Introduction To The Listener Supported Show And How To Partner With American Family Radio
Jeff Chamblee Hello, I'm Jeff Chamblee. Did you know that this show is listener supported? Without people like you, this show would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio, specifically this show as we reach thousands of people each week with biblical truth.
Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net/give that's afr.net/give
Jeff Chamblee Coming up today, we'll meet Alex Nsengimana, a man who grew up and survived the genocide in Rwanda during the 1990s and is now sharing the love of Jesus with others through Operation Christmas Child.
Alex Nsengimana And unfortunately, our grandmother and one of our uncles were killed. And so me and my brother, my sister, we were wondering, why are these people doing this to us?
Jeff Chamblee Then staff writer Jordan Chamblee explains what parents need to know about the video game rating system and how that can help with their kids Christmas wish lists.
Jordan Chamblee The rating is really, really good. A surface level at a glance view of what to expect from the game.
Jeff Chamblee It's the weekend of October 31st and November 1st. I'm Jeff Chamblee, and this is the Stand Radio.
Alex Nsengimana Recounts Growing Up In Rwanda Amidst Genocide And Personal Loss
As we approach the Christmas season, a lot of churches are ramping up for their annual packing of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's purse and since 1993, has become the world's largest Christmas project of its kind. If you are familiar with that, you know that every shoebox is filled with fun toys, school supplies, and personal care items and is then delivered to children in need around the world to show God's love in a very tangible way. And the amazing thing is that for many of these children, it's the very first gift they've ever received. Joining me is, a man who was once among those children. Alex Nsengimana is from the East African nation of Rwanda and grew up in a very unstable environment filled with violence and genocide. And for the past few years, he's been working with Operation Christmas Child to share his amazing story. Alex, welcome to the program.
Alex Nsengimana Thank you, Jeff. Thank you for having me on, the Stand Radio. And it's, an honor being here today.
Jeff Chamblee Well, it's great to have you. I understand you received your shoebox while living in Rwanda. Tell us what life was like as a child in that country.
Alex Nsengimana I was born and raised, in Rwanda at a time when tribal unrest was at its greatest. And it was such a difficult time as a little kid, growing up seeing the hatred that had been created in people's lives. And because of, this hatred, it goes way back to during the colonial time when the people of Rwanda were colonized. They were divided into, in three different tribes. And those tribes were the Hutus, the Tutsis and the twa. But unfortunately, hatred was created between the Hutus and the Tutsis. And that hatred continued to grow and grow to the point where, a friend would not see their own friend because they, were a different tribe. That inception of hatred went on, however, in 1994, that's when, the Rwandan president was assassinated. That's when this genocide, against the Tutsi brought out, because it had been building up for so many years. So you had young generation in their 50s and the 60s, who were growing up in some of the homes who were being told how to hate. And so now in 1994, they were young adults and when they heard on their radio being told by leaders who believed in this hatred that it was time to go cut down a torch tree or crush a cockroach, they knew, what to do. They went next door, a neighbor, and they killed their own friends. They killed their own neighbor. I was six years old when the genocide started in 1994. And I was living with my grandmother and my brother and my two uncles. And we were among the first people that they came looking for because our family was known to be part, of the Tutsi tribe in that village. And there had been a lot of bullying happening to my grandmother. And so when that genocide started, immediately we were attacked by our own neighbor. And unfortunately, our grandmother and one of our uncles were killed. And so me and my brother, my sister, we were wondering, why are these people doing this to us? So as a six year old boy, I could not fathom that my own neighbor would all of a sudden do this to us.
And so it became a time when, we started to run from family to family. But as we ran, Jeff, God was doing so many miracles to protect us. I can still remember when, we were running into the hills and bullets would miss our head. I can remember when a man's gun didn't work, when he went to pull the trigger, when he attacked us and told us to go to lie down. And what saved our lives was that his weapon didn't work miracles. After miracles, for three months, me and my brother and my sister and Maya, and our aunt, we ran all over the hills of Rwanda. And while we were running, God was doing so many miracles to protect Us. I can still remember when we were hiding in the bushes and abandoned buildings. But along the way, God continued to do miracles to protect us. At the end of that genocide, after we're so tired and after running for that long, we were put in an orphanage by my aunt and me and my brother. We were put in this orphanage. And when he got into this orphanage, lost all hope. we were leaving the 250 other children, and all of us had lost our loved ones. And it was such a difficult time that, because we started to have nightmares after nightmares. But during this time, this is when Samaritan's purse was already in Rwanda responding.
they used the World Medical Mission team to support the people who are wounded physically. And then a year later, in 1995, they brought Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes to our orphanage. And that's when I got to receive an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox gift. A gift for the very first time in my life. And I can still remember like it was yesterday when all of us were told to line up in the yard and we're so excited to have a gift to call our own.
Jeff Chamblee Wow, what an amazing story, Alex. And I cannot imagine what that would have been like as a six year old. But, how the Lord protected you and then opened your, experiences up to receiving your very first Christmas gift. What was the most important thing in that shoebox gift that you received?
