A Family Tragedy

Leash Alaine
Mr. Michael Freeman
HUM422 D
February 26, 2014

A Family Tragedy

This post has been handed down to the author second-handedly. The information in the post was immediately put in the El Paso newspaper the next day following the event that will be told. There are details in this post that the newspaper article did not address because this event affected the company of the host family that the author currently lives with. 

No photographs or list of names will be present in this post for confidentiality reasons. This is to ensure the privacy of the family that was greatly affected by this event. 

      It was approximately 8:00 pm when a pastor left his young wife and their nine-month-year old son to pickup his twin brother at New Mexico's El Paso airport. There was much to look forward to this week because the next day would mark his wife's birthday and tonight would mark the evening of his twin brother's visit to his family (just in time for his sister-in-law's birthday). This young pastor had a lot going for him as his church congregation was growing and he and his wife had just become parents to a nine-months-year old son.

      This particular evening, on February 24, was no different than any other. The roads and weather were clear. Lots of young couples say a quick "see you later" when parting ways for a small amount of time. No one would have ever imagined that this evening would be the last time that this couple would exchange words. 

In the shoes of the young pastor (8:30-8:45 pm):

      Imagine just cruising on the highway and all of a sudden you see an oncoming BMW vehicle speeding at around a hundred miles an hour on the highway of interstate-ten east (Borunda 2). A hundred miles an hour is extremely fast for an oncoming vehicle headed right in one's direction that it is hard to react quickly. As one may guess, this headlong BMW did not quickly swerve out of the pastor's Toyota Sienna van; the BMW stayed on the same road that the pastor was driving on (4). The facts tell all: a deadly collision between two vehicles resulting in the loss of two lives in just a minute. The only positive thing that can come out of such a terrible accident is that there were no other passengers within the vehicles--only the drivers (5). 

In the shoes of the twin brother (9:30 pm):

      The twin brother of this young pastor was still waiting at the El Paso airport waiting for his brother to pick him up. Being in the brother's shoes may make you feel concerned about where your brother is and why he had not shown up on time to pick you up from the airport. Most likely his brother was very good as being punctual for pick ups and drop offs at the airport. The worse news that you want to hear is that your twin brother was involved in a deadly vehicle accident that he would not have been in if it were not for you needing to be picked up from the airport. This is when the feeling of blame might surface in your mind when really it was not your fault because "accidents" unfortunately happen when you least expect it. 

In the shoes of the young wife (9:15 pm):

      You will not hear the news until around thirty minutes after the accident your husband was involved in. You do not know that there was an accident but you will hear about it a good fifteen minutes before your brother-in-law. Upon receiving the news, you may first have the feeling of despair and question how you can continue to live, now that your spouse has been taken from you from this world. The second thing on your mind is how you will be able to provide for your family and care for your infant son, now that the breadwinner of the family has passed. The minute thing that you agonize over is that your birthday celebration will not happen tomorrow. When your birthday celebration finally happens, the celebration will not be like any previous birthday celebrations. 

Reflection on the Event:

      The reactions that the twin brother and young wife both experience is normal. The main objective is to help the family members to understand that it is not their fault that this terrible accident occurred; the accident could have been prevented but it is unhealthy to live in the "what ifs" of life. Outsiders looking at the family may start blaming the deceased driver of the BMW for driving on the wrong side of the road but blame will not solve pain. 

      Rational thoughts do not occur until a good amount of time has passed. What people often fail to understand is that it is not always best to find a person to blame for deadly accidents. People make mistakes. It is okay for people to question which driver was in the right: was it the BMW driver or the young pastor? This situation would cause most people to quickly state that it was the BMW driver's fault because he was not following the driving laws of the United States (driving on the right side of the road and driving in the respected marked areas of the roads). 

      The ethical principle taken away from this article and my own second-hand account of the accident is this: people should not be so quick to judge the actions of others; instead, people should first find the facts that explain why a person mostly responsible for a cause acted the way they did. Blame and anger will not solve the family members of the pastor's loss. The only way that can help the pain be bearable is to be willing to forgive the deadly mistake that the believed responsible party had made. 

