The Blood Diamond, Revolutions, and other thoughts.

The Blood Diamond.
Other than the fact Leonardo DiCaprio speaks with a beautiful African-ish accent, the movie is painfully hard to watch. When I watched it the first time I was at (a friends house), his brother's friend as well as his sister was there (both work with the UN), along with the rest of his family who seem very very well updated on the issues of the world.

As we watched the movie, they were talking about the efforts of UNHCR, and other UN projects, child soldiers, war zones, food programmes and all the likes. I mean, listening to all these stories totally gutted me. I couldn't really fathom how truly screwed up the world is. All these things happening IN MY LIFETIME. No, it wasn't some unreal sort of story from an era ago. This is happening here and now. Right under our noses. It was sickening. But its reality.

Right there in the cinema last night as I was watching the movie for the second time, (knowing how the story ended meant I cried at the most random intervals remembering the disparity of the human race) I sat there praying. I was literally crying out to God saying 'save our nation, save our world, let me be a witness for you' and in my head thinking - "I want to go do something, I NEED to do something!"

I almost decided I should join the UN or something. LOL.

Then I remembered reading something Joel wrote. "Love God.. love people.. that's it.. that's the revolution.. revolutionary I know.. but if we understand what that means.. if we get it.. if we establish in our thinking how that looks.. and we start living it.. we will change the world.. it's not so much about the big stuff.. it's just about the stuff.. it's about the people in the places being the answer - in the places.. and together; becoming the answer to the big stuff.. it's about your backyard.. it's about my backyard.."

So rather than attempting to make my way over to the UN volunteers office to try and help change the world (in some big way all at once), I realized we all have to do what we can wherever we are. What are the needs in my backyard? Are the children I'm teaching in need of more than just an education that will enable them to be a 'success' in the eyes of the world? Do they too need love? What about the kids in my neighbourhood? Who's going to get them to church? Am I here to be the answer they need? To be the Jesus they see?

Sure I can get on a plane, fly out to Sri Lanka, Lebanon, or even Johor to help the flood victims. But I could go on forever and ever being an 'action junkie' trying to save the world. That's God's job (saving the world). We've all heard the saying, 'God's God and I'm not'. I've been placed where I am to help the very ones I meet, attempt to smile at, should go hold their hand, EVERYDAY! That's my responsibility unless otherwise stated by God himself and sent packing to save some other part of the world.

If I can do that, if I can be faithful to be a light and witness and LOVE in the very place I am not and if everyone in their own backyards can do that - we can change the world! I know it. I'm convinced it's possible. I'm convinced!

We can do it together,
Love much... sj.

ps. This also got me remembering i can't keep going on feeling neglected or disconnected - the world is too big to focus on me, and my sorry ass. There are greater needs than that of my silly little self.