An exponent of liberty

Edmund Burke
"I flatter myself that I love a manly, moral, regulated liberty as well as any gentleman... It is one of the gifts of Providence."

Long Live The Queen!

A firestorm has been sweeping across the Muslim world because H.M. Queen Elizabeth knighted the "infidel" Salman Rushdie.

Happily, free speech is a heritage of English-speaking nations.

I think that by knighting Rushdie, the Queen is honoring the freedom of conscience (and speech) that English-speaking nations love. That makes her a symbol of free thought. Indeed this is how one comes to Christ --through the free-speech efforts of the evangelist.

Long live the Queen!

The Genuine Article II

Ho Chi Minh City: A pastor explains to me that his friend (at right, with his wife) has been jailed 6 times because of his Christian faith.

This underscored a hard reality to me: I do not know what it means to be a Christian, --and suffer its consequences. (He is the genuine article.)

(J-Team Vietnam::May 2007)

Solution to Illegal Immigration

If illegal aliens are here to do the jobs Americans won't do, maybe more could come to Jubilee Christian Center --George & Virginia could use more missionary candidates.

The Genuine Article

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Mrs. Obregon with a woman (left) who lives somewhere in the 10/40 drop zone.

This woman has had to live without her husband for 15 years—that’s how long he’s been imprisoned for his Christian faith. She sells cloth to make a living.

“I am uneducated, but God uses me,” she informs Virginia and me.

She goes on to inform us of the most astonishing fact—150 people worship at her house each Sunday. This woman has also seen minority tribesmen come to Christ in her country.

Her husband’s previous evangelistic efforts have resulted in 21 churches planted throughout her area.

(She is the genuine article.)

Two Orchids of Vietnam

Above, First Lady Mrs. Lan Bui and First Lady Mrs. Virginia Obregon of J-Team, relax before our hectic back-to-back Prophetic Seminars in Ho Chi Minh City.

Our 5-man J-Team was composed of all Jubelites from Jubilee Christian Center, rare, since Virginia and I have always deployed to Vietnam with missionaries from different churches.

Love is in the Air

Upon returning from Vietnam on Tactical Team-J, Virginia and I shared with Jubilee Vietnam the same ideas that we delivered to Vietnam's church leaders, i.e., the love of our Father God.

Indeed, Mrs. Obregon is all too aware of the kinetic energy of a moving mass:

Therefore she sought help from me, Andrew Le, and Kevin Danh as the congregants melted under God's hand.

Love is in the air.

Greenpeace is building a god!

Environmental activists are building a replica of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat--where the biblical vessel landed after the Great Flood.

According to AP from Istanbul:

Turkish and German volunteer carpenters are making the wooden ship on the mountain in eastern Turkey, bordering Iran. The ark will be revealed in a ceremony on May 31, a day after Greenpeace activists climb the mountain and call on world leaders to take action to tackle climate change.


~ Hmmm, does anyone doubt that global warming is a substitute religion?

The data on mass murder

Virginia Tech Shooter
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Mass murder is often the first serious crime unbalanced individuals are caught committing --this is the case of the Virginia Tech shooter.

But since the Fall of Adam there have always been deranged individuals. If someone is determined to commit mass murder there is usually very little that can be done to prevent it.

(Curious: NBC must be the network of choice for homocidal maniacs.)

Most of the time these creatures can't be locked up, until it's too late. You see, in the USA it's not against the law to be crazy. It's certainly
not against the law to be an unsociable loner.

Wait, he mailed a package? What? --on his way to murder as many people as he could he dropped off a package at the Post Office?

My head is spinning.

But another thing, if you study history general purpose sociopaths don't issue manifestos, --there is some sort of ideology involved here. I need more data on this creature.

But this is the experimental data we do have:

32 are dead at Virginia Tech...50 million dead from Roe v. Wade...

Young Laotian delegate, Bangkok

VIRGINIA IN BANGKOK, WITH LAOTIAN
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Virginia is seen here giving a wristwatch to a young Laotian, who was a delegate to the Missionary Symposium in Bangkok; March 2007.

We always take California-donated gifts on every deployment so that we may bless others with whom we meet and interact.

Assemblies of God school--Bangladesh

Virginia and I found the source of the tiny pitter-patter at the AGE Center in Bangladesh: children who are attending class served by the Assemblies of God.

We were surprised to learn that Muslim parents also send their children to this Christian school. They enroll their children because of the quality of education, even though Christian principles and the gospel are taught to all students.

The AGE Center contains a triad: a Christian school, a Bible college, and an A.G. Church.

This campus is a little larger than our Jubilee Christian Center admin campus in San Jose, California.

