Saturday, October 07, 2006

Shooting Dogs...

Watched this movie on Thursday night and it is excellent. Like the movie Hotel Rwanda this movie tells the story of the brutal genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994 when 800,000 people of the Tutsi tribe were masacred by the Hutu people. The story is told in the context of a UN base set-up in a Catholic school where thousands of Tutsi's fled to for protection only to face eventual abandonment. The story closely follows two characters caught up in this context both of whom are white and English. One is the catholic priest who runs the school and the other is a young student teacher at the school.

Two moments sin the movie stand out to me. The first is when the young teacher is having a conversation with a BBC reporter who has just witnesed a horrific machete attack on a group of Tutsi's. She compares the experience with the horrifying things she witnessed when in Bosnia and how severely she was affected then. This time it was different, she wasn't so affected and it was not because she had become numb to such things it was because as she looked around all she seen were 'dead Africans'. That really sums up the attitude of the UN and the rest of the world powers during this genocide.

The second moment occurred at the end of the movie when the UN are about to leave and abandon the people and the priest decides to stay and the young teacher in desperation asks him why? The priest has struggled with his role and his faith as the masacre has ensued but at this moment he tells this teacher 'Remember when you asked me where is God in all of this? Well i have realised that He is right here with these people, suffering as they are and His heart is breaking.' What truth about our God.

Fantastic movie - a must see.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Neil! Great to read on your blog that you're doing great! I'll definetely check out this movie for our church movie night, las friday we had 15 guys turn up 10 of them non christian and it was really great to share the gospel with them and hang out. Movies are powerful! Thanx for coming over then, be blessed and if you're not married by 30, move to Japan for a while! The churches are full of Christian ladies, but very few men!
-cheers,
Taneli

P.S. Finland is 2nd in the Euro quolifications!

Anonymous said...

Hey Neil!Good to be updated about what's new with you - got onto your blog via the McKee's..it's really good!!! (Hope you don't mind)How bizarre I watched "Shooting Dogs" virtually around about the same time as you and really enjoyed it. Trust this finds you well and feel free to check out my blog weeitalianchick.blogspot.com Bye!xx

The Wee Italian Chick said...

Hey Neil!Have had a nosey at your blog and it's absolutely brill!I shall look up to you from now on for useful hints.. Funny that I must have watched this movie round about the same time as you together with your faithful travelling companion and was equally moved - really challenging.Hope you are still doing great. C ya,