[nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB

Julie McGinnity kaybaycar at gmail.com
Thu Apr 3 05:28:00 UTC 2014


Hi all,

I agree with Darian and Jedi here, and I have a few things to add.  As
for NFB and ACB, I would encourage anyone to experience an ACB
convention if possible.  It wasn't my thing...  And if you'd like to
know why, you can certainly email me off list.  But there was
definitely good there.

When I met friends in the NFB, they were the first who didn't accept
the "I'm blind" excuse.  An NFB convention was the first place where I
could walk around and look for things without someone attempting to
help me.  And within the Missouri affiliate, I began to feel like I
was an equal contributor to something.  Maybe this is an idealistic
portrayal of what the NFB can do for people, and I realize that
everyone's circumstances are different.  But the NFB believes in blind
people.

Every organization is made of people, and those people make mistakes
and upset others.  It's unfortunate that those people represent the
NFB, but the organization displays its belief in blind people
constantly.  The leadership cannot be perfect.  We have boards and
checks and balances, but things fail.  The only thing we can do to
change it is speak up as we are doing now and work with those we trust
to change things.

I want to also comment about real life and the NFB.  Because of
various positions I have had within the NFB, I know how to write a
press release, where to begin a fundraising job, and how to facilitate
a large meeting.  You can't tell me these skills aren't transferable
to other areas.  I realize that everyone won't wish to participate in
everything, but finding your place in the organization begins with
meeting people and learning more about the different divisions and
affiliates.

As for fundraising, if we want the programs, we need the funds to make
them happen.  Maybe the organization attempts to do too much, but I
suppose there is a lot to do.  I don't believe that people should only
contact their friends when it is donation time.  I wish we didn't need
to do fundraisers all the time, but needing the money is a reality.
:)