Alex Nsengimana One of the most important shoebox item that I got in that Operation Christmas Shoebox gift was, a, ah, hair combination. I kept a hair comb for the longest time. it was an item that, was so unique. On one side had a brush, then on another side it had a little pick. I carried that comb with me. another favorite item that was in that box was, watercolors. And those watercolors were so special because we were able to create new memories. As we used our watercolors. We dipped the brush in the water and then we dipped it in the paint, because our minds were full of trauma. And when we got to have, those coloring books or the watercolors, we're able to create new memories. But the most important shoebox item that I got is an item that cannot be. You can't see it, you can't hold it, but is the seed of hope and love of Jesus Christ that was planted in my life there and then, even though I didn't accept Christ as my Lord and Savior, but a seed was planted. And then, when the orphanage director used that opportunity to Share with us about Jesus Christ. It was years later that God sent me people to disciple me and what that seed. Then my faith journey continued to grow into a relationship with my heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.
Jeff Chamblee Wow, praise God. What an amazing story. now you are one of the people packing shoebox gifts for other children. How does it make you feel knowing that you're sending a gift to a child? Just like someone sent a gift to you one day time.
Alex Nsengimana it is such a joy when I got to pack shoe, when I get to pack shoeboxes and when I pack my shoeboxes I remember how that made me feel. I remember the joy, I remember the excitement. I remember when I was being discipled. And so when I packed those shoeboxes, it is such an honor and a privilege to be able to send the gospel of Jesus Christ to another child in knowing that through their local church they're going to hear about Jesus and as a way to demonstrate God's love, they're going to get the shoebox items. But eventually like I, like I lost the hair comb after three years, all those items are going to be gone. But what's going to live with them are the seeds of hope and love of Jesus Christ. And that fuels my passion to pack shoebox. And it's just so humbling to be on this end being able to pack a shoebox gift and it's so fun. So I get excited sharing it with other friends, other people so that they can get involved, for a fun way to make an impact in kids lives around the world.
Jeff Chamblee well said Alex. Well said. Let me give the website for Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child. It's Easy to remember. Samaritanspurse.org OCC samaritanspurse.org OCC National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child is just around the corner. November 6th through the 23rd. There are 5,000 locations around the US and Puerto Rico to take those boxes. Samaritanspurse.org occ Alex, I understand that you actually returned to the same orphanage that you grew up in to deliver shoeboxes. What was that like?
Alex Nsengimana It was so special when I got to go back to Rwanda in 2013 to deliver shoeboxes in the same place that I grew up in such an exciting time. I can still remember when the kids got to hear about Jesus, we got to share the gospel with them and I got to stand in the same place that I stood as a seven year old and I saw one Child standing in the same place that I stood, opening their boxes. And it took me to that day as a seven year old being in that orphanage as well. It was so special. And so it always encourages me to know that through our presence of Christmas Child, kids are getting to hear about Jesus Christ. but on that trip, Jeff, I want to share with you what God did on that trip. See, while on that trip, when I got to receive that Operation Christmas Church shoebox gift, the gospel was planted and the gospel continued to transform my life. And God challenged me in knowing that he had a plan for my life.
But what I didn't accept in the gospel is that he loved even the people who killed my grandmother and my uncle. And I prayed for many years through discipleship, through mentorship, and, I prayed for God to help me heal that one day I can be able to see the people who caused me pain. And that actually got to happen on that trip. When I went back to Rwanda in 2013, I got to go to the prison and found out that the guy who killed my grandmother Flay, but the guy who killed my uncle was still in the prison and were able to share, to share what Christ did to plant the same seeds that had been planted in my life by that Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift in knowing that the gospel also is for him, that if he can repent of what he's done, God can forgive him. Just like he forgave me because I wanted to kill him, in my bitterness and my anger. This goes way back. That's the powerful, how powerful the gift is. It plants a seed of Jesus Christ and transforming lives. And that's why we share this story, to give him the glory for what he's done. And anyone can be part of this.
Jeff Chamblee Yeah, thank you for sharing that story. And I think of the fact that God saw you, even before you were born and put you in that place to receive that box and eventually so that you could become sharing the gospel like you said, with that man in prison. So thank you for sharing that. once again, the website is samaritanspurse.org occ samaritanspurse.org OCC and National Collection Week is coming up November 16th through the 23rd. Alex Nsengimana, thank you for being with us today and encouraging our hearts to reach out and to touch others with the good news of Jesus.
Alex Nsengimana Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Navigating Video Game Ratings And Understanding New Online Interactions For Parents
Jeff Chamblee Among all of the things that kids will get for Christmas in the US Video games continue to be a popular item. Choosing the right gift is hard enough, but choosing a video game that's entertaining and appropriate can be especially hard. Ratings can be helpful, but they can also be very hard to understand. With me to help clarify that issue is Jordan Chamblee, staff writer for the Stan magazine, who's written an article in the November issue titled Video Game Ratings Explained A Practical Guide for Parents. Hi, Jordan.
Jordan Chamblee Hey, thanks for having me.
Jeff Chamblee I came from the era of Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Tetris.
Jordan Chamblee Oh yeah.
Jeff Chamblee But a lot has changed since those years. What are some of the concerns that people have had about video games in recent times?
Jordan Chamblee Well, I will say that Pac man and Donkey Kong and Tetris are still alive and well.
Alex Nsengimana Okay.
