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== CYPRUS SENTINEL ==

July 2000

From Orville and Edith Jenkins

orville@jenkins.nu      researchguy@iname.com

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Family

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We took some time off in June while our son Gareth, 23, was visiting with us for a few days. He and a friend took vacation time from their jobs to come see where we live. We went around to sees some more historical sites on the island.

 

We had some good times relaxing with Cypriot and American friends and taking lots of pictures.  You can see some of our photos in a virtual tour of Cyprus on our Webshots Photo Albums.   Visit to see some of our beautiful island.

 

Cyprus

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Cyprus is in a constant water shortage. Millions of gallons of water are brought here by ship each month from Greece and Turkey. There are already two desalinization plants operating, and a third in the planning. We get water from the city system on two nights a week, only 9 hours each time.

 

During June the weather was very humid, yet the wind currents are such that it rarely rains! The air conditioners are installed so that most people can catch the runoff, as the machines dehumidify the air, and this water can be used for washing clothes or bodies, or other household needs, to supplement the supplies.

 

Read more about Cyprus in Orville's Internet article on the Jenkins Billennium/Millennium Centre --

Cyprus: Notes and Perceptions.

 

During July temps have been around 43 (109 F). There have been several bad forest fires. The hottest time of the year is August. Meanwhile in Southern Europe, it got up to 50 (122 F), during a drought, with many fires. At the same time, Northern Europe was having floods!

 

We understand water is a serious problem in Texas and much of North America also. Yet we learned from a niece in Cleburne that recently torrential rain flooded their house twice!! We pray for such situations.

 

State of the World

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Human destruction is taking its toll, too. Thousands in the Horn of Africa are dead, due to war during the greatest famine in decades. Northern Ireland is in flames again. Add your spiritual energy to God's will for the world by remembering these situations.

 

Church

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Cyprus has a small population (less than one million) and a small land area, and is 99% Greek Orthodox, which are not known for their cooperation with other denominations.

 

Read more about the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox Church in Orville's Internet article --

Eastern Orthodoxy.

 

We attend a small international church that worships in English.  In that church are personnel of Youth with a Mission (YWAM), who are the only mission-type agency working directly with Cypriots.  There are a few small Greek evangelical churches, composed of Greeks and Greek Cypriots. YWAM also works with "cabaret girls," foreign dancers and prostitutes, who "entertain" in the nightclub circuit of the tourist industry.

 

During the summer New Life International Church is having special prayer meetings for guidance on the future of the church.  The church has o pastor, and various members of the church conduct various aspects of the church activities.

 

Berbers

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Many people are unaware that Origen, Augustine and other early church leaders were Berbers. The Berber church was a strong force until finally overcome by the Arab invasion, only dying out finally in the Middle Ages.

 

The following Global Glimpse, a periodic vignette from the Caleb Project, produced by John Hanna, is about a Berber woman.

Most of North Africa's Berber people are strong Muslims and oppose the gospel. One Berber woman has secretly helped translate the whole New Testament, the Jesus Film and children's videos. She believes that God's timing for her people has clearly arrived, and reports that many underground churches have started. Some time ago, she underwent surgery. The doctors accidentally gave her too much anesthetic, and she slept for 7 hours after the operation. When she woke up, the hospital staff told her that she had worshipped Jesus for hours - in her sleep! If Muslim fundamentalists had heard it, her life would have been in danger. Instead, the two Muslim nurses who had looked after her asked her how they could accept Jesus into their lives!

Source: Partners International

 

Global Glimpse Archive, with information about many other peoples of the world, is available on the World Wide Web at

http://www.calebproject.org/.

 

Miss Universe

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Maybe some of you watched the Miss Universe Pageant, which was held in Cyprus recently. The MU Pageant took place about 4 miles from our house!

 

The time for the final session was 4:00AM to match prime time television in the US. So it was recorded and rerun here on Saturday evening that week.

 

It was a big commercial event for Cyprus! There were some doubts about them being able to handle it logistically and technologically. In fact, the original director, a Cypriot film producer, resigned, stating that it could not be done here.

 

The Greek Orthodox Church opposed the hosting of the MU pageant, and tried to encourage a boycott, but it was not successful. I thought it interesting that they would boycott the MU pageant, but I have never heard them say anything about the fare on local TV stations every day of every week. It seems much worse that in the US, even thought there are fewer stations here. The station owned by the church is about the same as all the others.

 

Personal Interests

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Science and Science Fiction -- We enjoy exploring the intricacies of God's creation, and the possibilities and mysteries of the universe.  Salvation is another wonderful mystery. The Spirit life, an exciting challenge.

 

We like astronomy, natural science and nutritional science and biochemistry. These are ways of celebrating the wonders of God's intricate expression of beauty and wisdom in his creation!

 

Science fiction envisions the application of science, explores mysteries of the universe God has created. We experience great wonder and awe at all there is, and how vast the creation is. We know so little, and yet that little is so much for us humans to know and learn! All this wonder and interest becomes worship as we "ascribe greatness to God" along with the ancient song- writer of the Hebrews!

 

Read more reflections on this in the words of Orville's song based on Psalm 19, "I See the Glory."

 

Communication

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Chat with us or send us a note on ICQ:

Edith: 18035937 Orville: 4450526

(download ICQ free from http://www.icq.com)

 

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======
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Orville and Edith

 

First distributed by email 07 July 2000

Posted 24 July 2001
Links updated 12 November 2007

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July 2000                                         == Cyprus Sentinel ==


Copyright © 2001 Orville Boyd Jenkins      
Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use. Other rights reserved.

Email: orville@jenkins.nu

 

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