Christian Forums

In consultation amongst it's members, The Psychiatric Association of Venezuela based on available observations has come to the common conclusion that Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, Presidente Boliviarianan Republic of Venezuela, is not exhibiting reactions consistent with those of a mentally competent individual.


May God help us, we have a madman in the chauffers seat.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--] Venezuela: Export Volumes Fall Short of Official Claims, Sources Say
Dec 11, 2002

Venezuelan Energy and Mines Minister Rafael Ramirez said Dec. 11 that his country was resuming oil shipments despite widespread strikes that have brought the oil-dependent economy to a standstill. "We are already breaking the blockade and exporting oil," Ramirez said, adding that Venezuela planned to ship a total of 1.4 million barrels on Dec. 11. Stratfor sources on the ground, however, report a different situation.

They say only one tanker, a Russian-flagged vessel, has left. Sources say the tanker was steered by a retired captain and violated numerous international safety codes such as the requirement to dock with assistance from tugboats. That it was able to dock without the aid of tugboats suggests the tanker was small and not capable of carrying the volumes that Ramirez described.

Most important, the tanker drew oil from dockside storage facilities, not from PDVSA standard shipping lines. That is because Venezuelan oil production remains largely shut down. Total production -- including that of foreign operators and of synthetic crude from the Orinoco -- now is only 835,000 barrels per day, according to sources.

So long as the PDVSA strike holds, whatever crude oil and refined products that do get circulated or exported will come from stored stocks, whether at the docks or at the refineries. This means the Dec. 11 exports will be the exception, rather than the rule, while the country remains in the grip of the strike.
[/quote]

A few comments.

First Rafael Ramirez's full name is Lenin Rafael Ramirez who is the brother of Illych Ramirez. Perhaps these names mean nothing to you. Well Illych Ramirez, A.K.A. Carlos the Jackal is currently in jail in France for terrorists acts. Señor Chavez has been maintaining correspondence with Ilych ramirez in France and has publicly come out in suppport of him. His appointment of Lenin Ramirez to the Ministry caused quite a stir here, the man is in no way qualified and is a radical.

Second The safety violatioons documented and permitted here can seriously jeapordize our continued docking privileges in ports outside of Venezuela. Just as our commercial aviation is in jeapordy as well, to land a foreign airports we must have sustainable maintenance history.

While this government desperately tries to deny the extent of the strike, it is essential that the world know. Venezuela is not currently functioning as a nation.

Booty,

I saw this article on Yahoo, wondered what you thought of it.

Court Orders Halt to Venezuela Oil Strike
1 hour, 10 minutes ago  Add World - AP to My Yahoo!


By JAMES ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered a temporary halt Thursday to an oil industry strike that has crippled exports from the world's fifth-largest petroleum producer and strangled domestic gasoline supplies.

The court issued the order while it considers the legality of the work stoppage, which is part of an 18-day-old general strike against President Hugo Chavez. The strike has stopped oil exports from this key U.S. supplier and sent global prices above $30 a barrel.

However, it was doubtful the court could force workers back to their jobs. A spokesman for dissident executives at the state-owned oil monopoly, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., or PDVSA, said they would disobey ruling.

"We won't go to work until the government decides to hold new elections," Alfredo Gomez told The Associated Press. "I and many of my colleagues have decided that we will exercise our citizens' rights to protest against the government. ... If they want to fire me, they can fire me."

Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel condemned the workers' response. "The order is very clear, categorical: go back to work," Rangel told Union Radio.

Meanwhile, National Guard troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas Thursday at anti-Chavez demonstrators in the coastal city of Barcelona, said the governor of north-central Anzoategui state, David de Lima.

At least 15 people were wounded by rubber bullets and 12, many of them women and children, suffered the effects of the tear gas, de Lima said.

Carlos Ortega, leader of Venezuela's main labor federation and a leader of the general strike, called for further protests on Friday and said the stoppage would continue until Chavez steps down.

Felix Rodriguez, the oil company's production director, had sought the court order, arguing that the work stoppage threatened national security. Venezuela is losing $40 million a day in oil export income and could be forced to tap into its $15 billion foreign reserves.

The court said it will hear arguments within four days. In the meantime, it ordered striking workers and executives to resume work immediately.

Venezuelan and foreign tankers are idle, refineries are closed or operating at minimum levels and crews and dock workers are refusing to handle oil and non-oil cargos.

Oil production was down to 370,000 barrels per day — compared with 3 million barrels before the strike. Some oil executives fired by Chavez claim production is 200,000 barrels per day.

Chavez ordered soldiers to oil installations two weeks ago to prevent sabotage, pressure workers to return and force gasoline deliveries.

Gomez, the striking executives' spokesman, alleged that soldiers were "making people work at gunpoint" and many strikers feared for their safety if forced to return.

Gasoline shortages reached a critical stage Thursday. Most filling stations turned away motorists and officials said gasoline stocks were nearly empty.

In the western state of Tachira, authorities limited gasoline purchases to just over three gallons.

Angelina Martino, president of the Association of Gasoline Retailers, said 70 percent of gasoline stations in the Caracas area were empty.

PDVSA president Ali Rodriguez insisted the government was working to guarantee supplies for "many days."

Long lines formed at the few open stations. "I am annoyed because they (the strikers) are creating unnecessary chaos," said Claudio Cedeno, a 52-year-old truck driver.

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said Thursday the United States has presented some ideas to international mediators for solving Venezuela's political crisis.

He expressed concern about "the possibility of violence and deep political unrest and social unrest" and said both sides had been "intransigent."

Chavez's government is trying to keep Venezuela's transportation and economic infrastructures going and prevent more food shortages.

The government warned it will fine businesses hoarding supplies and will temporarily seize trucks, boats or aircraft to feed people if needed. But it insisted there were no plans to declare martial law.

The government also said it was opening a "megamarket" of food and other basics this weekend in Caracas.

The strike has curbed natural gas production intended for Venezuela's steel and aluminum industries. Vandals sabotaged an electrical substation in the eastern state of Anzoategui, temporarily cutting power to a natural gas plant, the state news agency Venpres said.

Opposition leaders called the strike Dec. 2 to demand Chavez call a nonbinding referendum on his rule, which they say has devastated the economy and polarized the nation. Chavez refused.

Strike leaders now demand early elections, which Venezuela's constitution does not allow, or Chavez's resignation. The constitution says a recall vote may be held halfway into Chavez's term, or next August.

Chavez's popularity has plunged since his 1998 election and 2000 re-election. But he still enjoys some of the highest approval ratings among Latin American leaders, VenEconomy magazine reported. His base is Venezuela's poor, who comprise 80 percent of the 24 million people.

Chavez claimed victories this week with declarations of support from the military. The Organization of American States and foreign governments have urged Venezuelans to find a constitutional solution to the crisis.

There were signs of a possible settlement. A group of pro-Chavez lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment allowing for elections next year, El Nacional newspaper reported. The amendment would cut the president's term from six to four years, said pro-Chavez lawmaker Guillermo Palacios.

Thanks, your post gives us a handy fax-able or e-mail-able piece of information.

Janine,

As usual you have cut to the core.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Our attention to weapons has no counterpart in your stories, though.[/quote]

I believe this is what is troubling me the deepest, Janine. Unlike many pacifists, I am intimate with weapons and their use. An intimacy that I purposefully have shunned.

But I am finding that the ideal of pacifism becomes harder and harder to support while you live in the chaos of anarchy. I have relaxed my stand somewhat and it troubles me.

Our home is surrounded by a three meter high wall. Very common here. The wall is now topped by barb wire, once again very common here. Two strands now carry current, once again common here. Uncommon is the Brojees touch, the two strands may carry 220, one 10000V DC and the other 110 AC, or both 10000 VDC. All depends on one or two jumpers at my control board. The engineer in me enjoyed designing it.

All ready to go, I just have not attached the first jumper.

The pistol that I disabled was brought over to me for safekeeping. Papa is drunk all the time now and like many drunks he is a nasty one. It rests tucked away with the knowledge that I could reable it readily if I choose. I am choosing not.

But Bunny and I saw a hand come over the wall to the side a week ago, her barking to no avail. A stout stick did wonders though. I thought long and hard about that pistol.

I know many of my brothers and sisters have managed to reconcile their faith in the Lord with weaponry. Many of you here that I deeply love have made the struggle and have come to the peace that the Lord would want you to use a weapon to defend your family. Janine, I know better than to think that you and Mike just said, "Well we're not doing anything else Sunday after services, why not go shopping for a hand held bullet launcher". I know from talking to him that Wiley bearing arms in his work did not arrive at the decision lightly.

I believe that in combination with everything else, or perhaps because of everything else I am being tested very strongly in an area I never thought I would be tested in ever again.

Bainton in his book Christian attitudes towards War and Peace quotes Spykman in the following:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--] In man's idealism lies both his strength and his weakness as a fire. He can be made to fight for his personal and social survival, but it is easier to inspire him with a call to service for abstract values than with a promise of material gain. In terms of interest men divide, only in terme of the  defense of the moral order can they unite. Because man loves peace, it is always the opponent who is the aggressor, and, because he prefers decency it is always the enemy who fights unfairly and with cruel and dastardly means. National struggles inevitably become struggles between good and evil, crusades against sin and the devil. Modern wars can be fought successfully only in an atmosphere of unreality and make-believe.[/quote]  


The hand Buny and I repulsed, could it have possibly been one of the very people we are witnessing to? What degree of demonizing my neighbour will I have to do to attach those jumpers?

I believe it is a shame that evil people are not marked in some way that we can see.



NOTE: My GDA was wrong, two were killed in Caracas yesterday, they died last night. Details are still sketchy.



[!--EDIT|Booty|Jan. 04 2003,08:33--]

Brojees, have you thought about the Dominican Republic or the country of Costa Rica? These are both relatively stable at this time, and that may facilitate the sharing of the Gospel.

The Story of the GENERAL at the Coca Cola plant reminded me of the story Victor Frankl tells in "Man's Search for Meaning" about the SS Officer who just uttered a nasty curse word when Frankl asked him if he could keep his (Frankl's) PhD dissertation that, for some reason, he had on him when he entered the concentration camp.

Some persons are so devoid of humanity that a little Jack Russell terrier would be their moral superior.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (janine @ Mar. 05 2003,10:23)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Oh, my.  At least the oil didn't run into the pothole & ruin the pig ... :yummy:

I hope that courtesy & tradition demand that the handstanding motorists get some barbeque out of the incident![/quote]
I don't know Janine, we are all too busy eating our own pigs!

0930 7 December 2002  (Your Pearl Harbour Day)

Last night they opened fire on the peaceful protesters in Plaza Francia Altamira. 12 wounded, 2 dead, a 17 year old colleen armed with a pot and spoon and a 40ish man armed with a flag. Plaza Francia is the center of the protest where the dissident military officers are gathered. We are calling this the Altamira Massacre. We had some 20 brothers and sisters here watching the telly and praying with us.

Our plaza is like the proverbial wake, people walking past glaring suspiciously at each other. Looks like the Shankill Road on 12 July. Too many are wearing jackets and the mercury is high 20s Celcius. Those bulges in the pockets are not their bleedin gloves to be sure!!
Charli and Josue turned up at the gate 0300 bleeding. We brought them in and did first aid. They went scouting on a borrowed motorbike and were knocked off. We have a lot of talking to do about prudence. Their father will be furious, I need to walk over there this afternoon and talk with him.

The shelves are emptying in the market, no petrol to be had. Electricity is intermittent and water stopped flowing in the pipes.

Communications workers may be going out as well, may not see you all for a time. Phonelines never have been that good and cellulars are hit & miss, but our Basic rent expired on both of our cells Thursday and their are no cards to be had to reactivate them!! I downloaded an article on Carrier Pigeons and hung it in Captain Nemo's cage!! Daft Parrot, he laughed so hard I was waiting for the neighbours to complain.

LOLOL!!!  Home post delivery never has worked so I set up with Mailboxes Etc. in Puerto La Cruz. LOLOL!! When I went by last, they are closed for the duration!!

The oil flow has stopped, suspect we finally are the subject of discussion in Washington D.C. What amazes me though is with South America erupting, the administration remains focused on Iraq.
But, Bunny is now back on LIMITED DUTY!! She still is too weak to spend the night out doors, but she has her bark back!! She raised a tempest she did when Charli and Josue showed up!! Thank you Lord.

God Bless all!

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (marc @ Dec. 08 2002,10:25)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]yeah, I've been praying too; I hope everybody has.  btw, do you know of any US media outlet that's giving the troubles in Venezuela good coverage? I just tend to hear bits and pieces.  I guess Booty's covering this for us better than we can expect from any other source.[/quote]
Marc and Ark,

Thank you for the prayers. We will be praying Wednesday night as well.

Marc, I usually balance my news with European press as well on the internet. They seem to miss a lot as well Perhaps it is just the reporters do not have time to find the facts.

By example, of the BBC, UK, reported thousands of Chavez supporters and thousands of opposition supporters protesting in Caracas. True, but here is more:  We have been watching buses roll by on the highway near us last week with flags flying identifying them as Chavistas. The unofficial count is 500 plus. These buses are bringing supporters from all over Venezuela.  The recruited protesters receive a sustenance for "Expenses". This is a very hungry country.

The opposition in Caracas is Caraqueños, the Chavistas are imported. In the interior, there are not as many Chavistas left to protest and the opposition clearly outnumbers them. Reading though just the BBC piece it would appear that the protesters ae equally numbered, this is not the case.

I did note one particular report from Yahoo that should clearly underline the gravity of the situation. About a year ago, Chavez's wife was photographed with deep bruises and then seperated from him to live in Barquisimeto with their daughter.  She has maintained a very low profile. Chavez has made very few trips to Barquisimeto, the little girl has not made any trips to Caracas that any one has reported here.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Even Chavez's wife, Marisabel de Chavez, called on the president to listen to the demands of his people.

"President, please, in the name of your daughter, in the name of your family, in the name of the country, listen to the people," she said in a television interview, the couple's daughter sitting beside her. The couple is in the process of divorce.

Chavez said he would never step down.

"I swear they won't succeed," he said on his television program. "I swear by God ... that they won't drive me from the presidency."
[/quote]

I know his private life should be private, but I feel that in this case something of the character of our president is seen. Listening to the man on the telly and watching his mannerisms and mode of dress, I am convinced he is mad.