Jordan Chamblee so some things are totally the same. but there has been a lot of things that have changed. Unfortunately, violence isn't one of them. We still have games that are incredibly gory, incredibly violent, but thankfully, in my opinion anyway, the rating system does a good job of flagging those things. Beyond that, there are some ways that video games have really changed over the years. One is that interactions with other players who are playing the same game as you over the Internet that has become almost ubiquitous for multiplayer games and things like that, where you can actually create communities online while you're playing a video game. And, beyond that as well, the ability to actually spend money, whether that's real life money or in game currency, which by the way, if you run out of that, you probably buy it with real life money on, various digital, goods, within the game. An example of that, how that can be problematic is something called loot boxes or loot crates.
and this has been in games for a while now, where instead of going to the in game store page essentially and spending money on something that you know you're going to get, you spend money on a random box and you don't know what's inside this random box. You may have an idea of what could be in it, depending on its rarity level or something like that. but you spend an amount of money on it for the chance of getting something really good and you'll at least get something out of it. so it's not a complete, you're spending money for absolutely nothing. But that has been likened to gambling in the past, which has, introduce some stricter ways that, that can be presented in a game, to keep it from being actual gambling.
Jeff Chamblee So there are incentives to get these loot boxes.
Jordan Chamblee Yes. Now I will say that usually when there is a game that where progression through the game is sort of gate kept behind a paywall. These are called pay to win games. Nobody likes those. Those are no fun because then if you don't have money to spend, you can't play the game.
Jeff Chamblee Okay.
Jordan Chamblee So usually these things are more cosmetic and don't really have an impact on the way you play the game. they're just for, just for fun at the end of the day. But another thing that has been more recent years, different than what it used to be.
It used to be that you buy a game, you purchase the game, you play it at home, and what's on the game is what was put there by the software developer.
Alex Nsengimana Okay.
Jordan Chamblee But now because you're playing games online and games have become more of platforms than just strict games, you might actually start playing, playing content that was created by other players. But other games, and I'll just go ahead and say Roblox has been in a lot of controversy because of this. because when this happens, depending on how important it is to the game company to monitor these things, you could be playing through something quite vile. and that should be of great concern to parents. It could be fine, but it could also be something very depraved.
Jeff Chamblee so parents are going to shop for video games. They're wanting to, they have a set of values they want to maintain in the home. There is a rating system in place. Let's talk about that. When did this rating system come about and who is behind the rating system?
Jordan Chamblee yeah, absolutely. So the ESRB rating system, the entertainment Software Rating Board rating system. So the ESRB rating system, that is what video game companies will send their game to to receive a rating in order for it to be put on the mass market these days. And this is a rating system that will the, the raiders will go through the game, they'll look through the whole thing and they will note the content of the game, what is inside the game, categorize it, and put it under a certain category. So for instance, one of the ratings would be E for everyone they've gone through the game, they don't see anything, that would be offensive to a general audience. So they put it under E. You know, a lot of times this is games that was intended for a small child to play. Then you have E, 10 or more. So it's everyone 10 and up. So you might have something that might be scary for a 5 year old, but a 10 year old can probably stomach it and it would be fine. then you have Teen, which is, intended for 13 and older. And as we get progressively further older, the content of the game will be edgier. So after that we have matured, which is 17 or more. This is only intended for adults to play and therefore you can imagine it will have adult content. And beyond that, there's actually one called Adults Only. Now when I was looking over this, I could only find one or two games that have ever been published put under the Adults only category. Because that rating is essentially a death sentence for a game on the shelf. nobody will want to buy it because the content would be just so shocking.
Jeff Chamblee And two, our listeners, they're probably not going to come across that particular level.
Jordan Chamblee Yeah, definitely not.
Jeff Chamblee But for parents that are looking at these levels, and thank you for explaining each of those, are they reliable? I mean, can a parent look at these ratings and say, well, that genuinely represents what it says it does.
Jordan Chamblee I think that the rating is really, really good for a surface level at a glance view of what to expect from the game. But it's in no way a replacement for your own discernment because what the ratings don't tell you, is what the story is about. It doesn't tell you really anything about the characters that are involved in the game. It doesn't tell you about the worldview or if there is any worldview presented through the game. So that can only be done through you, your own research, maybe reading some reviews. but the rating system is fairly reliable as a good place to start, I would say.
Jeff Chamblee So that's where people need to go first when they're looking at a game, a grandparent that's going to buy a video game. Looking at those ratings is very helpful. Yeah, that's very, very good. in your article you write about several ways these games connect to the Internet. You've already addressed some of that in bringing an interactive element. Is that the norm now? When you look at a video game, is it going to come read, made to connect with other players online, or are they generally in the box?
Jordan Chamblee I would say it just depends on the game you're playing. It depends on the game you're playing. I would look for that on the rating and it will generally tell you with if it's a multiplayer game or an online multiplayer game, then you can be sure that there's a social aspect to it. Games such as, I'll say, and I don't know this for 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure that games like the Legend of Zelda games don't have a dedicated social, interactive aspect to them.