On 4/2/14, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Yeah; the off record meeting would be great.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
> Silverman
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2014 11:02 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>
> Hi Antonio,
>
> I worked Youth Slam in 2009 and had similar impressions. As I said in my
> evaluation of the program, I think Youth Slam should have been divided up
> into two sessions each with 100 students, perhaps at the beginning and end
> of the summer. Many youth summer programs in the mainstream world have two
> sessions to accommodate different summer schedules. It's not a blindness
> thing; having 300 kids in one program is incredibly chaotic and it is
> difficult for overworked mentors and staff to give each student the
> individual attention he or she might require. It is especially hard when
> students are trying to learn new blindness skills. A two-session setup
> would
> have served the same number of kids and I don't think would have cost any
> more money. I'm disappointed that suggestion wasn't implemented but hope
> they at least considered it.
>
> You also make an excellent point about the sociology of organizational
> change. I am teaching social psychology this semester and re-reading a lot
> of basic social psych theory, and learning just how powerful group norms
> can
> be. Sometimes a very dynamic leader can change a group's direction
> singlehandedly, but that is rare. It usually requires some kind of
> collective shift just to allow that person to gain power and then the
> organization needs to move in the leader's direction; otherwise reform
> attempts are not effective. While I agree that we shouldn't leave the
> organization altogether if we are frustrated with it, I also think that we
> need to take collective responsibility for change. It starts with
> discussion
> in a safe place where people can feel free to express opposing viewpoints,
> such as we have here on list. Perhaps those of us young adults who want to
> see specific changes made should set up an off-record meeting at convention
> to discuss this further. When some of us as individuals feel disillusioned,
> we can underestimate how many others might be feeling the same way but
> afraid to express it publicly.
>
> Best,
> Arielle
>
> On 4/2/14, Jedi Moerke <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>> Oh my goodness! I have so many thoughts in my mind and have no idea
>> where to start!
>>
>> I don't want to get into the details here, but I can honestly say that
>> I have had my experience of disillusionment with the organization. I
>> can say that I felt an outsider, judged, not welcome, isolated, and
>> like I had nothing to contribute that anyone wants in this
>> organization. In short, I felt completely worthless and that I didn't
>> belong. Were  there  some people and experiences in the organization that
> helped me to feel this way? Yes.
>> But I also came to find that my expectations for life in the
>> federation were also to blame.
>>
>> My membership in the Nfb has radically changed my life for the better.
>> I honestly don't think I would be the person I am  without the
>> knowledge and experience I have gained by my membership in it. Like
>> many newcomers to organizations like the Nfb, I immediately became
>> enamored with every aspect of the organization and initially felt that
>> the organization and its members could not do wrong. Unfortunately, a
>> few experiences radically shifted my opinion in the opposite direction
>> and I felt completely disoriented. Self reflection caused me to
>> recognize a few things that might be relevant to this discussion.
>>
>> First, there is a difference between the ideals of the organization
>> and the members of the organization. I believe the ideals of the
>> Federation our sound. I believe that the Federation philosophy strives
>> to support all blind people no matter the circumstance. Dr. Jernigan
>> used to say that, in everything that matters, we are one. I really
>> believe that is the attitude we all strive for. The reality is that we
>> fall short sometimes for one reason or another. But that is no reason
>> to quit. I really believe that it is better to stay and encourage
>> members around us to strive toward our stated ideals rather than to
>> leave with bitterness in  our hearts and a bad attitude. And that is
>> not to say that encouraging others toward our organizational ideals
>> isn't challenging. I myself have faced that challenge and have come
>> out better for it. To tell you the truth, I believe the membership I
>> impacted also came out better as well. I also believe that we managed to
> build a stronger relationship as a result.
>>
>> I also found that I had to look at the expectations I had for myself
>> within the organization. I perceived a set of rules for perfection as
>> a member of the organization. It took me a long time and quite a lot
>> of personal agonizing to realize that my worth as a blind person and a
>> member is not determined by how well I follow these rules. In fact, I
>> decided to do away with these rules altogether. I am honestly much
>> happier for it. In the process of my personal reflection, I learned
>> that many other people in the organization decided to throw away
>> whatever rules they perceived for being a perfect Nfb member. And
>> strangely, I started to recognize overtime that there really were no
>> rules for Nfb perfection to begin with and that it was all in our heads.
> Are there judgmental people in the organization?
>> Absolutely. However, I bet that they are probably judgmental in other
>> areas of their life as well. Not just in there Nfb membership. I say
>> to hell with them. I can think of better things to do than worry about
