Lincoln's birthday - Feb 12. Washington's birthday - Feb 22. "The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." Lincoln "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." Washington
PRAYER -
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and
for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth. I Tim 2:1-4
- Intercession for runaway youth in NM.
- Seminary tuition for Tiwan, Yean, and Tong (see Prison Ministry Update below).
- Praise for victories in the legislative session. Continue to pray for removal of barriers to abstinence education in NM.
- Thanksgiving for Godly Presidents. Pray for our leaders (1 Tim 2:1-4).
- Pray for successful Family Life Marriage Seminar on Feb 24-26. Pray for churches to unify on the Community Marriage Policy.
- Wings Ministry in India, Mar 14-31.
- Wisdom and Biblical principles for immigration policy.
- Prayer Resources.
ENCOUNTER -
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. Luk 19:13
Community Calendar (check for updates, links, future events, and regular meetings) We want to be a blessing to our community and support each event by avoiding scheduling conflicts.
UNDERSTANDING
- And of the children of Issachar, which were men
that had understanding of the time, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads
of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
I Chron 12:32
Contents:
2006 Legislative Update
Runaway Crisis by Mark Ortega
Prison Ministry Update
Las Cruces 200th Community Marriage Policy City
Family Life Marriage Conference
Family Matters by Kevin & Kathy Jackson
Speech & Debate Tournament
National Black History Month
Letter to the Editor
Recipe and Art Contest
Habitat for Humanity Bikeathon
Immigration Policy & Funding
Christian Voices
Readers Talk Back
Friends of the Family
Resources
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2006 Legislative Update
The 2006 session ended at noon on Feb 16. Thanks to everyone for praying. Though most victories this session were in bills that did not pass, they were clearly answers to prayer. Many groups and individuals worked to educate legislators in committees, by email, with phone calls, and through letters. If you know of other organizations or individuals that worked to stop bad legislation or promoted good legislation, please write principles@integrity.com and we will recognize them. Perhaps family-friendly legislators will introduce legislation in the future to reduce gambling, promote abstinence, reduce divorce, and protect family businesses. Legislation not acted upon by governor is pocket vetoed on Mar 8. May 17 is the effective date of legislation not carrying an emergency clause or other specified date.
HJM 40, anti-abstinence (also know euphemistically by "sex ed decision"), was tabled in the House Education Committee following extensive debate. Special thanks to NM Abstinence Education Coalition, Best Choice, and NM Family Council that were involved in stopping this memorial. It would have significantly damaged abstinence education and promotion in our state and place our children at risk. We need a bill to promote abstinence education since the NM DOH has already eliminated abstinence education in grades 7-12 in lieu of "safe sex" propaganda. The only "safe sex" is "no sex" outside of marriage.
SB 258, medical marijuana (also known euphemistically by "compassionate use"), passed Senate 34-6, withdrawn in the House Agriculture Committee. This bill was strongly opposed in previous years by NM Family Council. Any use of marijuana is a federal crime. There are substitutes for pain relief that do not require smoke inhalation. This bill is intended as a way to introduce drug legalization. We should be familiar with the principles and worldviews of those who oppose the Bible, Christianity, and traditional family values. "As far as I know we just don't have any intrinsic instincts for evil." - Abraham Maslow, Humanistic Psychology, 1978, p 11
HB 258, increase state min wage, passed House 38-30, passes Senate Corp Committee but stalled in the Senate Finance Committee. This bill would have devastated small family businesses throughout NM. Businesses increase product prices when employee wages increase. The poor do not benefit for long due to inflation. Small businesses suffer due to the immediate impact of decreased sales.
