What you can do
It is difficult to pin-point one, solidified solution. If we do X enough Y will happen, It doesn't seem to work like that. but there are some things that seem to be good to do, despite our need for one 12 step answer [how american we are, eh?].
I would suggest writing a letter using http://go.sojo.net/campaign/darfur
there is a faith action packet availible at http://savedarfur.org/faith/faithaction.pdf
send a message to your local media at http://www.beawitness.org/home
also check out the http://www.genocideinterventionfund.org/GIF_index.php for some community interaction
Ultimately, Power is wielded in discussion, in things being "brought to light". The most powerful thing we can do is say "please look at this, this is happening", the most effective tool is the spread of information. Talk to your friends about it, Talk to the people you love about it. Thats ultimately how large changes happen. Ida tarbell published alot of investigations on a certain Robber Barron because he put her father out of business, Teddy roosevelt got a hold of it, and was inspired to make large and drastic changes when he came into power. The right information to the right people.
To be honest this issue leaves me frustrated and overwelmed, I fail to realize the intensity of the evil. This is so powerful, against me. How many of us [me included] see these things happening, and feel so overwelmed, it feels so intense and so unstoppable we simply say "there is nothing I can do about it". And millions of us, individually, say this, and nothing, truely, does happen.
So another thing we must do is help people to understand there is something we can do, or atleast given them the opportunity to understand how evil it is.
0. Wrestle with the issue in your own heart.
1. Stay informed, be socially aware.
2. Spread information, tell others.
3. Speak hope into hearts that are filled with disbelief.
4. Pray.
We must pray, Honestly. Its so overwelming, so difficult, we must find ourselves with tears in Habakkuk and david's place.
Habakkuk 1 2O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you "Violence!"
and you will not save?
3Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
4So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.
Psalm 10
Why Do You Hide Yourself?
1Why, O LORD, do you stand afar off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
...
8He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
11He says in his heart, "God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
And after we are finished wrestling with it, We must ultimately arrive at david's summary.
17O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Why should we care? Because God does. God's heart and ear is inclined to the afflicted, he cares for them... in some amazing way, more than we do. Therefor, we can press on, knowing God has a heart for the poor.
He has told us in isaiah 1:16-17
16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.
There lies a place outside of our minds, where we can wish these things are not actually occuring. We can shut our eyes, and only focus on what is in front of us ,but this cannot be any further from what we ought to be doing. Ultimately it is this apathy that is killing us, and them. Our love for truth shall press on, even when we rather wish things are not as they are. These staggering numbers, these gang-rapes, and babies getting sliced up by blades are not fictional stories in some far off distant place. These are people, human beings. Its the death of your mother, your best friend, your daughter, your baby, your lover. Its the death of Jesus.
Matthew 25:
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[f] you did it to me.'
I would suggest writing a letter using http://go.sojo.net/campaign/darfur
there is a faith action packet availible at http://savedarfur.org/faith/faithaction.pdf
send a message to your local media at http://www.beawitness.org/home
also check out the http://www.genocideinterventionfund.org/GIF_index.php for some community interaction
Ultimately, Power is wielded in discussion, in things being "brought to light". The most powerful thing we can do is say "please look at this, this is happening", the most effective tool is the spread of information. Talk to your friends about it, Talk to the people you love about it. Thats ultimately how large changes happen. Ida tarbell published alot of investigations on a certain Robber Barron because he put her father out of business, Teddy roosevelt got a hold of it, and was inspired to make large and drastic changes when he came into power. The right information to the right people.
To be honest this issue leaves me frustrated and overwelmed, I fail to realize the intensity of the evil. This is so powerful, against me. How many of us [me included] see these things happening, and feel so overwelmed, it feels so intense and so unstoppable we simply say "there is nothing I can do about it". And millions of us, individually, say this, and nothing, truely, does happen.
So another thing we must do is help people to understand there is something we can do, or atleast given them the opportunity to understand how evil it is.
0. Wrestle with the issue in your own heart.
1. Stay informed, be socially aware.
2. Spread information, tell others.
3. Speak hope into hearts that are filled with disbelief.
4. Pray.
We must pray, Honestly. Its so overwelming, so difficult, we must find ourselves with tears in Habakkuk and david's place.
Habakkuk 1 2O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you "Violence!"
and you will not save?
3Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
4So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.
Psalm 10
Why Do You Hide Yourself?
1Why, O LORD, do you stand afar off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
...
8He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
11He says in his heart, "God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
And after we are finished wrestling with it, We must ultimately arrive at david's summary.
17O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Why should we care? Because God does. God's heart and ear is inclined to the afflicted, he cares for them... in some amazing way, more than we do. Therefor, we can press on, knowing God has a heart for the poor.
He has told us in isaiah 1:16-17
16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.
There lies a place outside of our minds, where we can wish these things are not actually occuring. We can shut our eyes, and only focus on what is in front of us ,but this cannot be any further from what we ought to be doing. Ultimately it is this apathy that is killing us, and them. Our love for truth shall press on, even when we rather wish things are not as they are. These staggering numbers, these gang-rapes, and babies getting sliced up by blades are not fictional stories in some far off distant place. These are people, human beings. Its the death of your mother, your best friend, your daughter, your baby, your lover. Its the death of Jesus.
Matthew 25:
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[f] you did it to me.'