November 2013 I attended the “Human rights days” in Kulturhuset in Stockholm.
I went to this one seminar hosting the man Paul Rusesabagina. Here’s a picture..
For those of you who don’t know, he was the actual man that saved more than 1200 peoples lives by taking them into his hotel during the genocide of Rwanda in the 90’s. The man portrayed in the movie Hotel Rwanda. He was attending the conference and you can all see the interview here.
That was in 2013… I watched the man, listened to the interview, but at that time, I knew nothing more about the story really.
Tonight, 2 years later, I am sitting on my couch on a Sunday night watching this movie and I am telling you, I really honesty wish I had paid him more respect on that day two years ago.
There was nothing that could have prepared me for this movie. No speech, no preaching, no nothing. Because nothing can prepare you for watching this kind of cruelty, where a whole group of people are being wiped out from the face of the earth, for the simple reason of being born into a certain category at a certain time. By other humans on a cruel, incomprehensible mission of extinction.
There are too many stories in our history books touching this subject. Too many horrifying numbers of people being slaughtered for unspeakable reasons. As if there is not enough people dying in the world already for other reasons. Too many inhuman, heartless, cold blooded actions to be counted, and accounted for.
There is simply too much of this!
So watching this incredible movie, I wept. And wept. And wept.
Because this movie is not only touching the subject of Rwanda and how the west abandoned an African country desperately in need. It is an ongoing story today.. The targets are constantly changing, but the history is being repeated over and over again. Like a never ending story.
I see it in the eyes of the young adults I meet at work. I see it in the stories of the refugees I meet in my church. I see it in the people of the streets of my safe country.
Some of my friends walked for weeks, barefoot, across cities, countries, in the dark night, without any lead. Some crossed the sea in tiny boats loaded with hundreds of people. Some lost their whole family. Almost everybody lost everything.
Why?
Because of cold blood, hatred and to be honest, politics, power and money. These are the roots of all evil.
There is no end to the love and compassion I feel for these people. My friends. My fellow humans. My brothers and sisters. No end of my admiration for their bravery and struggle.
Yet, I stand on the other side. Privileged. Watching. Weeping.
This movie touched me. Hotel Rwanda, a movie about a brave mans action during genocide in the past, stirring up all my emotions concerning current ongoing conflicts.
Hotel Rwanda.
An important movie which will not leave you untouched.
And Paul Rusesabagina.
To you.. all my R-E-S-P-E-C-T and blessings.
You are an extraordinary man!
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