Comments on: but they don’t have an address that reads as the promised land… http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html so many dots, so little time... Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:54:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Cara Michele http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html#comment-2310 Cara Michele Tue, 08 Aug 2006 15:50:11 +0000 http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html#comment-2310 My sources tend to be: first-hand stories from missionaries in the field, emails from or about missionaries, Christian magazines and ministry mailings about missions, and sometimes from missionary blogs. A lot of news and information about missionaries and the countries they serve travels along more informal paths. One example, although not about Africa: A High Point pastor was kidnapped in Haiti recently. A story appeared in the MSM on Thursday, I believe. But we began receiving emails from family and friends of the pastor the Sunday before that, just shortly after the kidnapping occurred. By the time the story appeared in the newspaper, we had received many emails with much more info than the MSM reported. Often, when events are occurring around the world that are being reported in the MSM, missionaries are sending out emails (or phone calls) to folks at home, and that info is being passed along informal channels. And Africa is one of the places where I often hear more about what's going on from missions sources than from the MSM. And sometimes I am very frustrated by the choices that American politicians make about where to intervene and whose suffering to ease. My sources tend to be: first-hand stories from missionaries in the field, emails from or about missionaries, Christian magazines and ministry mailings about missions, and sometimes from missionary blogs.

A lot of news and information about missionaries and the countries they serve travels along more informal paths. One example, although not about Africa: A High Point pastor was kidnapped in Haiti recently. A story appeared in the MSM on Thursday, I believe. But we began receiving emails from family and friends of the pastor the Sunday before that, just shortly after the kidnapping occurred. By the time the story appeared in the newspaper, we had received many emails with much more info than the MSM reported.

Often, when events are occurring around the world that are being reported in the MSM, missionaries are sending out emails (or phone calls) to folks at home, and that info is being passed along informal channels. And Africa is one of the places where I often hear more about what’s going on from missions sources than from the MSM. And sometimes I am very frustrated by the choices that American politicians make about where to intervene and whose suffering to ease.

]]> By: Sean Coon http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html#comment-2308 Sean Coon Tue, 08 Aug 2006 09:20:08 +0000 http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html#comment-2308 the vast majority of people in america don't look for other sources of information; they digest what the msm offers them. that was part of ethan's point. my post title was a bit provocative, but i think it boils the conversation down to it's essence... as a judeo-christian nation, our attention is overwhelmingly focused on the middle-east. if you'd like to go deeper and suggest another reason that american media outlets turn their backs on africa, be my guest -- i'm all ears. the vast majority of people in america don’t look for other sources of information; they digest what the msm offers them. that was part of ethan’s point. my post title was a bit provocative, but i think it boils the conversation down to it’s essence… as a judeo-christian nation, our attention is overwhelmingly focused on the middle-east.

if you’d like to go deeper and suggest another reason that american media outlets turn their backs on africa, be my guest — i’m all ears.

]]> By: Cara Michele http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html#comment-2305 Cara Michele Mon, 07 Aug 2006 22:14:44 +0000 http://www.seancoon.org/2006/08/but_they_dont_have_an_address_that_reads_as_the_promised_land.html#comment-2305 At the missions event that I talked about in <a href="http://chosenfast.blogspot.com/2006/08/israel-and-lebanon-and-heartbreak.html" rel="nofollow">this post</a>, a missionary to Uganda also spoke. (We both grew up at <a href="http://www.lawndalebaptist.org/" rel="nofollow">the church where </a> the event was held.) She talked about all the war and fighting going on in Africa, and how some of it, like in Uganda, is rarely mentioned in the media here. No, it's not "the promised land," but Christians are concerned and involved. The MSM isn't covering that, but there are other sources. At the missions event that I talked about in this post, a missionary to Uganda also spoke. (We both grew up at the church where the event was held.) She talked about all the war and fighting going on in Africa, and how some of it, like in Uganda, is rarely mentioned in the media here. No, it’s not “the promised land,” but Christians are concerned and involved. The MSM isn’t covering that, but there are other sources.

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