Podcasts about Rift valley

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DISCLAIMER: This episode was filmed outside overlooking the Rift Valley in Kenya, so there will be some background noise - hopefully all the value makes it irrelevant

Episode #311: Paul Salopek's Out of Eden Walk is an extraordinary journey that retraces the migration paths of early Homo sapiens while examining the intersections of history, culture, and modernity. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Salopek embarked on this transcontinental project in 2013 traveling by foot, starting from Africa's Rift Valley; it will end in Tierra del Fuego. As he walks, experiences humanity's age-old urge to move, he collects stories and makes connections with the landscapes and people he encounters, finding humanity's shared struggles and triumphs.In early 2020, Salopek waked into Myanmar, where he experienced the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the military coup that followed. Stranded in a rural village, he documented the skillful ways that local farmers adapted to isolation and scarcity; he immersed himself in their routines. Later, quarantined in a hotel in Yangon during the coup's early days, he observed the city's descent into chaos. He prepared for uncertainty by storing water and food.Salopek witnessed the courageous resistance of Myanmar's youth, who improvised weapons in their fight against the heavily armed junta, wielding trash-can lids as shields and crafting makeshift bows and arrows. Despite their bravery, the brutal crackdown highlighted the tragic power imbalance between civilians and the regime. These experiences left Salopek reflecting on the systemic media neglect of crises like Myanmar's, which he compared to underreported conflicts in Africa. He argued that a lack of strategic resources and geopolitical significance often relegates such struggles to global obscurity.Amid this neglect, Salopek praised the resilience of Myanmar's people, who, despite immense challenges, continued to resist and document their plight. “Keep Myanmar in your heart,” he urged, emphasizing the importance of sustained attention and solidarity for those enduring these crises.

Hemorrhagic virus? Check. Deadly disease? Check. Mosquito-borne? Check. Affected by animal movement, human activity, and environmental change? Check. Rift Valley Fever has all the markings of a classic TPWKY episode. This week, we're doing a deep dive on this deadly virus, taking a One Health approach to explore the intricate relationships between animals, humans, and the environment to understand how this virus moves across the landscape. We trace the various paths this virus takes: through the organisms it infects, across the globe as it spreads, and over time as it appears to be evolving to be deadlier. Tune in to learn more about Rift Valley fever and what we might see with this pathogen in the years to come. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A journey of 38,000-kilometers begins with a single step. 12 years ago this month, journalist Paul Salopek set off on a journey that follows the first human migration out of Africa, starting in the great Rift Valley in Ethiopia where the first human fossils were found with plans to end at Tierra del Fuego at the Southern Tip of South America. He calls the journey the "Out of Eden" walk with the support of the Nation Geographic Society. He sends dispatches from the road that tell the story of each place he goes. He speaks to Jesse today from somewhere in Japan.

This week, we return to our interview with journalist Paul Salopek, who, for the last decade, has been on an epic journey retracing the migration pathway of some of the earliest humans out of Africa's Rift Valley. Moving through the world as our ancestors did, Paul shares how he's become attuned to the way time passes through us and around us: from the ancient pulse of the Earth underfoot, to the fury of mechanized time that rampages through our urban centers. Throughout, he shares profound experiences of timelessness, which he dubs “sacramental time,” that bring together mind, body, and landscape in conversation. Read the transcript. Discover more stories from our latest print edition, Volume 5: Time. Photo by Paul Salopek, National Geographic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Au Mozambique, l'opposition manifeste sans relâche depuis plus de deux mois. Au Kenya, des milliers de manifestants ont contraint, il y a six mois, le gouvernement à reculer sur un projet de nouvelle taxe, sans aucune directive politique précise. Ces événements signalent-ils de nouvelles formes de mobilisation populaire en Afrique de l'Est ? Et dans ce contexte, les jeunes protestataires parviennent-ils à se libérer de la tutelle des partis politiques, qui les enferment souvent dans leur appartenance ethnique ? Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle, ancienne directrice de l'Institut français de recherches en Afrique à Nairobi et actuellement professeure à l'Université Paris 1, éclaire ces dynamiques sociales et politiques. RFI : Les émeutes de ces derniers jours au Mozambique, ainsi que les grandes manifestations de juin dernier au Kenya, sont-elles le signe d'une nouvelle mobilisation de la jeunesse dans plusieurs pays d'Afrique de l'Est ?Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle : Effectivement, nous avons eu des épisodes très intenses de mobilisation au Kenya, liés à une loi fiscale, et là au Mozambique pour contester les résultats électoraux. Ce sont des événements déclencheurs différents, mais effectivement ce sont des jeunes qui réclament de participer davantage au débat politique.Au Kenya, il y a eu une alternance démocratique il y a un peu plus de deux ans, en septembre 2022. Pourtant, 20 mois plus tard, la jeunesse est descendue dans la rue. Pourquoi ?Principalement pour protester contre la loi de finances qui augmentait les taxes sur les biens de première nécessité comme le pain et l'huile. La jeunesse, étranglée par des problèmes tels que le chômage et l'inflation, a décidé qu'il était temps de contester ce type de politique fiscale. Une jeunesse qui a également décidé de descendre dans la rue pour dénoncer la trahison du nouveau président William Ruto, élu démocratiquement. Celui-ci a été élu sur un programme visant particulièrement les jeunes, leur promettant des aides pour s'assurer qu'ils trouvent de l'emploi. Et évidemment ça n'a pas été le cas, il a augmenté les impôts. Donc il y avait un sentiment de trahison parmi ceux qui avaient cru en ce président élu démocratiquement en 2022.Donc, ce sont les mêmes jeunes qui ont voté pour Ruto en 2022 et qui ont crié « Ruto must go » en 2024 ?Effectivement l'analyse des élections de 2022 mettaient bien en avant le fait que des jeunes de tout le pays, et pas seulement dans ses bastions électoraux habituels, avaient voté pour ce président. Il mettait en avant l'idée que le Kenya devait aider les « hustlers », il parlait même d'une « hustler nation », ce qu'on peut traduire par « les débrouillards ». Il voulait vraiment insister sur l'idée que les jeunes devaient créer leurs propres entreprises et que l'État allait les aider. Ce sont effectivement ces mêmes jeunes qui se sont retrouvés dans la rue en juin 2024. On trouvait bien sûr des jeunes très éduqués, le Kenya a une politique d'éducation qui est relativement efficace, mais aussi des jeunes moins favorisés venant des bidonvilles de Nairobi. Donc une jeunesse assez diversifiée qui s'est retrouvée dans la rue et qui dénonçait cette politique fiscale qui les étranglait, alors même qu'on leur avait promis de les aider.À lire aussiKenya: nouvelle journée de tensions à Nairobi, 48 heures après une manifestation violemment répriméeDu coup, William Ruto a renoncé à sa réforme fiscale. Dans l'histoire du Kenya, il y a déjà eu plusieurs épisodes insurrectionnels. Jusque-là, ils s'appuyaient souvent sur des clivages ethniques. Cette année, c'était la même chose ou pas ?Ce qui a fait l'originalité de ce mouvement, c'est que les jeunes revendiquaient être « partyless » et « tribeless », c'est-à-dire ne pas être attachés à un parti ou à une appartenance ethnique. Ils revendiquaient un cosmopolitisme qu'on observe dans les grandes villes et les villes moyennes du Kenya, où les jeunes de toutes les régions se retrouvent pour chercher du travail. Ce rejet des divisions ethniques habituelles se voyait dans l'ampleur des manifestations, qui ont eu lieu non seulement à Nairobi, mais aussi dans des bastions pro-gouvernementaux comme la Rift Valley. Ce mouvement exprimait une jeunesse unie, trahie par des élites qui confisquent le pouvoir.Est-ce que cette mobilisation a été portée par les réseaux sociaux ?Oui, notamment au Kenya, qui est un hub numérique en Afrique, les réseaux sociaux jouent un rôle fondamental dans la vie quotidienne, que ce soit pour payer via un mobile ou pour s'organiser. Ils ont permis de coordonner les manifestations, de diffuser les lieux de rassemblement, et d'animer des débats politiques, notamment sur WhatsApp et X. Les « Space X », par exemple, sont devenus des forums où des voix souvent marginalisées peuvent s'exprimer dans un cadre relativement horizontal et sécurisé.Donc, au Kenya, il y a une forte mobilisation en dehors des partis politiques, alors qu'au Mozambique, on peut parler d'un mouvement porté par les partis politiques ?Oui, tout à fait. L'originalité de la mobilisation au Kenya était cette extériorité par rapport aux partis politiques habituels. Au Mozambique, c'est une contestation post-électorale qui effectivement drainait des foules importantes, notamment la jeunesse. Mais on voit bien qu'elle le fait après avoir été incitée par le candidat de l'opposition qui lui-même n'est plus au Mozambique et qui appelle à manifester pacifiquement pour contester les résultats électoraux.Au Mozambique, c'est aussi une remise en cause du tout-puissant FRELIMO, le parti au pouvoir depuis l'indépendance en 1975. Ces mobilisations remettent-elles en cause l'héritage des pères de l'indépendance ?Alors effectivement, au Mozambique, on trouve des traces de cette contestation des héros de l'indépendance, une statue de l'un des héros de l'indépendance a été déboulonnée récemment au Mozambique. Cette figure, qui avait joué un rôle crucial dans la libération, est également accusée de s'être enrichie grâce au pouvoir. Et effectivement, même au Kenya, même en Ouganda, on peut voir qu'il y a une forme de fatigue vis-à-vis de ces élites politiques qui sont les descendants directs de ceux qui ont effectivement gagné l'indépendance ou pris le pouvoir au nom de la révolution. C'est le cas en Ouganda, et le cas en Tanzanie. Au Kenya, les dirigeants se réclament encore régulièrement du combat Mau Mau. Et ce que montrent les jeunes protestataires, c'est que ces dirigeants ont pourtant trahi leur combat qui était celui d'une véritable indépendance, puisque l'un des registres aussi sur lequel jouent ces protestations, c'est de dénoncer la dépendance à l'extérieur. La dépendance à la Chine, la dépendance aux Occidentaux, un registre qu'on connaît bien en Afrique francophone, notamment vis-à-vis de la politique africaine française. Mais que l'on retrouve aussi, en Afrique de l'Est, avec l'idée que l'indépendance n'a pas été complètement achevée.Cette montée d'un sentiment anti-français en Afrique de l'Ouest trouve-t-elle un équivalent en Afrique de l'Est, avec une montée d'un sentiment anti-chinois ?L'histoire n'est pas équivalente, mais ce sentiment de dépendance vis-à-vis de l'extérieur et surtout de la dépendance des élites est également présent en Afrique de l'Est. Et ce registre commun de la souveraineté se retrouve également dans la jeunesse d'Afrique de l'Est.Les jeunes sont descendus dans la rue au Kenya, mais pas en Ouganda, ni en Tanzanie. Cela signifie-t-il qu'il y a moins de problèmes dans ces deux pays ?Alors les jeunes sont descendus dans la rue en Ouganda, suite au mouvement qui a eu lieu au Kenya au mois de juin. Il y a eu une forme d'imitation de ce qui se passait au Kenya, parce qu'évidemment les problèmes sont aussi nombreux, notamment sur les questions de corruption. Néanmoins, en Tanzanie comme en Ouganda, l'espace civique est très restreint. La moindre protestation donne lieu à des arrestations, à une répression très forte. L'espace public, du fait de cette histoire autoritaire, très prégnante encore en Tanzanie, en Ouganda, est moins susceptible de donner lieu à des mobilisations fortes que chez le voisin kényan.Et est-ce pour cela que le régime ougandais a fait capturer, il y a un mois au Kenya, le chef de l'opposition, Kizza Besigye, qui doit passer en cour martiale le 7 janvier prochain à Kampala ?C'est effectivement le signe que le pouvoir ougandais est très susceptible par rapport à la moindre opposition. C'est aussi le signe que le gouvernement kényan est très proche de ce pouvoir ougandais, jusqu'à lui laisser la liberté de venir enlever un opposant chez lui, au Kenya. C'est quelque chose qui est dénoncé fortement par les sociétés civiles ougandaise et kényane, qui voient une alliance de pouvoirs extrêmement autoritaires.À lire aussiManifestations au Mozambique: la répression a tué de nombreux enfants et arrêté des centaines d'autres

Things change. The environment transforms. We evolve when we adapt to the environment. It's something simple to recognize and becomes clear when you observe nature. This is precisely what Lucy did. She spent much of her life as an entrepreneur. When she realized that more and more children were coming to beg for food at her restaurant, she decided to stop and observe.Molo is a town located in the Rift Valley in Kenya. It's a place of diversity, where 42 tribes live together.Over time, Molo became a battleground for ethnic conflicts, leaving orphans without food or education. Lucy stopped, looked and found. She decided to let go of her businesses and get involved with what her environment was asking of her. Today, along with her husband, she is the founder of Chazon Africa, an organization that educates, protects, and empowers the children of Molo.In this episode, listeners will hear about Lucy's inspiring journey:[02:15] The challenges of Molo: Understanding the diverse and conflict-ridden background of Molo, Kenya.[06:30] The birth of Chazon Africa: Lucy's transition from entrepreneur to humanitarian, co-founding an organization dedicated to children's welfare.[12:45] Lucy's personal story: Growing up in a large, privileged family and the experiences that shaped her worldview.[20:10] The vision for education: Lucy and her husband's dedication to providing formal education and support for street children.[32:00] Overcoming adversity: The impact of Chazon Africa on children's lives, including success stories of those who have graduated and come back to help.Project Co welcomes Lucy, sharing her story and the incredible work she is doing through Chazon Africa. For more information, visit Chazon Africa.This is a produccion and distribuition for Efecto Colibrí - Your podcast site for an inclusive, just and regerative reality.Conviértete en un seguidor de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/proyecto-co--4842174/support.

Dr. McElroy's research interests include studying the interactions that occur between the host immune system and emerging viral pathogens. To do this, animal model systems, clinical specimens from cases of human disease, and in vitro models are used. Previous work has focused on the Hantaviruses, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, and Ebola virus. Current studies are utilizing the mouse model to elucidate the role of T cells in immunity to RVFV.

Special Episode is in partnership with the Limitless Journeys Podcast. Join us for a special podcast episode hosted by Kevin P. Henry, delving into captivating stories and insightful discussions.Welcome to the first episode of Limitless Journeys - the African Immigrant Podcast with Maura Clotilde and David Bulindah. Join us as they embark on a journey of inspiration, education, and entertainment as they share their immigrant experiences. Maura Clotilde shares her upbringing in Kenya, from her early years in Thika to her adolescent years in Nakuru. At 15, Maura made the life-changing decision to relocate to the United States where she faced formidable challenges, particularly with language barriers during her high school years in Delaware. However, her transition to Washington sparked a newfound love for nature, leading her to cultivate flowers and eventually delve into farming in King County.With a background as a mental health therapist, David Bulindah's narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Nakuru in the Rift Valley province of Kenya. Born into a large family, David grew up in modest circumstances, engaging in farming to, quite literally, put food on the table. Despite economic hardships, David and his family persevered, eventually establishing themselves as farmers in the USA.Maura Clotilde and David Bulindah's journey to establishing a farming community in Washington is a testament to their resilience and community spirit. Fueled by their passion for agriculture, mental health, youth and a desire to create opportunities for themselves and fellow immigrants, they embarked on the ambitious endeavor of cultivating a plot of land at Highland College. With determination and hard work, they transformed the space into a thriving gardening plot, cultivating crops and a sense of belonging and camaraderie among the immigrant community. Through their organization, Wakulima USA (meaning "farmers" in Swahili), they grew vegetables and a supportive network that empowered immigrants to pursue their agricultural aspirations in their new home in the USA.About our Host: Kevin P. Henry, host of "Limitless Journeys: The African Immigrant Podcast," has over 30 years of experience in Diversity-Equity-Inclusion, media, and communications. An accomplished journalist, voice actor, and writer, Kevin works with clients across sectors, offering strategic planning, training, and facilitation. In Hawaii, he developed career-focused educational programs for high school students and supported domestic violence survivors and at-risk youth. Kevin's extensive background and dedication to community empowerment make him an inspiring and knowledgeable host. The All The Way Authentic Podcast with Kevin P. Henry talks about all things diversity and inclusion, mental health, and empowerment. Kevin P. Henry has worked in the Diversity-Equity-Inclusion, communications, and training field for over 30 years. He also has extensive experience as a journalist, voice actor, and writer. Currently, he works for the private and public sectors, businesses, organizations, and nonprofits. Kevin utilizes a variety of skills to meet the needs of clients, which include strategic planning, training, facilitation, and writing.​While living in Hawaii, Kevin developed educational programs for high school students that focused on career planning, writing, and video production. In addition, he worked with domestic violence survivors and at-risk youth coordinating career planning workshops. Let's get social! Like us on FacebookFollow us on InstagramFind us on the Web

