Editorial:

Dear Prajapati Friend,
Greetings. Certainly you must be very busy getting new admissions in different Institutions. Prajapati-the Butterfly team wish you God’s choicest blessings, wisdom and guidance for every moment of your life.
It is also our heartfelt prayers that you may be protected from every kind of snares and deception which can destroy your inner beauty, affect your self-esteem and bring many barriers on your road to success and clean life. When God first created this beautiful world, HE called it “good” but as we look around us, how much goodness and beauty do we perceive? Unfortunately, our world is being destroyed. There are wars, bomb blasts, crimes, floods, global warming and so on. More serious is the decaying of the human heart. Our heart which was supposed to be filled with good thoughts, clean attitudes, and noble ideas is gradually being replaced by many negative emotions.
One such negative attitude is “Deception” which is also the theme for this issue of Prajapati. Deceiving others has become a norm which is very dangerous and sad. God’s Heart breaks to see His created human beings, so deceptive and beguile. In that case those who deceive are actually failing Gods’ purpose in their lives.
The articles, stories are written in order to help us understand the traps of Evil force and let us recognize that deceiving people is detestable. Let us also grow wise and not be deceived by the fake promises, pleasures that the world offers at the cost of holiness and clean life.
Wish you happy reading and good health during the rainy season.
God Bless!
Sima Aunty
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God and Me:
Jesus my Saviour
I am born and brought up in a Christian family yet I was never keen about my personal relationship with Jesus. I was very keen in acquiring all the worldly status of LIFE! My friends who studied and grew up with me went passed ahead in all affairs. I felt so gloomy. I never was happy about my circumstances neither I knew what it was to trust in God for happiness and success. I silently questioned Lord Jesus as to why I always lagged behind from others. God was silent! Then God provided a soul mate for me. But usual marriage adjustments retarded me more and I started breaking under depression. I prayed …..But God was silent!
On 8th March’ 08 during a Bible study program on the book of Daniel in the Church, I prayed to God to cleanse me with His Holy Word. I repented and prayed (Psalms 22:24) and begged Lord Jesus to touch me and break me free from all sins and to pour into me His Holy Spirit! The Bible says that God does not overlook a broken and contrite heart. True to His Nature, God answered………My lips began to shiver….. My folded hand started to clap in His praise……….and I instantly fell flat on the ground……..God was touching me. My whole body began to fill with His GRACE! My murmuring lips were only thanking God for the GREATEST GIFT I have received from God ……..SALVATION. I found all my inner sufferings, past agony, impure thoughts and pride melting down like ice. The utmost peace, joy, love of Christ began to envelop me with His mercy. I no more felt lonely or negative about life. After encountering the power of Lord Jesus in my life, every area of my life was changed. I was no more the same. He gave me courage to look at life and at others from His prespective. I thanked Lord Jesus for choosing me for His Glory. When I look back I see the strange heavenly coincidence of God’s design for my life. My engagement was finalized on 8th Sep – my Engagement on 8th Nov – my Marriage on 8th Jan and my Holy Birth on 8th Mar 08! Today I am a new being and very happy and thankful to Lord Jesus for answering all my prayers. Now I am happy that I have found a true friend in Jesus who loves me more than anyone else. Therfore, I know for sure that God is not meant to be somewhere far away and silent. He is mindful about us human beings, but we need to listen to His voice and respond to Him. God is never silent………..HE LISTENS and CARES. God Bless.
-by Christina Michael Madhu
Christina is happily married and lives with her family in Jamshedpur. She is now actively sharing her new relationship with Jesus to everyone.
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From Deception to Trust
Jacob was the younger of the two sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Esau was the elder one who was the rightful heir to his father’s blessings according to the Hebrew culture at that time.
Esau and Jacob were brothers with different temperament and talents. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the open country while Jacob was a quiet man staying in the house.
One day Jacob overheard his old father asking Esau to go into the forest and hunt some wild game for him and cook it for him. Isaac wanted to bless Esau before his death as was the culture at those days.
Jacob was the pampered boy of Rebecca. So mother and son decided to play a trick and get Esau’s blessing from Isaac through deception. Now Esau was a hairy man whereas Jacob had less hair on his body. Isaac was an old man with weak eyesight so together they planned to deceive Isaac.
As soon as Esau left for the forest, immediately Jacob brought a young lamb and his mother cooked it very deliciously, then Jacob took some animal skin and covered his hands and face which would give an impression that he was Esau.
Then quickly he went near Isaac who was lying in the bed and presented the deliciously cooked dish to his father. Old and worm Isaac was surprised that Esau could make it so quickly. When he asked, Jacob lied to him saying that his skill made it easier for hunting in less time. Then Isaac was doubtful about his voice. Once again Jacob lied to his father saying that he was having a cold, therefore his voice was different. When Isaac touched Jacob’s shoulder, Jacob pretended to be Esau and finally succeeded in convincing Isaac that he was indeed Esau.
Isaac, enjoyed the food and then he laid his hands on Jacob and pronounced on him with all kinds of blessing for prosperity, health and happiness. Jacob felt great. Then before Esau’s return, Jacob quickly packed his bag and left home. His mother sent him faraway to his bother’s village. He must have congratulated himself for being a smart guy. Jacob went on his way happy and feeling secure.
Jacob settled down in another place. Jacob used his deception tactics a few times to gain more wealth. He succeeded too and thought that he can get away with it. His health anf family grew.
Years passed then one day, his deception was uncovered by his uncle with whom he was living with his big family. Fearing that he would be punished by his uncle and his household, Jacob, ran away from that place along with his family, servants, money and cattle. But on the way, he started feeling afraid. He was frightened to meet his own brother Esau whom he had deceived years ago. Jacob lost his peace and was worried to death.
In the middle of his journey, God met him but Jacob did not realize it. He mistook the divine form to be a mere human being and started wrestling with him. After wrestling for a long time, Jacob realized that he was indeed in the presence of supernatural power. Jacob lost his confidence. He was already paralyzed with fear and anxiety so he cling to God and pleaded Him to bless him.
God was merciful to him because he had asked Him for bless him instead of deceiving people for his gain. From then on Jacob’s name was changed. He went and asked forgiveness from his brother. He was called “Israel”. Jacob changed his ways and trusted God for his blessings and he went on to become a great nation chosen by God.
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Who is the Deceiver?
Mohit sat silent, on the backseat of his father’s Chevrolet unaware of the wedding procession, with its bright light and colorful people that were passing by. The noise of music and laughter failed to penetrate into the confused and disoriented mind of Mohit.
Mohit was just returning from the Doctor after a thorough check up of his body.
He was just about to celebrate his 20th birthday on the coming Sunday but instead of joy and anticipation he was remorseful and shocked. He still could not believe what the Doctor has just told him. Mohit was suffering from some liver problem. The doctor said it was serious enough but not life threatening as such. Mohit has to really undergo through medical treatment now. He has to be very careful with his habits and lifestyle.
Mohit’s Daddy sat dejected in the care beside him. There was shadow of sadness, and anguish on his face. He did not say anything to his son, but Mohit knew that his father was shocked and also angry to hear from the Doctor that his only son was a smoker.
As Mohit closed his eyes to shut out the outside image he went back to those days when he had started smoking only at the age of twelve. Suresh and Binu were his other friends who had encouraged him to try a cigarette. They used to meet every evening near the stadium. Though Suresh and Binu were not from the same school, Mohit had befriended them in a inter school competition. From then onwards they always met regularly. Unfortunately they were not the only friends. Their friend circle grew when other boys too became friendly with them. They used to sit and chat under a Bunyan tree and also play cricket together. Cricket actually extended the friend circle but while playing clean cricket, Mohit got into the habit of smoking unawares. At first it was a curiosity, then developed into a challenge among the friends and then smoking became the mark of manliness. Mohit wanted at any cost to be counted a Man so he regularly smoked with his friends. Before going home he would eat a strong flavor chocolate in order to camouflage the cigarette odor. Mohit always thought he was very smart because he could fool his mother and father. Before long, Mohit became an ardent follower and slave of Smoking. He realized that without cigarette he was not bale to concentrate in anything. His pocket money seemed very less for his expenses.
On the way to deceive his parents, Mohit actually was being deceived himself.
What he thought was smartness, was actually destroying his health. His bad health now stood as a barrier for him. He was not certain about his future. His dream to join the school of Defense lay shattered all because of a tiny yielding to the deception. With a wreaked health, and not able to join in the Defense Academy would he be now counted as a Man? Now as he sat on the car, he was realizing that indeed he has been deceived
But who was the deceiver? Was it his friend circle, was it the cigarette or was Mohit himself?
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True stories that Inspire:
Mother of CMC, Vellore- Dr. Ida Scudder

