The End of Memory

First of all, I am safe in Nairbi! 35 hours of traveling and I have made it to my hotel and had a restful night's sleep. I continue on my journey tomorrow so today I will be meeting with my team members and preparing for the trip ahead. If I was anxious of airtravel before, this will be a whole new ballgame!

I suppose I should take a moment to explain the title of my blog. Miroslav Volf in his book The End of Memory describes how and what a world with absolute forgiveness would look life (in my completely unacademic and unintelligent summary). When should we be willing to forget those things which have so hurt and wronged us. I bring this up because in the Kenyan newspapers I have been reading this seems to be a common discussion amongst the people, politicians, and church leaders here. When and how do we accept the wrongs done, and proceed with complete forgiveness. With the political situation here settled for the time, can the people (especially those in IDP camps) so easily forgive the neighbors that violently burnt down their homes and sent them away? Can church goers forgive their brethren who watched the violence or even participated in it? How can we move foward from such unspeakable attrocities.

This question weighs on my heart as I prepare to enter Darfur, where such horrific events have occurred I will probably never be able to express them with words. Can forgiveness be granted in such a place, and who is to grant it? There is a book called The Sunflower which expressed this question in much more eloquent language than I can through the story of a Nazi killer who seeks out a Jew from a concentration camp to beg for forgiveness. The question is, who can properly grant this forgiveness?

I wrestle with this question every time I think of Darfur. And I don't really have an answer. But I can and will pray that the God who has granted me ultimate forgiveness will show the people of both Kenya and Darfur the peace and that they will be able to rest in the knowledge of His powerful justice. I can say that now, will I be able to say that when I get back? I can only pray...