Sentiments on Geography-

As the semester comes to a close, so do my blog entries on the wonders of this world.  As I look around myself, after experiencing this class, I think more geographically, especially as I start my travels home from CUNE.

My trip will be across two time zones and a series of different physical barriers which can only be crossed by plane.  I will be flying from Omaha to Chicago to Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska.  Now I think about the different mountain ranges I will be flying over, the different kinds of population centers I will see from the air (usually around water, like Chicago and Seattle), and the different climate zones through which I will be traveling.  How exciting!

My summer plans include enjoying spending time in the beautiful outdoors by camping, hiking, and fishing. I am also looking forward to spending time in my favorite places around my home town, like the local coffee shop Vagabond Blues (if ever you go to Palmer, you must stop in!).  I will be interning at my Church, working under my DCE with youth ministry activities and also at a drive-thru coffee stand.  But, my summer will consist also of some major geographical musing, as well.

For instance, I love to keep up with what is going on in the world- current events.  I have never tied current events and geography together before this semester. However, now I see how closely they are related!  While I watch the "happenings" going on in the Middle East with Palestine and Israel, I now can view the situation as a land dispute as well as religious differences.  The outbreak of the "Swine Flu" in Mexico, which is now called a "pandemic," I realize will likely travel to other North American nations and then spread out to the nations from which tourists visited Mexico, if it continues to be a problem.  I can also understand the the animosity between African peoples mostly stems from tribal boundaries interfering with country borders. Almost everything can be connected through Geography!

As I return home with my new epiphanies of the world through geography, I can view Alaska differently as well.  Why is Alaska this way? Well, I can basically figure out these kind of questions by looking at its geographical physical location.  This points to details about its climate, its relationships with other states/countries, and even its residents- like my family and I! Geography is at work in our lives, all around us.  It is the material which holds the world together as well as the map by which we understand it. 

Through Geography, we as people of a loving God can understand the beautiful, wonderful, magnificent world which he has given us.  It tells us about the people, the land, the globalization, the climate, the culture, the problems, the solutions, etc... The list goes on and on!  Through Geography we can fully appreciate the wonders God has given us in this planet we like to call Earth!

The Geography of Names

As I typed my surname "Kelly" into The World Names Profiler, I wasn't sure exactly what the results would look like.  It was not a surprise that the country with the most concentration of my name is Ireland, with a FPM of 13330.96 (a lot!).

I recreated the table below:

Country	FPM
IRELAND	13330.96
AUSTRALIA	2683.19
UNITED KINGDOM	1762.44
NEW-ZEALAND	1290.89
CANADA	1286.39
UNITED STATES	1124.82
ARGENTINA	36.2
LUXEMBOURG	34.01
NETHERLANDS	33.24
SWITZERLAND	30.03

What surprised me was that the United States was not second, but fell after Australia and New Zealand and the UK, even!  It is interesting think that in all of these locations I probably have distant relatives, and I am one of the odd balls who came to the United States back in the 1800s from Germany, which isn't even on this short list! There are even Kellys in Argentina, according to this site, which is really cool! I wonder if they are some of the German, Lutheran immigrants who settled in Southern Brazil and Argentina.  I was surprised at the diverse locations also included India!

I also wanted to enter in my mother's maiden name, Zieroth, because I had NEVER met anyone not related to her with this name.  I knew it was German so I thought there would be some there and in the US and maybe Canada...what did I find? Well, there are .47 millioin Zieroths in the United States, which is way more than I anticipated! However, the US is not even first on the list.  Before it are Germany, Canada, and Switzerland.  I can't help wondering what my Grandma will say when I tell her about this!

It is very interesting see the concentration of surnames (and consequently families) mapped out! Who knew that there were Kellys in Argentina as well as New Zealand! How wonderful is the diversity throughout our world! 

The Chinese Culture?

You can learn a lot about an area's culture by observing its people.  One way this can easily be done, today, is on the internet. Youtube is an easy way to find videos of...pretty much anything! I utilized this site to look into the Chinese culture.  Of course, I knew a little bit about the Chinese people from TV, school, and the Disney classic Mulan, but I thought viewing videos directly from the chinese people would be a good start to understand how geography affects their culture. 

