The Crisis in Haiti

So I think that we all know what I am talking about in this Post. For anyone who doesn't just look around for the dozens of "help for Haiti" Signs.

My friends have been fairly sympathetic to the whole relief effort, but none of my friends really understand what is going, save maybe one or two, and I think that it's fair to let all the readers know what I want to say.

I'm Haitian descent. My mom spent the first seven years of her life in Haiti, and my grandmother is an immigrant from the island. I don't know what to say except that this catastrophe has shaken everyone in my family. There are those of us who seriously have know idea if some of our relatives are even alive.

But i noticed something. Living in the US my entire life, I remember what it was like nine years ago waking up to learn that i wasn't going to go to school that day because of the collapsing of the two towers. I remember spending the entire day afraid for my life, and the lives of my family in New York and on the East Coast. I was miserable. This time around, i'm very different.

"what can i do to help?"

you help is greatly appreciated

Letters to the president...

"If I was brave, I'd write a letter to the President
And have him pass it to the leaders of the our parliament,
but for now, I won't say nothing
From all the kids who would stand in my residence
who see this letter as a statement of our innocence
As for now, I'll start with something"
-Hawk Nelson

Well, its my third post, and i thought it would be appropriate to open with the letters that reminded my about my blog. This song, for anyone who's not heard it, speaks pretty deeply about the state of the country and the short-comings that the next generation is having to face at the hands of the government. But, to be honest, the real reason i felt the need to share this song with you is because in part of the song, he lists same sex marriage as one of the things that is wrong with the country. I will not lie, my initial reaction was anger at the band.

I don't understand. I really don't. A lot of times, I feels as if I'm faced with this unbelievable dilemma: following what a book says is right about love, and going my own way and following my desires for the sake of happiness. "Why must I have to make that decision?" I used to ask myself, "And why about LOVE of all things?"

For anyone who reads this and thinks "well, the bible says that it is wrong." I want to remind you that I am well aware of what the bible has to say, but think about this: men who follow the lifestyle of homosexuality really seek something crucial for themselves, something that has been distorted in their home life, their family life, and everywhere else. And that thing is that love and affirmation from that which has rejected them. One of the most common traits amongst feminine homosexuals is the poor relationship with their fathers are very poor. likewise, i would think that healthy male/male relationships should be established between them and other guys [note: these are inherently asexual relationships with boundaries that keep allow the struggler to grow without becoming emotionally dependent on one individual.]

What do you guys think? talk to me @ kosuke454@hotmail.com

And on the Third Day...

Hey everyone. I know it's already been three days (MAN, time sure is a flyin') and I haven't posted anything in my blog. So the next step is to simply start from where i left off.

Well School is... school. I don't know what to say about it accept that I enjoy the company that i find there. I work hard and try to be as productive as I can. It's a wonderful experience, when I find that I've ended a day doing what needed to be done. It's an odd feeling, but then again, it may be the most sane thing I've dedicated myself to follow.

Today I had the honor of being recognized by the San Bernardino District of African-American Academic Counsel for my hard work. Myself and one of my classmates were recognized for our efforts and studies during the course of our high school careers. It was a small ceremony, and our involvement was minimal, with our involvement being included in only about the first fifteen to twenty minutes. But the most interesting thing to me about the ceremony was the presenter of the awards.

The speaker and I had actually seen each other before a couple of months ago. He had stopped by in my History of the Americas class and listened in on one of the many debates that were encouraged by our teacher. Apparently, we weren't talking about the Vietnam war, and he was extremely impressed between the two of us. During his opener, he said that "When I was observing the class, and when i saw these two students debating the issues, I had to had to fight tears, and that is the truth."

The reason I choose to share this isn't because I wish to toot my own horn, but because this simply the latest trend of blessings God has rewarded me with. This time maybe two years ago, I wasn't, by any means, deserving of such an award. I wasn't even that hard of a worker. I had started to put forth effort in my studies, but merely months before, I simply went through whatever motions i felt like going through, suffering alone and not even really applying myself to the things that were really important to me: Finding that peace within myself and with God. I had only really made progress in my attempts with my own personal regeneration when I let God work on my heart and my mind. From that point, God's given me all sorts of strength through the most trying times of these last few months, and, though i know that i can't always feel Him, He's doing His work in me.

