a heartbeat

"when our heart is beating in sync with God's heart, then the resource comes, doors open, opportunity happens...if God loves this world and gave His Son for this world, then wherever there is a trace of injustice we have the responsibility to be light in the midst of darkness...it's non-optional..."- chris caine.

a few years ago, i became suddenly aware of an injustice that has grown worldwide over the past couple of decades. the injustice is child soldiers. if you've ever seen the movie "blood diamond" then you've gotten a glimpse of the terror these children are put through. children, both boys and girls, are "recruited" into the army- some by kidnapping, some by manipulation into "patriotism" and "manhood", but few by choice. these children vary in age from as young as six years old to sixteen. they are brainwashed through drugs and over-exposure to war and violence, until the things they take part in no longer bother them- they don't even notice most of the time. they are robbed of their innocence, their whole childhood gone. with the shot of a gun, a six year old gains the experience that most western-culture adults have not even fathomed.

this is something that does not simply disturb me when i see it on movies like "blood diamond"... it became a passion burning inside of me. i must see these boys saved, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

i started writing this post with the intentions of sharing about a book i read this week. apparently God has deeper plans, as usual. anyway, here is the book:

this book changed my life. i watched "blood diamond" for the first time about a week before i bought this book, so i was able to put a visual to the words i was reading. ishmael beah is about twelve years older than i am, so reading this i realized the contrast: he was just escaping these horrors while i was growing up riding my tricycle and playing in my "little tykes" kitchen. two totally different worlds, two totally different scenarios, one thing in common: we were both children. we were both totally innocent. until.

his innocence was robbed when he was forced to see things, do things, that no child should ever have to see or do.

my innocence died in the best possible way: i learned about the loss of innocence in others through injustices such as this.

ishmael now travels the united states, telling his story of how he was a child soldier and was rescued. i do not know if he knows Christ, but i know that the hope of Christ is the only hope for children soldiers, present and former.

my loss of innocence was not without purpose. not only was i made aware of the gruesome stories of these children, but now i have made you aware as well. dear reader, what purpose will your loss of innocence serve?

"i'll stop and weep for a while
because innocence is gone.
she died some time today.
simplicity was all she knew,
and she was never afraid.

in her honour, i'll sing a eulogy.
i'll write pretty words
that'd make every mother weep.
then i'll sing an anthem cry
as we rise for
to see innocence restored.

she always picked the flowers,
'cause they'll grow back,
and she must bring beauty with her.
she never understood when the flower died,
but she'd always blame the weather.

in her honour, i'll sing a eulogy.
i'll write pretty words
that'd make every mother weep.
then i'll sing an anthem cry
as we rise for
to see innocence restored.

it's sad to say, she died very suddenly.
she found that a man had uprooted her flower-tree.
and she never was the same.
she had now seen and knew
that the weather was not to blame.

innocence died that day.
simplicity was gone and now she was afraid.
she saw things she could not forget.
responsibility took its toll and we go back to what i've said:

i'll stop and shed a tear.
innocence is gone,
and in her place here is the knowledge i cannot forget.
how could i go on and live a life
leaving all of this unsaid?
normal is no longer for me.
innocence was burried where once stood the flower-tree.

in her honour, i'll sing a eulogy.
i'll write pretty words
that'd make every mother weep.
then i'll sing an anthem cry
as we rise for
to see innocence restored.

innocence will live again.
she'll dance with her sweet bouquet
and sing songs to the wind.
she'll still know all she knows today.
but in the beauty of a brand new heaven and earth,
everything will be okay.
everything will be okay.

now pack a bag, bitter knowledge,
you'll travel the world with me.
there is innocence everywhere
burried on the plots of late flower-trees.
knowledge must be spread,
for i will not forget.
innocence will live in just a while
and this is how we bide the mean-time.
i will tell the world, innocence."

‎-rla