“Haitian Studies and the Tens”

10 Major and Prolific (Contemporary) Haitian Writers Writing in English You Must Read:

1. Edwidge Danticat
2. Robert Fatton Jr.
3. Alex Dupuy
4. Michel S. Laguerre
5. Myriam J. A. Chancy
6. Patrick Bellegarde-Smith
7. Leon D. Pamphile
8. Gina Athena Ulysses
9. Marlene Daut
10. Paul Camy Mocombe

***This list for English speakers who have an interest in Haitian intellectual production in English. The listed individuals above are contemporary writers.

10 Major and Prolific (Contemporary) Haitian Writers Writing in French You Must Read:

1. Franketienne
2. Rene Depestre
3. Jean Casimir
4. Laennec Hurbon
5. Dany Laferriere
6. Lynel Trouillot/Louis-Philippe Dalembert
7. Gary Victor
8. Yanick Lahens
9. Kettly Mars
10. Evelyne Trouillot

10 Major and Prolific (Contemporary) Non-Haitian Writers Writing in English about Haiti You Must Read:

1. David Patrick Geggus (Historian)
2. Laurent Dubois (Historian)
3. Brenda Gayle Plummer (Historian)
4. Philippe R. Girard (Historian)
5. Martin Munro (Literary scholar)
6. Nick Nesbitt (Literary Scholar)
7. Jana Evans Braziel (Literary scholar)
8. Jeremy D. Popkin (Historian)
9. Kaima L. Glover (Literary scholar) & Amy Wilentz (Literature and History)
10. Terry Rey (Religious scholar)

“Let Christ be honored through your Political Choice: A Word of Wisdom to American Christian Voters and Citizens During this time of election”

Do not put your hope on politics and the powers and authorities of this country and in this world. Rest yourself assured on God, the supreme authority and the one who calls you His own and to whom you belong. No existing political party is worthy of the full devotion and commitment of Christ’s followers. Absolutely none! Absolutely nobody, but Christ alone.

Christ, the Sovereign Lord and Ruler of the nations and the cosmos, demands from his disciples and all peoples and nations absolute and complete allegiance to himself, not to a political state or power, and even a political party. God does not have a political party in this country–whether it is Republican, Democrat, or Independent. No contemporary political party is worthy of the full devotion and unnegotiable commitment of the people of God.

No existing political party in America embodies the whole

“On Unity and Reconciliation”

When we Christians think about reconciliation and unity in terms of race relations and dynamics in American churches and society, what is it exactly do we want or desire to pursue?

The Oxford Dictionary defines reconciliation in three broad areas and categories, followed by an example for each conceptualization or definition:

“1.The restoration of friendly relations.

‘his reconciliation with your uncle’
count noun ‘the earl was seeking a reconciliation with his wife’

2. The action of making one view or belief compatible with another.

‘any possibility of reconciliation between such clearly opposed positions’
More example sentences

3. The action of making financial accounts consistent; harmonization.

‘the reconciliation process should be consistent with the business strategy.'”

Accordingly, reconciliation is a project that aims at restoring friendship, promoting a shared worldview or a common perspective on (certain) issues, and promoting balance, harmony or consistency in life and in human interactions and relationships.

How’s the Oxford rendering of reconciliation differ, challenge, or harmonize the biblical call for Christian unity and (human) reconciliation in the body of Christ and in society?

“God is not done with you yet”

“God is not done with you. He will give you a future”

I feel like preaching this morning 🙂

Even those who are incarcerated to a life sentence behind the mighty prison bars need to hear a message of hope & love from the Almighty God.

The young lady or the single mother who has been/is a victim of physical abuse and rape needs to hear a message of restoration and freedom from the God of Hope who is the Repairer of broken branches and lives.

The individuals who are victims of racial humiliation and discrimination should set their hope in God their Maker.

The worker who has been exploited at work needs to know God will give you justice.

The immigrant who has been abused and humiliated at the workplace and other public spaces need to hear it loudly that God is not done with you. He will give you a future.”

“I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them: ‘Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.'”—Saint Augustine

*Let Jesus be your Carrier in all things.He wants to give you rest & peace.

Have a happy and Christ-centered Sunday!

Pastor Joseph

“The Cause of a Christmas Smile”

According to Facebook Statistics, I’m the most popular guy in the world of social media– having reached 5000 friends. 😆

I need 100 of those “existing and interactive friends” to donate one toy that will be distributed as a Christmas present/gift to 100 little girls and little boys in Port Margot, in Northern Haiti. I and a team of people from the Treasure Coast will be going to Haiti on a mission trip (December 13-22, 2018), the week before Christmas.

You can mail the toy to the address listed below, by November 15, 2018:

Hope for Today Outreach (HTO)
P.O. Box 7353
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34985

If you’re a local resident in the Treasure Coast (i.e. Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Port St Lucie) and want us to pick it up from you, please send us an email at jesuscentercc@gmail.com

Blessings and Peace!