HB 267, compulsive gambling council, passed. The 15 member council "appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor") shall: (1) develop and implement a New Mexico strategic prevention and treatment of compulsive gambling plan; (2) recommend to the department compulsive gambling prevention and treatment standards; (3) collaborate with the appropriate state agencies to link compulsive gambling data collection and referral information to crisis response hotlines or youth and domestic violence initiatives; (4) collaborate with the department to improve data collection regarding gambling-related suicide, bankruptcies and domestic violence; (5) collaborate with the department and the aging and long-term services department to educate New Mexico seniors through prevention training and materials regarding the recognition and treatment of compulsive gambling problems; and (6) develop and recommend to the governor a voluntary self-exclusion program. Jeff Jones, jjones@abqjournal.com, Abq Journal staff writer, shocked NM with his front page story "Devastating Impact" on 12 Jan 2006. Study revealed as many as 108,000 New Mexicans may be problem gamblers. Marvin Capehart, BCNM Legislative Liaison, said "It is time that Christians and other concerned citizens accept the fact that several wealthy individuals are, with the help of Indian tribes, trying to start more casinos - one near Las Cruces and another near Tucumcari (BNM, 28 Jan 06, p2). The NM Coalition Against Gambling circulated a petition to put a moratorium on the legalization of more slots and casinos. They also promoted passage of HB267.
HB 27, limitation on eminent domain for economic development, introduced but not printed for first committee review. Socialist agenda desires public ownership of all property. This bill would have restricted the use of eminent domain (condemnation, confiscation) for the promotion of economic development. Principle of Property. Thanks to Richard Cheney for introducing HB 27 but the socialist worldview of other legislators is becoming increasingly clear.
HB 38, public education dept for science and math, $424,000, stalled in House Appropriations and Finance Committee. One more effort by secular humanists to promote their religious agenda of philosophical naturalism in public schools.
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Runaway Crisis by Mark Ortega
Back in days after I had just turned 18, I left my adoptive parents home. I thought I knew it all and wanted to live my own life. For years I had had a desire to work with runaways. Recently I got a job working at a local runaway shelter through Youth Development Incorporated (YDI) called Amistad. The new term is Youth Crisis Shelter. I work at one of only two in Albuquerque. I knew little of what was involved in this issue. At the shelter, we work with 13 to 17 year olds. Once in awhile we may take a 12 year old. We serve basically three types of clients.
1. Runaways - youths that runs away from their homes.
2. Throwaways - youths that are thrown out of their homes.
3. Homeless - youths that don't have a place to live. Sometimes they live with friends or on the streets.
For the purpose of this article I will just cover runaways.
According to the National Runaway Hotline (NRS), there are 1.3 million runaways in the U.S. who live on the streets (1). Their switchboard handles about 100,000 calls a year. Their calls were divided between 77% females and 23% males in 2004. They estimate one in seven kids between 10 to 18 will runaway. Some return home in a few days. Others stay on the streets and never return. Runaways can run into all kinds of problems. They can fall into the trap of drugs or prostitution. Too many adults take advantage of vulnerable youths for perverted purposes. New Mexico is a good example.
The NRS received 650 calls from youths in New Mexico. In the 2,000 Census of Albuquerque (2) there were 60,825 people aged 10 to 19. That makes up 13.87% of the population of Albuquerque. According to a phone interview with a representative from the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) (3), between 1,000 and 1,500 youths a year run away. But when I talked to another officer in APD I was told there are no concrete statistics in Albuquerque regarding runaways. She told me that many cases are not reported. Either situation is alarming to say the least. Missing Person and Runaway stats are intermingled, thus distort runaway stats. We either are not dealing with the issue from an analytical perspective or we have a serious crisis. There definitely are some problems.
There are many reasons why youths runaway. The NRS lists 15 different reasons for their clients. The highest rates were Family Dynamics at 36% (4) and Peers/Social Issues at 13% (5). In my experience at the shelter, each case and kid is different.
1. A youth may just walk in because they have nowhere else to go.
2. A Police or Sheriff's Department may bring them in for violating the law or just pick them up after they are reported missing.
3. Kids are brought in by social workers.
4. Parents or guardians don't want their kids anymore or they just want a break from them.
5. A concerned adult gets involved.
Since Amistad is open 24/7, we take phone calls and accept clients any day of the week and at any time. We are even open on holidays. Clients have come at all hours of the day. Our ratios of girls to boys are varied. Lately we have seen about 65% girls to 35% boys (6). Each kid has a different story. They are not made to stay in the shelter. It is purely voluntary. But there are rules. They also have responsibilities and chores they must do to stay in our program. They are also limited in the time they can stay, up to 30 days. If a client runs away from the shelter, the staff has been trained to do a runaway report. It entails paperwork, faxes and phone calls. Usually when a client leaves they realize how good they had it at the shelter. Our staff has been trained on how to deal with youth in crisis. We also work with other agencies.
It is easy to blame parents when a child runs away. Sometimes it is their fault. Some parents are abusive or neglect their kids. But according to NRS stats, only about 10% of the cases are related to parental abuse.
1. Physical abuse counts for 4% of their calls.
2. Emotional or verbal abuse accounts for 2%.
3. Neglect accounts for 2%.
4. Sexual abuse and assault accounts for 2%
I have seen and heard how sometimes parents will blame the kid or the kid will blame the parents. Too many times neither wants to take responsibility for their own actions and wants to lay all the blame on the other party. Two-way communication is lacking in many cases. Most parents and their kids know how to talk, but too few actively listen to what the other is saying. Many times kids just want independence. Unfortunately for many kids they think that means partying whenever they want. It also means that many kids want to have sex with who ever they want and whenever they want. For parents there are too many catch 22s.
It is not a crime to runaway. Kids are free to runaway. Kids are told in public schools that their parents cannot spank them. Public schools have removed moral absolutes of Judeo/Christian values. These values have been replaced by humanism that teaches there are no moral absolutes or a morality that can be dictated by the whims of society. This has led to a society where kids are free to runaway, but if they get in trouble parents will be held accountable. On one hand, the state takes away the rights of parents by limiting their rights as parents. On the other hand parents are held accountable for their kids' actions. The socialist agenda promotes the State as the primary agent for raising children.
Each state has their own set of laws regarding runaways. Running away is not a crime in NM. APD looks for runaways when they have bench warrants. Sometimes they get involved in civil matters or help other agencies. Parents, guardians, or concerned adults may report a runaway. Sometimes kids are required by law to stay at a shelter. They could violate terms of their parole if they leave. A lawyer talked about legal implications in two phone interviews (7). Mr. Robert Foster pointed out that the state is limited in dealing with this issue in several ways.
1. The police, child welfare agencies, and the courts do not have the means to deal with kids who runaway.
2. Agencies, which intend to help the kids, are limited in the actions that kids are agreeable to, and runaways are almost by definition poor decision makers.
3. Truancy laws are limited in ages they apply to.
4. Parents are reluctant to get the police involved for any number of reasons. They also are also reluctant to get involved in the juvenile justice system.
5. Mr. Foster also pointed out that most people think that institutions are able to address any conventional issue. But they are prone to overlook their shortcomings. Most people go along with this because it is comfortable.
6. He feels legal institutions are not doing an adequate job regarding runaways.
7. According to law (Parental Responsibilities, 32A-2-28) parents can be held responsible for their kids' actions. But it must be proven to be malicious and willful intent.
8. Mr. Foster also pointed out that there are no concrete laws as of yet regarding runaways. In theory, the law takes every case on an individual basis.
9. Mr. Foster talked about how he believes parents can deal with future problems:
A) Parents need to know their child's friends and their parents. This must include names and current phone numbers and addresses.
B) Notify friends, family, and neighbors that a child is missing.
D) Posters of the child all over the city and your neighborhood are helpful.
E) Keep track of any bank or credit card accounts of the child if applicable. This might seem obvious to some people, but not so obvious to others.
F) Make sure you have a record of your child's birth certificate, social security card, and a photo ID. A school ID will do.
G) Lastly, Mr. Foster pointed out that he believes that private or small organizations would do a better job than bigger institutions. I couldn't agree more.
I believe the solution to the problem lies in caring people. Too many troubled kids don't have anybody to talk to or listen to. I know exactly how they feel. My parents died when I was 16. Because my family didn't want me to talk about my problems I couldn't share what I was going through with them. They thought I was feeling sorry for myself. The reality was I needed someone to talk to and listen to me. That's one of the big problems I see today. Too many people won't take the time to talk to or listen to what these kids are saying. They are speaking not only with words, but also with their actions. They are reaching out for help. My prayer is that they will get it. I hope we all will not just push aside these kids, but will take the time to help them. We can do this in many ways. The first one is caring. The next step is to reach out to them in the same compassion and love that Jesus did with us. Won't you put feet to your faith and godly compassion to these hurting kids by reaching out to them today?