The first video I watched, after typing "China" into the search bar, was from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLImQtyjI10 .  I wasn't really sure what to expect from a video entitled "Free Hugs in China!" but the title intrigued me.  The video shows a young man walking around a public square of a city with a "Free Hugs" sign.  At first, it is in black and white and the music is softer, while no one approaches him to get hugs. He is ignored. Finally, people start slowly going over to him and recieving free hugs. As this happens the music picks up tempo and the shot turns to color.  The symbolism of the color is really cool! As the video progresses, the sign is passed on to different people and color spreads through these individuals.  It shows what a little big of love can do to a community.

The second video I looked at was "Chinese Backstreet Boys- That Way."  This video was of two college age Chinese boys who lip synced to a 90s boy band song.  This video is pretty much hilarious!  It was really interesting to watch this, because I could tell that the boys probably didn't even know what the lyrics they were mouthing meant.  There were some Chinese words  written at the end as credits, but no English appeared in the clip.  A lot of the time the boy's mouths didn't even match the lyrics perfectly.  This video is shown on the site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2rZxCrb7iU. Just like any video a couple of teenagers in the United States would create, this was meant to make you laugh.

I had an enjoyable time viewing how the chinese makers of these videos portrayed themselves.  It was interesting because these two videos showed how closely related we are all as human beings.  The first video showed the importance of the expression of love, regardless of where you live.  I think that this kind of "Free Hugs" signs are probably more popular in countries with more freedom of expression, like the United States of America, but people did approach the hugger by the end of the clip.  I wonder if the idea for the video came from contact with western culture.  The second video with the American band's, the Backstreet Boys, song "That Way" was definitely a result of the communication between region and globalization. These two videos show the West's influence on China, since they have become more open to foreign cultures.  

These two videos were produced by youth and because of this I wonder if the younger generation of China is becoming even more open to this kind of influence from the West.  It will be exciting if the leaders of tomorrow's China can be positively impacted by the youth of Western countries.  These videos are just two examples of how the Chinese culture has fallen subject to the melting of foreign ideas via globalization.  

How wonderful that God has given us these resources to positively impact others who are tens of thousands of miles away from us!  It is exciting that the possibilities are endless in reaching China.  The Chinese people can be influenced to broaden their horizons politically and also spiritually! How exciting! The people of the United States must remember that they are in a position that may influence the people around the world.  As a result, we should remember to present ourselves in such a way that will make this influence positive.  

Banquets in the Alaskan Bush

I really haven't ventured out of the typical realm of American cuisine.  I've never gotten to visit far away, foreign place where they eat bugs and drink cow's blood.  However I have had a lot of secondhand experience with traditional Alaskan foods of the Inuit, Aleut, and Yupik native tribes. I myself have not sampled any of these dishes, besides wild salmon, but through friends I have heard a lot about the typical dishes of these native people.

Now these Bush people don't eat "bush meat," but they have their own anomalous dishes as well.  Geography has definitely influenced their diets as well.  Animals that thrive in the cold seas and rivers surrounding the villages are the main staple meats because of they are abundant supplies.

My cousin, Erin, taught high school in a bush village called Manokotak for a year. While she was there I got to hear all about the crazy foods she was given by her very hospitable neighbors and co-workers.  

Some of the strangest food she had was walrus.  The villagers did about one walrus hunt a year and from that hunt got most of the meat they needed to for that year's meals.  The day of the hunt was a big deal.  They ended up getting three. They hunted and cleaned them together as a village. She said that they ate the walrus fried and sometimes in stews.  She also said that it had a very fishy taste.  Needless to say, it wasn't her favorite, but the Natives loved it!

Another unwonted dish that she actually sampled at a wedding was seal.  It was cooked in a stew and is another typical part of their diets.  Seafood is the most prominent part of the Alaskan diet.  Salmon and halibut are two of my favorite types of Alaskan cuisine. 

It is interesting to look at how geography affects what people eat around the world.  Although these are the traditional Alaskan foods, the culture's orthodoxy is being transformed with the breaking of geographical barriers.  Manokotak people eat frozen pizzas as well as muktuk (frozen whale blubber, usually eaten with salt).  Globalization is bringing McDonalds and other western foods to places that had not even heard of a hamburger twenty years ago.  Although MickyD's hasn't made it's way out to the Alaskan Bush, fast food is becoming a global source of food.  

As a result of this, people will become fatter and fatter. But I say: Eat, drink, and be merry that God has provided us with this variety of foods! It is also important for us as rich Americans to realize that our abundance of food is a blessing and that we should help those who go hungry.  World Vision and Compassion International are organizations that specifically deal with the hungry around the world.  Hopefully as communication and travel are expanding world-wide, aid to those in need can as well! What wonderful foods God has given us!