Adventures Can Help Us Heal Do you like doing new things? One man loves this! When he was in the army, he did new things. He went to new places. He loved these adventures! 你喜歡嘗試新的事物嗎? 有一名男子非常喜歡，他以前在當兵的時候，經歷很多新的事情、去了很多地方，他很喜歡這些冒險。 But he lost the use of his legs in the army. He also can't feel them. Now he uses a wheelchair. 但是也在當兵的時候，他的雙腿失去知覺，現在需要坐輪椅。 Leaving the army made him very sad. He wanted to have adventures again! So he tried adventure therapy. 離開軍隊讓他很難過，他想要再次去冒險，所以他嘗試冒險治療。 Bandages help cuts heal. Medicine heals a fever. Therapy helps our minds heal. 繃帶治療傷口，藥物控制發燒，治療可以幫助我們恢復健康。 Thanks to his therapy, the man found a new adventure! Now he gets in a plane. He flies high in the sky. And then he jumps out! He's skydiving! 接受這種治療讓他找到新的冒險，他搭飛機到高空跳傘。 The man loves skydiving! It makes him feel happier! But something very surprising happens then! 他很喜歡跳傘，這讓他更快樂，但神奇的事情發生了! He falls at one hundred ninety kilometers an hour. And he can feel his legs again! He feels them a little… But he says that little feeling, for a few seconds, is enough for him! 他以時速190公里下墜，他的腳居然又有知覺，雖然只有幾秒中微微感覺到，但對他來說夠了。 Adventure therapy healed the man's mind. It helped his body too! Adventures can help us heal! ________________________________________ Vocabulary 冒險帶來的刺激感受，可能有治療的效果。 1. fly 飛行 What kind of adventures would you really like to try? 你會真的很想嘗試哪一種探險? Flying in a hot-air balloon! 坐熱氣球飛行。 Over the Hua-dong Rift Valley? 在花東縱谷上面? Anywhere would be fine. 哪裡都可以。 2. in the sky 在天上 Just to be high in the sky is exciting enough.高掛在天上已經夠讓人興奮了。 Hmmmm, that does sound like a big adventure.聽起來確實是一個大冒險。 3. jump 跳 What about you? 你呢? I dream about jumping from a high cliff into the crystal clear sea water! 我夢想從高高的懸崖跳進清澈的海裡! Wow, and you can't even swim! 而你甚至不會游泳。 4. do 做 That's what makes it an adventure! 那才叫做冒險! You do new things! 你做新的事情! 你想做什麼新的事情呢? fly飛行 in the sky在天上 jump跳 do做 ________________________________________ Quiz 1. What did the man use to heal his mind? a. Bandages b. A fever c. Therapy 2. What new adventure did the man find? a. Healing b. Surprising c. Skydiving 3. How fast does the man fall through the air? a. 190 miles an hour b. 190 kilometers an hour c. 190 meters a minute Answers: 1. c 2. c 3. b

*) Top UN court to rule in Germany 'genocide' case over Gaza The United Nations' top court will rule on charges by Nicaragua that Germany if facilitating genocide in Gaza by supplying arms to Israel. Nicaragua initiated proceedings against Germany at the International Court of Justice, accusing Berlin of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention. At a hearing earlier this month, Nicaragua requested the court issue emergency measures for Germany to stop its arms exports to Israel. *) Living conditions worsen in Gaza's Rafah amid rising heat, trash piles Meanwhile, garbage piles up and the heat rises in war-torn Gaza as life becomes even more grim for displaced Palestinians living in tents. Last week, temperatures already topped 30°C, turning the makeshift shelters made from plastic tarps and sheets into sweltering ovens. Rafah hosts about 1.5 million displaced, more than half of Gaza's population which has been besieged and bombarded by Israel for nearly seven months. *) Security deal ready for Saudi if it normalises ties with Israel: Blinken The United States is nearly ready with a security package to offer Saudi Arabia if it normalises relations with Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said. Blinken was visiting the kingdom on his seventh trip to the region since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which has then launched a relentless offensive in Gaza. President Joe Biden's administration, while supporting Israel, has sought moderation from its government by dangling the prospect of formal relations with Saudi Arabia. *) Scores of people dead in western Kenya after dam collapses At least 42 people have died when a dam burst its banks near a town in Kenya's Rift Valley, as heavy rains and floods battered the country. The dam bust in Nakuru county, washing away houses and cutting off a road, with rescuers digging through debris to find survivors. Monday's dam collapse raises the total death toll over the March-May wet season to 120 as heavier than usual rainfall pounds East Africa. *) Scotland's first minister Yousaf steps down after a year Humza Yousaf has announced his resignation as Scotland's first minister, before he was due to face two confidence votes this week. The 39-year-old quit following a turbulent year as head of the devolved administration, during which support for his pro-independence Scottish National Party has fallen. Yousaf had been facing growing calls to resign since unceremoniously ending the party's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens in the Scottish parliament.

Seeds. Memory keepers. Speckled time travellers. Capsules of deep, earth wisdom. To control seeds is to control life. To be a seed is to hold the genetic code of turning starlight into matter, of morphing your body into soft green tips that tremble in the wind and drink fire. There is a deep co-evolutionary relationship that exists in your bones, between humans, land, ecology, and seeds.And we are losing them. An absence of flourishing seed systems directly correlates with a loss of cultural identity for thousands of communities around the world. Life for rural communities fractures. We're losing our seed keepers. The freedom of seeds therefore becomes a political act of justice, on food sovereignty, indigenous rights, and restoring power back into the hands of farmers. So how does this rich history weave into the story of today's guest?Milka Chepkorir Kuto is an anthropologist and climate and human rights activist. She is a member of the Sengwer indigenous community of Kenya's Rift Valley, and she has become a representative for her people in defending their land rights after violent evictions from their traditional lands. Milka is also a Coordinator of Defending Territories of Life at ICCA Consortium, and has worked the UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Her community is now working to revitalize people-land relationships through indigenous knowledge, and Milka works with the women to save and protect their ancestral ways and seed systems. As Milka speaks, you can feel in her spirit this visceral connection to place, story, food, culture, a weaving of seed, hand, heart, human, forest. Milka herself is a seed, a story keeper, a culture holder, an inspirational tie between ancestral knowing and the modern world.Episode Website LinkShow Links:Milka's Crowdfunding Site for Lifeworlds listeners: “Help the Indigenous Sengwer Peoples of Kenya”Revitalizing Sengwer People-Land RelationshipsSeed savers network KenyaGlobal Alliance for Future of FoodOpen Seed SharingEarthed course: Saving Seeds for a Better FutureWill Bonsall, Scatterseed ProjectMovie: SEED, The Untold StoryGaia Foundation Seed SovereigntySeeds of Freedom TrilogyNavdanya from Vandana ShivaMusic: Electric Ethnicity by Igor Dvorkin, Duncan Pittock & Ellie KiddCover Photo by Svjetlana Tepavcevic, Means of Reproduction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode's FAQ is: Do I need a local SIM card? Today's Destination is The Dead Sea and Masada, Israel Today's Misstep- Screenshot your MAP before you travel Travel Advice: Wear a money belt. FAQ: Do I need a local SIM card? Response: When you travel abroad, you don't need a local SIM card anymore. It's found in nearly every airport and is expensive, but you get your own phone number. It does involve opening your phone up.   Read the show notes if you want to try an esim and need help. I've been using an esim called Airalo for a year, and I have a referral code for you to save $3.00. It is MARY2856.   https://www.airalo.com/blog/roaming-vs-international-sim-card-vs-local-sim-card-heres-what-to-know     Today's destination: Israel (split into three parts, Jerusalem, Dead Sea/ Masada, and Tel Aviv. This episode is part 2 of three.   Because I was a solo female traveler, I booked a full-day tour of the Dead Sea and Masada. On my tour, I asked, “Where is the West Bank”?   I learned that it originally meant West of the Jordan River. Now, it is a shared space between Israelis and Palestinians. There are three settlement types here. Palestinian, Mixed, and total Israeli control has about 13 million people living there.   The land also has date trees, vineyards, and olive trees. With advances in agriculture, the soil has been cleansed from salt, so trees grow abundantly. There are many vegetables and greenhouses with drip irrigation, and I was told that cherry tomatoes were invented here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6UxvYeH_v0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bno1m1zhIWs   Masada is part of Rift Valley. Masada is the last Judean stronghold not taken by Romans. In 70 AD, the temple was destroyed and never rebuilt. Nine hundred thirty-two people went to Masada to escape the Roman Empire and lost. How did the Romans win? They built a ramp, had a catapult, and knocked down the wall. A gondola brings you to the top of the mountain now. You see storage rooms with places where date trees grew. There were plenty of touristy things to do here in Masada, but the history made it come alive today for me.   The lake is dried up, mostly, with remnants of where the water used to be. Jordan Valley is 450 meters below sea level. Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered here.   https://library.gordonconwell.edu/Old_Testament/Texts/DSS   Want to ride a camel? You may pay 20 shekels to ride and another 50 to get off. West of the Jordan River, 13 million people, primarily Arab, Jews, and mixed.   Businesses are harvesting minerals and creams from the Dead Sea. For example, we stopped at a factory where Ahava is sold; sunscreen is $50. Mud is also sold here for $13.60. The mud comes directly from the Dead Sea in a bag. They say it is suitable for your skin. I did not purchase any.   https://www.ahava.com/pages/about-us   People from around the world travel to the Dead Sea to bathe in its water and to cover themselves with its mud to relieve symptoms of skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema, as well as rheumatoid arthritis, cardiac disease, respiratory illnesses, and more.    https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293979-i8272-k5751280 The Dead Sea has no fish. That's not a joke because it's poison. Spend 20 minutes maximum in the water—no splashing, drinking, or tasting. Don't get in your eyes. Don't wet your head. Dangerous. My genital area was burning, so I think I was more sensitive than others. I didn't stay in very long as my private parts were uncomfortable. While getting in and out of the water, I got two minor scratches on my hand. The mud felt oily and slick.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea   https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1040/   Rick Steves two minutes on Masada   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXQg-H4GsWA Today's Misstep- Screenshot your digital MAP before you travel   Today's Travel Advice- Wear a money belt.   Connect with Dr. Travelbest 5 Steps to Solo Travel website Dr. Mary Travelbest X Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast Dr. Travelbest on TikTok Dr.Travelbest onYouTube In the news  

Coffee is the most widely consumed mind-altering plant product in the world. The human species arose in or near the Rift Valley in East Africa, the northern edge of which abuts the forests of Ethiopia in which the coffee plants originated. The drunk monkey hypothesis proposes that human consciousness was born when our ancestors ingested fermented grapes. The stoned ape hypothesis suggests that the consciousness is due to proto humans consuming magic mushrooms. In the second half of two-part episode, Mark Plotkin discusses the botanical history of coffee, the specialty coffee movement, and how coffee has played a role in popular culture.

Wanjira Mathai is the managing director of the World Resources Institute (WRI), the chief Africa adviser to the Bezos Earth Fund and the former chair of the Green Belt Movement in her native Kenya. Speaking to Maysa Jalbout on The Impact Room ahead of COP28, Mathai, describes the moment we're in as “the decisive decade” and warns that “the science is getting shaper”, “the challenge is deep”, and “we have a lot of work to do”.Mathai, who was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2023, says she hopes that COP28 in the UAE will be “dominated by a spirit of action and implementation”. And she calls for “a consensus” on operationalising the loss and damage fund as well as further commitments to double finance for climate adaptation.Nairobi-based Wajira Mathai is an leading voice in AFR 100, the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, which aims to restore 100 million hectares on the continent by 2030. WRI, through its Restore Local Initiative, recently received US$100m from the Audacious Project to accelerate locally led land restoration in Lake Kivu and the Congo River Basin in the DRC, in the Cocoa Belt of Ghana, and in Kenya's Rift Valley. This was in addition to US$50m already committed by the Bezos Earth Fund.The fact that this funding is committed over multiple years and comes from a group of donors is as important as its value, Mathai says, as it creates an important proof of concept for pooled funding for climate adaptation and restoration projects in the Global South.“Restoration in Africa remains one of the greatest opportunities for building climate resilience,” she explains. “We know that if landscapes are restored, a lot happens. You have increased food productivity because soils are improved… Landscapes regenerate and restore pretty quickly. All things considered. So in two to three decades, you can have a complete transformation of landscapes and livelihoods.”In September 2023, Africa hosted its first climate summit in Kenya. Mathai sees this as a significant milestone in the continent's role when it comes to fighting climate change. “We are part of the climate solution,” she says. “We're not part of the problem… We have a lot going for us. We have the fastest growing workforce in the world, an abundance of critical minerals and an abundance of renewable energy, which could come together and catalyse not only economic transformation for Africa, but also become part of the renewable energy revolution.”For all the challenges facing the climate, Mathai says she remains optimistic about the future. “I am optimistic, mainly because the alternative is unacceptable,” she tells Maysa, noting that she's inspired by revolutions in electric vehicles and solar, and in the growing youth and local leadership movements. “I'm inspired by so many signals around that remind you that exponential change is possible,” she says. “We have so much more democratic space. We have so many more tools. We have so many more of us. We have to be optimistic.”Read the World Resources Institute's 2023 State of Climate Action report here.The Impact Room is brought to you by Philanthropy Age and Maysa Jalbout. Find us on social media @PhilanthropyAge

Coffee is the most widely consumed mind-altering plant product in the world. The human species arose in or near the Rift Valley in East Africa, the northern edge of which abuts the forests of Ethiopia in which the coffee plants originated. The drunk monkey hypothesis proposes that human consciousness was born when our ancestors ingested fermented grapes. The stoned ape hypothesis suggests that the consciousness is due to proto humans consuming magic mushrooms. In the first half of two-part episode, Mark Plotkin suggests that the human mind developed when these primates ate coffee berries, whose caffeine inspired both their thinking and their creativity. 

In this episode, Alex Drouin, an Expert in FAST Risk Management and Modelling Support at the EuFMD, introduces his research on "Rift Valley fever modeling in the Western Mediterranean basin" and the challenges of working with entomological data. The study focuses on the emergence of the Rift Valley fever virus in the Mediterranean region, emphasizing the risk of viral circulation, particularly in the Western Mediterranean basin. The research assesses the vector competence of key mosquito species and employs modeling to assess the spatio-temporal variations in the risk of virus transmission in the region.

Featuring articles on selpercatinib in RET fusion–positive NSCLC, selpercatinib in RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer, gantenerumab in early Alzheimer's disease, and stimulated copeptin to diagnose AVP deficiency; a review article on liver transplantation; a case report of a woman with waxing and waning pulmonary nodules; and Perspective articles on Rift Valley fever, on implanting a recalled device, and on biopsies from healthy volunteers in precision medicine.

