::Watch this CNN video::

Here is a link to a CNN video that does a good job of briefly summarizing the situation of the people in the Mae La refugee camp (the largest refugee camp in Thailand that houses displaced Karen people - the most heavily persecuted hill tribe in Burma). Courtesy of Laura Bush, the video also shows the lack of urgency that the American government has toward the crisis in Burma. She states that the best way to help is to continue with sanctions against their government, but she fails to mention that their government purposefully operates under an isolationist regime... meaning that it does not want to do business with America in the first place! So our sanctions against them are a good way to show our "political concern", but they most likely wont help much in reality...
CNN VIDEO

Im not sure of the best way for the US government to help, but the best way i can see for us to help is to send money and support organizations that actually go into Burma and are bringing medicine, clothes, supplies, Christ's love...etc. One great one that is actually doing something tangible for the people is the Free Burma Rangers...

Free Burma Rangers

Normal is Over

"Normal is over" is a quote that i see and hear a lot around the Free Burma Rangers office, and the Parners World office (they share a building). it refers to the idea that once you see/experience something amazingly moving or devastating...etc first hand you see things a different way and it almost is as if you share the burden of responsibility with the people involved after that, and basically HAVE to help.

for this CNN reporter that went to Burma, "normal" is definitely over...

CLICK FOR CNN REPORT

Free Burma Rangers

After we got to Thailand it seemed that most of our plans to go into Burma kind of just fell apart right in front of us... our connections didnt work out, we found out that it would be harder than we were originally told to get a visa...etc. soo we were pretty frustrated for a while, and all we could do was to continue to push to make new connections and find new ppl to work with. ultimately we realized that we could probably do more good for the people of Burma on the Thai side (being white Americans) so we just tried to figure out what we could do over here to help them.
Through a friend i made last year while in Thailand we got in touch with the Free Burma Rangers... an organization that trains teams and sneaks them into Burma to bring supplies and relief to the people that are running from the government genocide and having to flee their homes and hide in the jungle. Their goals are to help the people, document the atrocities, fight against the government army when they have the means to do so, and just stand strong with the people under fire...
So its a pretty hardcore revolutionary group and a noble cause for sure. Since we have been here in Chiang Mai for the past week or so we have been able to help by filling rice bags with clothes, teaching supplies, soap, bug repellent, medicine and other basic needs for the people that are in hiding. The teams will then hike through the mountains and jungle to bring these goods to the people they come across. We also were able to help another christian organization load rice bags filled with tarps for the people of the delta region so they can have a "temporary roof" to live under since the cyclone ruined their homes. sooo its a hard fought thing, but its nice to finally be doing what my goal was and actually help these people on the trip.

One last thing.. the FBR is made up solely of volunteers, they make no money off of anything, and the only way they can continue to do what they do is because of the giving of people who have the means.. if you can help go to their website http://www.freeburmarangers.org or just click the title above and it takes you there...
ill try to upload some pictures soon if i can.
have a good day!

dead camera

soo... we have been back in bangkok for a little under a week now... we met up with a full time missionary to Burma named John Saenz and he welcomed us into his home for a fourth of july party with his family and some other missionary friends of his (mostly Assemblies of God full time missionaries). it was a great time, really nice to be around some americans and have some bbq! since then we have been doing a little work in bangkok with some of the ppl we met at Johns house. one day we went into the slums and hung out with some kids all day, teaching english and just showing some love. the slums here are basically groups of shacks and huts piled together next to one of the dirty rivers that serves as the trashpile, septic tank, and basically all things filth haha. so the whole time we were playing with the kids it felt and smelled like we were sitting in a giant porta-potty. the kids were so sweet and friendly, its sad that they have to live in those conditions, but its good that local ministries are trying to help them improve their conditions. so i guess being there was just a good way to keep reminding myself not to complain and to keep a good attitude, because in reality anything i experience realy inst that bad and completely manageable on some level.