A Summit of Sorts

Representatives from 19 of the world's most powerful countries gathered together this week, ten years after the G-20 was founded, to discuss matters of the world-wide economy.  The Group Twenty includes the following countries:

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and also including the European Union, represented by the rotating council presidency. 

This kind of gathering should not only aid in the palliation of the "recession" but also foster peace and unification between countries.  Ironically a protest of anarchists and anti-capitalists broke out in the streets of London.  Demonstrators through things into the windows of different governmental and royal banks and clashing with police. 

So far the only plan these big-wig countries have been able to conjure up is to implement new processes to basically "spend" our way our of debt.  Daniel Hannan, a member of Britain's parliament, wrote, with a sarcastic air, in his telegraph.co.uk blog that it's "just what we need to stimulate growth...more dirigisme, more red tape, more state control, and more centralization."  Along with this British politician, I too am a bit skeptical of the plans of President Obama and the other Leader of the G20 summit. 

Let's hope this "summit" doesn't trigger any kind of further decline. 

New Prospectives of an Old World

Google Earth has given me so much more understanding of the geography of our earth throughout this semester!  One thing I can tell you for sure is that through the manipulation of the browser's angle, you can experience God's wonderful earth in a way you have never before! 

I chose a couple different images to exhibit a new prospective on our wonderful world.

The first image I selected is primarily of my home state, Alaska.  

I used Google Earth to adjust the view to display the close proximity in which Russia is in relation to Alaska.  It is interesting because after growing up looking at maps which are usually cut off between Russia and Alaska, we forget how small the Bearing Strait really is.  This map's topography also displays the high elevation of both Alaska and Russia, especially in the area around the Aleutian Chain (an island chain off the South West coast of Alaska). I had never known that this area of Alaska was so mountainous.  I now realize that there must be tectonic plates here to influence the topography of the region.  

This map also displays North East Russia's size in comparison with Alaska.  I did not realize that this portion of Russia is quite a bit smaller than The Great Frontier, until I witnessed this nice juxtaposition.  It is so interesting to view this familiar part of the world from this unique, new view point!

It is so interesting to see the prospective of Alaska from Russia as well.  It is strange to think that I have never looked at Alaska from this point of view, and neither have I looked at North East Russia in comparison to Alaska.   I never knew that the Aleutians stretched that close to Russia either.  There are so many new and wonderful things I learn about our world everyday, especially since I am in this Geography class!

Sentiments about Slumdog

The movie Slumdog Millionaire portrays a poor, orphaned boy from the slums of India somehow winning on a game show that Doctors, Lawyers, and other professionals cannot succeed at! The authorities believe that he is a cheat and attempt to torture him into confessing, in the movie's beginning. As the movie progresses, Jamal gives account of where he learned of each answer to the questions he was asked. The movie then begins to transforms into a journey of Jamal and his brother. This journey includes their trials with both each other and the world, their adventures as the "Three Musketeers" with Jamal's friend Latika, and how Jamal comes to win around 10 billion dollars, becoming a national hero. This narrative, set in India, includes romance, angst, suspense, and a captivating coming-of-age story.

I found myself engrossed completely in this film. The story was entertaining, sometimes humorous and sometimes suspenseful. I thought that the actors did a wonderful job, especially the lead Dev Patel. I also absolutely loved that the movie was drenched in the Indian culture. I think it is important for people from Western countries, like the United States, to learn about foreign places. It is an enriching experience to aid us in understanding our brothers and sisters of other regions. Sometimes it reminds us how well off we are to be living in such a wonderful country. Either way, cultural experiences broaden horizons and help us understand the wonderful world God has given us.

Another interesting aspect of this film was that the extreme poverty of the country was was captured by this film's cinematography. India has some of the largest slums in this world and has the most people, besides China. I believe that the Chinese government was probably delighted at the fact that they had an opportunity to display the slums of India to their citizens. I think this movie could aid in reinforcing the message of Communist China's superiority over other nations of this world.

Through this movie's portrayal of Indian slums, God reminded me that I need to help and be there for others, both here and abroad. Although I would love to go to India to do mission work, It isn't guaranteed that I will. What is guaranteed is that God has prepared God works in advanced for me to do even here, in Seward, Nebraska to show the love of Jesus to others around me. And that's where I'll start.