Rob Hodkinson is one of the founders of cycling company Pedal Taiwan. Originally from the UK, he has been organising and leading bicycle tours across Taiwan for seven years. An avid cyclist, Rob first came to the island in 2016 and never left. He and host Si Willmore talk about Rob's travels and cycle trips and Rob shares his early memories of experiencing the country – the sights, sounds, landscapes, food and people of Taiwan. He shares some of his favourite cycling routes on the island and discusses his favourite Taiwanese meals and delicacies. Rob has a busy 2024 and 2025 ahead, and shares his plans for a very ambitious charity project.In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in their industry. Season Five is brought to you in partnership with Taiwan Tourism Administration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced last week that it will invest $40 million in African drug makers. The money will help produce new messenger RNA vaccines in Africa. The continent's people were the last to receive vaccinations against COVID-19 during the pandemic. 比尔及梅琳达·盖茨基金会上周宣布将向非洲制药商投资 4000 万美元。 这笔资金将有助于在非洲生产新的信使 RNA 疫苗。 在大流行期间，非洲大陆的人民是最后一批接种 COVID-19 疫苗的人。 The foundation said that its investment marks an important step forward in improving vaccine equity. It said making vaccines and getting them approved for use could take at least three more years. 该基金会表示，其投资标志着在改善疫苗公平性方面向前迈出了重要一步。 报告称，生产疫苗并获得批准使用可能至少还需要三年时间。 “Whether it's for local diseases in Africa like Rift Valley (fever) or for global diseases like TB (tuberculosis), mRNA looks like a very promising approach,” Bill Gates told the Associated Press. 比尔·盖茨对美联社表示：“无论是治疗裂谷（发烧）等非洲当地疾病还是结核病（结核病）等全球疾病，mRNA 看起来都是一种非常有前途的方法。” The Microsoft founder added, during a visit to the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, “And so it allows us to bring in lots of African capabilities to work on these vaccines, and then this can be scaled up.” 这位微软创始人在访问塞内加尔达喀尔巴斯德研究所时补充道，“这使我们能够引进大量非洲能力来研发这些疫苗，然后扩大规模。” The announcement came as the foundation opened its yearly three-day Grand Challenges event. The gathering brought together scientists and public health researchers from around the world. 这一消息是在基金会一年一度为期三天的大挑战活动开幕之际发布的。 这次聚会汇集了来自世界各地的科学家和公共卫生研究人员。 Institut Pasteur, along with South Africa-based company Biovac, will be using an mRNA research and manufacturing process developed by Quantoom Biosciences in Belgium. 巴斯德研究所与南非公司 Biovac 将使用比利时 Quantoom Biosciences 开发的 mRNA 研究和制造工艺。 The foundation is giving five million dollars to each vaccine manufacturer. It will award another $10 million to other companies not yet identified. The remaining $20 million is going to Quantoom “to further advance the technology and lower costs.” 该基金会向每个疫苗制造商捐赠 500 万美元。 它将另外奖励 1000 万美元给其他尚未确定的公司。 剩下的 2000 万美元将捐给 Quantoom，“以进一步推进技术并降低成本”。 Pfizer and its partner BioNTech along with Moderna used the mRNA technology to develop COVID-19 vaccines in record time. The medicine supplies genetic direction to human cells leading to antibody production to fight COVID-19. 辉瑞及其合作伙伴 BioNTech 以及 Moderna 使用 mRNA 技术以创纪录的时间开发了 COVID-19 疫苗。 该药物为人体细胞提供遗传指导，导致产生抗击 COVID-19 的抗体。 Those COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were quickly pushed through approval processes and received emergency use permission during the pandemic. The new vaccines under development in Africa will take longer anywhere from three to seven years. 这些 COVID-19 mRNA 疫苗很快就通过了审批程序，并在大流行期间获得了紧急使用许可。 非洲正在开发的新疫苗将需要更长的时间，从三到七年不等。 Dr. Amadou Sall is chief executive officer at Institut Pasteur. He said the deal will help build vaccine self-reliance in Africa. The organization has been producing yellow fever shots since the 1930s. It now hopes mRNA technology can be used to produce vaccines for other diseases in Africa including Lassa fever, Rift Valley fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. 阿马杜·萨尔 (Amadou Sall) 博士是巴斯德研究所的首席执行官。 他表示，该协议将有助于非洲建立疫苗自力更生能力。 该组织自 20 世纪 30 年代以来一直生产黄热病疫苗。 现在，该公司希望 mRNA 技术能够用于生产针对非洲其他疾病的疫苗，包括拉沙热、裂谷热和克里米亚-刚果出血热。 “What we want is next time there is a pandemic — we hope it won't happen soon — Africa would be able to make its own vaccine, to contribute to the development, and make sure that we protect the population,” Sall said. “What happened with COVID should never happen again in the sense that Africans should get vaccinated as a matter of equity.” 萨尔说：“我们希望下次发生大流行时——我们希望这种情况不会很快发生——非洲能够制造自己的疫苗，为发展做出贡献，并确保我们保护人民。” “从非洲人应该公平接种疫苗的意义上来说，新冠疫情发生的事情不应该再次发生。” Jose Castillo is the leader of Quantoom Biosciences. He said the mRNA technologies permit low- and middle-income countries “to become autonomous in terms of research and development.” Jose Castillo 是 Quantoom Biosciences 的领导者。 他表示，mRNA 技术使低收入和中等收入国家“能够在研发方面实现自主”。 With $8.3 billion to give away in 2023, the Gates Foundation is the world's largest private philanthropic donor. The organization has spent billions of dollars to vaccinate against polio, treat and prevent malaria and HIV and, more recently, to develop vaccines for diseases like cholera. 盖茨基金会是全球最大的私人慈善捐助者，到 2023 年将捐赠 83 亿美元。 该组织已花费数十亿美元来接种脊髓灰质炎疫苗、治疗和预防疟疾和艾滋病毒，最近还开发了霍乱等疾病的疫苗。

Known as the, "cradle of humanity," the Great Rift Valley offers much more than the scenic views. Is this the region where all of us come from? Go to HelloFresh.com/50dank and use code 50dank for 50% off plus free shipping! patreon.com/striderwilson Sources: Education.nationalgeographic.org, Britannica.com, Kids.britannica.com, Pbslearningmedia.org, Forbes.com ‘The Discovery Of The Great Rift Valley, Where Africa Is Splitting In Two' by David Bressan 2018, Ngorongorocratertanzania.org, A-zanimals.com, Quora.com

Episode 348: Susan Namulindwa is the founding Director of Girls Run Period, an organization focused on Advocacy for ending Period poverty and women's rights. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Maama Watali and Africa Trade Desk and the Vice President Canada with the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business. Susan has long standing expertise in policy, partnerships, strategy, outreach, and communications, as well as an experienced fundraiser, presenter, and trainer. She is an advocate for the use of inclusive trade to lift communities out of poverty. Susan is very involved in her community in Canada and Africa and the broader International African Diaspora through various community development initiatives on gender equality, environment, connectivity, food security, diversity, and inclusion. She is passionate about women and girls' leadership, well-being, and development. On this episode of Destination on the Left, Susan Namulindwa dives into her passion for creating trade and business opportunities for Africa and why aid without a relationship is ineffective. She shares why and how she started Girls Run Period, which is focused on ending period poverty in Africa, and how that led her to build world-changing collaborations. What You Will Learn in this Episode: Susan shares more about how Girls Run Period combines running with addressing period poverty in Africa, focusing on empowerment, collaboration, and sustainable tourism The importance of business relationships and trade partnerships for Africa's development Why Susan and her team entered the UNWTO Tourism Challenge, and how it helped them with aligning their idea with the goal of bringing tourism to small rural communities Some of the amazing events Girls Run Period has organized, including a cross country meet with thousands of attendees and the support of world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge Their future plans supported by Athletic Kenya and the local and national governments, that are helping them expand their impact and empower even more girls Founding Girls Run Period Susan shares her passion for creating trade and business opportunities for Africa and discusses how Girls Run Period aims to end period poverty through running events. She talks more about how she came up with the idea for creating an event that would get women excited about participating in a marathon in the Rift Valley and how her own enthusiasm for running led her to link the cause of empowering girls and women in Africa with funding local businesses to provide sanitary wear so girls don't miss out on crucial years of education. World Changing Collaborations Susan shares why collaboration lies at the heart of Girls Run Period's success. Through partnerships with running clubs, athletic organizations, schools, and health professionals, the program is able to create a network of support that extends beyond running. This collaborative approach ensures that girls receive not only the necessary supplies but also mentorship, health services, and educational opportunities. By working together, Girls Run Period is able to maximize its impact and create lasting change in the communities it serves. Promoting Sustainable Tourism Girls Run Period combines two powerful forces – running and tourism – to create a positive impact. Participants not only get to run in iconic destinations like Kenya's Rift Valley but also support the cause by paying fees and donations. This unique approach promotes sustainable tourism and helps generate funds for the initiative's important work. Susan discusses trade over aid, and why she is a strong advocate for trade partnerships that benefit both Africa and its global partners. By supporting local entrepreneurs who produce reusable sanitary pads, Girls Run Period empowers girls and women while contributing to environmental sustainability. This approach aligns with the sustainable development goals and showcases the trade and business opportunities available in Africa. Resources: Website: https://www.girlsrunperiod.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlsRunPeriod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GirlsRunPeriod Marathon Campaign: https://www.girlsrunperiod.org/marathon-campaign/ Awake Tourism Challenge: https://www.unwto.org/unwto-awake-tourism-challenge The Awake competition attracted more than 2,000 entrants from 120 countries worldwide. The most submissions were from Europe, the Americas and Africa, followed by Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East. From these, an expert jury selected 30 finalists and then 15 winners: https://www.unwto.org/news/unwto-announces-winning-start-ups-for-awake-tourism-challenge UNWTO Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals I have exciting news! I'm publishing my first book, Stronger Together: Building World-Changing Collaborations that Succeed. I'd love for you to join my very first book launch team to help me reach my goal of 50 Amazon reviews in the month of September. Go here to join: https://nicolemahoney.com/#join! We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

In this compelling episode, we have the privilege of hearing the remarkable life story of Abel Kirwa, a Kenyan native hailing from the scenic county of Nandi in the Rift Valley region. Abel's journey is one of extraordinary resilience, where he overcame tremendous odds to become an inspiration to many. Born a healthy child like any other, Abel's life took an unexpected turn when a spinal disorder called Kyphosis struck, leading to paralysis from his waist downwards. Despite this challenging circumstance, Abel's indomitable spirit and unwavering determination shone through. We delve into Abel's narrative, tracing his path from adversity to triumph, and discover the incredible strength that carried him through. Notably, we explore his recent graduation from Kenyatta University, where he achieved a Bachelor's degree in Library and Information Science, proving that with determination and belief, anything is possible. Join us as Abel Kirwa's story reminds us that resilience knows no bounds and that the human spirit can rise above even the most daunting challenges. His journey is an inspiring testament to the power of unwavering determination and the belief that one can achieve greatness against all odds.   Things You Will Learn in This Episode: [00:00 – 10:00] Introduction and Guest Introduction Meet Abel Kirwa, a resilient individual with an extraordinary journey. Discover Abel's background, upbringing, and his life in Kenya as a person with a disability. [10:00 – 30:00] Navigating Life's Challenges in Kenya Explore the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities living in Kenya. Gain insight into Abel's personal experiences and the hurdles he overcame. [30:00 – 45:00] Achieving Academic Success Against All Odds Learn about Abel's remarkable academic journey, including his recent graduation from Kenyatta University. Understand how determination and self-belief propelled him to achieve his educational goals. [45:00 – 55:00] Empowerment and Inspiration Dive into a discussion on empowerment, self-belief, and the importance of supporting one another. Abel Kirwa's inspiring story reminds us that resilience and determination can conquer even the most daunting challenges.   LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you! Connect with Living African Podcast: You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at hello@livingafricanpodcast.com. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. Connect with host, Anyoh: You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 913, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: rudolph 1: This grandson of Italian immigrants was elected the 107th mayor of New York City on November 2, 1993. Rudolph Giuliani. 2: You'll find this body of water in the eastern part of Kenya's Rift Valley. Lake Rudolph. 3: Bravo! This man was the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera from 1950 to 1972. Sir Rudolph Bing. 4: This president took his stepdad's name while still an infant, including the middle name Rudolph. Ford. 5: Minnie Riperton's song "Lovin' You" began as a lullaby to her daughter, this future "SNL" comic actress. Maya Rudolph. Round 2. Category: bays and gulfs 1: This country's Peter the Great Bay is an inlet of the Sea of Japan. Russia. 2: Tampa Bay is an arm of this gulf. the Gulf of Mexico. 3: It was the center of naval action in the 1991 Gulf War. the Persian Gulf. 4: Sugar Loaf Mountain in this country rises above Guanabara Bay. Brazil. 5: In 1994 the U.S. reopened a refugee processing center at the naval base on this Cuban bay. Guantanamo Bay. Round 3. Category: 4-letter clothes 1: One may be wedding, prom or dressing. Gown. 2: Piece that turns a man's 2-piece suit into a 3-piece suit. Vest. 3: Ballet wear, perhaps for Desmond. Tutu. 4: After it comes back pink from the wash, you might use something similar to fire your laundress. Slip. 5: Piece of clothing in the title of the first feature film in Cinemascope. The Robe. Round 4. Category: shakespearean synopses 1: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", and then things really get bad. Hamlet. 2: Fairies fight and frolic in the forest. A Midsummer Night's Dream. 3: Boy meets girl. Boy gets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy takes poison. Girl stabs herself and dies.. Romeo and Juliet. 4: Moorish hanky-panky, with a real hanky. Othello. 5: Much ado about a pound of flesh. The Merchant of Venice. Round 5. Category: streets 1: On Jan. 15, 1983 Santa Barbara Ave. in L.A. was renamed for this slain civil rights leader. Martin Luther King, Jr.. 2: In 2000 Tony Blair lived there. Downing Street. 3: This main street running through downtown San Francisco once featured 4 sets of streetcar tracks. Market Street. 4: It's said Saint Paul lived on a street called Straight in this present-day Syrian capital. Damascus. 5: Hurray for this boulevard with Veronica Lake's star. Hollywood Boulevard. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia! Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/

On this Episode we travel to the Magical Lake Town of Naivasha located in the Rift Valley just under an hour's drive from the capital,Nairobi. TRACKLIST(In order of Play): We Soldier On - OddXperienc Chronicles of Love (feat. Chronical Deep & Kabza De Small) - Nkosazana Daughter Kude (feat. Lannie Billion) - De Mthuda, Da Muziqal Chef & Sam Deep Talking Pyramids - Gift of Africa Greatest Father - OddXperienc Komplano (feat. Aero Manyelo) - OddXperienc Possessed - Thakzin I Am African (AncestralSoul) - DJ Kev Karter Kota (feat. Tycoon & Mkeyz) - DJ Stokie Ke Shy (feat. Tyla, LuuDaDeejay & Yumbs) - Major Lazer & Major League Djz Muvhango - Spaceman Tomorrowland - Da Capo & Da Africa Deep Please Don't (feat. Audrey) - Thakzin Kipaji - KNVL. Mondays - Skaiva Support the Artist by purchasing their work.

In this minisode, Five and Nine joins One of Many Studio's Nour Batyne and Britt Pham to sit in on a Bedouin coffee ceremony. Sipping from their cups around the virtual campfire, we talk about the magic, work and economic justice of the little bean we call coffee, whose roots extend to the Rift Valley and whose impact goes as far afield as Vietnam and Brazil. And with every gulp comes a long story of capital, colonialism and ceremony — and maybe a little space for future telling too. Also: stay till the end for a special announcement about a new futures workshop from Five and Nine and One of Many.Season 4 is co-presented with One of Many Studio, an experience design & consulting studio connecting people with what it means to be a Future Ancestor. One of Many works at the intersection of immersive experiences and social change, elevating critical conversations to transform the way we relate to ourselves, each other, and our legacies.References* The Invention of Hydration by Slate's Decoder Ring.New Workshop: The Embodied Futures LabIn a time of significant change and re-emergence in our communities, we need restorative spaces for reimagining futures more than ever. Embodied Futures Lab is a special online experience facilitated by Five and Nine Futures and One of Many Studio. We integrate yin yoga, sound meditation, guided writing, and intentional connection to create space for slowing down and reinvigorating the creativity & inspiration that fuels organizing, justice, and culture work. Learn more at thisisfiveandnine.com.Five and Nine is a podcast and newsletter at the crossroads of magic, work and economic justice. We publish “moonthly” — every new moon

This episode is longer and pretty dense with information.  I attempt to discuss Australopithecus afarensis (aka Lucy) and her relationship with the most famous band in the world, The Beatles.  In so doing I discuss plate tectonics, convection currents, human evolution, and of course The Fab Four.    

In May 2023, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2023, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Washington, DC, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the final of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason talk about sessions on mucosal immunity, emerging pathogens, and having a successful postdoctoral experience. Highlights include Dr. Isaac Chiu's talk on pain and mucus production in the gut, Dr. James Crowe's talk on monoclonal antibody discovery, and Dr. Amy Hartman's talk on Rift Valley fever virus.

An avid listener from an early age, DNGR GNGR has been collecting decades of beats and pop culture moments from around the world in his head. And today, as a rising DJ in the Egyptian scene, he pours these collections into dance floors, festivals, and cyberspaces. A genre chameleon, DNGR GNGR has become known for making unexpected musical connections between tracks and pulling at their common threads, constantly weaving together dance floor journeys. The colorful experiences he creates can swing you from Detroit house to Berlin industrial techno, house music, and more. With diversified percussion - and vocal anchors - constructing the spine for his mixes, he plays detailed sets that bring out the sexy while waving a sassy middle finger to genres altogether. DNGR GNGR's hour-long set features tracks like, ‘A Walk in the Park' by DJ Minx, and ‘Metropolis' by Delano Smith, in addition to finding an East African swing in ‘Rift Valley (feat. Abakisimba) by Esa, eventually landing in an unexpected old school hip-hop gem. Check out this set, it's perfect for finding a summertime groove.

