This date in history

We're +1 PST, therefore the news (and by news I mean facebook statuses) of Osama's death hit us on the second of May. I made Sarah look up the information in depth, and then ran to tell Joy who was chatting in the meeting room. She found it so important, that she even shared it with her friend who's from Argentina. I mean, I guess he would care, but it's not as significant as it is to us. To US.

We remember where we were on September 11th. I was walking down the hall my sophomore year to Chemistry. I would always go early to hang out with Catie, maybe cook up some Church's chicken from our mutual friend via bunsen burners. The news came on and we sat in aww of the destruction. Catie had freaked out because her mom worked in the "Twin Towers" of Dallas and didn't know about the ones in New York. I freaked out because I was just on top of one of those buildings a month before.

And now the guy that we point the finger for all the madness has passed away. I asked Sarah what she thought, but it wasn't as big of a deal to her. I suppose it might not be, as we continue to progress in some sort of fight against terrorism. The war still isn't over. She joked that the only reason she'll remember this moment now is because I brought up the "where were you when" issue. Sometimes I can be overdramatic.

The irony is I (finally) began listening to Josh's sermon series about pacifism just the night before. One thing he talks about in the first of seven messages that stood out to me was how there was not a single dissenting voice against pacifism for the first 3 HUNDRED years after Christ's resurrection.

Now, I've written on pacifism before. The ideas aren't complete, and it was mostly inspired by Shane Claiborne's Jesus for President. But if you want to read it, look here. Bueno. What's the point?

The point is, I think more and more I'm a fan of paz. Peace. Creative, non-violent ways of ending evil. Still don't know how that plays out exactly, and an excellent example comes from today.

I was lost in these thoughts on the way to el Refugio only to find all the boys waiting outside. Maria Sol forgot to come. I had the keys to enter, but decided we should wait instead because I doubted my ability to control the boys especially all on my own (as you shall come to read). So we hung out for awhile, and two girls came. One boy, the one who likes to be the cool kid, you know the type, started play hitting with one of the girls. He was obviously making fun of her portly shape, and I did my best to make him stop. The word "Basta" or enough, can only go so far. Myself as a human shield was equally ill-qualified for the task.

I talked to the girl herself and apologized. I told her how I wish I had the language to explain to the boy not only that he should not treat girls that way, but why. To give a Mrs. March stylized life lesson that would put him in his place. And while every part of me wanted to play hit him back, I restrained.

After the fact, I realized that he had come close to hitting me, but never did. Was there some sense of personal victory there because every time he went to hit me, I never showed a sign of retaliation? Every time he grabbed my neck (which he had done several times), I joked as if already choked, and he never increased his grasp. When he got all the boys to pick oranges from the tree of el Refugio's backyard he started chucking them at the girls, including me, I held the girls close and told them not to move. Not a single orange hit us.

Obviously, I don't know what to do with children like these. I know in my heart of hearts how difficult life must be for them, but certainly they can be shown the better way. Additionally, I know my two hours a week will never be enough. I watched a mom lovingly dote on her son walking in the same rough neighborhood of Las Violetas. Learning to live right begins there--with mom and dad--but what do they do if they don't have a positive environment? How, specifically, will we stop the cycle of violence with peacemaking?

Chau.