If anyone would like more information on how you can help youths with these problems or if you would like help with your kids contact Mark Ortega at jesus_lover1962@yahoo.com or call 261-6447.
Sources:
1. National Runaway Switchboard, (800) RUN-AWAY, www.nrscrisisline.org.
2. 2000 Census Records for Albuquerque, http://albuquerque.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm
3. The first APD investigator said she couldn't give her name because of APD policy. The second investigator would only give her first name.
4. "Family Dynamics" include a number of family oriented issues.
5. "Peer/Social" include a number of issues regarding peer relationships and different social issues the runaway is dealing with.
6. Stats regarding Amistad were given by Amistad supervisors.
7. Robert Foster is a practicing attorney, Jaffe Law Firm, Albuquerque.
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Prison Ministry Update
Eagles Unlimited. My first plea is to help my dear friend and Wings Board Member, retired Chaplain The Rev. Dr. Paul Collins and his two wonderful staff members, Sacha Blair and Kerry Lentsch, find a new home for Eagles Unlimited. Paul founded Eagles Unlimited after he retired as Prison Chaplain from the Los Lunas Correctional Facility. Paul didn't have enough to do, so we laughingly say that Paul "retired" and now has "re-fired" to create Eagles Unlimited, which is a non-profit organization whose goal is to help former inmates find housing and jobs. Eagles Unlimited needs to be out of their office space by April 1 and Paul is on the Wings India Team and we get back March 31. Therefore, he needs to take care of finding a new office ASAP. They need a reception area and enough space for a minimum of three desks.
Wings Ministry. I have always done the Wings Ministry out of my home. I'm discovering that working 20 hours a day allows me to get a lot of work done but doesn't leave a lot of time for my new husband Doug, or my own private life or family. Board members have encouraged me for years to try to find office space and I haven't thought too much about it. Wings is expanding so quickly, and I could use volunteer office help so much (hint hint) and it is hard for two or more people to do office work at my house. Therefore, I need to start looking for office space for Wings also. Since Paul, Sacha, Kerry, and I are good friends and we have worked closely together in the past, if we could find office space big enough to house Eagles Unlimited AND the Wings Ministry, we would be thrilled! Does your church have extra office space? Do you own, or know someone who owns office space who would like a tax deduction? (Eagles and Wings are both 501(c)3 organizations.) Eagles Unlimited has a little money to pay rent if necessary. Wings doesn't have money for rent yet. 291-6412, 379-9840, AnnEdenfield@WingsMinistry.org, www.WingsMinistry.org.
Mark Blanford (former SNL employee). I write this from my hotel room in Akron, Ohio, in the middle of a three-week business trip away from our home in Bangkok. Charlotte has stayed home this trip, which is especially difficult for both of us as we are on opposite sides of the globe this Valentine's Day. I was going to wait until I returned Feb 25 to write you again, but I just learned of a situation that you could pray for and perhaps be a part of the answer as well. Many of you know of the four former prisoners who are in their third year of seminary study and serving part time on staff at the Christian Prison Ministry. Pon is supported by the Sapan Luang Chinese Church at the Bangkok Institute of Theology, while Tiwan, Yean, and Tong are at the Thailand Baptist Seminary, where to this point they had been supported personally by an IMB missionary who is now no longer on the field. These three are now in need of tuition support for their last three terms. I can tell you from my personal interactions with them that they have a heart for the Lord, for Thailand, and for ministry. Two of them are featured in last September's edition of the Bangkok Beckonings newsletter where Tong was listed as "Tim" and Tiwan as "Pung" (and incidentally, Charlotte and I were introduced as "Wes and Betsy Braddock" in that newsletter). I understand that it costs about $400 per term to pay the seminary costs for all three of them. If you or your church feels the Lord leading you to help support them, please let me know so that I can keep track of the total along with with the CPMF Board. Of course, your gifts may be given through Mission Hope Ministries, mhministries@hotmail.com, (713) 529-7218.
