Guli Newsletter Fall 2009

Baptism garments from Bethlehem...where Jesus was born

A garment with gold embroidery on a ten-month old child.

There were many challenges. For one thing, George and Arlette lacked experience in selecting fabrics and making garments. They didn't have any sewing machines. But they had a lot of enthusiasm and were encouraged by their five children, the eldest of whom is a student at Bethlehem University. Support came from many places, and the project took on an ecumenical character. Overseas friends of various denominations looked at snippets of fabric that Arlette sent and unanimously chose the material for the garment. Catholics helped get the old garage transformed to a proper sewing shop. An Episcopal priest put them in touch with a Methodist missionary and an Orthodox priest who provided sewing machines. Volunteers helped translate the website into French, German, and Spanish [translators are needed for Italian, Portuguese, and Tagalog]. The very first garment order came from a parish of deaf Catholics in San Francisco led by a priest from Uganda.

The garments feature embroidery typical of the Holy Land. The same pattern can be seen in the 4th-century mosaic floor of the Church of the Nativity which is located at the site tradition recognizes as the birthplace of Jesus. When an online order is received, the artisans go to work, procuring the fabric, embroidering the garment,

The embroidery pattern is similar to the 4th-century mosaic floor of the Church of the Nativity.

and adding the finishing touches. Then George and Arlette, on behalf of the families of the child to be baptized, take the garment to the Church of the Nativity for a blessing before the order is shipped directly from Bethlehem.

Priced at $69.55 which includes worldwide shipping, the garment is available in six different infant sizes with a choice of multicolored, gold, or white embroidery. Please allow four weeks for production and delivery.


www.BaptismGarment.com	Printable flyer	Sizing chart

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	Beef Bourguignon is a classic French stew of cubed beef, cooked slowly in red wine and broth, and served with sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions.



	Parsley grinder or moulin à persil

Tribute to Julia Child

I remember in the 60s following recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. My mother purchased the wire whip and the parsley grinder for me [try to find a parsley grinder today in the US!], but she noted that when I cooked there were always a lot of dishes to wash!

Once in the 1980s or 90s [can't remember the decade], Ron and I met Julia Child at a barbeque at Chalone Winery. Yes, she seemed so tall...and even a little frail as she managed serving herself in the buffet line. I wondered why the hosts hadn't thought of helping her out a bit. In any case, it was fun to meet up with the woman who inspired Americans to treat cooking as an art.

Immediately following the release of the delightful film Julie and Julia, which I described as "sort of fun" and Ron added, "more than 'sort of'," restaurants across the nation began serving up dinners as a tribute to America's first lady of cuisine. Here in San Luis Obispo, during the month of September, Chef José Dahan offered a special Julia Child menu at Et Voilà.

I am not so much into cooking these days, but Ron is. It happens that he uses a lot of cookware and utensils. And, yes, there are always a lot of dishes to wash after he cooks.

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Contact us to make and send your holiday e-greeting

Sending Christmas and New Year greetings is a good way to touch base with your friends and acquaintances. You may be wishing to send your card or annual letter by email. Whatever your motivation for sending your holiday greetings by email--saving trees, saving money, saving time--you may find that there are still some drawbacks. You don't want your message to be blocked a SPAM filter, and you would like to keep track of who actually receives your greeting and who doesn't.

We can help. Give us the message that you wish to send, any photos to include, and your email list. We will create the greeting for you, send it from you to the individuals on your list, and give you a report a week later that will let you know who opened the message and when. Of course, any replies from recipients will go directly to you. We can't guarantee that your greeting won't be marked SPAM, but that is less likely since it will go directly to the individual recipients instead of going to a list.

Pricing depends on the complexity of the message and the number of recipients, but we think that you will find our approach convenient, ecologically friendly, and cost effective. Just reply to this message if you are interested or use the contact form at www.guligroup.com.

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Cooking classes in San Luis Obispo

Not everyone wants to learn cooking from a book or even a television show. Here in San Luis Obispo, customers of Et Voilà have asked Chef José Dahan to share some of his culinary secrets.

In fact, one woman invited her friends to the restaurant for a cooking lesson with the chef. "It was really a fun experience," says Dahan who learned to cook at this parents' restaurant in France before attending culinary school. And so began the occasional Wednesday night classes that include four courses.

Sample Menu

Cream of wild mushroom soup

Braised Alaskan halibut in mustard and tarragon cream sauce

Roast breast of duck in blueberry sauce

Crème brulée

Classes have between eight and twelve participants, and the level of interaction is entirely up to each person. Some prefer simply to observe and take notes, but those who like a more hands-on experience are invited to get involved.

Recipes are provided so that participants may go home and practice the art of French cooking in their own kitchens. Tuition is $55 per person [add $10 for a class with wine pairing].

Gift certificates for cooking lessons are available at the restaurant.

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Mass in the vernacular: American Sign Language

If the hands of Father Paul Zirimenya appear blurred in the photo on the right, it's because they are being used to say Mass in American Sign Language. Interpreters are available to help the hearing who don't understand sign language at St. Benedict's Parish of St. Francis Xavier Church in San Francisco.

