Weeping

I had just spent the week out and about in Laos when I checked Facebook. I read all at once about a family friend Mark Breen had pasted away and the bombing in Massachusetts. And I couldn't help but cry. For these lives and these people and these families. Why heart goes out to Amy, Nic and Tushka and all the families that were affected. I watched Obama's speech and how he says,  

“Yes, we will find you,” he said. “And, yes, you will face justice. We will find you. We will hold you accountable, but, more than that, our fidelity to our way of life, to a free and open society, will only grow stronger — for God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but one of power and love and self discipline, and every one of us stands with you." 

And it struck me how strange it is too have people who will stand with you. That we have a country that continues to fight for justice and are not afraid or timid of any power. That three people died and justice is served right away. Where else in the world can you say that?  Millions of people live in fear everyday and have no power and no justice. Even in Laos, people live in fear and are afraid of the government. People in Afghanistan live in constant fear everyday. To think the country suffered more than 15,00 incidents involving explosive devices (IEDs) in 2012 is outrageous. An article in the Washington post talked about: Afghans send sympathy and love to Boston, whose pain they know all to well.
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/04/17/photos-afghans-send-sympathy-and-love-to-boston-whose-pain-they-know-all-too-well/) 

 “Every time I hear about attacks happening,” she said, “whether it’s in the United States, Pakistan, England or here, I became too sad. All those people had hopes and dreams for their futures. Their parents had hopes and dreams for their futures. It doesn't matter that we experience this more often here. No one should experience any of it ever. It’s always the innocent who suffer.” -Frozan Rahmani

This is how people should respond. We can weep and we can say that we live in a cruel world. And we can seek justice and peace. But not an eye for an eye . We are continuing to put more and more evil and ugly  into the world. Why are you teaching us it's okay to kill people and it's okay to fight fire with fire? Why are we continuing to do what we always do? We all know it hasn't been working. We should we working towards peace, towards respect and love. We should be standing with people.

A friend of mine said this: 

"President Obama continues to defend US drone policy as an effective and "ethical" way to fight terrorism. I ask: what is the ethical difference between the innocent lives lost as the result of a bomb in Boston and the innocent lives lost as collateral damage from U.S. counter terrorism policies? 

There are many ways to fight terrorism effectively and peacefully, including educating and empowering women, working to end poverty and support economic growth, and putting an end to the hypocrisy, extremism, and religious intolerance that exists within our own country. But none of these efforts towards peace will be taken seriously if U.S. drone strikes continue to claim innocent lives and spread fear for civilians in Pakistan, in Yemen, and in Somalia."


I weep for the life of Mark Breen and for these families that have lost the ones they love and the millions of others that have lost their lives.  I hope their memories are honored and I praise Jesus that there is no more suffering and no more pain. Our lives are short so why prolong the pain and suffering?  Instead lets show love and compassion and peace. 

"Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile. Smile five times a day at someone you don't really want to smile at; do it for peace. Let us radiate the peace of God and so light His light and extinguish in the world and in the hearts of all men all hatred and love for power." -Mother Teresa

Nineteen.

It seems weird to think that I am nineteen. It seems weird to think that that is the age that I really am.It seems to me that nineteen is something others think I am not as well. It's common in Laos to lie about your age. So I thought I would follow along with everyone else and say I was older than I am. But the thing is I feel much older than I am. Laos instilled in me many responsibilities and in a way made me grow up. But in another ways Laos gave me all these opportunities to have made me feel like I am much older. The life I have lived so far has been nothing less then adventurous. I have seen more then most and for that I feel older and also grateful. But in reality I am nineteen. I do have many responsibilities and I also do have a lot of life to live. But also a lot to learn. To think last year on my birthday, I was in California with my family. I had little knowledge of what I was going to be doing in a year. I was thinking about college and about what to do with my life and now where am I but in Laos. It seems like a lifetime ago that I was in America. Especially in times like birthdays and holiday's to be so far away from my family. I dream of the days when I can hug my mom and dad and laugh with my sisters and hang out with my friends. I dream of  jamba juice and the falafel and mexican food. And I can't wait for the days that those dreams will come true. But then I think of about....What about a year from now? I'll be dreaming about the hug from my friends and the high pitches laughing of my students. I'll dream about all the Sabaidee's and Phop gawn mai's (Hello and see you later in Lao) I'll dream about the sticky rice and green mango's and lao food. And those dreams will take a long time to come true if they ever will. It seems outrageous that there is only four more months in Laos. How the time flies. How the times flies and then you realize that you are only nineteen and have lots of life to live. And what a joy that is.