Free Meriam

eurthisnthat.com

For some days I have been watching  news broadcasts about Meriam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag, 27 years old, mother of two year old Martin, and newborn daughter Maya, seen here in prison in the Sudan. She is sentenced to be flogged for "adultery", for being married to a Christian man. Muslim law does not recognize her marriage. She is also sentenced  to be hanged for "abandoning her religion" because she is Christian. 

Meriam was raised Christian by her mother, after her Muslim father left. But by Shari'a law, children born to Muslim men are Muslim. 

Public outcry has been increasing, and the most recent report online, by the Huffington Post, says due to international pressure, she may be released soon. Amnesty International states that while they hope this is true, they will not stop the pressure until she is free and all charges are dropped.  If you wish to support the campaign to free her, you can do so at change.org . Over 500,000 have already signed. You can also take action through the Amnesty International site.

May our voices help liberate her from prison and back into her life.

Amnesty International

Sudan

child-soldier.org

Kids, I am not a big fan of movie stars, but I applaud George Clooney for not only going to the Sudan to see what life is like on the ground for its people, but using his platform to take a stand in the recent protest in Washington outside the Sudanese embassy, about the Sudanese humanitarian crisis. He was arrested, with others, to make the strong statement that intervention and humanitarian aid needs to happen NOW. He spoke of the Sudanese government's blocking of food and aid deliveries, famine, the bombing that is aimed at insurgents, but is also killing civilians. He spoke of child soldiers, the raping and killing that is happening now, the starvation.

In looking on google for a photo to accompany this poem, I saw some pictures that stunned me and broke my heart all over again.  I didnt post one here as it is too heavy, unless a person is strong enough to withstand it. But this happy eyed little boy? He is a child soldier. Still able to smile, so he must not have been one for long.........dear God in Heaven. What species are we?

Starvation and famine,

while aid is blocked and governments politicize,

bombs falling on the innocent,

human skeletons

crawling across the desert,

child soldiers,

unspeakable acts

against all of

           humanity........

God of the All That Is,

I beseech you,

change, transform 

the hearts

of humankind.