I Can't Just Go On Eating Dinner

Twenty years ago the country of Rwanda experienced horrors the likes of which we have no capacity to understand. Throughout the course of 100 days from April 6 to July 16, 1994, over 800,000 Tutsis and some moderate Hutus were massacred in the Rwandan genocide. During this period, more than 6 men, women, and children were murdered every minute of every hour of every day for more than three months. We cannot comprehend such suffering and loss.

The movie “Hotel Rwanda” tells a little of the story of the genocide of those days through the eyes of a hotel owner who successfully saved the lives of over 1,000 Rwandans. But there is a scene in the movie where two characters, Paul the hotel owner and a Western photographer named Jack, discuss the fact that finally footage of the atrocities and genocide and ethnic cleansing of Rwanda has made its way to the media. While Paul believes that this media attention will awaken others to come to their aide, Jack is much more pessimistic, and unfortunately, prophetic. Here is their dialogue:

Paul: “I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.”

Jack: “Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?”

Paul: “How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?”

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

And indeed, in the case of Rwanda twenty years ago, the world saw what was happening and then most simply finished their meal.

Sadly, much the same reaction is being seen today with the events in the Central African Republic. The current violence seen in CAR, however, does not come from ethnic tensions, as was the case in Rwanda, but rather from religious tensions between the Muslim and Christian populations.

I recently attended the CRAF Conference in Dakar where Christian leaders from French speaking Africa came together to exchange ideas and report on the status of missions in their respective countries. The morning that I attended we heard a report on the status of the church in the Central African Republic.

As our brother from the CAR stepped up to the podium to give his report, he said that he wanted to show a short five-minute video to begin his presentation. He then added that if anyone had a heart problem that they may want to excuse themselves during the video. This disclaimer was met with a few chuckles from the audience as some wondered aloud what could possibly be so disturbing as to affect those with a weak heart.

And then he started the video and we immediately understood his warning.

The video was taken by a Muslim man with his cell phone and it showed he and several others massacring about a half-dozen Christians in broad daylight in the market. And they did so with machetes. In an orgy of hatred and violence, this man had captured these brutal acts of murder as these Christians were literally beaten and hacked to their public deaths.

And this happened because they were known to be followers of Jesus.

The video was so raw and so incredibly graphic that I felt sick to my stomach. I, along with many others, could not watch it all and I had to sit with my head buried between my knees until it was over. Another man in the room passed out and had to receive medical attention after viewing the five minute video. It was that shocking.

As the speaker recounted other atrocities that have been committed against the Christian community in the CAR he said that now his work consists of encouraging the Christians to love, forgive, and not retaliate. But he has not always been successful in his efforts as many Christians have “fought back” and only escalated the violence.

But as I listened to this man, with the images of the video still fresh in my mind’s eye, I thought, “What on earth can I do?” Though I am in Africa, the Central African Republic is far, far away and the problems there seem even farther away and more distant. So what can I do?

I can pray. I can plead with the Lord for the violence to stop. I can ask the God of all peace to reign in the hearts and lives of the people of CAR and in the hearts and the lives of the Christians who want so badly to repay evil with further evil. I can pray that the God of all comfort would comfort those that are suffering such unimaginable loss. I can, and I must, pray.

But I can’t just go on eating dinner as if I have seen nothing.