Sunday, November 9, 2014
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Ebola projections
(revised Sept. 11, 2014)
Based on currently available information, being reported by WHO and CDC, by the third week of September 2014, there could be as many as 5500 cases of Ebola in West Africa, 11000 by the third week of October, and 22000 by the third week of November. That would imply at least 11000 total deaths by mid-December.
And this may end up being a modest 'best case' scenario.
God forbid!
Yet, this appears to have been foreseen by an expert with first-hand knowledge of the situation as described below.
A Desperate Call for Help
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/world/africa/tracing-ebolas-breakout-to-an-african-2-year-old.html
- including these words, 'By June and July, Sierra Leone was becoming the center of the outbreak.
At the government hospital in Kenema, Dr. Sheik Umar Khan was leading the efforts to treat patients and control the epidemic.
But he was desperate for supplies: chlorine for disinfection, gloves, goggles, protective suits, rudimentary sugar and salt solutions to fight dehydration and give patients a chance to survive. Early in July, he emailed friends and former medical school classmates in the United States, asking for their help and sending a spreadsheet listing what he needed, and what he had. Many of the lines in the “available” column were empty.
One of his requests was for body bags: 3,000 adult, 2,000 child.
Before his friends could send the supplies, Dr. Khan contracted Ebola himself. He died on July 29.'
President Obama has recently advised West Africans to use proper protective equipment when dealing with Ebola patients. If they had it they would presumably use it.
Dr. Khan was warning of 5000 potential deaths in just one of the several countries struggling to contain this disease. As of September 7th the estimated total is already roughly 2300 fatalities for five countries.
For an academic risk assessment see http://currents.plos.org/outbreaks/article/assessing-the-international-spreading-risk-associated-with-the-2014-west-african-ebola-outbreak/
Lord Jesus, have mercy! Heal the sick, calm those who are anxious, give wisdom, skill and endurance to all who are looking after the afflicted and to those who are tasked to preserve order in a time of fear and extreme need. Amen.
Based on currently available information, being reported by WHO and CDC, by the third week of September 2014, there could be as many as 5500 cases of Ebola in West Africa, 11000 by the third week of October, and 22000 by the third week of November. That would imply at least 11000 total deaths by mid-December.
And this may end up being a modest 'best case' scenario.
God forbid!
Yet, this appears to have been foreseen by an expert with first-hand knowledge of the situation as described below.
A Desperate Call for Help
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/world/africa/tracing-ebolas-breakout-to-an-african-2-year-old.html
- including these words, 'By June and July, Sierra Leone was becoming the center of the outbreak.
At the government hospital in Kenema, Dr. Sheik Umar Khan was leading the efforts to treat patients and control the epidemic.
But he was desperate for supplies: chlorine for disinfection, gloves, goggles, protective suits, rudimentary sugar and salt solutions to fight dehydration and give patients a chance to survive. Early in July, he emailed friends and former medical school classmates in the United States, asking for their help and sending a spreadsheet listing what he needed, and what he had. Many of the lines in the “available” column were empty.
One of his requests was for body bags: 3,000 adult, 2,000 child.
Before his friends could send the supplies, Dr. Khan contracted Ebola himself. He died on July 29.'
President Obama has recently advised West Africans to use proper protective equipment when dealing with Ebola patients. If they had it they would presumably use it.
Dr. Khan was warning of 5000 potential deaths in just one of the several countries struggling to contain this disease. As of September 7th the estimated total is already roughly 2300 fatalities for five countries.
For an academic risk assessment see http://currents.plos.org/outbreaks/article/assessing-the-international-spreading-risk-associated-with-the-2014-west-african-ebola-outbreak/
Lord Jesus, have mercy! Heal the sick, calm those who are anxious, give wisdom, skill and endurance to all who are looking after the afflicted and to those who are tasked to preserve order in a time of fear and extreme need. Amen.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
On the Persecution of Christians Today
In my 57 years, I don't remember ever seeing, until this week, a top news media item, written by a minister of the gospel. Considering the details, how could (Anglican) Canon Andrew White do any less than bear witness to the truth. People are dying simply because they refuse to give up their faith in Jesus. Sound the alarm! Pray! God help both them and us to react according to our means and God's direction. I have recently donated and recommend the frrme.org website.