Dr. Ida Sophia Scudder (December 9, 1870–May 24, 1960) was born of Dr. John Scudder Jr. and Mrs. Sophia Weld Scudder who were working among the poor in India. As a child in India, she saw much famine, poverty and disease. Initially Ida never wanted to spend her time in India but a very sad experience motivated and compelled her to dedicate her life to the plight of Indian women and the fight against bubonic plague, cholera and leprosy. One night as she was writing some letters, three men came one after another to her verandah. The first was a Brahmin, the second was a Muslim and the third was another high caste Hindu. All the three men came to request her to go and help their wives who were lying dangerously ill at child birth. The men wanted Ida to help their wives because she herself was a woman. In those days, men doctors were not allowed to treat women. Unfortunately Ida could not come to their rescue because she was not a doctor then. Her father, even though a doctor, was not allowed to treat the women. The next morning, Ida came to know that all the three women had died in the night. That experience convinced her that God wanted her to become a Physician and return to help the women of India. She was never married.
Thus began the famous Christian Medical College n in 1918, when Dr. Scudder started training women for the Licentiate Diploma (LMP). In 1942, the medical school was raised to the status of a college and 25 students were admitted to the MBBS course With 94 recognised educational schemes it now trains both men and women in medicine, nursing, allied health fields and hospital administration and records. Together with its associated hospitals and health projects there are over 2,100 beds and CMC served over 1,300,000 outpatients in 2003-4. It offers treatment not only at its main hospital in Vellore but also at several mission hospitals across India.
From the beginning it has had a strong sense of Christian service and seeks to promote the same in its staff and students, modeled on the healing ministry of Jesus. Graduates are encouraged to serve for at least some of their career in the most needy parts of India.
The hospital is located in the south of India in Vellore Tamil Nadu.
CMC Vellore is a living example of what determination, commitment and love for God and people can achieve. It took years of persistent hard work through ups and downs, triumphs and defeats, but Ida could make her dream come true. Truly her life is an inspiration.