>> them. That said, I do believe that the ideas we call Nfb philosophy
>> make some good points and recommendations for what blind people can do
>> to better themselves. I am living proof that many of these
>> recommendations
> truly do make a difference.
>> It's up to you whether or not you are willing to assess your own life
>> to determine what recommendations will help you improve. Everyone has
>> room to grow, so I encourage all of you too take down whatever
>> defenses you  may have and have a listen. You never know, you might
>> find something helpful somewhere. And the stuff that isn't helpful to
>> you and your situation? Don't worry about it. In fact, feel free to
>> offer your own ideas. There are those who will not listen, but there
>> are also plenty who will. You never know, your perspective may someday
>> be added to our common philosophy. At the very least, your willingness
>> to speak your ideas may make room for some other member of the
>> Federation.
> But that can't happen if you decide to leave.
>>
>> I want to say a few words about the shift our organization seems to be
>> undergoing. I think that Steve had a point when he said that our
>> organization is not the same organization from the 80s and 90s. The
>> field of blindness has changed dramatically since then. More agencies
>> are willing to work with us and many are wanting to learn from us. We
>> have learned a lot about our capabilities in  the last 20 or 30 years.
>> We now know that we can drive a car or practice arts in the STEM
>> fields. Technology has changed our lives in a number of ways making
>> some things easier and some things more difficult. Lastly, the way we
>> advocate for ourselves  has changed a great deal as well. So naturally,
> the way we express ourselves is going to change.
>> But that does not mean that our mission has changed. And yes, we have
>> taken on a few initiatives that cost a lot of money. In the current
>> budgetary climate, we do need to work harder at raising some funds in
>> order to keep these initiatives afloat. That said, I believe the
>> national organization recognizes that not everyone is as enthusiastic
> about fundraising as others.
>> I think the national organizations goals for us as members is for each
>> of us to participate in fundraising in whatever way we can even if our
>> participation is quiet. Some of us take part via our own personal
>> contributions. Others are able to persuade people outside of the
>> organization to donate various sums of money. Some of us prefer to
>> sell things for our chapters during convention or Deering meet the
>> blind campaigns. Whatever it takes. I think the important thing is for
>> you to do what you can. Every little bit helps. It is likely that you
>> may have more enthusiasm for some other part of our mission such as
>> advocacy or public education. So spend your time on those efforts
>> rather than moaning about our fundraising efforts. Trust me when I
>> tell you that there are members who moan about our public education
> efforts. So it goes both ways really.
>>
>> As a cane travel instructor, I was particularly struck by someone's
>> comment regarding their suppose it inability to do structured
>> discovery perfectly. I hate to disappoint you and all, but there is no
>> perfect way to do structure discovery. Structure discovery is about
>> teaching people the skills they need to make sense of the world and to
>> act in  it given their abilities and challenges. A teacher who is not
>> sensitive to a person's challenges is no teacher at all. Likewise, a
>> teacher who does not push a student out of their comfort zone is no
>> teacher at all. And it doesn't really matter if that teacher is a
>> travel instructor or a mentor at convention. The best teachers keep
>> students in a sweet spot where they are definitely challenged, but not
>> so challenged as to make the experience a total wash. If you are the
>> student so to speak and find yourself with a teacher who either
>> doesn't push you or who pushes you beyond your ability, then it is
>> your responsibility to find somebody who can keep you in that sweet
>> spot. It is also up to you to recognize the difference between your
>> actual challenges and those that are self-imposed. As a final thought,
>> if you do structure discovery perfectly, then you are probably doing it
> wrong anyway as structured discovery is never perfect, and that is true no
> matter what kind of blind person you are.
>>
>> At the risk of babbling, let me finish my commentary by saying that
>> those of you who have felt displaced as members of our organization are
> not alone.
>> Many of us have had that experience and I think it comes with the
>> territory of being one member among many within a vast organization
>> whose membership succumbs to human failings. I suggest you keep
>> talking to people about your experience as you will likely find
>> someone who has been there and who can be both a support system and an
>> advisor to you as to what you might do to find your place among us
>> once again. Like I said, I have been there before and I am still
>> working on finding my place. I'm not really sure when or how I will get
> there, but I am still confident that I will nonetheless.
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Apr 1, 2014, at 6:28 PM, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>  There has been some wonderful discussion here, and I'm sorry if I
>>> somehow repeat something that has been said, as i have not been able to
> get quite
>>> caught up on every message.  nonetheless,  Joe once again has   brought
> up
>>> a host  of great points, an I feel compelled to jump in here.
>>>
>>>
>>> It has been mentioned  that the organization seems to focus on two