Perhaps as a relaxation exercise we should list all the professions

(a) which we wish would go on strike any time, just 'cause we don't like them,  and

(b) which we may approve of, but if they went on strike everything would grind to a halt and good elections could be held.

Such as:  

"A" List:
soap opera writers
profane musicians

"B" list
Venezuelan Presidents
Venezuelan Presidential Advisors

Like that.

P.S. I love my brothers & sisters, even the ones whom I think must be insane for promoting the political people they do.  
{{{Prayers}}} for Omega.

What is that organization you asked if I belonged to Booty?

Sometimes all we're left with is "life is so hard... but God is so good"...

Kevin and Bill thank you both, the prayers are very welcome. Bill isn't it nice when you can use Sunday sevices to share His love? I really hate it when I have to attend to "messy details" and preach on some issue we are trying to stop in the ground before it springs forth to damage our congregation.

Really need to talk to my brothers as well, whenever we are discussing our sermon plans, they always leave the "messy details" to my own self. We need to share this duty.

Last Sunday I also had to deal with a complaint. We had planted the Venezuelan flag where it can be seen during services when all this trouble started and we commenced our non stop lessons on peace. It was brought to my attention that the unconverted daughter of one of our sisters had commented on the flag as inappropriate. Amazing how someone who has never attended a single class, sermon, vigil or prayer session in our congregation or any other congregation could assume the position of telling us what is appropriate or not. But that is as it is, it was explained that the flag was there because it is Venezuela that we are lifting up to the Lord and that flag is the symbol of Venezuela. I do hope Maria talks with the lass, actually I pray the lass comes to me directly. We have more urgent matters to discuss than the presence of a wee flag!!

There are times when people simply amaze me with their audacity!

Rather like that other quote... who said it?...

"Trust God but tie up your camel"?  "Trust God but lock the barn"?
"Trust God but chain up your ass"?


There was a National Public Radio report on the latest entrepenurial venture, those metal back-and-forth metal clackers to use in the casserola .  :crackup:  There are even CD's of pots and pans being banged, you can hook up your stereo speakers to blare it out of the windows.

It has been almost a month since I posted this:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Just returned from Clarines. We talked long about the strong possibility that they will be assuming total responsibility for their services for a time as the last petrol pump in Piritu is now closed. We will guard the petrol we have for emergencies in the various congregations. If one or two of us can get there and back by buseta, we will.

Not sure of how that will be by Wednesday, our next class day. Jessica and Richard approached me and Jessica with Adell will be discipling Richard Monday and Tuesday to baptise him Wednesday. I offered to go to the river right then and there, but he said no he needed the two more days. Pray for them.
[/quote]

Remember? I do, oh do I!  We have been praying for Clarines. Our communication with them was lost as Marilu's phone was cut off. How were they doing? Were they meeting? How were they?

Last night our new deacon, Jesus, proposed that he mount an expedition to Clarines with Aricelis, his wife. We agreed and they were instructed to use our offering for their expenses if they could find transport.

Jesus and Aricelis just left and I have an announcement for all of you. They made it to Clarines and back (NOTE: Eliecer went with them. Omega, our Chavista, found them transport in a buseta that was carrying protesters....Remember Eliecer is very anti Chavez!!   They got a ride back with a National Guard officer.)

Please take the time to welcome the newest true congregation of the church of Christ, Clarines, Edo Anzoategui, Venezuela. The Pulpit minister is José Mulatto assisted by his younger brother Richard. Puerto Piritu would also like to announce that  as soon as the strike ends we will be shifting our Sunday evening services to Pueblo Viejo and the Clarines congregation will be assisting.

Now let's see if I understand this.  Mirvida, José's wife apparently told him that she would be baptisiing with Richard because there was a lot of work to do and they could not continue to depend on Puerto Piritu to handle everything.Adell and Jessica went into high gear and José finally started talking!!!  Dioseda has been directing the singing assisted by Keti.

And Brother Booty has learned a very good lesson. We have been actually conducting two services each Sunday, mornings in Piritu and evenings in Clarines. The Clarines services were always heavily populated with Piriteños and my, MY, pride and vanity was perpetuating this horrible paradigm that Clarines had to have us there each Sunday to survive. José didn't talk because Saint Booty wasn't allowing him the opportunity. Forgive me Lord this gravest of sins, I who always said I did not want the Church of Saint Booty in Puerto Piritu had created the Church of Saint Booty in Clarines. Forgive me Lord my horrible pride.

We started in Clarines because Sandi met a man from Clarines who sounded like he knew the Lord.... Oh did he.... he is back at the Jewish Temple now after spending time with the Jehovahs Witnesses after the Evangelicals after us after the Pentacostals after ......  But Saint Booty had this dream that this man, Yonathan would lead a congregation.........  Saint Booty's idea, not the Lord's.

Then for so long our only brother in Clarines was José who arrived humbly and remained so quiet. I prayed and I prayed for another brother who could talk, another brother who would dream, another brother who would ....well.... be another Saint Booty.

Instead the Lord decided to clip my wings, cut off the petrol and teach me a lesson. The Lord parked my famous people popcorn Jeep. I wanted to go to Clarines, but Jesus pointed out that assessing the spiritual health of the congregation and identifying their needs was his role as a deacon. He also pointed out that travel would be easier and safer for morenos, (Brown people) and not catires, (White people). Saint Booty got another blow to that horrible pride when all the men of Piritu agreed with Jesus.

And today Saint Booty sits here crying softly with joy at the wonders of our Lord, from the chaos of anarchy that is raging across this land has arisen a new congregation of the church of Christ formed from the ashes of the Church of Saint Booty, praise the Lord and forgive me Lord for I have sinned.

Many times Latin American generals tend to be nothing more than rows of gaudy ribbons and flashy uniforms. This man is not, he is a gentle elegant man with considerable command presence. I have heard him speak personally and were I in uniform, he is an officer I would gladly follow. I ask you prayers for him today.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]The first political prisoner

Caracas, Dec. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan police arrested National Guard General Carlos Alfonzo Martinez, one of 14 high- ranking officers who took over a Caracas plaza more than two months ago, Union Radio reported. Martinez's arrest occurred one day after Chavez vowed to use a ``heavy hand'' to break up a 29-day nationwide strike that has paralyzed the country's oil production, and created food and gasoline shortages.
[/quote]

Honey, you be as maudlin as you want to. And if anyone can't cut you a teensy bit of slack when your posts get taut, ah well, we need to get a life.

We just don't want you to ever lose hope in the Lord, and we don't want you to beat yourself up too much when you fail to be a perfect carbon copy of Jesus 100% of the time.

How odd that Mike & I have mentally planned for years how to navigate "when it all falls apart"... and we've never yet used most of the know-how.

Things you tell us sound a lot like what we've planned & occasionally done... the stockpiling of non-perishables, the self-sufficiency of windmills and gardening and raising rabbits and goats... sewing, crocheting, tanning leather with and without fur... buying inexpensive small-denomination gold coins against a day when the paper currency becomes worthless... the interest in a good dog or two at all times...

Our attention to weapons has no counterpart in your stories, though.

One reason I am so grateful for the years "back home" since we left Iowa in '95, is that down here I know where to run and what to eat if "it all falls apart" and we need to take to the swamps!

Is that a lack of faith, that I'm grateful to be where I can provide for & hopefully protect my family (and any of the church family who will follow me  :alien:), if the need arises?

It won't make it past Miami Janine, I have mail backed up there now. We wait.

Sandi and I started crying today, something so silly but so profound that it just devastated us. They were showing the forced entry into the Coca Cola plant in Valencia. The Guardia General Luis Felipe Acosta Carlez was there himself. This is a very flambouyant, very macho type, very arrogant, very very arrogant. Looks like a gringo or a german.  We watched the managers and their lawyer literally being thrown from the property. Then we watched the locks being cut of and the Guardia entering.

They perm...No they commanded the press to come in. General, GENERAL Acosta then opened up a soft drink, a malta, while being interviewed, took a long drink and then belched long and hard right in the face of the reprters.

I'm sorry, those were ladie reporters. I am not a prude nor am I mach, I might even kid Sandi with a belch in private, but just like that , in the faces of the ladies, in the camera and in the face of each one of us watching them violate the sanctity of private property.

I felt my eyes well up and looked at Sandi, she was already sobbing. We just sat there hugging each other and cried our hearts out. A belch, a rotten, rude, crude, Bog Culchie belch!! From a man we expected to protect us.

Oh Lord please please please, we are trying to be strong. We are trying.

At least a Jack Russell is straightforwardly terrier-ish.  Not much roundaboutation, not much guile.

A cat, now...

Who doesn't love Jimmah Cahtah?  He & his wife are wonderful people.  I hope he & Gustavo caught an icechest full.

Possibility of some version of a war crimes tribunal for the piggish ones, later on?  (I know, it's hardly a war... but it feels like one.)

Animal Farm made my skin crawl when I read it as a child.  The old Bert Reynolds movie Deliverance, I cannot bear to watch.  (The only reason I know about some choice parts of it is thru interviews with actors and via some phrases that have made it into pop culture... "Squeal, pig!"... shudder...)

People with God have enough trouble being the best they can be.  People without God, mobs and hordes and Bourbon Street at Mardi Gras, are worse animals than any animal ever thought of being.  Even minks.  Lemmings.  Monitor lizards.  Blech.

Here in the pueblo we are hanging on, I have to go to Caracas tomorrow with more documents. I'll go by bus and come back the same way, no gas for the car.

Oh Bunny Wabbit is no longer a Señorita!!  King, a handsome German rottweiler won her hand and the wedding was today. Now hopefully we will have the patter of wee rottweilers baouncing around!!

After the government denied the Consultative referendum for a questionable procedural reason, the ooposition decided to have a "Survey" forms were prepared and only eligible voters could sign with their ID number and their thumbprints. No it is not "Official", but then the official process was denied us. But it is being conducted as honestly as possible.

It will not be binding, but the consultative referendum would not have been binding in any event. Certainly there may be fraud, but there may be fraud in official elections as well. The final results will take a while to tabulate.

The preliminary results indicate the possibility of more than 5 million signatures, possibly 6 million, maybe 7?

Now not all of these will be against Chavez as Chavistas can sign as well, but based on what I have personally seen, the majority of the people signing appeared to be wearing the traditional opposition Venezuelan tri colour, Yellow, Blue & Red.

Very interesting to speculate because it appears more have turned out for this "Survey" than turned out for any of the elections where Chavez was involved.

No it will not be binding, but along with the investigations requested in Spain and the trials initiating in Miami, an overwhelming censure of this man should increase pressure on him significantly.

Oh, my.  At least the oil didn't run into the pothole & ruin the pig ... :yummy:

I hope that courtesy & tradition demand that the handstanding motorists get some barbeque out of the incident!

Booty, we will pray as hard as we can.  We will pray for you and your church family's safety.  We will also pray for peace as we come up on the Prince of Peace's birthday.   If there is anything we can do to support your safety or if you need assistance in any way you know that we are all available.  You are our brother and we care deeply.  only by grace, Julie

Special prayers please for Omega Cauriguaipano. Omega is my brother in Christ and has long been a staunch Chavista. I walked down to the plaza to visit him in his watch shop. He is one of the few shops open.

Omega has been missing services lately as his political activities have been consuming him. I happened to ask him what the rate was to go to Caracas and protest. He broke down crying telling me it is 50000 Bs., (1 Euro=1USD=1400 Bs.), they also supply your food, transportation and lodging. He told me he thought of going with his two sons, they need to eat, but something stopped him. I told him the Lord does not stop attending to you even though you may ignore Him. I also told him that his place now is with his spiritual family and not running around Caracas with ....Whatever...

We all have political convictions. My blood is screaming right now! For ages Irish have fought for liberty and justice in Ireland and around the world. Here in Caracas at the side of Simon Bolivar lies Daniel Francis O'Leary, Bolivars trusted aide from County Tyrone. Your own history is rich with Mc' s & O's who gave their lives for your freedom. Many other nations as well enjoy freedom paid for with Irish blood. Saoirse is more than a word in Irish, it is an ideal.

But my blood is paid for by His and His must prevail. I must silence the clamour of my blood and listen to His will. I must seek the peace as he instructed me. I must love my enemies.

I understand Omega, I understand his passion. I just pray in the end his passion is redirected to our Lord.


Irony rules, the tax collectors have joined in the strike.

Go bhfóire Dia orainn!  ¡Que Dios nos ayuda!
Brojees

Oh, he idolizes Castro anyway, doesn't he?  He should jump at the chance.

Our Ginger is like that, about squirrels.  When she was a pup they would sit high in the walnut tree and throw shells at her.  Their aim was quuite good.  It was like having monkeys throw things at you.

Now, if we want what looks like a savage 60-lb pit bulldog to provide troublemakers with a reason to go elsewhere, we say "Where's the squirrel?"

I went back and added some more to my post above, so anyone who wished to respond to it may want to reread it.

Todays sermon was a cooking class based on a recipe sent by a special friend of mine. (I did of course modify it just slightly.)

I started with a large pot and in went the ingredients one at a time.

First a carrot tough and hard that I could even beat the pot with, (Now where did that idea come from?)

Then an egg, hard on the outside like unto a rock, but fragile and all soft and runny inside when broken. Even broke one to prove it.

Then a tea bag, soft and unassuming, humble you might say. (Yes the recipe was changed here just slightly!)

After a few minutes talking about how the boiling water in the miraculous giant Irish cookpot was like trials, adversity and tribulations in your life, like what we are currently experiencing here, the ingredients were fished out of the pot.

First the carrot which literally fell to pieces when I tried to bang the pot with it again, while the water remained the same. Then the egg which had turned all hard inside as well, while the water remained the same. And finally the soggy tea bag which was basically quite the same as it started, but the water had changed to become a proper cup of tea!!

We then commented on the messages of Luke 1:79, 2:14, 7:50, 8:48, 12:49-53 and finally Matthew 5:9

We have decided we are to be tea bags in the boiling water surrounding us.

Two of our tea bags, Eliezer and Omega sat and talked for some time after service this morning, for some time. They had been politely ignoring each other.

And I must say this,

Merci, Mon Ami, Merci bou coup.

