Why We Created Revolution Hope

Photo: Associated Press

It's quite simple, actually. We could no longer watch, no longer read... We could no longer look at the photos of the bloodied and burned children in silence. To watch civilians dig their own children out of the rubble of a bombed building and not scream out is to no longer be human. Here in America, to be blunt, sometimes we barely seem human. That's a harsh statement, but think about it, really. On an average day, my greatest discomfort might be that someone cuts me off in traffic. I might have to delay a meal by half an hour or so. My butt might fall asleep at work from too much inactivity. These are honestly some of my biggest annoyances. I was born in America and they were not. As I sit here at my computer, some are huddled together in the war zone. They might be without electricity and running water. When they hear a plane overhead, sheer panic takes over. It could be their last moment. Will it pass, or will this be it? I will likely never know that fear. As I type, some might be hurriedly shoving a few necessities into a bag and running out the door. They've gotten word that Islamic State militants have rolled into the next town and it won't be long until they set out for their next target. I've read stories about these scenarios. Sometimes, grandma just won't be able to make the journey...and they know it. Grandma must stay behind. She'll stay so that the grandchildren can move quickly. Sometimes, children are left behind. I can't imagine the heartbreak of simply not having enough arms to carry my children to safety. How can you choose who to take? How can you live with your choice? The ones that stay behind, the ones that are old enough to understand, they know what horrors await them. The elderly will be killed. The babies will suffer brutal deaths. The young boys and men will either become recruits or face amputation or death. The young girls and women, they'll be sold as sex slaves. If ISIS hasn't hit your house yet, there's always the chance that either a foreign government, or your own, could bomb your home due to the militant traffic around it. 

Now, the only valid reason that I can think of as to why we are spared and they are not is because there should be someone to extend a hand to help. "It's so far away," you might think. Well, that's why we've chosen to do what we're doing. The suffering ones, the weak ones, the ones that can no longer speak for themselves need someone to speak for them. They need people to make sure that their stories are told when they cannot say it. They need people to show the world their faces when they feel invisible. This is why we can no longer be content with watching the news and being sad for a few hours. It's not enough and the heart cries out for more, more news, more videos until that's not enough. The road inevitably leads to action. 

We're asking you to not scroll past articles with words "crisis," "refugees," and "death toll." Click, look, watch and take it in. See their faces, see the despair in their eyes and see their children bruised and battered. Let your heart overflow for them. Feel human, then, act human. Join us in spreading awareness, sharing news and participating in relief efforts. 

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
                                                                                                                               Matthew 25:40