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Mountains can be moved A testimony from students in Skyview high school and Vancouver School of Arts & Academics (VSAA) who are part of Youth for a New World's new project- Prosper Ndabishuriye-from Burundi, Central Africa-told students from Skyview and VSAA high schools his story of how he and 53 young volunteers risked their lives to bring peace to Burundians during the height of the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic killing in 1993-1995. In her senior English class, Brenda McKinney of Skyview then worked with students around such readings as Heart of Darkness, pieces from Adam Hochschild's King Leopold's Ghost, the Apocalypse Now film, readings on Rwanda and finally the film Hotel Rwanda. Chris McKinney-Brenda's son and VSAA teacher-also suggested to students to see Hotel Rwanda, as a way to add depth to their creative work around the social justice issues in the project. Writings and art below tell the story of their response.
"I don't know how to put into words what I am feeling. We all came out of the theater with tears in our eyes." "I want to do whatever I can for the Burundi and African people." "I've been rather stressed figuring our what I want to do after college. I just want to serve people. I stress so much about the wrong things." Heather E. "Personally, I would despair at the futility of it all, but men with perseverance like Prosper gave (hope to) his countrymen. I have learned that, corny as it sounds, I can make a difference. The little things like raising money at Starbucks or emailing the kids who live there give a respite to the constant strife and hardships they face. Ultimately this experience has humbled me and quieted the whiny little demons in my head, and made my life seem so much more privileged. The experience has spurred me not to waste the life and talents I have been given. I will not, I cannot fail for the sake of the people of Burundi. I will make a difference." David C.
"I am thankful that Prosper came to our school to our English class to share the exact troubles that the people over in Africa are facing. Seeing a man who lives in this wreckage and strives around the world to make it a better place, helped me realize that I could actually make a difference in someone's life." Skylar R. "This is definitely the best project of mine I have ever done. It's for a real cause and it's obvious the teacher really cares about what is going on….Everything else I usually learn has nothing to do with feelings.it's all about brain smarts. But we are actually doing things about what we are learning." Danielle M. "The validity of extending our hand for aid and comfort to those surviving in Burundi is so profound, I am unable to set a comparison for importance. These are lives with interests, fascinations, aspirations and hopes.
"When a person mentions Prosper's visit to Skyview I cannot help but smile. His time here was inspirational and enlightening." "He said a few words that I'll never forget. He leaned towards me as I shook his hand and he said, "You need to come to Africa." That touched me because I have been praying that God would give me some sign to show me if He wanted me to go to Africa, and there it was." Rachel G. |
"So, yesterday, Kaitlin, Rachel, and Robin rode with me to the Lloyd Center theater. We knew we were going to a powerful movie, but there's just no way to prepare for it. I have never been so affected by a movie before. Mrs. McKinney, I cannot stop thinking about it. How can we do nothing for these people? I felt horrible when the reporter (covering the story) said that Americans would see it and say "That's horrible," but then go back to eating their dinner. It's so true. "
"It is hard to truly grasp the graveness of the situation in Burundi, but Prosper's visit gave me a person, a face to connect the tragedy to. "
"During this experience of learning about the people of Burundi and what they have to live through is heart-breaking. This makes me want to be stronger as a person and do all that I can by learning and helping to raise money for a good cause." Drew L.
"I feel a new sense of strength since I have been able to step into the ring of helpful and loving people seeking to create new comforts and heightened living qualities for the people left homeless in Burundi. Shepherd D.