The humor of the this title does little justice to what I've experienced today and in some ways sums it up quite well. I was humbled to tears and sobs today and rejoiced in God's creation and work, and there is more to come tomorrow. Sometimes I cannot believe the opportunities and blessings that God basically sets in my lap. I've just witnessed first hand the largest gathering of Nobel Peace Prize laureates ever in the United States without leaving my campus. I am a mentor for the 10th Annual
Peace Jam Conference. My heart was very happy to hear the accent of a sweet, wee girl from Belfast (she used to live in Bangor, but unfortunately doesn't know Aly.) It's one of those things that makes me homesick for you all. I also attended a sesson with a laureate from Northern Ireland, Betty Williams (Mairead Corrigan McGuire was there as well).
She is an immensly passionate and inspiring woman, but what really struck me was the work of a now 13 year old girl called Anna. She was adopted as a baby from Peru. Her mother took her back to Peru when she was 11 to visit her homeland. While there they visited an orphanage that was in horrible conditions and the girls there were not focused on their school work because they were lacking proper nutrition and day to day necessities. When Anna returned home she told her parents she wanted to help the girls in the Peruvian orphanage. Her mother was thinking something along the lines of sending a check, but instead Anna created an organization that sends them supplies and things that they need (a much more direct form of involvement). I have been thinking a lot lately about needing to do something in a real way to change the world (I know I will as a career, but I want to do something now) now, but have been having issues with boldness. It's a scary to think about traveling to a developing country (but just look at Michelle and Jenni!!) I was almost reduced to tears at the thought that this girl showed so much more courage at 11 than I could currently muster within myself at 21. Shame on me! Shame on all of us.
This evening we heard from 8 laureates. How remarkable it is that Desmond Tutu has such enthusiasm and engery, but at one time would never have been allowed to hold such a position of leadership within his country. The Dalai Lama is basically exiled from his country. Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina was disappeared and tortured. Sharin Ebadi was imprisoned and her government had wanted to imprison her again quite recently. They could have simply given up on the world, but they chose to fight harder instead. How could we all sit there and let them down by not continuing on with their fight they they struggled so hard to pursue. They all departed on us such wisdom. At this point it is quite difficult to sum up, but basically it is love. Love ourselves so that we can love others even more. Mairead Corrigan said it well--'The only thing we have that is really really important is love.'
The Dalai Lama (sitting cross legged-cute!), Oscar Arias (I think), Desmond Tutu. Sorry it's so blurry, but I had the wrong setting on my camera, plus this is a picture from the jumbo-tron (I don't have that great of a zoom). The BBC is doing a 13 part series on all of this, so keep watch for that. It's bound to have a clearer picture too! On a side note,I pretty much wish that the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu could come home with me and be my personal advisors, departing bits of widom as I go along. Alas, they have much more important things to do.
Desmond's suggested prayer--'God, help me to make this world the place I know it has the potential to be.' ('And God will respond, ''Ahh, this is why I created this lot.''' He's pretty much hilarious.) AMEN.
