Venzuela

[Booty]

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

[Bill]

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

[janine]

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!

[Booty]

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.)

[nerdneh]

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:

[janine]

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.

[Emily]

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

[janine]

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

[Booty]

[!--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.

[WileyClarkson]

Booty

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

[Booty]

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.

[nerdneh]

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!

[Booty]

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!

[marc]

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.

[Bill]

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

[Booty]

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.

[Booty]

[!--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.

[janine]

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:

[Booty]

[!--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.

[Booty]

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.

[Booty]

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

[Booty]

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.

[Booty]

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!!

[Arkstfan]

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.

[janine]

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.

[Booty]

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.

[spurly]

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

[Booty]

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.

[Arkstfan]

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.

[Booty]

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)

[Booty]

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--]

[janine]

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...)

[janine]

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:

[Booty]

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.