Sunday, August 23, 2009

GENOCIDE MEMORIAL

Well, if our emotions weren't all over the place enough, this was the topper.  We visited a site of a mass killing, where 50 thousand people were massacred and thrown into huge pits, some still alive-simply because of the tribe they were born into.  No other reason.  Now, the site is a memorial to remember what happened.  This man was one of the 4 survivors, whose bullet hole is still visible in his scull.  He miraculously escaped and walked to the nearby country, about 20 miles away for medical care. He now works on the site and helps to share his story with visitors in hopes that awareness will prevent this from ever happening again.  His entire family and all his friends were killed on this site and I am sure the sorrow of that is there everyday of his life.  But the most amazing thing, is the forgiveness he shows towards all the convicts.  One can see them everywhere, doing their service projects.  He said that he would probably have done the same thing if he were in their shoes, so he has compassion on them. WOW. 

Basically, about 50 thousand people were told to come to a school, where they were safe. But it turned out to be a lie and while there they were starved for 2 weeks and then attacked with all sorts of brutal weapons, and they were weak and defenseless.  Now, what makes up the memorial exhibit are simply the bodies put out on display, contorted and broken. Adults and children.  It is a very intense reminder of some of the amazingly huge things that the sin of man can do.  And the amazingly huge need of Jesus in our lives.  And the amazingly huge things some people must live through.  How can people suffer so much? How can people inflict so much suffering for such a petty reason? Wow, Lord, we need you. 





This was the school. Now a display of bodies.  Not a civilized American memorial, that's for sure. 

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