Just watched the very sobering movie, "Sometimes in April" that HBO put out in 2005. It's all about the Rwandan genocide that took place in 1994.

Almost 1 million people were killed in a matter of 100 days.

It's the same affect that Schindler's List has on you. You kind of know the story, but once you see the movie, you realize the true severity of it and the emotion behind it all. Same for "The Passion of the Christ." We know the story, but seeing a well-made film about it brings it to life. You begin to understand, even if ever so slightly, the pain behind what happened. You think about what had to have gone through peoples minds and how they must have felt. That it's not just a story. Unfortunately, the holocaust DID happen. And Christ DID allow himself to be murdered.

And the genocide that took place in 1994 was very real.

What's sad to me is that I remember hearing about something big going on in "Rwanda, Africa," but I never really paid much attention. I was busy, you know? I was a junior in high school. I was consumed with trying to get people to like me. I was immersed in youth group, playing tennis, and working so I could have a car.

While we clung to the news channels to see what happened to O.J. Simpson (yes, it's been that long), almost a million people were being killed in a tiny country in the middle of Africa.

And oddly enough, we had just been sobered up by the horrendous story of Schindler's List. I remember our entire class in high school going to see the movie. And I remember thinking "Wow. I can't believe that was only like 55 years ago! Hard to believe that kind of thing still happened!"

Little did I know that it was happening again.

Why didn't I know about? Was it because I was in high school and didn't really care? Well, that probably didn't help. But the truth is, NO one was talking about it. We Americans kind of brushed off the whole thing and went on with our "crazy" lives.

Now, 15 years later, we are in the process of adopting a child from this country. And Erin leaves next Monday to go visit these people who have dealt with SO much - we can't even begin to imagine. Anyone 15 or older that is alive there has had so much pain in their lives. No one escaped the genocide - all were affected rather traumatically.

The thought crossed my mind during the movie that the mother of our child (whoever is she) lived through this. She survived. But her parents may very well have been murdered. Her mom may have been raped. If she was old enough, she may have watched friends and family die.

Please pray for the people of this amazing country. Put yourself in their shoes. They are trying to shed their past, but it's only been 15 years. They can turn down any street any day and have a flood of painful memories fill their mind. And they still deal with enormous poverty and disease as a result of all that happened.

Yes, we are blessed to live in America, but let's not ignore the world as we enjoy our riches.