with my sponsor.
If you've never been through the 12 steps, let me back up. The 4th step requires you to "conduct a searching and fearless moral inventory." This involves writing up a page for anyone you have hurt, anyone who has hurt you, and any resentments or fears you have about anyone or anything. Mine was 150 pages. (Give me a break! I'm 47. That's only about 3 per year!! lol)
In any case the 5th step involves "admitting to myself, to God, and to one other human being the exact nature of my wrongs." After 6 1/2 hours, my sponsor had heard it all! (No, he didn't run out of the room screaming!)
Phew... I'm tired. But it's a good kind of tired.
Thanks Chuck!
And now for the commercial!
Once upon a time there was a mayor of Centerville, Bernstein by name, who had many children.
Slade, Mayor Bernstein's son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Britney.
Justin, also Mayor Bernstein's son, was in love with Britney. Justin was obsessed with his sister Britney to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn't see how he could get his hands on her.
Justin had a good friend, Stone, the son of Mayor Bernstein's brother Rodney. Stone was exceptionally streetwise. He said to Justin, "Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the mayor! Tell me what's eating at you."
"In a word, Britney," said Justin. "My brother Slade's sister. I'm in love with her."
"Here's what you do," said Stone. "Go to bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to visit you, say, 'Have my sister Britney come and make some supper for me here where I can watch her and she can feed me.'"
So Justin took to his bed and acted sick. When the mayor came to visit, Justin said, "Would you do me a favor? Have my sister Britney come and make some tacos here where I can watch her and be fed by her."
Mayor Bernstein sent word to Britney who was home at the time: "Go to the Justin's house and make him some supper."
So Britney went to her brother Justin's house. She took some shells, formed them into tacos, and cooked them while he watched from his bed. But when she brought the tray over and tried to serve him, he wouldn't eat.
Justin said, "Get everyone out of here," and they all cleared out. Then he said to Britney, "Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy." She took the tacos she had prepared and brought them to her brother Justin in his bedroom. But when she got ready to feed him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, sister!"
"No, brother!" she said, "Don't hurt me! This kind of thing isn't done in Centerville! Don't do this terrible thing! Where could I ever show my face? And you—you'll be out on the street in disgrace. Oh, please! Speak to your father—he'll let you marry me."
But he wouldn't listen. Being much stronger than she, he raped her.
No sooner had Justin raped her than he hated her—an immense hatred. The hatred that he felt for her was greater than the love he'd had for her. "Get up," he said, "and get out!"
"Oh no, brother," she said. "Please! This is an even worse evil than what you just did to me!"
But he wouldn't listen to her. He called for his valet. "Get rid of this woman. Get her out of my sight! And lock the door after her." The valet threw her out and locked the door behind her.
Britney ran screaming and pulling her hair... Mascara ran all over her face and onto her clothes. She eventually slumped to the ground, held her head in her hands, and sobbed uncontrollably.
Her brother Slade said to her, "Has your brother Justin had his way with you? Now, my dear sister, let's keep it quiet—a family matter. He is, after all, your brother. Don't take this so hard."
Britney went and lived in her brother Slade's home, bitter and desolate.
Mayor Bernstein heard the whole story and was enraged, but he didn't confront Justin about it. Mayor Bernstein doted on him because he was his firstborn son.
Slade quit speaking to Justin—not a word, whether good or bad—because he hated him for violating his sister Britney.
Two years went by.
One day Slade threw a harvest party in Centerville in the vicinity of Georgetown and invited all the mayor's sons. He also went to his Dad and invited him. "Hey, I'm throwing a harvest party. Come, and bring your staff."
But the mayor said, "No, son—not this time, and not the whole staff. We'd just be a burden to you." Slade pushed, but his Dad wouldn't budge. He wished him a good time.
Then Slade said, "Well, if you won't come, at least let my brother Justin come."
"And why," said the mayor, "should he go with you?" But Slade was so insistent that he gave in and let Justin and all the rest of the mayor's sons go.
Slade prepared a huge spread. Then he instructed his friends who were helping him, "Look ... When Justin has had a few beers and is kind of out of it, and when I give the order, take him out back and mess him up. Kill him! And don't be afraid—I'm the one who will take all the responsibility. Come on! You can do it!"
Slade's friends did to Justin exactly what he had told them to do. All the mayor's sons got out as fast as they could, jumped on their motorcycles, and rode off.