God Blessed me richly when I met you my friend, that recipe could not have come at a better time.  
:kiss:  :kiss:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Booty,

After reading your post, I find myself just a little envious of such rich church family fellowship that you enjoy down there. :alien:

Wish I could import some of that up here.

:christmas:[/quote]

I suspect Wiley it cannot be imported but must be grown domestically.

I know from my church history that Piritu is unique, but I also know that we have to work hard to heep it thus. When Sandi and I first started it took every ounce of faith we had to allow Him to take charge.

Myself from a Presbyterian background and her from a very "C"  CoC backgound. (Did I ever tell you, Sandi's original congregation is the Taliban of the Talibans!!). Nothing at all to the political quagmire I came from!! Church Polity was our number one obsession, the Church pews had the Bible, the Hymnal, The Church Constitution and Robert's Rules of Order all side by side!

In the beginning we disagreed quite a bit on what direction we were going, but each time we sincerely went to our knees in prayer and asked Him to step in and show us what He wanted. He did and has, WHEN WE HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO. We also have learned of the reason he brought us together. Sandi is strong where I am weak, my strengths are her weaknesses. We have learned to respect this. Sandi is the planner and I am the dreamer. Without my dreams, she has nothing to plan. Without her plans, my dreams would not be realized.

Our additions the Lord provided were the right ones at the right time. When we were starting He wisely blessed us with many more men than women. Sorry sisters, but when you are a new congregation and struggling to be taken seriously, the paradigms are against a predominantly female congregation.

Los Elius came at the right moment and with the right principals. Eduard was the reluctant one, now he is our ROCK our Cephas. Jesusito is our guide, our spiritual beacon. Hector is our spunk our spark. Eliecer, (Our Eliu that is not but is), is our walking contradiction. When you meet him you might expect this is an ignorant culchie....Heh heh....Be careful, he has an encyclopedic memory of scripture. Lisette is our wide eyed believer and her sister Karelys is our loving cynic. The twins, Damelys and Darelys are our mobile smiles, if one can not bring cheer to you, the other will. Amazing, but they are not actually close. While they do seem to exhibit all the identical traits and reactions, they actually each go their own way. It is not an animosity, but I suspect that it is more of a simple matter of how bored you would become with your own self if that is all you had.

Jesus and I warred literally, he has a penchant for gossip and I have a penchant to confront people. Now I turn the other cheek and he doesn't go whispering about it. Jesus our spiritual physician, he keeps his finger firmly on the spiritual pulse of our congregation. Luis is our tractor, he looks like a fire hydrant and has the resolve of a bulldog. When he has clamped his jaws into something there is no moving him until we complete it. Omega is our philosopher always trying to complicate the simple.

We have allowed Him to move us around the board like pieces in a chess game. He knows when it is time for Sandi and Luis to step in with the planning and dedication and when it is time for Jesus and I to attend to a need.

One thing we have done though Wiley that I cannot recommend highly enough to everyone....(And who would I be to preach to the choir? Forgive me!!)... we have intentionally empowered every single member to take charge of the work of the church. We have intentionally avoided allowing a power structure to develop. This comes from our backgrounds, myself with the politicos and Sandi with the Talibans. We do not have a power cell where you have to get permission to obey our Lord.

Many talk of equality in the Lord's work, but I am sorry, I know I will offend many when I say this... BUT ...   very few practice it.

Perhaps I am just a poor manager, here I am the preacher of a church and things are happening that I know nothing of. Well allow me to set that straight. I am just Brojees, another brother who has a limited talent to hold people's attention for a hour or so every Sunday. I am not the manager here, that would be Jesus Christ.

Wiley, brother let me say something to you with all sincerity. You need not import what you already have within you, within you in abundance. I've seen it, I know it's there. It shows.  Just relax and let Him put it to work. Oh you will offend some, no, you will offend many. But then so did He. (Chuckling now) So did Paul, Peter, James, John, Thomas, Stephen...etc. etc. etc.  [B[PRAISE THE LORD!![/B]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (Booty @ Dec. 23 2002,11:57)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Summary of Francis of Assissi, "Pray to God and Lock the door!!"[/quote]
Summary of Nehmiah.

"Lord save us from our enemies"

Now go get those armed guards posted on the wall.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (Booty @ Dec. 25 2002,10:20)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--][!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Booty,

After reading your post, I find myself just a little envious of such rich church family fellowship that you enjoy down there. :alien:

Wish I could import some of that up here.

:christmas:[/quote]

I suspect Wiley it cannot be imported but must be grown domestically.[/quote]
Booty:

The statement you mentioned above is packed with truth.  It must be grown in each individual church.

And it will look different in each body of believers.

God loves for his church to be like the colors of the [span style=\'color:red\']R[/span][span style=\'color:orange\']A[/span][span style=\'color:yellow\'][/span]I[span style=\'color:green\']N[/span][span style=\'color:blue\']B[/span][span style=\'color:purple\']O[/span][span style=\'color:red\']W[/span]

Kevin

Booty, you definitely have a gift with words.  Keep up the good work.

Kevin

<<it is strange, but there is a real world out there that we are just resigning ourselves to without further protest.>>

Booty, even though you are in the thick of it right now, the above statement is true for all of us. Politics invade our lives so silently that by the time we are aware we are being followed, we've lost our wallet and even our lives.

There are a few of us who cannot relax, and there are few who are complacent, but most of us just want to get on with our lives and our work in peace with ourselves and our neighbor. That is perfectly normal. Unfortunately politics are abnormal.

It is very, very crooked, the idea that a warehouse of entertainment drinks are somehow vital to the national security, so much so that the military, the protectors of the nation, need to break in and 'liberate' them.

Then on top of that, to see an authority figure be so... so... so "snot-nosed-schoolboy-proud" of it!

I probably would have laughed in derision & disgust, rather than crying, but then I haven't had my protective cynical exterior softened up by suffering as you two have these past months.

*********************************************
Abba, Your servants need a break.

We treasure our 'free will', Father, but sometimes we hurt so badly down here, that we wish You would just step in and clean up the mess we as a race make of things.  Please grant Brojees and Sandi some relief from the pressures they face, and fear of the horrors they may face later.

How You would manage that without violating Who and What You are, we cannot imagine.  But, being the Holy and Righteous One, we know You can help us.  You are limitless, Your love is limitless; if You consider the fall of every sparrow, and if it's true that "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints"... then we know You can give us what we ask for Sandi and Brojees.   

Please hold our friends up, encourage them, strengthen their hearts and their hands.  Surround their whole group, their loved ones, the churches they serve for You, with the impenetrable shield of Your Presence.

Blessed Father, they are in Your hands.  Help them to know this.  Help them to draw confidence from this.  Build them up.  Hold them close, Comforter, and encourage them with the feeling that You are there loving them.

Your servants the angels, Lord, who do Your will, place them around the homes of Brojees and Sandi and your people with them.  Discourage evil intent in all approaching hearts.  Break the very weapons in the hands of any who would harm them.

Make their home a beacon of Your peace, so that evildoers will be abruptly stopped and persuaded to change through exposure to the very atmosphere there!  Shield them, please, Lord; be present in so real a way that even the perception of dull godless humans can sense that something's up!  

Use Your willing people in Venezuela, especially the three churches we love through Booty's reports, to maintain Your light there.  Heal their land and take it over, please, Father.  Use the present turmoil to remake the land, so that the very civil government reflects You.  Turn them into a light for You.

We have no natural authority to ask this, to expect anything from Your strong hand... yet You allow us access to Your Son's authority, the authority of His precious name.  We are so grateful, thankful, so humbled, Father.  Thank You.
*********************************************
Amen, yes?

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (marc @ Jan. 21 2003,00:32)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Any thoughts on Jimmy Carter's visit to Venezuela?  Will it do more harm or good?  I haven't heard many details.[/quote]
Personally I love your President Carter, such a giving man. I believe in this case, President Carter has already been used to send a very strong message. Without the details, everyone here is talking about how he went fishing when he first got here with Gustavo Cisneros. Cisneros is the richest man in Venezuela and according to the Chavistas, Public Enemy Number One. I really wish I had more details on this, but if true, the message to the Chavistas is clear. It was Cisnero's plant the was raided by the belching pig.

Chavez does not want the USA in the Friends group that is to help mediate, but Brazil's Lula has rebuffed him on his proposal to replace the USA with other nations possibly more friendly to him. Also the Generals have called for the ouster of the belching pig, Gen. Acosta. Now these are not the officers in disobedience in Alta Mira, these are the generals still serving.

Sandi and I are praying that this all signals that the military is finally ready the oust Chavez. Please Lord let it be so. We also are seeing where apparently they are working up to shutting down the television stations. They showed up with official papers at RCTV and Globovision advising of Administrative Action. At Globovision they turned and left before they served the papers when the cameramen got shot's of their faces.

I strongly suspect after the stations clearly broadcast the face of the guardsman who grabbed the woman from behind and threw her to the pavement striking her head with the caption below his face, "This is a Hero of the patriotism?", that many officials now really do not want their faces recognisable for when all this is over. That gives me hope as well, for it tells me that they no longer feel as secure carrying out the mandates of this madman Chavez as they once did.  
I also sense if Chavez is ousted there will be really hateful reprocussions for many who have abused the people for this madman. Personally I would be more than glad to put Acosta over my knee and whack his bottom properly.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (janine @ Jan. 23 2003,10:21)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Is it apostacy to lean more heavily on the words of Jesus than, say, of Paul?

(Where's my devilish grin smilie?)[/quote]
Apostasy?  Hmmm..... You might think so for the reception the idea received!!

Or maybe it was the presentation?

Oh ...Use my avatar for the grin!

Bunny is the perfect Mamita now that she has figured out what those wee things are. My shop is the old guard's quarters which has it's own bath. I usually use the shower to refresh before coming into the house, especially when I have been working on Bam Bam. But there is also a shower outside the shop, so now Bunny and the lot are installed in the shower with their own fan. Nice and cool, easy to clean and isolated enough to afford her the privacy she needs. The shower lip will keep the pooches in control until they can cross it.

Last night we had the prayer meeting on the terrraza. Bunny came in and greeted everyone individually. I took guided tours out to see the group.

Amazing thing happened though, it was Luis' birthday so Jasmine and the three lasses were arriving later to have a wee party. Bunny had gone back to the shop when they arrived. Then suddenly there was Maria Laura, the wee deaf lass with Bunny at her side standing in front of me, Bunny turning towards the shop and Maria Laura pointing. To be sure we went  right away and Maria Laura was allowed by Bunny to pet each of the puppies.

How do Maria Laura and Bunny communicate? We have seen incidents like this before with those two, but never anything this plain. It would appear the Lord has given Maria Laura ears for Bunny and Bunny a voice for her. I really wonder more now at the time when Maria Laura slipped away and was opening the main gate and Bunny raised a tempest.

Financially the Lord will provide. Sandi's sweet shop looks like it will be worthwhile. My Canine Guard service should do well, I now have three probable clients waiting for the pups to be ready. I also just met a man in church who may well be influential in opening a door to a project here.

The referendum is for August 19th time frame, now though Chavez has already started saying that the signatures that have been collected are invalid and there will be a new Electoral Council which will not be as friendly as the old one. Civil war becomes more a reality everyday, we just sit and wait for it to happen. We do not want to leave and the other day Sandi said to me, "If it means our liberty, I will fight".

I am so torn by this that it is impossible to sort it all out. How I long for a wee boat where I go go out for a few weeks and just take the time with Him to sort it all out. I know Chavez is evil and I know he will bring this country further into ruin everyday. I also know that we are trying all the "Democratically" acceptable means and none are working. Chavez is well coached by Fidel and he has thwarted every effort since April 11. Sadly our own people and the democratic paradigm in the world denied April 11.

In a very strange way, the USA actions in Iraq have helped me to begin to understand. Now I see where a coup, a civil war, to change an oppressive regime such as Chavez's or Hussein's is the epitome of democratic expression. But I also see where other democratically elected leaders in the world simply must suppress this reality for their own survival.

We may try raising dot dogs as well, Janine so I will save the name for them. When I go to Caracas next time, I am going to see what exchanges can be made for other purebred bitches of the larger shorthair breeds.

Wiley, fortunately our land here at the house is perfect for a kennel. We have 600 square meters in back where I will construct kennels. We both though are looking forward to the antics of the pups! I remeber Bunny when she first saw the ocean!! LOLOL!!!   Barking and biting the waves!!

One of the men from our church, along with 16 other Christians from across America will be coming to rural Venezuela on February 17th.  They are going to learn how to lead mission trips and help build a church while they are there.  Since they are avoiding the capital, the missionary in Venezuela they are going to be working with thinks they will be okay.

As a matter of fact they have had teams in the country each of the last five weeks.

Kevin

Thank you Julie.

We met today with Puerto La Cruz and we have postponed the convention we were to host next saturday until the 25th of January. If the Lord permits, we will have our convention is peace, but to have it now would be imprudent.

Today El Presidente ordered the military to force the various workers back to work. Many of the military are saying no, they will not comply with his orders so the dissension in the ranks deepens.

The official word is, "All is calm and normal" This is a lie. But I am very surprised, a yank called me today to ask if I was watching CNN international. I seldom do and today was no exception. Anyway I tuned in and frankly I was shocked at how they played it. To listen you might even think the government is the victim here. Conveniently ignoring that this government and then the dominant party, MVR, created something modeled on Cubas neighbourhood cells called here Bolivarian Circles. Members of the circles were strongly encouraged to obtain arms and did so. El Presidente uses extremely inflammatory demagogue in his speeches, he talks of seige and coup constantly and frankly he lies.

The protesters killed in Altamira Plaza were peaceful, they are in opposition to the government. Those that fired on them were in support of the government. Sorry, but Sr. Chavez is not the victim here.

I wish the news media would be better informed. I also checked the reports from various sources over the tankers. I see where many have reported the government line, El Presidente ordered the Navy to board them. Well now they did, but please explain to me how they expect to drive those wee boats with Lawyers and Judges loyal to the regime? That one in Maracaibo is especially touchy, The Pinil Leon. She is fully loaded with gasoline. Maracaibo has a bridge spanning it's narrow channel to exit the lake for the sea. The pilots refuse to guide them out. El Presidente may be promising to deliver that gasoline but the how of it will be interesting.

