tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984Thu, 08 Jan 2026 06:42:31 +0000DarfurChadGaga CampInternational Medical CorpsN'DjamenaSudanese Liberation MovementUNHCRCSISChristmas in DarfurDafur optionsFilmLe CarnivoreMarc WahlMooniesNSCNumber OneObamaOwen PriceSamantha PowerUN<a href="http://www.christmasindarfur.org/"><img src="http://www.christmasindarfur.org/illo.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <br>The companion blog for the <b>"<a href="http://www.christmasindarfur.org/">Christmas In Darfur</a>"</b> film project.http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)Blogger36125en-usnoCopyright, all rights reserved, 77 International Foundation Ltd.,Chad,Sudan,DarfurPodcasts from the road, as we're able.Podcasts from the road, as we're able.grfaith@gmail.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-1677412819886234301Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:13:00 +00002009-03-13T14:15:25.177-07:00The latest word is that the kidnapped MSF workers have been freed. No additional details at this point. While we're on the subject though, here's a a letter from a member of MSF who, unlike us, actually did spend Christmas in Darfur.http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/03/msf-hostages-freed.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-6034142606668406269Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:34:00 +00002009-03-12T04:10:21.084-07:00Now here's a new twist. Kidnapping. Three foreign members of Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF... also know as Doctors Without Borders), have been kidnapped by "gunmen" according to Reuters. This is a new twist in a worsening conflict. After the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar Bashir earlier this month, Mr. Bashir retaliated by showing many international aid organizations thehttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/03/aid-workers-kidnapped-in-darfur.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-8495993247307439995Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:10:00 +00002009-02-17T10:14:38.072-08:00Al Jazeera English reports: "Representatives of Sudan's government and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem), the most influential rebel group in the country's western Darfur region, have signed a joint declaration of good intentions."Full story here.http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/02/whats-that-saying-about-road-to-hell.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-4968864414761533597Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:16:00 +00002009-02-03T08:47:48.550-08:00It’s been a few years now since we decided that it was a Good Idea to check out some camps for Darfur refugees to try to figure out what exactly was going on in that particular slow-motion apocalypse, so we begged for money, shopped for body armor, got an impressive array of immunizations, bought a bad-ass first aid kit, hit up anyone we could for advice and headed out to Darfur (or at least http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/02/now-what.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-4796333719410553421Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:45:00 +00002009-02-02T17:32:47.500-08:00DarfurNSCObamaSamantha PowerUNMark Leon Goldberg opines in his blog, UN Dispatch about Samantha Power's appointment to the National Security Council:"I'm tempted to think that she will not be much of a quiet Mandarin. The heroes of her book are people who rail against the system--people like Raphael Lempkin who coined the word genocide, and Senator William Proxmire, who gave daily speeches on the senate floor on the need to http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/01/samantha-power-to-nsc.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-488755175775723776Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:08:00 +00002009-01-09T15:10:35.318-08:00From Robert K. Elder's film column...A lot of people make documentaries because they want to break into filmmaking. For friends Jason Mojica, Ryan Faith and Jim Milak, all 34, it was different."We decided to be filmmakers because we wanted to be humanitarians," says Chicago-native Milak. The friends' first documentary, "Christmas in Darfur," just hit the Internet and will become part of their http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/01/chicago-tribune-write-up.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-3122193596902311060Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:03:00 +00002009-01-09T15:07:58.569-08:00ChadChristmas in DarfurDarfurFilmGaga CampInternational Medical CorpsN'DjamenaSudanese Liberation MovementUNHCRPoof! We're finally done with the film. Please watch and let us know what you think. Make sure to pass it on to everyone you know who has an interest in the crisis in Darfur... or those you think should have an interest. Also, please feel free to embed this film on your own blog or web page!http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2009/01/embed-this-film.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-3949381077352180320Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:28:00 +00002007-12-20T07:29:19.332-08:00http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/12/come-see-rough-cut.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-2789726278633599743Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:13:00 +00002007-12-12T14:14:12.507-08:00http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/12/in-progress.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-5419876178395656247Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:26:00 +00002007-10-19T12:26:54.757-07:00http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/10/cultural-primer_19.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-6757314162976060248Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:07:00 +00002007-10-11T04:09:51.638-07:00Congress will be willing to label Darfur a genocide. Keep hope alive!http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/10/maybe-90-years-from-now.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-2925870193326483901Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:33:00 +00002007-04-02T02:37:50.138-07:00With our footage now in the hands of editor Brian Cho, we can at long last offer you a little taste of what's to come:http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/04/sneak-peek.html3grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-5496170061043703853Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:56:00 +00002007-02-28T18:01:55.250-08:00Among the many interesting folks we met on our journey was Ousman Khami. Ousman is associated with the SLM's "Group of 19" (those who didn't sign on to the peace accord). Today, with news of the ICC's formal announcement of war crime suspects, Ousman sent us this email:Hi there, It's good to hear that the International Criminal Court has released two names from 51 wanted list, who are http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/02/and-now-word-from-ousman.