abolition: your choices matter

hello friends,

i don't think anyone reads this anymore, but that's okay, because i just wanted to post it anyways...just in case someone happens upon this!

the last few weeks i have been involved in a workshop geared towards bringing awareness about/progress towards ending modern day slavery/human trafficking. here is the post card i made for it...in the class we are creating propaganda that will attempt to open people's eyes that this is going on in our own city, in front of our eyes each day; we have a mapping team that is keeping their eyes open for places that might have slaves; and finally we have an art team that is putting together an art show to invite friends, co-workers and family to, in hopes of sparking some passion in these people's lives.
in addition, there is a "rockumentary" about human trafficking that is about to be playing in several cities around the nation. i hope that perhaps you (whoever you are) will go to www.callandresponse.com and will watch the trailer, and either go see the movie in your city, or request for the film to COME to your city...and spread the word! also, i am reading a book by kevin bales called "ending slavery"...it is quite an encouraging book that has been opening my eyes not only to what i can do to help end this awful global crisis, but it also tells true, real stories about what have happened and are continuing to happen in the world in the slave trade/realm of human trafficking. i think that i am going to give this book to most people i know for christmas...hopefully it comes out in paperback by then. :)

this is an issue that is haunting every dollar i spend. what is that article of clothing truly worth to me? is it worth sacrificing someone's freedom? someone's life? not so much. is that cup of coffee worth it? is that chocolate bar really worth it? now that i am aware of this (and by "aware" i really mean that my eyes have barely even been opened to what is truly going on), how could i possibly go on living my life in the manner that i am now (or have been up to this point) knowing that i am contributing to the buying and selling of fellow human beings on this planet? that i am encouraging the torment and corruption and death of children and adults and communities around the world?

i can't.

i urge you, friends, to make that step and educate yourself on what is going on in the human trafficking industry. there are more slaves today than ever before.

if you live in san francisco, please come to an art show that we are hosting on october 23rd...keep checking www.reimagine.org for the details...they are to come.


love and peace,
melody

ruthie and dy...

after
Originally uploaded by angrysalad.

my best friend and best friend-in-law. the best looking couple i've ever seen...

the time has come.

derek and i will be saying goodbye to kigoma, tanzania quite soon (in less than a week!), and while we will be very sad to say goodbye to our new friends here (who are seriously SO AMAZING...tanzanians are incredible), we will be super stoked to get home and see our old friends once again. YAY SAN FRANCISCO!!!! we've both been glued to craigslist the last couple of weeks looking for rooms and jobs...goodness its a lot of work! hopefully i start getting some more replies to my replies soon. haha.

anyways, i wanted to share a little bit of what i was reading today in acts chapter 2. i found it to be really encouraging for me, and i think its a perfect picture of what the church (as a whole) should be...but unfortunately, for the most part it isn't.

in acts 2:22-41 peter is addressing the crowd that has gathered. some of them (in the crowd) were mocking the apostles, and others were just curious, but peter just told them why jesus died and was raised from the dead. he says in verse 24 "But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." and he went on to tell them all about it, and what David had said about it a long time before. After he was done telling the apostles about all of this, it says in verse 37, 'When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"' I love that. The felt the reality of the message and recognized it as true. it says they were "cut to the heart". i think that i identify a lot with that line especially since being here. there are so many orphans whose parents have kicked them out, or died of AIDS (one in particular who i will write more on later when i can post a photo), and no one wants to care for them. it cuts to my heart...i see the reality of it first hand, and it breaks me. i know that all these kids have now is the love of jesus. this scripture passage goes on to say in verse 41 that about 3000 people became "christians" that day. if you want to read this passage for yourself, here's a link:
http://bible1.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=Acts+2%3A22-41§ion=0&version=niv&new=1&oq=&NavBook=ac&NavGo=2&NavCurrentChapter=2

