• How to train fleas (Ecuador) – I know you’ve always wondered.
• Retreat and Prayer Requests (Japan) – just a basic update – always nice to see someone’s face!

And for some other interesting posts, many including some great photos:

• Into Indochina – lots of photos
• Another Busy Day (Haiti) – some great photos of the relief effort
• A Name for God? (Papua New Guinea) – a great illustration of the challenges of Bible translation
• Hot Lava and a Burned up Computer (Guatemala) – Take a hike with the Glicks
• Travel The Road (Guatemala) – what kind of a road would your life be like?

And here’s one more video for you – this one from
the delorenzo flyer (Kenya)  The video is about Sudan, Chad, Congo, and Central African Republic…

Sounds like a good sport for MKs to learn, right?  Or maybe just showing a little interest in kids playing fútbal could go a long way.

It’s great to go and watch a game together, like this one between Ecuador and Uruguay.  If you can’t go to the game, you can always watch it on TV – you’d be surprised what a community event it can be!

Here’s someone else using sports to reach out – maybe you can help.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is coming up!  There will no doubt be more and more football buzzzz in the weeks ahead – stay tuned!

Shopping for a cow in Kenya – get the story and video!  And speaking of big animals, take a look at a rodeo in Brazil.

Time for the cute-kid videos – check out “Papa“, fun with kids and technology, Noa and Martha perform, and for a little music try this birthday song for Mom.

The fun of language learning – I Can Barely Speak Spanish.

Try a little golf, and finally a way to travel in Haiti.

Well, obviously this is a great “do unto others” strategy.  But you might be surprised what an impact this can have on your blog too.

This is the way it happens. You read a post that interests you.  You leave a comment, maybe adding some helpful information, affirming a point, maybe even disagreeing.  Now someone else visits the same post, and is interested as you were (common interest).  They check out the comments, and, yes, they click on your name (which leads to your website, or your Blogger profile, right?).  They find that they have more in common with you, and they’re interested in what you’re doing.  Cool!

It’s becoming more obvious that commenting on other people’s blogs – good, relevant comments (not spam, or “here’s my site that might interest somebody” (which is usually spam)) is a powerful way to bring the right visitors to your site (see the video below as an example of the power of commenting).

Remember, we’re talking about helpful comments, not comments just added in the hopes that someone will click over to your blog.

This may not drive hundreds of people to your site, but it may mean those one or two key contacts that make a big difference.  And there are more benefits to taking the time for relevant commenting. Simply, you make friends with the other blogger.  You can discuss common issues, sharpen your thinking, maybe even partner in ministry.  It’s worth taking the time to build relationships.

If you have a friend who isn’t sure whether or not they should start blogging, direct them there.

Note: I just read another blog post about why to blog in general.  See Alex Shalman’s How To Use Your Blog To Make 2008 Your Best Year Ever!

And now, the presentation!  To see it, visit Why Blog?.  Not there is a link there to a high resolution version.

Today we’re going to look at some of those people whose lives are focused a little more closely around radio and related ministries.  Radio ministry involves travel, construction, computer work, broadcasting, recording, diplomacy, and much more.  Let’s visit some of those people now:

• The Balzer Bulletin:  In Singapore, and currently praying about visa issues and thinking about radio in the villages.
• Willing Mind:  One the move!  Here’s a video blog about radio ministry in Australia, and moving on to Singapore…
• The McCrackens’ News:  In Ecuador, experiencing everything from Bible studies to computer work.  Read a recent update here.
• Gerard & Rebeca Adriaanse:  She’s from Venezuela, he’s from the Netherlands, and they’re adjusting to life in Australia.  And no post on radio would be complete without an interview.

• Dancing and preparing for weddings in Tanzania – On Their Mama’s Backs
• Learning about culture in Kenya
• Day of the Dead in Croatia

Photo courtesy of Dennis Poulette

• Photos in Taiwan – a graveyard, a lake, food and much more
• This one from Thailand – Wat Mahabut is a temple, and there was a funeral taking place
• A great video from a veteran blogger in Mexico of Día de los Muertos 2007

Mexico Movies has notified us that there’s an important event coming up next week – Video Blogging Week 2006!  I thought this would be a good time to highlight some past missionary video blogs, partly just to show you that it can be done and that’s it’s being done more and more often!  Why not take the time to post your first video blog next week?  It doesn’t take a lot of money and equipment.  If you have a digital camera that takes video, you’re off to a great start…

The ultra-simple way – providing a link to a video file.  This was used by the Copelands to show us thier new baby (warning – it’s a 5.82MB download)!  Also, Rogier Bos has short video posted – he wants to tell you about the video phoning capability of Skype.

Using YouTube, Amy gives us a tour of her flat in Madrid, Spain.  Also, the Burgins give us a glimpse of the life of a short term team in Bolivia.  Another example of YouTube – Meaghan’s birthday.

Using audioblog.com, how about a sermon in Portuguese?  Or a family trip to the zoo?

Google video makes it easy to post and share a trip to Xochimilco, Mexico.

Finally, the blog dedicated to videoblogging – Mexico Movies.  They’ve uses QuickTime and the Internet Archive to bring you video.  Check out this video of a Mexican street performer.

I’ve been looking forward to this one!  Recently Mexico celebrated its Independence Day (16 September).  The Poulettes have been documenting the affair in their all-movie blog, aptly named Mexico Movies.

Dennis and Jannell aren’t the only missionaries to do “vlogging” (Video Blogging), so be sure to keep your eyes open for more.  They started their vlog in March with an ultrasound of their baby, so you won’t be surprised that he has a role in the Independence Day videos!

There are two movies to check out here – first, with the Mexican national anthem, ¡Viva Mexico! Then, be a part of the party – the Mexican Independence Day Fiesta.

Please note – these movies may take a few minutes to load, especially on a slower connection.  Be patient!