Welcome to The Big Cat People podcast! We're Jonathan and Angela Scott, award-winning wildlife photographers, authors and conservationists. We've have made our name documenting the lives of lions, leopards and cheetahs in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Today's episode is a continuation of our ten part series named 'Our Story: Becoming the Big Cat People'. This episode is named 'Big Cat Diary.' Jonathan's journey to becoming a television presenter takes a big step forward in 1995. He is asked to co-present a series of live programmes from Kenya's Rift Valley soda lakes called Flamingo Watch, hosted with Simon King and Chris Packham. The following year his big chance finally arrives. He is asked to present his own television series called Dawn to Dusk, six African adventures in iconic company: Alan Root (Wildlife Filmmaker, Richard Gross (Wildlife Filmmaker), Charlotte Uhlenbroek (Primatologist), Blyth and Rudi Louti (Save the Rhino), Randall Moore (Abu Elephant Camp), John Stevens (Safari Guide/Naturalist). A review of the series by journalist Christina Odone in the Daily Telegraph is scathing and could have heralded the end of Jonathan's presenting career before it had a chance to take off. Fortunately that same year the BBC announces the launch of a new prime time wildlife television series called Big Cat Diary, to be presented by Jonathan and Simon King. Reality television was becoming increasingly popular with Animal Hospital hosted by Rolf Harris gaining rave reviews. Human/Animal stories that could deliver insights and emotion featuring individual characters were destined for huge success. Big Cat Diary's strength was built around having three strong animal characters to engage audiences' emotions. The emergence of a leopard called Half-Tail and her young daughter Zawadi (known as Shadow on Big Cat Diary), who Jonathan and Angela had followed for years and knew where to find, proves pivotal to the success of the series. In 1997 Jonathan and Angela are asked to present segments for Wild Things (Paramount TV), taking them around the world to India (tigers), Nepal (Asiatic rhino), Alaska (brown bears), Kenya (cheetahs), Uganda (mountain gorillas), Komodo Island (Komodo Dragons), and Kalimantan/Borneo (Orang utan). Filming runs for two years and the experience gives Jonathan and Angela the confidence to deliver pieces to camera with authority and passion.  This podcast series is a continuing effort to educate and inspire our audience. If you'd like to learn more about us, or to check out our latest collection of educational ebooks, please visit our website: www.bigcatpeople.com

Nchini Kenya, mradi wa shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la kazi duniani, ILO wa ubia wa maendeleo kati ya sekta ya umma na binafsi, PPDP umewezesha wanawake wa jamii ya kimasai katika eneo la Rift Valley kujiinua kiuchumi na kijamii. Thelma Mwadzaya na ripoti kamili kama ilivyoandaliwa na ILO.Mmoja wa wanufaika hao ni Mary Nkisonkoi kutoka kijiji cha Oloshaiki kilichoko eneo la Rift Valley au Bonde la Ufa nchini Kenya.Mary kupitia video ya ILO anasema alikuwa na bahati sana kuchaguliwa kuwa mwezeshaji wa jamii katika mradi wa PPDP.“Kabla ya mradi huu kuanza, wanawake katika eneo letu hawakuwa wanakutana na kuzungumza kwa uwazi na kina matatizo na changamoto zinazowakabili. Hatukuruhusiwa kufanya hivyo labda pale tu ambapo waume zetu walifahamu kile ambacho kinajadiliwa,” anasema Mary.Walikuwa wamezoea kusalia kijijini na kukutana kanisani na baada ya ibadi kila mtu anarejea nyumbani na kuendelea na wajibu wake wa kifamilia. Hatukufahamu kuwa sisi wanawake na akina mama tunaweza kufanya kitu na kusaidia kama jamii au kama wanawake.PPDP ikabisha hodi OloshaikiMradi wa PPDP ukaingia na ukaanza kufundisha wanawake kuhusu jinsia, haki za wanawake na tofauti kati ya mke na mume.“Hii ilituhamasisha kuzungumza na wanaume wetu,” anasema Mary huku akiongeza kwamba alifundishwa kuwa mwezeshaji ili kuwaleta pamoja wanawake na wanaume katika majukwaa ya umma. “Niliwaita wazee wa kijiji, wanawake, viongozi wa vikundi vya kijamii ili kujadili ni jambo gani lifanyike ili kuinua eneo letu.”Mabadiliko chanya ya kujivuniaMary anasema mabadiliko ya kwanza kutokea na ambayo anajivunia ni pale wanawake walipoweza kupata elimu ya watu wazima. “Tulifundishwa na mwalimu kutoka mradi wa PPDP. Tulifundishwa pia jinsi ya kuendesha biashara.”Wanawake wengi walijiunga na darasa kwa sababu “hatukuwa na njia nyingine ya kujipatia kipato. Kwa asili, wanawake hawawezi kuuza ng'ombe au mahindi kwa sababu shamba ni mali ya mume.”Walijipanga vema ili wasikose darasaMary anasema mwanzoni ilikuwa changamoto, lakini walijifunza kujipanga mapema kuhakikisha majukumu ya nyumbani na uchungaji wa mbuzi na ng'ombe unafanyika asubuhi. Ikifika saa 8 adhuhuri watoto wanaporejea nyumbani kutoka shuleni, wanawake walienda darasani.“Wanawake walijifunza alfabeti pamoja nan amba na matokeo yake waliweza kutumia simu za rununu au za kiganjani,” anasema Mary.Baada ya kujua kusoma na kuandika, nini kilifuatia?Mwezashaji huyu wa jamii anasema baada ya darasa la elimu ya watu wazima, walifikiria ni nini tena wanaweza kufanya na kuleta mabadiliko zaidi.“Tulianzisha kikundi cha upatu. Siku yetu ya soko ni jumatano ambako  wanawake wanauza maharage, viazi au mboga za majani. Tuliamua kukutana kila Alhamisi baada ya siku ya soko na kila mwanamke alete dola senti 40 au dola senti 81. Na iwapo mwanamke anataka kukopa fedha kukuza biashara yake, tunamkopesha na atarejesha na riba. Kisha tutampatia tena mwanamke mwingine akuze biashara yake.” Mafanikio mengine sasa wanaume wamepata uelewa wa kuwapatia wake zao nafasi na fursa kwa sababu Mary anasema, “nilipoketi nao kama mwezeshaji, niliwaeleza kuwa akina mama nao wanaweza kuleta kipato nyumbani, wakalipa karo na hata kununua chakula.”Sasa anasema wako huru kuanzisha na kumiliki biashara. Kila mwanamke anaweza kupeleka kitu nyumbani na kuweka mezani, hata kiwe kidogo kiasi gani.Hata shilingi 500 za Kenya saw ana dola 4.10. Tunawaambia waume zetu hiki ndicho nilichopata,” anasema Mary akiongeza kuwa hayo ni mabadiliko makubwa na hatuishi kama tulivyokuwa tunaishi zamani. Mary anasema “ninajiambia katika biashara yangu siku moja nitakuwa miongoni mwa nyota zinazong'ara kwenye eneo hili.” Kupitia ujasiriamali wa kukuza ng'ombe bora, Mary ameweza kujenga nyumba yake na anatamatisha akisema, “wanawake si watu wa kukandamizwa. Pale mwanamke anapoelimishwa, jamii itanufaika zaidi. Kwa hiyo…

When you say "African cichlids", you usually conjure up images of "peacocks" from Lake Malawi. This connotation is reductive because it ignores two facts. 1. Cichlidae is one of the most species diverse families of fishes in the world. 2. Africa is the second largest continent in the world. In this episode of the podcast, the Water Colors team try their best to ignore the African Great Lakes (Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika) in order to explore the diversity of cichlids in ecosystems across the entire continent of Africa. You can share photos of your real African cichlids with us on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group. Corrections: - In this episode, we often use the phrase "Rift Lakes" to refer to Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika. The "definition" we are using is more colloquial than it is accurate to the conventional geographic designation for lakes within the Rift Valley region of Africa. It might have been more accurate for us to say "African Great Lakes". - In this episode, Charles said "Rubrolatochromis", which is a genus that does not exist. We were talking about genera split from Pelvicachromis and he managed to erroneously "upgrade" the species Wallaceochromis rubrolabiatus to the genus level. - In this episode, Ben stated that baking soda (AKA sodium bicarbonate) has a "kpH" of 7.8. He was conflating the concepts pKa reaction of sodium bicarbonate carbonic acid, which have the respective pKa values of 10.3 and 6.4, with the 7.4-7.8 pH range that a sodium bicarbonate system will buffer to. Addendums: - The genus Haplochromis was originally coined by F.M. Hilgendorf in 1888 in an attempt to start sorting through the "wastebin genus" Chromis. He utilized Haplochromis obliquidens as his type species, but this entire arrangement was thrown into disarray when it was realized that "Chromis" was already in use for genus of small reef fishes, making it's usage for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids a junior homonym. This confusion has resulted in over a century of the taxonomic relations of this clade being redefined multiple times and the relationships between these clades are still misunderstood. Book Mentioned in this Episode: The Cichlids of Western Africa by Anton Lamboj Cichlids Mentioned in This Episode: - Discus (Symphysodon spp.) - Ram cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) - Freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) - Apistogramma spp. - Nanochromis spp. - Common krib (Pelvicachromis pulcher) - Wonderful goby cichlid (Gobiocichla wonderi) - Xystichromis sp. "Kyoga Flameback" - Haplochromis spp. - Aulonocara spp. - Pseudotropheus spp. - Copadichromis borleyi - Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi - Egyptian/Victorian mouthbrooder (Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor) - Pseudocrenilabrus philander - Silver Katana cichlid (Haplochromis thereuterion) - Sardine cichlids (Cyprichromis spp.) - Malawi shell-dweller (Pseudotropheus lanisticola) - Jewel cichlid (Hemichromis spp.) - Jack Dempsey cichlid (Rocio octofasciata) - Hemichromis cristatus - Hemichromis lifalili - Regani dwarf pike cichlid (Crenicichla regani) - Hemichromis sp. "Moanda" - Black diamond Madagascar cichlid (Paratilapia polleni) - Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) - Bichard's slender cichlid (Teleogramma brichardi) - Wallaceochromis spp. - Enigmatochromis lucanusi - Pelvicachromis silviae - Pelvicachromis sacrimontis - Pelvicachromis subocellatus - Nanochromis transvestitus - Nanochromis parilus - Nanochromis splendens - Pindu cichlid (Stomatepia pindu) - Pelvicachromis kribensis "Moliwe" - Soda cichlid (Alcolapia alcalica) - Tilapia cichlids (Oreochromis spp.) - Buffalo-head cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius) - Blue-lipped buffalo-head cichlid (Paragobiocichla irvinei) - African butterfly cichlid (Anomalochromis thomasi)

Teatime with Miss Liz coming to the table for T-E-A is the Founder of Upendo United Foundation Regina Reithii. Regina brings awareness to the foundation by sharing about resources events and opportunities to help her. January 12th, 3 pm EST ***LIVE SHOW SHARED ON MULTIPLE PODCAST APPS AND PLATFORMS*** Regina Reithii, Upendo's President and Founder was born and raised in Nakuru, Kenya. Regina has been a proud Delawarean for the last 20 years and is a passionate advocate for children's empowerment. Growing up in Kenya's Rift Valley in the '80s and '90s exposed Regina to life-changing experiences having witnessed the horrors of political violence- as her hometown, Nakuru was hard hit. While incidents of serious political violence have reduced, previously impacted areas continue to experience lingering effects and security and economic uncertainties. Over the last 18 years, juggling roles as a student and a single parent, Regina has directly supported over 145 orphans by paying for their education and sponsoring their basic needs, as well as those of their immediate family members. Through Regina's leadership, Upendo is supporting 145 orphans on a full-time basis with a goal to expand their outreach to 500 children by end of 2025. Regina is passionate about empowering children through education and imparting income-generating skills. While her efforts are currently focused on making a difference in Nakuru, Kenya; her goal is to extend the outreach to other parts of the country. Regina Reithii Founder Upendo United Foundation Inc www.upendounitedfoundation.org Info@upendounitedfoundation.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/misslizsteatimes/message

Er ist der weltweit renommierteste Wüstenfotograf und berichtet seit mehr als 35 Jahren über seine Expeditionen. Mit großer Passion schreibt der Fotokünstler und Geograph Michael Martin Bücher, hält Vorträge, macht Filme. Und vermittelt so viel Wissenswertes und sehr persönliche Impressionen, die er auf seinen Reisen gesammelt hat. Für sein neuestes Mammutprojekt war er fünf Jahre lang immer wieder unterwegs in ausgesuchten Regionen der Welt, die stellvertretend stehen für die klimatische und geologische Vielfalt unseres Planeten: vom Pazifischen Feuerring über Polynesien, die Anden und das Himalaya-Gebirge bis ins zerklüftete Rift Valley. Michael Martin reiste nach Sibirien, in den Amazonas-Regenwald, in die Eiswüsten der Arktis und in die Sandwüsten der Arabischen Halbinsel. „TERRA - Gesichter der Erde" heißt sein beeindruckendes Buch mit faszinierenden, künstlerischen Naturaufnahmen, mit einfühlsamen Fotos der Menschen, die dort leben - und mit spannenden wissenschaftlichen Texten. TERRA ist ein Porträt der Erde, das die Schönheit und Verletzlichkeit unseres Planeten zeigt und den Leser*innen bewusst macht, was wir durch den menschengemachten Klimawandel und durch bloße Naturzerstörung aufs Spiel setzen.

Transboundary animal diseases pose a continual threat to the health of livestock and the welfare of livestock producers, with foot-and-mouth disease and similar transboundary (FAST) animal diseases (including peste des petits ruminants, Rift Valley fever, and capripoxvirus diseases) being of exceptional concern. The role of wildlife in maintaining or propagating these diseases is an area of active research, and should epidemic incursions occur into formerly disease-free regions, achieving disease control can require measures targeting both the domestic and the wild compartments. Understanding how transmission dynamics and applied control measures in one compartment can influence dynamics in the other compartment may be key to enacting optimal strategies, and parameterized models that account for this interface could play an important role in such decisions. Using the current African swine fever pandemic as a case study, we've created a model to mechanistically explain these transmission dynamics in an environment with suspected disease spillover.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a major emerging, zoonotic and arboviral haemorrhagic fever that greatly affects public and animal health, primarily in Africa. The ability of RVF virus to persist within distinct environments has raised questions over its potential to spread and persist within currently disease-free settings. Viral persistence requires suitable meteorological factors for vector competence and breeding alongside sufficiently susceptible local host communities. Prior to our work, no study had formally estimated the importance of these persistence mechanisms from field data, preventing any formal assessment of disease control strategies in a real-world setting.

Ancient Rift Valley Rock Pools, Lake Malawi National Park, Malawi. (15 min)

In this podcast we host Professor Benita Olivier (Twitter @BenitaOlivier). Benita is a lecturer in musculoskeletal physiotherapy at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the Director of the Wits Cricket Research Hub. Benita provides great practical tips for clinicians and researchers to create time and increase access to evidence-based information to bridge the gap between publication and the pitch. We also discuss some of the emerging research in African athletes, and what we can learn from Kenyan endurance runners. Wits Cricket Research Hub https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIenu_8XdRB7ttG3lGMLcMw Facebook: @witscricketresearchhub https://www.facebook.com/witscricketresearchhub Instagram: @witscricketresearchhub https://www.instagram.com/witscricketresearchhub/ Twitter: @WitsCricketRH https://twitter.com/WitsCricketRH LinkedIn: WITS Cricket Research Hub https://www.linkedin.com/company/wits-cricket-research-hub/ Knowledge and adherence towards evidence-based sports Physiotherapy standards among physiotherapists in Kenya https://www.ijmhr.org/IntJPhysiotherRes/IJPR.2020.171 A prevalence of running-related injuries among professional endurance runners in the Rift Valley, Kenya https://journals.assaf.org.za/index.php/sajsm/article/view/10690 Musculoskeletal predictors of non-contact injury in cricketers e Few and far between? A longitudinal cohort study https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1466853X1830021X

Drought situation continues to worsen in Kenya. In Kenya's Rift Valley, local says they last harvested since 2018. This year it has rained for four days. Cows have died, goats – their remaining source of food - are dying of diseases. The Worse hit are nineteen of the 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Land counties. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the number of people in need of assistance increased from 3.5 million this May to 4.1 million in June 2022. Rainfall failed in 2020, performed poorly during the 2021 short rains and cased early during the 2022 march to May long rains season. Listen to how drought is impacting them amid rising cost of food.