Works Cited:

Borunda, Daniel. "2 Killed in Wrong Way Crash on I-10 in West El Paso County." El 
      Paso Times.com. The El Paso Times, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

      

A Pakistani Family's Fight for their Son's Continual Stay in the United States

Leash Alaine
Mr. Michael Freeman 
Christian Perspectives: Intolerable Tolerance
February 11, 2014

A Pakistani Family's Fight for their Son's Continual Stay in the United States

    

      Foreign exchange student Muhammad Shahzaib Bajwa was only twenty years old when his life turned upside down. He may not quite understand his current situation: he has been in a Minnesota hospital for almost three months because of a serious car collision he had with a deer back in November 2013 (Karnowski 2). It is not uncommon for deer to surprise car drivers by jumping out onto the road; this is why there are multiple warning signs of deer crossing around the western states of the United States. Muhammad Shahzaib's brother, Shahraiz Bajwa, explained that he and his brother were on their way back to school from Minnesota when the unfortunate collision occurred. No one knew that it would be only a matter of seconds that would change Muhammad Shahzaib's life in a way that it would affect his brain.          

     

Muhammad Shahzaid Bajwa at the University of Wisconsin-Superior (Karnowski)

       The United States of America has an agreement with foreign countries to provide the countries' local residents with temporary visas (work or student) to live on while fulfilling their needs or desires in the United States. It is a challenge for many foreigners to be given approved access into the country due to the high security that the United States place at its country's borders (Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Washington-Dulles International Airport, etcetera). This agreement for foreigners to reside in the United States for a certain period of time is only granted when the country and the individual foreigners settle a time frame for how long the individual will need to remain in the country in order to fulfill their plans. Knowing that Muhammad Shahzaid Bajwa is continuing treatment at a Minnesota hospital makes it difficult for him to continue his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. 

      His parents recently flew over from Pakistan to aide their suffering son in the United States while realizing that his student visa will be expiring this month on the twenty-eighth. A spokeswoman at the hospital made the announcement that Bajwa's parents would fear the most: he would no longer be able to stay in the Minnesota hospital for further treatment and must return to his home country, even though his country does not have access to the high technology needed to continue his treatment (5). The harsh fact is that Bajwa will die if he returns to his country. His family currently has an attorney who has been fighting to keep Bajwa in the United States for further treatment so that his life will not be taken from him as soon as if he returned to his country (13). 

Muhammad Shahzaid Bajwa in a Minnesota Hospital in 2014 (Karnowski)

      From a Christian perspective, it would be pressed on the Minnesota hospital to allow him to continue his treatment regardless of his student visa expiring at the end of this month. Bajwa is in a condition that permits him from pleading his own case to remain in the United States on an extended visa term because of his situation. The Scripture repeatedly quotes Christ telling the world to help the needy in any situation, mentally or physically. Bajwa needs care in both areas since he is seriously injured from his car collision and brain damage; therefore, he probably still does not know how serious his physical state is mentally. I John 3:17 warns people to lend an extended hand to the needy because if they do not, they most likely will not be able to experience what it means to have the love of God in their life. 

      Bajwa's situation is very complicated to apply Biblically because of the law being the final say of what happens to a person in any situation. A person might expect the United States government to understand that they would be saving a life if they did not force Bajwa to return to his home country. Proverbs 14:31 can be interpreted in a way that speaks to an authoritative figure who is trying to force an action on a person in need who can simply not fulfill the action that is being requested of them, such as in Bajwa's case with the United States' law. Therefore, anyone who is involved in this case should have the wits to realize that there is a time when people like Bajwa needs to be extended grace and be allowed to remain in the country for medical reasons. 

Works Cited:

Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001. Print.

Karnowski, Steve. "Family: Keep Pakistani Patient in US Hospital." AbcNews. Associated 

      Press, 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Kevin Jonas: Sticking to the Faith

Leash Alaine

Mr. Michael Freeman 

Christian Perspectives: Intolerable Tolerance

February 03, 2014

Kevin Jonas: Sticking to the Faith

    

       Former band Jonas band member, Kevin Jonas, is the eldest of four three brothers: Joseph, Nicholas, and Franklin Jonas. He and his brothers are considered "pastor kids" and have formed the well-known early 2000's pop group, The Jonas Brothers. Kevin's youngest brother, Franklin, was not close in age to his older three brothers therefore, not being included in the pop group. The band group ended their tour on October 2013 so that Joseph and Nicholas could both pursue solo careers in the music industry ("Kevin Jonas Biography"). 

    http://s2.djyimg.com/n3/eet-content/uploads/2013/12/179591141-1024x680.jpg

       The reason why the band formed was so that they could spread the Gospel through their music. Their music became popular amongst the younger teenage generation since they included much rhythm in their music and a different style beat than was accustomed at that time. Kevin Jonas explained his brothers and his view on why they're reaching out to Christian audiences despite that their music is very nontraditional: "...Our whole thing is to play mainstream music but to be a light in a dark world and to tell people that we are  Christians when they ask, 'What's so different about you?' We're like, 'Well, we're Christians and we love the Lord.' That's our opportunity to witness to people. We just feel like this is where we belong" ("The Jonas Brothers on Faith").