You're not going to get on the Legend of Zelda game and chat with somebody who is also playing on the other side of the world. That, I don't think that that happens through those kind of games. But you get on a game such as, grand, Theft Auto, which has its own myriad problems, but that would be one of them that you would have to look out for. Roblox is another one of those games. Certain aspects of Minecraft, although I will say, at least in my own experience, Minecraft does a really good job of monitoring its own system. It cares about its image enough to do that, but it just varies from game to game. And the level of those interactions as well will vary. For instance, I mentioned Fall guys earlier, the one where you're running through an obstacle course. It does have a social aspect because, you are playing with other people that you can see their avatar on the screen, you can play their content, and as your character, you can walk up to their character and do an emote, which is you're not saying any words, you're not typing into a chat, but you can make your character wave or do a silly little dance. You know, very, very innocent. Usually. but there are levels to those interactions that are also worth, paying attention to.
Jeff Chamblee In your opinion, as a parent of younger children, who happen to be my grandchildren. I'll go ahead and say that. How do you look at video games, the different types that are there and say, well, these foster good child development. These typically do not. Are there any particular qualities or characteristics of games that you look for to avoid? Let's just start there.
Jordan Chamblee I would say looking at what the game is asking you to do, for one, I mean, to think of it in the negative, because if a game is asking you to participate in things that are obviously evil, then it's appropriate for no one, let, alone children. Now again, there are some things that might not be obvious. I brought up Minecraft earlier. Some people think it's, obviously evil to hunt animals. Well, in Minecraft you can do that. And to a certain extent that might be something you have to do in order to progress through the game. So it depends also on your own personal, what you think is right for your own household. But that's where I would begin is what is the game asking the player to do? What are the situations that the game is putting the player into? But in the positive, I would look for games, if you're looking for games that you want to reinforce positive things for your child. Look for games that encourage creativity.
Jeff Chamblee I see.
Jordan Chamblee Look for games that encourage your child to create something or to use their imagination in some way. And there are a surprising amount of those games being developed now. whereas it used to be just move your guy over here and punch, now it's build something, use your imagination. Here's a system. What are you going to do with it? And, it's, it's incredible what people are when you, when you give them that kind of tool, what they can accomplish. And watching my own kids play video games that are intentionally like that, I'm proud of what they can accomplish, you know, given a system. And, when they figure out the rules, they create an amazing thing. That's quite an accomplishment. So, I would say look for those. What is the game asking you as a player to do? But also what, is the game asking you to be creative in any way? Or is it only destruction?
Jeff Chamblee I see. Very, very good. That's good advice for parents who have children that have video games now, they're not going to buy one. Their kids are actually on the games now. What are the best practices for being a parent? To actively to stay engaged in what the child is doing online?
Jordan Chamblee Yeah, I think if you're unfamiliar with a video game that's in your house, it's not unreasonable to ask that it be played at least for a while, in a space that you can see it being played.
so instead of in the bedroom, in the living room. And I would say this needs to be done in a way where you are not coming across as accusatory or overly suspicious of your child in any way. Because I think that would just shut it down as far as, building trust goes. If you come at them like, I can't trust you, therefore you need to be where I can see you, then that can do a lot of damage to a relationship. And they're not going to be eager to share much with you. But if you can approach it in a way that's like, look, I'm just interested in what you're up to, I'm interested in what you're doing, then if it's okay, if there's nothing to be worried about, they'll invite you in, they'll be excited to share their interest. but even beyond that, I think the best thing to do would be sit down and play it with them. Them, to pick up the controller and be like, look, I'm not familiar with this, please teach me. You know, and I can tell you that right now, just speaking from experience, children love that. Really, they love that. And they'll ask you, daddy, can you, can you play this with me? And that's when you know that there's probably nothing to be worried about. If they're inviting you in, then at least they don't, they're not hiding anything. And it offers you an opportunity to have honest conversations if something does pop up. and I just think that that's probably the best practice of all, is to approach it, not with suspicion, but with just genuine interest and curiosity and then to, if possible, engage in it with them. And that's the best way to get a handle on what is actually on the screen. What is this thing even about?
Jeff Chamblee Well, as with anything in parenting, information is key. Staying involved and informed on what's going on. Let me give you the website, folks, to the rating, system that you can take a look at if purchasing a video game is on your to do list. It's the Entertainment Software Rating board and it's esrb.org esrb.org once again stands for Entertainment Software Rating Board. Jordan Chamblee has been our guest. He's staff writer for the Stan magazine. And be sure and check out the article Video Game Ratings, A Practical Guide for Parents in this issue of the Stan magazine. Jordan, thanks for your time.
Jordan Chamblee Absolutely. Thank you.
Jeff Chamblee And coming up next week, Pastor Dave Fuhrman will be our guest. He'll join us from his home in Dubai to talk about his 19 year ministry in that country. And we'll explore his new book on Advent, the surprising 25 advent devotions from Luke's Gospel. Today's program with Alex Sinjimana and Jordan Shamblee is available as a [email protected] a free trial subscription to the Stand magazine is also available when you visit thestand.net we hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for listening and join us again next time on the Stand where you video.
Introduction To The Listener Supported Show And How To Partner With American Family Radio
Jeff Chamblee Hello, I'm Jeff Chamblee. Did you know that this show is listener supported? Without people like you, this show would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio, specifically this show as we reach thousands of people each week with biblical truth.
Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net/give that's afr.net/give
Jeff Chamblee Coming up today, we'll meet Alex Nsengimana, a man who grew up and survived the genocide in Rwanda during the 1990s and is now sharing the love of Jesus with others through Operation Christmas Child.
Alex Nsengimana And unfortunately, our grandmother and one of our uncles were killed. And so me and my brother, my sister, we were wondering, why are these people doing this to us?
Jeff Chamblee Then staff writer Jordan Chamblee explains what parents need to know about the video game rating system and how that can help with their kids Christmas wish lists.
Jordan Chamblee The rating is really, really good. A surface level at a glance view of what to expect from the game.
Jeff Chamblee It's the weekend of October 31st and November 1st. I'm Jeff Chamblee, and this is the Stand Radio.
Alex Nsengimana Recounts Growing Up In Rwanda Amidst Genocide And Personal Loss
As we approach the Christmas season, a lot of churches are ramping up for their annual packing of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's purse and since 1993, has become the world's largest Christmas project of its kind. If you are familiar with that, you know that every shoebox is filled with fun toys, school supplies, and personal care items and is then delivered to children in need around the world to show God's love in a very tangible way. And the amazing thing is that for many of these children, it's the very first gift they've ever received. Joining me is, a man who was once among those children. Alex Nsengimana is from the East African nation of Rwanda and grew up in a very unstable environment filled with violence and genocide. And for the past few years, he's been working with Operation Christmas Child to share his amazing story. Alex, welcome to the program.
Alex Nsengimana Thank you, Jeff. Thank you for having me on, the Stand Radio. And it's, an honor being here today.
Jeff Chamblee Well, it's great to have you. I understand you received your shoebox while living in Rwanda. Tell us what life was like as a child in that country.
Alex Nsengimana I was born and raised, in Rwanda at a time when tribal unrest was at its greatest. And it was such a difficult time as a little kid, growing up seeing the hatred that had been created in people's lives. And because of, this hatred, it goes way back to during the colonial time when the people of Rwanda were colonized. They were divided into, in three different tribes. And those tribes were the Hutus, the Tutsis and the twa. But unfortunately, hatred was created between the Hutus and the Tutsis. And that hatred continued to grow and grow to the point where, a friend would not see their own friend because they, were a different tribe. That inception of hatred went on, however, in 1994, that's when, the Rwandan president was assassinated. That's when this genocide, against the Tutsi brought out, because it had been building up for so many years. So you had young generation in their 50s and the 60s, who were growing up in some of the homes who were being told how to hate. And so now in 1994, they were young adults and when they heard on their radio being told by leaders who believed in this hatred that it was time to go cut down a torch tree or crush a cockroach, they knew, what to do. They went next door, a neighbor, and they killed their own friends. They killed their own neighbor. I was six years old when the genocide started in 1994. And I was living with my grandmother and my brother and my two uncles. And we were among the first people that they came looking for because our family was known to be part, of the Tutsi tribe in that village. And there had been a lot of bullying happening to my grandmother. And so when that genocide started, immediately we were attacked by our own neighbor. And unfortunately, our grandmother and one of our uncles were killed. And so me and my brother, my sister, we were wondering, why are these people doing this to us? So as a six year old boy, I could not fathom that my own neighbor would all of a sudden do this to us.
And so it became a time when, we started to run from family to family. But as we ran, Jeff, God was doing so many miracles to protect us. I can still remember when, we were running into the hills and bullets would miss our head. I can remember when a man's gun didn't work, when he went to pull the trigger, when he attacked us and told us to go to lie down. And what saved our lives was that his weapon didn't work miracles. After miracles, for three months, me and my brother and my sister and Maya, and our aunt, we ran all over the hills of Rwanda. And while we were running, God was doing so many miracles to protect Us. I can still remember when we were hiding in the bushes and abandoned buildings. But along the way, God continued to do miracles to protect us. At the end of that genocide, after we're so tired and after running for that long, we were put in an orphanage by my aunt and me and my brother. We were put in this orphanage. And when he got into this orphanage, lost all hope. we were leaving the 250 other children, and all of us had lost our loved ones. And it was such a difficult time that, because we started to have nightmares after nightmares. But during this time, this is when Samaritan's purse was already in Rwanda responding.
they used the World Medical Mission team to support the people who are wounded physically. And then a year later, in 1995, they brought Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes to our orphanage. And that's when I got to receive an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox gift. A gift for the very first time in my life. And I can still remember like it was yesterday when all of us were told to line up in the yard and we're so excited to have a gift to call our own.
Jeff Chamblee Wow, what an amazing story, Alex. And I cannot imagine what that would have been like as a six year old. But, how the Lord protected you and then opened your, experiences up to receiving your very first Christmas gift. What was the most important thing in that shoebox gift that you received?
Alex Nsengimana One of the most important shoebox item that I got in that Operation Christmas Shoebox gift was, a, ah, hair combination. I kept a hair comb for the longest time. it was an item that, was so unique. On one side had a brush, then on another side it had a little pick. I carried that comb with me. another favorite item that was in that box was, watercolors. And those watercolors were so special because we were able to create new memories. As we used our watercolors. We dipped the brush in the water and then we dipped it in the paint, because our minds were full of trauma. And when we got to have, those coloring books or the watercolors, we're able to create new memories. But the most important shoebox item that I got is an item that cannot be. You can't see it, you can't hold it, but is the seed of hope and love of Jesus Christ that was planted in my life there and then, even though I didn't accept Christ as my Lord and Savior, but a seed was planted. And then, when the orphanage director used that opportunity to Share with us about Jesus Christ. It was years later that God sent me people to disciple me and what that seed. Then my faith journey continued to grow into a relationship with my heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.