(Please read this link http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2720983/Vicar-Baghdad-We-need-military-actions-NOW.html )
Pray for God's people and their persecutors. Pray for all innocents caught in the snares of the wicked. Iraq and Syria are merely two peaks on the top of the iceberg. From Liberia and Nigeria, to Sudan and Egypt, to Saudi Arabia and Chechnya, to Gaza and Israel, to Iran and Pakistan, to China and North Korea, to Brazil and East Timor, to Russia and the Ukraine, to Europe and Scandinavia and indeed to Britain and the Americas, our enemy, the devil, prowls the whole earth like a roaring lion seeking to devour. He is the sower of division and confusion. He is the Father of Lies, and for a time, the god of this world, of ISIS or DA'ISH, of FASCISM, of MORAL RELATIVISM, of HAMAS, of REBELLION, of HERESY, of SCHISM and of all other forms of SIN.(Please read this link http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2720983/Vicar-Baghdad-We-need-military-actions-NOW.html )
In the spiritual battles which rage believers are given both armor and guidance. Put on the gospel armor: the helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of Righteousness and the belt of Truth. Don't take it off. Make sure it's tight as it needs to be and put it right back in place when the enemy knocks it off. Don't forget that on your feet you wear the Preparation of the Good News of God's Peace and that in your hands and your mouth you are equipped with a Mighty Spiritual Sword, The Word of God.
Stand firm and remember that Our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is infinitely Greater than any other pretender. His Merciful Love is Everlasting. He is the Sun of Righteousness, the all-consuming Fire. March Forth. Don't give up. God's will shall prevail.
Even so, Come Lord, JESUS...YESHUA!
Sunday, August 10, 2014
West Africa's Ebola outbreak
O Lord, heal the sick and give wisdom, skill and endurance to all who are working to bring healing. Protect and restore hope to all affected communities, and may those who are helped give glory and praise to you, through Christ Jesus.
Sarah Dilorenzo, The Associated Press
Published Friday, June 20, 2014 9:00AM EDT
Last Updated Friday, June 20, 2014 12:46PM EDT
Last Updated Friday, June 20, 2014 12:46PM EDT
DAKAR, Senegal -- The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is "totally out of control," according to a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in its capacity to respond. International organizations and the governments involved need to send in more health experts and to increase the public education messages about how to stop the spread of the disease, Bart Janssens, the director of operations for the group in Brussels, told The Associated Press on Friday.
Ebola has already been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization. The outbreak, which began in Guinea either late last year or early this year, had appeared to slow before picking up pace again in recent weeks, including spreading to the Liberian capital for the first time. "I'm absolutely convinced that this epidemic is far from over and will continue to kill a considerable amount of people, so this will definitely end up the biggest ever," he said.
The multiple locations of the outbreak and its movement across borders make it one of the "most challenging Ebola outbreaks ever," Fadela Chaib, a spokeswoman for the World Health Organization, said earlier in the week.
But Janssens' description of the Ebola outbreak was even more alarming, and he warned that the governments affected had not recognized the gravity of the situation.
The governments involved and international agencies are definitely struggling to keep up with the severity of the outbreak, said Krishnan of Plan, which is providing equipment to the three affected countries and spreading information about how people can protect themselves against the disease. But he noted that the disease is striking in one of the world's poorest regions, where public health systems are already fragile. "The affected countries are at the bottom of the human development index," he said in an emailed statement. "Ebola is seriously crippling their capacities to respond effectively in containing the spread."
"The situation requires a more effective response," said Janssens of Doctors Without Borders. "With more than 40 international staff currently on the ground and four treatment centres, Doctors Without Borders has reached its limit to respond," he said.
"It's the first time in an Ebola epidemic where (Doctors Without Borders) teams cannot cover all the needs, at least for treatment centres," he said.
The disease typically strikes sparsely populated areas in central or eastern Africa, where it spreads less easily, he said. By contrast, the epicenter of this outbreak is near a major regional transport hub, the Guinean city of Gueckedou.
He said the only way to stop the disease's spread is to persuade people to come forward when symptoms occur and to avoid touching the sick and dead. "There is still not a real change of behaviour of the people," he said. "So a lot of sick people still remain in hiding or continue to travel. And there is still news that burial practices are remaining dangerous."
Associated Press writer Jonathan Paye-Layleh contributed to this report from Monrovia, Liberia
Ebola has already been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization. The outbreak, which began in Guinea either late last year or early this year, had appeared to slow before picking up pace again in recent weeks, including spreading to the Liberian capital for the first time. "I'm absolutely convinced that this epidemic is far from over and will continue to kill a considerable amount of people, so this will definitely end up the biggest ever," he said.
The multiple locations of the outbreak and its movement across borders make it one of the "most challenging Ebola outbreaks ever," Fadela Chaib, a spokeswoman for the World Health Organization, said earlier in the week.
But Janssens' description of the Ebola outbreak was even more alarming, and he warned that the governments affected had not recognized the gravity of the situation.
The governments involved and international agencies are definitely struggling to keep up with the severity of the outbreak, said Krishnan of Plan, which is providing equipment to the three affected countries and spreading information about how people can protect themselves against the disease. But he noted that the disease is striking in one of the world's poorest regions, where public health systems are already fragile. "The affected countries are at the bottom of the human development index," he said in an emailed statement. "Ebola is seriously crippling their capacities to respond effectively in containing the spread."
