South East Asian Countries Facing Huge Challenges Amid Centuries Old Traditions.

I stopped to gaze at the old woman shuffling ahead of me on slippered feet. A flurry of colour enveloped her. She wore a traditional striped apron, an orange flowered waistband, and an incongruent silken blouse. The fingers of her left hand clasped a string of worn prayer beads and her right hand stroked the letters inscribed on the crimson and gold prayer wheels around the Stupa temple. Each wheel rumbled and moaned as she passed her hand across it and her mouth muttered rhythmic prayers. Like her, I had come to pray, but without the beads or the wheels. I was prayer walking, using the sights and sounds and smells around me as inspiration. I hadn’t wanted only to pray; I wanted to touch someone’s life, offering hope, or just lend a helping hand. My prayers seemed less real than hers. She could touch and count the words she offered through the spinning wheels. I had only my thoughts. I couldn’t help wondering as I watched the old woman: how long had she been coming here to spin the prayers of the ancient wheels? As I passed by her, she glanced up at me. I offered her a shy “tashi dalek” – “hello”. A smile lightened her worn face and I saw that her eyes were a liquid blue. Then she lowered her head and continued her ritual walk.

Spinning Buddhist prayer wheels in South East Asia.

Such are some the ancient traditions of the countries of South East Asia. Some of these traditions clash with the modern age that has quickly swept across the Asian region. The older generation clings to their traditions while the younger generation, much larger and wealthier, seek to progress into the future on the wave of technology. As Asia continues to boom economically, it will continue to face huge challenges. With a mix of religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Animism, Confucianism, and other belief systems, there is certainty that there will be a clash. Not necessarily between the religious faiths, although that is not out of the question, but between the past and modernity. How will the countries of South East Asia adjust to the modern age while still maintaining their traditions? Which religious groups will be able to make this transition easier than others? It will be interesting to watch in the years ahead to see if certain faiths are able to adapt to the new age or not.

Islam in Central Asia Torn Between the Past and the Future.

Gullia is Muslim and proud of it. Her people in Uzbekistan are all Muslim and it is unthinkable that she could be anything else. She is a pretty 19-year-old student who is into the latest fashions and music just like students all over the world. Gullia has an important exam next week so today she went to a shrine outside the city. She visited the grave of a holy man who is said to have performed many miracles. Gullia tied a small piece of cloth to the iron grill surrounding the shrine before stretching out her palms and praying for the saint to help her. She ran her hands down her face to transfer the blessing and murmured a quick “If God wills.” Orthodox Muslims would condemn this kind of superstition which dates back to the animistic beliefs of pre-Islamic Central Asia. These practices continue today with the frequent use of amulets, charms, curses and fortune telling. Gullia has never read the Qur’an and the only thing she knows about Islam is what her mother has passed on to her. Still, Gullia is proud of her glorious Islamic heritage.

Once she went on a school trip to Samarkand and was amazed by the dazzling tile work of the awe inspiring mosques built by Timurlane. Arab armies brought Islam to Central Asia in the 7th century. By the 14th century Samarkand and the region beyond the Oxus river was an intellectual center of the whole Muslim world. It boasted the most advanced astronomical observatory in the world at that time, while its poets and calligraphers were emulated all over the Middle East. Gullia didn’t hear much about Islam as she grew up since the 70 years of Russian communist rule repressed religious knowledge and belief. Muslim teachers were exiled to Siberia and it seemed that only elderly villagers continued to believe. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 more and more Central Asians have become interested in Islam as they seek to recover their historical identity. Gullia’s brother is fed up with the poverty and corruption he sees around him. He has read some Islamic books smuggled in from Afghanistan - but in secret for fear of being arrested and tortured by the police. Gullia herself shudders at the thought of being made to cover up like women in fundamentalist Iran. Some days Gullia wonders if there is another way to get closer to the God who seems so far away….

Drug and Alcohol Centers Offer Hope Along the Silk Road.

Lives ruined by alcohol and drugs are being transformed in a rehabilitation centre in a Central Asian country. The man behind it all is Rafael, who learned about the dangers of addiction the hard way. Once a prosperous family man, he lost everything as a result of alcoholism. In desperation while on a trip, Rafael cried out to God to restore his life. A short time later he converted to the Christian faith. Rafael began to reach out to those in prison. He made friends with a prisoner called Folka who also became a follower of Jesus Christ. Folka was dying from tuberculosis so the prison authorities released him to the care of Rafael, who promised to look after him for his last few days on earth. However, Folka didn’t die! God completely healed him from TB as well as from alcohol and drug abuse!