Jeff Chamblee Wow, praise God. What an amazing story. now you are one of the people packing shoebox gifts for other children. How does it make you feel knowing that you're sending a gift to a child? Just like someone sent a gift to you one day time.
Alex Nsengimana it is such a joy when I got to pack shoe, when I get to pack shoeboxes and when I pack my shoeboxes I remember how that made me feel. I remember the joy, I remember the excitement. I remember when I was being discipled. And so when I packed those shoeboxes, it is such an honor and a privilege to be able to send the gospel of Jesus Christ to another child in knowing that through their local church they're going to hear about Jesus and as a way to demonstrate God's love, they're going to get the shoebox items. But eventually like I, like I lost the hair comb after three years, all those items are going to be gone. But what's going to live with them are the seeds of hope and love of Jesus Christ. And that fuels my passion to pack shoebox. And it's just so humbling to be on this end being able to pack a shoebox gift and it's so fun. So I get excited sharing it with other friends, other people so that they can get involved, for a fun way to make an impact in kids lives around the world.
Jeff Chamblee well said Alex. Well said. Let me give the website for Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child. It's Easy to remember. Samaritanspurse.org OCC samaritanspurse.org OCC National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child is just around the corner. November 6th through the 23rd. There are 5,000 locations around the US and Puerto Rico to take those boxes. Samaritanspurse.org occ Alex, I understand that you actually returned to the same orphanage that you grew up in to deliver shoeboxes. What was that like?
Alex Nsengimana It was so special when I got to go back to Rwanda in 2013 to deliver shoeboxes in the same place that I grew up in such an exciting time. I can still remember when the kids got to hear about Jesus, we got to share the gospel with them and I got to stand in the same place that I stood as a seven year old and I saw one Child standing in the same place that I stood, opening their boxes. And it took me to that day as a seven year old being in that orphanage as well. It was so special. And so it always encourages me to know that through our presence of Christmas Child, kids are getting to hear about Jesus Christ. but on that trip, Jeff, I want to share with you what God did on that trip. See, while on that trip, when I got to receive that Operation Christmas Church shoebox gift, the gospel was planted and the gospel continued to transform my life. And God challenged me in knowing that he had a plan for my life.
But what I didn't accept in the gospel is that he loved even the people who killed my grandmother and my uncle. And I prayed for many years through discipleship, through mentorship, and, I prayed for God to help me heal that one day I can be able to see the people who caused me pain. And that actually got to happen on that trip. When I went back to Rwanda in 2013, I got to go to the prison and found out that the guy who killed my grandmother Flay, but the guy who killed my uncle was still in the prison and were able to share, to share what Christ did to plant the same seeds that had been planted in my life by that Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift in knowing that the gospel also is for him, that if he can repent of what he's done, God can forgive him. Just like he forgave me because I wanted to kill him, in my bitterness and my anger. This goes way back. That's the powerful, how powerful the gift is. It plants a seed of Jesus Christ and transforming lives. And that's why we share this story, to give him the glory for what he's done. And anyone can be part of this.
Jeff Chamblee Yeah, thank you for sharing that story. And I think of the fact that God saw you, even before you were born and put you in that place to receive that box and eventually so that you could become sharing the gospel like you said, with that man in prison. So thank you for sharing that. once again, the website is samaritanspurse.org occ samaritanspurse.org OCC and National Collection Week is coming up November 16th through the 23rd. Alex Nsengimana, thank you for being with us today and encouraging our hearts to reach out and to touch others with the good news of Jesus.
Alex Nsengimana Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Navigating Video Game Ratings And Understanding New Online Interactions For Parents
Jeff Chamblee Among all of the things that kids will get for Christmas in the US Video games continue to be a popular item. Choosing the right gift is hard enough, but choosing a video game that's entertaining and appropriate can be especially hard. Ratings can be helpful, but they can also be very hard to understand. With me to help clarify that issue is Jordan Chamblee, staff writer for the Stan magazine, who's written an article in the November issue titled Video Game Ratings Explained A Practical Guide for Parents. Hi, Jordan.
Jordan Chamblee Hey, thanks for having me.
Jeff Chamblee I came from the era of Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Tetris.
Jordan Chamblee Oh yeah.
Jeff Chamblee But a lot has changed since those years. What are some of the concerns that people have had about video games in recent times?
Jordan Chamblee Well, I will say that Pac man and Donkey Kong and Tetris are still alive and well.
Alex Nsengimana Okay.
