Become a Backer for the Kingdom Tales Trilogy Kickstarter Campaign
Dear Friends,
After taking himself off to Japan at the age of 16, having learned to speak Japanese, then another summer trip to Mexico where he began to deepen his Spanish-speaking abilities (he eventually became an adjunct Spanish professor at Wheaton College), Jeremy also took up Mandarin and taught English for three years total in China. In short, he grew into a multicultural specialist. Somewhere
in these travels, he told his brother Joel, “The world has enough
artists. It doesn’t have enough people who want to help other people.”
He eventually decided to serve the underserved.
Hello Ruby: $10,000 goal: raised 7,281 Backers for $380,747 Seth Godin: $40,000 goal: raised 4,242 Backers for $287,342 Matter: $50,000 goal: raised 2,566 Backers for $140,201
 another sketch of Jeremy's
We
need Backers who will also notify their friends through e-mail lists
and social media outlets of this campaign. In this way, Jeremy’s life
and dream (and the gift of Seeing) will bless multiplied thousands of
other children
NOTICESCancer Surgery for Karen MainsI am scheduled for a thyroidectomy because of suspicious papillary cancer cells on Monday, July 14. A goiter was discovered in February when I went in for a pre-operation exam due to the fall that dislocated my shoulder and tore the rotator cuff. I am requesting prayer that I will recover without complications and be strong enough to use the recovery time profitably. I feel that the cancer question is in God’s hands, and I am content with whatever outcome occurs. However, I was reminded this morning of how precious the concern of family and friends is. The phone rang at 7:35, and it was my hairdresser calling to see how I was doing. (She also has had a thyroid removed.) David had been having a haircut when I was getting another pre-operation exam with my general physician. An unclear EKG had sent me down to the Critical Care Center because it looked as though I might have had an undetected heart attack. The second EKG, taken with a stronger machine, indicated that all was well. But she needed to know how I was doing. “If there’s anything I can do to help you—any cleaning or anything—just let me know.” This is a gal David and I have seen in a beauty salon for some 15 years (she really likes David better than me). We’ve prayed for her and for her family—in the salon, and she phoned recently to ask David if he would perform her daughter’s wedding. Older grandchildren all texted me to tell me they are praying for me (urged, I suspect, by their Aunt Melissa). And last night, longtime donors to our ministry who have become friends, phoned from Michigan to check in and see how we are doing. The well-known saying “I depend upon the kindness
of strangers” in my case has been transformed into “I depend upon the
kindness of friends and family.” Never, ever think that the small
kindnesses don’t make an enormous difference; they all do. Mary Ogalo's Pilot Program "The County Girls Caucus"We had a wonderful visit with Mary Ogalo when she was in the States last month and spent some time with us in Chicago. We are thrilled with her news about the County Girls Caucus that she has been starting. This is a pilot program that seeks to work with teachers and the educational system in rural areas of Kenya to teach girls about avoiding the hazards that poverty presents to those who are growing up in these areas of the country. Mary began asking the women who work with the Global Bag Project and found that the answers to her question, “How did you end up in a slum in Nairobi?” were all based in teenage difficulties. A too-early pregnancy and male abandonment. Believing lie-based myths such as “You won’t develop breasts until you have sex.” Families ending a daughter’s education so that the son could continue his. Being kicked out of a house due to perceived misbehavior. So Mary decided to design a participatory learning four-day program, The County Girls Caucus, that would teach young teens from 10-20 about the Women’s Cycle of Life. Mary has interwoven the lessons with truths and concepts from Scripture. She is piloting three events this year in one rural district and has support and cooperation from what we would call the District Superintendant. The education department is paying for the teachers who have one day of training, then work with the girls for four days. We think this is an exciting preventative program with a holistic approach. Here are just a few of the local myths Mary’s education is combating: * If you do not have sex as a teenager; you will never have children later when you are married. We are proud of Mary's initiative and want to support her in any ways we can. We'll keep you informed as this develops. Reminder!The Soulish Food e-mails are being posted biweekly on the Hungry Souls Web site. Newcomers can look that over and decide if they want to register on the Web site to receive the biweekly newsletter. You might want to recommend this to friends also. They can go to www.HungrySouls.org. |
 David and Karen Mains “Somewhere
in these travels, Jeremy told his brother Joel, 'The world has enough
artists. It doesn’t have enough people who want to help other people.'
He eventually decided to serve the underserved.”
MOVIE CORNER
 Million Dollar Arm
So if you haven’t seen it and are looking for the same kind of film experience, let me recommend Million Dollar Arm. RottenTomatoes.com gives it a 61% approval for critic ratings and a 76% audience approval rating. It is a Disney film. John Hamm of the television series Mad Men shows another, evolving delightful side of his acting capacities and carries the film. The Indian actors, however, steal it—they are enchanting. The following is a summary: Based
on a true story, Disney's "Million Dollar Arm" follows JB Bernstein, a
once-successful sports agent who now finds himself edged out by bigger,
slicker competitors. He and his partner Aash (Aasif Mandvi) will have
to close their business down for good if JB doesn't come up with
something fast. Late one night, while watching cricket being played in
India on TV, JB comes up with an idea so radical it just might work.
Why not go to there and find the next baseball pitching sensation?
Setting off for Mumbai with nothing but a gifted but cantankerous scout
(Alan Arkin) in tow, JB stages a televised, nationwide competition
called "Million Dollar Arm" where 40,000 hopefuls compete before two
18-year-old finalists, Rinku and Dinesh (Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal),
emerge as winners. JB brings them back to the United States to train
with legendary pitching coach Tom House (Bill Paxton). The goal: get
the boys signed to a major league team. Not only is the game itself
difficult to master, but life in the U.S. with a committed bachelor
makes things even more complicated-for all of them. While Rinku and
Dinesh learn the finer points of baseball and American culture, they in
turn teach JB the true meaning of teamwork and commitment. Ultimately,
what began as a purely commercial venture becomes something more and
leads JB to find the one thing he was never looking for at all—a family. There also are a spate of faith-based companies releasing films for the general market. David and I try to catch these just to watch how message films of this kind are doing. One son and I laughed ourselves sick while watching Mom’s Night Out then laughed all the way back home. However, other family members also viewed the film (on our recommendation) and weren’t as impressed. “Perhaps,” said my daughter, “you just needed to laugh.” I concurred that this was probably true, but how great that Christian filmmakers are beginning to feel comfortable enough to work with comedy. Sometimes people of faith are afraid of making fun of their own foibles. I guess the conclusion is: If you are needing a good laugh, pick up this film when it comes out at the video store (or on whatever technology it is you are using these days). |