Also of interest as all is "Calm and normal" is why the state owned oil company, PDVSA, declared Force Majeure concerning it's contractual responsibilities to the world market. Now Janine may need to translate that, but I believe it to mean, "We cannot comply due to circumstances beyond our control."

We are asking all congregations in the orient to join us on our knees on December 14th.

God bless

Saddamito Chavez, I tol' ya.

{{{Praying}}}.

Well Bunny does not support Chavez!

The rule now is even trips to the market, Bunny Wabbit goes along. (She is loving it and the exercise is perfect for her recuperation!!)  Magleny, my Sandi's sister took Bunny to the little market to buy some thread, along the way some boyos went past and honked the cacerolazo on the horn, (Two Short pause Three Long), Magleny responded with the Fuera sign, (From base ball, I think it means "You are out" or "Strike"?). Two guys were approaching her and they said "Chavez Viva!  Expletive deleted".

Bunny earned her favourite baked fish dinner!! Magleny commanded "Guard" and Bunny went into full alert. As Magleny said, when Bunny does that she even scares us!! The Chavistas decided to cross to the other side of the street as the boyos in the car came circling back. Now Magleny and Bunny both appear to have lads interested in them.

It does bother me though, this is the same rottweiler that allows Maria Laura to ride her like a pony pulling her ears to guide her. When I trained her to "Guard", it was never to be used. I actually never intentionally set out to train her guard, but she loves to hunt and chase lizards. Remembering what my Granda taught me, I put her on leash and everytime she would charge a lizard, I would command "Guard". Now the command sends her lunging to the end of her leash barking.

Do we all have protective instincts that will overcome our "love your enemy" admonition from Him when danger actually stares us in the face?

I go to Him in prayer now with questions I thought were answered. Forgive me my impatience Lord, but could you please come back soon?

Janine, I am afraid that after the Altamira Massacre, a vote will not be enough. He will have to resign now. After the Massacre with the perpetrator in custody, Chavez came on the telly "Explaining how it was all a frame up and the lad was not even in the country at the time". Now how he reconciles that with the videos of the boyo shooting and the crowd overcoming him to turn him over to the police right there is beyond me. But after that, I just do not see where there is trust that this government will even allow fair elections. He must resign and leave, I believe the Venezuelans will allow him passage to Cuba.

Sorry, his remaining term is 3 1/2 years.

No offense taken here?

His overthrow will be peaceful on the part of the opposition, they have even been studying Ghandi. All violence to date has been by Chavistas

Booty,

What is ECOMBRE or how ever you spelled that organization's name you asked if I were a member of?

Ark,

As you can see I am struggling with my convictions of pacifism. Rest assured my astute brother, the thought of armed guards has crossed my mind.

Not long ago I was asked to remove a pistol from a house here by a frightened family. Imagine their surprise when Brother Brojees, unloaded it, field stripped it and disabled it and reassembled it disabled with one wee part missing in less than two minutes. It remains useless back in it's hiding place.
A grand fear I have Ark, in these days of extreme stress and real and present danger to the woman I love, is that I know intimately the beast that resides within me and is held in check only by His love. I trust the Lord, but I do not believe I should be testing Him unnecessarily.

I love you brother and understand your sentiments and concern, but I believe my armed guard will remain the facade of a "ferocious Rottweiler". Now if I can only convince her to stop sleeping in front of the gate with her Teddy Bear!!

Booty,

After reading your post, I find myself just a little envious of such rich church family fellowship that you enjoy down there. :alien:

Wish I could import some of that up here.

:christmas:

Bob and others have asked me if there is anything they can do.

There is.

Please ask your media to compare their file footage with the followning excerpts from the Venezuelan Constitution and then follow their consciences.

This is a link to the Constitution of the Republic Bolivarian of Venezuela (http://www.vheadline.com/links/1999_Constitution.asp) in English. It is from a government friendly site. The relevant articles appear well translated.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Article 7: The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of the legal order.  All persons and organs exercising Public Power are subject to this Constitution.[/quote]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Article  68: Citizens*  have the  right to  demonstrate, peacefully  and without weapons, subject only to such requirements as may be established by law.

The  use  of   firearms  and  toxic   substances  to  control   peaceful demonstrations is prohibited. The activity of police and security  corps in maintaining public order shall be regulated by law.[/quote]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Article 25: Any act on the part of the Public Power that violates or encroaches upon the rights guaranteed by this Constitution and by law is null and void, and the public employees* ordering or implementing the same shall incur criminal, civil and administrative liability, as applicable in each case, with no defense on grounds of having followed the orders of a superior.[/quote]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Article 29: The State is obliged to investigate and legally punish offenses against human rights committed by its authorities.
Actions to punish the offense of violating humanity rights, serious violations of human rights and war crimes shall not be subject to statute of limitation. Human rights violations and the offense of violating humanity rights shall be investigated and adjudicated by the courts of ordinary competence. These offenses are excluded from any benefit that might render the offenders immune from punishment, including pardons and amnesty.[/quote]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Article 350: The people of Venezuela, true to their republican tradition and their struggle for independence, peace and freedom, shall disown any regime, legislation or authority that violates democratic values, principles and guarantees or encroaches upon human rights.[/quote]

The only hope we have for justice is in the eyes of the world.

As long as I'm pestering government officials from the President on down about the immigration status of our brother Sam from India, I think I'll be using those email and snailmail addresses for Brojees & Sandi's stuff....

Yesterday was something very profound. Various politicos from the Copei Party, marched on Plaza Bolivar directly from their session in the National Assembly. They were stoned by Chavistas enroute, but continued on. It is something to see, a politician marching unprotected into a hail of stones. A number of them were injured, but they continued on to stand and sing the national anthem at the base of the statue of Bolivar. Then they retired bleeding to have their wounds treated.

I don't like politicians of any nation, any party any time. But I must admit, these gentleman earned my respect yesterday. That was real blood streaming from their wounds and it took real courage to stand up to the stones being thrown.

Chavez lost with the Alta Mira Massacre Decmber 6 when the crowds came back after the sootings and stood in the blood of their compatriots chanting "No tengo miedo", "I am not afraid".

Sadly though, oh so sadly, he is incapable of understanding this. So more and more confrontation will continue. More and more will be hurt, and more and more will die.
Sandi and I and the congregations here continue seeking the peace, seeking bloodless answers, non violent solutions. But daily we are coming to realize that we will be seeing more blood.

More have baptised, three this weekend alone. But now we are hearing our new brothers and sisters saying things like, "Now it's all right, I can die in peace". A fatalistic mood is growing. macabre and maudlin, rather bitter sweet.

We'll go meet the lions with a smile on our face, a song on our lips and a faith in our hearts.

I haven't been updating here, it is strange, but there is a real world out there that we are just resigning ourselves to without further protest. Sandi and I made an expedition to Puerto La Cruz yesterday for supplies. Found most of what we needed sort of, including a little gasoline. Next month we may not go, we may go, we may not be here, we may be here, we may be alive, we may not be alive. Why would it matter in any event?

Bunny's collar has the Venezuelan flag colours and patterns. We found it when we first got her and it has just always been. Today during our walk, in the plaza, a man and his wife started haranguing me about the disrespect of having the flag pattern on the hound's collar. There he stood with his wee red beret screaming at me. There is no disrespect, but the opposition has adopted the flag as their symbol and this couple is so partisan and so full of hate, that their own national flag sends them into a frenzy.

Bunny went to alert, putting herself between myself and them. She doesn't understand, but someone was menacing her "Popi" and that she will not permit. I held her under control and just told him, "Hermano, te amo, lo respeto bastante el pueblo Venezolano y su bandera. Dios te bendiga."
(Brother I love you and I very much respect the people of Venezuela and your flag). Omega saw the commotion and came running from his shop. Garcia from the police showed up as well and the couple was told to leave us alone.

We learned later from Omega, they are not from Piritu, they are here to join in the Chavista protests at the industrial complex. Omega seems to be involved in quite a bit of these things and seems to know quite a lot about the goings on. As I told Omega though, Bunny bought us time for him to arrive. But he is playing with fire, these people who are arriving are intentionally menacing people. Had Bunny not been present and had I had on one of my caps with the flag on it, I could see a different outcome.

We have the Lord and His peace, let the devil have his criac, he can't touch us!

Amen to Janine's prayer.  
Booty: my prayers are with you and Sandi, too.   I'm not eloquent at prayers but I think the Lord hears them as eloquent.  God bless you and keep you safe.
Love, Shorty

Any thoughts on Jimmy Carter's visit to Venezuela?  Will it do more harm or good?  I haven't heard many details.

Is it apostacy to lean more heavily on the words of Jesus than, say, of Paul?

(Where's my devilish grin smilie?)

I'm so sorry you are.

{{{Prayers}}} still for all y'all in Venezuela.



[vastly entertaining tangent:]

Years ago, Mike used to take one of our bulldogs swimming in the Tangipahoa River.  (Thor needed the bouyancy (boyancy?  floatiness!), since one of his hips wasn't functional after a run-in with a car.)

Seeing this as a good method of exercising any dog, 'disabled' or not, while still keeping it cool, he began that with our current dog Ginger when she was a few months old.

He'd take her down to the Missouri River, where we were in Iowa.  She was so strong and happy and healthy then (I hear that Seger song Like A Rock in my head now).  Poor thing suffers various geriatric ailments now.

No barking at the water.  Perhaps the current wasn't forceful enough to worry her.

Do y'all recall that airliner that crashed in Sioux City?  Maybe 12 years ago?  The story was so remarkable because the pilot fought horrible hydraulic problems to crash-land in a cornfield, managing to save dozens of lives.

Anyway, one of the photos our photographer took - I was working for the Sioux City Journal at the time - was of a National Guardsman carrying to safety one of the toddlers who was rescued.  That picture was loved 'round the world.  I think it might've won a Pulitzer, or at least it was a big contender for it.  Isn't it the Pulitzer Prize, for newspaper photos?

Down at the riverside park where Mike exercised the dog, a huge bronze statue based on that photo had been erected.  Maybe life-and-a-half sized.

Ginger never got over the thing.  Typically, pit bulldogs haven't a big bark-and-bristle "threat display", unless you teach them to.  She's all business, quiet business, in a serious situation.  That may be one factor in the mix, when people are so spooked and fearful of pit bulldogs. Their threat behavior is opposite what you'd expect.

Atypically, though, something about that huge, accurate statue -- a big man with no scent!  scary! -- "unmanned" her.  Undogged her, I guess you'd say.  Horrible evil-sounding ravenous growly screaming barks would come out of my sweet doggie, over that statue.

The mighty Missouri fazed her not at all, but a hunk of bronze did.

After thought, I believe the clincher for her was that this "man" was carrying off a limp little "baby".  She has ever wanted to protect smaller people, especially females, from dangerous people, usually males.

[here closes fantastic, worthwhile tangent]



Watch out for that sweet shop, Booty!  You may have to count on exercising the dogs to keep your waistline down!

And I pray that the worst thing they ever have to bite is an ocean wave!

Booty, a prayer for you and your family and the hermanos and hermanas there. It would appear that you are truly permitting the LORD to give you peace of mind and guidance. May the nation be guided out of this chaos and justice triumph. Many here are praying for the well-being of you and yours. It is quite interesting to know that the news media here slant things as they desire, but most of us have known this is true all along. I just wish you could get some of your on-the-ground views published in the USA, or would this be too dangerous???

Es mucho frio aqui...

I heard a report on National Public Radio yesterday that sounded pretty complete & unbiased.

The NPR reporter was assuming the typical liberal  ;)  position, telling us how the rich are selfishly fighting Chavez so they can gain control (& presumably get richer), and the poor are his ardent supporters...

Of course she didn't mention the money "the poor" receive to hop a bus into Caracas & protest for him...

And she didn't mention how many pro-Chavez mobs, causing mayhem & some deaths and injuries, (a) are led by people high up under Chavez, and (b) are not condemned, but almost approved, on pro-Chavez media.

But, the reporter actually in Caracas set her straight, gave a report pretty much word-for-word like what Booty tells us.

He didn't say Chavez was bussing and paying a per diem to the rural poor to agitate in Caracas, but he did remind her that 65% + of Venezuelans are at poverty level, but Chavez' 'approval' ratings come from only 30-35% of the people.  So, it looks like "the poor" don't all endorse him.

The reporter in Caracas said that you might, for a "short answer", call what happened in April a coup attempt, but he made it very clear that the people of Venezuela are not even primarily pushing to get rid of Chavez... they are pushing for that referendum, they want to vote him out of office, not chop off his head.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (B. H. @ Dec. 11 2002,3:10)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]How long does Chavez have before he leaves office?

I find it interesting that a shopkeeper/ capitalist would support a man sympathetic to communistic political ideas.  I have heard of this happening before in Italy and France, but I never can logically comprehende the concept.

Booty, do you believe that Chavez should be overthrown in a coup?  The Bible does say that the governing powers exist by the will of God.[/quote]
Barry,

You refer of course to Romans 13. written by Paul who also escaped from a goverour being lowered in a basket.

Yes I do think Chavez should be removed from office. If it had not been for the gross manipulation of the system he has engaged in, he would already be impeached.

Now before you even go there, I obviously am well aware of Paul's admonition and rest assured we have studied it diligently very recently. I will respond to your obvious reply before you even make it by simply stating that I will follow no government authority which is not following God, period and end of that discussion.

Now I am not sure of what you are referring to about the capitalist shopkeeper, but I am sure you will explain.

I expect about one more week in office at the maximum.

Glad to see you, ready to repent and return to the flock yet?

There you have us. Sandi and Booty

That is my own self to the right of that beauty!!  

Thank you Wiley for storing the photo.

:hug:  :thumbs-up:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Meanwhile, National Guard troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas Thursday at anti-Chavez demonstrators in the coastal city of Barcelona, said the governor of north-central Anzoategui state, David de Lima. [/quote]

Now that is getting close!


Kevin,

As to this article, there is a certain disigenuity to the way it is written. The temporary halt to the work stoppage is an amparo or injunction against "Actively Striking". Employees marching and protesting. Simply staying at home and refusing to work may continue.

The TSJ is walking a thin legal line, but sucessfully. They have experienced significant pressure from the Presidente since they restored the autonomy of the metropolitan police of Caracas. I believe here what they are doing is responding to the case brought by the government against the strikers in a way that the government supporters feel vindicated as they seldom read the fine print.