"The situation requires a more effective response," said Janssens of Doctors Without Borders. "With more than 40 international staff currently on the ground and four treatment centres, Doctors Without Borders has reached its limit to respond," he said.
"It's the first time in an Ebola epidemic where (Doctors Without Borders) teams cannot cover all the needs, at least for treatment centres," he said.
The disease typically strikes sparsely populated areas in central or eastern Africa, where it spreads less easily, he said. By contrast, the epicenter of this outbreak is near a major regional transport hub, the Guinean city of Gueckedou.
He said the only way to stop the disease's spread is to persuade people to come forward when symptoms occur and to avoid touching the sick and dead. "There is still not a real change of behaviour of the people," he said. "So a lot of sick people still remain in hiding or continue to travel. And there is still news that burial practices are remaining dangerous."
Associated Press writer Jonathan Paye-Layleh contributed to this report from Monrovia, Liberia
CTV news picked up this story: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/west-africa-s-ebola-outbreak-is-totally-out-of-control-1.1878133#ixzz39NdcFcSv
As of Aug 9, 2014 the suspected death toll had reached at least 954, much lower than the number who die annually from influenza, but still of grave concern because of the 60 to 90 % mortality rate for all cases.
See also http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/tracing-ebolas-breakout-to-an-african-2-year-old/article19981276/
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Packets of truth: food for the soul
The Christian faith is revealed essentially and uniquely in the Holy Bible. We read the Bible for spiritual insight, leading to salvation, and for exhortation, encouragement and correction.
Many believers have found the ancient creeds to be helpful in articulating those elements of faith considered to be guards against the misunderstanding of Scripture. In other words, creeds keep us on track. How does this happen? We are reminded each time we say them how these sentences have been spoken as acts of faith by people in places near and far. If you look you might still find people who have attended church at least 40 or 50 Sundays a year for 70, 80 or even 90+ years. If they were Anglican, Lutheran, Orthodox or Roman Catholic they might easily have recited one creed or another over 3000 times with varying degrees of intellectual and spiritual understanding and commitment.
The Apostle's Creed is still well known if not as familiar as it once might have been.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ,(the Messiah Yeshua) His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
Amen.
The Nicene Creed http://anglicansonline.org/basics/nicene.html and that of St. Athanasius http://anglicansonline.org/basics/athanasian.html would come second and third in terms of their potentially being on the radar screen of a 21st century Christian.
The chief business of life is both to learn truth and then to find ways to apply truth to our own lives.
Shim‘on Kefa said to Yeshua, “Lord, where are you going?” He answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow later.” “Lord,” Kefa said to him, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” Yeshua answered, “You will lay down your life for me? Yes, indeed! I tell you, before the rooster crows you will disown me three times. “Don’t let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in God and trust in me. In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. Furthermore, you know where I’m going; and you know the way there.” T’oma said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going; so how can we know the way?” Yeshua said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me. Because you have known me, you will also know my Father; from now on, you do know him — in fact, you have seen him.” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13-14&version=CJB;NIV
Love God. Love your neighbour. Yes, even love your enemy! But do it in accord with the truth which is revealed in Holy Scripture. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Complete-Jewish-Bible-CJB/
Many believers have found the ancient creeds to be helpful in articulating those elements of faith considered to be guards against the misunderstanding of Scripture. In other words, creeds keep us on track. How does this happen? We are reminded each time we say them how these sentences have been spoken as acts of faith by people in places near and far. If you look you might still find people who have attended church at least 40 or 50 Sundays a year for 70, 80 or even 90+ years. If they were Anglican, Lutheran, Orthodox or Roman Catholic they might easily have recited one creed or another over 3000 times with varying degrees of intellectual and spiritual understanding and commitment.
The Apostle's Creed is still well known if not as familiar as it once might have been.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ,(the Messiah Yeshua) His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
Amen.
The Nicene Creed http://anglicansonline.org/basics/nicene.html and that of St. Athanasius http://anglicansonline.org/basics/athanasian.html would come second and third in terms of their potentially being on the radar screen of a 21st century Christian.
The chief business of life is both to learn truth and then to find ways to apply truth to our own lives.
Shim‘on Kefa said to Yeshua, “Lord, where are you going?” He answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow later.” “Lord,” Kefa said to him, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” Yeshua answered, “You will lay down your life for me? Yes, indeed! I tell you, before the rooster crows you will disown me three times. “Don’t let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in God and trust in me. In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. Furthermore, you know where I’m going; and you know the way there.” T’oma said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going; so how can we know the way?” Yeshua said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me. Because you have known me, you will also know my Father; from now on, you do know him — in fact, you have seen him.” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13-14&version=CJB;NIV
Love God. Love your neighbour. Yes, even love your enemy! But do it in accord with the truth which is revealed in Holy Scripture. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Complete-Jewish-Bible-CJB/
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Fight the Good Fight
'The Real Fight: Classical Liberalism vs. Authoritarian Progressivism
Christian liberals ... interpret recent political history differently from “radicals.” ... “liberalism appears to be daily more hostile” to Christianity and suggests that the anti-Christian turn of modern governments is the fault of liberalism. Anti-Christian hostility (is) on the rise in modern governments, but (one cannot properly) describe these governments as “liberal.”