>>> things primarily; 1. fundraising, and 2. recruiting  new members.
>>> I think both things are very important, but they should go hand   in
>>> hand
>>> with being exemplary stewards of our funds and a true effort towards
>>> accepting /retaining our current membership. different people take
>>> different things from the organization.  Some love what we do and
>>> want to be a part of it,  others can't give time but can give money,
>>> some not money but time, some want to be leaders and nothing more,
>>> some want to be members with no responsibility  in the  organization.
>>> Honestly, I think it's very important that we  continue to make an
>>> effort to accept people where they are in their blindness and meet
>>> their needs/answer questions where appropriate.  doing these things
>>> over time will allow for us to be able to come to know our fellow
>>> members as people, as friends and this is what keeps people around.
>>>
>>>  Some of us feel  like we don't have a real  connection with people
>>> in our chapter, or affiliate and this is truly  disheartening.
>>> Sometimes we need to reach out to the right person, sometimes there
>>> is more that we can do and simply giving up won't  solve the problem.
>>> It of course is totally possible that for  whatever reason the
>>> leadership isn't very receptive to new people or new ideas.  If you
>>> believe  in what the federation stands for and believe what we do is
>>> worth the time you are willing to give, then finding the right outlet
>>> in some part of the organization is very important, and I hope that
> everyone here does this.
>>> it is my opinion that we each has something unique to offer the
>>> movement.
>>> some of us are fundraisers, some of us are natural leaders, some of
>>> us know how to network, and in the grass-roots community work that we
>>> do all of these things are important.
>>>
>>>
>>>  Darian
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Mar 30, 2014, at 11:00 AM, Arielle Silverman
>>>> <arielle71 at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi Joe,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have not been following the
>>>> Braille Monitor that closely but I can understand what you are
>>>> saying about the increased emphasis on fund-raising. I have also
>>>> felt like the national convention is turning into more of a carnival
>>>> with all the exhibitors and prizes being given away, and much of
>>>> banquet that used to focus on philosophy and NFB spirit is now taken
>>>> up with prize drawings and the like.
>>>> To be fair, NFB was stronger financially when we joined than it is
>>>> now, and I understand that some national programs have been cut due
>>>> to a decrease in revenue from what used to be steady reliable income
>>>> sources. So NFB may be pushing fund-raising more, but the
>>>> alternative could be a loss of programs and resources.
>>>> I have not heard of anyone being blatantly turned away or refused
>>>> membership in an NFB chapter. If that ever happens it is truly
>>>> shameful. I do think that sometimes prospective members choose not
>>>> to join because they perceive hostility from the organization or
>>>> judgment of their lifestyle choices. I think part of that is
>>>> perception only, and part of it is reality. The NFB is stereotyped
>>>> as a radical one-size-fits-all organization, and new members
>>>> expecting to find that could be especially sensitive to cues of
>>>> hostility. However, there probably is some real lack of acceptance
>>>> among certain segments of the organization, which, again, is
>>>> unfortunate. I will say that I am not the most graceful blind person
>>>> and was relatively unskilled when I first joined, and I still felt
>>>> completely accepted. But I know not all of us are so lucky. I would
>>>> encourage prospective members who have a negative experience to try
>>>> again in a different chapter or division and perhaps they will find
>>>> acceptance there. But at the same time, this is something we need to be
> sensitive to in the organization.
>>>>
>>>> Arielle
>>>>
>>>>> On 3/30/14, Michael Capelle <michael.capelle at frontier.com> wrote:
>>>>> Hello all.
>>>>> This is why I am not apart of any "blind movement."  I live my own
>>>>> life, live my own philosophy, ETC.  I do not believe in a one size
>>>>> fits all mentality, which is unfurtunately what the NFB does.
>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>> Mike
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: RJ Sandefur
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 11:51 AM
>>>>> To: jsoro620 at gmail.com ; National Association of Blind Students
>>>>> mailing list
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>>>>>
>>>>> Joe, I agree with you. I had to attend both college, and Seminary
>>>>> without the NFB's help, although it would have been nice to have a
>>>>> mentoor. RJ
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com>
>>>>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 12:25 PM
>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> 2006 was the last year I attended a national convention. While
>>>>>> there I was caught up in the ra ra of the movement and felt glad
>>>>>> to be in the company
>>>>>>
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> so many people who could relate to the challenges that awaited me
>>>>>> as a recent college graduate. I left convention, finished up my
>>>>>> summer as a counselor in Iowa, and set off for DC to begin my
>>>>>> business with the real world. I would never take away someone's
>>>>>> enthusiasm from attending a national convention or Washington
>>>>>> Seminar or one of the weekend leadership seminars in Baltimore.
>>>>>> They are very well-suited to boost a person's spirit, but I
>>>>>> believe too many people fall through the cracks when faced with