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Las Cruces 200th Community Marriage Policy (CMP) City
Las Cruces NM earned the recognition for being the 200th CMP city. Sorry for any confusion regarding the report on the Marriage Savers event in Abq.
LAS CRUCES SURPASSES ALBUQUERQUE TO BECOMES 200TH CITY TO IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY MARRIAGE POLICY
Albuquerque Hopes to Become 201st, Potomac, MD. - Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - Fifteen Las Cruces pastors signed a Community Marriage Policy (CMP) to combat divorce in their city on Thursday, becoming the 200th U.S. city to sign the nuptial covenant. Although another New Mexico city, Albuquerque, was slated for the position, local volunteer organizers did not have enough signatories to qualify for a marriage policy at this time. "We are hopeful, that in the days ahead, more pastors in Albuquerque will join the 18 others who have made a commitment to the Albuquerque Community Marriage Policy," said Michael McManus, co-founder and president of Marriage Savers, who help launch the first CMP in Modesto, CA in January, 1986, exactly 20 years ago. "In a city ten times the size of Las Cruces, where 15 pastors signed on, Marriage Savers would need more participation from Albuquerque churches to certify the city as one with a viable Community Marriage Policy. "However, we are pleased that Las Cruces has taken the honored position of the 200th Community Marriage Policy. It is also the third city in New Mexico to take this step."
By signing the Community Marriage Policy, Las Cruces pastors agreed to implement six key reforms in their congregations. As the pastors put it, "Our passion is to radically reduce the divorce rate of those married in faith communities, strengthen existing marriages, restore broken marriages, reconcile breaking marriages and provide support to stepfamilies." These reforms include requiring couples who want to marry to attend "four months of marriage preparation," that includes taking a premarital inventory and meeting with mentor couples to discuss issues it surfaces. The churches must also implement programs to strengthen existing marriages and step families, and must help reconcile those separated. In February, 2004, 40 pastors and priests created the Farmington, N.M Community Marriage Policy, and 25 did so in Alamogordo, NM in September, 2001. Rev. Scott Ruthven of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church who organized Las Cruces clergy, was a signer of the Alamagordo CMP. "I saw how healthy it was for my church and for the community, and was asked by Las Cruces clergy to take the ball and run with it," he said.
The Family Research Council (FRC) will spotlight the 200th Community Marriage Policy February 8, at a Forum and luncheon in Washington D.C. FRC President Tony Perkins will host the event, and Harriet and Mike McManus, along with Senator Sam Brownback and HHS Assistant Secretary Wade Horn will comment on the benefits of the Community Marriage Policy. Visit www.marriagesavers.org for more information.
www.marriagesavers.org/LasCruces.htm
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Family Life Marriage Conference, Weekend to Remember®
Feb 24-26, Tamaya Resort in Bernalillo, www.familylife.com/conferences/marriage.asp. Bill Sturgill, 604-5688 (cell) or 792-0573 (home).
Is your marriage everything you dreamed it would be? It can be even BETTER! There is a design for marriage that works. God's design. For more than a quarter of a century, FamilyLife has helped over a million people find purpose, encouragement, and hope as they discovered what God's perfect plan for marriage means to their lives. Weekend to Remember® is a memorable getaway for couples.
A Weekend of Purpose... From newlyweds to empty nesters, every marriage needs a solid foundation. This conference will equip you with biblical truths along with practical tools to enable you to:
- Identify the five most common threats to oneness in your marriage.
- Embrace your spouse as God's perfect gift to you.
- Explore the four elements needed for the most satisfying sexual relationship.
- Develop a personal vision and purpose for your marriage and family.
A Weekend of Encouragement... A great marriage doesn't have to be a mystery. God's design is simple, but you need a game plan and we have it! A Weekend to Remember will:
- Provide you with the unique opportunity to get away from the distractions of life to focus on one another.
- Motivate you to take your marriage to the next level.
- Help you develop a real and relevant plan for your family.
- Reinforce the importance that your marriage has on the physical, emotional, and spiritual life of you, your spouse, and your family.