A Not-So-Springy Break

Spring break should be a time for fun in the sun and flip-flops. Mine did not include either. However, I did have a lot of fun indoors.  My travels brought me to the chilly, wintry land of Minnesota, where there were negative degree windchill temperatures for many of the days I was there.  

Although my break was not the glorious vacation many spring breakers got on the beaches of Florida, it was a blast! I got to spend some time with my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.  Even though I didn't get to see my immediate family, I did enjoy some down time from classes.  I went to coffee shops, baby sat my cousins, shadowed a teacher for my Ed 101 class, went to the Minneapolis Institute of Art (which is closed on Mondays, just so you know), and spent time at my Cousin's house in St. Paul.  

Overall it was a great break to spend more time with my wonderful family I am so blessed to have!

As Africa Ails

Africa brings to my mind a variety of mental pictures.  Some are of lions and giraffes and safaris, but most are of poor people in small villages.  Although my thoughts are probably a bit skewed from the truth by suppositional stereotypes, there is a lot of validity in this as well.  Almost all news headlines about Africa in recent years have accounted the extreme poverty of the people and their inauspicious governments. 

America has continued to grow to become the greatest nation in the world, since its more recent birth in 1776, while the ancient civilizations of Africa have struggled just to maintain existence in the past several decades.  According to an article published by the Cato Institute on foreign aid to Africa, both the United States and Great Britain have pumped billions of dollars into the UN and Africa to try to ameliorate the problems which plague the continent.  Instead this money has barely even palliated the struggles of the African nations. 

It is hardly surprising that countries like Ghana and Uganda have escaped development and continue to endure the same arduous, economic problems when their budgets are more than 50% aid dependent.  What kind of motivation do these people have for developing their countries when rich nations seek pity on them year after year?  What the United States is doing in Africa can be compared to merely covering up a festering wound with a band-aid.  There is not progress. 

My heart breaks for the African people who just can't seem to catch a break.  I pray that their countries will grow and develop local infrastructure, industry, and trade.  However, there is no way that this will happen while they can easily use the USA as a crutch to escape the inevitability that they must overcome their struggles.  

I love the fact that there are organizations, both humanitarian and religious, which are working in Africa to help the poor, the refugees, and the sick.  I think that this aid is not only a boon for the people, but also a necessary part in the development of their social programs.  Governmental involvement in this kind of aid is where we should draw the line.  There is not much incentive to develop when richer countries are just sending ample amounts of funds into the countries.  Local industry is hurt and therefore economy suffers.  Instead governments, if they want to help, should offer aid to the industry of these countries and foster trade as well. 

A HUGE problem remains which I have not addressed thus yet.  Many of the governments in Africa currently are very corrupt and erroneous in nature.  My true feelings are that nothing good can  truly happen in this continent until these kinds of villainous charlatans are taken out of office and leaders for free trade markets, individual liberties and justice are instated. 

That is when Africa will truly be a wonderful place again, God willing.

The Peak of Human Development

The United Nations, an organization that works around the world, deals with anything and everything international.  Although their program's efficacy remains somewhat controversial, they have done a lot of work categorizing countries based on a variety of calculations.  One such example is the United Nations Development Program's Human Development Index.  

If all the world's countries competed in a challenge to see who was the over-all "best," this index would aid in judging the grand competition.   What would countries have to pay attention to in order to win? Well, the three main areas are health, knowledge, and the level of standard of living in each country.  The level of health is based on life expectancy, knowledge is inferred from literacy rates of adults, and the standard of living is calculated from GDP per capita.  All in all, these three categories tell a lot about a country's developmental status.  

Let the Competition begin!

According to statistics gathered in 2008, 75 countries have been classified as "High Human Development" countries, 79 as "Medium Human Development," and 25 as "Low Human Development" countries.  The number one country, earning an HDI score of .968, on the list is the European country of Iceland. Looking at these standings from a geographical standpoint, it is interesting to note almost all of the Western nations from our world are on the "High" list, including the United States and many European countries. This shouldn't surprise anyone who remembers that the West has used "germs, guns, and steel" to their advantage, just ask Jarred Diamond.  The "Medium" countries vary from region to region, many countries are from Eastern Europe and Asia.  And, alas, as there must be a "Low Human Development" category, you might wonder where these 25 countries lie in our vast world. Well, all of these 25 countries, thats 100%, each and every one of them, is located in Sub-Saharan Africa.  