Jubilee Vietnam

Jubilee Vietnam Church
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Easter at Jubilee Vietnam

Andrew Le >> JUBILEE VIETNAM
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

An amazing interpretation by Jubilee Bible College student, Andrew Le, of a folk song in the Vietnamese language that gave glory to the risen Christ --on Easter Sunday.

I was amazed that this young man knew and could sing the old school traditional Vietnamese folk music style.

Andrew delighted the Vietnamese senior citizens seated in the sanctuary.

Tactical Team-I in Bangladesh

Happy to report that our 4-man I-Team were guests at the Women's Ministry Dept. at the large Assemblies of God campus in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

During a break from our seminar Arise Deborah! I-TEAM sampled the curry chicken & rice served us; yum!

(About 40 women delegates were in attendance, some with their babies!)

Pastors Dennis & Martha Das had our delicious food prepared.

Arise Deborah! (I-Team)

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, our 4-man I-Team was attached to Ethnos Asia during the times that we ministered. Our womenfolk conducted a Deborah Seminar for Bangladeshi women at a local A.G. church.

Indeed, I requested to sit in on it to see how it went. Arise Deborah! is designed to educate Bangladeshi women to their rightful place in society, in their community, even in national life --as Christians.

Here, Virginia befriends a few of the 40 delegates who were interested in getting a closer look at an American woman who personifies the spirit of Deborah.

Religion of Piece(s)

Bangkok --our 2nd Home
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

An ice cream vendor was beheaded in Thai Muslim south.

As we prepare to deploy to Thailand on Tactical Team-I, I've learned that a Buddhist ice cream vendor was killed and his headless body left sitting on the bicycle seat of his cart in Thailand’s Muslim south.

The vendor, a 45-year-old Buddhist originally from the country’s north east, was shot three times in the back of his head while riding his cart into a Muslim village in Pattani.

They chopped his head off and walked away with it, leaving his body sitting on the ice cream bike’s seat.

How can there be a fatwa against ice cream?

No one in Arabia could make ice cream in Mohammed's day!

Happily, our Team will be lodging far north in Bangkok prior to our departure to Bangladesh.
~

Full of oneself

A type of Christian full of himself
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

“God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.”
—Dwight L. Moody

“Deflate yourselves.” —Dwight L. Obregon

The mind of God

A Cathedral of God
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

II Timothy 2:15
"Study to show thyself approved unto God...a workman...rightly dividing the word of truth."

"But now bring me a man who deploys to God's mission frontier. And, when the man arrives he becomes an exponent of Christ."
~ 1 George 1:1

Global outlook

~

Imminent deployment >>Tactical Team-I

The Bangladesh Consulate in L.A. returned our passports with our Bangladesh VISAs affixed inside.

The evolutionary process of one's Christian life ends with the happy contentment of serving Christ on the mission frontier.

Indeed, for Jubilee Christian Center missionaries, faith without works is dead.

Power

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. --Lord Acton

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New Year's Resolutions

A Pensive Mood
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

After reading Pas. Adam Bernal's article in the December issue of Jubilee Life, I began to feel inspired regarding New Year's resolutions:

"Maybe it's time to start a list of possible New Year's resolutions..."

"Hmm, lose 20 lbs... Stop being a jerk... Buy stronger mouthwash... Read the occasional book... Bathe more often..."

Okey, Dokey; that takes care of my co-workers; better think up one for me now.

Somewhere in the future

The colorful prophet, Kim Clement, was in the house tonight (Jubilee Christian Center) on the last day of A.D. 2006.

It was appropriate that with the passing into eternity of 3 world famous people just days ago, Godfather of Soul James Brown, President Gerald Ford, and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, Prophet Clement and singers Miranda and Brittany sung and declared this continual refrain: “I’m somewhere in the future and I look much better than I look right now; I’m somewhere in the future and I look much better than I look right now…”

Is that telling or what?

The future will reveal whether that is true for each of us. But Clement is no lightweight; this refrain could be understood as a means of building our faith. Yes, it can be understood as a statement of faith, i.e., prophesy to things, and that when one prophesies things are brought to life: ”I’m somewhere in the future and I look much better than I look right now.”

That is why Clement could also declare, I have a reason to celebrate!

One of the more unusual prophecies given tonight was that the day of United Nations disarray is over. Another welcomed prophecy was that rap was going to be used by the black community to glorify God –I believe the implication was regarding the major players in the American rap culture. (In the morning service, a prophecy was declared that Ted Haggard would one day minister to the homosexual community.)

We’ll have to see what unfolds.