A Weekend of Hope... There is always hope - no matter how much you are hurting, how broken your marriage may seem, or how big the task of restoration may feel. Whether on the verge of divorce or living in silent desperation, God's perfect plan for marriage can begin the healing process and bring about change in your life.
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Family Matters by Kevin & Kathy Jackson
CAN TROUBLED MARRIAGES BE SAVED? Look at society's challenges and problems today. So much of these issues go backto the family. Crime, drug and substance abuse, gambling addiction, school drop outs, pregnancies, diseases, gang activity, and divorce are all on the rise. With the economy and taxes the way it is, it is often difficult or impossible to raise a family on just one salary. In married homes, many couples both work and in single family homes, oftentimes a parent works two jobs to make ends meet. This leads to more latch key kids and unsupervised teens, not to mention exhausted parents. Little by little society and the media has downplayed the importance of marriage and fidelity and active parenting. It does not take a village to raise a child; it takes a family to do it. Sometimes that family is grandma and grandpa, sometimes a single parent with support from others. When divorce occurs, the same salary that kept the family afloat is split in half to support two locations, not to mention legal and court fees.
Divorce is not as easy or convenient as it looks in the movies and children are not as resilient as we were led to believe. The old saying that people get over divorce is rarely true, What if we could reduce the friction and trauma at home? What if we could reduce divorce by say 50%? What if we could equip marriages with a way to resolve conflict without resorting to violence? What would be the benefits to our homes and communities? We have worked with hundreds of families over the years to strengthen and preserve marriages and families. We have sponsored workshops on everything from conffictrèsolution to rekindling romance in a relationship. One thing we know for certain, no one ever regrets the time and effort expended towards working through difficulties and improving their marriage. Marriage is work and some days are more work than others. Parenting is a contact sport and again there are highs and lows.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Jackson,
I thank you for the columns you put in the Observer. They are very encouraging. My husband and I look forward to reading all that you have to say regarding marriage. I know that you stand for what God stands for and that means a lot to us. It is so hard to be married sometimes. Other times, well you know, it is the best. We try to recognize that when we are at odds with each other, it is the evil one trying to invade our home.
Thanks for everything that you do in His name.
Robert and Christine Mondragon
The Rio Rancho Observer prints "Family Matters" by Kevin and Kathy Jackson. The Rio Rancho Oberserver and NMFC have been requested to carry "Family Matters" online for your marriage edification.
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Speech & Debate Tournament
Christian Communicators of NM 2nd Annual Speech and Debate Tournament
March 9-11, 2006, Heights First Church of the Nazarene, 8401 Paseo Del Norte NE, Abq NM. Events Include: Apologetics, Expository, Impromptu, Original Oratory, Persuasive, Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Open Interpretation, Team Policy Debate.
Registration deadline: Feb 16, 2006
To register contact: www.christiancommunicatorsnm.org
For event descriptions and rules, contact: www.ncfca.org
Student must be 51% homeschooled and must be age 12-18 as of Jan 1, 2006
This Tournament qualifies as a National Christian Forensics and Communication Association Tournament
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National Black History Month.
Here are some resources to help us reflect on the contributions of African Americans in American history.
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The Master's Books & Gifts, info@themastersbooksngifts.com
810 E. 21st St. Ste. A-5, Clovis NM, 762-1924
www.themastersonline.com
Wallbuilders African American History Resources - www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.php?ResourceID=105
American History in Black & White: Setting the Record Straight by David Barton. A unique view of the religious and moral heritage of African Americans that has been expertly intertwined with untold, yet significant stories from our rich African American political history. The material presented is ground-breaking and revolutionary; leaving viewers inspired and educated.
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Black History Month - www.infoplease.com/spot/bhm1.html
Presidential Proclamation - www.juntosociety.com/i_documents/gb_nbhmp020703.htm
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Letter to the Editor
The Albuquerque Journal published a Letter to the Editor written by Dr Russell Humphreys titled "No Hard Evidence Supports Darwin," RE: "ID UNMASKED for What It is - Religion" commentary by Eric C. Toolson, UNM biology professor.
