Tuesday, May 27, 2008

KQED | Programs: Water Haulers: Home


KQED Programs A-Z: Water Haulers: Home

I discovered this from my RSS Reader in Newsgator. Here is a short documentary on the plight of my Navajo People. My parents and extended relatives still live on the reservation. Here is insight into where I grew up in junior high and high school. The documentary is 28 minutes long you may want to bookmark it for later viewing. Thanks to KNME and KQED for funding and producing and showing this film.

Student learns her roots - Salt Lake Tribune


Student learns her roots - Salt Lake Tribune

I am in the process of getting my son to begin the journey of learning Navajo so that he is eligible for the Chief Manuelito Navajo Scholarship. I am glad that I discovered this opportunity. Thank you, Ben Fulton for writing about this.

Jacoby Ellsbury 3 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Jacoby Ellsbury 3 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Here is a great picture of the Boston Red Sox player, Jacoby Ellsbury. He is part Navajo. As a Navajo, I am glad that he is excelling as an athlete. I say thanks to Not Duke Two for allowing this photo to go public on Flickr.

Video Games - Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo Expands His Empire - NYTimes.com


Video Games - Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo Expands His Empire - NYTimes.com

This article by Seth Schiesel talks about the creative mind behind the Wii. My boys love their friend's Wii game system. Even my daugther has played the Wii Fit already.

I am intrigued by his games' popularity. According to Schiesel, Mr. Miyamoto designs his games with gameplay systems and mechanics always coming first. Game design precedes the characters. In fact, "That means a focus on the seemingly prosaic basic elements of game design: movement, setting, goals to accomplish and obstacles to overcome," says Miyamoto. He wants people to have fun with the games and to fall in love with the characters as they have fun.

In addition, I am curious about Miyamoto's comment that "consumers crave the ability to shape and become a part of their entertainment." He adds, "you’re becoming more a part of the entertainment experience.”

As I work in my church, I wonder how I can make missions (that's the area of ministry that I am in) more a part of a person's life experience. Now I am not talking about creating a game or a sim, but I am pondering how I can make real a missions experience where one's spirituality is enhanced and forwarded from personal shaping and individual participation and group collaboration.

Maybe I'm just out there. But I wonder how the typical consumer can engage my missions experience and make its outcomes become integrated into a person's lifestyle. I wonder if I can design missions that reflects gaming design.

Movement & Setting--you must leave your comfort zone to another place to serve others; Goals to accomplish--serve others out of love for humankind and out of love for God who loves all humankind; Obstacles to overcome--fear that you can't go outside your comfort zone, sadness that the life situation of others is worse than yours, anger that others don't see or feel like doing anything about it; happiness that you can truly be blessed as you seek to bless others with your time, resources, and physical presence.

I wonder what you think. I'd like to know.

Pastor D