Jordan Chamblee so some things are totally the same. but there has been a lot of things that have changed. Unfortunately, violence isn't one of them. We still have games that are incredibly gory, incredibly violent, but thankfully, in my opinion anyway, the rating system does a good job of flagging those things. Beyond that, there are some ways that video games have really changed over the years. One is that interactions with other players who are playing the same game as you over the Internet that has become almost ubiquitous for multiplayer games and things like that, where you can actually create communities online while you're playing a video game. And, beyond that as well, the ability to actually spend money, whether that's real life money or in game currency, which by the way, if you run out of that, you probably buy it with real life money on, various digital, goods, within the game. An example of that, how that can be problematic is something called loot boxes or loot crates.
and this has been in games for a while now, where instead of going to the in game store page essentially and spending money on something that you know you're going to get, you spend money on a random box and you don't know what's inside this random box. You may have an idea of what could be in it, depending on its rarity level or something like that. but you spend an amount of money on it for the chance of getting something really good and you'll at least get something out of it. so it's not a complete, you're spending money for absolutely nothing. But that has been likened to gambling in the past, which has, introduce some stricter ways that, that can be presented in a game, to keep it from being actual gambling.
Jeff Chamblee So there are incentives to get these loot boxes.
Jordan Chamblee Yes. Now I will say that usually when there is a game that where progression through the game is sort of gate kept behind a paywall. These are called pay to win games. Nobody likes those. Those are no fun because then if you don't have money to spend, you can't play the game.
Jeff Chamblee Okay.
Jordan Chamblee So usually these things are more cosmetic and don't really have an impact on the way you play the game. they're just for, just for fun at the end of the day. But another thing that has been more recent years, different than what it used to be.
It used to be that you buy a game, you purchase the game, you play it at home, and what's on the game is what was put there by the software developer.
Alex Nsengimana Okay.
Jordan Chamblee But now because you're playing games online and games have become more of platforms than just strict games, you might actually start playing, playing content that was created by other players. But other games, and I'll just go ahead and say Roblox has been in a lot of controversy because of this. because when this happens, depending on how important it is to the game company to monitor these things, you could be playing through something quite vile. and that should be of great concern to parents. It could be fine, but it could also be something very depraved.
Jeff Chamblee so parents are going to shop for video games. They're wanting to, they have a set of values they want to maintain in the home. There is a rating system in place. Let's talk about that. When did this rating system come about and who is behind the rating system?
Jordan Chamblee yeah, absolutely. So the ESRB rating system, the entertainment Software Rating Board rating system. So the ESRB rating system, that is what video game companies will send their game to to receive a rating in order for it to be put on the mass market these days. And this is a rating system that will the, the raiders will go through the game, they'll look through the whole thing and they will note the content of the game, what is inside the game, categorize it, and put it under a certain category. So for instance, one of the ratings would be E for everyone they've gone through the game, they don't see anything, that would be offensive to a general audience. So they put it under E. You know, a lot of times this is games that was intended for a small child to play. Then you have E, 10 or more. So it's everyone 10 and up. So you might have something that might be scary for a 5 year old, but a 10 year old can probably stomach it and it would be fine. then you have Teen, which is, intended for 13 and older. And as we get progressively further older, the content of the game will be edgier. So after that we have matured, which is 17 or more. This is only intended for adults to play and therefore you can imagine it will have adult content. And beyond that, there's actually one called Adults Only. Now when I was looking over this, I could only find one or two games that have ever been published put under the Adults only category. Because that rating is essentially a death sentence for a game on the shelf. nobody will want to buy it because the content would be just so shocking.
Jeff Chamblee And two, our listeners, they're probably not going to come across that particular level.
Jordan Chamblee Yeah, definitely not.
Jeff Chamblee But for parents that are looking at these levels, and thank you for explaining each of those, are they reliable? I mean, can a parent look at these ratings and say, well, that genuinely represents what it says it does.
Jordan Chamblee I think that the rating is really, really good for a surface level at a glance view of what to expect from the game. But it's in no way a replacement for your own discernment because what the ratings don't tell you, is what the story is about. It doesn't tell you really anything about the characters that are involved in the game. It doesn't tell you about the worldview or if there is any worldview presented through the game. So that can only be done through you, your own research, maybe reading some reviews. but the rating system is fairly reliable as a good place to start, I would say.
Jeff Chamblee So that's where people need to go first when they're looking at a game, a grandparent that's going to buy a video game. Looking at those ratings is very helpful. Yeah, that's very, very good. in your article you write about several ways these games connect to the Internet. You've already addressed some of that in bringing an interactive element. Is that the norm now? When you look at a video game, is it going to come read, made to connect with other players online, or are they generally in the box?
Jordan Chamblee I would say it just depends on the game you're playing. It depends on the game you're playing. I would look for that on the rating and it will generally tell you with if it's a multiplayer game or an online multiplayer game, then you can be sure that there's a social aspect to it. Games such as, I'll say, and I don't know this for 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure that games like the Legend of Zelda games don't have a dedicated social, interactive aspect to them.
You're not going to get on the Legend of Zelda game and chat with somebody who is also playing on the other side of the world. That, I don't think that that happens through those kind of games. But you get on a game such as, grand, Theft Auto, which has its own myriad problems, but that would be one of them that you would have to look out for. Roblox is another one of those games. Certain aspects of Minecraft, although I will say, at least in my own experience, Minecraft does a really good job of monitoring its own system. It cares about its image enough to do that, but it just varies from game to game. And the level of those interactions as well will vary. For instance, I mentioned Fall guys earlier, the one where you're running through an obstacle course. It does have a social aspect because, you are playing with other people that you can see their avatar on the screen, you can play their content, and as your character, you can walk up to their character and do an emote, which is you're not saying any words, you're not typing into a chat, but you can make your character wave or do a silly little dance. You know, very, very innocent. Usually. but there are levels to those interactions that are also worth, paying attention to.
