Please Join Me

Remember the horrific genocide in Rwanda, Africa in the 90′s? In 1994, Senator Paul Simon said that if only 100 people from each congressional district would have written their representatives and demanded an end to the killings in Rwanda, that the political machinery in America would have risen up and taken action.*

*Source: www.sandandsorrow.org

Each congressional district in each state has millions of people. Just think, only 100 people, from every district writing one letter could have saved millions of lives in Rwanda. In contrast, did you know that 1.5 million people stood in a line for hours just for the chance to attend the funeral of Michael Jackson?!

I love my country. I really do. America was founded on Godly principles and we have accomplished many amazing things that have made me proud to be an American. However, our response to the current crisis in Darfur, Sudan in Africa has made me not so proud. The same thing that happened in Rwanda has been been happening in Darfur since 2003. Most of us already know a little bit about the genocide currently happening in Darfur. I am by no means an expert on this conflict, but what I have discovered recently has sickened me. Here are some things you may not know:

An estimated 400,000 African civilians have been killed since the conflict started nearly 10 years ago.

90% of Darfur’s targeted ethnic group’s villages have been destroyed.
An estimated 3 million people have been forced from their homes-by terrorists- and forced to live in refugee camps.
97% of these killings have been against innocent civilians and executed by militia groups instructed by the government.
80 infants die each day in Darfur due to a lack of proper nutrition.
80% of those displaced are women and young girls who are consistently the victims of sexual violence and abducted into sexual slavery.
Many escape to refugee camps only to die because they are overcrowded, disease-infested, and prone to attacks.
In 2004, Colin Powell called the conflict genocide, and declared it the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21^st century. This is the first time the US has ever declared genocide while the genocide was still happening.
Though things seem to be improving, this genocide continues, and our government has done very little to intervene.**Source: www.dosomething.org

Is this God’s plan? Doesn’t He grieve over these unimaginable atrocities? Is He responsible for them? No. Then who is? Or, who will take responsible action? Shouldn’t the church? Aren’t we God’s messengers of justice, mercy and salvation on this earth?

What you may not know is that in January 2011, less than 100 days from now, Sudan will vote on a referendum that will stabilize the country. However, if this referendum is not passed, it will mostly likely throw the country into a more devastating civil war than what is happening now. Furthermore, there are great challenges to this vote actually happening, and the African government needs our help. Let’s put the pressure on OUR government to make sure that everything possible is done to end this continuing conflict.

There is something called “group apathy” in which nobody does anything because everyone assumes that somebody else is doing something. So let’s just assume that nobody is doing anything.

If any of this has stirred your heart, I am asking you to do one or both of these 2 things:

1. Simply go to: salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/711/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4930 and sign the already written letter to President Obama demanding action now. This will take you about 2 minutes.

2. Put additional pressure on our government by contacting your Local Representative and Senators. For those of you in the Tacoma Area, here is all their contact info.

Rep. Norm Dicks -1019 Pacific Avenue Suite 806, Tacoma, WA 98402 (253) 593-6536 www.house.gov/dicks

Sen. Patty Murray-915 2nd Avenue,m Jackson Federal Building, Seattle WA, 98174 murray.senate.gov

Sen. Maria Cantwell-915 2nd Avenue, Suite 3206, Seattle, WA, 98174 cantwell.senate.gov

I have heard that letters work better (they have to read them) but follow-ups with phone and email all help, too. It’s actually really easy. I did all of these things today. It took me about a half an hour to email and write a (form letter) to each. Many of us (including myself) spend a half an hour every day finding out “who said what” on Facebook.

Certainly, the MOST effective thing we can do is to intercede for this situation in prayer. But over the past few days I have been wrestling with what my earthly role is to be now that I know what I know. I’m not trying to get political, here. I just really, really want to stop innocent people from dying, and I believe it is our responsibility. If not ours, then who’s? Please join me.