About the same time, Ina came to Rafael asking for help. Her life was a mess – she was a drug addict as were her two teenage children. Her husband was in jail. Rafael arranged for her and her sons to go through a rehabilitation program. Meanwhile, her husband Alex came out of prison and became a Christian. Rafael started to take other addicts into his home but soon became concerned at how many started drinking alcohol after they left. One night he had a dream in which he saw a vine. The branches were taken off the vine and then put back on. Rafael realized that the addicts needed a place where they could receive long term support. He and his wife put their home up for sale to purchase the grounds of a disused church where they set up ‘The Secret Place’ rehabilitation center. Pavel and his wife even sold their wedding rings to buy food for the addicts who came to stay. Now three years and incredible answers to prayer later, ‘The Secret Place’ offers men and women the opportunity to deal with their addictions and hear more about the Christian faith. Ira and Alec, along with Pavel and Wofka, run training programs every morning and oversee practical activities in the afternoons. Their vision is to see residents transformed by Jesus and go on to reach out to the surrounding communities. One of the residents is a young woman called Elsa. She grew up in a government orphanage but had to leave when she turned 18 years old. She was kidnapped and became someone’s slave. Elsa became pregnant and was sent to the hospital to get an abortion. The doctor took pity on her and arranged for her to be sent to the center. Now Elsa is literally hiding in the Secret Place with her daughter. 

Pavel had always felt inferior to Russians and tried desperately to match their heavy drinking habits. Eventually he lost his job as a gynecologist. His wife became a believer in Jesus and tried to persuade him to go to the centre but he refused. Later on Pavel became a beliver himself but was only able to stop drinking for several weeks. His church sent him to the Secret Place where he says he’s now living a new life! 

Rafael and his team have plans to build a second accommodation block for women. The main obstacle is finance and often Rafael is wondering where the next meal will come from. Please pray that God would be faithful to fulfilling the dream he gave Rafael so that many more broken lives can be made whole.

Communities on the Silk Road from Turkey to China.

The Silk Road is the name given to the ancient trade route between China and Europe which crossed the length of Central Asia. It was the Romans who first appreciated the texture of the fine silk that had made its way from the Far East, often accompanied by exotic spices. In exchange precious stones and metals went the other way. The main route started at the old imperial capital of China, now Xi’an, and skirted the deadly sands of the Taklimakan desert, climbed over the snowbound passes of the Pamir Mountains, dropped down to the greenery of the Fergana valley, passed through Samarkand and Bukhara, rounded the south of the Caspian Sea and finally ended at the Mediterranean in Turkey.

Along with commodities there was also an exchange of technologies and ideas. Paper and gunpowder first made their way west down the Silk Road. Different races rubbed shoulders as westerners met Turks, Iranians, Mongols and Chinese for the first time.

Travelers also shared their religious viewpoints, like the monks who climbed over the Karakorum pass to bring Buddhism from India to China.

Nestorian Christians, ostracised as heretics by the western church, set out from their base in Iran and took the
message of Jesus Christ all the way to China by 638AD. Soon bishops were being appointed for Christian communities all over modern-day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and China. Whole Turkic tribes were baptised and had an influence on the Mongol hordes. This remarkable flowering was destroyed by the massacres of Genghis Khan and Timurlane. Later Islam came down the same road, brought by Arab armies and zealous traders, establishing itself as the dominant faith.

One of the most remarkable travelers down the Silk Road was Marco Polo. His uncle Matteo had been all the way to Khanbalik (Beijing) and met with Kublai Khan. The Khan requested him to go back and ask the Pope to send one hundred missionaries to teach the Mongols about Christianity. Matteo presented this request in Rome but when he set out on his second journey he was accompanied by only two monks as well as his nephew. Marco later recorded how the monks turned back after a few months when they heard of a hostile army ahead. He and his uncle pressed on for four years until they arrived at Kublai’s court in 1275. They became trusted courtiers of the Khan and returned to Europe wealthy men. The Mongols, however, later became Buddhists or Muslims.

Coca Cola Company Not Pleased With Revealed Recipe for Coke.

For years, there has been speculation as to the secret recipe of Coke, the famous drink produced by the Atlanta based company Coca Cola. With the recent revelation of the supposed ingredients could hurt the company's sales and bottom line. However, the many years and millions of dollars that have been pumped into the Coke brand, will continue to make it the leading soft drink world wide. There's something prestigious about holding a Coke in your hand. It says, "I'm cool." "I'm modern." "I drink Coke."  So what is the secret recipe for Coke? It is thought to be:


Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP

Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal


The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops


Coca-Cola is the maker of Diet Coke and other soft drinks.

