Friday, January 25, 2013

Three languages; one classroom?


International (MNN) ― What if you showed up to your first day of school and couldn’t understand what you were supposed to learn because your teacher was speaking a foreign language?
Maybe that was your experience. Maybe it wasn’t.
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But for thousands of children in marginalized communities, education can be a struggle when they have to learn school material through a new language.

That’s why Greg and Diane Dekker with Wycliffe Bible Translatorsconduct Multilingual Education (MLE). Diane explains, “Multilingual education begins with the learner’s first language--the language they first learn to speak at home--and helps them learn the curriculum content in school in that language. Then it adds other languages that they need to learn, like perhaps the national language or English in addition.”


Abortion opponents march in Washington


Hundreds of thousands of pro-life demonstrators marched through Washington to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to protest the landmark decision that legalized abortion.
The annual event took on added significance for many in the crowd since it coincided with the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that created a constitutional right to abortion in some circumstances. The demonstrators, carrying signs with messages such as "Defend Life" and "Defund Planned Parenthood," shouted chants including "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go." They packed the National Mall and surrounding streets for the March of Life.
"I just felt this 40th year marked a huge anniversary for the law," said one demonstrator, Pam Tino, 52, of Easton, Mass, who also participated several years ago. "Forty is a very important year in the Bible as well, in terms of years in the desert. And I just felt like maybe this year that was going to be something miraculous that might happen. We might see something going forward with the cause."


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/25/abortion-opponents-march-in-washington/#ixzz2J2N05MtW

Facebook Data Used in Suicide-Prevention Study

Franklin Graham Tells Students About the Cost of Following Christ

By Michael Gryboski , Christian Post Reporter
January 23, 2013|4:48 pm

In remarks given at Liberty University, the Rev. Franklin Graham explained to students gathered that there are "costs" to following Jesus.

Graham, who is president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, focused his remarks at a Liberty University's regular event Convocation about "what it means to give your life to Christ."
"What does that mean? To say 'God here is my life, take it and use it'? Because there are some costs associated with this," said Graham, who read from Luke 14 to illustrate his point. "You have to be willing to give up everything…If you are going to follow me, if you are going to be my disciple you have got to understand the cost. You have to put me first."

The Duggars Team Up to Take the Fight for Life 'High-Tech'

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Children are a blessing from the Lord" is the heart cry of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of the popular TLC Channel series 19 kids and Counting. So much so that a family trip taken a couple of years ago made an unexpected yet profound impact on them. 

Michelle recalls, "Our family visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. The designers of the museum did an incredible job telling the tragic story of over 6 million Jews who were brutally executed. The purpose of the museum is to educate others on what happened, so that hopefully, something like this will never happen again! A couple of weeks after we went to the Holocaust Museum it dawned on us that there is a holocaust taking place right here in America!" 

The holocaust she referenced is the epidemic of abortion in America. After that trip the Duggars began to pray about what they could do to help end abortion. Their first call was to Dan Pennell, CEO of WMtek, a Fort Pierce, FL based web development company, who immediately caught the vision. Working with Jim Bob Duggar and Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, Dan formed the powerful coalition of pro-life groups that has become LifeUnited. 

LifeUnited is a collaboration of 8 singleminded but unique groups united to end abortion in America. The team includes Life International, Learn, Inc., Liberty Counsel, Living Waters, National Center for Life and Liberty, Family Research Council, The Justice Foundation, and the Duggar Family. 

Their first initiative called upon WMtek to pioneer a unique web experience that would, as Dan Pennell states, "tell the story of the American Holocaust, motivate others to get involved, and give them tools to activate their passion." The compelling result is LifeUnited.org set for release to coincide with the January 25, 2013 March for Life in Washington, D.C. 

"This site is a powerful vehicle to express our hearts," says Michelle, "We want every American to know that each child is a special creation of God being formed in their mother's womb." LifeUnited.org is a great start. 

To learn more please visit www.lifeunited.org or contact:
Dan Pennell, Founder, LifeUnited, CEO, WMtek, Inc., www.wmtek.com,  772-567-9824 
Mathew Staver, Liberty Counsel, www.lc.org,  800-671-1776.
David Gibbs, National Center for Life and Liberty, www.ncll.org,  888-233-6255
Josh Duggar, The Duggar Family, www.duggarfamily.com,  (479) 361-9108
Christian Newswire

Chicago Pastor Plans to Run a Marathon a Day for Five Months -- Coast to Coast

Quits Job to Help Kids in Africa Get Clean Water

Partners with International Christian Charity World Vision
SEATTLE, Jan. 24, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Right now, 49 year-old Steve Spear is training for the run of his life. The Chicago-area pastor recently quit his job as a Willow Creek pastor after 15 years, to focus on raising $1.5 million to provide clean water for 30,000 people living in Kenya. It's the adventure of a lifetime, a cross-country fundraising run from Southern California to New York City. Spear, who only took up long-distance running five years ago, has completed countless marathons and ultra-marathons but has never done anything like this before. He will attempt to run a marathon a day for five months, from coast to coast. 

Spear will start his quest on April 8th, 2013 from the Santa Monica Pier on the Pacific Ocean, finishing up five months later in August in New York City. Steve Spear says his former senior pastor at Willow Creek, Bill Hybels is planning to run with Steve on the final leg of the cross-country odyssey into New York City. Spear will seek support from churches along the way. 

A CROSS-COUNTRY ADVENTURE
  • Spear will run 3200 miles, averaging a marathon a day for 5 months

  • He will consume 6100 calories a day.

  • He will go through 10 pairs of running shoes
THE REASON: CLEAN WATER FOR AFRICA
  • 900 million people lack access to safe water

  • 6000 children die each day from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water and basic sanitation facilities

  • 443 million school days per year are lost to water-related illness

  • The difference: hope for 30,000 people
For donations: www.teamworldvision.org/runningforwater
Twitter: @steveSpear30
Media Contact John Yeager World Vision 
jyeager@worldvision.org or  425-765-9845 

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicate to working with children, families and their communities worldwide by tacking the causes of poverty and injustice. For more information please visit worldvision.orgChristian Newswire