Included on this list is Rwanda, with literacy rating about 38% and life expectancy only around 45. Further more, Rwanda's GDP per capita is a minute $819 (The GDP for the United States is over $43,000). With the recent violent in Rwanda in the 90's, it isn't very surprising that the country's development has been so poor, earning it the HDI score of .435.

The overall country with the lowest human development is the African country of Sierra Leon. 

Its GDP is only about $600, its probability of not surviving to age of forty is above 45%, and about 40% of its citizens do not even have access to improved water.  Sierra Leon's overall HDI score is a meager .329. The United State's score is .951.

It is strange to categorize how developed a country really is because of how different each of them are from each other. The customs and culture of Sierra Leon are dramatically different from that of the United States.  Could that affect each country's attitude toward "development"? I think that it very well could, especially dealing with the tribal countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, many of whom do not hold literacy rates in high regard.  This could affect the extremely low score of this region as a whole, but even the tribes of Africa value a high life expectancy and clean water.  

The main reason that this region probably ranks so low on this HDI is because of government.  Although I remain somewhat naive on this subject, I do know that the corruption of many Sub-Saharan governments exceeds that of other region's governments quite a bit.  A corrupt government does not reap benefits for its people, usually just havoc and despair. 

I do not pretend to believe that this Index judges the overall "happiness" of each country, that would be preposterous.  Of course, there certainly is a lot of angst in the Sub-Saharan African region caused by tribal boundaries contrasting with the transitional borders of nations and vernacular regions set up from colonization.  However, the Sub-Saharan Africans must remember the words of Isaiah: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (chapter 58 verse 11).  

God's promise of love, manifesting in Jesus' sacrifice, is to all the nations, no matter what color they are, what language they speak, or where their people live.  He is the one comfort that all humans can run to when there is hardship.  When the people of our wonderful word look for strength in Him, they become "developed" to the fullest extent.  In our Savior Jesus Christ's love, the human race can truly cross over from death to life, which is a development higher standards of living can never bring. 

Jesus won the competition for us all!

Shenanigans Abroad

What is better than spending the day with your best friend in an unforgettable city? Maybe throw in a break for espresso, of course! These photos I have selected from the National Geographic site are from the Rome.   Italy is an enthralling place--its history, architecture, art, cuisine, and people!

I think that this first scene is the epitome of the quintessential Roman experience.  I looked at this photo and decided that these two were probably Italian, out in the hustle and bustle of their home city Rome.  There is something interesting about looking at a photo strangers, but from it you can learn a lot.

An Italian, urban lifestyle, displayed in this photo, is so different from the life I’ve lived in the United States.  These girls are obviously comfortable navigating around their beloved city of Rome.  I like that the photographer

 selected a black and white finish for these chic ladies, though I’m sure they and the trendy shops behind them are flooded with color.  I can’t wait until I get to go to Italy and see all of this in person!

And, I just had to include this second picture because it is also taken in Rome.  An Italian sips her espresso in a outdoor cafe.  Just as the girls from the motorbike, this kind of special Roman experience is something that makes our world wonderful!  I rejoice that God has given us these different ways to just relax, be with friends, and experience the city around us--even in Rome.  

"So Near And Yet So Foreign"

The United States has had less than friendly ties with the Communist country Cuba for sometime now.  The last time I  heard of United States citizens traveling to Cuba as tourists was on an old I Love Lucy TV show, probably about the same era of this travel poster I have included.  

There is not only a travel ban between America and Cuba, but also a trade embargo.  The United States ended trade with Cuba back when it became under the communist dominion of Fidel Castro, in 1959.  There were not only anxious relations between the USA and Cuba, but also the Soviet Union, which was also Communist in the days of the Cold War.   Unlike the USSR, Cuba has survived as a communist nation into the twenty-first century.  

Today, with so many Hispanic immigrants, tolerance, and globalization, some think it seems silly to keep things with Cuba tied off.  (Come on, USA, just loosen up and be nice to your neighbors to the south!) That's what our new President, Barack Obama, thinks.  A new Bill introduced to the Senate, which he supports, would do just that.  

I think that the United States much stand on the principles which our founding fathers should on as well.  We are a nation of free people, Lady Liberty stands tall from our shore.  A Democratic nation, like the United States of America, should not acknowledge a extreme left, Communist country as they should not give their heart-felt support to terrorist groups.  Each group hinders the people of their country, causing more damage, instead of building a brighter future.  The relations with Cuba should change when the people have the freedom to change their government.  

