I am Responsible...

Just sitting here listening to some music...a new found fav...Brooke Fraser. She's a Christian artist originally from New Zealand but currently residing in Sydney, Australia! I first heard her on the most recent United Live CD "All of the Above" and she is the author and singer of my two favorite songs on that CD...for a long time I didn't know that she is a solo artist and has CD's of her own apart from United Live (thanks Jo for the info). So when I found out that she has her own stuff...I checked out her main website http://www.brookefraser.com/ and watched a couple of her music videos. She is an amazing singer and song writer...the words of her songs are so inspiring. So I decided to buy her CD.

I thought I would share a few excerpts of lyrics from one of her songs...this particular one has definitely spoken to me the most since I have been listening to the CD...I can't get the words out of my head...it's called "Albertine" (also the title of her CD). On the CD jacket she describes the purpose behind the song. In 2005 she went to Rwanda and visited many different villages and families. As many of you know, only 12 years ago a horrific genocide took place in Rwanda leaving many orphaned children and broken, hurting people. Before she travelled on to Tanzania she met this young orphaned girl, Albertine. She does not allude to the specific details of Albertine's story, but mentions that her life was saved because of the sacrifice of another. Brooke's promise to Albertine and the people of Rwanda when she left was that she would write a song about what she had seen in memory of Albertine, the horible genocides of 1994 and the impact it had on the many children, men, women and families left behind.

Albertine

I am sitting still I think of Angelique
Her Mother's voice over me
And the bullets in the wall where it fell silent
And on a thousandth hill, I think of Albertine
There in her Eyes what I don't see with my own
Rwanda

Now that I have seen, I am responsible
Faith without deeds is dead
Now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go until you are

I am on a plane across a distant sea
But I carry you in me
And in the dust on, the dust on my feet
Rwanda

I will tell the world, I will tell them where I've been
I will keep my word
I will tell them, Albertine

I am on a stage, a thousand eyes on me
I will tell them, Albertine
I will tell them, Albertine

The chorus is what gets me the most..."Now that I have seen, I am responsible. Faith without deeds is dead. Now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go until you are." Having heard and experienced the pain and stories of so many hurting people in Rwanda, she had to share the story of Albertine with whoever is willing to listen. I know that people interpret songs differently than others which is why I wrote out all of the words so that you too can take from it what God wants to speak to you but if I take anything from it, it's that we are responsible to love and care for those who need it. Not just in Rwanda, there are hurting people all around us, here in Nova Scotia...we don't have to go far! Instead of ignoring the pain, keeping a blind eye and remaining uninvolved until my life and comfort is effected, I recognize that I am in the position to help...I am so blessed, I want to, I need to feel responsible.