The Beginning of an Adventure

This morning my husband and I are embarking on what our friends call “an adventure of a lifetime.  I think it will be.  I am so excited.  We are going to Gorongosa National Park with a group from our local zoo.  Everything is packed and our taxi will arrive soon.  There will be multiple safaris and we will learn a lot about the efforts to build this park back up after a devastating civil war.  The animals were nearly wiped out but with human help they are returning.  However, recovery is not possible without involving the people who live next to the park.  Their needs must be met too.  The park needs their support to survive.  I am reminded of this as I look at our luggage.  We are taking an extra bag containing “The Shoe That Grows” for the children living near the park.  Others from our group are taking shoes too.  These wonderful shoes are designed to expand as the childrens’ feet grow.  I look forward to meeting both the animals and people of Mozambique.  Time to go!!

What Is Evil?

How would you define evil?  Last night my husband and I saw the Scottish play.  As we watched MacBeth descend deeper into darkness after each murder, I think most people in the theatre would agree that MacBeth was evil.  While sitting in our car waiting for the traffic to move after the play I pulled out my phone and opened Facebook.  The first thing I saw was a post from my pastor.  She shared Rachel Maddow reporting a story from AP about babies being sent to “tender age” shelters in Texas; she couldn’t finish the story.  The story is heart wrenching.

The first thing that struck me was the similarity between the story of MacBeth and this news report.  They are both about evil.  MacBeth became focused on his goal to be king.  Any people who were obstacles to his goal were eliminated.  With each action he sunk deeper and deeper.  Is the Trump Administration any different?

This administration has not hidden the fact that they are using these children as pawns in their efforts to discourage families from crossing our border.  They have dehumanized them and reportedly put some children in cages.  AP reports that since early May more than 2,300 children have been separated from their families at the Mexican-U.S. border.  If you don’t see this as inhumane, consider a very young child who is close to you, someone you love.  What if this was your child? 

Using and harming children is not simply uncompassionate, it is evil.  Ripping children away from their families is evil.  Arresting people seeking asylum is also evil.  If citizens of this country do not speak up and work to end this policy, we are complicit.  We deserve to be considered as evil as President Trump and his administration.  What has our country become?  Step up and speak out!