Welcome to ‘The Bakery Bears Video Show featuring Kays Cosy Kitchen'  Join us in this episode for: 1. (1 min 17 secs) “Welcome”   Summer of Stitching events!  Catch up with Moonstruck Lace Knitting course https://www.patreon.com/posts/65629763  Watch Kays timed sock series https://www.patreon.com/posts/kays-sock-test-1-65668484  Double pattern launch to celebrate the upcoming Christmas in July KAL Kay mentioned Downton Abbey: A New Era https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11703710/  Listen to our radio show https://bakerybears.com/listen/    2. (14 mins 03 secs) “Whats on YOUR needles” https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-bakery-bears/2955474/976-1000#1000  Kay was knitting :  Wesley Crusher Socks knitted in Cascade Heritage Silk Kay mentioned our Stitchy U course which commences 5th July 2022 for Silver, Gold & Platinum Bakery Bear Patrons Kay used the texture pattern from https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks  Learn to knit socks on DPNs with Kay https://www.patreon.com/posts/dpn-sock-series-16710858  We mentioned https://bakerybears.com/yuletide-socks/ & https://bakerybears.com/umbrella-socks/  Bedtime Blanket Recipe is available in the latest issue of Knitability https://bakerybears.com/knitability/   Watch Kays Magic Knot Ball tutorial https://www.patreon.com/posts/tutorial-special-23290900  Dans James C Brett Socks Watch Kays Planner review https://www.patreon.com/posts/planners-diaries-61764406  Tinsel Socks Launch www.bakerybears.com/tinsel-socks/   Dan was knitting :      Moss Eccles Socks https://bakerybears.com/moss-eccles/ Find all our getting out of trouble tutorials https://bakerybears.com/trouble/  Pieces of Home https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pieces-of-home We mentioned The Blind Side https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blind_Side_(film)  Watch our Backwards Loop cast on tutorial https://www.patreon.com/posts/backwards-loop-57309199  watch dans monthly Garment Knitting show https://www.patreon.com/posts/self-contained-1-40707984    3. (57 min 10 secs) “Kays Cosy Kitchen” Episode 4 “Bolognese & Seeded Bread Sticks” We mentioned Biona Spelt Pasta https://biona.co.uk  Kay mentioned Birchall's Rift Valley https://birchalltea.co.uk/tea-shop/great-rift-breakfast-blend-80-plant-based-everyday-tea-bags/    4. (1 hr 20 min 42 secs) “Whats OFF your Needles” https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-bakery-bears/2955477/2901-2925#2925  Christmas Eve Cast On socks knitted in https://www.beehiveyarns.com Prom Queen https://bakerybears.com/prom-queen/  Learn to block your work Kays way https://www.patreon.com/posts/4433963  Christingle Mingle Cowl pattern launch www.bakerybears.com/christingle-mingle/    5. (1 hr 27 min 23 secs) “Kays Cosy Kitchen” Episode 4 “Bolognese & Seeded Bread Sticks” Watch the special editions of ‘Kays Cosy Kitchen' https://www.patreon.com/posts/kays-cosy-1-jam-62288371  Watch the special editions of ‘Walking the Wall' https://www.patreon.com/posts/halton-chesters-61711550  The Making of: Walking the Wall coming 28th June 2022 at 5pm BST http://www.patreon.com/bakerybearspodcast    6. (1hr 47 mins 51 secs) “Endy Bits!”    Everyone can access our latest Summer of Stitching update here https://www.patreon.com/posts/67127162  Kays Christmas in July Project - KAL commences for EVERYONE on 1st July 2022 Don't miss the Stitchy U which will begin on the 5th July 2022  Listen to our Radio Show here https://bakerybears.com/listen/ Don't miss our Patron exclusive monthly hour long show which will be available to watch on 26th June 2022  HELP KEEP US ON AIR and become a Bakery Bear Patron - You could receive a subscription to our electronic magazine Knitability, exclusive patterns, over 240 tutorials, a monthly live Patron only show, Dan's Garment Knitting shows, Kay's review series and so much more, to find out more visit: http://www.patreon.com/bakerybearspodcast or https://bakerybears.com/subscribe/  For a whole new way to engage with the Bakery Bears visit https://bakerybears.com - All Kay's patterns can be found here https://bakerybears.com/patterns/ - Find our Radio Show here https://bakerybears.com/listen/  Thank you so much for watching, we'll see you in two weeks for our next ‘Video Show' which will feature My Favourite Colourways'! If you wish to download the show, access it here : http://bakerybears.podbean.com - Apple users will find the show here : https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bakery-bears-podcast/id1051276128?mt=2 Follow the Bakery Bears on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bakerybears/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/bakerybears 

Crystal is sharing about the trip experience in Israel from April 04 - 14, 2022   Day 1, Monday-  APRIL 04, 2022– Arrival to Israel:  Welcome to the Land of Promise Group flight arrives to Israel – Ben Gurion Airport DL#234 @ 05:35 PM  Twins Tours guide & driver meet group in airport arrivals hall Old City Port of Jaffa/ Tel Aviv overview   Dinner & 1 Overnight in BY 14 Hotel/ Tel Aviv area. Day 2, Tuesday-  APRIL 05, 2022 – The Coastal Plain: The Gentile Pentecost After Breakfast Check out from the Hotel Travel along Via Maris, the ancient international coastal highway Caesarea Maritima – Gateway of Rome to the east+ Aqueducts Mt. Carmel - Elijah vs. Priests of Baal during the reign of King Ahab Megiddo – the Plain of Armageddon   Dinner & 3 Overnights in kibbutz Nof Ginosar at the lakeshore.   Day 3, Wednesday-  APRIL 06, 2022 – Lower Galilee: The Word Became Flesh  Early Departure at 07:00 Tel Dan - The tribe of Dan   Sepphoris- Herod Antipas rebuilt as the ornament of Galilee Nazareth Village ~14:00– a delightful recreation of a Galilean Jewish village  Mt Precipice – rejection of Jesus by his hometown. Tiberias- Overview Dinner & Overnight in kibbutz Nof Ginosar at the lakeshore.   Day 4, Thursday- APRIL 07, 2022  – The Sea of Galilee:  Becoming a Disciple of Jesus Modest Dress Required Mt. of Beatitudes – Kingdom of Heaven teaching Capernaum –the headquarters of Jesus' public ministry in Galilee  Primacy of St. Peter, Tabgha - Jesus feeds his disciples  Boat Ride @ 02:30 PM & Museum – enjoy the landscape sailing  Baptisms at Yardenit –we will celebrate our baptism  Migdal –the hometown of Mary Magdalene Dinner & Overnight in kibbutz Nof Ginosar at the lakeshore Day 5, Friday-  APRIL 08, 2022– The Jordan Valley: Crossing Over to the Land After Breakfast Check out from the Hotel Traveling south along the Rift Valley bypassing the West Bank Beit She'an- the Decapolis city west of the Jordan River Qasr el Yahud- Joshua led the Israelite tribes into the Promised Land Qumran – Explore the archeology of the Jewish “Essene” sect Dinner & 2 Overnight in the Prima Club SPA SUPPERIOR Hotel/ Dead Sea area. Day 6, Saturday- APRIL 09, 2022 - Judean Wilderness: The Desert as a refuge    Ein Gedi- the hiding place of King David Masada- Optional Free afternoon- to relax at the Hotel facilities Dead Sea - Enjoy a swim (or rather a float!) Dinner & Overnight in the Prima Club Hotel/ Dead Sea area. Day 7, Sunday- APRIL 10, 2022 – The Hill Country of Judea:  Bethlehem & Jerusalem After Breakfast Check out from the Hotel Ascending up to Jerusalem Genesis Land- @ 09:00 AM- Camel Ride and Hospitality Israel Museum- Model of Jerusalem & Shrine of the Book Church of Nativity - the oldest church in the world   Shepherds Fields- angels announced the birth of Christ  Dinner & 3 Overnights at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Jerusalem Day 8, Monday- APRIL 11, 2022 – Mountains & Valleys of Jerusalem:  Jesus Triumphal Entry Modest Dress Required Mount of Olives- observation panoramic view  Dominus Flevit- commemorating where Jesus wept Garden of Gethsemane- with its ancient olive grove,  City of David @ 11:30- Explore the original City of David  Jewish Quarter – Tour & Archeology  Davidson Center –pilgrims ascending to the Temple  Western Wall – The holiest site in the world for the Jewish faithful Tunnel Tour- Underground Jerusalem Dinner & Overnight at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Jerusalem Day 9, Tuesday- April 12, 2022 – The Old City: God Establishes his Temple Modest Dress Required/ Walking Day Temple Mount- Mt. Moriah, where Abraham almost sacrifices his son  Pools of Bethesda- where Jesus healed a paralytic (John 5:1-15) Antonia Fortress (Praetorian)-  Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate Via Dolorosa- remembering Jesus suffering  Holy Sepulcher Church – Traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial  Garden Tomb- @16:00- will have a special time of worship and communion Dinner & Overnight at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Jerusalem Day 10, Wednesday-  APRIL 13, 2022 The Last Day After Breakfast Later Check out from the Hotel Yad Vashem Free Time in the Old City Farewell Dinner @ 06:00 PM Drive to Airport and Departure with wonderful memories of the land Itinerary – subject to change according to flight arrival & departure times, inclement weather, security concerns, and the wishes of the group leaders.

Kutana na Agnes mkulima kutoka wilaya ya Lodwar kaunti ya Turkana jimbo la Rift Valley nchini Kenya. Mabadiliko ya tabianchi yanayolikumba eneo la Afrika Mashariki kwa kiasi kikubwa yamemuathiri sana yeye na jamii yake, lakini sasa asante kwa mradi wa pamoja wa mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa la mpango wa chakula duniani WFP na la chakula na kilimo FAO wa kuwasaidia wakulima wadogo kujenga mfereji wa maji kwa ajili ya umwagiliaji na kununua mazao yao, maisha ya Agnes na jamii yake yamebadilika.

Watching his older brother win the World Orienteering Championships at eight years old Marten Bostrom dreamed he would follow in his older sibling's footsteps; a silver medal in Budapest Hungary at the World Junior Championships in 2001 showed promise, as well as a Finnish junior record for his marathon debut of 2:25 at nineteen years old. His attendance at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff provided the perfect community to sharpen his track and cross-country skills while studying geology and cartography. This “Flying Finn” narrowly missed the Olympic marathon over two Olympic periods in 2008 and 2012, the latter miss due to bilateral Achilles tendon injury sustained while training in Kenya's Rift Valley.  Undeterred, Marten returned to orienteering with renewed motivation as the world championships were to be contested in his home country of Finland in 2013. He would go on to fulfill a lifelong dream, winning gold in the 2013 World Orienteering Championships. He prefers the forest, mountains, and rugged terrain of trails, and enjoys his career of mapping new roads for his orienteering and outdoor community. He holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in Geographical Information Science from Northern Arizona University and the University of Helsinki—where he is completing his doctoral studies. He can be found burning up the trail marathon world, always looking forward to his next goal – such as his recent victory in the Nuuksio Classic trail marathon - while enjoying what's around the next turn. Marten has clocked personal bests of 2:18:51 in the marathon and has won the Copenhagen Marathon, Transgrancanaria 30k twice, as well as the 2013 World Orienteering Championships.  Catching up with Marten transported me back to our time training together in Flagstaff and I am overjoyed to host Marten in this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram @intrinsicdrivelive 

In this episode of the RISE Podcast, Jason Silberstein, a RISE Research Fellow at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government, speaks to Professor Adam Ashforth. The conversation draws on Adam's ethnographic research to explore what the education system looks like for the average person in Malawi. He shares accounts from the Malawi Journals Project, which shed light on what most families see as the core purpose of education. In doing so, we learn just how absent the state is in many schools and how this space is filled with local relationships of accountability.  Links An Analysis of the Political Economy of Schooling in Rural Malawi: Interactions among Parents, Teachers, Students, Chiefs and Primary Education Advisors (Working Paper), by Susan Watkins and Adam Ashforth: https://riseprogramme.org/publications/analysis-political-economy-schooling-rural-malawi-interactions-among-parents-teachers (https://riseprogramme.org/publications/analysis-political-economy-schooling-rural-malawi-interactions-among-parents-teachers) The Malawi Journals Project (Archive): https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/113269 (https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/113269) Institutionalising Reforms from Below: When the State Fails to Lead (Blog), by Masooda Bano: https://riseprogramme.org/blog/institutionalising-reforms-below-when-state-fails-to-lead (https://riseprogramme.org/blog/institutionalising-reforms-below-when-state-fails-to-lead) Summary of RISE's Political Economy Implementation team and work: https://riseprogramme.org/countries/political-economy-implementation (https://riseprogramme.org/countries/political-economy-implementation) Guest Biography Adam Ashforth is a Professor in Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan. Adam has published extensively on state formation and the political implications of spiritual insecurity in everyday life in South Africa. During South Africa's transition to democracy he spent many years living and writing in Soweto. He is currently researching responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in everyday life in rural Malawi and ethnic conflict in Kenya's Rift Valley. His publications include four books: The Politics of Official Discourse in Twentieth-Century South Africa (Oxford, 1990); Madumo, A Man Bewitched (Chicago, 2000); Witchcraft, Violence, and Democracy in South Africa (Chicago, 2005) [winner of the Herskovits Award, 2005]; and The Trials of Mrs. K.: Seeking Justice in a World with Witches (Chicago, 2018). Attribution RISE is funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Programme is implemented through a partnership between Oxford Policy Management and the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford supports the production of the RISE Podcast.

Spring is upon us! Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and allergies are in season. (Sneeze!) This week I gave a Blockchain 101 presentation for an Austin-based company. It was great discussing what blockchain is and how it could impact a variety of industries. I’m super pumped about the future. What a great time to be alive! This edition, I’ve introduced a new section called “Question of the week” where I address a reader’s question. Keep the texts and emails coming, let me know what’s on your mind. News1. Cardano is supporting education in Ethiopia Ethiopia’s Rift Valley is known as the ‘cradle of humanity’. A generation after famine wreaked havoc on the ancient land, the country has had one of the fastest growing economies in the world for a decade. Now blockchain has come to play. IOHK, the company behind the Cardano protocol, is partnering with Ethiopia’s government to reduce academic fraud and improve record keeping. 5 million students will receive a Cardano blockchain-based ID to track academic performance. 750k teachers will use the system too. A Chinese company will be providing laptops and tablets too. This solution could be scaled across Africa. Beyond education, there are blockchain experiments across Africa in property titles, health and supply chain. These blockchain solutions are a giant step up from the existing broken systems. Stay tuned. 2. Andreessen Horowitz launches $1B crypto fundWhen was the last time your investment went up 300x in 8 years? The firm first invested in Coinbase in 2013 at $1 per share. Coinbase recently went public, the shares closed at $298 on Friday. That’s a 300x return in 8 years. The tech VC is reportedly raising up to $1B for its third crypto focused fund. Previous funds included investments in Coinbase, Compound, Anchorage etc. I’m excited to see what companies and themes they will focus on in the next fund. Chances are those ideas will be mainstream in about a decade. 3. Paxos is the 3rd crypto firm to snag a federal charter from the OCCPaxos provides stablecoins-as-a-service, exchange and custody products; and crypto brokerage services to clients like PayPal, Revolut and Credit SuisseIt is the first crypto firm regulated at the state (NY) and federal levels; enabling Paxos to serve customers across the US while adhering to the highest standardsI’m excited about Paxos mission to modernize financial market infrastructure and enable the movement of any asset, any time, in a trustworthy way 4. Binance to launch NFT platformIn June, Binance will launch what it hopes will become the worlds’s largest NFT platform. This new entrant will compete with OpenSea, Nifty Gateway etc. The marketplace will have 2 tracks. The premium will feature artists and exclusive partners. The trading track would allow anyone to sell or buy NFTs. Binance operates the largest crypto exchange; they have a big vision including payments and now NFTs. It’s large user base is a competitive advantage.5. JP Morgan completes bitcoin change of heart Jamie Dimon, CEO, called bitcoin a fraud and threatened to fire anyone who traded it. He later regretted his comments and affirmed his belief in blockchain. The bank is expected to launch an actively managed investment fund with bitcoin for its high net worth clients this summer. About-face complete! This raises another question. Why ask legacy companies about technology that is disrupting them? Remember Blockbuster dismissed Netflix. For the record, I think JP Morgan will endure but I am not not convinced all banks and financial institutions will. Explore1. Urgh, taxes. Did you know you could buy crypto with your 401(k)?Digital currencies are taxed as assets. This means users have to pay capital gains taxes (15-25%) whenever they sell digital currencies. For example, if you purchased 1 bitcoin for $1,000 then 2 years later you sell it for $5000, you would have to pay long-term capital gains tax of $600 ([$5000-$1000] x 15%]). Long-term investors could consider using tax-advantaged retirement funds to buy digital currencies. Some 401(k) plans permit alternative digital assets. Otherwise, investors could use self-directed retirement accounts like Choice2. What’s smart money buying?If you have already acquired positions in bitcoin and ether but curious what else to consider, you might like the list below. Messari, a leading digital assets research house, analyzed the portfolios of over 35 crypto focused VCs and hedge funds. They identified the most commonly held digital assets, besides bitcoin and ether, to be Polkadot, Keep and Uniswap. Question of the day Should I leave my crypto on the Coinbase exchange? Would you cry if your favorite crypto exchange was hacked and you lost all your digital assets? If the answer is yes, then you should reconsider your strategy. One option is to distribute your assets across a variety of platforms. Bitcoiners love to say “Not your keys, not your cheese”. Basically, if you don’t self custody your private keys to your digital assets then you could lose them. The refrain was born of pain. Many OGs lost eye-watering sums of bitcoin in hacks. Today, exchanges have strengthened their security but you never know. Lately, I’ve been checking out Casa. It provides 10x the security of a hardware wallet by using an app. It’s Multisig blends security, privacy, and control. Check it out! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afolabio.substack.com

