I don’t know what a “Highest Facial” is. I’m afraid to ask.
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“The study of film is important for Christians because it is the modern-day equivalent of philosophy.”
Imagine you are in high school.
And the principals (and chaplain) of your high school decide to take the entirety of middle and high school students on a field trip to the cinema.
During school hours. To see a movie.
The most popular movie playing right now, actually.
In fact, that particular movie happens to be opening in Tanzania tonight, which means that all the students got to be the first people in Tanzania to watch it.
Yep.
Haven of Peace Academy.
The Hunger Games.
10:00 this morning at a special showing just for us, at the cinema.
Oh yeah. Total awesomeness.
I’m not sure who was more excited–the students or the teachers.
And why would we take up valuable class time to do such a thing?
Because:
“Movies are perhaps the most perfect mirror that we have so far constructed to show ourselves what we are.”
And:
“Simply put, film is the ultimate form of cultural expression in the modern world. Film is where culture is at. Film is the most powerful image of itself that humanity has ever produced. No one would deny that books, art, music, politics…and so forth are significant, but film is the one ‘cultural location’ where all of these other categories may meet and have a discussion.”
And we couldn’t think of a better (recent) movie that does all of the above.
Of course, the books have spread like wildfire through the students this year, and Gil and I devoured them all over Christmas break.
They are not our favorite books. Not really something to read when you want to think happy thoughts. But as a mirror of society? A type of modern-day philosophy?
Definitely.
The theme that Gil and I chose for chapels this year is “Plugged In.” We have been focusing on encouraging the students to unplug from media and plug into God, but at the same time, helping them to evaluate what they see and listen to and read through a biblical perspective. It’s very, very important to us.
So the fact that the administration also thought that it was important enough to cancel class and cart the whole lot of them over to the movie theatre made us very happy indeed.
And of course, the catch was that they had to participate in an hour of discussion afterwards. And the discussions (and assignments) will continue next week. But still! We definitely have the coolest school ever.
(All quotes taken from Meaning at the Movies by Grant Horner.)
A visit from best friends–Caleb and Imani, swimming at the pool, staying at our favorite beach house, enjoying the zoo, spending time with Bibi and Babu, Easter Sunday.
School starts tomorrow….but what a week!
Shortly after I was born, my parents became followers of Jesus.
Just four years later, they were at one of those old style Baptist missions conferences. The pastor gave an altar call for those who were called to serve in missions. I’m sure “People Need the Lord” would have been playing, had it been written then.
My parents were convicted and went forward.
My mom especially was terrified. This was way before short-term trips where future missionaries can scope out mission fields and get used to travel before committing their lives to deepest darkest Africa.
My mom says she kept hoping that God would keep them from going. But He did not. Her mother–my grandmother–was so furious that she even consulted a lawyer to see about getting the grandchildren taken away from them. For our entire first term, my grandmother did not write to us even one time.
I had just turned six years old when we left. My dad left a lucrative position as a chief pharmacist for Kaiser, to train nationals at a small mission hospital. My mom says she cried every night for the first six months. But I had no idea. To me, she was still my happy and energetic mom. And I loved Liberia.
My parents were faithful and they persevered. Two years turned into six and Liberia became our home. I spend the bulk of my childhood under the palm trees.
And they gave their daughter the best gifts they could have: a love for Jesus, a passion for missions, and the most amazing childhood a kid could ask for.
From the time we went back to the States when I was a sophomore in high school, I wanted to go back to Africa. And though God took me through some long years of lessons to get there, He did indeed bring me back.
I am eternally grateful for the parents God gave me.
Even now, their sacrifices continue, because their only grandchildren are 10,000 miles away. Yet from the beginning, despite their heartache, they have given us total support and encouragement.
But that doesn’t take away the pain of separation. So any time we are together is especially sweet. It had been a year since we’ve seen my Mom and two years since we’ve seen my Dad.
So you could say that last week was a great week.
My children wept when they left.
Their legacy goes on.
Last week, HOPAC’s wonderfully creative people created an interactive Easter experience for all the students.
Each part of the Easter Story was a station, and groups of students rotated through the stations, watching, tasting, feeling, and smelling the events from the last week of Jesus’ life.
HOPAC at its best. To God be the Glory.