Finally, this evening the prophet encouraged us to welcome the appearance of God in our lives for our shortcomings in 2006:
“I am welcoming You to forgive.”
“I am welcoming You to restore.”
“I am welcoming You to provide.”

If the Lord tarries, 2007 will indeed reveal a little bit more of each of our futures.

~

A hanging in Iraq

We have learned, as everyone else has by this time, that Saddam Hussein has been executed for the capital crimes he committed against the Iraqi people.

This execution is an interesting marker for the world, and I think for the USA in particular.

Indeed, in the USA, executing convicted murderers is carried out only after a very, very, long appeals process--taking many, many years. As a result, the death penalty is no longer a deterrent against capital crimes in my country.

Methinks there is no people, rude or learned, who are not awakened by this swift execution.

~

Our brightest ornament

"I think that I did see all heaven before me, and the great God Himself!" --HANDEL upon completing The Messiah in just 25 days.

On behalf of Virginia and I, Merry Christmas!

The Christian faith of our Founders, and upon which our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were conceived, is indeed our brightest ornament.

~

Casting call for recruits

KASEY, CYNTHIA, AND LISA IN THE JCC ECOSYSTEM
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

We are making preparations to deploy overseas beginning February 2007.

It is a long process to prepare for a dual-deployment: Philippines and Bangladesh.

We put out the casting call for recruits, and have found some good actors (12 in total) for the mission field --to serve God in the 10/40 drop zone.

Kasey, Cynthia, and Lisa, shown above at Jubilee Christian Center, will serve in the Philippines. Afterwards, Cynthia will depart with us and we will make our way to Bangladesh, via Bangkok; the rest will return home to California.
.

Progress, a definition

"The reasonable missionary tries to adapt the mission frontier to himself...


the unreasonable missionary adapts himself to the mission frontier;

--therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable."

.

Natural selection at Jubilee Vietnam Church

Natural selection at Jubilee Vietnam
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

While young Cassandra plays, Geo. and Dr. Bui demonstrate the biology of natural selection.

Natural selection is a process by which individual organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive than those with unfavorable traits. Indeed...

...so long as Geo & Dr. Bui secure a steady supply of food their Jubilee Vietnam kinship group should survive. Here, their edible plants and animals included flank steak, chicken, and all manner of rice and noodles.

Modern biology is fun!

JVC ECOSYSTEM :: SILICON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA USA
.

Wildlife missionary

Crocodile Hunter and wife Terri
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

I am saddened by the death of Steve Irwin, the Croc Hunter.

I looked upon Irwin as a wildlife missionary, spreading the
gospel of love for animals.

Steve loved life, loved animals, loved and married an American,
boy I loved that guy!

But the ocean can be a dangerous place. As soon as you set foot in
the water, you enter the food chain. Steve knew the risks and
he played the odds with intelligence --but died nevertheless. Irwin
left us a legacy as a real wildlife evangelist.

Knowing what our pop-culture tries to pass off as role models
nowadays: "Survivor" rejects and "Paris Hilton", I'd be pleased
if my nieces and nephews took their inspiration from the
likes of Steve Irwin.

And Terri, well her soulmate is gone and she's still so young...

Godspeed, Steve....

.

Virginia's surprise birthday party at Jubilee Vietnamese

Virginia's surprise birthday party at Jubilee Vietnamese
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

A week and a half ago, we had a surprise birthday party for Virginia following the Jubilee Vietnamese service.

In this picture, while Lisa Rich helps cut the cake, Pas. Nguyen Bui explains that it is not impolite in Vietnamese culture to ask someone their age.

However, Pas. Bui was unsuccessful in getting Virginia's cooperation.

Nice try Pastor!

~

Nuclear restraint

Kim Jong il
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

I admire Condie Rice as Sect'y of State, but her call for Hezbollah and Israel to show restraint during a time of war, is odd.

If Hezbollah had nuclear weapons, --does anyone think they would hesitate to use them against Israel?

Israel has nuclear weapons; they do not use them.

The irony is that Israel is demonstrating restraint.

And speaking of lethal things flying through the air, I predict North Korea will get so impatient by the worldwide attention focused on this war that they'll fire off more missiles into the Sea of Japan very soon.

Homo Sapien Brain-power

Jubilee Vietnamese
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

As expert hunter-gatherers, Early Man was able to bring down large game using his superior intellect.

Today however, modern man uses his brain power for other things, and so, has his game brought to him by other members of his tribe.

(Here, Pas. Bui & Geo enjoy the generosity of Jubilee Vietnamese wives who prepare edibles every Sunday afternoon. Caramba!