Located in the Pacific Heights district of the city, the church provides services to the deaf and hearing impaired in the Bay Area. Parishioners make a special effort to create a warm and inviting environment of worship, hospitality, and outreach. Father Paul, a native of Uganda and a graduate of St. Patrick's seminary in Menlo Park, is deaf himself.

Father Paul Zirimenya adds the following about the parish:

St. Benedict Parish continues to serve Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Also many of our parishioners travel from other dioceses to come and worship with us. We continue to provide a full Religious Education Program for both hearing and deaf children. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is offered to those interested in joining the Catholic Church. Adult Faith Formation is provided every Sunday. As in the past, we are striving to have the first Sunday of the month give all parishioners an opportunity to shape our ministry through Town Hall meetings. Sunday Mass in American Sign Language is celebrated at 10:30a.m, followed by a social which nourishes bonds of community. All our services and sacraments are conducted in American Sign Language and English. As in the past, we are hoping to revive partnership with other parishes in the Archdiocese and nearby dioceses that may have Deaf members to let them know that we are available to assist them in bringing the Good News to their members. We are a parish which strives to be welcoming and accessible to all. The unique spirit of St. Benedict's continues to grow with a sense of the hospitality and communion we offer.

As our mission continues to grow, we are seeking support in form of grants and bequests to help us in reaching out to the Deaf Community through expanding our ministerial programs in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and Bay Area. Our mission will be guided by Two Pillars:

1) Common Baptism
2) Faith Formation

We are hoping to start out small and grow as we are able to obtain funds and support. In the coming years we hope to accomplish basic outreach and setting up of regular classes, and local charity work by youth. The big picture is to become a vibrant parish for the Deaf in Northern California that serves as a model in educating the public about the needs of the Deaf community in the Catholic Church. The good news is that more Deaf people are themselves taking up leadership roles in the church.

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2 Labor Dudes on the Central Coast of California

If you live on the California Central Coast and need work done in your home or yard, you might wish to contact Randy and Mark; they are 2 Labor Dudes. They are nice, reliable guys who can handle roofing, landscaping, plumbing, setting up your cable TV, changing the batteries in your smoke detector and much more. See 2 Labor Dudes

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Jing Zhang in her second year of law school

Jing Zhang, the young lady from Chongqing who played a key role in the creation of the Guli Institute and our Chinese folk art t-shirts, is now in her second year at the University of Cincinnati School of Law. Her courses this semester address immigration, sales, and corporate law.

During the summer Jing worked as a research assistant to a professor of corporate law. She provided research on corporate and securities issues, prepared summaries of corporate by-laws and cases, and checked citations. Jing also was a fellow on the Ohio Innocence Project where she and her partners investigated inmates' claims of wrong conviction through contact with attorneys, witnesses, and the inmates and their families.

Working in the dorm to supplement her scholarship and help cover expenses, Jing takes time to serve as an associate member of the Immigration and Nationality Law Review. "I wish to focus on immigration and corporate law in the future," she reports. "I am more comfortable with the language and classes this year, but I am still learning."

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Holy Land in May 10-25, 2010

Depart from JFK on May 9

Come with us next May for a two-week pilgrimage in the Holy Land. We start and end on the east side of the Jordan River. We will visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where the early Christians recalled the baptism of Jesus, Mt. Nebo from where Moses caught a glimpse of the Promised Land, and the Orthodox Church of St. George in Madaba which possesses in the form of a mosaic floor the oldest extant map of the Holy Land.

We will cross the Jordan River to spend time in Nazareth, Cana, Galilee, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, stopping at religious sites to be sure but also a winery artisan shops, and Bethlehem University. At the end of the trip, we'll be back in Jordan for a day at Petra, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Our program includes encounters with local people and stops at schools and other institutions.

The pilgrimage is limited to a small number of participants. Meet up with us in the Holy Land or take one of the seats we have reserved on the Royal Jordanian Airlines flight departing from JFK on May 9. Click for more information.

Cana, near Nazareth

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Fantasy and illustrations by Martin Hauge

It seems fitting that Ron should have dragon books at Red Dragon Books. Indeed, The Book of Dragons has 17 dragon stories selected and illustrated by Michael Hague.



*An illustration from The Book of Dragons* edited by Michael Hague**		Michael Hague penned a drawing and signed the book.

The publisher says... For thousands of years, the legendary dragon has inspired awe and wonder in cultures the world over. Fearsome in strength, ferocious in appetite, yet majestic in bearing, this fabulous beast has long been a favorite subject of artists and storytellers. Now Michael Hague, one of America's most beloved parnters of fantasy, boldly captures seventeen classic dragon tales, armed only with the magic of his paintbrush. Here beside the heroics of Perseus, St. George, and Sigurd are the adventures of the girl who slew a dragon and became queen of China, as well as the dazzling comic twists of Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" and E. Nesbies "The R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Italo Calvino.Dragon Tamers." Here too are such magical authors as J. The mythical dragon will be very real indeed for all who read these enchanting tales and pore over the twenty fullcolor and sixteen black-and-white illustrations. Michael Hague's art has never breathed more fire.

