By Walid Zailaa
This summer August 4, 2022 marks two years since the Beirut explosion, one of the strongest and most devastating blasts in modern history. Hundreds lost their lives in vain; thousands were injured, and countless in the surrounding area were displaced for absolutely no justifiable reason whatsoever.
Two years have almost passed since one of the most hideous of crimes. Surprisingly, no one is being held accountable for killing and murdering innocent people who never thought that August 4 would be their last day. Other than some of the victims’ relatives, who have been ultimately suppressed, no one is talking about it anymore, not even the church.
In the memory of those who lost their lives in vain I write. Although they may have taken your lives; they may have shattered your families; they may have caused us all unbearable pain; and, they may have thought of you as just dots on a map, they may not take away your dignity and the fact that you are made in God’s image. Even though my blog will not do you justice, I want to add my voice to all those who are in constant remembrance of you, knowing that our prayers are heard and in due course acted upon by God, and hopefully by His church.
I am writing on your behalf to let you know that if your case is being stalled judicially, politically, nationally, and internationally, I hope that the church’s prophetic voice will ultimately rise to keep your case open in front of the eternal everlasting divine judge. If, however, the church for some reason joined the rest of the world in overlooking, stalling, and keeping quiet, woe to us!
My concern is not only with the injustice done to you and us. I am also concerned with the indifference, or maybe a better description, the quick adaptation of the church. I think that the church has become so flexible to an extent that it quickly adapts to fit in. The notion of fitting in disempowers the church from its prophetic nature as an agent of change.
Another student, Mafunga, agreed. He thought of Jesus having been traveling and added, “In my country, Mozambique, you never know if it’s been days since a traveler has eaten. You have to feed him first. Then you let the visitor talk.”