Its been good to be back in Bangkok though, we are staying in a different area than we were last time, and im realizing that i like the city muuch more than i thought i did before. the more local parts of the city are really cool actually. we have been a lot more adventurous with our diets and have tried some odd cuisine! its paid off more often than not for sure! one of our favorite dishes lately comes from a parking lot outside of a local university. there are rows of mats on the ground with low sitting tables on them. the customers come and sit on the ground. the street vendors grill these huge whole snappers (i think they are snappers...) and serve them with a side of mixed greens and a side of noodles. you peel the skin off the snapper and wrap up some fish and noodles in the lettuce then dip it in the sauces, one is a sweet peanut sacue and the other is a spicier quacamole-ish type sauce. its soooo good! much better than it looks.

so both my camera and daves have both magically died... i dont know if they got fried by the computers we have been plugging them into or what, but no bueno. its too bad because there have been some amazing things that we have wanted to "capture" (although its totally impossible). oh well... maybe ill find a way to get it charged somehow in the future.

well as far as our next step, we were planning on doing some college ministry type work with a local missionary here in bangkok, but i think instead we are going to continue to try and do some work to help the ppl of burma. its been a long hard fought thing to get in touch with the right people, but we have found some people in Chiang Mai (a large northern city in Thailand) that could use us to do some office work, plus running supplies to the border of Burma. its nothing glamourous, but they said its some stuff that really could use a hand with and are usually too busy to do it. sooo sounds like some good things are starting to happen. we still have over a month here, so you never know what can happen with that much time!

noodles and wrecked motorbikes!

so a few days ago we rented some motorbikes and flew through the mtn roads of phuket until we found an out of the way place to eat that was right on the water! it was really nice and like $7 for a good meal.. not tooo shabby. the whole time i had a craaazy adrenaline rush because driving over here is not for the faint hearted! its left side drive and the speed limits and staying within the lines of the road are more like suggestions than laws! about 15min after getting the bike when i tried to turn right for the first time.. which is like turning left at home but craazy because people are coming at you from every direction it seems like haha, i just freaked out and layed the bike down! but it wasnt too bad, i was going slowly still so i wasnt hurt and the bike was fine! buut i felt pretty stupid, gotta admit, i still realize that its hilarous though! but once i got the hang of it, it was one of the most fun things ive ever experienced!

little elephant walk.

riding some elephants in Kanchanaburi, Thailand!

some stuff ive been promising....

sooo here is a dumb video of Dave and I on a naaasty river boat tour in bangkok! since we have been to thailand we have made some great financial decisions and some terrrible ones! this was fun, but prob not the best idea haha... then again... Dave is always the one who pushes to do the crazy/fun stuff and I am always the voice of reason. Buut I normally agree after a while, and I rarely find it a bad time! haha....

I beg your pardon...

"I love Christ. And if you are repulsed by Him or if you hate the mention of His name, hate ME instead for trashing it- for clouding its power and truth with MY hypocrisy, pride, jealousy, vanity, and selfishness."

I first read this quote on my friend Jenna Staup's facebook page, im not sure if she thought of it or if someone else did, but it just reallllly hits me hard... its like i almost feel like i need to constantly say this to people because of how i live sometimes, well all the time really... i realize more and more i seriously have two natures inside me that are constantly warring with eachother... at one moment i want so earnestly to do good and serve the Lord and try my best to help others, then the next minute i find myself being such a terrible person... mean, selfish, proud, HYPOCRITICAL.... the list goes on forever... and i know its that way with everyone so i dont say all this to get down on myself for it. but i think its important to keep it in mind and realize it, then maybe more often than not ill flow with the good nature within me.. the nature of Christ's spirit. Thailand is suuch a crazy place full of evil that it can suck you in at times almost. not that ill ever fall victim to some of the really bad things obviously, but its just crazy, when everyone around you has the mindset of "whatever... its just the way it is in the east... so we have to just accept it and follow suit.. when in rome..." but im constantly like nooooo.. i just CANT accept so much of what happens here and just say ohh its just how it is in the east... i mean, i dont think God has a sense of east and west or any of that its just there are people everywhere that need help and Christ and love...etc.

