It was February of 1989, a group of about 20 Christians and I were about to depart to Asuncion, Paraguay on a short term mission trip. The news reported that a coup had taken place and President Stroessner was replaced by General Rodriguez. As we rode from the airport to the Assemblies of God mission we passed government buildings damaged by artillery fire. This was the beginning of a momentous year in many governments of the world. The following is a list of how much of the world was changed:
February- Boris Yeltsin wins the first free election in the Soviet Union.
May 8- Milosevic elected president of Serbia
May 8- First deaths in the Chinese siege of Tienanmen Square.
June 3- Ayatollah Khomeini dies
June 4- First semi-free election in Poland in 40 years.
June 19- Burma renamed Myanmar
June 30- The Sudan elects an Iranian style government with Sharia Law.
July 5- Seinfeld begins broadcasting (It took me about eight years to see an episode.)
July 8- Carlos Menem elected in Argentina. First democratic change of power in 6 decades.
July 14- Western leaders "celebrate" the French Revolution
August 4- Iran swears in President Rafsanjani
September 2- Violeta Chammorro begins successful presidential campaign in Nicaragua.
Sept 20- F. W. de Klerk sworn in as President of South Africa. Beginning of end for Apartheid.
September- Israel outlaws Hamas as a terrorist organization.
October 7- The Communist party in Hungary rejects Marxism for democratic socialism.
October 23- Hungary ends Communist rule.
November 9- Berlin Wall opens.
November 17 - The Velvet Revolution " begins in Czechoslovakia.
November- Regular fighting begins in Kashmir.
December 1- Mikhail Gorbachev meets with Pope John Paul II.
December 7- East Germany's former leaders arrested.
December 15- Uprising begins that will lead to Romania's ouster of Nicolai Ceausescu.
This is just a partial list and the following year was even more remarkable. It was not just coincidental that movements began in so many diverse places. Important news is broadcast and known on the other side of the world before the day is done. People's emotions spread like The Wave at a sports stadium. This is pertinent to today. The economic crisis around the world has stirred up ambitions of globalists and socialists everywhere. War and revolution can catch the fever. This is one reason why we have to stand back and examine major legislation and paradigm shifts in government policy before we enact them. As in a chess game, we have to look beyond the next few moves. This, we have not been doing.
February- Boris Yeltsin wins the first free election in the Soviet Union.
May 8- Milosevic elected president of Serbia
May 8- First deaths in the Chinese siege of Tienanmen Square.
June 3- Ayatollah Khomeini dies
June 4- First semi-free election in Poland in 40 years.
June 19- Burma renamed Myanmar
June 30- The Sudan elects an Iranian style government with Sharia Law.
July 5- Seinfeld begins broadcasting (It took me about eight years to see an episode.)
July 8- Carlos Menem elected in Argentina. First democratic change of power in 6 decades.
July 14- Western leaders "celebrate" the French Revolution
August 4- Iran swears in President Rafsanjani
September 2- Violeta Chammorro begins successful presidential campaign in Nicaragua.
Sept 20- F. W. de Klerk sworn in as President of South Africa. Beginning of end for Apartheid.
September- Israel outlaws Hamas as a terrorist organization.
October 7- The Communist party in Hungary rejects Marxism for democratic socialism.
October 23- Hungary ends Communist rule.
November 9- Berlin Wall opens.
November 17 - The Velvet Revolution " begins in Czechoslovakia.
November- Regular fighting begins in Kashmir.
December 1- Mikhail Gorbachev meets with Pope John Paul II.
December 7- East Germany's former leaders arrested.
December 15- Uprising begins that will lead to Romania's ouster of Nicolai Ceausescu.
This is just a partial list and the following year was even more remarkable. It was not just coincidental that movements began in so many diverse places. Important news is broadcast and known on the other side of the world before the day is done. People's emotions spread like The Wave at a sports stadium. This is pertinent to today. The economic crisis around the world has stirred up ambitions of globalists and socialists everywhere. War and revolution can catch the fever. This is one reason why we have to stand back and examine major legislation and paradigm shifts in government policy before we enact them. As in a chess game, we have to look beyond the next few moves. This, we have not been doing.
