Jane Bullard's blogJane Bullard (1,263)    Jane Bullard    Opine Publishing Power of Enthusiasm, Dedication, and Knowledge for LifePosted Wednesday, August 27, 2008 (2 days 13 hours ago.) Viewed 32 times. Once we landed in Addis Abbaba, the capital, we met an American team based there. Then, from inside and outside Addis, an enthusiastic and helpful Ethiopian counterpart team guided us. The visiting U. S. team is part of U. S.-Ethiopian services to people across age,ethnic, and religious groups in Ethiopia. They wanted to witness on-the-ground assessments of present and future needs of the organization that stands close by many Ethiopians in critical circumstances. Like many other places, parts of Ethiopia grapple with poverty, HIV/AIDS, high unemployment, especially among young men, and other problems. We spent a challenging week in a convoy of hardy vehicles on paved and outlying roads a plane ride from Addis, in an area called Jemma. We returned to Addis, where we had a tour of the Ethiopia team's headquarters. We were to learn more about the vital skills, relief, and comfort the organization's teams share through programs like housing and education for orphans, palliative care for AIDS patients, and proposed jobs training for young adults. We had already met with people in the Jemma area who are part of the caring relationships there. The counterpart team members had been giving us information all along, answering our many questions. That day, they gave oral presentations about the headquarters' functions. Although we had been impressed with the team's efforts all week, it struck me later that I had never heard friendlier, more succinct, informative, or well-prepared presentations than the team members gave to us at their headquarters. The details reinforced what we had already seen and heard, and then added new information to tie it together. Later I asked my husband about his impressions of the headquarters tour we had that day. Without hesitation he said, "They were enthusiastic, dedicated, and they know what they are doing." Each team member had welcomed us and given brief summaries of their individual office roles and interrelated functions. The talks communicated careful preparation and thought, with essential facts about various duties and accomplishments. Key offices that were represented included administration and finance, and childcare, education, health, and jobs programs. The counterpart team's confidence and dedication shone through their relaxed, expert delivery. Telling about their missions and work, they covered the main areas of information flow: the Who, What, Why, How, When, and Where of it all. Their welcoming enthusiasm and evident dedication that we witnessed in the field with them plus the key facts communicated and tied together at headquarters, rounded out the unforgettable week for us. Other people's enthusiasm, dedication, and knowledge of experience as well as data touched us. They gave us the full week that proved to us there was a larger purpose in our going there than we had known in advance. We received so much more than we were able to give to them! We left there with more understanding of why we had gone so far from home to be with people most of us had never met before. No formal event could have endednthe week better than the headquarters visit.Standing in the offices, listening to the experience, hopes, and dreams of larger and newer programs, we felt somehow more a part of their mission. Their presentations took us behind the scenes into the workings that make the programs come to life with staff, provisions, and other help. We began to realize even more what it takes for that team---and many others that collaborate with them---to make happen on the ground all that we had witnessed and experienced. We understood better the inter-related workings required to help orphans, families, and others. Many of them had shared part of their lives with us. Reflecting on that remarkable week, I know that the busy and on-the-move experiences with brothers and sisters in Christ from Ethiopia and home were a deeply moving tutorial. The personal relationships that week underlined the essence of the enthusiasm, dedication, and knowledge my husband spoke about to describe the presentations. Enthusiasm. Dedication. Knowledge. Balanced together, those parts not only make words memorable. They also define much of what we need for life. The joy of Christ is the source of enthusiasm for the Christian; God's dedication to us moves our devotion to Him; the knowledge God gives from the Holy Spirit guides us daily. The life of Jesus Christ communicates the infinite, faithful, and eternal love of God. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV). 
Permalink Comments (0) U. S. Presidential Election Voting: Delivering Results Beyond WordsPosted Saturday, August 23, 2008 (6 days 17 hours ago.) Viewed 297 times.  The U. S. presidential election cycle will end on November 4, 2008. How long has this one been going on...years? "We are drowning in words and news flashes!" we complain, yet democracy's loud words thrive or dive based on free and private voter participation .
The non-stop talk and the tactical smooze and the desperate spin lead somewhere... an actual voting place on a real calendar day! That's when our hearts and minds must filter or combine information for wise, lasting judgment. We hope, and we will try. It is up to us for our country more than for any candidate. By the U. S. Constitution, the people hold the power behind the people and actions of governance. We either grant that power wisely or foolishly. The voters of the United States loan power to elected officials for legally-set periods of time.