"Seventeen classic dragon tales, among them Kenneth Grahame's `Reluctant Dragon,' Kan Pao's `Li Chi Slays the Serpent,' J.R.R. Tolkien's `Bilbo Baggins and the Smaug,' the Grimms' `Devil and His Grandmother,' and William H.G. Kingston's `St. George and the Dragon,' have been illustrated here in bold signature style...lush watercolors and black-and-white drawings....A handsome anthology to whet the appetites of the dragon-lovers among us."--Booklist.

One of America's most beloved masters of fantasy has boldly captured 17 classic dragon tales. Here beside the legendary heroics of Perseus, St. George, and Siegfried, are such comic tales as Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" and E. Nesbit's "The Dragon Tamers". Authors also included are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Italo Calvino. 36 illustrations, 20 in color

From Red Dragon Books

Ron specializes in signed copies of science fiction and fantasy books. He travels far and wide to get signatures, but when it comes to Michael Hague books, there's more than a signature. The artist creates a pen drawing such as the one seen on the title page of The Book of Dragons. Titles Ron has on hand include The Book of Fairies, The Book of Beasts, Peter Pan, and The Tolkien Classics.

Click more information on The Book of Dragons

Click here for a complete list of Ron's Michael Hague collectible books

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News from Alaska and Iraq

On his fifth birthday, following a wonderful trip to Denali National Park, America's "last frontier," grandson Marc Arthur began kindergarten in Anchorage. The past two years he attended a Spanish-language pre-school, and now he finds himself in an English-language classroom. He thoroughly enjoyed his first day of class and reported that he intended to go back, adding "I have a lot of new friends, but the ABC's are the same." Josefina volunteers at his school, and she and Marc have also been selling raffle tickets as a fundraiser; the prize is a car. Marquito offers this advice to would-be customers: "If you don't know how to drive, then don't buy a ticket."

Meanwhile son Christian, a captain in the US Air Force, is serving as an internist in the ICU at Balad Air Force Base in Iraq. "Most of my patients are Iraqis who are very sick," Christian explains. "They have suffered a traumatic event such as a car accident, burns, or a blast, and I manage their day-to-day care trying to prevent complications that might arise especially from infection." Since many of the patients are children, some staff members have suggested that an appropriate name for the facility would be "Balad Burn Unit for Children."

Photo taken during a video call with Christian who had just come in after a night at the hospital.

Christian swims and works out every day and is doing some serious reading. He has found that the food on the base is very good; cuisine from different cultures is featured on alternate days--Italian, Filipino, Indian.... Even with the excellent meals, Christian enjoys care packages from home and shares the goodies with colleagues and patients, something that pleases all, especially the hospitalized youngsters.

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Gift giving links

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Comments from Claudia: landlines & mobile & 911

When I was in China [2001-2002], I observed in real time how a nation can leap to a new technology and bypass one that was the status quo in other parts of the world. For example, no one I knew had a VCR that played video tapes. There were no VCRs available for classroom use at the university where I taught. Instead of tapes, video discs were pervasive though they were of VCD format rather than DVD format; in 1997 over 8 million VCD players were sold in China. I have a theory as to why VCRs were not used for household entertainment but will save that for another time. What I would like to address here is mobile phone technology. During my time in China, there were more mobile phone users than in the US. The size of the population in China [1.3 billion] accounts for the numbers, but the story includes as well people going directly to cell phones for convenience and cost savings rather than installing landlines. In China today there are 750 million mobile phone users. In poor countries around the world, the figure for cell phone users is 3.2 billion, double the 1.4 billion figure for wealthy nations.

Some people in the wealthier nations are also eschewing landlines and going exclusively to cell phones. This makes sense for the university student away from home and for people always on the go. There are even households where each member now has a cell phone, and the landline service has been canceled [the people I know in this group don't use the internet]. Most of us, however, probably have a combination of landline services and mobile services; discounts are available if you get all services from the same carrier.

Calling 911

Wireless phones are required by law to connect to 911 even if the service is not activated. But if you get disconnected, the dispatcher does not have your number and cannot get back to you, so you need to call again. Another thing to keep in mind about making emergency 911 calls is that at this time, the dispatcher may not have your exact location if you contact 911 by cell phone.

Calling 911

If possible, use a landline which will pinpoint your location for the dispatcher

If calling from a cell phone

■	Be prepared to state your city and the type of emergency to the dispatcher

■	You may call from a deactivated cell phone, but if you are disconnected you must call back; the dispatcher does not have your number

Therefore, if you need to call 911 from your cell phone, it would be helpful if you were able to let the dispatcher know immediately which city you are calling from and the exact type of emergency so that the call might be expediently transferred to the appropriate city.

If you are in a house or office or store or restaurant with a landline and need to reach 911 in an emergency, it is better to use the landline that will pinpoint the location for the dispatcher.

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