How do I respond?

Do you ever have times where you have these massive emotions well up inside of you that you do not know what to do with? I am sure every woman can relate... =) So, as you know I watched Hotel Rwanda yesterday. I had seen it before, but I still had this intense anger boil up inside of me. You know that feeling you get when you want to scream NOOOO! This isn't right! Since I was a young child, I have had a strong sense of justice. I watch movies like that or hear about things like that on the news and I want to do something about it. The problem is I am not sure what to do.

One of my favorite lines from that movie is when there is a reporter covering the genocide. He literally gets footage of people being slaughtered out in the streets. Can you imagine watching your neighbour kill another one of your neighbours? How are you ever okay again? The main character asks the reporter if this footage will make the news back in the West. When the reporter replies affirmatively, the other man is relieved because surely this means they will come to their rescue. The reporter says, "No, they will look at it and say isn't that horrible and then go on with their dinner." The Rwandan genocide happened the summer after I graduated from college. I do not have any real memory of hearing about it. I was way too self consumed.

This morning as I was driving to one of the villages, I passed a U.N. motorcade that was transporting some of the prisoners that are being taking to trial for their war crimes. The U.N. tribunal is here in Arusha and I pass it all the time. It was kind of strange feeling after seeing that movie.

Throughout the world, especially in Africa, atrocities such as these are still going on. Some not that far from where I live now. The Sudan, Zimbabwe, and others. What do I do? What can I do? How do I help? How do I fight for those who can't fight for themselves? How do you get through to people that are so full of hatred and vengeance? I do not want to stand by and do nothing.

In my car, I had one of the local teachers with me and we were discussing some of this. One thing we talked about is that you have to get to the children. They need to grow up with an understanding of who God is and His love for them. They need to have a better quality of education. It isn't a short-term fix but I pray in the long-term the children at our schools will help change the face of Africa.