Until today...
I know I must be a bit behind the times, but I just saw the most amazing movie from 2006:
God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan
I am a sucker for a true story! Sucker for REAL! This pushed all the right buttons. How does it tie into Christmas? Well...
It is not a movie about Christmas at all. In it, however, is some of the most profound dialog from a Christian, from Africa, that just has me thinking.
John, one of the Lost Boys, has at this point in the film been seperated from his family for over 15 years, walked 1,000's of miles, observed the unimaginable, was responsible for burying the dead children in his group he had charge over (1,200), and now he is in AMERICA, for two, count them TWO months and he expresses this:
The scene (Chapter 15 Keeping Culture) openes to the group living in New York. They are eating with their hands and John is explaining the importance of keeping his African culture... he states
"you know... a person without culture is like a human being without land."
The scene advances to a Christmas movie, another Sudanese man is mouthing the words to the movie,;now remember 2 months ago he had NEVER used electricity; now he is mouthing every word to a movie (so, American :), then John asks the camera:
"Would you mind to explain a bit what is Santa mean?I have still not finished processing this... I am wrecked and thinking what would I say?
and why do you set up this, umm... a Christmas Tree?
yes, a bit beautiful, but what is the meaning?
That's all we are asking, to any American to tell us, what's the meaning of this?
Is it in the Bible?
Is Santa in the Bible? I've never.
and how does it connected to the birth of Jesus Christ?
I think many of us have many questions to ask, but I think we have few, few people to answer them."
Regardless I am stuck with an OVERWHELMING need to do MORE this year. More for others and less for me.
As I stated I have been putting together links for a week or so now and I am going to leave you with them to do as you wish...
I am too heartbroken right now for those who I don't even know their story. I told my son, if we just bumped into this man on the street we would have no idea what his eyes have seen. Well, I can tell you this, watching the movie you will see men that did not forget where they came from. Did not come live a big life and forget those left behind... amazingly inspiring!
We must never forget as CHRISTIANS, if you call yourself one, what we have been saved from! I don't mean hell, a future fate for many, but I mean being born here, in America, with MUCH! For what, for our own muchness? I think not!
In the Special Features section I had to write this down so that it can marinate in me for days. I share it with you that it may bless you in the same way.
Panther, a young Lost Boy of Sudan, is reflecting...
"You are six years old, live by yourself, looking for your own food...that's hard, that's difficult! but here...you can see your mother anytime, whether you are grown up or young, you want to go to your mother, you go... We don't have anything but we are still pushing on with life... but here, everything is here and you still complaining, that is why I said you people take this blessing for granted."
Here are the links left to share...
I deleted most of the others, because honestly who cares about a handmade potholder when people are dying and ...
$20 buck can give them water for 20 years!
Amy made my job easier giving you lot's of link to great places for gifts, causes, and books that MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
This this a link to a great blog EPIPHANY!
Let's not take this life, this day, or this season for granted! Praise Jesus!
4 comments:
Love, love, love this. My husband and I watched a wonderful Francis Chan sermon not too long ago (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhqrtMqrv8) that we just adored that this post reminded me of.
There's also a website - maybe my husband will remember the URL, bc I don't - that we shopped on last year Christmas morning to help the kids see some giving before receiving. :) You can buy a goat or a chicken for a family...stuff like that. It was fun! We like to do local stuff that they can really see, but it was sweet for our own spirits to think outside of our little town, you know? :)
Oh, I'm crying! I wanna forget about all my stupid, pathetic, worldly "needs" and go get those people and hug their necks and tell them, "God hasn't gotten tired of you! I'm not tired of you either! Come to my house...and bring your babies too!"
That just broke my heart when he said "I thought God got tired of us." I imagine any of us would question where God was too, living in that kind of oppression. I'm feeling tired of sitting here and doing nothing too...only my heart isn't to bring orphans here by adoption (But God bless those who are!), it's to go to them and hold them all, and reassure them that God has most certainly not forgotten them.
Wonderful! I actually went to college with a true "Lost Boy"! To hear the story in person leaves you speechless and to know that more children are still wondering the same path they did everyday just breaks your heart. Let's continue to unite in prayer for these children of God and seek God for where we need to fit into His scheme of things. Amen!
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