the next section of verses that shows the outcome of all of this is verses 42-47. it says that the new followers devoted themselves to the apostles teachings, and to the fellowship with eachother. they saw the truth and embraced it. one way they embraced it is shown in verse 44 and 45, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." first of all, they had everything in common. this means (to me) that there weren't denominations that were "right" and "wrong". they straight up followed the Bible, and followed what Jesus taught through the apostles. they were ONE, they loved eachother and encouraged eachother and "they had everything in common". cool. secondly, they gave things to those in need. they were generous. this is a sign of unconditional love...they sacrificed their own belongings and comfort for those who couldn't afford it. here's a link to this section so you can read it for yourself:
http://bible1.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=Acts+2%3A42-47§ion=0&version=niv&new=1&oq=&NavBook=ac&NavGo=2&NavCurrentChapter=2

this is the early church. this is what christianity is truly about. what has christianity become? now, i'm not saying that all churches or christians have it wrong. definitely not. i'm just speaking generally, i'm talking about what the rest of the world sees. we see priests molesting little boys, we see rich christians being stingy with their money, we see christians who couldn't care any LESS about the environment..this BEAUTIFUL creation that God has given us we just continue trashing, we see christians walk right by homeless people and not even give a second look or a smile for fear that they'll feel guilty...maybe that guilt is jesus tugging on our hearts to do something for our fellow human being.

these are just thoughts that are coming into my head and convictions that are happening in my own heart. i think that jesus is trying to teach me new ways to love. i just pray that he will help me open up my heart enough to truly take hold of it all.

thoughts and such.

today as i was watching derek edit the video he is doing for hope of the nations here in kigoma, i was thinking/reflecting about the ministry (hope of the nations) and what they do here. this ministry really is so so focused on loving a building relationships with people everywhere they go, even if they're not in a place where they would be able to keep in contact with them regularly, they still show the people of that area that they are loved and cared for, even from afar. i think that their love for the nationals really does resemble the love of jesus, which is what we're here to do, right?! i think so. we're supposed to show the love of jesus wherever we are, in whatever we are doing! we don't have to be in a 3rd world country, like this one, to be the most effective. there are people who we live next door to, or we walk past on the street, or sit next to on the bus, or serve us our coffee who need the love of God just as much.

also, the people here who we are supposed to be ministering to and with show US more love than i knew was possible! for the first 2 months of living here in kigoma i was living with an african family in their home here. (i think i might have mentioned them in a past post? i don't remember.) i was living with jackson, his wife esther, and their 2 little boys, talent and joshua. they are a WONDERFUL family, who loves jesus sooooo much, and teaches their kids properly also, and everything they do just pours out the love of God. when we (myself and the other 2 intern girls) would come home late from working all day, mama talent (esther) would have hot water ready for us to take our showers with! (here there isn't hot water, you have to boil the water, then mix it with normal water...and they don't have electric or gas stoves to boil it on either, they have to boil it over some coals...it's quite a difficult process.) she would make sure we were NEVER hungry or thirsty. breakfast was always ready for us by 7:30 am with hot tea made! (mama gets up around 6-ish each morning to prepare all of this for us/her family.) anyways, i'm just writing all of this to say...this ministry here really seems to have it. sure, they have their weaknesses and struggles...but who doesn't! it'll get worked out eventually. there are always things to learn.

i've learned a lot from the africans since i've been here, and i know that derek has too. we've made some wonderful friends, and we've gleaned so much from them. it's been wonderful! i think we are both excited to go home and see what God has for us there. (and we're very very excited to go home and see all of our wonderful friends.)

on another note...we are returning to san francisco on september 11th! (well, we leave here on the 11th, then we arrive at SFO on the 12th.) yay! home...here we come! see you all and talk to you all soon.

love,
melody

Love.

