The Bergeys are in South Africa.

[Lurky]

@HarryPotterFan I really hope they aren't allowed within 100 miles of anyone who's HIV+, because imagine their levels of judgments!  It's likely it would be full on only touching with gloved hands/separate plates and cups, and any amount of sanctimonious commentary on punishment for sins of parents and so on.

[acheronbeach]

Just reading over her entry, it strikes me that a lot of this is about stroking Selina's ego.  Though it would be more useful and modest to simply donate to an established and legitimate local ministry, she wouldn't get to be the leader/saviour/star of the show.  She wouldn't get to post lengthy, drama filled recitations of the challenges she's facing.  There's not much fishing for compliments when you simply cut a cheque, even if it's the most sensible approach.  

[Palimpsest]

 

I get the feeling that it is always all about Selina.  In the name of Jesus she jumps into things and then wails when they aren't as easy as she expects.  Like adopting an older child, an out of birth order child, and a child who spent years in an orphanage and not anticipating issues.

Those adopted children are exploited to the max.  They are the Bergey's ticket to pretended expertise.

This is their begging video from four years ago.  AKA, how to rehearse and exploit a child for your own ego and ambitions.

 

Selina is very reminiscent of Jill Rod in that she seems to be submissive only in name.  She's in charge and very bossy towards Brent in this not at all hilarious blooper video.

 

[hasunah]

On 8.11.2017 at 9:03 AM, Coy Koi said:

Separate subject, because it sure sounds like I already knew more about South Africa than she did before reading this, but Trevor Noah's book "Born a Crime" is a good read that gives a lot of details about what everyday life in South Africa is like. I'm not a diehard Trevor Noah fan (I like him, but I'm still kind of mad at him for not being Jon Stewart), but I really enjoyed his book.

I loved that book . And no NIKE!! in the world is going to stop me from having lustful thoughts  whenever I see him on screen . 

 

On 8.11.2017 at 7:57 PM, subsaharanafrica said:

Let's not forget Mr. President "I don't need to worry about having contracted HIV whilst having an affair with an HIV + woman because I took a shower afterwards" Zuma. 

Seriously though, I think what really drove the issue home for me was watching a documentary called 21UP--South Africa/Mandela's children. They interviewed 14 seven year olds from all walks of life at the end of Apartheid and gen followed up with them at 14, 21, and 28. In between the interviews at 14 and 21 three of them had died from AIDS. 

I think they lost 4 of them by 28 .

[Anonymousguest]

She made me think of Kate from Jon and Kate plus 8. She may not have the hair cut, but you know she wants to speak to the manager. Some serious snark with that "you have such a bouncy personality" comment, lol! 

The testimony of the little girl was especially painful to watch after seeing the blooper clip, you know mom was standing there correcting her again and again. 

[Palimpsest]

12 hours ago, Anonymousguest said:

She made me think of Kate from Jon and Kate plus 8.

Yes, especially at around 2:40 in the blooper video when he makes a mistake but says, "That can work!" and she says sarkily, "It doesn't work if I say no, does it?"  Ouch!

[elliha]

Yesterday I was at church and listened to some of the visitors to our "friendship congregation" in Tanzania. It was great hearing about all the good and some of the bad that they saw. The most striking thing was that everyone said that their most significant memories were happy and good things and not misery. They got to meet all kinds of people of the region, high and low so to speak, everything from leaders and pastors and ministers to regular people of all ages and they said that was great too. With some they spoke English and one of the men who came from our congregation comes from a neighboring country and he speaks Swahili which people there do too so he could help with translating things and the people who spoke English could of course help translate English to Swahili too. The guy from a neighboring country had never been to Tanzania so a lot of new stuff for him too. He said that the most striking similarity is that in both countries people are good at coming up with solutions to problems and not worrying too much which he felt Swedes could perhaps be a bit better at (in particular the worrying part I think). 

Our relationship is as mutual as possible. Our congregation has much more money that is clear and we do take collections to them (and they do to us too because they want both groups to be asked to do the same things. We do on occasion take extra collections for specific projects that we don't expect them to do but other than that all the things we do are the same: we write letters and e-mails, we pray, we discuss theology and we take collections for the other group twice a year. Both groups visit the other. We try to help the congregation in Tanzania find sponsors here if they want to visit us because it is easier to dos so but we don't pay their trips ourselves and they pay part of it through collections or favors (like someone knows someone who can drive the visitors to the airport, that saves the money for transport there for example or someone buys or lends something the person going there needs and so on). Both groups have wanted the relationship to be as equal as possible which doesn't take away that Sweden is a much richer country but I think that we have been reasonably successful in making this an exchange in both directions that helps us both.