Pictures of thousands of mutilated bodies. Machete cuts. Bullet wounds. Crushed skulls. Missing limbs. A chain that was found at an exhumed burial site which bound husband and wife together as they were buried alive. Story after story of innocent victims. Video of a young man around my age explaining how his mother was beaten to death. A girl, who's two sisters were raped, beaten and thrown into a septic tank. Dozens of pictures of once beautiful children like Kim's, all chopped up, or shot. Streets and churches scattered with rotting bodies. Mass graves outside the memorial where family members placed flowers. It all brought tears to my eyes. Imagining the pain makes it hard to stand.
Later I read that an estimated force of 5,000 UN peacekeeping soldiers could have stopped a majority of the slaughter. It makes me sick. How could we have failed like this?
3 comments:
Sheldon,
I have been very busy over the past few weeks. I never had time to come and really visit your blog. I am taking the time now. I am Angee's friend. I remember when I saw Hotel Rwanda...not knowing the full story before hand, it really opened my eyes to the world, and in this day and age, how many things are hidden from us by the government. Studying photography has made things so much more real to me. Seeing a photograph that was censored by the government, or seeing one that escaped censorship--it is just amazing to me the power that we have as people, to change the world, sometimes too late as in this case. It is important to learn. What an amazing experience you are embarking on...I wish I were there to record and remember...perhaps someday.
Thank you for sharing your story! God bless!
SHELDON!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU'RE THE BOMB DIGITY! I MISS YOUR STINKIN GUTS, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR ADVENTURES ARE PLENTY- THATS SO AWESOME THAT YOU ARE OVER THERE DOING THIS. I CAN SAY I AM KIND OF JEALOUS OF YOU, HAHA I JUST SIT IN A STINKING BANK ALL DAY WAHOO FOR ME!! WHILE YOU ARE MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND SMASHING INTO THINGS WITH YOUR BUS. THATS SO COOL! WELL I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YOU AND I LOVE READING ABOUT YOUR AFRICAN SAFARI JOURNEY. BE CAREFULL AND DON'T DRINK THE WATER, SMILE OFTEN AND I WILL CHIT CHAT WITH YA LATER
You write very well.
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