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Why do we sneeze?
Sneezing is a reflex. A reflex is where your body does something automatically and is something that you have no control over.
Why do we sneeze?
Sneezing is a way that your body gets rid of bad things that are in your nose. These things might be bacteria, germs, and other things. You also sneeze when you smell pepper because your body does not like pepper!
Sneezing is very good for our body because it removes things from our body like bacteria and germs. It also is good because it keeps the tubes that carry the air from our nose to the lungs healthy. Sneezing makes our nose clear when we have a cold.
When you suddenly you see a bright light like the sun or a light bulb then you feel like you are going to sneeze. Most people feel like you do when you see the light. Actually 1 out of 3 people sneeze when they see the bright light. Those people are “Photic Sneezers.” Photic really is another word for light. Photic sneezing is something that you get from one of your parents because it is something that runs in one side of your family. People that sneeze a lot can prevent sneezing. If you feel a sneeze, then use saline solution. You can also softly hold your nose at the end. These things can help your body remove things it does not want without sneezing.
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What was the first Bank?
The main business of banks is to lend money and to handle money which has been deposited with them. Of course, banks today provide many more services than just these, but it all has to do with the handling of money.
Ever since man had a kind of money, it has been necessary for someone to hold it for him safely, or to lend him some when he needed it. For example, in ancient Babylon, even before coins had been invented, there were men who made a business of borrowing, lending, and holding money for other people. They might be called bankers, though they were considered moneylenders. Some of that business was in the hands of the priests in the temples, and there were laws that regulated this business.
In Roman times, there were already large banks in existence. There were Roman laws that regulated some of the banking methods.
In medieval times the business of lending money was no longer thought of as lawful. Those who did continue to lend money often had their places of business on benches in the market place. The Italian word for bench is banco, and this is where we get the word “bank”.
In England, the business of holding and lending money was chiefly in the hands of goldsmiths. They received people’s money and valuables for safekeeping and in return gave goldsmith’s receipt.
In 1694 a group of businessmen agreed to lend a large sum of money to the English Government in return for permission to establish the Bank of England, which today is one of the greatest financial institutions in the world.
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Personality:
Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad Yadav, (born June 11, 1947 Goplaganj, Bihar) is an from the state of Bihar. He is currently the Minister of Railways in the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and the president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Lalu Prasad Yadav was born poor in family of farmers in Phulwaria, Gopalganj district, Bihar to Kundan Rai and Marachhiya Devi.
On June 1, 1973 he married Rabri Devi. The two have two sons and seven daughters.
He is naturalist in his religious beliefs.
Lalu’s first political step was his active involvement in the elections of the Patna University Students’ union. He led the student movement inspired by Jai Prakash Narayan in the 1970s. The former Chief Minister of Bihar and the then President of Bihar State Janata Party, Satyendra Narayan Sinha placed him as a candidate for the Lok Sabha. He was subsequently elected as a member of 6th Lok Sabha at only 29 years of age, becoming one of the youngest members of the Indian Parliament then.
In a span of 10 years, he became a formidable force in Bihar State Politics. During the Indian general elections in 1989 and state assembly elections, he successfully led the National Front coalition in Bihar. It was, therefore, no surprise that he was elected the Chief Minister when the Party came to power in the 1990 Assembly elections. Unfortunately the police unearthed a Fodder Scam in 1996 worth Rs 950 crore in Bihar which allegedly involved Lalu and the State’s leading bureaucrats and politicians. The fodder scam forced Mr. Yadav to resign from the office of Chief Minister and he elected his wife, Rabri Devi, as his successor.
He formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in 1997.According to Limca Book of Records, he is the longest serving president of an Indian Political Party.
Prasad was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from Chhapra and Madhepura seats of Bihar. He was named as the railway minister in the UPA Government. Later, he gave up the Madhepura seat.
He banned plastic cups to serve tea at railway stations and ordered that they be replaced by kulhads (earthen cups). He claimed that the measure would generate more employment in rural areas. Later, he also said that he had plans to introduce buttermilk and khadi. When Yadav took over, the Indian Railways was a loss-making organization. In the 4 years under his leadership, a cumulative total profit of Rs. 70, 000 crore has been reported.
Lalu Prasad Yadav is now credited with engineering the financial turnaround of Indian Railways, that was on the verge of bankruptcy earlier. He found several profitable sources of revenue for the Railways. He also improved on his first year’s performance by stating a profit of 14,000 crores in 2006. Then, in the 2007 budget, he increased the profit level to 20,000 crores. In 2008, profits were 25000 crore.
Well-known schools of management were interested in his leadership in managing the turnaround. He addressed over a hundred students from Harvard, Wharton and others in Hindi. He has received invitations from 8 Ivy League schools. The turn around of the Indian Railways is now being studied by the students of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
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Health is Wealth:

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water. …..interesting!
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure – 30 days
2. Gastric – 10 days
3. Diabetes – 30 days
4. Constipation – 10 days
5. Cancer – 180 days
6. TB – 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily.
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.
Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
- By Mr. Soumendra Bobby Jena, | Head – Delivery and Information Systems | International Education Business | e-Mail: soumendrabj@niit.com

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How many Crows in the Kingdom

One day Emperor Akbar and Birbal were taking a walk in the palace gardens. It was a nice summer morning and there were plenty of crows happily playing around the pond. While watching the crows, a question came into Akbar’s head. He wondered how many crows were there in his kingdom.

Since Birbal was accompanying him, he asked Birbal this question. After a moment’s thought, Birbal replied, “There are ninety-five thousand four hundred and sixty-three crows in the Kingdom”.

Amazed by his quick response, Akbar tried to test him again, “What if there are more crows than you answered?” Without hesitating Birbal replied, “If there are more crows than my answer, then some crows are visiting from other neighboring kingdoms”. “And what if there are less crows”, Akbar asked. “Then some crows from our kingdom have gone on holidays to other places”.
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The Dog and the Shadow

A DOG, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth, saw his own shadow in the water and took it for that of another Dog, with a piece of meat double his own in size. He immediately let go of his own, and fiercely attacked the other Dog to get his larger piece from him. He thus lost both: that which he grasped at in the water, because it was a shadow; and his own, because the stream swept it away.
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Building Your House

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house… my gift to you.”
The carpenter was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.
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But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, Build wisely!
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Dads Blessings