I am so excited for the day when the Cuban people can praise God for the disbandment of their Communist Government.  I think that our world is wonderful in the fact that it is ever changing and that there are always people around the world trying to make it better.  I pray to God that the activities and diplomacy of United States and Cuba will reflect His glorious desires for this world.

Las Problemas de Nuestro Vecino: Mexico

www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,491964,00.html

There has been more and more violence occurring with our Neighbors to the South.  According to this Fox News article, written by Joshua Rett Miller, the deaths due to drug violence last year was over 5,000.  These deaths occur mostly near the US/Mexico border, along the Rio Grande, where there are many Maquiladores and cities like Juarez.  These cities are the paths by which the drugs flow across the border into the United States.  

The violence is beginning to escalate because according to Miller "the Felipe Caleron administration is doing the right thing by cracking down on powerful drug cartels...who are fighting back."  Mexico is facing a possible economic collapse, incurring following turmoil akin to what Somalia is going through at this time.  This would be the worst case senario.  But if it did happen, then the US would see even more migrants pour across the Rio Grande, to escape violence.  US Governmental officials are getting ready for anything at this point, according to the article. 

It is difficult for me to express how God is good and the world is wonderful as I read this article about our Hispanic brothers and sisters going through tough times.  This article especially makes me sad because I have been planning on going to Juarez on a Mission Trip to build houses for people living in the Squatter Settlements near the Maquiladores...but that is looking like it will not be able to happen.  It also is terrible that the people have been affected by the dangers of drug trafficking and violence and bribery and hate.  Where is God during all of this?

He is in Mexico, in the people who are planning on helping possible refugees, in the people who are praying. God is in Mexico, even if it seems like the Devil's side is winning.  The wonderful thing about this situation, is that the LORD Jesus Christ has already conquered all the forces working evil in Mexico.  I am still praying that this will be calmed so that I will be able to work for Jesus down in Juarez...but more importantly so that the people in Mexico will have peace in their lives, peace in their surroundings and in their hearts from God. 

 

All Around the World-

The map-generating website is so cool! After spending way too long going from category to category looking at the variety of maps, I chose to explore how the Lutheran Church is spread across the globe. It's wonderful that God's truth can be spread throughout the nations, through Church outreach, like that of the Lutheran Church. This world map is awesome because it not only shows the way a piece of culture, like a religion, can spread through out the world, but also the mighty work of the Holy Spirit!

One thing that suprised me was the size of North Eastern Europe as well as Central to Southern Africa. I knew that there were many coptic Christians in Ehtiopia, and this map reflects that there are Lutherans there as well. It is interesting to see the large size of Scandanavia and Germany, because a lot of my and other Lutheran's ancestory goes back to this area of Europe. I was especially excited to see that there are even some Brothers and Sisters in Christ in Northern Africa, which to my understanding has been dominated by Islam for centuries.

Do not misunderstand me, the Lutheran Church is not the only people of God. This type of Christianity is merely part of the believers on this earth. I wanted to choose a map that I could identify with, and being Lutheran this is very intersting to me.

I also have a passion for missions and want to pursue some type of ministry in the Hispanic world in the future. I know that Latin America is predominantly Catholic, but I didn't know that there were so few Lutherans there. As Professor Helmer stated that there is a German population in Brazil, it would make sense that there are also some Lutherans there, as the map shows.

This map reminds me that the mission field is everywhere, not just in Guatemala or China, but also in the United States of America. Although our country seems very large on this map, that doesn't mean that our culture is not plagued with sin or unbelief. We must be Christ's Ambassadors to all as we live our lives, everyday.

Pyramids from Around the World

One thing I have been pondering lately, is how absolutely wonderful this world that God gave us is, thus came the title for this blog.  It is an eclectic, amalgamation of varying cultures and beautiful places, along with the dominating human race, the common presence throughout the world.  But people from alternate parts of the world differ almost as much as the places in which they are live.  Population size varies tremendously from country to country, but we often disregard the reasons for these fluctuations.  Well, at least I have never thought about it before now.  However, lately I have learned that you can infer a lot about a country from its population pyramid. 