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Recipe and Art Contest
Fruit or Vegetable Recipe & Artwork Contest-March 11, 2006- New Mexico youth are invited to participate in a fruit or vegetable recipe and artwork contest. This project is a combined effort of the Wellness Coalition, American Heart Association, the New Mexico Dietetic Association and the New Mexico 5-A-Day Coalition.
Four grade ranges are eligible to enter the contest: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 & 9-12. Guidelines and application form are available online (pdf). Please mail recipe and/or artwork postmarked no later than March 11, 2006. Judging by youth will be at a booth at the American Heart Association Walk on March 25, 2006. Winners will be notified after March 25th. The top recipe in each age group will be published in either a cookbook or calendar. The publication will be made available to schools and clubs as a fundraiser.
Linda Cryer, 222-8611 or Ruth Baldwin, 792-7448.
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Habitat for Humanity Bikeathon
New Mexico Habitat for Humanity will sponsor a pledged, three-day Habitrek New Mexico bike ride - the Turquoise Trail 200 - April 28-30. The ride will begin at the Valencia County Habitat office in Belen and follow Historic Route 66 through Albuquerque before heading up to Cedar Crest/Sandia Park. On the second day, riders will loop down the Turquoise Trail Scenic Byway to Mountainair for a night, then return to Belen for an afternoon closing event on the third day. For more information or to register, go to the Habitrek New Mexico website.
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Immigration Policy & Funding - Amnesty vs. Enforcement
NM is directly impacted by national immigration policy. Principles would like to hear your view on Biblical principles for immigration. Please send your comments to principles@integrity.com.
7 Feb 2006
The Bush Administration asked Congress to approve $247 million to implement a guest worker amnesty program. This represents nearly $100 million more than he proposed for worksite enforcement and expansion of the voluntary worker verification system combined. For the border patrol, the President asked for funding to support only 1,500 new border patrol agents in the fiscal year that begins next October. While this sounds significant, this number is 500 border patrol agents less than authorized in the intelligence overhaul legislation enacted into law well over a year ago and for the two fiscal years covered since enactment of that law it is a Border Patrol shortfall of 1,000 officers. Yet the President has made a point of calling for tougher actions to control our borders and enforce laws against illegal immigration.
Federation for American Immigration Reform, www.fairus.org.
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Christian Voices
This is an invitation to place some "SONshine" in your life with Christian Humor, and Thought Provoking and Inspirational stories. It is free. There is no advertising; there is nothing for sale. Is is always suitable for the entire family. "Christian Voices" is a Christian Outreach e-zine published about once or twice each week. It is for Christians of any denomination, even for non-Christians.
ChristianVoices4@aol.com
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Readers Talk Back
I'm a secular humanist. I'm not anti-religion but pro-humanism. Many of my friends are religious humanists. Religion is simply not one of my concerns -- except for the sins committed in its name. Jack Pickering
[Interesting distinction - opportunity for dialog.]
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Friends of the Family is a group of key supporters who invest monthly in family ministry. Their commitment is key to the ongoing effectiveness of Focus on the Family and enables us to extend the ministry to many who cannot afford the resources and services they need. They also enable our radio programs, our efforts to defend family values, and our outreaches to special groups like teens, unwed mothers, and non-Christians. For more information, call 1-800-A-FAMILY.
You can send tax-deductible donations to Foothills Fellowship for direct support of the Principles Community Impact Ministry in NM.
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RESOURCES
This section has been updated with a link to resource organizations. Anyone finding these organizations helpful, please consider mentioning the Principles Newsletter when contacting them. Thank you.
Principles Newsletter Archives
Roster of NM Govt Officials
Resource Organizations
Principles Community Impact News (CINews) is edited by:
Mark Burton,
Foothills Fellowship, 294-0016, Pager 971-2053
Many thanks to contributing authors and businesses.
Please forward events/articles/resources to principles@integrity.com.
Current distribution is about 2300 email addresses throughout NM.
If anyone you know would like to receive this newsletter directly
please have them send an email to principles@integrity.com. Many
links in the text are not reproduced when making paper copies.
It is also available on the web at www.rges.cc/news.htm and can
be accessed free of charge from any library internet service.
If you are reading this from outside NM, please locate and support
a Family Policy Council in your area.