There is something that I've come to understand about God: He's lent so much of himself into me. I am not obligated to do the same to him, but I know that I am safest in His jurisdiction... and I wouldn't have it any other way. When you let yourself be healed by the God, it's as if you are finally discovering who you are.

A revised resolution....

Well, let's see... how to start.... "hello?".... Yeah, sure, whatever dude.

As you've read from the title, this blog is the product of keeping my own sort of New Year's resolution i'm casting upon myself. I don't really know how these things work, but I know that this blog isn't going to make my letters to God (i.e. my journal) obsolete by any means. But I realize that this blog, like anything worth reading (lol), is going to have a purpose. I don't like reading worthless pages of people's gossip without at least some form of direction or change on the main character's part.

But the blog itself isn't my resolution. After all, why do people need to post something when I'm writing in my journal? Where's the overall Arc of these posts of life I choose to live? Why am I asking you this? Pure rhetoric, friend, relax.

First, a little about myself. I'm Seventeen as of now. My birthday is exactly thirty days from today (if you start counting on the fourth), and I'm going to be a legal adult at that time (I'm actually a little terrified, to be honest with you.) I am Christian, have been for the last 3, maybe 4, years. I'm part of my high school's first International Baccalaureate program, and trust me, starting out your junior year with 64 students in your class and having it whittle down to a measly nine by the time that you enter your senior year tells you that it's no cake walk. I have a great passion for writing (I know it sort of comes with the territory when you decide to become a blogger), play two instruments consistently, and volunteer my time at the hospital and at my church cafe. I go to two churches: Sunrise Church in Rialto, when my family can make it, and Crestview done the street from my house, when they can't. I simply enjoy my time with God and Godly people, and with my few non-Godly friends, as well. I'm very active: I was a leading attorney for my school's mock trial team, helped organized a debate between two teachers to raise money for both Musa and the Academic Decathlon team, and (as of about five days ago) am on one of my churches' bible quiz team.

So, the real reason why I am writing this blog is because of a decision I've made and a book I'm reading. You see, while I'm writing this blog, I'm battling homosexuality. This means that, as a Christian, I am in a position that doesn't generate a lot of sympathy from either side of the debate. On top of that, I am sure that you reading this have your own reservations on what I am doing and the whole debate. But, as an honest person, I have to look at my life through the lens of what is best for myself, no matter what the media, culture, or my friends say.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm human. I'm going to do things that I won't be proud of. However, I'm going to make it my mission to be as honest as possible with whomever is reading this. I'm going to state what failures I make during the course of this journey, and I'm going to be recounting my personal history as the need arises.

The secondary reason why I decided to make a blog about my efforts is because of this book i'm reading. Alex and Brett Harris's book "Do Hard Things" is great for teenagers, and anyone, really, who want to do the things they know that they can do. I'l probably be referencing to the book anytime I do something discussed in it's pages. It calls that I do a lot of things that i'm not comfortable with, but I know that I'm better off following the advice then just making a lot of unnecessary mistakes along the way.

Thirdly, and possibly the most important reason that I'm writing this blog, is to give hope and encourage anyone who wants to get themselves out of what I am currently struggling with, and also, to those who just aren't sure whether or not to trust God with that one issue, that giant elephant in the room, for fear of what may actually happen when we do. There are things that occur in our lives that can cause us to feel like God isn't on our side anymore, and we begin to wonder if He ever was. I get that, and I am letting you know that I've definitely been there. But, there is absolutely no truth to that statement. God definitely loves, and He loves his children Fiercely.

One final thought: Christians, true Christians who are serious about their faith, aren't simply real-life versions of Quinn Fabray (anyone who watches "Glee" knows what i'm talking about). As Christians, we should be the ones that are standing for what we know is right, even if the rest of the world doesn't agree with us. As Christians, our first responsibility to our fellow man is to Love them.

What does that mean? Talk to me at kosuke454@rocketmail.com