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God’s blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?
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Our Environment:
What is soil erosion?
The wearing away, detachment and transportation of soil from one place to another place and its deposition by moving water, blowing wind or other causes is called soil erosion.
Soil erosion by water, wind and tillage affects both agriculture and the natural environment. It is one of the most important (yet probably the least well-known) of today’s environmental problems. Soil erosion may be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing serious loss of topsoil.
What causes Erosion?
Erosion is an intrinsic natural process but in many places it is increased by human land use. Poor land use practices include deforestation, overgrazing, unmanaged construction activity and road or building. Heavy grazing can reduce vegetation enough to increase erosion. Changes in the kind of vegetation in an area can also affect erosion rates.
Land that is used for the production of agricultural crops generally experiences a significant greater rate of erosion than that of land under natural vegetation. This is particularly true if tillage is used, which reduces vegetation cover on the surface of the soil and disturbs both soil structure and plant roots that would otherwise hold the soil in place. When land is overused by animal activities such as , animal herds stampeding there can be mechanical erosion.
However, improved land use practices can limit erosion, using techniques such as terrace-building, conservation tillage practices, and tree planting.
A certain amount of erosion is natural and, in fact, healthy for the ecosystem. For example, gravels continuously move downstream in watercourses. Excessive erosion, however, does cause problems, such as receiving water sedimentation, ecosystem damage and outright loss of soil.
One of the main causes of erosive soil loss in the year 2006 is the result of slash and burn treatment of tropical forest. When the total ground surface is stripped of vegetation and then seared of all living organisms, the upper soils are vulnerable to both wind and water erosion.
Accelerated soil erosion by water or wind may affect both agricultural areas and the natural environment, and is one of the most widespread of today’s environmental problems. It has impacts which are both on-site (at the place where the soil is detached) and off-site (wherever the eroded soil ends up).
Soil erosion is just one form of soil degradation. Other kinds of soil degradation include salinisation, nutrient loss, and compaction.
Approximately 40% of the world’s agricultural land is seriously degraded.
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Around the World:
Bangladesh
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south. Together with the Indian state of West Bengal, it makes up the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. The name Bangladesh means “Country of Bengal”.
The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal and India in 1947, when the region became the eastern wing of the newly-formed Pakistan. However, it was separated from the western wing by 1,600 kilometers across India. Political and linguistic discrimination as well as economic neglect led to agitations against West Pakistan, leading to war for independence in 1971 and the establishment of Bangladesh However, the new state had to endure famines, natural disasters and widespread poverty, as well as political turmoil and military coups. The restoration of democracy in 1991 has been followed by relative stability and economic progress.
Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world and has a high poverty rate due to annual monsoon floods and cyclones.
The government is a parliamentary democracy; however, civilian rule has been suspended under emergency law since 11 January 2007. Bangladesh is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, SAARC, BIMSTEC, the OIC, and the D-8. As the World Bank notes in its July 2005 Country Brief, the country has made significant progress in human development in the areas of literacy, gender parity in schooling and reduction of population growth.
Direct elections involving all citizens over the age 18 are held every five years for the unicameral parliament known as Jatia Sangsad. The parliament building is known as the Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban. The Prime Minister, as the head of government. The President is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament. However the President’s powers are substantially expanded during the tenure of a caretaker government, which is responsible for the conduct of elections and transfer of power.
Bangladesh is divided into six administrative divisions, each named after their respective divisional headquarters: Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet.
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’ state religion is Islam. The majority ethnic group of Bangladesh are the Bengali people, comprising 98% of the population. The remainder are mostly Bihari migrants and indigenous tribal groups.
The official and most widely used language in Bangladesh, is Bangla or Bengali. English is used as second language. Health and education levels have recently improved as poverty levels have decreased. The literacy rate in Bangladesh is approximately 41%. Literacy has gone up due to many programs introduced in the country.
The major religion practiced in Bangladesh is Islam (89.7%) and a sizable minority adheres to Hinduism (9.2%). About 96% of the Muslims are Sunni while over 3% are Shi’a and remainders are Ahmadis. Ethnic Biharis are predominantly Shia Muslims. Other religious groups include Buddhists (0.7%, mostly Theravada), Christians (0.3%, mostly of the Roman Catholic denomination), and Animists (0.1%). Among Muslim-majority countries, Bangladesh ranks third after Indonesia and Pakistan by the number of Muslims.
The musical tradition of Bangladesh is lyrics-based (Baniprodhan), with minimal instrumental accompaniment. The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music, and there are numerous other musical traditions in Bangladesh, which vary from one region to the other. Gombhira, Bhatiali, Bhawaiya are a few of the better-known musical forms. Folk music of Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, an instrument with only one string. Other instruments include the dotara, dhol, flute, and tabla. Similarly, Bangladeshi dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal groups, as well as the broader Indian dance tradition.
Rice and curry are traditional favorites. Bangladeshis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products; some common ones are Rôshogolla, Chômchôm and Kalojam.
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in Bangladesh. Other popular sports include Association football, field hockey, tennis, badminton, handball, volleyball, chess, carom, and kabadi, which is the national sport of Bangladesh.

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Around the World:
MAHARASTRA
Maharashtra is India’s third largest state in area (about the size of Italy) and second largest in population. Located in western India, Maharashtra is bordered by the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Arabian Sea makes up the state’s western coast.
Maharashtra is India’s most developed and urbanized state contributing 15% of the country’s industrial output.
Mumbai is the state capital, with a population of approximately 15.2 million people and India’s largest city. The other large cities are Pune, Nasik, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nagpur.
Pune, the second largest city in Maharashtra, and also the 7th largest in India, is the state’s cultural and heritage capital, with a population of 4.5 million people.
Navi Mumbai is the largest planned city in the world.
Sangli: The ‘Turmeric city of India’ is the largest trade center for turmeric in the country.
Marathi is the official state language. The state has a Hindu majority of 80.2% with minorities of Muslims 10.6%, Buddhists 6%, Jains 1.3% and Christians 1%. Maharashtra has the biggest Jain, Zoroastrian and Jewish populations in India.
Maharashtra is divided into thirty-five districts. Geographically, historically and according to political sentiments Maharashtra has five main regions: Vidarbha or Berar, Marathwada, Khandesh and Northern Maharashtra, Desh or Western Maharashtra, and Konkan.
The Indian Railways covers most of the Maharashtra and is the preferred mode of transport over long distances. Mumbai has the biggest international airport in India with another coming up at Navi Mumbai.

