Join - Participa - Participez!!! 1 FEB 2007

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Turn lights off on FEB 1st for 5 min 19h55 to 20h!

The organisation Friends of the Earth (Les Amis de la Terre) are organising a huge international action in order to bring our attention to the global warming problem. It is not enough to see Al Gore's film ;-) but we can do something. The idea is to turn off all lights at 19h55 on February 1st, and during 5 minuts give a relief to our already overheated planet. Why that day? because the expert's report on the environnement will be presented on February 1st.

As Christian, I believe that the Earth is the good creation of a Good God. And I also believe that according to His amazing plan, this planet is our inheritance. Humanity has received the stewardship on creation ... unfortunately, due to our lack of involving God in our "ruling" we see the disasters. I think of the following Bible verse

The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your saints and those who reverence your name,
both small and great— and for destroying those who destroy the earth.
Revelation 11.18

I also think of our responsibility as children of God on the preservation of the Earth and the creation ... Romans 8.19 clearly states that

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

If you are a Christian, and you read this please turn off your lights for five minuts at 20h of February 1st, wherever you are!.

This post is evidence of my full adhesion to this action. The picture is a bit old, but still valid ;-)

Bujumbura

What a "flight" Brussels-Paris-Addis Abeba-Entebee-Bujumbura ... This is the kind of situations where you don't sleep well, nothing seems to work ... until you are safe 'n sound at your duty station. This time I'accompanied by one of the newest assitants at the Nutrition Unit: Roos.

Our journey had some "salt 'n pepper" ... in Addis we were called to boarding, but they put us in a wrong bus, so we were sitting calmly and pleasantly in the plane to elsewhere but Buju ... it is funny when there is a hostess coming in the plane and asking for the passangers on seats bla bla, and you hear YOUR SEAT NUMBER ... and you realise that a huge mistake has happened.

Anyway, solved.

Now, Bujumbura ... I'm already "suffering" the heat ;-) the humidity and so on. Today we had already a security briefing: basically "be careful, take care of yourselves" ... and lots of rules of the "safe places".

Did not succeed to upload pictures... and wonder if this messages will go through ;-)

Nutrition Unit's New Year's Dinner

The Nutrition Unit at the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine is trying to keep a yearly dinner as "tradition". You might wonder what's "special" with it? Well the answer is that our Unit, being the smallest of the Institute and counting on part time researchers as task force, hardly gathers all of us on the same day at the same place! So, it is an asset to actually hold a yearly meeting. The first picture was taken by Dominique Roberfroid and shows Lieven Huybregts and myself.

The second picture actually shows the menu choices, kindly exposed by Dominique and Lieven. Roos Verstraeten is sitting next to, witnessing the strange situation created at that moment. I have to say, the food at the trendy Italian Comcarmenne resto, is delicious. It was a good choice :-)


Then we have of course the big boss: Patrick Kolsteren in a very lively chat with Tom Hoeree. Tom was my office mate for a couple of years, and since October 2006, he is working exclusively for the Master Course in Public Health. We've built a good friendship, and definetly his presence was very much appreciated yesterday.

Last but not least, Lieve de Greef, the second big boss of the Unit caught in a natural posture together with Carl Lachat. Voilà that's a little overview of our Nutrition Unit at the ITG. Coming together is good and healthy.

New toy & weekend report

Men are simply grown up boys. The only difference is the size and particularly the price of their toys. During my trip back home, I lost my former camera. I don't recall the circumstances (otherwise, I would have not lost it!) It might have been during the protestations against the airline, or at the hotel, or ... who knows?

Anyway, in this Western society, I felt the urgent need to replace the lost device. So, saturday I went to Brussels and visited some stores. FNAC offers relatively decent prices, and also Media Markt, and since I'm not really an artist, my goal was to have a decent instrument to take pictures, digital ones so that I can share them via my blog. So, eventually I chose a Samsung Digimax S800. For a good description of its benefits (in Dutch) please click here.

But for a compulsive buyer, only one thing is not enough to fully satisfy the compulsive buying pattern, so, on the way back to the station, I found a very nice coat, with 50% reduction, and could not resist the temptation, so, instead of simply buying the camera and coming back, I bought both. That's how market made needs affect one's economy. Anyway, I won't suffer any cold in this winter (a warm one btw) ... And probably i won't use the coat very much since I will be in Burundi for two weeks (from next Sunday on) enjoying the summer there ... So it will survive for the next year :-) and I will send lots of pictures from Bujumbura!

