So today started out with my field trip to see a history exhibit just across the Salzburg, Austrian border in Germany. There in the town of Berchtesgaden I was reminded of events which took place not that far back in our history, of a man who frequented the very same cities I have toured, and of those victims who must never be forgotten.
( http://www.obersalzberg.de/obersalzberg-home.html?&L=1&cHash=89852a3347 )
Later today I spoke with my granddad on Skype and he commented that some people in our culture/country/world suffer from short term memory. Whether it is a problem of remembering the past or being ignorant of the present, I write this post to remind myself and anyone who reads this that we learn history so that good decisions can be repeated and so that bad events will never re-occur.
It is with sadness that I write tonight about the bad events which have occurred and are occuring still now. Your question might be what do Germany and Uganda have in common? I can't easily wrap my mind around how another genocide is taking place and it doesn't cover the front of our newspapers everyday. There is (a lot of) evil in this world and yes it can be uncomfortable to think about it, even overwhelming at times. But where the darkness of evil exists, the good light of God can shine through and create change.
I publish this not to guilt anyone, pull at heart strings or expect anything in response. I have simply been moved by the remembrance of one evil that was stopped only by people who took action. And I am reminded again of the evil that is in our midst today which can be stopped when we take action. I don't have all the answers, and these guys from Invisible Children may not either but here goes...
Watch this documentary and hear (maybe for the first time) about what is happening.
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/april2009/index-en.html
A few of my thoughts from the film:
- What will I do? What can I do to stop the Jospeh Konys and Adolf Hitlers in the world? Something I heard regarding the Holocaust was that so many people did not realize what was happening in the Concentration camps. With technology, globalization and information at our fingertips, ignorance can no longer be my excuse.
- It is not just an Acholi problem, it is MY problem. It is not just a problem for the young 25 year olds. Every person can learn from this and take action.
- Where was I December 25, 2008? Complaining that I was in Austria rather than with my own family to celebrate Christmas.
- "The world is my community" As I move from state to state, country to country, the world is my community. Just like my parents wanted the community in Athens Alabama to be safe for me, I want my world-community to be safe for my children.
"To bring the 3,000 child soldiers home, it will take an army of at least 3,000 individuals to pledge $3 a week through TRI."
A Dream for the future: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/media/videos/detail.php?id=1993739679
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php
http://www.resolveuganda.org/take-action
good thoughts, MB. thanks for the post.
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