Muslim Countries of the Middle East Thrust onto the World Stage with Uprisings, Revolutions and Wars.

Countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea.

The countries along the Mediterranean Sea now find themselves at the center of history. Recent developments in Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Israel, Syria and Jordan have put this region once again in the world spot light. Europe, and their economic and social ills have made the entire region an area of nervous peoples. What is going to happen politically, socially, and economically?  This is a major question in the minds of many. Discontent runs rampant and this fuels the desire for change in the region. Islamic fundamentalism and other religious extremism adds to the mix of anxiety. Fear of loosing control to the unknown has led to an increase in worry and depression amongst the people of this region. With Turkey to the northeast, and Morocco to the southwest and France to the northwest and Egypt to the southeast, the area around the Mediterranean Sea is amazingly diverse. Can they live together in unity as neighbors in a world where community is beginning to stretch across political boundaries? Only time will tell.

Egypt, the Nile River and the Middle East from space.

Egypt and the Nile River at night.

North Africa and the Middle East needs transformation.

How Hindu and Muslim Fundamentalists Will Change India, China and the World.

The sheer size of the populations of India and China means that they will shape the future of the world. Both countries are in the midst of explosive growth, with India leading the way because they don't have child birth restrictions like China has. Seventy five percent of India's population is under the age of 35. China has interfered in it's birth rates out of fear of unrest. But that will come back to haunt them in the future as their population ages and there's no one to replace them.

India, with it's majority Hindu population and minority Muslim and Christian populations is a powder keg waiting to ignite. There are over 300 million Muslims in India and Christianity is growing rapidly through conversions. More people have converted to Christianity in India during the past decade than ever before. The justice movement for the suppressed Dalit caste has helped Christianity to grow. Millions of people, predominantly women, are looking for a way out of their oppression and they are finding it in the Christian faith. The Christian faith gives them the hope that they need to survive. Even though they remain in poverty, there are many organizations that are working to help educate the Dalits and other low caste groups. Many of the women in the lower castes are victims of sex trafficking and have been turned into sex slaves. Over 250,000 young girls are currently trapped in Hindu temples and forced to serve as sex slaves for Hindu priests. Temple prostitution continues to be a major problem in India. There are over 250 million Dalits and the number of them who have turned to the Christian faith is impossible to count. India is in the early stages of an explosive growth in Christianity. Currently there are over 3,000 Good Shepherd Community churches alone in India. There is a church "born" every day in India. In the next ten years, there will be more than 50,000 new church plants in the country. In each of the next 3 years, different Christian organizations run by nationals, will attempt to train new men and women to lead church congregations.

The growth of Christianity in India will permeate the entire country. In Europe, for example, Christianity will continue to decline while Islam will continue to grow. The rise of Islamic populations in Europe will change the culture and politics of Europe. Communities and families create culture. 60% of the households in the U.K. will be run by single parents by 2030.  India has had one culture for 2,500 years and the people want to change their culture but they still want community. Will they be able to do it? Gandi, Jesus and Mohamed all wanted their followers to exist in community. Which ones will actually be able to demonstrate that their specific communities work in harmony and unity with each other?

The Hindu community in India no doubt feels threatened by the rise of Christian and Islamic communities. Recently, 3 million Hindu fanatics gathered with the aim to reconvert Indian Christians back to Hinduism. It's spiritual warfare! A clash between religious groups is currently the biggest challenge in India today. It's also a huge challenge for China. However, many see Islam as the biggest threat to India today. The Muslim population in India is also growing, mainly through high birth rates. The struggle of 1.1 billion people in India will impact the world. The unfolding drama in India today is startling.  For India and China, the future of the world lies in their hands, but fortunately the entire universe is in the hands of God.

Here is information on how to find Peace with God.

The Culture Shaping Power of Stories in the Koran, Torah, and the Bible.

Well told or written stories have the power to change people, communities, nations and the world. Stories have the power to bless or curse. There are stories that give an understanding of reality, and those that don't. Throughout history, we see that story telling has influenced cultures like the internet is doing today. The Greeks, Persians, Turks, Arabs, Egyptians, Chinese, Indians, Jews, and many other large people groups have all evolved into what they are today partly due to the stories that were handed down from generation to generation. The ancient countries of the Middle East, North Africa and along the Silk Road have been heavily influenced by stories that are thousands of years old. The Koran (Qur'an), Torah, and Bible have some of the oldest stories that include Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael and the tribes that followed.

The one who can tell the best story in the best way can often have the biggest influence. Not only the story itself, but how it is told and how others hear it. When the printing press came into being, millions more people were impacted through this mass media. Today it's the internet which we see can tell the stories of live revolutions such as those which occurred in Tunisia and Egypt in 2011.