sooo... its just hard. if you think about it, say a prayer for me and Dave. we need our faith to grow, and we need direction, and strength to resist temptation, and courage to speak out against some of the terrible tragedies and injustices that happen every single day here as a way of life. Thailand is a country built on exploitation. tourism is the number one industry of the country and they LITERALLY do ANYTHING that will make them money... no matter what... so this is a very beautiful country but a very evil place as well...

i know that was really heavy haha, but at the same time im having a lot of fun! its been a greaaaaaaaat time for two ignorant Americans to be educated about the rest of the world. its really really important for all of us to learn about the rest of the world in one way or another...
anyway, whenever i get the energy and motivation ill put up some pictures and videos haha... its just been like ehhh ill do it later... so ehh ill do it later.

have a good one!

i dont even know where to begin....

so far its been a complete shock to my body to be here haha. i slept all day until 6pm (like 14 hours) and now ill prob be awake all night long. prior to that Dave and i had not slept more than 4hrs in a night, so it was much needed. the smells of bangkok are so intense to handle, and so much different from anything in the US. as you walk down the street you get the smell of black lung smog, food cooked on the streets (some good some bad), raw meat, dogs, trash, and maybe a little bit of actual oxygen here and there... so basically i like bangkok... kind of... but i dont want to be here very long. im ready to get into the countryside and see the beautiful jagged limestone mountain ranges! i think we are going to be leaving here in a few days, we are going to the Burmese(myanmar) embassy in the morning to try to get our visa, so the quicker the better.
we are still on the get adjusted/tourist part of the trip right now for a week or so longer and we have had a great time! we spent the night in Kananbuchuri on a river-boat with some other travellers, that was a blaaast! its great to meet people from all over the world and see how they think, and go about life, and what they think of Americans. its crazy how much more they travel to foreign countries than the average American. I suppose its easier and cheaper for them though. I have some pretty cool pictures and videos im gonna post at some point, but i cant now because this internet cafe is about to close...

I hope everyone is doing well!! I miss you all....

Blake

Bangkok.

sooo we arrived in bangkok last night around 1030pm local time... roughly 1030am est... its pretty crazy around here just like i remember from last year... when we got there we had to haggle our way to a decent taxi fare to khao san rd. (the main backpacker strip) it was bustling with activity when we got there. people everywhere crowding the street harrasing you saying their food is the best and their hotels are nicest and cheapest...etc. we found a hotel a little off the beaten path. its nice, fully equipped with A/C and personal bathrooms for 500 baht a night ($15) not to shabby split two ways eh? anyway its been fun getting re-aquainted with the city and the culture and im looking forward to some new experiences that are to come!!

hypocritical folks. (not you or me of couuurse... right?)

Since we cant change what others do, how they act, how they express their passions (whether they look sincere or not.. or are sincere or not...) all we can do is try to adjust our attitude and not let how we perceive others block our own potential to move forward. At times I have found myself starting to feel bitter toward others because they seem fake or phony, but ultimately all it does is rot my own insides out and nothing more. God can bring about good though any vessel no matter how broken they look to us. I mean its not like we dont have our cracks and faults right? and God can still use us if we want him to...

My new Asian best friend

Stupid Skeeters....

BEAT LA. Nice.

98-88 Celtics.
Sorry Kobe, maybe next game?

A sad day for humanity... PRAY AND GIVE!!!

After a cylone that killed approx 80,000+ people, and displaced approx 2million... the government of Burma(Myanmar) continued to refuse US Military aid... this heartbreaking news just came in today, after US Naval ships waited outside Burma for nearly a month to unload ships containing more than $26million worth of supplies (considering it costs less than $100 to build one of their houses thats an insaaaaaaaane amount of money!!!!!!)