Plutonium vs. evil

PHYSICS
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

"The real problem is in the hearts and minds of men. It is not a problem of physics but of ethics. It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil from the spirit of man."
—Albert Einstein

Free Press: a very old concept

Why can't they learn from their neighbours?
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

With regard to Muslim cartoon depictions in the world's free press:

Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Mormons don't explode in violence when their religious sensibilities are offended. They certainly don't expect their beliefs to be immune from criticism, mockery, or dissent.

Radical Muslims should learn from their peaceful neighbours.

Good foreign surveillance

President BUSH and President KARZAI
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Since the mass-terror attacks of 9/11, we've won two wars, liberated millions of people from monstrous regimes, and presided over democratic elections in Afghanistan and in Iraq.

"Focusing" on the big picture, some Americans are upset that, during this period, the President eavesdropped on al Qaida telephone conversations received in the United States.

U.S.A., U.K., Australia, N. Zealand

English-speaking Marine In IRAQ
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

It seems to this missionary that the world is quite fortunate to have English-speaking nations who are willing to do most of the world's heavy lifting in securing liberty and peace for its citizenry.

In the meantime, most of Europe cowers.

Argentina --please answer the phone

Che, a tradition of morally bankrupt ideas
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

This week while France was burning, a stadium in Argentina was filled with people waving Che Guevara flags and screaming obscenities at Pres. George W. Bush's free trade proposals.

Obscenities_Che Guevera. A perfect match.

Um, excuse, me Argentina, but anyone whose personal income and survival depends on which way the world turns, should have dropped Che's marxist/leninist ideas like a hot potato --a generation ago.

Argentina! you have a phone call, it's reality on line 1!

Exceptional heritage

America respects all religious traditions
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

America, as a nation of immigrants, assimilites foreign nationals much easier than, say, European countries.

The 2-week sacking of France teach just how exceptional my country really is.

Of course in America we have our own problems of divisive multiculturalism. But I am nevertheless so thankful for my liberties.

Islam is entirely incompatible with "individual liberty." On the other hand, liberty is a crucial component of western countries. The United States of America was planned and created by people who were Christians, were biblically literate, but who respected other traditions.

Think about it!

In countries under the tyranny of Islamic law, there’s no such idea as liberty: you are either a Muslim, or are in danger of having your throat cut open with a rusty knife by dark consciences; cf. Matt 5:44.

Paris, day 14

Muslim Youths Set Paris Ablaze
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

France's bling-bling is going up in smoke!

To: Pakistan, with love

U.S. charity and Pakistan
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Most don't know, but the Pentagon's budget performs vital Christian charity.

America's Pakistan Earthquake Response, to date:

Evacuated Locals: 8,218
Humanitarian Supplies: 940 tons
Med Supplies: 53 tons
Blankets: 6,640
Cots: 2,210
Airlift Missions: 104

100% of the indirect charity that Virginia and I give --goes through the U.S. government!

Behold, a Christian nation practicing Christian charity --through our emissary --the U.S. Armed Forces.

1st George 1:1

"But now bring me a man who deploys to the mission frontier. And when the man arrives he becomes an exponent of Christ." ~ 1 George 1:1

Poverty's cure

Mac mini, an invention from a nation of opportunity
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

CNN's Christiane Amanpour inquired: "What is the solution for stopping nearly a billion people around the world having to struggle on less than $1 a day?"

Christiane, the solution is Freedom and Opportunity.

Freedom creates many kinds of fruit: opportunity is one.

A nation's citizens then use opportunity to unleash their creativity. NEWS FLASH: Freedom and opportunity cure poverty.

Where's Bono?

Bono
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck Kashmir on October 8, killed more than 53,000 people.

Virginia and I have learned that time is running out for survivors unless help arrives before winter.

I, um, must have missed the star-spangled Hollywood relief telethon for this disaster.

Something must have made the tsunami a more chic calamity, I don't know, --but the Pakistanis need aid just as badly. Where's Bono?

Four Vaqueros in the Jubilee Ecosystem

FOUR VAQUEROS in the J.C.C. ECOSYSTEM
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You're in good hands on the mission frontier with George & Virginia; deploy with us!" --Ralph Waldo Obregon

Newtonian physics

Geo inspecting the transcendent
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

I have become so impressed with what I can do with Newtonian physics -- my cell phone, my car, my Powerbook, my e-mail, etc., -- that I sometimes forget that the vast majority of the universe is not Newtonian.

The gumbo people (Katrina)

CODE NAME: LONE WOLF
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

My Lord!--last week, Louisiana's two senators didn't even blink when they asked the federales for $250 billion for their state, following Katrina.