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Dear Prajapati Friends,
We hope that according to our prayers and good wishes of all, you must have fared well in all your Examinations. We also wish that God will give you success in e very thing you
do in your life. The Bible says that “commit your ways to the Lord and He will make your path straight”. When we trust God and make Him our priority He gives success. You can read the Bible to find out more about the secrets of a successful life.
The theme chosen foe this issue is “Revenge”. We usually are quick to retaliate and take revenge for any kind of wrong or hurt done to us. We think it is very natural and normal to take revenge yet we forget often that that revenge does not solve any problem, neither ease the pain, rather it complicates the situation to an extent of no amends.
Many of the hatful situations that we see around us to day is the result of taking the law into our own hands. We watch these things in the movie and media and think that this is the right norm. Yet there is some one who never retaliated when He was insulted, ridiculed and even put to death. Instead of revenge He forgave and put the hatred to an end. By doing that He may have been mistaken as a coward and weak person but in reality He won many hearts to Himself. His love is more powerful than our hatred. We are human beings and think that it is but natural to hate, and pay back tit for tat but God wants us to forgive others as He
has forgiven. He never asks us to do what He has not done Himself.
This issue is meant for those of us who burn with hatred and violence. Lets cool our hearts this summer by giving away the revengeful attitude. Truly it never solves but make us more miserable. Lets leave room for the Almighty God to take care of those who have hurt us and lets enjoy peace.
Wish you happy reading.
With lots of love,
Editor


Short Story: The Loyal Gardener

One day Akbar stumbled on a rock in his garden while taking a stroll. He was not in a
good mood already, and so this fall added to his discomfort. He got very angry and ordered for the gardener’s arrest and execution.
The next day, at the time of execution, the gardener was asked what his last wish was. He
requested for an audience with the Emperor. His wish was granted and he was brought into the Court. When he came near the throne, he loudly cleared his throat and spat at the feet of the Emperor. The Emperor demanded to know why did he do such a thing. Actually the gardener did this on Birbal’s advice, so Birbal stepped forward in the gardener’s defense. He said, “There could be no person more loyal than this unfortunate gardener. Fearing that you ordered him to be hanged for a small reason, he went out of his way to give you a genuine reason for ordering him to be hanged.”
The Emperor realized his mistake and set him free.

FUN CORNER
_ An out-of-towner accidentally drives his car into a deep ditch on the side of a country road.
Luckily a farmer happened by with his big old horse named Benny. The man asked for help and the farmer said Benny could pull his car out. So he backed Benny up and hitched him to the man’s car bumper. Then he yelled: Pull, Nellie, pull!
Benny didn’t move. Then he yelled” Come on,
Pull Ranger! Still, Benny didn’t move.
Then he yelled really loud: Now pull, Fred….
pull hard!
Benny just stood there. Then the farmer nonchalantly said: Ok, Benny… now pull.
Benny pulled the car out of the ditch. The man was very appreciative but curious.He asked the farmer: “I really appreciate that,but why did u call your horse by the wrong name three times?” The farmer replied “ old
Benny is blind. If he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn’t even try._ Doctor, Doctor I think I need glasses.
You certainly do, Sir, this is a fish and chip shop!

God and Me:
Never Give Up
I have a lot of memories that God has blessed my life, and I am going to share one of them.
I was a good student in my school. The only weak subject that I was afraid was English. When I was in class 10, it was the most important time because it is the Board Exam and my marks would determine my college career. I was scoring 31/32 out of 100 in 1st and 2nd term exam in 9th class, which was not a good sign for the Board Exams. So my Dad took me to a reputed professor, who used to tutor the top scoring students. The very first day, as I was sitting with my fellow friends, sir asked me a spelling which I couldn’t answer correctly. So sir scolded me like anything, insulting me before the other students and asked me to get out of the class. I felt very bad and I cried before my father. Then my father took me to another sir, who used to teach in my neighboring school. My dad told all about me and all that has happened with me. Sir replied don’t worry; she will score first division in the final exam, which was unbelievable for me. So the tuition classes went on, there also I was ignored and looked down by some of my tuition mates, because they felt superior. When Sir used to take exam in tuition, others scored higher than me. But gradually by the Grace of God, I began to improve a little (scoring50/100). I felt offended by my friends. I prayed to God all that is happening with me and also seek his help for my final exams. So when I finally wrote my Board Exam and saw the result I could not believe at the marks I had scored. It was 73/100. Praise the Lord, since I had never had even scored the opposite i.e 37 before. I danced with joy. I told my dad and I went to my Tutor with the mark sheet. I asked sir who got the most amongst the tuition mates. Sir paused for a moment and then to my utter amazement congratulated me. I was the highest scorer in English among all my friends!!!
This is my personal experience of my God who blessed me and answered my prayers. I want to encourage those who are sacred of some subjects or any there is any other things in life which seems a hurdle, then do not ever give up. There is nothing impossible if God is with you. He can make a way for you and take you to heights that you may not have ever dreamt. So just hang on and remember “Never ever give up”. Jesus is able when you are unable.