While they were still on the road, a rumor came to the mayor: "Slade just killed all of your sons—not one is left!" The mayor stood up and gasped, grabbing his chest. His face turned white. His staff was shocked and speechless as well.
Just then, Stone, the mayor's brother's son, stepped up. "Sir, don't think that all the your sons are dead. Only Justin is dead. This happened because of Slade's outrage since the day that Justin violated his sister Britney. So don't make things worse than they are, thinking that all your sons are dead. Only Justin is dead."
Just then the security guard on duty looked up and saw a cloud of dust on County Line Road alongside the mountain. He came and told the mayor, "I've just seen a bunch motorcycles on County Line Road, coming around the mountain."
Then Stone exclaimed to the mayor, "See! It's your sons coming, just as I said!" He had no sooner said the words than the mayor's sons burst in. They all cried and sobbed bitter tears together. Mayor Bernstein mourned the death of his son a long time.
In the meantime, Slade had fled and had gone to stay with Michael, son of Mayor Stanton, in Newport. He stayed there three years.
Mayor Bernstein finally gave up trying to get back at Slade. He had come to terms with his son's death.
The end.
(See 2 Samuel, chapter 13. Names have been changed to protect the guilty!)
You know you’ve lived in Syracuse too long when…
Please let me know if any of the links don't work. I depend on you to help me make this an awesome blog to come back and visit! Thank you.
Name: Douglas Richard Doan
Age: 47
Birth Date: September 18, 1960
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Occupation: Christian Counselor and Leadership Coach
Employer: http://www.growingandhealingministries.com/ (Self-employed)
Marital status: Single
Children: Justin 18, Olivia 16, Rebecca 13
Church: Christ's Church
email: dougdoan@yahoo.com
Aspiration: writer
Places I have lived
Education
Doug's MySpace page
Doug's videos
Doug's Photos
other stuff i've made at "esnips"
Coaching CD I made with Steve Arterburn
my color quiz results
my enneagram type
my handwriting analysis
My wish list
my affirmation statements
my passions
my mission
my perfect wife
Many years ago when i was a pastor, there was a kid in my youth group named Derrick. He had suffered an aneurysm just before I got to the church and was in a wheelchair. He was almost fully paralyzed on the left side of his body. We prayed for him much, of course, but he was never fully healed.
Derrick had a great attitude, however, much of which probably came from his wonderful parents, and his faith in God.
Well, now he is a comedian, and he performed at my 25th college reunion last week! I had no idea, so it was quite a surprise. We got reacquainted and I was very heartened by the full life he is leading, and the poitive influence he is having. Besides doing comedy he runs an adult sports league in Atlanta, and has two clothing lines.
Here's a taste of his comedy.
FOX Theatre Atlanta(14 min.)
Add to My Profile More Videos
Here is Derrick talking to kids at camp about faith in God.
Rock on dude...
PS Derrick's site is http://www.myspace.com/dtcomedy
Several of you have mentioned that you didn't know how to post a comment, or that when you tried you didn't know what to do because you didn't have a google account, etc.
I want to reassure you. It is much easier than you might think. Let me show you how. With 4 very simple steps you can post a comment without having to sign up for anything!! yippee...
Step 1: Click on the link at the bottom of the post you are reading that says "x Comments so far. Add yours by clicking here!!" (See it in green at the botom of this picture?)
Step 2: Write your comment in the box under "Leave your comment." (See picture below.)
Step 3: Under "Choose an identity" Click the circle next to "Anonymous." (See picture below.)
To sum up the steps: 1) Click 2) write 3) click 4) click!
But Doug... What if I don't want to be "anonymous"??????? What if i want you to know who i am? What if i want my name in lights??
Not to worry. You can sign your name at the end of your comment. Anything you type in that box will show up in your post.
You may recognize his picture on top, but you probably don't recognize him in the second picture, holding an ax... my dad on the left, him on the right.
I'll let my mother tell the story.
---------------------------------------------------
"I'm just an ordinary out-of-the-link small town person . My circle of friends does not include Ivy-Leaguers , millionnaires, or national politicians. But in the 1980's my husband and I had the privilege of taking our first major flight. It was from New York State to the country then known as Irian Jaya (now known as Papua) on the island of New Guinea - just north of Australia. And there, of all places, amid Stone Age people I met the man who is now the president of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz.