Jeff Chamblee In your opinion, as a parent of younger children, who happen to be my grandchildren. I'll go ahead and say that. How do you look at video games, the different types that are there and say, well, these foster good child development. These typically do not. Are there any particular qualities or characteristics of games that you look for to avoid? Let's just start there.
Jordan Chamblee I would say looking at what the game is asking you to do, for one, I mean, to think of it in the negative, because if a game is asking you to participate in things that are obviously evil, then it's appropriate for no one, let, alone children. Now again, there are some things that might not be obvious. I brought up Minecraft earlier. Some people think it's, obviously evil to hunt animals. Well, in Minecraft you can do that. And to a certain extent that might be something you have to do in order to progress through the game. So it depends also on your own personal, what you think is right for your own household. But that's where I would begin is what is the game asking the player to do? What are the situations that the game is putting the player into? But in the positive, I would look for games, if you're looking for games that you want to reinforce positive things for your child. Look for games that encourage creativity.
Jeff Chamblee I see.
Jordan Chamblee Look for games that encourage your child to create something or to use their imagination in some way. And there are a surprising amount of those games being developed now. whereas it used to be just move your guy over here and punch, now it's build something, use your imagination. Here's a system. What are you going to do with it? And, it's, it's incredible what people are when you, when you give them that kind of tool, what they can accomplish. And watching my own kids play video games that are intentionally like that, I'm proud of what they can accomplish, you know, given a system. And, when they figure out the rules, they create an amazing thing. That's quite an accomplishment. So, I would say look for those. What is the game asking you as a player to do? But also what, is the game asking you to be creative in any way? Or is it only destruction?
Jeff Chamblee I see. Very, very good. That's good advice for parents who have children that have video games now, they're not going to buy one. Their kids are actually on the games now. What are the best practices for being a parent? To actively to stay engaged in what the child is doing online?
Jordan Chamblee Yeah, I think if you're unfamiliar with a video game that's in your house, it's not unreasonable to ask that it be played at least for a while, in a space that you can see it being played.
so instead of in the bedroom, in the living room. And I would say this needs to be done in a way where you are not coming across as accusatory or overly suspicious of your child in any way. Because I think that would just shut it down as far as, building trust goes. If you come at them like, I can't trust you, therefore you need to be where I can see you, then that can do a lot of damage to a relationship. And they're not going to be eager to share much with you. But if you can approach it in a way that's like, look, I'm just interested in what you're up to, I'm interested in what you're doing, then if it's okay, if there's nothing to be worried about, they'll invite you in, they'll be excited to share their interest. but even beyond that, I think the best thing to do would be sit down and play it with them. Them, to pick up the controller and be like, look, I'm not familiar with this, please teach me. You know, and I can tell you that right now, just speaking from experience, children love that. Really, they love that. And they'll ask you, daddy, can you, can you play this with me? And that's when you know that there's probably nothing to be worried about. If they're inviting you in, then at least they don't, they're not hiding anything. And it offers you an opportunity to have honest conversations if something does pop up. and I just think that that's probably the best practice of all, is to approach it, not with suspicion, but with just genuine interest and curiosity and then to, if possible, engage in it with them. And that's the best way to get a handle on what is actually on the screen. What is this thing even about?
Jeff Chamblee Well, as with anything in parenting, information is key. Staying involved and informed on what's going on. Let me give you the website, folks, to the rating, system that you can take a look at if purchasing a video game is on your to do list. It's the Entertainment Software Rating board and it's esrb.org esrb.org once again stands for Entertainment Software Rating Board. Jordan Chamblee has been our guest. He's staff writer for the Stan magazine. And be sure and check out the article Video Game Ratings, A Practical Guide for Parents in this issue of the Stan magazine. Jordan, thanks for your time.
Jordan Chamblee Absolutely. Thank you.
Jeff Chamblee And coming up next week, Pastor Dave Fuhrman will be our guest. He'll join us from his home in Dubai to talk about his 19 year ministry in that country. And we'll explore his new book on Advent, the surprising 25 advent devotions from Luke's Gospel. Today's program with Alex Sinjimana and Jordan Shamblee is available as a [email protected] a free trial subscription to the Stand magazine is also available when you visit thestand.net we hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for listening and join us again next time on the Stand where you video.
In this episode, Jeff Chamblee speaks with Alex Nsengimana, who survived the 1994 genocide in Rwanda as a child and later received his first-ever gift through Operation Christmas Child. Alex shares how that shoebox brought joy during a devastating time, and how he returned to Rwanda to deliver shoeboxes and share the message of forgiveness—even with the man who killed his uncle.
Then, staff writer Jordan Chamblee offers a practical guide to video game ratings and what parents should consider when choosing games for children. He explains ESRB ratings, online interactions, in-game purchases and user-created content, and suggests ways parents can stay involved—including playing games with their kids.
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