- by Mrs. Asmita Patra, Kolkata
Asmita is now a graduate and married, residing in Kolkata.
Email ID: Chiradeep_nf@gmail.com

Forgiveness verses Revenge

Few weeks back, Good Friday was observed throughout the world. It is the supreme sacrifice of Lord Jesus who shed His sinless blood for the deliverance of the whole mankind. While Jesus Christ carried His cross to the place of crucifixion, He was beaten, ruthlessly. Perhaps He was hungry and tired almost on the verge of collapsing, because carrying the heavy cross up hill is not a joke. He must be having a splitting headache with profuse bleeding since it was pierced with a crown of thorns.
When He reached near the place, the Roman soldiers and other Jews who were against Him hurled insults at Him and then they nailed Him on the cross. Perhaps they started with the two hands and then His two foots were put together and then the big iron nails came hammering down on His bare body. Jesus cried out in pain. The sun was beating down on His face mercilessly. What should be the reaction?
Normally any one would have retaliated with vengeance, spit out curses against the person with never ending fury.
Yet, Jesus’ reaction to the situation was completely opposite. In place of anger and curses there was a statement on His lips which is stands out through the ages. The wonderful words were “Father, Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. This profound sentence makes Jesus unique because He not only taught about loving people inspite of but He demonstrated His love though His kind words. There was no revengeful thoughts in His heart has He hung on the cross.
This is called amazing because it is hardly possible for any human nor such event ever took place in human history other than what is mentioned above. He forgave those who hated Him and prayed for them. Instead of curse there was blessing on His lips. Isn’t that an amazing fact?________________________________

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born April 24, 1973 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India) is an Indian cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket.
Tendulkar was born in a Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins family in Mumbai . His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, who was a Marathi novelist, named him after his favorite music director, Sachin Dev Burman. Tendulkar attended Sharadashram Vidyamandir (High School), where he began his cricketing career under the guidance of his coach and mentor, Ramakant Achrekar. During his school days, he attended the MRF Pace Foundation to train as a fast bowler, but the fast bowling trainer there, Dennis Lillee, suggested to him to “just focus” on his batting.
When Tendulkar was young, he would practice for hours with his coach. He would often get bored of practicing. So his coach would put a one-Rupee-coin on the top of the stumps. The bowler who dismissed Sachin would get the coin. If Sachin passed the whole session without getting dismissed, the coach would give him the coin. Sachin says today that the 13 coins he won then are his most prized possessions.
While at school, he was involved in unbroken 664-run partnership in a Harris Shield game in 1988 with friend and team mate Vinod Kambli, who also went on to represent India When he was 14 Indian batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar gave him a pair of his used ultra light pads. “It was the greatest source of encouragement for me,” he said nearly 20 years later after passing Gavaskar’s top world record of 34 Test centuries.
In 1995, Sachin Tendulkar married Anjali (born 10 November 1967), They have two children, Sara and Arjun.
In 2002, Wisden rated him as the second greatest Test batsman after Sir Donald Bradman, and the greatest One-day international batsman. He holds several highly regarded batting records and is the leading scorer of centuries in both Test cricket and one-day internationals. He is one of the three batsmen to surpass 11,000 runs in Test cricket, and the first Indian to do so. He is the most prolific run scorer in ODIs by a margin of over 4000 runs and has scored the most runs in international cricket as a whole. He crossed 16,000 runs in ODIs on February 5, 2008 while playing against Sri Lanka in Brisbane, Australia. Affectionately called ‘The Little Master’ or ‘The Master Blaster’, Tendulkar made his first-class debut for the Mumbai cricket team aged 14 and scored a century on debut. He made his international test debut in 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at age 16.
He is the only cricketer to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour and the only cricketer and one of the first sportsmen (along with Vishwanathan Anand) to receive the Padma Vibhushan (2008).
**********************

WORD POWER1. Light: The brightness given by the sun, a flame, a lamp etc. that makes vision possible.
2. Light: Public knowledge, some new information
3. Light: Spiritual light
4. Light, lit, lighted, lighting: to cause, to catch fire, to cause to become bright with excitement.
5. Light: Easy to see
6. Light: Not severe
7. Light: lighty, without much luggage,
8. lighten: to make or become brighter
9. light headed: Giddy, Dizzy or delirious
10. Light hearted: Cheerful, happy, and free from care.

Golden Verse: DO not seek revenge or bear a grudge against people, but love your neighbor as yourself.

Apples of Gold: Indeed, revenge is always the pleasure of a paltry, feeble, tiny mind. By- Juvenal AD. 60

Do you Know?

ANIMAL FACTS

The blue whale is the largest animal on earth. The heart of a blue whale is as big as a car, and it’s tongue is as long as an elephant.
An Ostrich eye is bigger than it’s brain.
A Crocodile can not stick out it’s tongue.
The ant can lift 50times it’s own weight and pull 30times it’s on weight.
Polar bears are left handed.
A Cockroach can live 9 days without it’s head before it’s starves to death.
Butterflies taste with their feet.
A flea can jump 350 times it’s body length. It’s like a human jumping the length of six football fields.
Elephants are the only animals that can not jump.