In the beginning of the world, 75% of the way God communicated to man was through stories. The Biblical story is that God created a world and then invited mankind to live in that world. The Bible is a story of reconciliation and redemption.

Today there is an even bigger emphasis on storytelling. People love stories. People flock to movies all over the world. From Hollywood to Bollywood, the movie industry is big business because people love to be entertained by stories. Millions of people sit in front of their TV watching daytime and evening soap operas. Many of these people are addicted. People can get absorbed into a story so deeply that they accept it as truth even if it is fiction!

For a good book on this topic, read "The Power of the Story" by Leighton Ford

India: The Economic and Cricket Superpower of Asia and the World.

It is now known that if cricket players want to earn a lot of money, the place to go is India. Big salaries are now being paid to the best cricket players in the world and India is happy to receive them and reward them handsomely. India, as a nation continues to grow not only in population but also in economic power and influence. India's GDP is projected to surpass Japan's by the end of 2012. The population in India is booming and the youth population and work force in India is incredibly young. Approximately 75% of the population of India is under age 35. India has more honors students graduating from its schools than there are young people in the United States.

Not only India, but China along with the U.S. and Europe are the super powers that will change the the world during the next century. The impact that these nations, particularly India and China will have upon the world economy will be staggering. No longer is the United States the sole super power in the world. Who will now take the lead? China? No, they don't want it. India? No. That means for the next 20 years there will be a vacuum in economic and political world leadership. It will therefore be a group of nations and powers that will lead the world economy for the foreseeable future.

The question that looms for India is can it be a country where Christians, Muslims and Hindus coexist. Islamic, Hindu and Christian fundamentalists all have their different agendas. Now with the internet and social media, information is more readily available but it can also stir ethnic and religious tensions that can explode resulting in civil war. If that were to happen, then it would evolve into a regional conflict plunging Asia and the world into a political and economic crisis. Millions of people would lose their lives and economies would be set back years. Will peace remain in the region? Only God knows.

How Failures Can Help Your Job Hunt and Career.

This current Gen Y generation is so much about “me” that it needs to maintain a healthy perspective. What the Gen Y are engaged in is so much bigger than their daily tasks that they spend a lot of time working on. If our dreams are not fulfilled, it is easy to be dissatisfied and feel like a failure. When people go through a period of perceived failure, they can enter a prolonged period of depression.

There is a relationship between imagination and faith. Imagination is the foundation of faith and faith the foundation of hope, and hope is what people need who are looking for a job. 

We are given just a few years to live here on earth because when we look at our lives in the perspective of world history, our lives are just a moment in time. We are transients just passing through. Normally this would not give our lives much meaning, but with a look forward, we realize that we are a part of a very large story. As we work at our jobs, we need to understand, “What is the big picture we’re doing?”

It can help to keep an eternal perspective on our lives.

To set aside our selfishness and personal ambitions and live within the context of history is of great benefit. Even our failures can be the seed for someone else's success. But the world is a bigger story and our failures  and successes can play a key role in the overall plan. We wrestle with this concept because we want our dreams to come true. Even our failures can be the foundation by which other dreams may become a success.

David, king of Israel was an artist, a musician. He had is successes and failures written out in the Bible for all to read.

The successes and failures can be the foundation of the success and failures of others that come after us.

You are a part of something so much bigger than you can imagine. Our faith is not complete without the faith of those who came before us. There are those that have gone before us that give us perspective. The saints that have gone before us are a part of the great cloud of witnesses.

Moses persevered. He was a hero of the faith. These people were:
1.    humans with successes and failures
2.    they persevered regardless of the challenges and difficulties.

The next generation will go further than we have gone. What a wonderful joy to realize that God is using us in his bigger picture.

We are a part of a narrative of redemption that if we really understood this, we’d partner with each other with more determination.

Acknowledge moderate successes, reward great failures.

“The reason we see so far is because we stand on the shoulders of giants.”  - Isaac Newton

Are  you willing to be a door stop? If so, there will be people that can come after you, walk through the door and who will do greater things.

Things that seem tragic, God can use for his purposes. Let God write the script of the story. It’s a big story. God’s story is extraordinary.

There are real failures because we mess up, but perseverance is important. God births new things out of both successes and failures.

If a “failure” happens, it is a matter of perspective as to whether or not it really is a failure or not.

Some of your failures/successes, no one will know but you and God.

Attempt great things for God. God’s definition of success and failure is very different from how the world defines them.

The crucifixion of Christ is the ultimate example of what appeared to be a failure but was the ultimate success.