For example, a country's population often reflects the status of its development

.  The UN has defined 14 countries as LDCs, or Least Developed Countries.  The countries in this category have been defined so because of three specific reasons.  These include th

e low-income criterion, the human capital status criterion, and the economic vulnerability criterion.  A country must meet each of these factors in order to be categorized as an LDC.  Specifically in reference to the human capital status criterion, LDCs have low populations, below 75 million people.  What is more interesting about this LDC categorization is that the population pyramids of said LDCs are shaped in unusual manners, differing profusely from the MDCs of this wonderful world.  

The below Population Pyramids are from two very contrasting countries of Sudan, one of the LDCs from Central Africa, and Spain, MDC from the Iberian Peninsula.  Their pyramids, therefore, are extremely different.

Sudan has been a country subject to terrible civil wars in the past decade.  The war has also included mass killings of the native African tribes by the Islamic government, especially in the region known as Darfur.  Another problem in this bleak country is the Aids epidemic, which has brought death to many, many people as well.  All of these deaths have made the life expectancy rate drop dramatically. As the pyramid reflects, there is only a small percentage of the elderly or even middle-aged adults.  Since, Sudan has the characteristics of the LDCs, it is a very agricultural country and not very urbanized.  Sudanese families live in very bucolic, agrarian areas, and work the land to sustain their life and raise money.  

The families need a lot of children to do manual labor, which is why the lower levels of the pyram

id are so large.  LDCs are characterized by having a majority of the population in the low

er parts of the pyramids.  Although this part of the pyramid does widen, infant mortality is a problem for all LDCs.  But there

 are enough youths in Sudan to influence the Population Pyramid's vast base.  Sudan's Population Pyramid is that 

of a typical LDC.

Spain's Population Pyramid differs as much from Sudan's as does these countries' other characteristics.  Spain, having a wealthy economy and higher-standard of living, has a population pyramid similar to most other MDCs.  This western European country is urban and has a strong economy, especially when compared with Sudan.  This means better educational systems, better governmental systems, and better hospitals.  The Spanish, as a result, living longer and wealthier lives.  They are not in need of great numbers of children to help raise an income for their families, as the Sudanese.  As a result of compact and expensive urban living, the Spanish have smaller families, maybe only one of two children if any.  The population might even decrease in the next couple of decades because of a lower TFR, even though some people of this country live to be as old as 90 to 100.  The standard of living in an MDC produces a population of less children and more adults than that of an LDC, which is evident from comparing the Population Pyramids of Sudan and Spain.

Writing about the hardships of LDCs makes it a challenge to add to my point that this world is wonderful.  Yes, the people of Sudan suffer daily- and our world is wonderful!  It looks terrible to write that...but in fact, that is the point I am trying to make with this blog.  Although Sin has inundated God's creation, including people, He does still reign over all of it.  Jesus' presence on this world is the reason I can still confidently call it wonderful! 

"The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation; but the one who is rich [should boast] in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.  For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed.  In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.  Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crow of life that He has promised to those who love Him." -James 1:9-12

This pericope goes along with my point.  Jesus has blessed those who endure trials.  Sudan is blessed.  This is the hope that truly makes this world wonderful-- a wonderful place to wait for His promised crown of life! 

We have this hope because Jesus lives.

Girdwood

If you talk to anybody who has visited Alaska, they will probably tell of its wild and majestic beauty.  Living there, I am continually reminded of God's amazing power by glimpsing the awesome scenery that surrounds me.  

Snow-capped, jagged mountains are my favorite type of landscape and I have been no place more beautiful than the area around the town of Girdwood, Alaska. But it's not just the sight of the rainforest trees silhouetted against wintry mountains that keeps me coming back.

The song "My Favorite Things" from the sound of music comes to mind as I ponder what makes Girdwood interesting, because it really does have all of my favorite things.  Coffee shops, snow, friends, and best of all: skiing.  The Alyeska ski resort, located in Girdwood, attracts skier from all over Alaska and even the world.  The culture in Girdwood is rich with Native Alaskan traditions, skiing/winter sports, and the love of the earth God gave us.  One thing that I love especially about Girdwood is that the people are easy-going, goggle-tanned ski bums, people who really make an effort to enjoy the wonders God has bestowed upon Alaska. 

The picture set as the back

ground for this blog is a picture I took last year from the top of Mt. Alyeska, my favorite place.  It was my winter oasis, where I escaped every other week during my high school years in Alaska. Strapping on my K2s and hitting the black-diamonds with my friends are some of my fondest memories, memories I will cherish forever. 

For a video of skiers at Alyeska visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ8eNqftSNs