Love.
Originally uploaded by dylonyork.

ahh ruthie. i miss you. i am writing this note to you on my blog as a symbol of my affection for you! i'm SOOO EXCITED to go home to san francisco and call you and talk to you on the phone. it's going to be amazing hearing your voice again...it's tough not having you to talk to all the time about so many things. i love youuuu best frienddddd!

love,
mel

derek's face is how i feel right now.

hawaiian cheesy cruise!
Originally uploaded by melody.gates.

so...see how bummed he looks in this photo? well, at this point in time, it was not true to his feelings. but little did we know, they would be quite true towards the end of our trip. for the last month or so, derek and i have been planning on going on a trip to egypt and israel for a month, thinking it would be very affordable (which it would be there). however...changing our flights is the part that is COMPLETELY un-affordable. it would cost ridiculous sums of money to change anything, sooo...we're leaving to head back to SF in 10 days. (at least i am...and i'm hoping that derek will still be able to come with me. he has a different kind of ticket than i do, so he can push back the dates easier than me.)

anyways...all this to say...san francisco, we are coming home sooner than expected. we will be happy to be in SF, but not exactly happy about missing our incredible adventure(s) in egypt and isreal. buhhh. bummertown.

we love you all. see you soon.

mel

I know it has been a longgg time...

Insanity!
Originally uploaded by melody.gates.

Dear friends and family,

I apologize, it has been SOOO LONG since I have posted anything regarding my life here. Everything has been great, and I am definintely alive and well. (Somehow.)

This photo is of the line waiting to get into the clinic we had set up in Biharu a few weeks ago. During each outreach, we have a medical outreach going on at the same time as seminars and Kids Club (games, songs, Bible stories). Hundreds and hundreds of people line up to see Dr. Len and Adonith. (Our 2 doctors.) This clinic was really great, and a lot of people were seen.

This past week we were in Kashaguru- a village that can only be reached by boat!! We just got back today, so check Flickr in a while and photos from there should be uploaded. We took a 13-14 hour boat ride to the village on Wednesday afternoon. It's madness. The African way is absolutely RIDICULOUS. They pack seriously 500 people onto a boat, and 350 of them don't have rooms to sleep in. There are chickens and fruit and sleeping people ALL OVER THE DECKS. So annoying. When we got on the boat (when we were leaving Kashaguru) 1st of all it was 2 hours late, so we were sleeping on the beach until 11pm. Then it took an HOUR to get out to the ship in a smaller janky little boat that was packed with about 75 people (30 of which were ours, plus all of our luggage). Once we got out to the Liemba (the ship) we were pushed into the 3rd class cabins (which is where everyone loads in) into a MADHOUSE of people who are so rude and pushing and going insane. It's no way to get anything done. Seriously. Not to mention its about 85 degrees down there! Ugh. What a nightmare.

Back to the village. Kashaguru was pretty nice. They were SOOO welcoming. We hadn't been welcomed like that in any of the other villages we went to! When we arrived (which when we got off the Liemba going there, we had to get on one of those small boats to get to the beach) they were having a huge dance fest Africana style on the beach waiting for us! Then they ALL grabbed all of our luggage, threw it up onto their heads, and walked with us into the village. It was cool. While we were there, we had another medical outreach, which went really great, we had some seminars for the mamas and the babas, and we had kids club which was for the little kids. This village was SOO ready for us to get there, especially since the last 2 times Hope of the Nations tried to go there something went wrong and they couldn't get there! (Since it is only reachable by boat, and the Liemba is the only boat that stops near by there, they pretty much dictate everything, and the last 2 times they were unwilling to give H of N a place on the boat!!)

Anyways, we got back just a few hours ago, and it was a longggg journey home. I'm just thanking God that we made it safe and sound. Keep on checking back for some more photos!! I will be uploading pictures from the Kids Club Leaders Camp we had a couple of weeks ago, and also of the trip we were just on, and a FEW photos of the trip Derek and I took with a couple of friends to Bujumbura, Burundi!

Love you all, and if any of you talk to Janelle...TELL HER TO CALL ME!

XOXO
Mel