Friendship in Juarez

I'm reposting this video of a house concert I did in Juarez last year. My friends from Dios Con Nosotros were able to visit Colorado Springs this past weekend and we spent some wonderful time together. However, many of you might be aware of the increasing violence and economic problems in Mexico. Juarez in particular has been suffering and recently became the most violent city in the world as murders rose to about 10 per day. The violence is mostly due to the drug war happening between three different cartels. You can find many articles online including THIS ONE from npr.org.

My friend Claudia (born and raised in Juarez, but fluent in English) sent me this in an email before she came to visit:

"My parents business is broke and Luis is out of work. The financial world there is a saying that says that if the U.S. gets the flu, Mexico gets pneumonia. And that is what is happening over here. There is a huge domino effect on our economy because of the possible recession, gas prices etc... A lot of factories have shut down and many businesses are broke, including my parents. The good thing is my dad is retired and getting a monthly check.

Right now it kind of feels like everything is messed up. We are not sad or depressed or anything. We are hopeful, trying to discern the will of God. Please be praying for Juarez too. Since February there have been 467 drug related murders (over 500 now since the first of the year). These murders are happening in broad daylight in the middle of high traffic streets. Three men were killed last week outside of our neighborhood. So this has brought a lot of despair to the city and the people are in a general hysteria."

By a miracle my friends, Claudia and Luis, and the Pastors of Dios Con Nosotros, Manuel and Lola, were able to come for the weekend. They visited some Spanish speaking congregations in Denver and Colorado Springs and spent a day with me and some other friends. We spoke about things going on in the city and every time Claudia started to talk about the violence, or the arson, Lola's eyes would well up with tears. Manuel is more stoic, but far from unmoved. At one point, while about 7 of us were having lunch at a local cafe, he pulled the label off of the Odawalla lemonade he was drinking. He said he like to pull the labels off of things. He spoke in metaphor and prose about the need to see people's essence apart from title. "Now Juarez has won the title of most violven city in the world," he said. "But this is just another title distracting people from presence of God."

We spoke about what we could do together and what it means to be people of Peace, and friends across borders. So, right now I am planning on visiting my friends over labor day weekend. I will travel with a few others and we will manifest a higher reality, by having a concert, a party, and maybe planting a garden.

Please do pray for the city, and for our dear friends. And if you feel moved to give, you may donate through the partnership page here at restorationvillage.com. Please indiciate "Juarez" and I will include it in an offering for Dios Con Nosotros.

Interview Posted at The Other Journal

Hey friends, The Other Journal just posted an interview they did with me over the winter. Its posted at theotherjournal.com.

Todd and Angie Sing over Fill the Fields

Todd and Angie on Fill the Fields

Hi everyone,

I am dedicated to getting better at this...I apologize for three entries all at once. I've been moving all week (same area, different house) and today in my office, managed to fall asleep for over an hour. I have just been exhausted!

Todd Fadel (Agents of Future) is a very talented producer and has encouraged me in different ways. He also has been working with my friend Aaron Strumpel on some pretty incredible material. Anyway, Todd and Angie sang over "Fill the Fields" awhile back as I was considering some extra vocal harmonies. It is just a fun b-sides now, but I thought I would share in anticipation of their coming. Enjoy!

Agents of Future Tour in Colorado

Hey Friends,

If you live in Colorado, you definitely want to mark your calendars. Todd and Angie Fadel will be coming out in August and we are doing house concerts together in the Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs areas. VIEW THE CALENDAR for details. Todd and Angie are amazing songwriters and creatives. You can also check out Agents of Future on MySpace.

Minneapolis Concert this Wednesday!

Hey friends. There is still time to decide to come next week and be part of the art intensive in Minneapolis. However, if you can't make it, I will be doing a concert, open to the public at the fall out on Wednesday night, July 16 at 7pm. The evening sessions are actually all open to the public (donations accepted at the door). Then, I'm sure I will play a set during the ARTFEST Saturday in addition to the evening finale which begins at 8pm. So hope to see you there!

www.sourcemn.org

Greetings to Puerto Rico

Hey friends. I'm excited to be going to Puerto Rico in August. If you are in Puerto Rico and want to know what is happening, email Angel Huertas at april_afternoon @hotmail.com!

Art Intensive/Urban Art Festival!

There are many more photos from last years Art Intensive and Artfest in Minneapolis here: www.sourcemn.org. But I am writing to remind everyone that you can still register for this year's Art Intensive and Artfest, July 14-20. The Art Intensive is for everyone from film makers to musicians to leaders who just love art and want to see different possibilities of how it might be a fruit and catalyst for restoration and community. $150 covers food and housing for the week and if you do happen to be an artist or performer, you will also get a slot at Artfest on Saturday. Source, the host community has links to the Northumbria monastary in England as well as the 24-7 international network. Their mission is simply to be a friend and voice for at risk youth and urban subcultures in the city.

I will be speaking, leading worship and performing through out the week as well as teaching a songwriting track. I will be joined by my good friend Linnea Spransy, who graduated from Yale with a masters in paint. Her work can be found in galleries around the world and she is part of the 24-7 boiler room in Kansas City.

More information can be found at sourcemn.org and here are some QUICKLINKS for you:

ART INTENSIVE INFO AND SCHEDULE

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION