Pedro the Dishwasher.....and his American Nightmare.....

I caught this on CNN the other day and thought I would post it. While I consider it a privilege to live in the United States, I also understand that it is not always the land of promise or where dreams can come true, because I have seen too many times that it is where money, status, and bureaucracy can speak louder at times than humanity can.

Pedro the Dishwasher - a man who has spent 11 years washing dishes in Florida: he left his home in Latin America and came to make some money so that he could eventually return to his home village to buy some land and build a house for his mother and his sisters. He saved $59,000 and finally decided to return home. Not knowing that he had to declare that he was carrying more than $10,000, he was stopped at Ft. Lauderdale airport and all his savings were confiscated. That's not all. Not only does he face deportation if he doesn't leave on his own by the end of January but the IRS is on his back because he received nearly $10,000 in donations from generous people around the country; thus the IRS wants to take that money (the $10,000) as tax for all the money he made while working as a dishwasher. The link is for the CNN video on this piece of news. Incredible, but true.


CNN Video on Pedro the Dishwasher

Myanmar's Monks Demonstrations

Buddhist monks in Myanmar are on the march, protesting against the government. These protests originated when fuel prices in Myanmar were doubled to extremely high costs and impacting other areas of the economy, but of course that was the culmination of deep-seated dissatisfaction with the government for the past few decades. Pro-democracy demonstrators protested and were arrested; but then the monks decided to take over and continue the demonstrations.

Protests have been going on for a while now, escalating in numbers and in intensity. These have been the largest demonstrations since 1988. Today riot police in Myanmar killed one demonstrator and arrested 300 monks, according to CNN's reports. President Bush has announced increased UN sanctions against the military junta government of Myanmar and Nobel Laureates such as the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu (of South Africa) are speaking out against the current situation in Myanmar. The European Union is also threatening to strengthen their sanctions against Myanmar should the government choose to put down the demonstrations using violence.

See NPR's coverage of this story.

See CNN's coverage on these demonstrations.

While the UN Secretary-General has commended the peaceful protests of these monks, we must remember that it is with great courage these monks are marching. The military has placed monks under arrest, and have attempted to disperse the crowds with tear gas; but this may not be the only actions they take against the protests. As an international community, we must support the monks in their protest for a free government, and for the release of Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi (Burmese pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been under house arrest for the last 18 years). We must also pray for the safety of the thousands of monks who are marching in peaceful protest.

The Jena Six Case

Equal justice in the United States - one would think that this is an obvious thing, here in America. But the reality appears to be quite different, as gathered from the allegations of racism surrounding the case of six African-American teenagers living in Jena, Louisiana. If you haven't followed the Jena Six case as it is now being called, take a look at the following links:

NPR's Coverage of the case
CNN Coverage of the case
CNN's time line of events gives you the background of the events leading up to the hearings and protests of late.

Human Rights Watch urges Louisiana's Governor Kathleen Blanco to further investigate this case and the allegations of racism that surround it. Read their letter here.

Let's hope that true justice will be served here, without a reflection of any sort of bias - racial or not.

Massive Earthquake in Peru

On Wednesday, August 15th, there was a massive earthquake in Peru - a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale. There continue to be aftershocks rocking the country, and rescuers still search for people trapped under the rubble. The death toll, currently at 500, is predicted to rise as rescuers comb through the rubble looking for missing family members, friends, and guests.

CNN reports that the most serious damage occurred on the Pacific coast of the country, south of the capital city of Lima. The cities of Pisco, Chincha, Ica, and Canete are among the hardest hit. Houses, churches, schools, and other buildings have collapsed and people - including children - have been scattered. Click here to read CNN's report on the earthquake.

Pray for the comfort and aid of the Peruvian people in this great time of need, especially for children who may have lost family members in the earthquake. Click here to read World Vision's news regarding the earthquake and its aftermath. You can also find links to donate to World Vision's relief effort in Peru.

Other organizations also working to provide relief in Peru for the victims of the earthquake include:

• The American Red Cross
  
• CARE.org
  
• The United Nations, specifically UN agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme, among others.
  

Prayer for hostages and their families

2 are no longer with us, and 21 are still being held by the Taliban. While these are not the first hostages captured in these past months, their situation - much like those hostages that have been captured previously - is indeed one for which I cannot find any words to describe. It is tragic to see civilians who have gone under the umbrella of volunteering and aid be captured and killed one by one. A hostage situation is always a delicate one where things seem to be complicated by the perspectives of the respective countries involved. Nonetheless, lives hang in the balance and the families of these hostages must be in extremely anxious and distressed states. So as the world watches, let us pray and remember these families and the individuals who are currently alive and being held captive by the Taliban - pray for strength, for hope, and for things to be resolved as peacefully as possible.