Nawlins is a state that simply doesn't care about anything but money and power. Ten years ago I saw documentaries on A&E about Louisiana corruption; I thought, "That can't be true!" But it was. And it is.

Louisiana political and police corruption ranks right up there with Mexico City! During Katrina, Virginia and I saw with our own eyes armed Louisiana police looting Walmart stores in front of live MSNBC cameras! They didn't care!

The likelihood of the gumbo people of New Orleans choosing to clean up the corrupt political and police culture they've endorsed for decades is about as realistic as Fidel Castro taking up market economics.

My Lord!--without safeguards, why in the world should President Bush give $250 billion to the gumbo people?

Geo's Musing

Book
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

A friend sent a personal thought regarding a campus e-mail she received that discussed the benevolent tolerance of lesbians, homosexuals and transsexuals at a Catholic university where she works. I could understand the frustration in her e-mail.

Tolerance is one of the highest virtues in our pop culture, --but, alas, it doesn't extend to Christians.

On college campi Christians are often denied First Amendment rights, and even discriminated for religious beliefs (where is the tolerance?). Political corruptness allows for selective mistreatment of Christians at many of our university campi and throughout public life.

But beware: most so-called “gender scholars” in our universities only have degrees in fields like English or Literature--not biology or other hard sciences. These self-appointed “experts” on sexuality are scientifically illiterate.

Dogma and propaganda are their scholarship.

God sees the truth but waits

VIETNAM
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Virginia and I were invited to a meeting at our church by Pastor Dave Sefton in order to meet a one Vietnamese pastor, Ba Nguyen (Paul Walker), and his small company of Vietnamese who are slated to begin Sunday evening Vietnamese services at Jubilee Christian Center in October.

After our 2 hour meeting, it appears that Pastor Paul Nguyen really seems like a great spiritual man to lead Jubilee's Vietnamese Christian community. His wife, Marylin, is very sweet, his sister Hanh is entrepreneurial and devoted to her brother's vision, and Mai, well she was the source of regret.

Mai is a stunning spiritual Christian. As I listened to Mai, and then as I listened to Virginia's take on Mai's personal experiences at Jubilee -- I regretted, greatly, that Virginia and I had never met her earlier. Mai and Virginia & me crossed paths at Jubilee often but didn't know it, because we weren't told of each other.

Mai explained to us that she would have done anything to serve God, was willing to quit her job to travel back and forth to Vietnam to serve God full time (not the flaky kind of Christian who wants to quit their job to serve God, if you understand what I mean.)

Mai was told no, that it wasn't time yet.

But, Virginia and I were deploying to Vietnam, were smuggling Bibles, were sharing with the Underground church in Hanoi, Da Nang and Saigon during this same time.

Why wasn't Mai put in touch with us? Why was she told it wasn't time? Why did she have to endure such disappointment? She would have entirely changed the outcomes of our experiences in Vietnam for the better had she been with us.

This is the regret to which I refer.

God sees the truth but waits.

Jovia Tran's milestone

Jovia and George celebrate her graduation
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Saturday 28 May 2005, my "niece," Miss Jovia Tran graduated from San Jose State Univ with a baccalaureate degree in Biochemistry.

Jovia is a part of our family, and Virginia and I count it a privilege to know her.

The Differential

Soldier and Child
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

This May, 2005 image shows a U.S. Army soldier comforting a fatally wounded child from a terror car bomb blast, in Mosul, IRAQ.


This is the difference between American soldiers and Allah's soldiers.

George W. Bush --Arab hero!

Afghani Girls!
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

Virginia and I have learned that young men in Afghanistan have just made a great discovery -- those blue burqas floating down the boulevard harbor real live girls! They are not harboring the devil, as the Taliban once said, if you can believe it.

O, spring is in the air, as young Afghani boys and girls experience having boyfriends and girlfriends, and even meeting each other before wedding day!

Indeed, not being forced to marry some guy your parents picked for you is a giant step on the road to a free country.

Who would have ever imagined: George W. Bush, Arab hero!

Obregons emphatically agree with Oliver Wendell Holmes

Geo.HoneyRiaz
Originally uploaded by Geo & VO.

"Young man, the secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered I was not God."   --OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

"The secret to our success on the mission frontier is that we've chosen to get out of God's way and let God's Spirit minister to the people."    --Geo & Virginia Obregon

As a result:

-->Teenagers and pre-teens ministered emotional healing to the conference attendees.  (Archipelago Team - 11)

-->Spiritual breakthroughs occurred in Pakistan during casual conversations not through preaching and teaching.  (Studies and Observation Group)