Hotel Rwanda

by | Jan 3, 2007 | Africa

A few nights ago I watched Hotel Rwanda for the first time. It was heartbreaking.

There is one part which particularly stands out in my mind: Paul, the hotel manager, who is hidding refugees in his hotel, is speaking with Jack, a foreign journalist. Paul thanks him for shooting footage of the genocide, as it means people will come to help them. Then, and this is what breaks my heart, Jack makes a comment which is, to our shame, too often true:

“I think if people see this footage, they’ll say ‘Oh, my God, that’s horrible.’ And then they’ll go on eating their dinners.”

We don’t care enough. It doesn’t have a big enough impact on us. There is so much talk about defending our fellow citizens and their freedoms. That is why we went to Iraq (supposedly) – to liberate the people, give them freedom, and protect our own freedoms. Have we forgotten, however, that as Christians our first loyalty is to Jesus? Our home is in heaven – we are citizens of heaven first and foremost, being a citizen of the UK or of the USA is secondary. Should our first loyalty not be to our fellow brothers and sisters around the world then? As Christians, as citizens of heaven, should we not be against war? Against the slaughter of innocent lives. Our brothers lives.

Forgive me if I have this all wrong. I’m still wrestling with it and trying to understand it in my own mind.

“… I believe in a God of scandalous grace. I have pledged allegiance to a King who loves evildoers so much he died for them, teaching us that there is something worth dying for but nothing worth killing for.”

[Shane Claiborne]

Happy New Year!

by | Dec 31, 2006 | Everything Else

I thought I would throw up a wee post just to wish you all a very happy new year! I have been writting a list of my highlights from 2006, which I will probably post up soon, but tonight I am heading out with friends to the Wash Basin to see the new year in, then tomorrow I head up to Belfast for the day. Have a great one, whatever you get up to!

Blessed

by | Dec 30, 2006 | Faith, Photography

I spent today in Portstewart with a really amazing friend just hanging out, resting, enjoying each other’s company.

Blessed. That’s how I feel. Enjoying her company, rejoicing in God’s goodness in giving me her friendship. She challenges me a lot too!



Today she made this comment about noticing the little things. It made me realise that, in many instances, I don’t notice the little things anymore as much as I used to. Kinda made me sad. How many gifts does God send my way everyday that I miss?

Been reading John Ortberg’s book ‘God Is Closer Than You Think’ lately (needed something less academic for a few days!). He quotes a passage from a novel called ‘The Prince of Tides’ which I thought fitted in very well with this:

“I would like to have walked his world, thanking God for oysters and porpoises, praising God for birdsong and sheet lightning, seeing God reflected in pools of creek-water and the eyes of stray cats. I would like to have talked to yard dogs as if they were my friends and fellow travelers along the sun-tortured highways intoxicated with the love of God… I would like to have seen the whole world with eyes incapable of anything but wonder, and with a tongue fluent only in praise.”

I think this may be a point I need to work on a bit again! Becoming incapable of anything but wonder… how amazing would that be?

I Want Too

by | Dec 28, 2006 | Everything Else

I show you my scribble plans
The ink on my hands
Hold it up for you to see, struggle and the charm
(What do you want me to be?)

David writes very eloquently. I like this especially. I want, too.

Too Many Trips

by | Dec 27, 2006 | Faith

Just read a couple of really challenging posts.

Brant Hansen posted a great mini-essay (it’s fairly long!) on church, the American Dream, and the kingdom of God. Read it here. I love his honesty about the struggles he has with conventional church.

Shaun also posted some comments on Brant’s post here. (The title of this post is also the title of Shauns post, and comes out of Brants post.)

Here’s a brief quote (its all worth a read!):

I think I’ve taken one too many trips. I can’t listen to “Where the Streets Have No Name” anymore without crying. Here are a few of the faces I see:

In Calcutta, I met a little girl who looks just like the other uniformed girls in her Christian school in the slums…

Please tell me, again, about how we need to “attract” more Americans, using more features, to a building, when in some places, they have to fence kids from the church building, for lack of funds?

I think I am beginning to get to that ‘too many trips’ stage. I think it’s a good thing. What about anyone else? Any thoughts on this?

Carols

by | Dec 22, 2006 | Music

This morning I was back in my old school for the carol service and refreshments! It was really lovely to be back and see people – old classmates, teachers, friends! I think today is the first time in a long long time that I have actually thought about the lyrics to carols. I realised how powerful and beautiful some of them are!

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth

How amazing are those words?? They really encouraged me today. Born that man no more may die. I live forever more through Jesus. He is life!