Johnmcmurphy's Weblog

And the Angels Sang

johnmcmurphy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:50:07 +0000

I just found some pictures from the First Wesleyan Children’s music presentation back in December. I was impressed with the number of southeast Asian children in the group. Sheri Jennings, the FWC children’s director, said the Burmese children were the ones who stepped forward right away wanting to dress up as angels.

Click to view slideshow.

Welcome Pu Naw Kaw family

johnmcmurphy — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:22:27 +0000

This week the Pu Naw Kaw family arrived from the Thailand refugee camp. This family of six lives across the street from the Saw Bway Doh family on Rotary Drive near First Wesleyan Church. Saw Bway Doh and I dropped by some of the First Rice as a welcome from our church. Here is a picture of Pu Naw Kaw and some of his family.

Job Situations has Percipitated Moves

johnmcmurphy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:46:35 +0000

Several months ago Susanna, sister of Sharon moved to Minneapolis. Recently we heard she is engaged to marry a Karenni man next month. Then their brother, Tha Mla, who had been living and working in Lumberton moved to Minneapolis. Several years ago other High Point arrivals had also moved to Minneapolis where they could find work in the meat packing industry. Also Sang Bik was able to obtain a job in Charlotte and has moved his wife and children closer to work.

Here in town, the city of High Point finished the refurbishment of the Carson Oaks Housing project and now five of our large
Burmese families make their homes in that neighborhood. In times past, some of our families lived in government housing for a couple of years and then were able to buy a home in High Point.

Karen/Burma Cease Fire Signed Thursday

johnmcmurphy — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:27:05 +0000

My friend Tony Williams, Director of the High Point World Relief just sent this update. An historic cease fire agreement has been signed between the Karen ethnic people and the Myanmar government on Thursday, January 12, 2012. Please click here to read about this in the Washington Post. Read more in the Sydney Morning Herald. Additional link. Burmese language video about the event is linked here.

In a related story the US will exchange ambassadors with Myanmar. Click on this Voice of America link.

The government of Burma seems to be making changes. Pray for peace throughout Burma. Pray for the extended families of the Burmese who now live in the United States. Don’t forget to pray for Christians among the other ethnic groups of Burma. They may still face danger.

Montagnard and Hmong hosted a Soccer Tournament Recently

johnmcmurphy — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:18:17 +0000

Every once in a while we need to stop and see the bigger picture. The largest Montagnard population outside of Vietnam resides right here in Greensboro. I just read about initiatives with the Montagnard population of the Triad on this blog youngprojects.blogspot.com. Perhaps our Burmese will want to pull together a soccer team the next time there is a competition.

-A big thanks to Marcia Jobe for getting this article to me.

2011 in review

johnmcmurphy — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:25:47 +0000

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Karen Holiday Celebration

johnmcmurphy — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:21:31 +0000

The children were lined up to do their parts, many did long parts from memory. The church family awaited the presentation, some followed the story of the birth of Jesus from their Bibles. Everyone had gathered in for a Christmas/New Years Celebration on Saturday morning, December 31, 2011. Let this slideshow tell the story better than I. Also stay tuned we may be able to add a video link in a few days.

Click to view slideshow.

McMurphy’s December 2011 / New Years Letter

johnmcmurphy — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:53:15 +0000

2012 New Year’s Letter – John & Kay McMurphy

Wow, can’t believe how fast the years go by. This school year found four of our grand children in home school. Gideon and Daevis are being taught by their mother Kimberly and Josiah and John David by their mother Amy. All are making great progress in their studies.

Kay continues as Master Teacher in the Primary Division at newly renamed Noble Academy in north Greensboro. The school is doubling it’s space and is set to occupy a newly added building in January. She is involved in mentoring new teachers, arranging intern schedules as well as teaching reading, science, math, and English to primary students.

John was blessed with a 4 month contract at nearby Guilford Technical Community College. He teaches College Study Skills to developmental students at both the High Point and Jamestown campuses. This upcoming semester he will pioneer a new course, College Transfer Success to help students prepare for a transfer to one of the 16 NC state universities. He just heard some good news that his 4 month contract was renewed for the rest of the school year.

Jason, Amy, Josiah and John David continue to live in Macon, GA. Jason just moved into Human Resources with Geico, where he has been working for the last few years. We had the opportunity to visit them during the Thanksgiving holiday and Amy and the boys will be with us for New Years festivities. Jason and Amy have become actively involved in the music ministry of Mable White Baptist Church .

Nathan and Kimberly had quite a scare this summer as Kimberly’s father experienced a heart attack. Rev. Ron Haithcock has made a full recovery and continues filling the pulpit at Providence Wesleyan Church in Archdale, NC. Nathan serves in a part time role as youth pastor at this same church and works full-time at Southern Guilford Middle School as an ISS teacher. Early this year, Everly was born, joining Lynnah, Gideon and Davis.

This past summer we were able to visit Kay’s parents at their home in Springfield, OR. It was a great time to see other relatives including Kay’s bother Dave and sister Karen. A highlight of the trip for me, was to see our nephew Matt, and the transforming power of Christ in his life.

Kay has eclipsed John in embracing new technology, using SMART Boards at school, Facebook, digital microscopes, Haiku online and the campus cloud. HP announced a fire sale on their Touchpads and Kay picked one up and hasn’t laid it down since. She messages, reads, does grocery lists, reads the Bible and plays Angry Birds.

John and Kay both are involved in teaching ministry with the Burmese at First Wesleyan. In addition John finds a little time around his schedule to help with needs in the émigré community. See you on facebook or on this blog .

- John and Kay

Karenni Bible Studies

johnmcmurphy — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:23:46 +0000

Came across these video Bible Studies for the Karenni people of Burma.

http://webkro.com/RK/intro.html

Merry Christmas!

johnmcmurphy — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:32:47 +0000

Luk 2:10,11 KJV And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.