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Saturday night I went to a benefit for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sounds kind of out there, right? Well, it turned out to be really awesome and was at a very cool venue, Southside on Lamar. Southside on Lamar, for lack of a better description, is a warehouse event hall. The organization hosting the event, Falling Whistles, had invited artists of all types to the event; photographers, sculptures, painters, and muscians were everywhere as were the "wish-we-were-in-Austinites." So needless to say, there was plenty of art to see, hear and make, and of course lots of wine to be had. Honestly I didn't know much of what the event was about, but the facebook invite from Leslie sure seemed like it would make for a different kind of Saturday night experience. It was, without a dbout, a very hippy evening, but a little bit of hippy is good for the soul.
Towards the end of the evening the man behind it all, Sean Carasso, spoke. Sean, who has visted Congo, told the story of the "falling whistles," which up until this point in the evening I had no clue what the whole "falling whistles" bit was about. He said that in the war that is currently being waged in Congo, child soldiers who are too young to handle weapons are given whistles and sent to the front lines. They blow their whistles in warning to the enemy and take the first of the flying bullets, hence "falling whistles." A very sad story indeed. But, Sean followed this story with other stories of hopeful Congonese citizens he'd met during his trip keeping the hopeful evening just that. Then he repeated the famous words, "if you have come here to help me you are wasting your time. But, if you believe your liberation bound to mine then come and we can walk together."
I think what Sean is doing through Falling Whistles is incredible and commendable. I also think awareness of these type of stories is important. But, it will be the Congonese themselves, who walking together, will change their world. I pray they and their children find their liberation.
Towards the end of the evening the man behind it all, Sean Carasso, spoke. Sean, who has visted Congo, told the story of the "falling whistles," which up until this point in the evening I had no clue what the whole "falling whistles" bit was about. He said that in the war that is currently being waged in Congo, child soldiers who are too young to handle weapons are given whistles and sent to the front lines. They blow their whistles in warning to the enemy and take the first of the flying bullets, hence "falling whistles." A very sad story indeed. But, Sean followed this story with other stories of hopeful Congonese citizens he'd met during his trip keeping the hopeful evening just that. Then he repeated the famous words, "if you have come here to help me you are wasting your time. But, if you believe your liberation bound to mine then come and we can walk together."
I think what Sean is doing through Falling Whistles is incredible and commendable. I also think awareness of these type of stories is important. But, it will be the Congonese themselves, who walking together, will change their world. I pray they and their children find their liberation.
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