Are They OK?

In the last month, I have watched and listened to the news, and been reading friend's posts, blogs and email updates about the activity in Bahrain with growing sadness. Many of my colleagues know that I used to live in Bahrain and have asked me, "Are your friends ok?" I don't know how to respond to this question. Of course the friends that I have who are WASPS with blue colored passports are alright. Many ex-pats have left the country for a few weeks, and several of my good friends are still safely in the country.

It's sweet that people around me understand how I can be emotionally attached to what is going on in Bahrain, however, I feel that I could hardly answer the question, "are your friends ok?" without a bit of disdain. You see, ALL of my students were Bahraini. All of them. Those children stole my heart away. They were beautiful, sweet, exasperating and surprising all at the same time. In addition to my students, over half of my colleagues were Bahraini and most of my former colleagues are personally affected by what is going on in the country. Personally affected meaning that several of my former colleagues have had an innocent family member or close friend die. I wonder how you could ask the question "are they ok?" if you've seen this video footage. Because, after seeing these images and hearing these stories, I can't care only about those who I consider to be my close friends.

In Bahrain, innocent people who were camping out peacefully were fired upon in the middle of the night. In Bahrain, Shi'ie Muslims are being targeted by Syrian and Yemeni mercenaries, who are Sunni. Meaning, that they are being intimidated in forceful ways. Ways that remind me, as an American, of what happened with the Klan during the Civil Rights Movement. I can't be "ok" myself with this knowledge. Today, I sobbed for the first time in a very long time. Then, I picked myself up with a few thoughts that I want to share:
In the words of Pastor Martin Niemoller:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

Who is going to speak up for the rights of innocent Bahrainis who are being killed? How can the US be in favor of a no-fly zone over Libya and not do more to stop the killing of innocent blood in Bahrain? (I am partially afraid of the answer of that question, because part of me wonders if the US is in favor of a democracy in Bahrain at all.)

James teaches us that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.(James 1:27)" I feel that it is so easy to see the orphans and widows here in Ukraine. It is such an obvious, prolific problem. There are so many people here that do not have any kind of advocate, that I can see daily on the street. People who live on $100 or less, who are struggling to survive. It is easy to find a widow in distress when there is a babushka minutes away, begging for money or food.

Who are the widows and orphans in Bahrain? They are those that have no advocate. They are those who are recently widowed by violence. It is a much more challenging situation and call, but these people need an advocate desperately.

I pray for peace in Bahrain, especially for those who are affected by the violence. I pray for my students, beautiful children who can't fully comprehend what is going on, but who may be able to smell tear gas from their house. Most of all, I pray for an advocate for these people, and that God would come in and do wonders. Besides sob, it's all I can do.