When I set out on this journey of writing and advocating on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I fully knew what to expect. I knew this would not be an easy task. I knew it would take a toll on me personally, and I knew that it would cause others to react against me.
This is by no means the end of this journey. These are just some reflections along the way.
The main question I'm asked is, "Why do you do this?" To be honest, I can't answer that question. Or, maybe I can't give you the answer you want. There is no defining moment that brought me to say that THIS is THE issue. In fact, this is not THE issue to me. Because I write so much about this and invest so much time in this issue should not confuse you. This issue is every issue to me (and by "issue," please do not think that I am taking the humanity out of it - "Issues" are always HUMAN!). I could easily write about homelessness, education, violence in another part of the world, domestic violence, or something else. Everyone is connected, but yet everyone is unique. There lies a tension that I cannot break for you. You have to figure that out for yourself as I am trying to do for myself. I do this because I have to. Yet, I do this because I choose to.
I've come against a lot of opposition. The opposition has been both direct and indirect. I've been called a "useless preacher" by a Rwandan government official. I've been told that I spread lies by more than a few people. I've been told that I'm going to Hell. I've been told that I preach the message of the devil. I've been told I have no place to speak because I am white. I've been told to just give it up because I can't win. I've been told to stop because I'm not an "expert." I knew I'd receive this opposition. Does it hurt? Only if I let it hurt.
Let me address some of this opposition:
To those who question ANY of my preaching: I am not perfect. I do sin. But, you can continue to accuse me of anything you want, but know this - my call to the ministry was a very real call from God. I try everyday to be faithful to God in all things. I fail sometimes, but that is what grace is for. In all of my writings, I have never said that God's grace cannot even cover the most guilty mass murderer if only that person would repent and turn to God for forgiveness. I do not seek to overthrow regimes. I do not seek to harm anyone. I seek peace. Jesus was very clear on his teachings about peace. I don't need to repeat them now. That is what I preach. If you misunderstand that, that's your problem, not mine. If I have said something contrary to those teachings, I'm sorry - let me know what I said, and I will personally apologize.
To those who say I spread lies:
EVERYTHING that I have written about or stated can be documented to an official source. If the reports of the United Nations are lies, then I'm guilty of spreading those lies. But, if you really believe that over 700 pages of United Nations Reports are lies, then I suggest you go back and reevaluate your position. Let me modify something I learned as a child. It may be helpful to you. If one group has a problem with you, you might not be a problem. If the majority of the world has a problem with you, you just might be the problem.
To those who say I have no room to speak because I'm an American White person:
None of us can choose our place of birth or our race. I recognize that my nationality, gender, and race gives me a position of privilege that others do not enjoy. I won't apologize for this because this is how God chose to make me. I will promise that to the best of my ability, I will not take advantage of this to knowingly exploit others. If I find that I break that promise, I will stop what I am doing and apologize and if possible, I will try to make right what I did wrong. I do not speak for my government. I can only speak to my government. So, when you address me as "You Americans," please know that this is not helpful to any discussion. Unless you know me, you also don't know my background or what I know, or where I've been, or what I've seen, or what I've experienced. I don't owe you an explanation of any of this. I am human and you are human. You can judge me if you want, but that doesn't make it accurate.
To those who tell me I should be quiet because I'm not an "expert":
What if we waited to solve everything till the "experts" came along? What if only the "experts" were aloud to talk on anything? Again, you don't know what I know and what I don't know. You don't know how I know what I know. I don't owe you an explanation. Judge if you want, but again, that doesn't make you accurate.
To those who tell me that I can't win:
You are the one group who is probably right! But, I need to ask - What is there for me to win? There is no victory for me in this endeavor. The only victory is peace for the innocent people in the DRC. I want no credit for that. But, if anything I write can encourage someone in power to look at something in a different way, or be another voice to influence that person, then that is great. If anything I write can encourage someone else to write something or say something better, that is great. If anything I write can encourage someone to go on one more day, one more hour, one more minute, great. But, you are right - I can't win. I have no vision of winning. There is nothing for me to win.
None of this is about me. All of this is about the innocent people of the DRC. All of this is about innocent victims everywhere around the world. All of this is to encourage others - victims to go on with life despite the challenges and to take the next step into saying, "NO MORE!"; bystanders to become active; perpetrators to stop their crimes; and everyone to love their neighbor and to love God.
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