Suffering

In Argentina, my friends and I had a phrase we would tell ourselves or one another when someone was complaining about life: "well, there is genocide in the world." Not meant to be taken lightly, it was our friendly and gentle way to reminder each other that we don't have anything to complain about in light of the suffering going on in the world around us.

That suffering, in its various forms, has been coming to my attention a lot lately. One reason is because of the books I've been reading. In August I read A Thousand Sisters, a memoir by Lisa Shannon. It highlights the violence in the Eastern Congo, and especially the sexual violence against women and girls. This past week I read The Enough Moment by John Prendergast and Don Cheadle (actor from Hotel Rwanda), which discusses the fight to end genocide (esp in Sudan), child soldiers (abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army), and rape as a weapon of war (esp in the Congo). One thing that I liked about both of these books is that they are both informative and hopeful. The Enough Moment especially highlights repeatedly the success stories of peace and rehabilitation in Africa, and how they can be used as frameworks for solving the current conflicts.

When we read these stories and hear the testimonials, the question becomes, what are we going to do about it? Luckily, organizations like The Enough Project and Run for Congo Women make it easy to get involved. You can sponsor a rape survivor in the Congo or support schools in refugee camps in Darfur. At the website for RAISE Hope For Congo you can send emails to electronics manufacturers asking for conflict-free products. It takes about 30 seconds. We can write or call our Senators and Congressmen encouraging them to raise awareness and support legislation that works towards peace, civilian protection, and the prosecution of the leaders involved.

But we don't have to go to Africa to see suffering either. I see it in communities all around me. And it's easy to get discouraged and feel small. But I've realized this week that it's not about feeling small. It's about taking small steps. We can all find ways to donate our resources: our goods or talents or money or time. You can google local aid organizations and find contact information to find ways to get involved. I don't have a lot of goods or money right now, but I do have time, and I have educational skills. I'm hoping to be able to do some tutoring or general volunteer work in the near future. I've just become too aware that the only thing separating me from those around me who are homeless or living in poverty is that I have a large and generous support network.

So, what do you want to do? Read a book (I got mine at the library) and raise your awareness? Send an email to electronics companies? Support a woman in the Congo? Write a letter to your representatives? Donate used goods that are still in good condition? Donate food, money, or warm clothes to someone in your community? Volunteer at a soup kitchen? At a tutoring program? Get involved in an even bigger way? I don't know what we will each do, but I know that as a child of the King, I can't do nothing. My God loves each one of them, each one of us, way too much for me to do nothing.