I do worry though that perhaps the TSJ in so doing has set up the mechanism for the inevitable violent eruption we all are praying will not come.

Living in a Navy town -- only two blocks from the world's largest carriers -- I have visual aids to explain to my son the logical end to spilling blood for one's ideals.

My son knows I am an idealist with strong convictions about what could make the world a better place. He also knows I am a pacifist not by choice, but by necessity. It is well known that idealism and weapons to enforce those ideals are as natural as love and marriage for human beings.  I tell him that I am a pacifist because any idea worth explaining cannot be communicated effectively through the haze of threats and bloodshed. It would be much easier to surround myself with dead bodies to create a forum for my beliefs, but terror weakens the message.  

Both -- weapons and pacifism -- are desperate choices. In our world we see everyday, when divers pop up around the pilings of our bridge as they look for bombs -- that the weapon choice (our armed guards) are not insurance against violence -- in fact, they make us more vulnerable to violence. It is an illusion that weapons create security.

Praying for you, Booty.

Merry Christmas to all.

Janine, bless you and I promise we will behave.............,(We're in trouble I am sure),......OH OH ............ It was all Sandi's Granmum's (Abuela's) fault...........Maria Laura broke Santa's heart and then promptly melted it..........Bunny believes in Santa and has offered to properly bite anyone who dares disagree......Leonesa will go to her new duties today in the afternoon, wish her Godspeed.

The Lord touched Puerto Piritu last night personally. He allowed peace and security to reign in His name to those tired of the stress and tension they live with. We enjoyed and relaxed with our brothers and sisters.

The Christmas Dinner was held at in the patio of the home that Jesus and his family guard and garden, quite appropriately called Hijos del Rey, Sons of the King. We started at 7:00 pm Venezuelan time, (Which means any  time after sunset and before sunrise that you arrive unless you are late or early.). The children first had all types of activities including spontaneous caroling of the adults present, (Cristian is quite the showman and does not have a shy bone in his body!!).

Then Jesusito stood up and made a prayer that brought tears to all our eyes, (Oh Lord forgive me, I peeked!!!  I saw Omega and Eliecer take each others hands!!). Jesusito prayed for the future, he did not ask for a better future to grow up in, he just asked to permitted to grow up. When an 11 year old prays to be allowed merely grow up, on Christmas Eve, I don't care who you are, you stop and you think. Open you eyes and find that all the children had moved to stand behind him and it will bring you to your knees. Magleni and Eduard started singing Noche de Paz, (Silent Night, but in Spanish it is Night of Peace).
Jo Jo Jo Jo Was heard from the rear gate, Papa Noel arrived in style!!  Maria Laura is three, a simply beautiful wee muffin with long curly hair and an impish face. Profoundly deaf from a childhood fever. her sign for Santa is a wave, (Luis, Yasmin and I have talked long hours and Luis has finally allowed his pride to recede. Maria Laura will be starting proper sign classes in January.). When her two sisters signed Santa to her, she came scooting around the corner. Big eyes looked up and she closed on Papa Noel, but held her distance. The other children closed and this Christmas Papa Noel had his own surprise!! This Christmas Papa Noel poked their wee bellies asking if it was real first!! Jo Jo Jo Jo :christmas:  :christmas:

Papa Noel read the nativity scripture to them and led them in their prayer. Then they sang a special birthday song to Jesus. Maria Laura remained on the fringes, but attentively observing. Then the sack was opened by Papa Noels head elf Sandi. Once a year, children flock around someone other than Sandi, a noisy fat man in a red suit, (A VERY HOT RED SUIT).

Papa Noel was blessed with a personal moment with each child as they received special gifts. I would love to hear some of the things they said to him, but that's a secret that only Santa knows. I do hear though it makes the sweltering Red Suit worthwhile. Maria Laura did not join in the line but stayed to one side, those wide eyes watching Papa Noels every move.

Then the Elius came up to meet with Santa and receive their gifts as well. A package still rested by Papa Noel's side with Maria Laura's name on it. Eduard called for a prayer for Venezuela, we closed our eyes and heard the voices of youth expressing their personal dedication to our Lord Jesus one after the other. We heard each promise that in their lives still to come, they would follow their commission going forth to all nations, making disciples of all men and women baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Maria Laura was still observing.

Finally Los Eliu's requested a picture with Papa Noel, (Yes Wiley, the minute I have it printed I will have my neighbour scan it for me). Maria Laura had urgent business to discuss with Laura immediately after. Papa Noel started crying as he saw Maria Laura signing his "wave"  and the finger circling the mouth and chin, (For a goatee), that is "Brother Booty" in her special sign. Laura finally rsponded with the "Si" sign.

Maria Laura the stood there for an eternity, apparently building her resolve and strength for she next came running to Papa Noel and hurdled into his lap from a sure distance of at least two meters. I believe a record was set for three year old long jumps in Piritu last night!! Papa Noel was hugged and kissed by the bonniest wee colleen in the whole wide world!!

From that magic moment forward, Maria Laura became a permanent fixture in Papa Noel's lap!! Papa Noel is shamelessly in love!!          

Carlos told our new Deacon Jesus that a policeman had shot his dog. In front of him and his sisters. What a world, what a world, when will we ever ever ever learn His blessed peace? Jesus came by, and after gaining Maria Laura's permission to talk with Papa Noel, let him know.  Leonaesa will be going to fill a void in the family of Carlos when he returns home to Barcelona. A street urchin, Leonesa should fit in well. All she has ever asked for was someone to love.
Maria Laura finally agreed she would go with Papa Noel and his elf back to change from the HOT VERY HOT red suit!!  But first she made the Bunny sign, both arms biting like a crocodile!! The wait sign and ran off. Luis was carving the joint of bacon, pernil, and came up with the leg bone in a plastic bag and a question, "Bunny?" Papa Noel and Maria Laura made Bunny Wabbit a very happy Rottweiler when they arrived with her Christmas present.

When we returned in much cooler clothing!! We found ¿.... well....we found.......?   Perhaps I should just close here? We'll work on regimentation this year, OK? Perhaps we will find a way to conform? It was all Abuela's fault!! Omega helped!!







Oh no here we go.....




I can see the emails, phone calls and letters now!!!











Puerto Piritu is doing it again!!!












They just do not behave!!
 
:doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:











Remember when I told you that Abuela had assumed the role of teaching our young ladies to be exactly that, [B[LADIES[/B]?  Well I have seen makeup being more artfully applied, dress mode becoming more elegant and less provocative, hair becoming a glory in it's arrangement. All this in a country where women have made an art form of being sensual and erotic.

Our Eliu's have become ladies and gentleman as Abuela has also taken on the lads as well. This has extended to talking candidly of the trials of young motherhood and especially unmarried motherhood. The lads and I have talked quite frankly about the responsibilities of fatherhood. We also have talked quite openly about sexual desire.









But it all was Abuela's fault and Omega helped her!!!















WE RETURNED TO FIND ABUELA AND OMEGA TEACHING THE ELIU'S HOW PROPER YOUNG LADIES AND PROPER YOUNG GENTLEMEN DANCE!!!!

I suppose we should start disfellowshipping procedures immediately.  . . . . Could someone send us the guidebook?    I am not sure quite who to send it to though, becuse I took a turn on the floor with Papa Noel's favourite elf my own self!!

Feliz Navidad!!

From the Liberator's Side
Danny O Leary



Frayed Warp Thread #1

The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela clearly states:

"Article 7: The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of the legal order. All persons and organs exercising Public Power are subject to this Constitution."

I will repeat this with each Warp Thread we expose. There can be no denyingnor equivocation of this basic principle.

Recently images have flashed across the screens of your tellys of the "Strike" here in Venezuela. Your commentators have informed you that the opposition to the regime of Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias has mounted a pacific civil disobedience seeking a referendum on his governance. As part of these images, you have seen tear gas and rubber bullets being used to control these peaceful demonstrations to maintain the public order.

WARP THREAD #1 Unraveled

"Article 68: Citizens have the right to demonstrate, peacefully and without weapons, subject only to such requirements as may be established by law.
The use of firearms and toxic substances to control peaceful demonstrations is prohibited. The activity of police and security corps in maintaining public order shall be regulated by law."

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with a pro government attorney. I raised the issue of how we could have peaceful demonstrations being subjected to tear gas bombardment by the Guardia Nacional with this very clear and explicit article in our constitution. The response I received was basically it is considered "violence to disturb the public order".

By this malapropic distortion of the concepts "pacific" and "violent", every "Pacific Civil Disobedience" precept established by Ghandi is struck down and Article 68 becomes null and void. "Peacefully" obviously now comes to mean, "Not in disagreement with the government". An Orwellian Newspeak Concept.

"El primer deber del gobierno es dar educaci¾n al pueblo." Simon Bolivar

And the Waltzing Grannies.

He's back and he is angry. We have been misbehaving it appears and he was not received as he expected in New York, what did you people do to him? Apparently his new best buddy, Lula of Brazil, told him, "Hold the elections".

We were browbreat in cadena again today, all channels. But we have been misbehaving. Then today the Guardia Nacional broke into the warehouses and liberated "Soft Drinks and Beer", seriously, "Soft Drinks and Beer" are now essential food stuffs.

Perhaps they are when the opposition is now distributing beef and chicken free.

Shorty, the Lord has all our fingerpaintings and crayon-written prayers, with backwards letters and misspellings, on His refrigerator, next to our School Days of Earth class photo.  He loves them.

Read it years ago, pretty earthshaking in many ways. Do not have a copy.

Hee Hee are you sure it is not apostasy? :eek:  :frowning:  :blush:

And people refuse to think something like what you're going thru can ever happen in an enlightened, civilized country.

What, do they think Venezuela pre-Chavez was some sort of backward ignorant place that never heard of democracy?  (It may feel like that now...)

God bless you both and your loved ones, Booty.

Is there one smaller, a "runt"?  If so, in the fine tradition of 101 Dalmatians, you could call that one "Cadpig".

Tell Sandi "Hi"!  God bless her.

I hope your financial plans go smoothly.

When was that next sceduled/permitted referendum?

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (nerdneh @ Dec. 07 2002,6:57)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Booty, a prayer for you and your family and the hermanos and hermanas there. It would appear that you are truly permitting the LORD to give you peace of mind and guidance. May the nation be guided out of this chaos and justice triumph. Many here are praying for the well-being of you and yours. It is quite interesting to know that the news media here slant things as they desire, but most of us have known this is true all along. I just wish you could get some of your on-the-ground views published in the USA, or would this be too dangerous???

Es mucho frio aqui...[/quote]
Well Bob I might be willing  LOL

Here is a letter I just sent to the editor of our English Newspaper here

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]I saw three fairly derisive letters to the editor denouncing the strike this last weekend and I wish to respond.

To the gentleman in Valencia who worries about the strikes effect on the Gross Domestic Product, I would say the following. I firmly believe that each shop owner and each worker who went al paro knows first hand just how the loss of his small portion of the Gross Domestic Product hurt him and his immediate family. Why then would he subject his family to the loss? Why did Captain Daniel Alfaro drop anchor on the Pilin León and end his career? Perhaps for the same reason that once a group of colonial dissidents pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to another revolution.

To the gentleman in Caracas who notes the middle class caraqueños walking past the indigenous women and children begging to arrive at the protest, I would say that at least two of them had a destiny with death that they were enroute to fulfill. I might ask him why those indigenous women are begging and not working, or has begging become their profession? How often does he take time to note those same caraqueños pay the chamos who wash windshields?

To the gentleman in Cumaná who is envious of the Venezuelans taking nine consequtive days off and wishes he had grown up here to enjoy these "mini holidays", I would say that these people are not taking vacation, they are investing in their future. Some are paying the ultimate price. This is not a frivolous snowball fight in Pennsylvania. This is a very serious struggle by a democratic people seeking to guarantee the future for their children.

As are most of the readers of the DJ, I also am a extranjero. As an extranjero I am a guest in this country. I chose to make my  life here and the Venezolanos graciously accepted me. As a guest I feel obligated to treat my hosts with respect and not derision as they risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor protecting the democratic principles they hold dear. I feel as a guest it is my responsibility to pray for them to be able to resolve their struggle without further bloodshed.

To these three gentlemen I will make the offer to call for you at your front door and drive you to Maiquetia whenever the negative results on the GDP, the ignored indigenous professional beggars or the abundance of days off becomes too much for you.

Brojees
Puerto Piritu
[/quote]

Danger? That went out for all to see.

I will send my Senators and Congressman an email asking them to consider focusing at least some of their attention on Venezuala.

Kevin

Booty,


I did not mean to offend you but only sought  answers to my questions.  Please forgive me.

How long does Chavez have before leaving office if he for the sake of argument is left in power?

It is good you have studied Romans 13 and other verses dealing with government authorities.  It is one thing for Paul to flee from a governor of Damascus in a basket and yet another to preach his violent overthrow.  Would Paul approve of a coup against Chavez?

 Have the people opposed to Chavez been entirely innocent in the matter at hand? That is why I brought up the question about the shopkeeper.  That man depends on profit to keep himself solvent and it is not in his best interests to support Chavez if he is a died-in-the-wool communist.  Chavez may have praised Castro-Ruz, but does that mean he is a communist?  I remember the president of Mexico welcoming Fidel honorably to Mexico City several years ago, and while most Latin American leaders respect him for standing up to the US, they do not necessarilly endorse his Marxist economic programs.  Was Chavez admiring Castro-Ruz simply because he is not afraid to stand up against Washington or does Hugo actually want ot be the next Lenin?

One thing I remember about your Bible is that there was a priest murdered by a King of Judah.  Later that same king was assassinated with the conspirators being caught fleeing to a town far away from Jerusalem.  The king that was killed started out good but turned bad, however his successor executed the assassins nevertheless. He spared their children with the explanation "Children shall not be put to death for the sins of the fathers....".  The successor, by the qouting of that verse was shown approval by the Bible writers in avenging the slain king and sparing the children of the killers.  What say you in the case with Chavez???  

I took courses on Latin American and European Politics while in college and one thing my professors emphasized is that the different parties are 1. very dogmatic and uncompromising in their views 2. there are a lot more parties than here in the US with a wide scope of ideas 3.  The parties are much more poloraized than US parties.  Because of this they are less likely to want to cooperate with each other or try to see the "middle ground."