Growing up near the Rift Valley in Kenya, Oprah Omeka always valued beauty. Later in her life when she began to notice symptoms of depression - she turned to photography, focusing on capturing human shots. She soon began to realize that she was so focused on using her photography to understand people because she was trying to figure out who she was. She shares 5 tips for overcoming depression as a creative. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/scopio/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/scopio/support

sermon transcript Introduction My kids know that I cannot stand computer upgrades. I just checked — attached to my App Store, there is this little number 52, meaning there are 52 upgrades for apps that are on my phone, to enable my phone to do clever, interesting, beneficial things. But those software people think I need them continually — so generous of them to provide these upgrades. Microsoft also thinks about me continually, and they have coming up with new ways that my operating system can improve. They hijack my computer for a while to make the computer better, but it has been my experience that not all of the upgrades are an improvement. Perhaps you agree. In contrast, as we study the new world that is coming, described in Revelation 21 and 22, we find an upgrade, if we can use that low word, that will be infinitely perfectly satisfying to us. We will in no way be disappointed. Romans Chapter 8 says, “Hope does not disappoint.” We will find that what we have hoped for is vastly small compared to the reality we will inherit; we will be overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of the place. The more we have a sense of that now, the more energetically and courageously and fruitfully we will live. The more heavenly-minded we are now, the more we will put sin to death by the power of the Spirit, the bolder we will be in evangelism and missions. In every way, it will be better. We have a sense of this in Philippians 1. The Apostle Paul was incarcerated for the Gospel, facing the possibility of his own execution for Christ. He weighed his preferences to the two options of, on one hand continuing to live and serve Christ and his people on earth; or on the other hand, to die, to be executed, to depart and be with Christ. As he evaluated, he was torn between the two. It is remarkable that he wanted to wait to go to heaven so that he could benefit his brothers and sisters in Christ and benefit lost people by preaching the Gospel. Paul was imitating Christ’s attitude, how Jesus left Heaven to come to earth to save us. Paul imbued that attitude, wanting to stay on earth as long as he could, “…but to depart and be with Christ is better by far.” We will not be disappointed in that upgrade. It will be better by far. That is a heavenly world that is in some mysterious sense incomplete. The world we read about here in Revelation 21 and 22 is better by far than what we would go to today if we were to depart from the body. The New Heaven, the New Earth, the New Jerusalem, are better by far than the present reality of where the saints dwell now. Absent from the body means present with the Lord. That is better by far than this. But we will be so deeply, richly, fully satisfied with Heaven. The first half of Revelation 21 describes, first, the New Heaven and New Earth generally in broad terms. There will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain in that new universe. Then it zeroes in on the New Jerusalem, the capital city of that new empire of God. The city is described in architectural terms, telling of the heavenly architecture and layout of the city. We learn about its gates and foundations and dimensions and building materials. The remainder of Revelation 21 describes the New Jerusalem in mostly negative terms, what will not be there — no temple in the city, no sun, no moon, no lamp, no exclusions from the kings of the earth, no shutting of the gates at night for indeed there will be no night, no wicked persons, nothing impure at all — all that will be filtered out or changed in the world. Earthly Temple Fulfilled in Heavenly Worship The Ultimate End of the Temple We begin with the observation in Revelation 21:22: “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” The earthly temple will be fulfilled in heavenly worship. Here, the history of the tabernacle and the temple, and of what God intended for those structures, reaches its final destination and fulfillment. The Tabernacle The tabernacle, then the temple, represented the idea of an earthly place where God would dwell in the midst of His people, where He would put His name. That would be the place where people would go to meet with God. The mystery is that because God is omnipresent, in some sense no more in one place than He is in another. But amazingly, He has chosen in this present age to reveal Himself more in some places than He has in others. When Jacob fled for his life from Esau, he came to a certain place, Bethel, where he lay down and had a dream in which he saw a vision of a stairway to Heaven with angels ascending and descending. Genesis 28:16-19: “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’ He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.’ Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel (which means house of God).” He looked on that as a holy place. When God called Moses from the burning bush, God said, “Do not come any closer” but told him to take off his shoes, for the ground on which he was standing was holy ground. The place where Jacob met with God was an awesome place, the gateway to heaven. And the place where Moses met with God, at the burning bush, was holy ground. So in the Old Covenant, God chose to reveal himself more in certain places than in others. Jonathan Edwards, in his marvelous sermon “Heaven is a World of Love”, said, “Heaven is the palace or presence-chamber of the high and holy One... Of course, God ...is everywhere — he fills both heaven and earth. But yet he is said, in some respects, to be more especially in some places than in others. He was said of old to dwell in the land of Israel, above all other lands; and in Jerusalem, above all other cities of that land; and in the temple, above all other buildings in the city; and in the holy of holies, above all other apartments of the temple; and on the mercy seat, over the ark of the covenant, above all other places in the holy of holies. But heaven is his dwelling-place above all other places in the universe; and all those places in which he was said to dwell of old, were but types of this. Heaven is a part of creation that God has built for this end, to be the place of his glorious presence, and it is his abode forever.” Exodus 25-40 lays out how God ordained a tabernacle, or tent, where He would meet with the people. It was movable because the nation was out in the desert at that time, moving around. God gave Moses the details of the tabernacle — its building materials, how it was to be built, its dimensions — in a heavenly vision when He met with him on the mountain. The tabernacle was a representation of that heavenly vision. When it was built, God descended in a cloud of glory cloud and filled the tabernacle. This was symbolic of God’s desire to dwell together with His people. He wanted to be with His people so that they would be where He was and see His glory. The tabernacle was only a type, or a shadow, as the author to Hebrews makes it plain in Hebrews 8:5: “The [Levitical priests] serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.” In the tabernacle, the Levitical priests poured out the blood of animal sacrifices, showing that it was only by the atoning blood of sacrifice that God would meet with sinful people like us. While the tabernacle was still standing, the way into the true most holy place was not yet disclosed because it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. It was a type and a shadow of what was to come. The Temple Later, after David was settled as king over Israel, he lived in a beautiful aromatic palace of cedar. He began to be jealous for the glory of God and said, “Here I am in a palace, in a building, a structure, but God is in a tent.” Nathan the prophet told him, “Do whatever is on your heart.” But then God, a few moments later, had a different message for Nathan to give to David: “Are you the one to build a house for me? No, I will build a house for you.” 2 Samuel 7:5, 12-13 says, “Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? … When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” David’s own son, his biological son Solomon did build the physical structure of the temple. He dedicated it in 1 Kings 8:10-13: “When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. Then Solomon said, ‘The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.’” But Solomon did not really understand the future, that the real temple would be built by David’s greater Son, the Son of David. Jesus would build the eternal tabernacle, or temple. Solomon did realize the insufficiency of that wood and gold box that he had made called the temple, saying in 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” In the course of time, the Jews desecrated the temple by their wickedness and sins, their perversions and idolatries. God took the prophet Ezekiel on a secret journey in the Spirit through the guts and the basement of the temple where the elders of Israel were worshipping crawling things and defiled things and bowing down to idols. Because of the wickedness of the Jewish people led by their leaders, the cloud of the glory of God departed from the temple. Soon after, the Babylonians destroyed the place because of the wickedness and the sin. After 70 years, the Jews returned from exile in Babylon. Under the prophets Ezra and Haggai, they rebuilt a smaller, less glorious temple. The animal sacrificial system was re-established and ran until the time of Jesus. As Jesus began His public ministry, he cleansed the temple, and did so again as he ended his public ministry. The first time, he made a whip and drove out all who were buying and selling, as well as the money changers, who were all trying to make money wickedly in the temple. His enemies approached and tried to stop him, saying, “‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’ “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body.” [John 2:18-21] He decisively redefined the temple. In his spiritual discussion with the woman at the well in Samaria, he brought up her sin concerning her husband, so she changed the subject. In witnessing situations, people will often deflect like that — “Since you’re talking about my sin, let's talk about the proper place of worship.” That is a smokescreen. Amazingly, though, she took the conversation in the direction Jesus wanted it to go. The Samaritans believed that the proper place of worship was Mount Gerazim in Samaria. The Jews argued that it was Mount Zion, in Jerusalem. Jesus soared far above both of them, telling the Samaritan woman in John 4:21-24, “Jesus declared, ‘Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.’” He was saying that the time was coming when there would not even be a specific place to worship God, but that believers would worship anywhere and everywhere by the Spirit. Furthermore, Jesus predicted the destruction of the last temple of the Jews. Matthew 24:2 says, “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” On the cross, he shed his atoning blood, forever ending and making obsolete the animal sacrificial system, as well as the need for a Levitical priesthood, a tabernacle or a temple. Jesus fulfilled all. Matthew 27:50-51 says, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom…” Now a way was opened for us. We are no longer excluded, but invited to come into the very presence of God by the atoning blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” Living Stones The Romans confirmed this in AD 70 by destroying the building in direct fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction. The Jews have not had a physical temple since. Paul, in his ministry among the Gentiles, saw very clearly that not only was Jesus’ own body the temple, but the church had become the body of Christ. He used an architectural image of the church in Ephesians 2, as the Gospel was spreading not only to Jews, but now to Gentiles too, every tribe, language, people and nation. People were coming to Christ, and he saw this vision of a holy temple, Ephesians 2:19-22: “…God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Peter adds to that image in 1 Peter 2:5: “…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” For 20 centuries, this spiritual temple has been rising. Living stones have been rescued out of Satan’s dark kingdom and put in the walls, so to speak, as this temple rises and becomes more beautiful and diverse and glorious and magnificent as people from every tribe and language, people and nation are being saved. Elect from every nation are being brought into this marvelous structure. It is a glorious building project. It is not finished yet but it is getting close. No Temple in Heaven Why is there no temple in heaven? Revelation 21:22 says, “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” The reason is clear: God’s atoning work through Jesus is fulfilled and we are perfectly cleansed of all of our sins, so there is no need for sacrifices any longer. Furthermore, God will be so present everywhere that we will not need a special place. Every place will be special, an encounter with the radiant glory of God. It will be impossible to look any direction north, south, east or west and not see the glory of God. We will have an immediate experience with the glory of God. There is no need for a special place to assemble. It is the fulfillment of the vision Jesus gave to the Samaritan woman — not a place, but together, intimately connected with God by the Spirit. John speaks of the Lord God Almighty, God the Father, who rules over everything, God is the temple, and so is Jesus the Lamb. Again, this is clear indication of the deity of Christ. The city will be the Holy of Holies, a perfect cube. Solomon’s Holy of Holies, also a perfect cube was 20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits, 1 Kings 6:20. The new Jerusalem is 12,000 stadia by 12,000 stadia by 12,000 stadia, massive. Every place in the city is perfectly holy, because we will encounter the living God. Earthly Light Fulfilled in Heavenly Glory Light in the New Jerusalem Second, we see earthly light fulfilled in heavenly glory. Revelation 21:23 says, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” When God created the heavens and the earth, the first thing he said after that statement was Genesis 1:3: “And God said, 'Let there be light,’ and there was light.” The sun and moon and stars were not required on the first and the second and the third day of creation — they did not exist. God does light very well. He did not need the sun or the moon or the stars. He delegated the job of light to them on the fourth day, and now He will take the job back. The Sun and Moon Will Disappear The awesome sun will be obsolete. It will be fulfilled. This incredible burning ball of nuclear reaction is 93 million miles from us, 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on the surface, 27 million degrees Fahrenheit at the center. No probe has gone to the center of the sun to tell us, but it is hot, and its light has given us the light of day throughout creation, but now God will reclaim the task. The moon will also disappear — the softer gleam of pale reflected light. There are aspects of the description in Revelation 21 that some people regret, like no sea and no moon. One night, I rented motor scooters with a friend of mine from college. We rode out to see the full moon on Nantucket Island. The moon and the sea, two things that we will not have in Heaven, were spectacularly beautiful, the shimmering light of the moon on the pretty quiet sea that night. Another time, the night was not so peaceful to me. Every year I ride up to Lake Gaston on my bicycle, 72 miles. On this ride a year and a half ago, I got a late start. I could have done simple mathematics: it was in October, and I started around 3:00 for about a four-and-a-half-hour bike ride. The sun was going set during that time, but I had no lights on my bike and no reflection on me. I was riding up there in northern North Carolina or southern Virginia. The shadows were getting longer and the light began to fade. I was momentarily struck by the realization, as though I had never seen a sunset before. Then suddenly it was dark — there was no moon that night, and no stars. It was one of the scariest nights of my life. I had to dismount my bike and walk it for long distances. There were barking dogs and probably some Remingtons to protect the property from people like me out walking at night when they should not be doing that. I wondered if I would survive the night. I could not see the left side of the road or the right side in the pure, scary, inky-black darkness. Light at night is beautiful, but there is nothing beautiful about night itself without light. In the Bible, frequently, we have the images of the light, but it seems like God is going to fulfill that. There will be no more night, no more darkness. Isaiah 24:23 says, “The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.” Why would the sun and moon be ashamed? Because they cannot do anything compared to God’s glory. It is like bringing a little flashlight to a spotlight party, and you want to hide the little thing you brought. The sun and the moon will be like that; they will be ashamed compared to the glory of God. Again, as it says in Isaiah 60:19, “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” Earthly Exclusions Fulfilled in Heavenly Openness No More Dangers Third, earthly exclusions will be fulfilled in heavenly openness. Revelation 21:25 says, “On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.” This is speaking about the exclusion of people kept outside the city. Look ahead in Revelation 22:15: “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” These are all the wicked, the sinners. God will weed all of them out, as well as all the dangers of the night which now prowl around. Day = “Good”; Night = ? God called the day good, He did not say anything about the night. Though there is a beauty to a star-spangled night sky and a softer gleam of the moon, there is no beauty in pure darkness, so darkness is frequently used as a metaphor for evil. 1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” Or John 3:19: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” In John 8:12, “Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” This happened the night that Jesus was arrested. He predicted that one of his disciples would betray him. It was the one who took the bread that Jesus dipped, took it out of his hand. In John’s Gospel, Jesus dipped the bread and handed it to Judas, and Judas took it. When he took it, Satan entered into him. John 13:30 says, “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” That is not an accident. Jesus said to his arresters and his persecutors in Luke 22:53, “…this is your hour — when darkness reigns.” So darkness is an image of rebellion against God. In the new universe, there will be no darkness at all. There will be a universal light of the glory of God. There will be no shadows in the New Jerusalem, like a stage lit by brilliant spotlights in every direction — no shadows anywhere. Furthermore, it says the gates will never be shut. In the ancient world, gates were shut to keep the dangers on the outside — wild beasts, marauding invading armies. All of the wicked, rebellious people and all the demons and Satan will be in the Lake of Fire, so the gates will stand open all the time. Earthly Sacrifices Fulfilled in Heavenly Diversity Earthly sacrifices will be fulfilled in heavenly diversity. Revelation 21:24-26 says, “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.” The Light of the New World This is the light of the new world — the new Jerusalem, the New Heaven, the New Earth — a pervasive brilliant beautiful light of the glory of God. The nations and the kings of the earth will walk by that light. The light by which we will operate and do our things will be the light of the glory of God, not the sun, the moon, the stars, or the lamp. More than that, it means that we will walk by the principles that flow from the character of God. The moral law of God will be perfectly fulfilled in us. We will walk by God’s character, by his nature — that will be our rule, the way by which we will live our lives. Isaiah 2:2-5 says, “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.” Many commentators say that passage refers to the millennium. I can say only that all of that will be perfectly fulfilled in Heaven. The law will flow from the heart of God and we will resonate and glow with it and walk by that light. Who are these nations and kings of the earth? There are many speculations, some connected with the millennial reign. Keeping it simple, let us say they are, together with the Jews, all of the redeemed from the earth, from every tribe, language, people, and nation (Revelation 7). They are recognized by their expressions of amoral ethnic cultural diversity. They will be identified as trophies of God’s grace from every tribe and language and people and nation. I have worshipped with African brothers and sisters in Nairobi, primarily from the Kikuyu tribe. They love rhythmic worship, lots of drums, they love to clap and sway and sing. That worship is beautiful. They are mostly modernized in their dress and attire, but their culture is very clear. On that same mission trip, I also worshiped with Maasai tribespeople in the Rift Valley. They are herdsmen, tall and graceful. They put red ochre in their hair and on their face and wear a lot of beads and jewelry. The Maasai were some of the most violently opposed to British rule and among the last to be pacified when the British ruled that colony. The Maasai tribespeople we worshiped with were Christians and had been kicked out of their tribe, ostracized by their other Maasai, but they maintained their culture. What an unforgettable time of worship that was, under a tree, sitting on rudimentary wooden benches. I have worshipped in a Lutheran Cathedral in Dresden with Calvin a couple of summers ago, listening to baroque music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. The German people worship in a different style than the Kikuyu people do. Though they are different displays, those who are born again and love the Lord, worshiping the same triune God, celebrate in the same redemption. I worshiped in a cell church in Shanghai in China, in a high rise. They used a boombox with a CD to play Western praise and worship songs. They spent a lot of time in prayer. I have worshiped with Indian believers in Pune near Mumbai. I was there during the Hindu festival, the Diwali, the Festival of Lights, These believers had broken off from their false religion of Hinduism and come to faith in Christ. There were thousands of them there listening to me unfold the book of Philippians. Many thronged to me afterwards to say they had been hungry and thirsty for the Word of God. These Indian believers maintain their amoral cultural distinctions. I have attended an Easter sunrise service, overlooking the Pacific Ocean with Japanese Christians. We were convinced that we were the first Christians on earth that year to celebrate Easter in the Land of the Rising Sun. It would have been about 1:00 a.m. here. It was sweet to be with those Christians in Tokushima. In the New Heaven and New Earth, we will see all of that cultural diversity in some marvelous way. They