New bookmark
Every once in a while I come across a website that I have add to my bookmarks. Well this morning while checking my facebook I “checked” out one of those ads that you see over on the right side. It brought me to the lexus video something website. That’s where I found oddly enough Found. I heard about this site then forgot about it a while ago. Found. Somewhat like that secrets book that you see at urban outfitters. You know the one where you just read one then you end up spending the afternoon going through it. Well found is about people finding notes and sending them in to this dude. For me this is one of those ideas that I wish I had and followed through on. I get ideas then never want to take the time to do them…I’m getting off track. Plus. This dude can tell it better. I’m always looking for bookmark adds so let me know if you have some.
Irene Magelanga Bariki
I want to introduce you to Irene. Irene lives in Mtwivila Tanzania. Her project is a student center. Most people in this area is unemployed. The ones who do work earn around 12 dollars a month.
Her project’s name is PAG MTWIVILA student center. She is in an HIV/AIDS affected area.
Ok so here’s the deal. Some of you I know would never stumble across Compassion’s website which could be understandable. So I figured I could bring Irene to you. I’ve had a chance to visit projects in three countries and its the real deal. I’ve seen them in Peru, Guatemala and Haiti Watching translators go over sponsor letters to get them out children makes it the real deal. You don’t just help Irene you change a life.
You provide: Bible teaching, training, health screening, hygiene education, education, uniforms
What we have found is that the whole family is changed not just the child in the program. That means you don’t just affect 1 but you affect many.
To sponsor a child its 32 dollars a month. I could go through the “here is what that equates to” but between me and you does that really matter.
Here is what I’ll do. If you would like to sponsor Irene I will mail you her packet and you can get started. How easy is that? Send me an email francisdrew@gmail.com and tell me where to send her. If you have questions please ask me. I’m sure this is not something you do every day and you have questions so please ask. You can trust Compassion. They do what they say they are going to do.
The Fish Company Newsletter
Ok folks out there. I’ve got a little issue. I have no idea how many people find their way to this blog that would cause any 4th grade english teacher to jump off the nearest cliff but I’m in need of your help. I have decided to take an unconventional route in writing a news letter for Student Life. For some of you who don’t know that’s who I work for. Anyway put that out of your head and forget about that. Anyway our department was asked to take on News letters for lets use a code name “The Fish Company.” So as you will read in the brief description below I’m taking the fish company’s newsletter more towards a sort of online magazine. This could pretty much bomb but hey life is filled with risk right? Well here I am. {Oh dont worry there is a copy editor.} Anyway. I’m looking for people from the blogesphere who should have their musing and insights brought to light. I have already asked for and commissioned some of you for help. Aaron Ivey, Steven Bush, Dustin Beasley, Taylor Robinson. I am at the moment working on my article called “Im thirty and haven’t changed the world…yet” Let me know if you would like to be part of this endeavor. Lets help each other as we navigate not being quite dead yet. “Figure that out” I want us to be heard and I want to give you a voice. So let’s talk. Feel free to pass this on. I’m looking for some ladies.
The Fish Company Newsletter
Why a newsletter?
A couple of weeks ago I was approached to take on the task of revitalizing the newsletters for The Fish Company. These newsletters will go out to Youth Ministers and adults who are involved with The Fish Company in some way. The first question I asked was what’s the age group of our audience? I knew the groups we were sending the newsletters to, but I needed to know the age of the typical reader. They then asked me what age group I would like to target.
I thought about it a bit and answered, “Mine.”
What does that mean you ask? It means this: I can pretty much write—and direct others to write—for people 20-35 years old. Any older than that and I start to get out of my area of expertise. They agreed, so here we are.
So why this newsletter? Simple. The Fish company would like to communicate with the leaders they serve. I believe there is an age group of ministers, both male and female, that have many of the same struggles and joys that we here at The Fish Company have. But, honestly, we don’t talk about this enough with each other. I believe that ministers my age are looking to connect more and more with each other and with the world around them. My hope for this newsletter is not just to show you the new things going on at The Fish Company, but for it to be a place where you can be challenged and educated about the world around you.
What’s in it?
I want this to be more than a newsletter. Whereas normal newsletters let you know the happenings of an organization, this newsletter will show the heart of an organization. Many of the articles you’ll read will either be written by people at The Fish Company, or people I have met in the blog world. My hope is that as this continues to grow we can solicit people outside of my circle. The first few issues will rely heavily on story ideas from the Fish Company staff. As the newsletter evolves, the goal is for readers to contribute to stories, expressing their collective desire to communicate with this generation of youth workers.
I want this newsletter to be informative and entertaining without being too heavy. My thought is that a person should be able to read every article in one sitting. That’s why the length of the articles will only range from 400-600 words. But the newsletter won’t just be writing. Here is what we are planning in terms of structure.
There are four distinct sections that we will always have in each issue.
Media— The media section will cover all things media, from how to use it correctly to what it accomplishes. During our events we get a lot of ministers that ask how we did a certain video or set, and what type of equipment to they need to do it. In the media section we will give users a little peek under the hood, and also give a little advice how to meaningfully use media.
World— We believe the world is our community. We can no longer only consider things that happen in the US as the end of the story. In the world section we want ministers outside of the country to have a place to be heard. We want the newsletter to be a place where we highlight the work they are doing. We want to encourage ministers to guide their students towards lives of servanthood. The world section will be used to expand minters’ and students’ worldviews.
Message— The message section is in tended to be the voice of the twenty-to-thirtysomething youth worker. After all, we are part of a unique place in history. We grew up watching technology make incredible strides. We watched as computers became integrated into our daily lives. We saw the start of the worship movement. And in our professional lives, we are transitioning from being managed to being mangers. In the message section our hope is to deal with issues that effect our students . . . and us.
Truth— It seems over the past few years there has been a resurgence of the Bible not just being what we open to teach our students, but a book central to our daily lives. During the truth section, we will always come back to what the Bible says about a particular issue. I believe we sometimes forget how truly practical the Bible is. We assume that “teaching and rebuking” is only meant for our students. In the truth section we will tackle big issues and work through them together.
Marketing— The name says it all, right?
Waste of Time— The waste of time section is just that. From Youtube clips, to podcasts, to interesting websites, to flash video games . . . you’ll find it here. Listen, we know you are busy. Everyone needs a few moments of down time to unwind. You’ll find plenty of options for doing just that in the waste of time section.
Extra— The extra section will be a sort of bonus section for us. We want to keep you in the loop of the cool books we’re reading, blogs that have affected us, music we are listening to, and so on.
So there it is.
Late night talks and Delta
So school has been kicking my butt lately. I’m just kinda keeping my head above the water. This past week I traveled a whole bunch and that did it for me. Something is happening in my life lately. It’s a good thing. The kind of thing you just happen to notice. Well anyway. I was in San Diego for the first time. Nice place didn’t really stay there that long so I really didn’t get experience it you know. We met with a group called Youth Specialties. And boy are they special. I think many of the people I work with would fit in with them perfectly but I would argue that they are right where they should be. I’ve been having some good late night, well, late night for me chats. Ichats. It’s funny when you can type you seem to talk about different stuff. You can even go back to what you said to see what you had had had said. Kinda fun. Like email with out the email. I could talk to them for a long time I think. Any way good talks. The website is coming along. I need some free time. The summer will be it. So don’t look for anything till after the semester is over. Computer has been working out well. It is so good to see a screen. I need to be in the gym my energy is so low right now and I haven’t been thinking well. Ok I’m going to post the pictures now. These are from my trip to San Diego. I will post some from the tour stuff but I’ll do that another day.