I think that is what you see going on in Venezuela right now.  A lot of people on both sides of the issues simply cannot see beyond their own  polorizing dogmaticism and demonizing.

Booty,

Please answer my question.

I'm heading to the plaza, God Bless all!!

May God's peace prevail.  If this is not possible for the entire world, may it be within the heart of all who love God.  God save us from ourselves.  Help us look to you for our protection and the protection of our loved ones.

Booty, you, Sandi and your adopted country are in my daily prayers.

A song comes to mind: "This land is not my home, I'm just passing through.  My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue . . ."

Take care my friend.

Bill

Our post-hurricane disaster relief efforts have long since descended into a quiet "after care" mode.  There are not many pieces of furniture or appliances left, only a few mattresses.  So, we are moving out of the storefront and storing things in an empty Sheriff's warehouse near the church building.

I'm brainstorming about re-packing the lightweight supplies, the first aid kits, the MRE's (practically indestructable meals, can be eaten as-is or heated by boiling the packet), the hygiene items.  Lightweight, closely packed, and shipped to Booty if I have my way!

Y'all pray about it, that the church leadership will not deny me (because Booty's churches aren't regimented regulated twice-sons-of-Hell...)!

Excuse my whining, please, pray for my attitude...

Also pray that I have some hope of getting the things to him & Sandi!

From the Liberator's Side
Danny O´Leary



Frayed Warp Thread #2

The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela clearly states:

"Article 7: The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of the legal order. All persons and organs exercising Public Power are subject to this Constitution."

I will repeat this with each Warp Thread we expose. There can be no denying nor equivocation of this basic principle.



Have you paid attention to the  "strike" here in Venezuela? Your commentators possibly have informed you that the regime of Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias has engaged in extensive efforts to deliver fuel to a nation paralyzed by this strike. Perhaps you have heard accounts of how merchant marine crews on the tankers were forced to perform their duties at gunpoint by the Guardia Nacional.

The Guardia had the right to remove them from the vessel. The government had the right to replace them with competent substitutes. But did the government have the right to force them into involuntary servitude for however brief of a period as it may have been?



WARP THREAD #2 Unraveled

Article 54: No person shall be subjected to slavery or servitude. Traffic of persons, in particular women, children and adolescents, in any form, shall be subject to the penalties prescribed by law.

Per the pro government attorney, the tanker involved is the property vicariously of the government through the corporate personage of PDVSA, Petroleos de Venezuela SA the state oil company (I so stipulate). The fuel being carried by the tanker is also the property of the state (once again, so stipulated). The crew members forced at gunpoint were so forced to maintain the public order by alleviating the fuel shortage.  

The individual dignities and liberties of these crewmembers were raped and violated by the very government whose sacred duty it is to protect them.  

"Los gobiernos deben guardar dignidad, y mucho más cuando son fuertes y se circuscriben en los limites de la moderación." Simon Bolivar

(Governments must guard dignity. Much more, when they are strong they must remain within the limits of moderation.)

Feliz Ano Nuevo, and may the turning year reveal God working to stablize the horrific climate in your beloved adopted nation. Please convey our greetings and concerns to the Elihus and the Elipaz's as well.
:thumbup:

Well, no, honey, politics are normal.  Since the Fall, anyway.  Unfortunately.

We, being "ab.normal", (above normal :p) will continue to draw fire.  From all sides.  We stick out.

When the hand gets over the wall it invites the stick. :cry: :doh:

Booty, I know you thank God for the furry loved ones!  They serve and love with no reservation, bless them.

I cannot sit still, waiting for the storm to either break or blow away, Booty; and me without personal stake in it!

Well, no, perhaps we do have a personal stake.  We love a couple of people and three churches, at least, in a far country.

Booty,
I was reading in the newspaper today about how bad things are getting down there. How are things with you and Sandi today?  Are you okay?
em

Have you seen his version of the New Testament?  I have one.  Pretty interesting.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--] CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Three military dissidents and a female protester opposed to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have been killed execution-style after being kidnapped, bound and gagged, police said on Tuesday.
[/quote]









Stupid locked the exchange at 1600bs to the dollar. The actual rate is 2500+ to the dollar. Obviously dollars are scarce. Because they are scarce, now Venezolanos cannot leave the country to the USA if they do not have $1000.00 cash available to them or an offshore account.







Stupid fixed prices of food stuffs. I am friends with my nearby market. Win Lee showed me just yesterday where his invoiced prices are now higher than his allowed sales price. He cannot stop selling what he has because that would be called hoarding, but he is not buying any more stock. Win Lee will be closing soon.





I just hope Dublin hurries up with Sandi's passport, we may be leaving sooner than we thought. I do not want to leave.

Booty

You and Sandi aught to have alot of fun with those pups running everywhere in a couple of weeks or so :help:  :D

8 Dec 2200hrs

Just returned from Clarines. We talked long about the strong possibility that they will be assuming total responsibility for their services for a time as the last petrol pump in Piritu is now closed. We will guard the petrol we have for emergencies in the various congregations. If one or two of us can get there and back by buseta, we will.

Not sure of how that will be by Wednesday, our next class day. Jessica and Richard approached me and Jessica with Adell will be discipling Richard Monday and Tuesday to baptise him Wednesday. I offered to go to the river right then and there, but he said no he needed the two more days. Pray for them.

In Clarines, as in Piritu, I note strongly that the din of the cacerolazo is stronger in the barrios than it is in the upper class neighbourhoods. El Presidente's prostestations that the opposition is the upper class is another lie.

Shots have been fired and tear gas is now being used in Puerto La Cruz. Carlos tells me it is very active there. Barcelona has seen fistfights in the streets.

We finished our communal study of John today and have decided we will do Luke next. I have benefitted so much from the communal studies, the different perspectives are very enlightening. We also know our brothers ands sisters much better now, how they think and what calls their attention.

Our sermon was based in the prophecies of Isaiah 2:4 and 11:1-8. The exhortations of 1 John 4:7 and 2 John 4-6. And the instruction by Paul to Titus 3:1-11.

We also started Circulos Cristianos where a groups of 3 or more unite to share in their fears and their concerns, praying together. I admitted I was scared and my strength was coming from the Lord and not from my person. The feeling was shared by all.

It doesn't help that December is a month when Venezuelans normally quite happily blow up their country with fireworks celebrating Christmas. Typically Venezuelan, they are continuing with this quaint custom night and day. Lord, he who has ears needs an ASPIRIN, he does Lord!!

I love this country and her people, this hurts.

Brojees, as you are so eloquently reporting from ground zero of a revolution, may God grant you and yours safety. Somehow, it makes our worries over getting the right Christmas present seem irrelavent. Especially, since God has already given the greatest Christmas present of all time. May peace return to the land with the healing only God can provide!

Just received this, it is from a commercial forecasting service.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]FARC Spillover Into Venezuela Puts Oil Supplies at Risk
Dec 09, 2002

According to reports from Venezuelan military intelligence sources, three small groups of guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have infiltrated into Venezuela in the past 72 hours. One group is in Maracay and is believed to be deploying to Caracas, though it also could remain in the Maracay area. In the past 24-48 hours, a second group crossed the frontier into Venezuela at Puerto Ayacucho, on the Orinoco River in Amazonas state. A third group has been based in the state of Trujillo for some time.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is believed to have forged strong ties with the FARC, and it appears he might have requested assistance in defending his regime from civil and military opponents amid the ongoing protests and unrest. Small units of trained guerrillas would do little to thwart a full-scale coup attempt but could be used to keep the opposition off balance. More important, with Chavez openly hinting that a protracted civil war could erupts if he is ousted, such units could help organize the early stages of an armed insurrection.

While the possible involvement of Colombian rebels promises to be no picnic for the Venezuelan opposition, it is a nightmare for the U.S. administration. Washington has been focused on the Middle East and has dealt with both Colombia and Venezuela as second-tier issues at best. In Colombia, the Bush administration has committed just enough resources to hurt the FARC yet not enough to stop it from retaliating.

In Venezuela, turf wars and apathy among U.S. government officials -- as well as poor U.S. relations with both the Venezuelan government and opposition following last April's failed coup -- have combined to leave Washington out of touch and with few levers by which to affect events.

Washington could afford to dabble in Colombia so long as the tempest remained in the teapot and could let events in Venezuela take their own course so long as the oil flowed. Now, however, the United States faces the potential for a much broader regional insurgency affecting one of its most important sources of oil outside the Middle East. It should be noted that the FARC units from eastern Colombia that are now operating in Venezuela are well-versed in pipeline-demolition techniques.

Unless Washington moves quickly and decisively, it could find itself mired in a long and costly South American war and with increased dependence on Middle Eastern oil suppliers.
[/quote]



Ach!

I'm old enough to remember Carlos the Jackal's heyday.  Scary.

My employer (United) has suspended flights to Venezuela for the next week or so, with the option of continuing the suspension.

Booty, I pray that your adopted country will find a peaceful way to settle the present situation.  I thank God for the opportunity that He has given me to come to know about you and the people of Venzuela.

I was given the privilege of speaking to our congregation on Sunday.  I spoke about "Loving as Christ Loved" and illustrated with the stories in the Gospel of John about Jesus' interaction with indiviuals.  

I pray for you ministry so that more will come to know the love of Jesus.

Bill

What a night.  

After yesterdays march nationwide, 3 million plus people estimated in Caracas, a change is evident. Before teh Chavistas have always been the ones who have the look of aggression, the opposition simply determination. Now the oppostion has the same look of determination mixed with a hope and joy. They are not only protesting, they are celebrating their victory.

But the Chavistas have a new look, it is the look of fear. Their numbers are dwindling as more and more abandon ranks and the culling is coming down to the hardened radicals at the extreme core. The fear is a feral fear. What I see now in their eyes does not bode well for the future.

Yes, he will resign, it is only a matter of time now. Perhaps Christmas Day? But I see where we will have a group ala FARC of Colombia to contend with for some time.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (Arkstfan @ Dec. 24 2002,5:26)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]In the full text Nehemiah goes to great lengths to avoid fighting because he knows that the walls are not secure enough and Jerusalem still doesn't have enough people in place to defend it.

His armed guards were there more to show the others that they would fight if attacked but also to avoid inflitration.

I am pretty much on the pacifist side of things but I think Nehmiah's lesson is apt because he didn't want to fight either (ended up not having to) but he made sure the people kept their eyes open while he tried to defuse the situation.[/quote]
Like a Rottweiler named Bunny Wabbit that sleeps with her own Teddy Bear? She does look fierce and her bark is impressive. She knows her job as well, but she is I hope just a deterrent.


There was a nationwide prayer at four this afternoon. Oh the Talibans will have a field day, I stood quietly and respectfully during a mass!! I have learned a lot about ecumenical unity during this crisis here. Tonight at 11 our time AST (EST+1), we will commence a cacerolazo. I invite each of you to tap a pot with a spoon for Paz, in honor of the Prince of Peace who wasn't born on this day. LOLOL!!!   WHO CARES WHAT SPECIFIC DAY HE WAS BORN? HE WAS BORN!!!!


Well I am off soon to our Christmas Dinner, another chance to fill some hungry bellies. That fat man appears at 10:00 p.m. after he makes his rounds of the neighbourhood. We expect a bigger turnout than normal as we have been inviting people who normally would have their families here, but now they don't.

I can sympathize... empathize, even, maybe.

Judging from the people where my mother came from, the farmers and hill people and their heavily Scots/Irish background, there's probably that Irishness lurking in my genes, too.  I've seen her questionable birth certificate; the names of the parents wouldn't preclude it.

(I blame that Celtic blood for my regrettable baiting of Kari.  {My genome made me do it! :p}  If only I were more phlegmatic.  I hope she saw my apology.)

Anyway, I follow with great attention the news reports out of Venezuela.  I get them mostly through National or International Public Radio.  And, of course, I hang on your every post.

Booty, we appreciate so much you sharing your situation with us, so that we may pray with some understanding.

God's richest blessings on your heads today!
********************************************
PS: I have not even attempted to press the elders yet re: all those disaster supplies we could be sending you...  Lord, what will I do when they quiz me about your "soundness"? {shudder...}  :help:  :pray:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]La pluma es un fiel instrumento para transmitir con libertad los sentimentos sinceros. Simon Bolivar[/quote]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]The pen serves as the rapier of the pacific man. Brojees[/quote]

I have been asked to prepare and submit commentary dealing with the crisis here for publication. I am to prepare them in English and Sandi and I will be translating them into Spanish.

We prayed considerably over this and we believe with all our hearts and souls it is what we are to do. The first ones went out last night and I will paste them into subsequent posts. Whether thay will be accepted for publication is not yet known.

I invite spiritual and editorial comment from my family here at GCM. I also invite you to distribute them if you are so inclined.

Pray for us as we embark on this endeavour as this does increase our risk factor. But we cannot persist in sitting by quietly in the face of gross injustice, my Lord spoke up to injustice and we must as well.

We're still here. The march in Caracas today was to Fuerte Tiuna where General Martinez is under house arrest. They were blocked short of their goal by military police. The Chavistas were behind the military police throwng rocks and bricks at the opposition marchers. Tear gas, bobby wands and fists flew.

The Caracas Municipal police came in and peacefully disengaged the opposition protesters from the military police. Then the Caracas Municipal police had tear gas fired at them by the military police.

One bullet wound, 8 or so clubbings, 30+ gas asphyxiations. Just a normal day in Belfa....  No, now this is Caracas... I do need to remember that. It's warmer and they speak Spanish, that is how I can keep it straight!

We know that the peaceful demonstartions are soon to end. Next week a march is planned on the Presidential Palace, Miraflores. We believe this will be the turning point.

I have been short at times here and maudlin as well. Two of the posters I feel closest to have each commented on it. Do forgive me please.

My faith in the Lord remains firm and strong, my faith in Brojees is something else again now. There are times now when I feel an old anger that I thought I had overcome. What is it now, three months or more that this has intensified to a daily panorama of the worst in man?

The telly broadcasts continuous footage of the struggle, pro and con depending on which emitter you tune in. The news is headlines every day. The attitude in the streets is tangible.

Nights... Nights. Well first the chamos have not given up their unholy love of fireworks, they are still very happily blowing up their country as the do each Christmas/New Years Season. Oh I know it is dangerous, but even Sandi's mum picks up a few extra coins selling them every year. Some things will not change.