(In effect,) Western states have been dominated by illiberal government since the first half of the twentieth century. What threatens Christianity today are governments inspired by authoritarian progressivism.' taken from http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2014/05/13122/
Our cultural 'thought police' despise the very concept of absolute truth and seek to prevent genuine evangelistic efforts.
May God answer the prayers of all who have asked Him for good governments that truly and impartially administer justice, to the maintenance of true religion and virtue.
Keep on praying and praising Jesus. Follow Him.
Christian liberals ... interpret recent political history differently from “radicals.” ... “liberalism appears to be daily more hostile” to Christianity and suggests that the anti-Christian turn of modern governments is the fault of liberalism. Anti-Christian hostility (is) on the rise in modern governments, but (one cannot properly) describe these governments as “liberal.”
(In effect,) Western states have been dominated by illiberal government since the first half of the twentieth century. What threatens Christianity today are governments inspired by authoritarian progressivism.' taken from http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2014/05/13122/
Our cultural 'thought police' despise the very concept of absolute truth and seek to prevent genuine evangelistic efforts.
May God answer the prayers of all who have asked Him for good governments that truly and impartially administer justice, to the maintenance of true religion and virtue.
Keep on praying and praising Jesus. Follow Him.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Pray for the people of Iraq
http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-christian-centre-of-iraq-has-been.html
A plea from Canon Andrew White, Vicar of Baghdad:
'Dear Friends,
Things are so bad now in Iraq, the worst they have ever been. The Islamic terrorists have taken control of the whole of Mosul which is Nineveh the main Christian stronghold. The army have even fled. We urgently need help and support.
The area is the heartland of the Christian community. Most of our people come from Nineveh and still see that as their home. It is there that they return to regularly. Many Christian’s fled from back to Nineveh from Baghdad, as things got so bad there. Now the Christian centre of Iraq has been totally ransacked. The tanks are moving into the Christian villages destroying them and causing total carnage. The ISIS militants are now moving towards Kirkuk, major areas to the Oil fields that provide the lifeblood of Iraq. We are faced with total war that all the Iraqi military have now retreated from.'
commented in his New York Times article
that 'Sunnis and Shiites tend to view many of the country’s most pressing issues through profoundly different lenses, making compromise difficult. Shiite leaders speak of ISIS as a terrorist threat that must be battled with all available means. Some have even accused Sunni leaders of providing political cover for the extremists.'
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Pray and act as the Holy Spirit leads You.
Click on the above link for more info.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/world/middleeast/response-to-attack-reflects-iraqs-sectarian-divide.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
A plea from Canon Andrew White, Vicar of Baghdad:
'Dear Friends,
Things are so bad now in Iraq, the worst they have ever been. The Islamic terrorists have taken control of the whole of Mosul which is Nineveh the main Christian stronghold. The army have even fled. We urgently need help and support.
The area is the heartland of the Christian community. Most of our people come from Nineveh and still see that as their home. It is there that they return to regularly. Many Christian’s fled from back to Nineveh from Baghdad, as things got so bad there. Now the Christian centre of Iraq has been totally ransacked. The tanks are moving into the Christian villages destroying them and causing total carnage. The ISIS militants are now moving towards Kirkuk, major areas to the Oil fields that provide the lifeblood of Iraq. We are faced with total war that all the Iraqi military have now retreated from.'
commented in his New York Times article
that 'Sunnis and Shiites tend to view many of the country’s most pressing issues through profoundly different lenses, making compromise difficult. Shiite leaders speak of ISIS as a terrorist threat that must be battled with all available means. Some have even accused Sunni leaders of providing political cover for the extremists.'
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Pray and act as the Holy Spirit leads You.
Click on the above link for more info.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/world/middleeast/response-to-attack-reflects-iraqs-sectarian-divide.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
A Warning!
During a Sunday service some months ago in Kazan Cathedral on Red Square, Metropolitan Kirill the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church issued a grave warning regarding the growing phenomena in the west of legalizing same sex unions and same sex 'marriages' .He warned against the formalization of sin by codifying it in the laws of a country; "This is a very dangerous apocalyptic symptom, and we must do everything in our powers to ensure that sin is never sanctioned ...
To understand his comments read further at the following link: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=18565#.UvL1tdqYbX4
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