A short Story: They never smiled again………

Shyam and Binu were very good friend. Shyam’s and Binu’s daddy were business men in the city. They were very close to each other until a small seed of doubt sprouted and spread its root of bitterness and hatred between them. It was so strong that they became each other’s worst enemies.
One day, Shyam’s father suffered loss in his business, due to a mistake of one of his employee. He was very upset and sacked the employee.
After some days, the employee was seen working with Binu’s father. This incident made Shyam’s father very angry and he advised Shyam not to mingle with Binu anymore because they were enemies.
Binu was surprised at Shyam’s cold behavior at school. Shyam no more invited Binu for a lift in his car while returning from school. Both were in their 12th class and were preparing for the final exams. Previously both used to study together after school but now they were no longer together. This rift was quickly noticed by others at school. Kalia was very happy to see Binu and Shyam going apart because he had never liked to see them together. So Kalia was very happy. He tried his best to create more enmity between them. Binu too became convinced that Shyam was no longer his good friend. H even felt that Shyam was competing with him for better marks in the Final exams. When Binu saw Shyam talking to his girlfriend outside the canteen he was very upset. Without a second thought, Binu went and slapped Shyam right in front of the other students. It was actually Kalia who was playing the trick between them and making them look hostile and rude to each other. Shyam was schocked because he was actually just asking for some help from Binu’s girl friend about the school magazine wheras Binu had clearly misunderstood him. Shyam did not bother to go out of the way and clarify the doubt between them either. He was now surer about Binu’s wickedness. Kalia, through his wicked remarks fanned Shyam’s hatred towards Binu.
Both of them could have sat down and talked but the pressures of studies and the vain superiority complex crept into their clean and healthy friendship. Neither Shyam nor Binu could handle this wave of hatred and revenge that was so overwhelming. It was counted as cowardice to go and short out the problem between friends. It was even demeaning to say “sorry”. Kalia said it was mark of weakness to say sorry or to even forgive a friend. People those who forgive and forget are not “real men”. Hence revenge was the only way. But Shyam and Binu did not realize that their enmity had impacted their studies and everyday life. They both had become, irritable, incapable of laughing at and enjoying the every day incidents.
Thus the rift between Shyam and Binu began to expand and one day the atom of doubt, bitterness, hatred and anger exploded.
It was the final day of exams. Shyam saw Binu riding on his new motor bike. Binu accidentally rammed into Shyam’s Mercedes. The next day was the college farewell function. As soon as Binu was seen parking his bike, Shyam came up from behind, took out his sharp pocket knife and stabbed Binu in the back. Binu did not know it was his once best friend as he fell to the ground unconscious.
Shyam felt a relief in his heart for avenging his enemy but was it really the end?
After one year in prison, Shyam became even braver to portray such skills of hatred. Kalia said it was real courage but was it courage or animalism? Shyam may look like a hero for his age but his heart was never at peace thereafter for he never could smile from his heart again……………….
_____________

The Statue of Liberty
Liberty Enlightening the World, known more commonly as the Statue of Liberty, is a large statue that was presented to the United States by France in 1886. It tands at Liberty Island (part of New York) as a welcome to all visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans. The statue, dedicated on October 28, 1886, commemorates the centennial of the United States and is a gesture of friendship from France to America. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue. The statue is of a robed woman holding a lit flame, and is made of a sheeting of pure copper, hung on a
framework of steel (originally puddled iron) with the exception of the flame of the torch, which is coated in gold leaf (originally made of stained glass and lit
from the inside.) It stands atop a rectangular stonework pedestal with a foundation in the shape of an irregular eleven-pointed star. The statue is 151 feet tall, with
the pedestal and foundation, it is 305 feet tall. Worldwide, the Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable icons of the United States and more generally, represents liberty and escape from oppression. The first model, on a small scale, was built in 1870. This first statue is now in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris. The construction of the statue was completed in France in July 1884.
The Statue arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885 by ship. To prepare
for transit, the Statue was reduced to 350 individual pieces and packed in 214
crates. The statue, which was stored for eleven months in crates waiting for its pedestal to be finished, was then re-assembled in four months’ time. On October
28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled by President Grover Cleveland in front of thousands of spectators. The Statue of Liberty functioned as a lighthouse
from 1886 to 1902. In 1916, floodlights were placed around the base of the statue. Also in 1916, an explosion caused $100,000 worth of damage to the statue, embedding shrapnel and eventually leading to the closing of the torch to visitors. Modifications were made and President Franklin D. Roosevelt rededicated
the Statue of Liberty on its 50th anniversary (October 28, 1936).
In 1984, the Statue of Liberty was added to the list of World Heritage Sites.
In 2007, the Statue of Liberty was one of 20 finalists in a competition to name the New Seven Wonders of the World.
———
Health is Wealth : Dos and Don’ts
Summer has come and we are going to enjoy the vacation and also summer would bring for us varieties of fruits like water melon, mangoes etc. At the same time we need to be very careful when we are exposed to the hot sun. Due to deforestation, pollution etc the earth is facing a big issue of Global Warming and this causes the rise in temperature
of the earth. Therefore during summer there are chances to get Heat stroke.
What is Heat Stroke and how it happens ? Prolonged exposure to heat slows down the Hypothalamus – the body heat controlling mechanism in the brain. Once the heat controlling mechanism fails, the body temperature shoots up and affects the functioning of the organs. The body sweats to lower the temperature which results in fluid loss leading to unconsciousness. Heat stroke can be fatal but can be avoided
if we remember few Dos and Don’ts in summer.
Dos
Use sunglasses, sun protection creams and umbrella while going out in the sun
Drink lots of water
Wear light colored cotton clothes
Carry a packet of glucose while going out and drink
glucose if you feel uncomfortable due to heat
Don’ts
Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight
Avoid spicy food and aerated drinks
Avoid wearing tight and dark colored clothes
___________–

A short Story: Judge yourself , not others.
Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into
the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran
toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too
late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That
began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go.
A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital,
the little boy survived His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father’s fingernails dug
into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars.
The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because
my Dad wouldn’t let go.”
You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let you go. In the midst of your struggle, He’s been there holding on to you.
The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade
into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril – and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That’s when
the tug-of-war begins – and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go. Never judge another person’s scars, because you don’t know how they got them.
By Mr. Geotge Edward
Works as a Missionary in
Friends Missionary Prayer Band,
Chennai