Next, thievery is at an all time high. Theives are getting bolder under the anarchy that reigns stronger every day. Carlito told me a "joke".

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]There are now four pleas in Venezuelan courts.
1. Guilty .. Proceeds to immediate sentencing.
2. Innocent .. Proceeds to trial
3. Nolo Contendre .. Proceeds to trial
4. Viva Chavez! .. Proceeds to immediate release with the profound apologies from the court.[/quote]

    :cry:  :cry:  :cry: ha ha ha

The joke continues as option 4 is now a pretrial motion, you never even see the courtroom.  

Bunny and I visit a lot at night these days. Sometimes now I find myself sleeping in the patio with my flashlight by my side.
Food is still available, but eating habits are changing. Rice and cornmeal are in short supply, but we have been learning a new and wonderful staple, the glorious "Pratty". (Potato yanks Potato). We, our congregation, now know how to cook boxty and colcannon, in fact Sandi has come up with a colcannon empanada that is spectacular. We also have discovered cabbage can be used for so many other things other than sweet salad. There is also an abundance of oatmeal and I remember living on oatmeal when Granda was between.

Sadly the twins father has discovered whisky to replace the beer he could not afford to begin with. But I hear the whisky supply will run short soon. And could you be imagining a whole country in the shakes at the same time? They drink more here than in Ireland if you can believe it, the beer shortage is serious. I hope they do not go to cucúy, that is lethal!!

Our congregation is drawing closer together. I have a gas grill arrangement I made for the patio and now people are coming over to boil their pratties on it. Their gas supplies are gone. I project at current usage, I put back four months worth in bottles.

Jesus and Aracelis make the rounds in one direction each day and Sandi and I in the other, checking on the flock. Bunny loves it, she is having her wee legs walked off her!  She's not gaining back her pre illness weight though, this lass is all muscle!! She is beginning to look like a fuzzy doberman on steroids!! Of course my weight is still there, but it is FIRMER now I will be having you know!

There is activity on the land as well. Our posts now have a course of blocks connecting them. Next dirt will start to fill in and finally a concrete elevated floor will come to be.

Jesus, Eduard and Eliezer  are off to pick coffee in the mountains for a family member. Depending on transport, they may be gone for as long as two weeks, one at the least. Eduard is threatening to bring me back a monkey. As if an Irishman around the house isn't enough!!
Keep the prayers coming and please forgive me when I am ... well jsust.. ACh ... but you know.

Top of the mairnin! We are still here and still in good health and good spirits. The weekend passed uneventful. I managed to find petrol for Bam Bam and topped off after our provisions expedition last week. Sunday was the Venezuelans of the World march and I even saw Bernie & Mauve with the Irish tri colour on the telly. It is hard to differentiate amongst the Irish tri colour Green/White/Orange and the Italian Green/White/Red, but theirs was distinctive as Bernie also had a Starry Plough flying. I went out with Bunny....BUNNY!! More on her!!...and paraded me tri colours, ROI on one shoulder and RBdV on the other in the afternoon.

Bunny!! She comes when called for her bath and stands patiently while I wet her and scrub her, then does not shake while being hosed off until I tell her to. No leash,just a very sweet obedient darling.....But then my beautifully marked Black and Tan, (I know, but in her case I can accept those colours), sweet smelling pretty baby runs around like a dervish, jumping like the rabbit she was named for and promply rolls herself in the red earth in the corner!! Then she proudly returns to me red from head to toe and wants a hug!!  Perhaps it is the black and tan she wants to hide?  Now I could understand that and I do read her Irish history? ???  :whatisthat:

Oh I know everyone loves to hear of Bunny and her antics, but other questions were asked. I guess I was just not thinking about it until now. First Janine, thank you. You have a talent for prayer that is definitely God given, Sandi and I both say thank you. And all the rest of you as well, I am receiving prayers and inquiries by pm in addition to here. Thank you, it really does help. You are all being used by our Lord to bring solace to us in these troubled times. This Sunday during announcements, I listed off the cities and locations I knew personally were praying for us, that brought a smile to all. Perhaps I will put a list on the bulletin board that we hang on the fence.

Here though GCM is very special because here is where I can bear my soul and seek the support of brothers and sisters in my own tongue, (More or less!! :blush: )

Sandi and I have started to seriously consider leaving. The comments by the rude General really took hold. Worse than the belching was when he said, If you have something in your home that the people need, I will break down the door of your home as well." Now we know that he is not talking about Qta. La Trinidad, our house specifically. He also is based in the western half of the country, Carabobo State. But the idea that he expressed appears to be very Chavista. I have talked to Omega about this just this weekend and he tells me that is how they believe, I even suspect Omega feels that way as well. Worse, how they decide "what the people need" is not with the courts, but what the people say at the moment. Who are the "people"? Well the people would be those that are breaking down the door.

We don't have a lot and we share everything we can, actually Sandi's family considers us very foolish for how much we do share and they are not tight people. But I just have a problem with the idea of anyone thinking that they have the right to break in my door. We finally seem to have that under control in Ireland, I'll not be accepting it here.

It also bothers me that I saw how a woman, a woman was thrown to the ground Friday, her head striking the pavement forcefully and landing right next to a spewing tear gas cylinder. Yes she was struggling with "authourities", but she is a woman and she was grabbed from behind by a despicable coward. This is Venezuela where women are revered. This is Venezuela where rape used to be unheard of because rapists did not live to come to trial. This is Venezuela where women are LADIES.

So what do I do when the "people" decide they need a little sport and Sandi and her sister are here in the house alone?
While ideally the spiritual world functions on love, one for the other; the secular world functions on respect and fear.  Hopefully this respect and fear will be well placed so that the person of another is honoured and respected out of fear of the consequences when it is not. But when those that would normally mete out the consequences to the offenders have no respect for the persons of others, then who will?

We are discussing leaving then, not today or next week...there always is a marker for decisions, our next serious consideratrion will be on Feb 2, the day of the consultive referendum if it happens. Staying updated on Trinidad/Tobago, we know there are terror threats there ala Bali per the brits. Our problem with that is I doubt a moslem fanatic will differentiate between myself and a yank, (or worse, a brit!!). But still and all, Sandi and I do not spend a lot of time in large gatherings of foreigners, so we should be all right. The USA is not an option because of the visa requirements and asylum is not being offered yet to those fleeing Venezuela. (Of course we could catch a boat and wash up on Miami saying we are Cuban!!) Ireland of course is high on our list, but LOLOL!!!   :doh:
It is COLD!!  I know, I am ruined, but I hate cold weather! Never did like it and now I truly hate it.

Guyana is another option, while the visa requirements are so so, the infrastructure is so lax they will never notice us. Thanks to the three IRA boyos, Colombia is out, my pasport is the problem there now. Ecuador has a Chavez clone just taking office, I suspect he will ruin Ecuador faster than Chavez ruined Venezuela. Brzil is out, Lula appears more politically astute, but Brazil has a host of her own problems. Argentina would not have been an option even without their current trouble, they are simply like brits, they think too well of their own selves. Chile is on our list, we have even priced apartments there on the internet.

I also have a certain fascination with Uraguay and of course my all time "I really want to go there" spot, Guatemala. Perhaps it is time I walked the mayan trail and tried to determine where an entire civilization went to. A dream and as long as we are including dreams, Sandi dreams of Venice, Italy.

I will have to seek employment and I did just dash off an emeil to a concern in Milan where my particular services may be needed. That is EU, so I can work there. Hmmm Maybe we could plant a church in the Vatican?

But we do not want to leave our churches here, there is just too much to do, too many souls seeking Him. Well when it is time He will guide us. Until then you all will just have to bear my celtic ramblings from time to time.

Slainté

Brojees

That they do Janine, that they do.    

Oh, I thought your Mr Jefferson was in Paris during the forming of your constitution?

I have some wonderful books on him, he, Bolivar and Arthur Griffith are possibly three of my favourite figures in secular history. Jefferson had some interesting ideas on the Lord as well.

Wow what a day!!


At the regional meeting of the congregations, (We could not afford the passage, so we sent a delegation), 20 rose for the Lord.  Luis preached his first sermon in Puerto Piritu today, he has the gift!! Pueblo Viejo has their first service tonight.

And Bunny has dumped the BELLY!!  9 pups, 7 survived 6 males and one female!!

Perro Bravo Canine Guards has their first crew!!  There all smart!! I told them all to lie down and that is exactly what they are doing. Looks like Bunny will be agood Mamita!

And possibly I met a man today where I may not have to look for secular work outside of Venezuela....If that is the Lord's desire. We really should have left by now because we are losing daily... losing to the point where I have to look for secular work, But the Lord put us here and He will provide. Just possibly I was given the answer today.

Our sweet shop opens next week. If it just provides survival earnings and I can land this other short project to get the sweet shop going, I will stay until I get booted!!

Actually this August I am elegible at long last for Venezuelan citizenship. Once I have that, I am guaranteed the right to stay, so booting Booty will no longer be the concern.
Prayers, prayers and prayers!!

My prayers go to all. I've emailed my small group and we'll set aside some extra time for our brothers in Venezula on Wednesday.

Paranoia?  Megalomania?

God, bless Venezuela...

How long does Chavez have before he leaves office?

I find it interesting that a shopkeeper/ capitalist would support a man sympathetic to communistic political ideas.  I have heard of this happening before in Italy and France, but I never can logically comprehende the concept.

Booty, do you believe that Chavez should be overthrown in a coup?  The Bible does say that the governing powers exist by the will of God.

Lord of Lords and King of Kings, we come before you on our knees Lord to lift up to you the son of Santiago Rondon and his 24 companions. Lord we know you have use for him elsewhere now Lord and thank you for the time he was in our care. Praise your Holy Name Jesus that he was baptised unto you and now is by your side. Please comfort and tend to the loving families, his wife and child, that are left behind.

It is not ours to question Lord, it is ours to serve and obey, but you who know all know the pain that is in our hearts. Forgive us Lord when we cry for our loss that is only a temporary separation. Lord please bring peace to this troubled land.

In the name of Jesus Christ we pray,
Amen



Santiago is the preacher of iglesia de Cristo, Eneal. His son was 23 serving in the Venezuelan army on the Colombian border. He and his mates were killed in a bus accident when they were being transported somewhere. We got word late last night. Do not know when his body will be returned to the family. His baby is months old.

Father,

I want to lift up the people in Venezuela.  Your children.  God, may you hear their cries, and may you deliver them from tyranny and injustice.  

But most of all, be with Booty and other Christians in the nation and give them the courage to proclaim the message that real freedom from tyranny can come only from you and your son Jesus Christ who came to set us free.

Let it be

I was remiss, I must confess

Earlier I set out to translate Article 350 of the Venezuelan Constitution to share with all of you the intrinsic constitutionality of the nationwide strike here in Venezuela. Well I became intrigued with other avenues and as oft happens, left my translation duties to one side, hoping to get back to them later.

Today I visited for the first time the site of the officers who started the whole event. I actually had avoided it because I wanted to not feed my personal bias with their surely complimentary bias. In any event, a young lady asked me where should could inscribe to vote and I expected the site would have information, (Tomorrow is the deadline).

While there I discovered this translation of the relative Articles in the Constitution of the Boliviarian Republic of Venezuela. The translation is excellent, I could not have done better my own self.

I will not endorse the site beyond saying that I found little there I am in disagreement with, but it is biased and I wish to present the most unbiased view possible to the rest of the world.

By the way, thank you all for paying attention. It really means a lot.

Brojees


The relevant articles. (http://www.militaresdemocraticos.com/en/constitucion.html)

In the full text Nehemiah goes to great lengths to avoid fighting because he knows that the walls are not secure enough and Jerusalem still doesn't have enough people in place to defend it.

His armed guards were there more to show the others that they would fight if attacked but also to avoid inflitration.

I am pretty much on the pacifist side of things but I think Nehmiah's lesson is apt because he didn't want to fight either (ended up not having to) but he made sure the people kept their eyes open while he tried to defuse the situation.

From the Liberator's side
Danny O´Leary

"La anarquia es el resultado necesario de un conflicto que el gobierno es opresivo, y la nación es liberal." Simon Bolivar

(Anarchy is the inevitable result of a conflict hwere the government is oppressive and the nation is liberal.)

In whatever grouping of mankind, constitutions provide the frameworks or looms upon which the tapestries of society may be woven. These looms must be of good hardwood, firm and unyeilding. Failing the loom, the society remains naught but a sorry snarl of disassociated raveled threads, quite useless to all within and without, the chaos of anarchy.

Should the loom not be square, neither will be the tapestry. But a tapestry it will be. To square up the tapestry, one must square the loom upon which it is woven. Such is true as well with constitutions and for this purpose, a good constitution is written with provision to square it and adjust it to changing times and faults of omission by the authors.

The warp (those straight vertical threads), of the tapestry of a society is the laws which that society develops, derived from and anchored in the loom which is the constitution. As with good yarn, good laws will have some limited flexibility and mallebility. This is only possible when the tapestry is woven in a firm loom. Laws not anchored in the loom of the constitution are a blight upon the tapestry of society and serve only to snare the unsuspecting members of that society.

The weft (those horizontal threads woven into the warp), used in the tapestry of society are those officials which administer and protect those laws. These officials of society must be woven into and firmly adhered to the warp of law which is by absolute necessity anchored in the firm loom of the constitution of that same society. The officials, the weft, also are permitted limited elasticity and flexibility as can be reasonably achieved in their association with the warp.

Into this is blended the various colours and textures as provided in the people who comprise the society, and the continuous tapestry of society emerges. At times plain and ordinary, at times ugly and at other times beautiful. But in all cases a tapestry, a whole product.

Now as you cannot create this tapestry without a firm loom, nor can you disassociate the weft from the the warp. More critically, you cannot detach the warp from the loom. Any attempt to do so results in the snarl of raveled yarn, the chaos of anarchy.

Venezuela recently changed the loom of their tapestry of society. Not an impossible task, but one to be approached with the highest degree of caution. If the warp is not firmly and uniformly reanchored to the new loom with new threads as needed, the unraveling of the tapestry begins.

Somewhere in the process of changing looms, constitutions, Venezuela has allowed some of their warp threads, laws, to remain unanchored and some of their weft threads, officials, to become disassociated from the warp and vicariously the loom.