'n knuffel voor 'n truffel

That means "a hug for a chocolate" ... and that was the name of the action that I witnessed Tuesday at Gent-Sint-Pieters station. This action was organised by Youth for Community Action or Maatschapelijk Jongeren Actie in Dutch. I visited their site, and apart from promotion of safe sex -must be read read there as "condom use"-, it tries to understand the needs of youth, and take action. It is a good intention, to my understanding, however, without pointing straight to Jesus-Christ, I don't think they will meet the true needs of this generation. Call me whatever fundamentalist, but that does not change this truth. Young Flemish people are starving for true love, and of course away from Jesus they won't get their needs met, even if they try hard.

The whole situation made me think of the "free hugs" action started by some australian guy. The difference of course, was that MJA was offering a chocolate in trade for the hugs. Those who know me, know already that I freely hug my relatives, friends and Church acquintances (a good Christian habit, btw) therefore, I found it not only strange but silly to offer a chocolate in exchange of a hug. What was even stranger was the little reaction they got from the travellers. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the MJA girls, we commented on the "free hugs" story, and we eventually agreed that hugs should be free :-)

Anyway, does love or affection can be bought? I don't think so. Probably that's why they got so little response from the public.

This post celebrates also ONE YEAR AS BLOGGER

Finally back!

The past days were full of events. Thursday's flight was delayed ... eventually with 25 hours. Long story difficult to make short: 3 am friday, they brought us to hotels (after fighting for my rights as passanger), the hotel Arenal isn't my piece of cake, and certanily I wouldn't have chosen it on my full senses. A frugal lunch, and back to the airport where the plane was waiting for us. And we waited and waited and waited for it to leave with us inside ... but the original departure time 15hrs, was delayed to 17hrs, and then the disturbance started. Passengers left the transit area (you can't even get money there!) and protested soundly outside (even the TV appeared). There was a french guy that lead the "revolution" (since 1789 they have "revolution" in their blood I guess). Anti-disturbance Police appeared, so I just took some time then to go to internet. Eventually, and after some protestation hours, some sandwiches provided by the airline and lots of frustrations, the plane left by midnight.

When in Madrid, I received a sms message from my friend and Church colleague Dirk asking to go to cinema. This made me think the following: "He is free tonight, and thence can pick me up from the airport"; so I called him back, explained the situation, and I was right, since he had no other plans, he could pick me up at Zaventem.

Sunday, David and An and Sarita invited me for lunch to a healthy restaurant in Gent. It made me good; since after almost three days of trip, and forced "sandwich diet" a decent food was what my body and soul were longing for. In the afternoon, we went early to Church and afterwards we paid a visit to "de waterhuis op de bierkant" a pub in Gent.

Monday: struggled to finalise my BJN paper unsuccessfully. I hope they will accept it despite the delay. We'll see. Worked very late, and upon arrival in Ghent I went to visit Bram, Tina and their little newborn Marte. Fortunately for me, little Marte was fully awake, so I carried her (she is soooo light), played a bit with her. Actually, she is SOOOO beautiful! My day was blessed by the time with the Vervusts.

Transit hours in Santa Cruz

The day started very early. Quick shower at 6:30 am, and then my mom drove me to the airport. Due to lack of space in a later flight, I had to leave in the morning to be in Santa Cruz on time to catch the flight to Madrid tonight. Had lunch with a cousin (who was on the same flight by chance), and now I'm having some fellowship time with Ximena Rojas, the Bolivian Living Waters leader, and now also working as responsible for the Santa Cruz' ALALY ministry.

I wish I had some pics from Santa Cruz, but my camera is with my luggage :-)

Please keep praying for the flight, since the shortage in fuel may give some problems.

Blessings!

Last day in La Paz

All good things come to an end. This holidays are also coming to an end. I have to say that I'm thankful for the opportunity that I got of coming to spend Christmas and New Year with my parents, in the beautiful city of La Paz. It was a kind of post PhD gift. These days have been plenty of emotions, some joyful others not so. As usual, I'm already overstressed because of the long trip ahead. This time the transit hours in Santa Cruz are 12 ... Fortunately, I will meet Ximena Rojas, the Bolivian Living Waters leader, and spend the day in fellowship with her and other Christian friends. If you read this message, please pray that there won't be any problems with the flights and that the final result will be a "safe 'n sound at home".

Welcome 2007!

May God's goodness prevail in each of your days.
May those who are kept in captivity get their freedom one of your days.
May those who live under terror and oppression find God's comfort and liberation in 2007.
May those who are fighting wars find God's peace and strenght in 2007.
May those wars stop in 2007.
May God's Kingdom shine on this world, the good creation of a good God.
May Jesus' message refresh all those in need.

“The Spirit of God is upon me and has anointed me to announce fresh and glad news to the meek, to the depressed, God sent me to wrap firmly the hearts that have been broken into pieces; to proclaim freedom, liberty to those who were brought into captivity and to open the jails of those who are in bondage; to announce the delightful year of the Lord, and the day of retribution of our Lord, to comfort all that mourn” (Is 61.1-2 free version)