I’m currently in Gulu, in northern Uganda. The Internet connections here are not good and I have only gotten out one e-mail. At least, I think I’ve sent one e-mail. So this is my current method of communication. My blog seems to be working fine.
I arrived in Uganda a little over 2 weeks ago. I love the country, the people are very friendly and the landscape is very green. The problem is that Uganda is a comparatively small, landlocked country located in the heart of Africa. It has a population approaching 30 million; and the population is continuing to explode. To make matters even more congested, most Ugandans live in a narrow north-south corridor around Kampala. Big families and poverty are the norm.
Wednesday of last week (May 19th), I started by trip to Uganda. The itinerary was: Salt Lake City - Seattle - Amsterdam - Kampala. Thirty minutes out of Seattle our plane had to return to Seattle. One jet engine was leaking fuel and the crew wasn’t sure we had enough fuel to make it to Amsterdam.
The following appears on page 32 of the 2009 Lonely Planet “The Netherlands:
“The 1960s were a breeding ground for discontent and anti-establishment activity, and in the Netherlands this underground movement led to the formation of the Provos. This small group of anarchic individuals staged street “happening” or creative, playful provocation (hence the name).
LDS Church officials have recently been showing off their new “green” stake center in Farmington UT. According to Dean Davies, managing director of physical facilities for the church, the meetinghouse will be about 30 percent more energy efficient that others the standard Mormon meetinghouse. It has 156 solar panels on the building south-facing roof. The building is well insulated, uses highly efficient windows, carpet made from recycled materials, tankless water heaters, and European-style toilets that offer a choice of flush options. The heating and air-conditioning system is fully automated for optimum efficiency. Sensors will turn off lights when people are not in the rooms. Recycling bins for paper, glass, and plastics will be a first for an LDS chapel. Outside, about 70 percent of the landscaping is in rock or bark, and the irrigation system has sensors to assist with water conservation. “We want to be responsible members of the community . . . and I mean the community of man.”
Today, the public face of Mormonism is bizarre to say the least. In broadcasting you have Glenn Beck, in politics you have Mitt Romney, in entertainment you have Donny and Marie Osmond (and let’s not forget Derek and Julianne Hough). And in literature there is Stephenie Meyer.
The following appeared in BYU Magazine/Spring 2010. It’s an article from the Family Focus section written by M. Sue Bergin. Bergin highlights the need to teach our children (or in my case grandchildren) about other religions.
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the role of religion. This subject was thrust into the limelight by none other than Mormon convert Glenn Beck who outrageously stated that if a religion has “social justice” in its mission statement, then run the other direction as fast as you can. This suggestion was rightfully lampooned from all directions. And is hopefully being generally ignored.
In the March 2010 Sunstone Magazine, Stephen R. Carter provides a wonderful synopsis/review of the a Nick Hornby book:
“The story is about Katie (How to Be Good ), a general practitioner married with two children. Her husband, David has an ill-paying job writing a column called “The Angriest Man in Holloway.” Their marriage is falling apart and on the verge of ending when David meets a spiritual healer named DJ GoodNews. The encounter turns David completely around, and he becomes the most ineptly philanthropic man in Holloway.
The following short notice by Mark Jenkins appeared in NG (Apr 2010) concerning an easily, low-tech water treatment procedure:
“Retrieve a discarded water bottle. Tear off the label and fill with any water that’s not too murky from a creek, standpipe, or puddle. Place the bottle on a piece of metal in full sun. In six hours the UVA radiation will kill viruses, bacteria, and parasites in the water, making it safe to drink.