will bring their riches and treasures into the New Jerusalem, so we can at least simply say that they themselves are converted and they bring their uniqueness into worship Jesus. Heavenly Work Produces Heavenly Riches To take it a step further, we will be in resurrected bodies with resurrected minds, hands and feet, and we will have limitless strength and energy in an entirely new earth. We will surely have work to do — things to work on, projects to make, there will be no more curse on our work. Work was not the punishment, but work was cursed. Our efforts crumble, and thorns and thistles come after plowing and watering and planning and waiting. In Heaven, we will work and it will come to full fruition. We will have limitless time to work on projects. As things are finished, the kings of the earth will bring their glory into the New Jerusalem to show Jesus what they made by their creativity and strength. “Kings of the Nations” Why will they be kings of the earth? There will be different, smaller kingdoms in the Nw Heaven and New Earth. Jesus will be the King of kings and Lord of Lords. This is clearly taught in Scripture in Daniel 7:27: “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” Luke 19 tells a parable of a man who gains 10 minas, an amount of money like a talent, through his stewardship of resources given by his master. He is therefore given ten cities to manage. There will be kings of the earth. They will stream into the capital city of New Jerusalem to honor and worship Jesus, the true King of kings. Earthly Impurity Removed for Heavenly Purity Perfectly Pure Earthly impurity will be removed and replaced with heavenly purity. Revelation 21:27 says, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” The New Jerusalem will be perfectly pure. Modern cities are patterned after wicked Babylon. Revelation 17 depicts the great horror of Babylon drunk on a cup of immorality, drunk on the blood of the saints, rich and prosperous through sin and idolatry, but she will fall, as predicted in Revelation 18:2: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” Imagine landing by plane at night at JFK. You can see the beautiful, spectacular side of New York City in all the lights — the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, other landmarks; the headlights and tail lights of the traffic like diamonds and rubies and jewels. But once on foot in the city, you need to be careful all the time and especially at night, when wicked forces are prowling and at work. They will not hesitate to trade your life for their next fix. In the New Jerusalem, all of that is gone. There will be no impurity. Best of all, our impurity will be gone. Our hearts will be purified, we will be glorified, we will perfectly love righteousness and perfectly hate wickedness forever. We will have our robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, and we will have the right to enter the city and eat from the Tree of Life. Only the Elect Can Enter the City Only those whose names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from before the foundation of the world will be allowed to enter. That is election, or predestination. Every single one of those named by name before the foundation of the world will most certainly be in there. Each one of those elect has ratified it, confirmed in space and time when they heard the Gospel of their salvation. Having believed, they were marked in Him with a seal and crossed over from death to life. But their names were known before they responded; before the foundation of the world, they were called and summoned to follow Christ, and they will enter. Applications Hear and Believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ First and foremost, hear and believe the Gospel now. If you are on the outside of all this looking in, I ask you to let the fear of the Lord be the beginning of wisdom for you. Realize that you do not know how much longer you have in this body, how much longer you will be alive. The Bible says that today is the day of salvation. I am begging you, as though God Himself were making His appeal through me, be reconciled to God, acknowledge that you have sinned, that you have violated God’s laws. Acknowledge it. Be honest about it. Ask Him for the forgiveness that Jesus provided by shedding his blood on the cross, one atoning sacrifice for all time. All you have to do is trust in Him, not by works, but by faith. Trust in Him and you will be welcomed into the New Jerusalem when the time comes. Help Make Heavenly Diversity a Reality For the rest of us who have done that some time ago, recognize your responsibility to speak a version of what I just said to a lost person this week. We have a responsibility to reap now into the New Jerusalem, a responsibility to share the Gospel. We are surrounded by people who are without hope and without God in the world. We have an evangelistic responsibility. Let us be faithful to it this week. Do something bold for Jesus, invite someone to church. We will be celebrating the resurrection and salvation every week. The Future of Worship Understand the future of worship in Jerusalem. We will all be bowing down and worshiping. The more you can do that now, the better. I urge you to spend more time personally in worship this week. Find a sweet Psalm or a hymn you like, and sing it to God, sing it to Jesus because you love him. Look forward to heavenly work!! Finally, look forward to heavenly work and do your work as to the Lord this week. Yes, the work is cursed now, but it is a foretaste of the work we will do in Heaven. Work with all your heart as working for the Lord. Do the projects God gives you so that people sit up and take notice and wonder why you have such an energy and a zeal for your work. Work as unto the Lord, because some day you will be in the new world and your works will not be cursed then. Do them as much as possible now for the glory of God. Share why you work that way, that you are looking forward to that future day. Closing Prayer Father, thank you for the time we have had to study today. Thank you for the good things that we have learned. Thank you for the joy and the delight that is waiting for us at the upgrade, a word that does not capture what will be infinitely satisfying to us. Oh God, fill us with hope, and help that hope to energize us to do the good works. I pray for any who are lost that are here, that they would hear Jesus calling to them, crying to them, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Trust in me and I'll forgive you of all your sins.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Introduction I have had the privilege of worshiping all over the world in local churches. It has been an incredible, rich blessing to me to be able to see what our brothers and sisters in Christ are doing in local churches all over the world. My first mission trip was in 1986 in Kenya. I will never forget worshiping in the Rift Valley, a very hot valley in the center of Kenya, with converts among a tribe of Maasai people. The Maasai were some of the most hostile to British rule and they fought the British right to the end when the British finally gave the country over to the Kenyans. As a people, they are very hostile to the West and to the Gospel. But a small number of them had been brought to faith in Christ and we were sitting on these wooden benches under a tree worshiping together. The next summer when I was in Pakistan, we worshiped with a small handful of converts from the Muslim faith from Afghanistan who had fled the Russians. We were going back to some of the refugee camps on the border in Peshawar, Pakistan to minister to them. It was a very small group of people, but it was amazing that there were any at all when you think about the hostility of Afghan Muslims to the Gospel, to see some of them come to faith in Christ and be able to worship with them. It was incredible. I went with Ron Halbrooks to Shanghai where we worshiped in a high rise building in this sprawling Chinese city of twenty-four million people. We had spent the day before traveling on the railway system there. I felt we could travel on that railway for a month and not cover the same track. It went on forever. I have never felt so small. Then we went up the elevator to a floor really high up. There was a small cell church there with a dozen people, maybe more, in folding chairs. We listened to worship songs on a cassette tape player and we sang. After it was over, we fellowshipped, with this tiny, little cell church with a heart for their city. The largest assembly I have ever preached to was in Pune, India. There were perhaps a little less than 5,000 people present. That was a huge number for me, but the population of Pune is 3 million. The church that Christi and I served in Tokushima in Japan was the smallest church I have ever preached to on a Sunday morning. There were eight people; I do not remember if that included Christi and me and our two children. I have had the privilege of ministering all over the world to Christian congregations of various sizes. One thing I have noticed is that in every place, the church body is outwardly, visibly unimpressive. Outwardly, it seems insignificant to the surrounding culture and city; it seems to be drowned by its non-Christian setting. All over the world the Church seems to be dwarfed by the world of unbelievers. After 2,000 years of the powerful advance of the Gospel from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria and now heading toward the ends of the earth, under the powerful guidance of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, the Church is still weak, unimpressive, small in the locality where it gathers. This is a challenge to our faith. If Jesus Christ really is God, if he really is the only begotten Son of God, if he really is the only Savior of the world, then why is his church so unimpressive after 2,000 years? Why so small? Why so weak? Why so flawed and so hindered by sin? This is an especially acute problem for cross-cultural missionaries who have left everything and made great sacrifices to serve Christ in challenging locations, saying goodbye to a comfortable Western lifestyle. They settle into a whole new and much more difficult pattern of life in some distant location, a third world city, perhaps, or a Muslim capital city in a Muslim country or near a refugee tent city or in some remote mountainous location. They learn the language and the culture and slowly build relationships with the people. After a couple of years they may have a handful of people who are marginally interested in their message. That is happening all over the world. It is easy to become discouraged at the outwardly unimpressive progress of the Gospel and the display of the local church. Even more troubling, when you become a member of a local church and you start to get to know the people, they are rather unimpressive as well, except in the fact that they are so imperfect. The church is divided and there are struggles and sin. We need God to give us a vision of the Church in all its glory, of all of its radiant perfection, when all is said and done. No book of the Bible does that better than the book of Revelation. We have it in this famous passage in Revelation 7 and even more so at the end of the book, in Revelation 21 and 22, when we will see the bride of Christ fully dressed for her wedding day, descending from heaven, glorious and beautiful. We need that vision from the Book of Revelation. The word Revelation means “an unveiling” — a pulling back of the veil so we can see something that was hidden before. What is unveiled in Revelation? First and foremost, we have unveiled for us the glorious Christ. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ; we see him unveiled, glorious. We see him moving through the seven golden lamp stands representing local churches, and we see him ministering to them. He is radiant and glorious and powerful. We also see the throne of Almighty God unveiled; He is seated on His throne ruling Heaven and earth. The future is unveiled and as this book progresses, we will see the wrath of God poured out on the rebellious nations of the world. But what is finally unveiled is the church of Jesus Christ — the glory of the redeemed from every tribe and language and people and nation. This unveiling is the climax of the Bible, and the fulfillment will be the climax of history. When I was growing up, every year we watched the movie The Wizard of Oz. I found it terrifying and creepy with its flying monkeys and more. As an adult I have watched it with new eyes, and it is even creepier. At the climax, Dorothy and her three friends, the tin man, the scarecrow, and the lion, are standing before the great Oz, with his terrifying, booming voice and disembodied, larger-than-life head made of mist and smoke. They have finally killed the Wicked Witch of the West and have brought her broom as proof so that they can receive from the Wizard of Oz what he promised, help for each of them on their quests. But again he defers them: “Go away and come back tomorrow.” They are discouraged, but Toto, the little dog, pulls the curtain back to reveal a little old man speaking with a big voice into a microphone. As he suddenly realizes that he has been unveiled, he booms, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” But they are not deceived and they immediately begin to berate him. “You're a humbug,” they accuse. “You're a fraud.” And so he was. The effect, when we finally die and go to Heaven and experience the reality of what this book is talking about, will be exactly, infinitely the opposite direction. We will realize how greatly we underestimated Almighty God and His glory, His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the glory of His church and how beautiful she will be when she is finally perfected. We have underestimated the greatness of all this. We need this vision. If we are going to be faithful in the Great Commission that God has given to us, we need to be reminded again and again that we are going to win — that we will be successful — because it is so outwardly unimpressive. We have the command of God in Matthew 28:19-20 to “‘go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” In Matthew 24:14, Jesus prophesies that the preaching will happen: “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.’” The mission will be accomplished; it will be finished, but will it be successful? The answer, overwhelmingly, from both the Old Testament prophets and in Revelation 7, is absolutely, “Yes! The preaching of the Gospel will be overwhelmingly successful!” That is what we will look at today. Let’s establish context here in Revelation 7. Five weeks ago, my last time preaching, we came to this magnificent passage, which I know I have quoted dozens and dozens of times in various sermons over the years. Today I get to preach on it in a patterned, exegetical way, but since we are right in the middle of Revelation 7, I want to provide our context first. Who Shall Be Able to Stand? An Interlude that Explains Everything Revelation 7 is an interruption, a glorious, majestic interlude, in the middle of breaking open the seven seals in the scroll that was taken from the right hand of Almighty God by Christ. To understand what that is about, we have to go back to the beginning of the book and get an overview. The Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John, who was an exile on the island of Patmos. He is sent there for preaching the word of God and the testimony of Christ. He has a vision on the isle of Patmos, first of Christ, then of a door, standing open in heaven. He hears the voice of Almighty — of Christ — telling him to come up and go through that doorway, which he obeys by the power of the Spirit. As he goes through the doorway, he sees the throne of Almighty God. Surrounding the throne, he sees concentric circles of worship, people and angels praising God for His creation, saying “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” In Revelation 5, we have, in the right hand of Almighty God on His throne, a scroll sealed with seven seals. A proclamation goes out, asking, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one is found who is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. John weeps, but he is told, “‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’” When He does so, all of Heaven breaks out in worship and praise to God. Revelation 5:9-10 says, “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’” In Revelation 6, Jesus commences to break open the seals. The first four seals that he breaks open unleash what's known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These horsemen ride across, initiating events on earth. First, a false peace, followed by war and famine and death. When He breaks the fifth seal, the souls of those who have been slain for their faith and testimony — martyrs, under the throne of God in heaven — cry out for vengeance, for justice. With the sixth seal comes, in symbolic language, the end of the physical universe. Every mountain and island is removed from its place, and the stars fall from the sky down to the earth. The inhabitants of the earth are screaming and running and trying to find refuge, a place where they can escape the wrath of God and of the Lamb. So, “They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” I want that question to burn in your mind, because Revelation 7 seems to hold the answer to that question. 144,000 Sealed from the Sons of Israel Revelation 7 gives us a break between opening the sixth and the seventh seals to answer that vital question, “Who will be able to stand when the wrath of God is poured out on the earth?” It is a glorious interlude, because it is the point of everything. The answer is, “The redeemed from every tribe and language and people and nation, including the Jews.” As Paul says, “To the Jew first, then to the Gentile.” We have a vision, which I talked about last time, of 144,000 who were sealed, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes that are listed there, the sons of Israel. There is a very Jewish picture of salvation. A Multitude from Every Nation Redeemed and Rejoicing Now we move to today’s text, Revelation 7:9-10. “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” The Goal of All Redemptive History The 144,000 are sealed and protected from the judgments that come on the earth. It is an earthly protection. But the multitude mentioned here gives us a picture of heavenly reward. Unlike the 144,000, this number is so vast that it cannot be counted by any human being. The redeemed come from every nation, tribe, people, and language. These are the various divisions of the human race on earth — distinctives, or descriptors, or different ways of describing people. All of these distinctions arose after the flood of Noah, biblically. At that time, every human being on earth was descended from one man, Noah, just as we could also trace every human being further back to Adam. The Apostle Paul said in Acts 17:26, “‘From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.’” From one man, Adam, and also Noah, came all of these nations, these distinctions. God, in His sovereignty, in His providential control of history, has ordained that people live in different places all over the world. They are the ones we are commanded to go find and proclaim the gospel to, as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” They are scattered all over by the will and the providence of God. The people of earth, in an arrogant, boastful effort to make a name for themselves so they would not be scattered over the earth, were building a tower known as the tower of Babel. Because of this, God confused their languages, and people began to separate and move out. The sons of Noah were Shem, Ham and Japheth, and their sons settled in different places on the earth. Some would settle, perhaps, in secluded mountain valleys, or distant plains and grasslands. Some of them became nomadic; some settled down in other areas near fertile rivers, where they could plant crops. Others settled on distant coast lands; some became maritime peoples who made boats and went out to the islands. Thus, people were scattered all over the entire surface of the globe, and they settled there. As they settled, they developed their own languages, cultures, dialects, customs, patterns of life, technologies. From every nation will come redeemed people. The word “nation” can generally be seen as a political division, with boundaries on a map, a unified government, an army, and other aspects of nations. “Tribe” refers to genetic divisions that come from having a common human ancestor, like Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth. It would start as a nuclear family but then would multiply, with extended family and into descendants from a common ancestor. “People” most likely refers to cultural distinctions — the way they dress, cook, their architecture, poetry, songs, expressions of emotion, and other various cultural aspects. “Language” obviously refers to the way people speak. Speech — communicating abstract ideas by language — is closely tied to being created in the image of God. Humans all over the world have this gift, this ability, because we are all created in the image of God. Wycliffe Bible Translators estimates that there are 6,800 different languages. Drew Maust, who preached here a number of weeks ago, and his wife Emily and their team are working with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Cameroon, trying to bring bring the New Testament to a handful of the 6,700 languages. That is what is meant by every tribe, language, people, and nation. God’s vision is that some from every possible human distinction and connection will be represented in Heaven as trophies of His sovereign grace. It is magnificent. Out of the complex, churning mass of the sea of humanity, God by his Gospel will call the elect — He knows who they are. We cannot see who they are ahead of time but He knows, and they will survive the great tribulation of human history. They will come out of that and be redeemed. This is the sure and certain vision of the success of the Great Commission. We must keep this image uploaded in our minds constantly lest we become discouraged as we pursue evangelism and missions. How They Are Described Their ethnic distinctives are perhaps obvious to John in his vision. They are dressed in white, so it is not likely that they were wearing traditional cultural dress, but perhaps they had different cut of cloth or headdresses or still retained genetic differences in facial structure or skin color. It is reasonable to assume that they retain their amoral, genetic distinctives in Heaven; otherwise, why would God show these distinctions to John? There is a beautiful, glorious story to be told; more on that in a minute. This is a large part of the glory and the achievement of the cross, that people from such widely varying backgrounds all believe in and worship and fall down and give the same Jesus credit for their salvation in the exact same way. It seems to be one of the greatest proofs of the truth of Christianity. The text says that they are standing before the throne, and in front of the Lamb. Here at last, you have the sweet and awesome answer to the question, “Who will be able stand when the hurricane of God’s wrath comes sweeping though?” These will be able to stand. For the Lord is able to make them stand. That standing is a picture salvation, of vindication. As Psalm 1 says, “The wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” The wicked will be swept away, but the righteous in Christ will stand on that day. They are wearing white robes, which is a clear symbol of their purity and their holiness. They are free