An unraveling is starting to appear which is rapidly deteriorating to the hopeless snarl of anarchy. These loose warp threads must be reattached to the loom and swiftly. As there is a growing disassociation of weft threads from the warp and the loom, Venezuela urgently requires the attention of master tapestry weavers.

Sadly though there is another insiduous form of weaving going on. Skilled wordsmythes have been busily engaged in creating a gossamer tapestry of illusion around the unraveling tapestry of reality. As well, other societal tapestries are clamouring for attention and sadly Venezuela is being ignored.

It is my fervent prayer that in the days and weeks to come I may be permitted to identify, one by one, those warp threads which have been allowed to unravel in the hopes that public attention will serve to anchor them until they can once again be firmly attached to the loom.

Venezuela society is a beautiful, joyful, bright and vibrant tapestry. Of course it has had its defects and they have been identified, some are serious, very serious. I truly believe these defects having been identified will not be ignored in the future if the Venezuelan tapestry survives. If the tapestry survives.

"Yo no quiero ahogar en el caos de la anarquia mi nombre y mis obras." Simon Bolivar

(I do not wish to drown in the chaos of anarchy my name and my works)

From the Liberator's Side
Danny O´Leary



Frayed Warp Thread #3

The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela clearly states:

"Article 7: The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of the legal order. All persons and organs exercising Public Power are subject to this Constitution."

I will repeat this with each Warp Thread we expose. There can be no denying nor equivocation of this basic principle.



General Carlos Alfonzo Martinez of the Guardia Nacional was arrested by the DISIP, Political Police. He remains under house arrest in his quarters on Ferte Tiuna. His liberty to leave prevented by guards from the armed forces.

A Venezuelan court issued a writ of Habeus Corpus, an order to produce a prisoner to determine the justice of his detention. This writ was ignored by the Venezuelan military authorities and the court subsequently issued a release order which has also been ignored.    

If the DISIP was correct in the original detention of General Martinez cannot be determined. That was the purpose of the writ of Habeus Corpus, to determine the justice of the original detention.

The military elements which now impeed his free movement in defiance of the court orders are in no manner bestowing justice on General Martinez.

WARP THREAD #3 Unraveled

"Article 27: Everyone has the right to be protected by the courts in the enjoyment  and  exercise   of  constitutional  rights   and  guarantees, including even those inherent individual rights not expressly  mentioned in this  Constitution or  in international  instruments concerning human rights.

Proceedings  on a  claim for  constitutional protection  shall be  oral, public, brief, free of charge  and unencumbered by formalities, and  the competent judge shall  have the power  to restore immediately the legal situation infringed upon or the closest possible equivalent thereto. All time shall  be available  for the  holding of  such proceedings, and the court shall give constitutional claims priority over any other matters.

The action for the protection of liberty or safety, may be exercised  by any person and the physical custody of the person of the detainee shall be transferred immediately to the court, without delay.

The exercise  of this  right shall  not be  affected in  any way  by the declaration of  a state  of exception  or restriction  of constitutional guarantees."


When the military defies the court and does not transfer custody of the detainee to the court, the constitutional mandated court protection of the individual is null and void. The government in one form, the military, prevents the government in another form, the courts, from performing it's primary purpose. The primary purpose of the government being to protect the individual from injustice.

General Carlos Alfonzo Martinez merits this protection equally with any other citizen of Venezuela.


"Sin la iqualidad perecen todas las libertades, todos los derechos." Simon Bolivar

(Without equality, all liberties and all rights perish.)



[!--EDIT|Booty|Jan. 03 2003,6:15--]

Once again, a report that is not all darkness, but does show the possibilities for things to get darker still. :(

How do we tell you  :alert: "run, save yourselves" :alert: ?  It's not what I would want to hear in your shoes...  I'd likely want to hear "stay, sacrifice yourselves", then of course have it turn out not to be necessary!:doh: :blush:

What's that old saying about the guy who turns & runs away living to fight another day?  And discretion being the better part of valor?

I just don't know, Booty, what our opinion(s) ought to be.

That's not why you share this conversation with us anyway, is it, primarily?  You get from it the same things we do, I guess, all our situations being different and yet so weirdly the same.  We all want reasonable safety in our own homes (it gives us an illusion of comfortable control, yes?).  We want to serve the Lord, with sweet harmony in our churches and just enough disagreement with nearby ones to give us something to study together. :D  We want the sweat of our brows and the callouses on our hands to mean a little something, and we want to go home to Heaven... but maybe not this week... :saint:

:pray: So we pray for you.:pray:  And pray some more.:pray:  And we hear you, and we relay news abroad 'from the horse's mouth' (notice I said horse... not his lesser cousin, ass!)

Holy kisses all around to the ladies and gentlemen of your churches. (I'd add kisses here but I've used up my allowed allotment of smilies...)

The fact that the time y'all could have a binding referendum is only a few months away, gives me a little hope.  People with level heads and some patience left, if denied now, will work for that day as a near goal.  It might prevent the situation blowing up.  I do wonder if it will make a difference to Chavez if the day comes and he's voted down then.  He doesn't sound like he gives two whoops in Hell what anyone else thinks.

There was a discussion once, about brethren leaving churches over irreconcilable differences which would force them to sin (or at least sin against conscience) if they stayed... I heard it was said that Thomas Jefferson would never rebel against the system, he would surely stay within the hurtful system and patiently work to change it from within.

Hello?  What was that little thing known as the Revolution?  How about those insignificant little documents, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence? :sarcasim:

There comes a time to fight.  If it comes... and of course I pray it doesn't... I hope it's quick and to-the-point, offering little foothold for hooligans and rioters...

Funny thing about rioting mobs; they usually foul their own nests. :frowning:

You're right Janine, very right!

Welcome to the dark side of the Irish, the insipid mawkish self abasement of the Irish. You did know Maudlin was invented to describe the Irish?

I am just tired Janine, very tired.

This is like sitting with my thumb in the dike. I know it will all break loose sooner or later, it is inevitable. Our "PEACE" is not based in the Lord, but rather an intentional manipulation of Ghandi's principles with the intent to provoke confrontation and violent reaction by the government to earn them the condemnation of the world. Of course the masses do not realize this, they have a noble cause, but my personal history leads me to a rather cynical realization of what is occurring.

I would love to deny it, but I know better.

And I am tired.

Someone is enjoying roast pig and I've been popcorned!!

Yesterday a taxi did a roast pig handstand in front of me and Bam Bam and I went popcorning!! Two of the Elius popped out!

You see there exists a quaint custom here of roasting pig our of doors that results in a delicious pig and some spectacular handstands by vehicles.

Roast Pig ala Chamos

Wash and scald the pig, strip the hair. Rub in your spices and lance in garlic and spice bags into the meat.

Dig a hole. Place blocks at the side of the whole to support your grill, then continue up with the blocks to support your upper heat sink. Light off the lower fire and bed in your coals. As well light off your upper fire on the heat sink and bed those coals as well. When ggod and hot, slide in the pig onto the grill. Lay banana leaves against the sides of the structure to hold in the heat and smoke in the banana leaf flavour.  
Simple, and you should have all the ingredients there. You all know how to dig holes and everyone has blocks to be sure. The grill you can make up in a day with a torch and angle iron. Just Make your frame and solder in the rails with the v inverted for your grill surface. Oh the heat sink, well to be sure look in the street. There are these dandy round ones there that serve quite well. Don't worry about the hole, it will be covered someday. Until then, sooner of later someone will drag a tree branch over to warn motorists. Until then, they simply will do handstands!

And when they do handstands, foreigners in jeeps can be counted on to take to the shoulder bouncing throught the deep drainage culvert go airbourne then land on one front wheel to bounce back into the air and land on the opposite rear wheel. Teenagers will pop out and roll in the dirt and the front pilot shaft will rip the rock shield off the oil pan causing all the oil to spill gloriously on the ground. Quite a show!!

I dearly love these crazy people, I do hope we finally normailize our politics so we can get back to the important things in life like eating our roast pigs.

No one was hurt other than our sides as we rolled in the dirt laughing hearing the witnesses describe the show. We fished the taxi's front wheel out of the manhole and now he and I have some repairs to accomplish.

You know at times when we become so absurdly preoccupied with worldly matters, politics and what all, the Lord steps in and creates a show to bring us back to reality!!

Have to run, I smell roast pig!!

:doh: ACH!   Make that two females living for a total of 8!  

Tardita has arrived.

I broke some bone to make Bunny a bonemeal and while I was feeding it to her, she politely stood up and presented Tardita!

I think this is it, we have been whelping for 5 hours now.

They all continue to behave so well, I commanded them to lie down and they all are obeying!!

yeah, I've been praying too; I hope everybody has.  btw, do you know of any US media outlet that's giving the troubles in Venezuela good coverage? I just tend to hear bits and pieces.  I guess Booty's covering this for us better than we can expect from any other source.

(http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20021214/thumb.1039906722.venezuela_strike_car109.jpg)      



Chanting "Let him leave today," protesters filled bridges, overpasses and parks along Caracas' busiest highway, carrying giant Venezuelan flags, blowing whistles and chanting anti-Chavez slogans. Participants estimated the crowd at more than 1 million people. (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021214/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_strike_119)

Sorry about the noise, we are peacefully, but noisily reclaiming our country.

The whole country is in the streets, the noise is deafening even here in Puerto Piritu. There is a sense of euphoria as the pot and spoon revolution I truly believe has turned the corner!

Even Bunny & Nemo are joining in, he is whistling to beat all and she is barking and howling along with all the other dogs in the neighbourhood.
Prayers please, prayers & more prayers!! Oh and beat a pot or two if you like, you'll be in good company!!

Then boiled with wrath
The swift sword wielder,
Simon Peter,
Speechless he,
Grieved his heart
That any sought
to bind his Master,
Grim the knight faced
Boldly the servants,
Shielding his Suzerain,
Not craven his heart,
Lightning swift
Unsheathed his sword,
Strode to the first foe,
Smote a strong stroke,
Clave with the sharp blade,
On the right side
The ear from Malchus.

Heliand

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Adolf Hamack, a most eminent authority on the history of the church, lists three major reasons beyond emperor worship for the nonparticipation of Christians in the military forces of the Roman Empire: (1) Christians absolutely renounced war and the shedding of human blood. (2) Military officers sometimes imposed death sentences, and soldiers were called upon to execute these sentences. (3) The soldier's oath of absolute obedience was offensive to Christians who felt that such obedience was owed to God alone. [/quote]

Summary of Francis of Assissi, "Pray to God and Lock the door!!"

Just an Irish custom, roving your mind. Thought you might want to listen in.

Is it truly so very great a sin, to have assumed you knew how the Lord was working things out?

Must you ascribe the most evilest nastiest low motives to yourself at every opportunity?

Self-abasement can be a sin, too!  :D  :doh:

Cry if you want to... God is good, I cry over His amazing works too.

I wonder how far my Experimental Shipment would get, if I sent it now?  In what stockpile, what warehouse would it sit, and for how long, before it was liberated?

It sits on my carport right now, waiting to go.  Nothing grand, more an expression of "We're praying for you, brothers & sisters!"  Or an inquiry into whether you'd ever receive it.

I believe our tree of liberty will now be watered

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]
Venezuela Top Court Suspends Referendum on Chavez
18 minutes ago


CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the suspension of a planned February nonbinding referendum on the rule of President Hugo Chavez, dealing a blow to opposition hopes to inflict a symbolic political defeat on the leftist leader.

Electoral authorities had set the referendum for Feb. 2, after the opposition had collected more than 2 million signatures to request the poll, which would have asked voters whether or not the populist president should resign.

But Chavez's government, which is battling a seven-week opposition strike, objected to the vote as unconstitutional and appealed to the Supreme Court to stop it from going ahead.

"This means that the referendum is frozen,' Romulo Rangel of the country's National Electoral Council, the official electoral authority, told reporters.

Chavez, who was voted into office in 1998 and is refusing opposition calls to step down and hold early elections, had said he would ignore the result of the nonbinding referendum, even if he lost by 90 percent.

A defeat in the poll would not have legally obliged Chavez to resign, but the opposition had been hoping it would show they could beat him in a vote.

Chavez has said they should wait until Aug. 19, halfway through his term, when the constitution allows for a binding referendum on his current mandate, which is scheduled to last until early 2007.
[/quote]

And forgive me Lord, but I am ready to water it.

Our Tribunal Suprema has been compromised. They appeared strange when they came back from recess. Subdued and not meeting the cameras with their eyes. Canny, we can almost sense it just by watching their eyes.

First they left General Alfonso Martinez sequestered unconstitutionally

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Article 44: Personal liberty is inviolable, therefore:

(1) No person shall be arrested or detained except by virtue of a court order, unless such person is caught in fraganti.  In the latter case, such person must be brought before a judge within forty-eight hours of his or her arrest. He or she shall remain* free during trial, except for
reasons determined by law  and assessed by the  judge on a case-by case basis.[/quote]

A judge issued the order to have him brought before him, the military ignored the order.



and now this. Article 71 of our constitution permits this referendum.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Section Two: Popular Referendum

Article 71: Matters of special national transcendence may be referred to a consultative referendum,  on the initiative  of the President of the Republic,  taken at a meeting of the  Cabinet; by resolution of the National Assembly, passed  by a majority  vote; or at the request of a number of voters constituting at least 10% of all voters registered  on
the national, civil and electoral registry.

Matters of special state, municipal and parish transcendence may also be referred to a consultative referendum. The initiative shall be taken by the Parish Board, the Municipal Council and to the Legislative Council, by the vote of two third of its members; by the Mayor and the Governor
or by a number of voters  constituting at least 10% of the  total number of voters registered in the pertinent circumscription.
[/quote]

The Consejo Nacional Electoral, our national election council has certified that the signatures collected are valid and of sufficient quantity.

It is now being said quite accurately that the Venezuelan people do not have a democratic exit from our crisis. Democracy is being denied us by our democratically elected regime.

The question then becomes, when a people are denied their right to democratic process, what is left to them?

The famous American Patriot, Thomas Jefferson said, "The tree of liberty must occasionally be watered by the blood of patriots."

"He doesn't sound like he gives two whoops in Hell what anyone else thinks."



I am offended.