الحمد لله

Alhamdulillah
(The Darkness Visible series)

"And as for those who have attained to faith in G-d and hold fast unto Him - He will enfold them within His grace and bounty, and guide them unto Himself by a straight way."

~An-Nisa 4:175

The media may all be fleeing back to the civilized world now that the humanitarian crisis they had prayed for has now been avoided. But we here at Alder's Ledge still have our eyes on Burma. Our voices still are lifted as the Rohingya people are now drenched in rain, homeless, and starving. Unlike the media of the West, we do not run from the fight for fear of political correctness or mass appeal. Our humanity does not allow us to leave the battle so abruptly.

We thank our L-rd, who has shown mercy, for the fact that the cyclone diverted north and lost it's steam. We praise His name for the grace that was shown to these already suffering people. This is no small miracle when we think of the thousands of Rohingya who had been left on the beaches as Burma awaited the storm that would wash away their undesirables. Blessed be All-h.

Yet in our moment of relief we must now look forward to the reality of what this rainy season has in store for the Rohingya. This is the time of year in which they will be hungrier than ever as the crops they once relied upon were not planted. This is the time of year when they could use a roof over their head and not just a rain soaked sheet or straw thatch covered in UN cloth. This is the season when the tears of Rohingya mothers mix with the rain that washes them away.

While the world seems all to ready to look away we must ask ourselves how we could ever do the same? Have we not come this far? Have we not seen the crimes of Myanmar against the Rohingya? Can we forget what we have seen as easily as they who turn their backs now?

Come now and let us rally once again. Let us find strength in the moral courage that has guided us this far. May our souls not grow weary or callous to the suffering that we face. And let us forever remember that while this tragedy hurts us in ways we might not have expected, it is hell for those actually living it. So let us rally once again and take up the fight once more. Lift your voices, lift your heads, and straighten your backs... there is still a long way to go.

For many in this struggle there seems to be the question of what to do next. With every prediction we have made, with every tragic event we have warned against, there is this day after. Today we get relief from the fear that came with the cyclone's threat of annihilation. Yet now what?

Now we must restart our campaigns of bombarding our own governments with pleas for the Rohingya who have been left voiceless. We must make certain that our own representatives in our state and federal governments know that we hold them responsible for their inaction. We must let every member up the chain, from the ground level up, that we will not accept silence in the face of genocide. This requires a constant screaming on our part. It requires us to be louder, bolder, and more tenacious than any other group out there. It requires our utmost effort to break the silence.

If you have not contacted your local officials yet you need to. If you have not contacted your state representatives yet you need to be doing that now. And if you have not contacted your countries leaders, well you know what you need to be doing.

This is a fight for justice. It is a war against the silence that surrounds genocide. Regardless of the ethnicity, religion, or cultural customs of the victims; we must pursue an end the slaughter and justice for the victims. These are our brothers and sisters no matter what differences might exist between us. We can only hope that if the tables were turned and things were different that they would do the same for us.

After screaming for the Rohingya to your government you need to get out into the community and, in the words of Obama, get in the faces of those around you. With all due politeness, you must start drawing upon the pillars of our own community and engage them all. This requires you to bring up the plight of the Rohingya with churches, mosque, and other religious organizations in your area. You must engage the leaders of these organizations in very personal ways (face to face preferably). With tact, you need to make the suffering of the Rohingya people their own suffering. Let them see that you bear the suffering in your own way. Making oneself vulnerable allows the other person to see your true sincerity and reveals your passions.

If you cannot, or are not comfortable doing so, engage others in this manner than seek out others who can. Find leaders in your area that are able to organize events and meetings. Explain the plight of the Rohingya as best you can so that it is as clear as possible to them. Try to stick to the facts at all times. Any sense that you are bias will set turn some people away from your cause.

And if you still aren't able to find outlets such as these then there is always the aspect of donating your online presence to the cause. By sharing posts like this one on your social media sites you spread the message to your circle of friends. You can also scream by putting these messages into your own words or republishing articles like this one on your own blogs (please link if possible).

Still unable to find ways to scream?

Try putting your money where your mouth is (or finger tips for you bloggers). Donate to organizations that are working hard in Burma to ease the suffering of the Rohingya. Groups such as Partners Relief and Development are constantly taking up the fight where it counts most. They get dirty in the field trying to alleviate the suffering as best they can. But this takes money, lots of it, and that is a resource that constantly needs replenished.

Just ask yourself what you could go without to find the funds to donate. Maybe it is a cup of coffee or a coke. Perhaps you could cut out some of the snacks or junk food that you sneak into your diet from time to time (what better diet plan could you ask for). Or maybe you have a few extra dollars that you spend on minor stuff throughout the week. Anything you can sacrifice could go a long way in Burma, right?

G-d has been faithful once again and answered our prayers in Myanmar. He has spared the lives of countless Rohingya. Where there was certain death the L-rd has brought life. Life that the government of Myanmar threatens with starvation and deprivation.

Join the fight if you haven't already. And if you are battle weary, feel free to leave your name in the comment box below so that we here at Alder's Ledge can keep you in our prayers (note that comments are not published until read, so we will not publish unless you ask us to). We have a long way to go. Let us scream out to Burma now that we have just begun to fight.



Donate to Partners Relief and Development by following the link:
http://www.partnersworld.org/donate