For a year and a half we lived in the Mulia Valley, a remote moutainous valley 200 air miles from the civilization of the coastal area. Strapped in our small mission plane we landed noisely on the gravel airstrip catching our first glimpse of people who had still never seen a car, did not use glass or rubber in any form, and lived on a diet of sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes. They drank nothing but water because they knew nothing else. Grass roofed conical huts were their homes. Their possessions were nothing but bows and arrows, axes, and grass skirts or penile gourds, grown in the garden.
A few western style clothes had trickled in and were worn in a mix-&-match style. Everyone raised pigs, which were the "bank account" of each family. Since there was no electricity to preserve pork, when a pig was killed it was a shared occasion, a festival.
Unable to access Mulia Valley by water, road, or trekking, it was truly the end of the world. World War II plane crashes in these mountainous highlands made the world excitedly aware of undiscovered people-groups, and once the news leaked out, missionaries began arriving. My sister and brother-in-law (Jerry and Carol Powell) moved there as medical missionaries, and built a small hospital. We were going there to build an extension to that hospital.
One day we learned that Paul Wolfowitz, the American ambassador to Indonesia, wanted to leave Jakarta and visit the interior. I do not know how he and his body guards decided to visit our valley. But we 9 Americans that lived there excitedly began to prepare for his visit.
The tribal people in the valley were called "Dani's." Without governmental structure themselves, they had heard that the Big Man from America was coming. At this time it was very difficult for missionaries to keep their visas. They lived from day to day not knowing when they would suddenly be asked to leave immediately. The Dani's wanted the missionaries to STAY! They thought they should show Mr. Big Man the difference the missionaries had made in their lives.
Hundreds gathered nightly on the top of the steep airstrip close to our house, and pow-wowed concerning what they could do.
They decided to re-enact their former lives. They would put pig grease and soot on their faces, put leaves or bird feathers in their hair, wear almost nothing except fake goiters, carry their bows and arrows and spears, and dance in a counter-clockwise motion and chant. Afterwards, one of them would make a speech.
We radioed the ambassador and told him to tell his body guards not to shoot when they landed in Mulia. This was a friendly demonstration!
The big day arrived. The Big Man came. The Dani's carried out their plan to perfection. The ambassador was hustled past them to our house where he would have coffee with all the Americans living there. Very politely he drank his coffee, but his eyes were always looking out the window at the continuing demonstration. Finally, he graciously asked if it would be OK for him to go outside so he could get closer to the excitement. Off he went!
Now it was time for the speech. The chosen Dani spokesman told of how much their lives had changed since the missionaries had come. Their revenge intra-village killings had stopped. With better living and access to health care their life span had increased. And those fake goiters represented the real ones that used to be so prevalent.
Peace reigned in the valley; peace in their hearts that no longer feared the spirits of the jungle; and peace between villages. They even widened the walking paths through the mountains so that two people could walk side-by-side and fellowship with each other. And then came the plea."Mr Big Man, we hear that the missionaries need a paper to stay here. Can you please help them get that paper?"
Ambassador Wolfowitz arose in this open outdoor sit-on-the-ground meeting and gave a very gracious response saying he had learned a lot and that he would do what he could about the problem.
Now it was time for the pig feast. My sister explained to Mr. Wolfowitz, a Jew, that this was the only way the Danis knew to honor special people and apologized that they would be giving him some of their pit-roasted pork. As hundreds of people milled about all were fed this succulent pork, using banana leaves as plates.
Next came the presentation of gift stone axes to Mr. Big Man for having come, and to my husband for appreciation in having enlarged their hospital. The stones are chosen very carefully, and the handles are wrapped in wet vines and held over a smoky fire to burn a pattern on them.
That evening the Americans met informally with their ambassador and gave him a crazy quiz which he flunked, and was thus pronounced unable to leave the valley!
My husband's stone axe is still with us in our easily accessible attic where other mementos also remind us of our incomparable 18 months in Mulia Valley. I wonder where Mr. Wolfowitz's axe is??
I was impressed by this man, and knew if he ever ran for president I would vote for him. It saddens me, if we can believe the news reports, that he's gotten himself into some trouble as president of the World Bank. Maybe the world should take a lesson from the Dani's, who use shells as a means of exchange!
Donna Doan
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Thanks, mom, for the most interesting story about Paul Wolfowitz in the news today!
