Re-Entry

I was given book by Kristin called Re-Entry. It is by Peter Jordon from YWAM.

The book discusses the issues around culture shock and the difficulties around re-entering your culture. It has some lame analogies but some great stories. Its points are relevant and I have to say i learned something.

The biggest point that hit home is that I am still, to a degree, suffering re-entry issues from the two months in Russia. This is even after almost a year. I kind of think that once you have experienced other cultures, you never fully feel comfortable in your own because you can actually see what is there.

Anyway... well worth a read if you are looking to go on a mission or have come back from one. And it only took a few days to read, so not a huge investment.

New Nooma

There is a new Nooma DVD out. It is the 12th and is called Matthew. It is about mourning properly. Pretty good although not quite as good as some of the others. Worth seeing.

Siberia 06

So like last year Claire and I are back off to Siberia again. This time we are only going for a month. We are looking forward so much to seeing our Russian friends in Irkutsk again.

We leave on the 16th June and return on the 15th July.

If you are interested in praying for us, send an e-mail (symgardiner@gmail.com) and we can sign you up to our Siberia 06 Supporters e-mail list.

This year there will be a team of seven of us from New Zealand. Some of the younger members of the team could do with some financial support. If you want to be part of that side of the mission, then drop us an e-mail.

Like the previous years we will be involved with the local church and will be involved in a young people's camp. This year it looks like the camp will be on the shores of Lake Baikal. This is a massive lake (second biggest in the world) with 20% of the world's fresh water. It is really beautiful. Very much like the West Coast of New Zealand.

Watch the blog for more info as it comes along.

V for Vendetta

Claire and I went and saw V for Vendetta last night. The movie has an interesting story or concept. Basically, what will happen if governments no longer fear their citizens and their citizens end up fearing the government.
The movie itself wasn't that flash.
What interested me was that a movie on this topic has been made. This means people are starting to think about this issue which in term indicates that the influence of government must be getting close to a point where it is too much.
In NZ we face an extremely expansionist government that wants to be involved in a lot more aspects of our lives. At this stage they have only, in a limited way, started to impact on the citizen's right to vote them out.