REMEMBER...... although US Military supplies are not able to come aground because of politics.. THERE ARE AID ORGANIZATIONS BEING ALLOWED IN THE COUNTRY!!! AND WE NEED TO HELP!!!

IF YOU CAN GIVE ANYTHING, NO MATTER HOW SMALL PLEAASE DO SO!!!
what if it was your friends and family with no food, shelter or water? But dont give because of guilt... give because of love and compassion...


http://www.feedthehungry.com
http://www.worldvision.org

heres the article....

U.S. ships set to leave Myanmar; aid undelivered- June 4, 2008
(CNN) -- U.S. Navy ships loaded with supplies for victims of Myanmar's cyclone will sail away from the country's coast on Thursday, after the ruling junta refused for three weeks to allow them to deliver aid.
Adm. Timothy Keating said the USS Essex group would leave the shores of Myanmar, also known as Burma, on Thursday, but that he would leave several heavy lift aircraft in Thailand to assist international relief efforts.

"We have made at least 15 attempts to convince the Burmese government to allow our ships, helicopters and landing craft to provide additional disaster relief for the people of Burma, but they have refused us each and every time," Keating said in a statement Wednesday.

Cyclone Nargis made landfall early last month, killing more than 77,000 people in the southeastern Asian country, according to a United Nations estimate.

Some 55,000 others are missing, the United Nations said, and as many as 500,000 to 600,000 people, mainly in the Irrawaddy Delta region, have had to be relocated...


Click for the full story... CNN.com

Something to strive for...

Voice of the Day: Dietrich Bonhoeffer (from God's Politics Blog)

The world is overcome not through destruction, but through reconciliation. Not ideals, nor programs, nor conscience, nor duty, nor responsibility, nor virtue, but only God's perfect love can encounter reality and overcome it. Nor is it some universal idea of love, but rather the love of God in Jesus Christ, a love genuinely lived, that does this.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Meditations on the Cross

A lovely listen....

Its weird how you can hear a band over and over and think "alright, thats pretty good but I dont see what all the fuss is about..." then one day you just "get it" and you cant stop listening. Thats how Wilco has been for me lately! This song is off of their Sky Blue Sky album, its called You Are My Face...

Click HERE to help The Millennium Promise/Show Me Campaign

Find the Balance...

Let me first say that I've been really annoyed with politics in general lately. I realize that conservatives have some great points that they bring to the table, and liberals also have some great ideas. Both are not completely right of course, and we should not feel bad for disagreeing with one or the other on certain things. For instance some of those on the left are too quick to leave God out of the picture all together, while some on the right cannot see that we need to find a way to show respect to others that don't agree with our beliefs...etc.

Now I know that its foolish to make blanket statements about either party and like most things in life, you cant look it like its all or nothing. But we need to be savvy enough to realize it when there is rhetoric or jargon being thrown out there simply out of bias- and that goes for BOTH parties. 

One unfortunate situation that comes to mind is the recent John McCain/John Hagee incident. While I know for a fact that John Hagee has a heart for the Jewish people, and a love for Christ that is undeniable, but it is true that he might not present things in the most sensitive ways sometimes. He will get so fired up while behind the pulpit that his passion can be misconstrued as anger. This was clear with the things that surfaced after his endorsement of McCain. However, we must beware of those who claim he is anti-semetic or anti-Catholic. Its true that some will take advantage of situations simply for political gain (Which Hagee has said, and is correct about), but it is also true that as Christians(notably pastors that have the potential for soo much influence) we need to be careful of our presentation, especially in a public setting, so we dont offend others unintentionally.... clearly from what I know of Hagee, he does not want to offend people that are Jewish or Catholic. And he does have a passion for Christ and sharing the truth with people. I just hope that through this he might realize that he might be wise to use more sensitivity from the pulpit when addressing the tough issues.  Its not only putting McCain in an awkward place, but its unintentionally isolating people from the message of love and redemption that Christ has to offer. Maybe this would be a non issue if he would make a better effort to be conscious of his presentation...  or maybe he is completely right and everyone is merely attacking him for political gain... but I'd be very hesitant to say that.

