Malawi and Mozambique update Cyclone Ana – further news Since our initial update about the effect of flooding and then Storm Ana on our brothers and sisters in Malawi, we have received an update which now puts the number of those in need of welfare aid at over 2,800 people. To put this into context… Read More Malawi and Mozambique First half of 2022 update
As Peter completes his second letter he asks a question “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of the Lord …” (3:11,12). What is to be dissolved? He writes that… Read More Today’s thought “What sort of people ought you to be …” (December 15)
Today’s thought “Let us make a name” (January 6) Our readings in Genesis have progressed to the time after the flood. Much time has passed and the descendants of Noah have multiplied and “they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there … Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a… Read More Today’s thought “Let us make a name” (January 6)
It has been emotional keeping up with the many covid-19 related requests coming from our brothers and sisters in East Africa. Through God’s blessing, we have been able to send multiple contributions, on behalf of our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world, to those in real need, and our brothers and sisters… Read More East Africa & CoViD-19
Today we have the ‘simple’ lessons Jesus taught – they are lessons of life or death; of eternal existence, or oblivion, in an eternal sense – these are the only two alternatives before each of us. Matthew 7 opens out to us the simple but profound teaching of Jesus on the pathways of life that… Read More Today’s thought “The floods came, and the winds blew …” (January 5)
An Agape In Action Education and Training Update Flooding and storms in the area where the Good Samaritan School in Tanzania is located caused a lot of structural damage to the building where we are supporting a small school. Thanks to donations, we were able to build new classrooms that are much a sturdier than… Read More Good Samaritan School in Tanzania
Today’s thought “According to the integrity that is in me” (January 3) What a challenging selection of chapters we have today! Our heading is taken from David’s Psalm 7: it is largely a prayer; can it be our prayer too? “Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is… Read More Today’s thought “According to the integrity that is in me” (January 3)
We have seen that man can find the keys for a better life in the Bible or set-apart (holy) Scriptures. In that book of books man can find Who God is and what He wants from His people. By reading that bestseller of all times man not only can find the history of humankind, he… Read More The Wrath of God
Today’s thought “God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark” (January 04) Yesterday we came to read the history of Noah where the Divine Creator gave the people a period of 120 years, in which they could repent of their sinful ways. There we got… Read More Today’s thought “God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark” (January 04)
“1 {ii} \@ADONAI\@ said to Noach, “come into the ark, you and all your household; for I have seen that you alone in this generation are righteous before me. 2 of every clean animal you are to take seven couples, and of the animals that are not clean, one couple; 3 also of the… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 13 Noah’s ark and the flood
A prediction of a flood which will be the end can be found in Daniel 9:26. “And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and {1} shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 11 Overwhelming waters
Animated water By many peoples we do find water to be given an important role in the life of man. Many of the qualities of water make it appear to be animated; on this basis it is psychologically understandable that water (e.g., rain, sea, lakes, and rivers) might become a natural phenomenon worthy of worship.… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 10 Animated water
Australia The Aboriginal tribes in southern Australia, who could be the direct descendants of migrants who left Africa up to 75,000 years ago, and who carry some of the genes associated with the Denisovan (a species of human related to but distinct from Neanderthals) peoples of Asia; and having them migrated from Siberia to tropical… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 9 Australia and Discharge fluctuation of major rivers
South America The Chibcha-speaking people that formed the Muisca Confederation of the central Andean highlands of present-day Colombia‘s Eastern Range, in particular the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, the Muisca, as one out of four advanced civilizations of the Americas (apart from the Aztec, Mayas and Incas) has also the enriched culture of ‘life stories’ Already active since… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 8 South America
By the indigenous peoples of the Americas we can find also several myths of a great deluge. The K’iche’ and Maya peoples in Mesoamerica having the best well-known folk tales. One of the Maya peoples, the K’iche’ (or in previous Spanish spelling: Quiché, associated with the ancient Maya civilization, reached the peak of their power… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 7 North America
European myths In our regions we do have the Celtic stories and Norse Mythology like the Bergelmir or “Mountain Yeller” or “Bear Yeller” where like in the Chinese mythology can be found a bear, who has now become a frost giant, the son of giant Þrúðgelmir and the grandson of Ymir (who was called Aurgelmir… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 6 European myths
Indian region In the East of our world we also find deluge stories where matsya avatara of Vishnu forewarned the people. Listening to the messengers of his gods the king of the Dravida Kingdom, Shraddhadeva, son of Vivasvat and therefore also known as Manuvaivasvata [Satyavrata meaning “always truthful”], build an ark for his family and… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 5 Indian region
Chinese mythology In Chinese culture day arrived when Chu Ying (or Chu Lung) with his body of a red snake, opened his eyes, and nigh felt when he closed his eyes. Winter and summer came into being depending on the strength of his breath. We may find stories that by the crying of the gods,… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 4 Mythic theme 3 Chinese mythology
Hebrew story of the flood In the story of the Flood that follows there are evident borrowings from the Mesopotamian stories of a flood sent by the gods to destroy mankind, but in the biblical account it is emphasized that man’s extreme wickedness is the cause and that Noah is saved along with his family… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 3 Mythic theme 2 Hebrew story of the flood
Mythic theme God or gods warning A mass of water bringing people in danger has always spoken to the imagination of people. As such we can find a great flood as a mythic theme in many ancient religions that describes a primordial destruction of man and the world by a universal deluge because of man’s… Read More The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 2 Mythic theme 1 God or gods warning
Belgian Ecclesia Brussel - Leuven 