Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31 verses 8-9.
Heard any good news lately? With things getting more frantic and uncertain everyday it seems like good news is few and far between. I can't speak for all 20 something Americans, but I will say that I felt myself growing numb to the hysteria and destruction unfolding around me on a daily basis. There is always something... a role model falling from grace, the passing of a loved one, the end of a relationship... It's flipping everywhere. It was only a matter of time before apathy set in. I work for a non-profit organization. We are involved in giving couples the hope they need to pursue the wholeness of a strong family unit. I know that people are hurting and I know bad things are happening and I genuinely care which is why I work there... but as the days, weeks and months have turned into years I began to feel like I wasn't doing enough, like I wasn't really making a difference.
Randomly I found out about an event that was taking place in downtown Dallas. (more on that in a moment) The event was to help raise awareness and also funds for an organization called Falling Whistles. There is a civil war raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo and it has been for quite sometime... but it has gone relatively unmentioned until now...
Villages are being pillaged, women are being raped and young boys are being abducted and forced to fight and die in this war. And if they are lucky enough to escape... what then. What hope do these young boys have who have stared death in the face? My day gets messed up when I have to wait in line "too long" for my specialty coffee... these boys will not be able to go back to their families and pick back up where they left off with their normal lives. They are mentally and emotionally scarred and they need to get help fast or they will end up right back in the nightmare they just left... perpetuating the mayhem.
The thing about this entire situation that lit a fire in my heart is the simple fact that if this whole thing was going down any where else it would have been all over the news immediately. If a civil war broke out in the UK, or even China or God forbid the US there would be 24/7 news coverage and massive public outcry for justice. How is the DR Congo any less important than other countries? How is it okay for the mothers and sisters and daughters there to experience the horrific nightmare of having a loved one taken from you and turned into a killer or a target. If the young boys are not old enough to hold a gun, they are simply charged to be out front to blow a whistle and get shot at... NO STINKING WAY! There is no way in the world that a group in America would be able to rise up and start something like that without someone saying something about it. I realized that this is not Their problem. This is not something that They need to resolve. This is a problem with humanity. Every living human being struggles against our own tendencies toward greed and selfishness. As a Christ follower we are challenged to follow His example. The natural reaction is the curse the heavens and say, "If there is a God, how could he let this happen?". And if we were listening we would hear the reply from heaven is "NO! How could YOU let this happen?" What are we going to do about this? Silence is tantamount to acquiescence. Sticking your head in the ground is not going to help anyone. God saw the depravity of humanity and he did not sit idly by. Why should we who call ourselves "His followers" do anything less than risk our lives for those in need of freedom?
"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph." -Haile Selassie
Sean Carraso is the man behind Falling Whistles. He started Falling Whistles less than a year ago, after a journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). He came across five young prisoners who told him the story of the whistleblowers. Abducted in Congo and too small to carry a gun, boys were given merely a whistle and sent to the front lines of battle. The sound of their whistles calling together was meant to frighten the enemy away. Failing that, their sole duty was to receive the bullets with their bodies. PLEASE read the full story here: The Story.
Falling Whistles is partnering with YOLE, a local Congolese peace group, which provides art therapy for the boys who have been rescued. "Artistic expression has great value for young people, especially these young boys, who have experienced deeply traumatizing events. Art therapy helps them process these experiences while boosting their self-esteem and providing them a sense of belonging." (http://www.alkebu.org/)
But why are they fighting? The natural resources in abundance in the DRC are in high demand... especially here in the US...
With some of the world’s greatest reserves of minerals, metals, natural gas, and oil—including 10 percent of global copper reserves and 33 percent of global cobalt reserves, in addition to vast deposits of diamonds, gold, silver, timber, uranium, and zinc—eastern DRC has frequently been exploited by rebel group, foreign militaries, and international firms looking to fill their coffers. Other African conflicts have been sustained by diamonds and gold, but in the eastern DRC, columbo-tantalite(coltan), is one of the most coveted commodities. And with 80 percent of global reserves of coltan lying in the DRC, coltan has become the new "black gold". Coltan is refined into tantalum powder to make heat-resistant capacitors in cell phones, laptops, and other high-end electronics. With global technological innovation on the rise, the demand for the mineral continues to surge, creating the incentive for miners and traders to step up their efforts to extract it. At its peak in September 2001, coltan traded at close to $400 per kilo; today, the market price has steadied at around $100 per kilo. (from: new security beat blog)
Love is coming to Town: A benefit for Falling Whistles
The event was a tremendous success if I do say so myself. I don't have any facts or figures to base that on mind you. I am only speaking from my personal experience of that night. There was art, music and members of the Dallas Congolese community there to share their stories. Sean was able to share his heart for the DRC and then charged us who were there to get involved... hence this blog post and my continued unrest. I must do my part. You and I must get involved. We all have something that we are good at. Utilize what you have. Not just to see this war come to an end. But because we are human beings. Civil injustice is not something that should only be protested here in the US. To me I think our freedom here amounts to very little if our brothers and sisters around the world are living in slavery. Especially considering that we are indirectly responsible for their slavery.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." -Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
The heart of Falling Whistles is in the organizations motto which came from a conversation Sean had with a homeless man. "If you came here to help me you are wasting your time. But if you believe your liberation bound to mine then come and we can walk together."
Let's walk together.
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