What do the Millennials Really Want from University Professors and Grade School Teachers?

I love teaching and am a passionate teacher. I enjoy relating information and knowledge to students, facilitating the acquisition process, and fostering transformative teaching pedagogy. Teaching moves me and shapes my identity and interactions with my students, colleagues, and people around me. I have been a teacher for 15 years and have taught University, Seminary, and High School students.

Similarly, I love teaching young people and the millennial generation, in particular.(Although I love teaching a class in which the student body is multi-generational, culturally diverse, and racially different, I love teaching students who would like to see a connection between the academic life and the everyday life experience.)

During my journey as a teacher, mentor, role model, and friend to my students, I have made five key observations I would like to share with you below; my observations include my interactions with students inside and outside of the classroom. I believe effective teaching and lasting mentorship also take place outside of the classroom.

1. Students want to know more than the content of the subject you are teaching them–be it English, Theology, Sociology, History, Economics, etc. They want to know how a story from a novel in a literature class, for example, relates to real life situations and the implications of the subject content upon their personal life, choices, and preferences, and their everyday interactions and communication with other people in their life. This is the way they define effective and relational teaching.

2. This group of young men and women are looking for direction and guidance, mentorship and othermothering. As their instructor, they long to see in you an individual whom they can trust and one who can embody hope, resilience, compassion, relationality, sympathy, civility, hospitality, and understanding. Many of them desire you to be their mentor and role model; they may never reveal that to you. Perhaps, you may have to take the initiative and the lead to offer your mentoring service to them and woo them to yourself so you help them to explore their full potential. For them, teaching means relationship and the modelling of love and compassion.

3. This group of young individuals are both skeptical and optimistic about life and their future. Their skepticism has to do about their fear of failure. They do not want to experience failures and disappointments in life nor do they want to see their friends failed. They want success and to be successful in all of their endeavors. Their optimism is based upon their collective sense of self-confidence, self-worth, and independence. They’re not afraid to explore future possibilities and navigate through different options this life has to offer to them. From this viewpoint, they interpret teaching as that which provides human hope and human empowerment.

4. They’re looking for answers about life’s big questions pertaining to ethical and moral choices, and pertinent issues concerning war, death, oppression, justice, life after death, the meaning of life, peace at home and peace in the world, etc. As their teacher, they want you to give them an answer to these challenges of life and foster empowering hope and resistance; they also anticipate that you would guide them through the tough times and to orient them to find the right response to these vital matters in life. It does not matter what subject you teach; if you provide the space, access, resources, and freedom to your students to flourish in life, they will be open and vulnerable to you. From this perspective, students define teaching as consisting of life adventures and life explorations.

5. Finally, this generation of students want more than passing your class with an A. While academic excellence does matter to them, they want to relate to real life situations the academic life and personal goals.They’re thirsty for knowledge, understanding, and practical wisdom to experience every day’s challenges. Their desire is from you is to guide them to nurture the life of the mind and the life of the human experience and relationships. From this point of view, they interpret teaching as both an intellectual exercise and practical reality.

#teachtochangelives
#teachingmillennials

Twenty Major Concepts That Appear to be the Same, but They Do Not Share the Same Meaning!

1. Calvinism and Fatalism
2. Social Gospel and Social Justice
3. Social Gospel and Maxist Socialism
4. Liberation Theology and Liberal Theology
5. Feminism and Womanism
6. Race and Colorism
7. Gender and Sexuality
8. Linguistics and Literature
9. Grammar and Composition
10. Sociology and Anthropology
11. Physics and Physiology
12. God’s Foreknowledge and God’s Election
13. Vodou and (Black) Magic/Sorcery
14. Historical and Historiography
15. Hispanic and Latino
16. African American and Caribbean Black
17. Christianity and Judaism
18. Nationalism and Patriotism
19. White and Purity/Sanctity
20. Black and Impurity/Darkness

You’re our special Guest @ The Grove at Jesus Center

Do not argue with a liar; you will never win. Liars believe in their own lies.

Pa diskite ak mantè, ou pap janm genyen. Moun kap bay manti yo kwè nan manti yo.

Who is the true Winner?

Being the winner does not mean you are the champion, nor does it entail that you’ve played or won the game fairly, honorably, and equitably.

Some people may not win the trophee in the final match, but they’ve played the game with dignity & honor. They are the real winners.

Sometimes, it is not the trophee that makes one the winner; rather, it is commitment to the principles of the game and faithfulness to the end. The true winner may not be the declared winner.

If you obey God, even if you loose, you will always win. It’s not about winning; it’s about obedience.

Always obey God even if you shall loose!
Always keep your focus on God, Your Winner!