from their sins, they are atoned for by the blood of Christ. They are pure, and only the perfectly pure can be in Heaven. It says further that they are holding palm branches in their hands. Palm branches in the ancient world were a symbol of military victory. They were held by the populous when the returning conqueror would come. There would be a procession through the city, a victorious parade, and they would lay these palm branches down in front of the conquering king. This is a very familiar image to us — in the week before Jesus was crucified, in the triumphal entry, this is exactly what the people were doing: they were saying, “Here is the coming king.” Now, in Heaven, they are holding the palm branches. Akin to the image of casting crowns, here they are casting palm branches. They are ready to give credit to Christ and to God for their salvation. Verse 10 says, “And they cried out in a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” They are calling out to the glory of God and to the Lamb, Jesus Christ. To God alone is the glory for their salvation. This is the whole purpose of everything. This is the purpose of missions. As John Piper said very plainly in his book Let The Nations Be Glad, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” Here in Revelation 7, they are saying, “Salvation belongs to God.” They are praising Him, giving full credit for their salvation. At this present time, our world is sadly, tragically ripped apart by these kinds of divisions. Tribe, language, people, and nation are severed and ruptured along racial, ethnic, national, socio-economic, political, cultural divisions. In the wretched history of the human race, sin nature has made it such that when people gain positions of power, they exploit, dominate, hurt, and tyrannize the people they rule. The oppressed people remember that with bitterness, and when they have power, they turn and do the same. It has been going on since the beginning of time. I have traced out this bitterness before. The only possible remedy is, as Paul said in Ephesians 2, that in Christ, the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, is abolished. The two opposing sides are made one new man in Christ. The genuine unity that is brought about by the supernatural work of the Gospel is the only answer to the divisions we see in our world today. This is the hope. Not the United Nations, not diplomacy, not education, not social justice or any of these other things, however much they might help ease temporary sufferings on earth. Those are valuable, yet they will not bring about a genuine heart reconciliation between feuding peoples. But the Gospel can. Not only can it, it will. This multitude from every tribe, language, people, and nation will be in perfect unity in Heaven, loving one another and worshipping Christ. How beautiful is that? Here is our ENCOURAGEMENT Here is our encouragement, because missions can be outwardly discouraging and seem so pathetically small and unimpressive. These missionaries encourage us when they tell of the small things they are doing; we are blessed to partner with them in prayer. The International Mission Board (IMB) accounts for approximately 3,800 missionaries. They are doing faithful work all over the world, leading people to Christ and planting churches. The churches are small. They are like little sparks. We are believing Christ that the bruised reed He will not break, and the smoldering wick, He will not snuff out. He is able to blow those sparks, that ember, into a flame that may bring that community, that town, that village to Christ. If it were not for the vision of Revelation 7, we would think this whole endeavor is a colossal failure. Oh, but it is not. We need to see, with eyes of eternity, what God is actually doing. Keep this in mind: Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, never loses a single one of his sheep. Never. Once you cross over from death to life, you will never be lost to the Good Shepherd. That has been the case for 2,000 years. This assembly John is seeing must be very big if Christ has not lost anyone. It is never reduced by a single soul; it never takes a single step backward. It only grows bigger and bigger. Think about how Jesus proved the resurrection to the Sadducees. They said, “There is no resurrection.” Jesus said, “‘Now about the dead rising-- have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!’” He is saying, “I am Abraham’s God” right now. If you could ask Abraham, “Who is your God?” he would say, “My God is the God who called me from Ur of the Chaldees.” You could have that conversation because he is still around. God did not lose Abraham or Isaac or Jacob. Or consider those who have believed since the day of Pentecost — those who have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have crossed over from death to life. He has not lost a single one. Except for those who are alive today, all of those have died. Though they are absent from the body, they are present with the Lord. He has not lost any of them, not one. It keeps getting bigger and bigger all the time. Jesus said in John 6:39-40, “‘And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” He does not lose anyone. The last winter that Christi and I were in Massachusetts, the winter of ’92-'93, we went through five major blizzards, starting in the middle of December. We kept getting pounded. I had to shovel the driveway, and toward the end of that whole ordeal, probably sometime in February, I had nowhere to put the snow. I was carrying it one shovel full at a time diagonally across to a vacant lot, dumping it there, then walking back to get another shovel. The pile of snow was around nine feet high. Pulling out of my driveway was an adventure. I could not see left or right — I had to go out and look, run to my car and edge out, go out, look some more, and then get out, lest I get hit. That snow is a picture of this constant accumulation that has been going on for 20 centuries. It has yielded this multitude, greater than anyone is able to count. Picture the largest assembly of people you have ever seen with your own eyes. Someone I was talking to this week has been to a University of Michigan football game; they call their stadium “The Big House” — 100,000 people assembled to watch a college football game. Many Hindu festivals are bigger than that. It is hard to see that number of people. This is a vast number. I do not know how many people have ever lived, but since the population is increasing, we can assume that most people that have ever been alive are living right now. We can estimate roughly that 10 billion people have lived in all of history. Jesus said that the ongoing work of those who find the Gospel would be small, percentage-wise. He said, “‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’” (Matthew 7:13-14) Who but an MIT engineer like me would try to set that verse to statistics. What ratio would that be? Those who study worldwide missions estimate that 7% of the world’s population is evangelical Christian. If we round that up and say, in the end, that 10 billion people have lived on this earth, that would be 1 billion people saved, redeemed. That would fill 10,000 University of Michigan football stadiums. That is a very impressive achievement for Christ, for God. The Angels Join the Celebration In Revelation 7:11-12, the angels joined the celebration. “All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!’” If one sinner converting sets off such a celebration in Heaven, how much more the final completion of that work? God will receive full credit; the angels know this very well, and they know that only by the sovereign power and love and grace of God has this vast multitude from all over the world been redeemed. When they say, “May strength be to our God and power be to our God”, they are not attempting to give God anything. That would be like attempting to return heat and light to the raging sun that first gave those to us. The angels are listing His attributes, ascribing what is true of Him: praise and glory and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and power be to the God who could do something like this. The angels are celebrating. The Rewards of the Righteous: Eternal Worship, Protection, Provision Look at Revelation 7:13-17 as we look at the rewards of the righteous. They get a place of eternal worship, protection and provision: “Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes-- who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” A Question from one of the Elders This part of the chapter begins with one of the elders. This is one of those interesting moments in the book of Revelation where John has a conversation with somebody standing nearby. Sometimes it is an angel or a living creature or one of the elders, of whom he often asks questions. This time, however, the elder initiates with John: “This vast multitude — where do you think they came from?” Someday I hope to write a book about the topic of heavenly memories. Where they came from, what their stories are, individually, are interesting and worth telling. They trail with them, and we will have a chance to recount them. This may give you pause: there is a multitude greater than anyone can count — more than a billion individual stories, not to mention the interconnections and unseen spiritual dimensions to each story — we will need time. Friends, we will have time; we will have all eternity to go back over what God did to save this multitude. Where did they come from? What is their story? John somehow understands their cultural background, and it is relevant, but the elder is referring to each one’s story: How did they get here? John gives a cagey answer, “Sir, you know.” It is a good answer. He is saying, "Why don't you tell me?” It is amazing to think that we will retell our stories, even the most painful, shameful aspects. Everything must be told. How could we tell the full story of Saul of Tarsus without saying what he was before his conversion? But in Heaven, there will be no pain, death, mourning, crying in pain. We will experience no shame, no pain, no difficulty in the telling, just a glorious, truthful account that will show how God’s grace saves sinners like us. It will be awesome. The Elder Tells Their Story The elder tells the story: “These are they that have come out of the Great Tribulation.” They have escaped the Great Tribulation with their souls. They were shielded by God’s power, and their faith endured. There are different strategies for reading the book of Revelation. Some read it as a future account — in other words, everything from Revelation 4 on is future, not just to John, but to us as well. Thus, this is a future multitude of those who are not yet converted but someday will be. Many of these interpreters point back to the 144,000 from every tribe of the Jews, whom they call “Tribulation Saints,” saved after the Church is raptured, or taken up to be with Christ. The only ones left are the two witnesses, whom we will discuss in when we get to Chapter 11. These two share the Gospel, and win some Jewish converts and then some others whom some call “tribulation saints”. That is possible, but I do not think it is the only way to read Revelation 7. These interpreters focus on the phrase “the great tribulation,” citing Matthew 24:21: “‘For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.’” They point to one Great Tribulation, which they say will happen in the last seven years of human history. I think that interpretation is too restrictive for Revelation 7. Instead, I believe this is a picture of the entire work of the Gospel in redemptive history. These saints are those who will be redeemed, who have all come out of a great tribulation. I view the onset of the Great Tribulation not as though a switch were thrown, as though everything was awesome for the church of Jesus Christ then suddenly became very bad. Friends, I hope you know that is not true. I hope you know that our brothers and sisters are suffering all over the world. We ourselves are aliens and strangers in this world. No — tribulation has been a given all along. True, it is not always equally difficult for everyone in all localities; but suffering is on a dimmer switch rather than an on/off switch. In the last period of time, under the final anti-Christ, that tribulation will ramp up to such a great level it will be unbearable, and if those days were not cut short, no one would survive. These are all of the redeemed, from all of human history, who have come out of the suffering that the world, the flesh and the devil put us through — some more, some less. It says of them, “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” This refers to both their positional holiness through faith in Christ (justification) and to the process of becoming perfect after justification (sanctification). They were justified and made white. If you are not made white, cleansed, by the blood of the lamb, you cannot be there. All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We must be washed. Jesus said to Peter, “Unless I wash you, you have no place with me.” These have been washed by the blood and they are clean. But it says they have washed their own robes and made them white in the blood. That seems to imply sanctification, an ongoing and increasing purification that we seek in order to make our lifestyle line up with our position in Christ. 1 John 3 says, “Everyone who has this hope in him, purifies himself, just as he is pure.” In this way they show themselves to be genuine Christians. Their Stories These tribulation saints will share their stories, and we will want to hear them. You may be picturing infinite testimony night, sort of like campfire testimony — “Is it my turn?” “No, you’re up in 10,433 years, hang in there. Get your story ready, then it will be your turn, your moment in the spotlight. We will all listen to you, all 1 billion of us.” I do not think that is how it will be, but think of it this way: you will be so greatly transformed in heaven that even if that did happen, you would be delighted and eager to hear this Brother’s or Sister’s story. You would be captivated because it is the glory of your Savior. It does not matter whether it is your story or someone else’s — it is still Jesus who saved them. You will want to hear how Jesus was glorious in each person’s life. You will be so filled with charity and love that you will be desiring to hear every detail of every story. When I was at my last IMB trustee meeting, we were given two sheets reporting the progress of field work in 2016. One presented numbers: Gospel presentation (to approximately 1.9 million people); people who had come to faith in Christ (175,290); water baptisms (93,922); church plants, and more. On the other sheet were vignettes of specific people and groups who had come to faith in Christ. Both pages were interesting to me but I especially loved the stories. They were stripped of details such that they were pale reflections of the true story. We cannot have full details because of the dangerous political situations that many of them are in, but in these summaries, there is still a glory that shines through in a filtered sort of way. However, I cannot wait for the full, robust, red-blooded story. Here are some of those stories: “Saigon, Vietnam: Through the work of a college student team they met a young woman named ‘Spring’... the Lord brought her to faith and I am happy to report this morning she is being baptized!” “Here in a tribal region in India, we have started a reproducible theological training among local church leaders, enabling their churches to stand firm under increasing government pressure.” “In Malawi, three village elders camped three days by the side of the road hoping to meet us. Stopping us, they asked ‘Are you the people bringing the message of God to the surrounding villages? Our village has no god... will you please bring the message of God to our village?’” They camped for three days to meet them. “On the Northwest coast of Ecuador, the gospel is being shared with a fisherman. His wife was baptized last year, and we are trusting God that as Bible studies are being held in his home, he will also come to Christ.” This will be very familiar to us: “Amazing access to the many refugees coming through Athens, Greece, and national partners leading Iranians and Afghans to faith in Christ and then discipling them one on one and in small groups.” These folks would have been almost impossible to reach, but because they were refugees, they were able to hear the Gospel. I cannot wait to hear the full stories of this multitude. We will have eternity. Look forward with me to eternity to hear these stories. Their Rewards Now let us take a look at their rewards. First they receive access to God and continual opportunity to worship him. Verse 15, “they are before the throne of God and serve [that means worship Him] day and night in his temple.” So the night and day in His temple is earthly language that just helps us understand — there are not night or day experiences up in heaven — but it is describing continual worship of God as their reward. Also they have protection. Look at Verse 15-16: “…and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.” This is a picture of sovereign protection by God from all suffering that people can experience, including extreme climate such as 110 degree, scorching heat. The spreading of a tent over is like a picture of husbandly, betrothing love. In the book of Ruth, she asks Boaz in Ruth 3:9 to “‘Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.’” “Marry me,” she is asking, according to the custom of that time, “for you are my kinsman redeemer.” Boaz, joyful at that gesture, had said to her in the previous chapter, Ruth 2:12, “‘May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.’” Psalm 36:7-8 says “How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.” That is heaven, friends. Refuge, protection, and provision. Look what he says in Verse 17. They are free from hunger, thirst and heat; nothing can harm them. “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Do not miss the significance of the Lamb at the center of the throne. This alludes again to the deity of Christ. He is Almighty God; not only the Lamb who died for them but also their Good Shepherd who will lead them, provide for them, protect them. At some point, He will wipe every tear from your eyes. There will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, and you live with Him forever. Applications Come to Christ... there is NO OTHER REFUGE!! What applications can we take from this? First, come to Christ. I prayed this morning, as I was practicing the sermon, “Oh God, please bring some people here today who are outside of Christ and need to hear the gospel.” You have heard the gospel, but I will say it again very very clearly: Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth, who gave us laws by which we are to live our lives, who is offended at our sins and who is going to bring a fiery wrath on the earth because He is offended by those sins, is offering to us sinners amnesty, forgiveness through faith in Christ. All you have to do is trust in Jesus. No works are needed nor welcomed. Simply trust in Him and all your sins will be forgiven. Your robes will be instantly washed and made white from all of your sins. Come to Christ and trust in Him. He is the only refuge. There's a hurricane of wrath coming. You are deceived if you think there is not. There is one and only one refuge, come to Christ. Christians: Delight in that Refuge Second, I say to Christians, delight in that refuge. Celebrate it. Thank God you fled to Jesus. I was talking to my daughter about this the other day. Romans 6:17 says, “Thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed that form of teaching to which you were entrusted.” I preached a sermon on that text once, entitled “Thank God You Obeyed.” Think about that. That will blow your mind the more you think about it. Thank God you obeyed the Gospel. Thank God you fled to Jesus for refuge. Give Him full credit; give Him full honor for your salvation. Say “Salvation belongs to our God.” Be Humbled by the God-Centered Worship of Heaven Third, be humbled at how God-centered the inhabitants of heaven are. Stop all your boasting. Do not boast about your works, about your intelligence, about your money or your achievements — do not boast about anything. “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Salvation belongs to our God. Delight in the Multi-Ethnic Nature of Heaven Fourth, delight in the multi-ethnic diversity of heaven. I do not mean diversity the way some people define it these days in order to deal with the guilt of their unbiblical, sinful lifestyles. I am talking about a diversity within God’s moral boundaries that He has woven into the genetic complexity of the human race and all the cultures that flowed from that. Celebrate that God delights in that. Among the redeemed will be people from each one of those cultures. We will retain those diverse elements in heaven. Delight in that! Be Encouraged About the Final End of Missions Fifth, be encouraged about missions and evangelism. It will be successful. You may think, “Pastor, I have shared and shared and shared, and no one has ever come to Christ.” Share again. Share the Gospel with a co-worker, someone in Durham, someone on the street. Talk to the elders about different outreach opportunities — there are outreaches on Wednesday nights, Friday nights, international connection ministries at various times. We have many opportunities for evangelism. Remember that in the big picture, it will work; we will win. The elect will all be converted. Praise God. Commit Yourself to the Great Commission and to Missions That leads, finally, to our last application: commit yourself to missions. Commit yourself again to pray for missionaries whom you know about. When missionaries like the Maugers come, be there to encourage and pray for them and tell them you love them. I am going this week to Bulgaria to meet with some missionaries to pray for them and encourage them and to preach to them, and my desire is that they return home more energized and ready than ever before to serve God. Pray, give, go — those are our commands. Closing Prayer Close with me in prayer. Lord, thank you for the time that we have had to study your word today. We thank you for the beauty of the word. We thank you for the things that we have learned. Thank you for the final success that we will see of the Gospel. We look forward to seeing that with our own eyes and to being part of it as we, as missionaries, share the gospel in other cultures, or as evangelists, with people in our own culture. Lord, please give us fruitfulness; give us faithfulness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

'No wonder everyone is looting now. The elites here have been doing it for years,' our correspondent Andrew Harding is told in the troubled Central African Republic.' As Brazil awaits further demonstrations against a proposed ten per cent hike in public transport costs, Wyre Davies takes a cameraman to hospital who was fatally injured in clashes between protestors and police. Gabriel Gatehouse in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa talks about atheism and jazz with a man who warns him that an army of Allah will rise up out of the desert. Mariko Oi, herself a reporter from Japan, talks about the difficulties of making a programme about the often troubled relations between her country and China. And Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, may be best known these days for its American military base, but Frank Gardner gets away from that and learns a little more about life, and the baboons, in the country's tranquil Rift Valley.