Cyprus
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A ugust has seen more forest fires in Cyprus, and farming lands and homes have been lost, as well as forest areas.  Even the high plains farms, normally green, are brown.

Most things shut down in mid-August, for one week or more, as virtually the whole country takes a vacation.  On 20 September New Life Church observed an annual event of retreat with worship and fellowship in the Troodos mountains.

Read more in Orville's introduction to Cyprus.

Seminars
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In our media and language research work, we are involved in various training events.  There are several hundred ethno-linguisitc groups in our region.  Just after sending our July newsletter, Orville was in a seminar in another country, doing training on the topic of worldview in language.

Public meetings always draw attention in certain countries, no matter how innocent the purpose.  The organizers of this seminar arranged to meet in a home.  Too many people gathering in one place could draw the wrong kind of attention.

We both also participated in a Media training seminar in August for two-year workers for several teams.  Orville presented perspectives and resources for research into worldview and cultures, and suggestions for appropriate media for non-literates.

Read some of his thoughts on oral cultures in "Orality and the Post-Literate West."
 

Kenya Drought Worsens
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We received the following report on the drought in Kenya:

Please pray for rain for severe drought-stricken areas of Kenya such as Turkana and the rest of Northern Kenya, the area of the Samburu people, Nyeri area [inhabited by Kikuyu people], and the area [in southern Kenya, north and east of Mt. Kilimanjaro] of the Maasai and the Taita peoples.

This drought has been declared the worst in half a century.  When we lived in Kenya, we saw some very bad ones.  More people and animals are dying this time than in previous ones.  In 1981, during a horrible drought and famine, Orville participated in food distribution among the Turkana people as part of the "Turkana Project."  That drought led to a major migration of most of the nomadic Turkana people further south, nearer water and food supplies, where many settled in more permanent situations.
 

London Elections
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Orville knew one of the candidates for Mayor of London in May elections.  While watching London election return reports, he was surprised to see that one of the candidates was Ram Gidoomal.  Orville had met Ram in Nairobi, where this British citizen of Indian extraction was leading sessions on how to communicate with South Asian peoples.  

Gidoomal is known for his advocacy for South Asian peoples.   As a Christian, he has been active in training and mobilizing Asian and non-Asian Christians to work with peoples from the Indian sub-continent.  These peoples live all over the world.  We had many Indo-Pakistani friends in Kenya, of several different ethnic, religious and language backgrounds.  

Gidoomal was the London mayoral candidate of the Christian Peoples Alliance.  He did not win, but  gained more votes than the Green Party candidate.

Media Resources
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Over the years we have been involved in media in various ways.  Growing up in the radio business gave Orville an advantage, so by the time he finished his BA, he had several years of professional media experience, not to mention practical music, leading a folk group and a band in college.  He has worked over the years in various aspects of media and music, training, producing and performing.

This interest still continues, as current cultural research and training is closely coordinated with media strategies and cultural communication patterns.

The Good Bad Guy
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Jesus' story about what we call "The Good Samaritan" is really about how we often ask the wrong question.  Jesus didn't just answer whatever question someone wanted to ask.  He helped them learn what questions to ask in their search!  Read about "The Good Bad Guy".

Computers
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Computers are critical to our work in information, communication and training.  Orville has provided computer help for years.  Read his fun look at the history of computers "How We Got Computers (and Taxes)."

Worldview
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God has brought the world to our cities!  Prepare for the excitement of this new opportunity right around you!  A bit of background can help you deal with the multi-cultural challenges in our modern cities.  Orville's article on cities and people groups explains how new ethnic groups develop in urban situations.  Read how communication strategies for ethno-linguistic groups apply to multi-cultural cities in Orville's article:
"People Groups and Cities"

The short series of articles Orville has prepared, Worldview Perspectives, might serve as a good cross-cultural study for your missions or prayer group.  This will also help agencies, churches or individuals who want to understand how to communicate with "foreigners" around them.

==  Cyprus Sentinel  ==

Copyright © 2000, 2001 Orville Boyd Jenkins

First circulated by email 21 August 2000
Updated for the web and posted 2 July 2001
Last Updated 13 February 2013

Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use.  Please give credit and link back.  Other rights reserved.

Email: orville@jenkins.nu

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