Sometimes They Really Listen

We often write letters to people of influence.  We try to convey to them issues of injustice that they seem to ignore.  We want them and other worl leaders to correct some of the world's worst circumstances of suffering.

If you're like me, you will often wonder if it does any good to write, or if the letters are just filed somewhere and ignored.

 

Joseph Ciza from HEAL Africa in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo visited us in 2008 and told us about the human toll extracted by the rebels in eastern DR Congo.  Following his visit, many asked what could be done.

 

One of the items we identified was to write letters to your local congressional representatives and many others who should know about the atrocities in DR Congo.  Write and tell them to do something to protect the vulnerable, especially the women and children, and put pressure on Rwanda to stop facilitating rebels.

 

I have attached an article published in the March 5, 2009 issue of The Economist.  While I am not certain if one letter or a combination of hudrends of letters may have altered the course, I do think they had an impact.  The article describes some encouraging changes that are the direct result of the many who took on the issue of injustice as something that should not be tolerated.

 

The changes that have occured, whether permanent or not, should encourage all of us that the expression of our opinions in writing does have an influence.