>>>>>> reality outside of those infrequent gatherings.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To be fair, the organization is no different from any other
>>>>>> nonprofit business. It needs money to sustain itself, and in turn
>>>>>> it needs more members to help raise the money. Still, I found it
>>>>>> rather disappointing that so much of the board meeting I tuned
>>>>>> into listen to last summer was dominated by calls to raise money
>>>>>> for this fund or that effort. I found it even sadder that a recent
>>>>>> issue of the Braille Monitor, our monthly dose of inspiration,
>>>>>> featured several articles just to the focus of generating more
>>>>>> ways to drum up more financial support, but perhaps the most
>>>>>> frustrating byproduct of this new NFB are the e-mails from
>>>>>> so-called friends from whom
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> have not heard in years but boldly ask me to contribute to their
>>>>>> NFB fundraising campaigns.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In short, at some point the NFB embraced enterprise and forgot
>>>>>> about the movement. Between 2006 and 2012 I went on to help lead
>>>>>> development efforts for other nonprofits outside of the blindness
>>>>>> field, also national in scope.
>>>>>> They too made fundraising a priority, but it never felt like the
>>>>>> top, or the only, priority. It gets tiresome when we focus on
>>>>>> recruiting new blood and raising new money and forget about
>>>>>> strengthening the members and resources we've already had.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nowadays I have the privilege of knowing some excellent blind
>>>>>> professionals.
>>>>>> I think they would do well in the NFB. They are smarter than I
>>>>>> ever will be and have accomplished more than I may ever achieve,
>>>>>> but they shun the organization because they were turned away or
>>>>>> because they were never welcomed in the first place. It's
>>>>>> something I should have kept in mind when I had my brief taste of
>>>>>> leadership in the organization. I had too much of
>>>>>>
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> mouth on me to ever be anyone's golden child, but I was reliable
>>>>>> enough to get the job done. But, getting the job done should have
>>>>>> really meant attracting and pulling in these men and women who
>>>>>> could have made the NFB lots better, listening to new ideas, and
>>>>>> most important, remaining true to the cause and not some
>>>>>> multi-million-dollar institute we find ourselves incapable of
>>>>>> sustaining.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, what does any of this have to do with the original post? I
>>>>>> don't want
>>>>>>
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> to ever be said I was a hypocrite. The leadership may as well know
>>>>>> what I think of them, but more importantly, to the college kids on
>>>>>> the verge of spreading their own wings, I want you to know the NFB
>>>>>> banner will only guide your way so far. Take what's great about
>>>>>> the organization and leave the political drama and marketing ploys
>>>>>> behind. In the end it will be your own wits and talents that will
>>>>>> earn your pay check. The NFB will never give you anything new. The
>>>>>> philosophy merely helps you uncover what you always had
>>>>>>
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> be successful. Anything could happen with the new NFB president,
>>>>>> and I will be the first to retract my words if he is brave enough
>>>>>> to reverse this downward spiral. You see, we no longer live in a
>>>>>> world where the NFB is necessary for collective momentum.
>>>>>> Technology has seen to that. Whether or not the movement sticks
>>>>>> around largely depends on how badly we want it to exist.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is the ACB doing it any better? That's debatable, but you know
>>>>>> what I've found from the people I've met on that side of the
>>>>>> house? They seem happier, and that's something we can't seem to
>>>>>> figure out in our camp. The few victories they celebrate they do
>>>>>> with even less money. Let that be a lesson in financial management
>>>>>> to you.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't know what the hell I'm doing back here. I told myself I
>>>>>> would never become one of those bitter former NFB members. My only
>>>>>> goal was to provide different perspectives to the new generation
>>>>>> of leaders coming up through the ranks. After all, if you never
>>>>>> taste the real world, you have no business leading. That's like
>>>>>> the teacher who teaches because they couldn't cut it, and believe
>>>>>> it or not, I want to see more and more of you excel at whatever it
>>>>>> is you want to do. The more of you there are, the greater our
>>>>>> strength.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Moving forward I reckon I'll keep my opinions to myself here lest
>>>>>> I be the rotten apple that spoils the bunch, but in some lame
>>>>>> attempt to answer the original question, my answer would be this:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The characteristics of a successful blind person are humility to
>>>>>> consume what they need to be successful, fortitude to turn away
>>>>>> what will not, and wisdom to recognize the difference.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Joe
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Visit my blog:
>>>>>> http://joeorozco.com/blog
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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-- 
Julie McG
National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16




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