Therefore, the key election power rests in voters' decisions announced on every election day. The process is imperfect. "It has ever been thus!" Yet, ultimately, voters decide the outcomes. They move the direction of every electoral college vote. These are outstanding reasons for eligible non-voters to turn around and to exercise, gratefully, their voting freedoms and rights. If you are eligible to vote and are not yet registered, your local voting registration office is there for you to do something about it. It's nobody's business what political party you identify with when you register. If you are not sure if you want to register as a Democrat or Republican, you can register as an Independent voter or under another option, as available. Later, you can change your allegiance if you want to do that. In fact, even elected officials are examples that one can change parties more than once. During political campaigns, citizens young, old, and in between watch for anything to help or hinder favorite candidates of whatever moment, depending on who is liked or not on any given day. That's the normal nature of the decision-making process. It's a very human thing. This year has yielded an unusually wide two-party candidate field. It has now narrowed as far as it will go, with two major teams before us. Along the way, we follow mountains of words that march across news reports, debates, interviews, and ads until we feel like experts on every eyelash above candidates' eyes as well as their sometimes quirky comments.
Political rhetoric has been lobbed across lines of experience, records, associates, age, histories, genealogies, houses, cars, motorcades, insiders, outsiders, scandals, potential scandals, and all the other typical stuff of campaigns.
We have little to no idea how much of any report is true or somewhat accurate or absolutely false or the stuff of wishful thinking. It's not much different from the times of the colonial town-crier, yelling out this headline or that!
The recent VP-candidate announcement tells us the end of this season's campaign battles is nearer than ever. Along the edges of oceans of information, we gaze to see, thankfully, that we now have fewer candidates to keep an eye on.
We will not get all of what we expected, no matter who wins another historical event in the upcoming election. As our ancestors before us, we will either be disappointed or surprised over the performance of the man that ends up in that chair behind the Oval Office desk. Some voters will be gleefully disappointed by the bad reports sure to come or sadly surprised by the good reports.
At that point, the usual indicators will matter less than reality. The reality of who ended up there will sink in. The reality of candidates' character strengths and weaknesses, truthfulness or avoidance, knowledge or good spin, dramatic effects or important decisions will sink in.
And what are the usual indicators for how all of us will behave so that the outcome that happens can happen?
---Many among us will vote based on feelings with some facts thrown in.
---Some among us will vote from fear. --- Others among us will vote from a sense of pride or relief.
---A few or more among us will vote from anger.
--- Lots of voters among us will vote with hope that we're making the correct choice based on the country's needs now.
---All of us will vote without being coerced, threatened, or forced to make our choice public! Those are precious freedoms not guaranteed in all "democracies" or in any non-democratic systems. Every historical indicator says that the outcome will be known soon or later, depending on modern voting apparatus, absentee ballots, challenges, cell phones, or chads. Most of all, we seek the independence and peace of our homeland, a goal that democracy works hard to keep and to make real.
Won't you be glad when this is over, though, even as you know how important it is whom we elect to lead this country for the next four years? Do you think often about how important it is that the winning candidate surround himself with people of good character, a sense of history, and knowledge of key issues and good judgments?
May there be more reasonable days ahead of us. The televised interviews from Saddleback church recently showed the wisdom of reason. Both candidates had opportunity freely to express themselves. I did not see the sense in Rick Warren's idea when it was first announced. But the way he handled it indicated to millions that it was a good plan. On the other hand, I dearly hope there will not be more fog of high drama that has clouded much of this process. I look forward to November 4, a day for clarity and choice regarding the next U. S. president. It is every citizen's duty to vote, required by the conscience of every American of voting age. Listening carefully to candidates, whether we have time or not, is another mandate of conscience. Informed voting is part of our freedom and participation in a free society called a democracy. Citizens have given their livelihoods, reputations, or even their lives to ensure our freedoms that we freely enjoy. I hope to vote early that Tuesday. I hope every voter will desire to indicate where our hopes lie as a nation. It bears repeating: America remains the best free, democratic republic on earth. History indicates that to continue to develop as such a country we need informed voting action as well as complaining or convincing words! Help get out the vote on Tuesday, November 4, 2008! (c) 2008 Jane Bullard
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