This is my prayer...
Nothing mattered much. Nothing much mattered. And the less it mattered the less it mattered. It was never important enough. Because Worse Things had happened. In the country that she came from, poised forever between the terror of war and the horror of peace Worse Things kept happening." (The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy)
But instead :
"They would grow up playing and loving despite the things that had happened. They would be taught the significance of their lives and how important they were to an Almighty God and the people who served Him. That any pain they felt would last just the blink of an eye versus the comfort they would feel. That Better Things Can Happen. That Better Things Would Happen. And they would find Hope in the thought.
Their lives mattered. Their pain mattered. And the more it mattered the more it mattered. It was more than important enough. Because Better Things were Possible. In the generation that she came from, poised forever between the love of peace and the joy of reconciliation - Better. Things. Kept. Happening."
That is my prayer. These are my thoughts…
The actions of Joseph Kony are the closest things to a tangible definition of evil that I have been aware of. I realize every day how much bigger the world is than I knew the day before- but he is real. He is scary and horrible and makes my skin crawl. He is big and he is powerful.
But the truth of the matter is- it’s not enough. Hate to break it to him (might love punching him in the face, but hate to break it to him), He. is. not. big. enough. He may be able to flex his muscles. He may be able to cause fear & maybe he goes to bed at night feeling secure in his abilities. They aren’t enough. If he’s out for blood, he’ll get it. If he’s out for power, he’s found it.
If he’s out to break the human spirit – he’ll never make it. I saw the proof in a 12 year old girl.
(It’s funny how that happens… Right when you think you’re doing the showing & the teaching, think again.)
He’ll never break her... He hurt her. He took her family. He tore them apart. He showed her how capable he is of terror. He took her security. He scared her. He showed her what real pain is. But…
He did NOT break her.
She is NOT broken. She is bruised. At night sometimes, she is afraid. During the day, she wonders why things had to be the way they were. When she is afraid- she talks to God about the things that scare her. When she wonders about the events that seem to have shaped her life, she talks to God about what can happen now. She’s 12. I’m 22. She is teaching me even still, from a distance. (of 8,000 miles)
So here’s the deal. I believe this can happen. Sure- there are thousands upon thousands affected. Sure- it’s big. Sure- it’s tough. Sure- it’s scary. BUT…
I b e l i e v e that God is an ever-present help in times of trouble.
I b e l i e v e that the King will answer “Kathryn, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me…
I b e l i e v e that He will say “I tell you the truth, whatever you did NOT do for one of the least of these, you did NOT do for me.”
I b e l i e v e that this is important. I believe that they are important. Healing is important. Healing matters. Peace matters. HOPE matters.
And I believe that the more it matters the more. it. matters.
Find something and DO IT. As a matter of fact, I’ll give you a headstart.
1. Go here: http://www.coburnsayyes.com/take-action
Sign the petition. It takes all of 3 seconds, so pull up an extra tab (you can even leave up facebook) and do it. You don’t have a reason not to, just do it.
2. Go here: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php
Go ahead. Keep that tab up- do a little backspace action and paste this in there. See what you can do- buy something, share some info, just get informed.
3. Go here: http://www.exileinternational.org/
Need more encouragement? Watch this video. Listen to the music. Listen to the silence. Listen. Make change. Give a song, and sing.
“When we begin living for something bigger than ourselves, we find ourselves.”
Forgiveness can happen. Peace can be found.
God is bigger than Joseph Kony. God is bigger than their pain. It’s real & it matters.
And… The more it matters…
-kathryn