So we have to find the balance... just like not every liberal is an athiest-homosexual-abortionist thats out to get all Christians, not every conservative is a war-mongering-gay hater that will judge you if you dont believe in the Bible the same way they do. Both of those pictures are ridiculous. While Hagee could have said some things differently, he is not a madman extremist. He is a human and makes mistakes, just like everyone else. I agree that sometimes its hard to get past his presentation to see what he is actually trying to say, but typically what he is saying has a lot of truth to it. 

I feel like a great example of finding the balance is Billy Graham. While he could speak with just as much fervor and boldness, he knew how to speak a soothing gospel of love and redemption that was quite effective. He is quoted saying: "I'm for morality, but morality goes beyond sex to human freedom and social justice. Evangelists cannot be closely identified with any particular party or person. We have to stand in the middle in order to preach to all people, right and left. I haven't been faithful to my own advice in the past. I will be in the future." That is so remarkably wise and humble, and nearly everyone will agree not only that Graham is "America's Pastor" but they can hardly find a bad thing to say about him. This comes down to him realizing the need for balance, and doing what he needs in order to reach the most people with the love and grace of Christ. And to me, he has been undeniably successful. 

It basically just comes down to finding a balance. We have to realize that neither party will hold all of our beliefs, and that sometimes the best thing is to stay in the middle in order to best show Christ's love to everyone. But we must remember its not only what you say, but how you say it, and knowing when to leave somethings out. 

Music makes a difference!!

This article shows how just doing what you can, no matter how small can really change someone's life dramatically!

The Ripple Effect of Music (by Not For Sale Campaign)

"Street children are easy targets for trafficking. At night, while left abandoned on the streets, many kids are abused and/or abducted. Years before the Not For Sale began, a grassroots organization called Generacion (spanish for Generation) already had started working on the front lines in Lima, Peru aiming to prevent these tragedies.

Generacion selected a small group of kids to teach how to play music. Within a couple of months, these children became very skilled with the Kena, Adean panflute, Charango, and drums. They started playing for compensation in the city plazas and on busses. Most days hey earned sufficient money for food and to rent a room.

Generacion hoped that giving the children music lessons and instruments would provide them a tool for subsistence. But teaching a handful of children to make music caused a ripple effect that the organization never imagined. The small group of children that first learned to play music started teaching their friends. Their friends taught other groups, and so on. Today one can go to the streets of Lima and find many children playing music in the streets, on transport, and in the restaurants to survive. Hundreds of children in the streets of Lima find in music a shield against destitution.

Giving Children a tool for subsistence was what Generacion could do in the moment. Today, Not For Sale is enabling the organization to dream bigger. In partnership they have created a project to expand the earning potential of musicians and promote social development."

If you want to find out more about it check out the Not For Sale website and see how to help! NotForSale

Welcome to Blake Weisel's Blooooggg

Thanks for stopping by... this is where I will be giving updates as Dave Staup and I travel in Thailand, Burma(Myanmar), and wherever else we find ourselves. I'll hopefully be able to upload some videos while on the road too! We'll be arriving in Bangkok in 2wks from today, im soooo pumped... 

The plan for now is to arrive in Bangkok on June 12 and then backpack around for 2wks or so to experience some culture and have some fun. We might travel down to Phuket and see some of the tropical areas, and possibly into Malaysia since its close to Phuket and neither of us have been... but the details are still up in the air. After we get some of our thrills out we are planning on to take a bus over the the Mae La refugee camp to spend some time with the displaced Burmese people there at the Bible college and such. We then plan to head into Burma and find our way to Yangon to work with the Full Gospel Assembly church there to help rebuild/distribute food/build wells...etc... soo I dont really know how we are going to find them, or where to stay or any details yet, but we've made it this far, so I guess thats just part of the adventure right?

more to come!!

Blake