Abbreviation
AMU : Aligarh Muslim University
PLO : Palestinian Liberation Organi
zation
VP : Vidhan Parishad
GATT : General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade
DMK : Dravida Maunetra Kazhagam
BPCL : Bharat Petroleum Corporation
Limited
CJ : Chief Justice
KFC : Kentucky Fried Chicken

Word Power
1. Light : The brightness given by
the sun, a flame, a lamp
etc. that makes vision
possible.
2. Light : Public knowledge, some
new information
3. Light : Spiritual light
4. Light, lit, lighted, lighting : to cause, to catch fire, to
cause to become bright
with excitement.
5. Light : Easy to see
6. Light : Not severe
7. Light : lighty, without much
luggage,
8. lighten : to make or become
brighter
9. light headed : Giddy, Dizzy or delirious
10. Light hearted : Cheerful, happy, and free
from care.
_________ _________
Attention Parent
Doctors are noticing a sharp rise in
aggressive behavior even among kids who are
barely 2yrs old. In fact the problem has its
root in their toys and in parental behavior.
In a group of 20, at least 7 to 8 kids are
displaying aggressive behavior these days say
Montessori houses. The hottest favorites
among kids are guns of different kinds, WWF
figures, remote controlled robots, and of
course video games that fight thieves,
dinosaurs and serpents. These toys evoke
aggressive behaviors among kids.
So parents be careful while buying the toys
for your kids next time.
_________ _________

Olympic Facts:

The early Olympic games were celebrated from 776BC until 393AD, then it was banned
for being a pagan festival. In 1894, a French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin, proposed a revival of the ancient tradition, and thus the modern day Olympic Games were born. The five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world – Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and every national flag in the world includes one of the five colours, which are from (left to right) blue, yellow, black, green and red.
Few facts of Olympic 2008 : The Olympic torch was lit on the 24th March at Olympia, Greece. The Olympic Torch is based on traditional scrolls and uses a traditional Chinese design known as “Lucky Cloud”. It is made from aluminum. The torch is designed to remain lit in 65 kilometre per hour winds, and in rain of up to 50 millimetres per hour. An ignition key is used to ignite and extinguish the flame. The torch is fueled by cans of
propane. Each can will light the torch for 15 minutes. It is designed by a team from Lenovo Group.
The 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will run until August 8, 2008, prior to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad at Beijing, China. The relay, with the theme ‘Journey of Harmony’, is
expected to last 130 days and carries the torch 137,000 kms— the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay. There have also been few controversies for the Olympic 2008. Baichung Bhutia, the foot ball player declined to carry the Olympic torch in support of Tibetans. The Tibetan protestors have tried to snuff out the torch in many places. However all are anxiously waiting for the 8th August to watch the grand opening ceremony of Olympic 2008 at Beijing, how about you ???
_______
Youth Cornor :
Peer Pressure
Peers are the children or youth of same age. Age-mates who provide a supportive network for the children, or youth are called Peer-group. The
influence of the Peer group that pressurizes or influences a child or a youth to behave in a certain way is called Peer Pressure. Peers and friends play
important roles for the normal development of a child or youth. When youth grow older, they face challenges in making decisions. Some are not clear about a right or wrong answer and decisions that involve moral values. Making decisions on our own is hard but when pressurized by the peer group the decision-making can be even harder. It is always important for a youth to carefully choose his/her peers and be aware of the pressures that can lead
them astray. Peer pressure can be both negative and positive and can be discerned though ones’ own value system. For example if a youth has proper values of right and wrong, then he/she can easily determine the negative peer pressure and avoid it or allow the positive Peer pressure to influence. Therefore our own value system is vital but often we find it difficult to say ‘No’ to a negative Peer pressure. Here are few guidelines that can help us in school and college to be firm with our convictions and steer out of trouble. They are as follows:
1. Be strong in Decision-Making: It is always important to make decisions according to your value system. Listen to your conscience. Never take decisions with excitement or emotion. Lean not on your own understanding but prayerfully wait on the Lord while taking decisions.
2. Listen to advice: In the Bible, the wise king Soloman ‘Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.’ ‘Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your ways.’ Proverbs 4:1 says, ‘Hear, children, the
instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.’ So never despise the instructions or advice of an elder.
3. Confide everything with one of the family members:
The Bible says ‘Two are better than one; (because they have a good reward for their labour.’) ‘And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’ So it is always better to confide
with someone before taking any steps, so that he/she can advise you or help you when you are in trouble.
4. Learn to say ‘NO’:
The wise king says, ‘Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that
causeth to err from the words of knowledge.’ Yes, saying “NO” can affect your friendship, but if you are on the right path, you can always
win back your friendship. Rather being wrongly influenced can cause greater permanent harm to your life.
5. Stay away: As it is written in the Holy Book ‘Flee youthful lusts.’ Many times it is difficult to say ‘NO’ therefore, fleeing away or staying away from the situation is the BEST idea. The Bible also says, ‘be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.’ You might become a laughing stock for saying “NO” and “Staying away” but it is up to you to choose because ultimately good and success depends on right decisions.
“Studies indicate that the youth with strong family ties tend to rely less on Peers and more on family members for advice and guidance; those without strong family ties tend to rely more heavily on Peers to provide self-esteem. ”So, young friends! Keeping relationship with family members can be very helpful and you will not be lonely and vulnerable while taking decisions.
Please involve them in your life. Remember! The decisions that you make will ascertain your later life. Therefore, BE WISE!
—by Mr. Chiradeep Patra
is happily married to Asmita and
is working in a Christian NGO
called National Fellowship.
He can be contacted at :
chiradeep.nf@gmail.com;
share_your_problems@hotmail.com;
Visit: www.thecandles.wordpress.com;
www.candlesmagazine.blogspot.com
_________ _________
______
“Be strong and very courageous. Be obedient, do
not turn to the right or to the left that you may be
successful wherever you go”.
– The Bible