      Kevin Jonas is considered to be the quietest and less standout brother in the Jonas Brothers. Joseph and Nicholas have become the heartthrobs of teenage girls since their band group began touring. It was in May 2007 that Kevin found his future bride, Danielle Deleasa, who was a former hairdresser for the Jonas Brothers. Kevin's relationship with Danielle became more serious; the two wedded on December 19, 2009 at Long Island ("Kevin Jonas…"). One can observe Kevin to be sticking to the laws of the Scripture (the Bible) because the only woman he dated was the woman he married. It is not just his single-relationship he had with Danielle that makes him more Christian than his brothers, but the way he acts in society. 

http://hannahmontana2009.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/kevin-jonas-wedding-photo-01.jpg

      Joseph and Nicholas have often found themselves to be the headlines of several entertainment tabloids in the past, which speaks on their troubled past dating relationships to their involvement with the law. Please do not misread what is being said. It was only two months ago that Joseph thought it suitable to blame the Disney company for his downfall in drugs and other unruly behavior from a statement he made on his social network page, twitter (Andrews). However, Joseph's blame on Disney should not have been the approach to take. In reality, it was his own personal fault that he allowed himself to fall into the temptations of the world. 

      Nicholas Jonas, on the other hand, is not as involved in drugs as brother Joseph. The primary struggle that Nicholas has is having many girls in his life. There is no question that Joseph has had many relationships with girls in his life, but he allowed further materialistic things become a problem in his life other than girls. Nicholas was in multiple relationships: Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Samantha Barks, etc. Being with several girls is not wrong, but it is how a relationship is executed that makes it wrong. No one can make accusations against Joseph and Nicholas on their behaviors because they have not known either of the young adults personally. 

      The observations that have been made on Joseph and Nicholas just shows how much more serious Kevin is in his family's religion. There has been no tabloids or explicit comments that Kevin made that would cause questions to surface regarding his faith. Also, Kevin seems to not be a person who would hold a grudge against another person as quickly as Joseph. The tabloids do make a note that Joseph does have an explosive temperament. Therefore, the known fact is that Kevin has been seen as not getting into the "troubles" that Joseph and Nicholas have been getting into since their band begun and ended. 

      There are some girls who do have "so-called" crushes on Kevin, despite the fact he is married, but that does not explain Kevin not sticking to the "faith" that his parents have taught him to live by. Kevin considers himself to be a devout Christian who seeks to honor the One True God by adhering to His laws. Yes, there are several times when Kevin would find himself stumbling over temptations of "going bad" because of all of the worldly publicity. 

      Today, Kevin and Danielle recently welcomed their first child, a girl, into the world on February 01, 2014. They chose the name "Alena Rose" because the name "Alena" was cute and the name "Rose" had a special meaning to their family ("Kevin, Danielle Jonas…"). It is apparent that Kevin will strive to teach Alena to walk in the footsteps of her father, mother, and grandparents. It will be hard for her to not avoid the fact that her father is a former celebrity, but that should not hinder her ability to come to know Christ as her personal Savior. 

http://data3.whicdn.com/images/99466955/large.jpg

      Prior to commenting on this post, the statements made about Joseph and Nicholas Jonas' faith is only a personal opinion by the author. Please do not make aggressive comments to this post as this post is only a way to help broaden the understanding of how difficult it is for Christian celebrities to remain faithful to their family religion. Kevin Jonas has proved much by hinting in the tabloids that he is not going to do anything against what Scripture says. Thank you for reading. 

The World's First Time Blogger

~Leash Alaine~

Works Cited:

Andrews, Helena, and Emily Heil. "Joe Jonas the Latest to Rage against the 

      Disney Machine." Http://www.washingtonpost.com. The Reliable Source, 4 Dec. 

      2013. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.

"Kevin, Danielle Jonas Welcome Baby Daughter Named Alena Rose Jonas." Latest 

      News. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.

"Kevin Jonas Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.

"Kevin Jonas, Danielle Jonas Welcome New Daughter Alena Rose Jonas ." NY Daily 

      News. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.

"The Jonas Brothers on Faith." - Beliefnet.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.