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-5622523673773579521Sun, 14 Jan 2007 23:40:00 +00002007-01-14T15:55:03.672-08:00“Talking about music is like dancing about architecture”Multiple AttributionsOr, for that matter, like me writing about much of anything. But, on the other hand, you really don’t want to see me try to dance, regardless of whether it’s about jazz or not. So I guess I pretty much have to stick to writing about what we saw and what we think.Anyways, we’re officially back now and fully ensconced inhttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/how-was-trip.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-3360625919800676882Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:27:00 +00002007-01-13T12:16:29.772-08:00For those of you that missed our TV appearance, here we are in all of our YouTube glory. The appearance is discussed at greater length in the post below this one.http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/three-intrepid-filmmakers.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-2106951417312086555Wed, 10 Jan 2007 02:03:00 +00002007-01-09T18:48:02.460-08:00As at least a good three or four people are now aware, we made an appearance on the Chicago PBS Station, WTTW, on their program "Chicago Tonight" last evening, apparently on purpose and with the full knowledge of the station managers.I present for your viewing pleasure and/or amusement, definitive proof that we definitely have a television presence custom made for blogging. In that spirit, to http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/chicago-tonight.html1grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-5111005613760672039Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:30:00 +00002007-01-12T10:25:46.186-08:00As you may know, we will be appearing at 7pm Chicago time, on the primary local PBS station, WTTW on the program "Chicago Tonight". In a bid to get some research together before our appearance, I've started looking into some of the statistics behind Darfur, with mixed success.Gathering statistics about Darfur has been a very difficult problem, owing to poor record keeping, lack of civil society,http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/darfur-by-numbers.html3grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-7159858033899807648Sun, 07 Jan 2007 00:45:00 +00002007-01-07T21:22:18.920-08:00Our first finding is that, no Dorthy, Chad sure isn't Kansas, and despite that, ruby slippers are not, in and of themselves, sufficient to tackle the headaches associated with a lost ticket. For that, one needs a cell phone and airline personnel of extraordinary patience. And no, there really is no place like home. Or at least if your concept of home involves running water, paved roads, and http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/home-again-home-again-ruby-slippers.html3grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-4559177355546801634Mon, 01 Jan 2007 11:51:00 +00002007-01-01T04:36:05.120-08:00We are back in N'Djamena, although we are encountering some further problems with airline tickets. I wanted to share some of the first pictures of the trip, now that we have something approaching internet access. Photos and explanations below the fold (larger photos or perhaps a full photo album will be posted when we have a higher speed connection).We arrived here about seven hours ago after ahttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/happy-new-year-live-from-ndjamena.html5grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-8702692151501465527Sun, 31 Dec 2006 08:41:00 +00002007-01-01T03:51:26.274-08:00Well, we’re trying to figure out how to get out of Abeche. We’ve gotten the bulk of the footage we intended to get from here, but now we’re back to what seems to be the primary form of recreation for expatriats in the area – waiting for logistics. There’s not really a whole lot to say about us for the time being – we’re tired, grubby, a bit surprised by what we’ve seen, and anxious to get on tohttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2006/12/eid-in-abeche.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-397214663474563527Wed, 27 Dec 2006 11:59:00 +00002007-01-12T06:35:44.002-08:00ChadDarfurGaga CampInternational Medical CorpsUNHCRThe three of us finally got on a UN flight out of Chad’s capital on Tuesday the 26th. The kind folks from International Medical Corps (IMC) picked us up from the airport and drove us back to their “compound”: a pair of rented houses with around the clock security, barbed wire and a 6pm curfew. This, we soon learned, is the norm for NGOs in Abeche, and there are a lot of NGOs in Abeche. IMC, UNHCRhttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2007/01/to-abeche-to-gaga-camp.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-7838146859649071924Sun, 24 Dec 2006 14:17:00 +00002007-01-11T07:30:23.110-08:00Le CarnivoreMarc WahlN'DjamenaNumber OneSudanese Liberation MovementChristmas Eve in N’Djamena. This is our fourth day here. Jim, Ryan and myself are sitting side by side in an internet cafe. In the days since we’ve arrived, we’ve interviewed representatives of the Chadian government, leaders of the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM), and an American med student who’s traveled out here to get a better understanding of what the situation out here is. Our hotel ishttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-in-ndjamena.html2grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-6065143880380310537Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:07:00 +00002006-12-22T05:24:19.197-08:00We've arrived in Chad, and have begun the filming process. Chad is proving by turns to be fantastic, frustrating, and baffling. I did find it profoundly amusing listening to Elvis' Blue Christmas on the Ethiopian Air flight to N'Djamena, which is proving to be strangely prophetic.Indications here are that the bulk of the rebelliion has subsided, and I wonder about that in connection with recenthttp://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2006/12/life-in-chad.html2grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-2013929993344200019Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:10:00 +00002006-12-19T09:18:01.895-08:00The first leg of our trip takes us from the States to Addis Ababa, from where we will be departing for N'Djamena tomorrow.&nbsp; So far, aside from some minor logistical complications, we've been pretty good to go, and so far have interviewed a wire service reporter who covers the region, as well as several notable personages from the Somali section of Addis Ababa, Little Mogadishu.&nbsp; The http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2006/12/arrival-wheels-down-in-africa.html2grfaith@gmail.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8396035589901748984.post-1897523076799940893Sun, 17 Dec 2006 06:17:00 +00002007-01-04T07:29:40.735-08:00CSISDafur optionsMooniesOwen PriceOwen Price, visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies considers just what can be done about the situation. In addition to giving our film a nice shout-out (thanks!), he also ponders the impact of a Christmas boycott of goods manufactured in China. Hmm...Read Mr. Price's op-ed here.http://christmasindarfur.blogspot.com/2006/12/owen-price-on-darfur-options-in.html0grfaith@gmail.com (Jason Mojica)